dcl999

4 hours ago, Doc who loves to travel said:

Let me know if you need more!  I was telling hubby this morning that I didn’t need a few things I brought.  I brought a pair of heels, stylish boots and nicer slacks.  Didn’t need.  Remember laundromat is free and very easy to use. Detergent included.  Bring dryer sheets for static. 

They ask you not to use dryer sheets. They can clog up the lint screens plus some of us have allergies 

6 hours ago, Retired2016Cruiser said:

Where did you read that antigen is not allowed?  Currently

 

Where did you read that Iceland requires a PCR test?  I saw an article linked below in another cruise critic topic that says antigen or PCR, but would prefer to see something more official.

https://www.icelandreview.com/politics/covid-19-in-iceland-all-travellers-required-to-present-negative-test-before-boarding/

 

The covid.is website has finally been updated. 
These travelers do not have to present a negative PCR test. FROM JULY 27TH: All passengers with vaccination against COVID-19 or proof of prior COVID-19 infection need to present a negative PCR test certificate against COVID-19. Rapid antigen tests are also valid. The test must have been taken within 72 hours before departure on the first leg of the journey.

31 minutes ago, JER/MPR said:

We used the Abbott home test, bought directly from them for about $45.  Very easy,  you call in when ready to take the test,  about 45 minutes total and have the results emailed to you.  We used it for our return to US JFK tomorrow.  I believe it is the only home test excepted by CDC for this use. 

The Abbott test I found was a rapid antigen test as is the one Delta is selling. If yours is a home PCR test please let me know the name. 
Hopefully Iceland will decide to allow antigen tests for vaccinated travelers. They specifically do not allow an antigen test and  require a PCR test for non vaccinated travelers. 

11 hours ago, Steve NH said:

Here is an article confirming the change. Effective July 26. Great.

 

COVID-19 in Iceland: All Travellers Required to Present Negative Test Before Boarding (icelandreview.com)

That’s going to create a major problem for us. We’ll have to get our test on a Saturday or Sunday. The only place around here that has a 24 hour turnaround for PCR tests is closed weekends. 

12 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Since the title no longer represents the topic - COVID issues on Iceland/all Viking cruises, I thought a new thread would make it easier for everyone to find the important info you’re seeking.

No one is “denying’” anyone anything! 🙄

Please post a link to the new thread. Thanks 

If you’re staying on Delta you should be okay if your arriving flight is on time. We flew in from ATL and out to Edmonton.  Gates were at opposite ends of the U shaped terminal. It is a long walk from one end of the terminal to the other. They did have a shuttle across. Icelandic air is in a different terminal. I usually check which gates the flights generally fly in and out of and try to get a seat near the front. I don’t know if they have to check anything about COVID before boarding the flight to Iceland. 

I thought you could tell because the drunk ones don’t stagger

We’re on the August 24 sailing. This is our first trip to Iceland and we rarely go back to places. 
We signed up for the golden circle tour. We’d appreciate some feedback. How much time are we going to be on the bus? What’s the longest segment? Does the guide talk for much of the ride? How many are on the busses now? How much time is spent at the various sights? Is there interesting stuff to see from the bus? We’ve been to Yellowstone, Niagara Falls, Craters of the Moon and the lava fields in Oregon. 
 

No temper tantrum please. We all had to read and agree to Viking policies. 
Hope all are well, travel safely and the positive people have mild cases. 

Perhaps we should all also be super conscientious about properly masking with kn95 or double masks when in airports, on planes and when Viking requires. 

Another question would be the covid rules for the transit country airports and last minute changes to those rules. 

Someone asked about luggage under the bed. We have an away large 29” x 20.5” x 12.5” that fits.  It zips closed and there is a little squish because of the zipper. 

The information on one of our COVID cards was incomplete. I contacted the place we were vaccinated. They sent me pdf files from the state registration databank. They have all the information that Iceland requires typed out, a seal and a QR code. 

Response to Snit 13 about wheelchairs. We have been on 3 Viking cruises. Ports have not been very handicap friendly. There was a disabled wheelchair user traveling with a large group of very fit friends or relatives. The group travels together and were used to helping him. He had no problems. No tender ports. A second person was traveling with a spouse. Viking helped to stow and unstow the wheelchair on the bus but not to get it up and down ramps. The spouse did not have an easy time. Again there were no tender ports. 

The only Viking cruise we have been on where there was active wheelchair help was the China river cruise. It was possible to hire wheelchair pushers on some of the tours.

Would posters please reference what they are responding to? I appreciate all the posts but I am having trouble figuring out which ports and shore excursions people are talking about. 

I’ve been reading policies. They all seem to say if someone else will pay they will not. Since my credit card will reimburse me for prepaid expenses for trip cancellation/interruption, can I put down $0 or $100 for trip cost to get the medical and evacuation coverage under a paid for policy?  Events covered and exclusions for cancellation/interruption are not exactly the same but very close. There is a clause in some of the policies that talks about “Premium” and seems to prorate benefits if full trip cost is not insured. 

Viking. FAQ "If the second test confirms COVID-19, we will arrange for the guest to recover ashore before returning home once their recovery is complete. Upon their return home, Viking Customer Relations will contact the guest and their travel advisor directly regarding any necessary refunding or rescheduling." Their travel protection plan covers the costs. You have to buy the plan 120 days prior to the cruise or on the day you make your first deposit if less than 120 days. Until Covid we have had better coverage with other plans. 

Chase sapphire covers prepaid costs that aren't reimbursed or given a credit. They also provide an additional $250 for transportation if you're not at the end of your trip. There is no coverage for lodging or increased air. 

I just read that GeoBlue trekker covers COVID medical costs but not evacuation and MedJet does not cover COVID transportation except in US and from Mexico or Canada.

We are willing to do some self insure but also wonder about cost/benefit of an additional policy

What coverage is available if you are not sick?

1. Positive test before your flight

2. Arrive at destination but positive test before boarding cruise and quarantine required

3. Midway through cruise test positive and (a) ship requires cabin confinement or (b) ship drops you in next port for quarantine

4. Test positive so can't return to the US and have to quarantine

In the past we've relied on the coverage through the Chase Sapphire card, GeoBlue Trekker and MedJet. It looks like we might need something else now but not sure which provisions cover the above scenarios. 

We took this tour several years ago. We had recently been to both Florence and Rome so booked different Viking tours. The buses to Pisa had little knee room. Most of the buses were fairly full. We booked an alternate tour instead of Rome that was canceled and refunded a few days before we arrived in port. We didn’t get to stop in Monaco because it was extremely windy. Viking added an extra Night and tour in Livorno. 
We stayed extra days in Barcelona. Getting a cab when we disembarked was no problem. 

Take warm clothes-one of the stops is very close to the arctic circle-about 38 degrees and rainy the day we were there. 

Also if someone is in Moscow in September check into dates and tickets for the military tattoo in red square. 

We went to the armory museum on our own. Great exhibition of the excesses of the tsars. 

Is the dance floor bigger than the ones on their long ships?

If you look at the cabin pricing between the July river cruises with free air and the August discounted fare where you pay extra for air, the total price paying for the air and cruise is about $100 - 200 more than the free air price for many of the cruises. Wonder if the ocean cruises are the same? We get many more river cruise brochures.

Carol

Thanks!

 

Little bits of wisdom like this are great to find. I'm soon to be on the trip and trying to refine my packing list.

 

I'm assuming your meant the sort of funnel-like device for women? I've been wondering if I need this. (I'd have to practice first!:o) How much use did you get from it?

About 2/3 of the off boat, non restaurant happy room stops.

Wished I had taken: swimsuit and swim cap (pools in hotels were inviting), Exofficio type pants, rigid container of some sort to pack fragile market finds (one vendor had some folded ribbon animals that would have made great grandchildren presents)

Glad I had packed: hangers (great for drip dry laundry), antiseptic wipes (to wipe shoes, etc. after plane ride home), casual clothes, female urination device, sunscreen, undercover money holder (one person left passport and cash behind at a restaurant in our group - it was recovered - and one person in another group couldn't find passport, delayed whole bus and affected sightseeing for that bus)

Should have left at home: robe, half my clothes.

Also should have organized clothes so we didn't have to open more than one suitcase at a time.

We should have packed in 2 medium sized suitcases and small carry ons instead of one checked bag and 2 maximum sized carry ons. Transfers in China would have been much easier.