Tips for New Viking Ocean Cruisers

[Jim Avery]

never let them see you sweat in the Orient. I guess if you are "too hot" a big cage drops over you and you are whisked away to quarantine. I don't know......was too scared to ask.:eek::cool:

[Peregrina651]

Temp scanners?? What am I missing here? There'a gotta be a joke or punch line here somewhere![emoji1]

 

 

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No joke. I seem to remember when there was all that trouble with Ebola(?) in Western Africa that one of the protocols that was initiated at airports was temperature scans of pax coming in from those countries. All in the name of disease control.

[roothy123]

I think Cienfuegos, Cuba had a small building you walked through and got scanned. I didn't see anyone pulled out of the line, however - whew!

[Wants to cruise]

No joke. I seem to remember when there was all that trouble with Ebola(?) in Western Africa that one of the protocols that was initiated at airports was temperature scans of pax coming in from those countries. All in the name of disease control.

At two Oriental ports we visited in winter of 17, the lines from the ship to immigration were narrowed to two pax abreast. Hats had to be removed, foreheads were scanned with heat sensors and if you exceeded the limits, you were pulled for further screening. If you failed that, you were denied entry and returned to the ship.

[BarbarianPaul]

At two Oriental ports we visited in winter of 17, the lines from the ship to immigration were narrowed to two pax abreast. Hats had to be removed, foreheads were scanned with heat sensors and if you exceeded the limits, you were pulled for further screening. If you failed that, you were denied entry and returned to the ship.

 

 

 

What ports were those?

 

 

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[Little Monty]

Further to the discussion re screening ... I worked at an international airport in Australia for several years. During the Avian Influenza (Asian bird flu) pandemic a few years ago people who were arriving from high risk areas (primarily Asia) were screened in the same way as described. A 'walk-though' exercise was undertaken inside the terminal shortly after disembarkation in which body temp was measured and anyone with an elevated temperature was taken aside for additional assessment (eg questions about where they had been, if they had been in contact with birds or poultry, if they were feeling unwell). On some rare occasions they were required to be cleared by a doctor before being allowed to leave the airport. There have been other occasions in the past where similar screening has been implemented ... all temporary measures until the world wide and / or the local risk of a particular virus or other medical risk moderates. Obviously it is in the best interests of the person that they be made aware they have a high risk virus etc, as then it can be treated - so detection on arrival in an airport is often the best available option for testing. Also obviously, the Australian government and those responsible for community health see this type of screening as being in the best interests of the wider community - identifying a carrier of a specific high risk virus at the border rather than somewhere down the track after the carrier has infected others in the community. At different times in different locations around the world local authorities may introduce this type of screening to respond to a known or emerging health risk. Don't stress if you see or are subjected to this type of screening, it might save you from becoming very ill - or save you from something even worse.

[Little Monty]

.. I should have added - anyone who was identified as likely to carrying the virus (ie infectious to others) or who displayed indicators of being sick from the virus (without necessarily being still in the infectious stage) were of course handed into the care of medical / health specialists.

Edited August 17, 2018 by Little Monty
Error

[Wants to cruise]

What ports were those?

 

 

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Shanghai and Semarang.

[Homosassa]

Too bad the cruise lines don't implement the temperature scanning at embarkation. It would certainly limit those boarding with flu or other illnesses and then spreading it to everyone else they come in contact with.

 

The sick passengers could board with the understanding that they would be confined to their cabin until cleared by the doctor.

[deec]

Would be nice....common courtesy would work too. During our World Cruise Viking worked very hard at cleaning to try and keep us all healthy. We did have some "crud" being passed around a couple of times but I think the crew's proactive responses kept it contained for the most part. Pools, gym, Spa were closed and in World Cafe crew served the food during 2 episodes of GI issues. Coughs and upper respiratory infections relied on people to be self-monitoring and respectful of others (did not always happen) I moved a couple times in the theatre and wished to on some bus rides....But thankfully neither my husband nor I ever got sick!

[Eaches]

The EU outlet and the lamp on the desk by the door to the veranda is not on the power saver. We found this to be the case on the Sky and Star. It's where I would leave a camera battery charging while we were out. Have an adapter that has two outlets - one on top and one in front which is super handy if you want to leave say your iPad and a camera battery charging at the second time. [emoji4]

 

 

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Just take a business card with you and solve the issue ! It’s worked on all our VO Cruises including the WC .

 

 

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[CharTrav]

Just take a business card with you and solve the issue ! It’s worked on all our VO Cruises including the WC .

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[emoji16] We used our Viking Explorer Society card. You need something with the proper opacity.

 

 

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[Cyber Kat]

[emoji16] We used our Viking Explorer Society card. You need something with the proper opacity.

 

 

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Our steward saw that we were using a card other than our room key in the slot, so he gave us one of the ones they use.

 

 

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[Granny27]

I left my card in the slot while we were out of the room. When we returned it was gone. Later that day I had a call to come and get it from Customer Services, turned in by the guest next door. We assumed that the room stewards had used it in error.

[stretchcruz]

I used my AARP card!!😁😁😁

[CatGirl922]

Viking Homelands Excursions in Berlin port: Has anyone had experience with either the Schwerin Castle or the Lubeck/Wismar tours?  Opinions?

 

[Peregrina651]

17 minutes ago, CatGirl922 said:

Viking Homelands Excursions in Berlin port: Has anyone had experience with either the Schwerin Castle or the Lubeck/Wismar tours?  Opinions?

 

 

I think this question is worthy of its own thread. It is a good question, one that deserves the largest audience possible-- its name in lights, you might even say. I hope you will start one.

[CatGirl922]

13 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I think this question is worthy of its own thread. It is a good question, one that deserves the largest audience possible-- its name in lights, you might even say. I hope you will start one.

Thank you.  Done.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Would a hotel key card work?

[Peregrina651]

52 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

Would a hotel key card work?

 

Probably

[ropomo]

I imagine any standard size card will work.  On our last cruise, I forgot to bring a spare and found that taking the Viking luggage tag and folding it over a couple of times also worked fine (only needed to fold so the tag didn't dangle out and create a nuisance).  After the first day, our room steward saw it and gave us a spare housekeeping dummy card to use for the remainder of the cruise.

[gsroach]

What does "Direct-dial satellite phone & cell service" really mean?

[Peregrina651]

4 minutes ago, gsroach said:

What does "Direct-dial satellite phone & cell service" really mean?

 

 

It means that these services are available for you to use but that you pay for them. Direct-dial satellite is available from the phone in your cabin--but it is expensive. Cell service is available while the ship is at sea; check with your provider for details including the charges for making calls while at sea.

[gsroach]

Thank you very much.

[newcruiser1956]

First time cruising to Europe.  Can you explain how luggage works coming back into the US? .. we fly into JFK and then connect on to home.. Do we have to get our luggage and go through customs and then recheck luggage to our final destinations or will it travel on its own and we get it like normal.  Sorry if silly question...