Pushka

Hope not. We are going on a cruise that will be going through the Middle East in mid summer next month. The pool area would be stifling and unusable with roof closed.

Once you test positive there's no need to keep testing because you could continue to test positive for weeks but not be infectious after the required quarantine period. I never had symptoms with Covid, so won't need the antivirals. Not that Aussies can get them anyway unless proven positive so no 'just in case' for us. Husband needed Panadol for a day or so but was otherwise ok. On land. Not a cruise ship.

I don't have a UK plan as I live in Australia.

I'm from Australia and the roaming cheap plans only relate to Zone 1 countries which the Middle East isn't. We can connect there, but the roaming rates are eyewatering.

No access to emails etc and google maps, Uber and so on when on land.

I've downloaded Airolo and purchased packages for a few countries. Going to Middle East cruise and our carrier doesn't support them. Now I can turn off mobile data for Aus home plan and just leave it open for voice calls and texts from home then turn on the plan for the countries I'm in. Already prepaid so no nasty bill shocks. These are all ESims. Home is the physical one.

Australia is the same as UK. Cannot get a Covid script just in case. A Dr has to see the positive PCR test, plus you have to meet other criteria, which is age of 70+ or severely compromised by other health conditions. To provide a script otherwise renders them liable for medical investigation. Each script costs the Govt $1000 AUD. I can't take it anyway as I'm on blood thinners.

Tips are included in the Viking fares quoted for Aussies and Brits. Fares are higher as a result. . It's because of our consumer laws. Even Carnival. So certainly not anything to do with luxury. We have on occasions additionally tipped in cash for cabin attendants but not always.

Huge advantage for Aussies and Brits. We don't pay the final payment until 3 months out. Our consumer laws prevent any longer. If using a TA it's different. Our tips are always included in the fare and which is higher as a result. We lose our deposit but just last week was successful in transferring one cruise to another. The cruise next month is our first Explorer society meeting. Sounds like I can safely miss it?

Trouble is on that site and on multiple Viking F sites it gets posted by someone different several times a day.

But even with daily testing, Covid spread on the ships because it was at least a 24 hour delay between testing and getting the positive result. Plenty of time to spread in that period. And subsequently illness and quarantine.

Given that testing isn't mandatory, thank goodness, then knowing the numbers onboard is pretty much meaningless. Having had Covid last year, and being symptomless I am happy to move on. If you are prepared to go on a cruise then catching any manner of illness, be it gastro or flu or covid, is just a part of the risk. Covid is here to stay. Influenza is here to stay. How much longer can extreme measures like mandatory testing be in place? Wear a mask if you want but in reality that won't stop you catching covid. Or flu. It just minimises the risk. In many countries now, seasonal influenza is much more prevalent than Covid but no one cares to know.

I'm looking forward to 😀😀😀😀😀😀😀. The only place requiring it in SA is some doctors surgeries.

Is any of the mobile phone info relevant for Viking only ships, and isn't relevant for anyone not living in US.

Viking just requires vaccination of primary dosage and that's it. No masks required for crew and passengers unless the local ports require it. So effectively in the NH no other protocol. Son and DIL recently cruised on Cunard in the UK to Amsterdam and no Covid protocols. People could test if they had symptoms and then would be required to isolate but there was no forced testing.

I also have a river cruise and cancelled one of those excursions and it's been a month and nothing yet. Yet another refund arrived very quickly. I'll call in a few weeks.

I'll call Viking Monday but recently cancelled an excursion on our May 5 Ocean cruise. Instead of going back to the credit card, it now appears in MVJ as a negative amount in my account (obviously I've paid for the cruise in full). I thought it might go towards payment of another excursion on that cruise, which I booked yesterday, but that amount shows as a pending amount on my credit card so clearly not used for future excursions. Is this a glitch or usual practise? I can't see any shipboard credits or vouchers in MVJ. I thought the refund would go back to original form of payment. Will I be able to access this money on the cruise? Although other than massages I don't think I'd use it all ($430 AUD) and we have already purchased SSP and gratuities. Help?

Yep I'm in a DV so good news! Choice of days wasn't too bad either.

This week we were able to book a table for two in both restaurants. They did open up a few hours earlier than what was stated.

Sweet Caroline is used in many Australian National sporting competitions as well.

Prices in Australia anyway have been put up and another price increase on April 1 direct from Viking.

It will be stated on the Invoice from Viking AUS in the Terms PDF. Ah. Just saw your update. Forget it then. Promotional Amenities Pre-Paid Onboard Gratuities

The tiny dots in the water on the left? Sea lions. This glacier was spectacular. And as for the Orcas, humpbacks, puffins, seals, birds....what a day. This was early June.

Aussie and UK bookings are all priced so that tips are included so not a choice to pre pay. They just are. I'm curious to know whether the stateroom crew know that we have paid or is it assumed that everyone will pay, just at a different time. Obviously the tips hadn't increased when we booked our next cruise, which was Covid Covid cancelled but now happening in May.

The one thing I like about the Abba and Beatles productions is that many people go to them and it leaves the Explorer lounge blissfully quiet for us to enjoy drinks and admire the scenery. The bar crew aren't so busy so we can get to know them and it's a lovely time onboard. And then, the crowd hits.