The Virtual Explorers' Lounge

[Jim Avery]

20 minutes ago, Hockeyump said:

CDC is, I believe, an American agency so I am not sure Viking will be making a decision based solely on what they say.  Other nationalities sail Viking and Viking sail in many other countries.

Quite right.  As long as they don't enter US ports they can go by Norwegian rules or other countries visited requirements.  Personally, I have more faith in Viking than in the CDC.  🍷

[TayanaLorna]

19 minutes ago, Hockeyump said:

CDC is, I believe, an American agency so I am not sure Viking will be making a decision based solely on what they say.  Other nationalities sail Viking and Viking sail in many other countries.

Exactly, unless the CDC requires cruise ships who wish to enter US ports to bring only vaccinated passengers.  I can see other countries doing it but very much doubt the CDC will make that requirement.  To vax or not vax has become very political in our country.

[LindaS272]

5 hours ago, Hockeyump said:

CDC is, I believe, an American agency so I am not sure Viking will be making a decision based solely on what they say.  Other nationalities sail Viking and Viking sail in many other countries.

Before the COVID pandemic and the politicization of data on same, the CDC was respected and listened to the world over. While Viking may not make their decision based “solely” on the CDC, somewhere in the neighborhood of three quarters of the passengers on the four Viking ocean cruises we took in 2019/2020 were American.

[Ruthieofthesea]

Hello everyone, long time, no talk. Anyway all is well with me. We booked our air for the Southern Atlantic Crossing last week.. I am keeping the faith that this cruise will be a go.

 

I think I will wander up to the lounge and watch the world pass by. I have been in my stateroom much to long. I will have a half cap with bailys and catch up. 

 

I will share a secret with you. In my second career, I am a TA. I have booked more cruises in the last month than I have in the past six months. Viking is filling up ships for 2022 and 2023, River more so than Ocean, it seems people are feeling safer on the small longships. I just want to sail. I am still considering a world cruise. My family thinks I have gone mad wanting to spend months on a ship.

Maybe I am mad! who knows, who cares. I can act sane...

 

I am done with both vaccinations. I did not have anything other than a sore arm after the second shot.

I have my card with my passport. I am so ready to go.

 

Happy Easter everyone. Stay safe.

[Twitchly]

Given the chaotic vaccine rollout here, I was surprised to see that the US is doing remarkably well in getting its citizenry vaccinated. According to the NY Times, as of today 46 out of every 100 people has had at least one dose. Also according to them, that somehow translates to 30% of our population. (Not sure how that works.) The UK is doing even better with 47%. We’re getting there!

[Heidi13]

2 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

Before the COVID pandemic and the politicization of data on same, the CDC was respected and listened to the world over. While Viking may not make their decision based “solely” on the CDC, somewhere in the neighborhood of three quarters of the passengers on the four Viking ocean cruises we took in 2019/2020 were American.

 

While most Viking cruises probably have US, as the largest nationality, they have no requirement to comply with the CDC requirements, unless the ship enters US waters and calls at a US Port. The Nationality of the passengers has no role in detrmining the ship's regulatory requirements.

 

They primarily comply with NIS (Norwegian Flag State Regulations) and additional regs/standards for the countries visited. Since most Viking ships are in Europe during the summer, they will be complying with the ECDC rather than CDC.

[Heidi13]

15 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Given the chaotic vaccine rollout here, I was surprised to see that the US is doing remarkably well in getting its citizenry vaccinated. According to the NY Times, as of today 46 out of every 100 people has had at least one dose. Also according to them, that somehow translates to 30% of our population. (Not sure how that works.) The UK is doing even better with 47%. We’re getting there!

 

Reading the BBC news today, they report UK is now at 52.4% of the total population, but when considering 18+ only, the percentage with at least 1 jab is almost 60%.

[CharTrav]

On 4/2/2021 at 1:09 AM, LindaS272 said:

So read this story, intrepid cruisers. Pretty harrowing trying to travel internationally right now!

 

https://www.politico.com/news/2021/04/01/surviving-global-travel-during-covid-478821

Thanks! That poor fellow. Drives home the point that even if we're vaccinated we are in the end at the mercy of the policies of our destination countries. 

[TayanaLorna]

8 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

While most Viking cruises probably have US, as the largest nationality, they have no requirement to comply with the CDC requirements, unless the ship enters US waters and calls at a US Port. The Nationality of the passengers has no role in detrmining the ship's regulatory requirements.

 

They primarily comply with NIS (Norwegian Flag State Regulations) and additional regs/standards for the countries visited. Since most Viking ships are in Europe during the summer, they will be complying with the ECDC rather than CDC.

Viking could resume a number of itineraries in South America and the Caribbean by skipping US ports and using the Bahamas, Sint Maarten or Cozumel as stopovers instead.

 

[Let Me Travel!]

Hi everyone...just stumbled into the Explorers Lounge ...ready for a glass of wine and watching the world go by...We are booked for August THIS YEAR! I’m keeping my fingers crossed...I don’t have much hope of our Paris deviation, but according to some announcements we could hear by mid-May. I really think the UK will open especially to vaccinated travelers. I just love how this thread started...tell me more! We’ve done Viking River and loved it...this will be our first Viking Ocean.. Viking Venus....we’ve looked at every photo available on line...We think we know our way around the ship based on deck plans. please attach those beautiful photos from the Explorer’s Lounge. We both think that will be our favorite spot on the ship! 
 

Our opinion on the recent topic is....get the vaccine...if you don’t want the vaccine or if you don’t trust the vaccine, please wait and travel when you do feel comfortable. I will do anything I can to try to keep the vulnerable from getting the virus, but the vulnerable (or those likely to travel) have pretty much been vaccinated....I think we need to pull on our big girl panties and live life! There are many things that we can die of other than Covid...none of us have a guarantee of days on this earth....let’s get out there and love the world we have been gifted with and embrace everything we can!
 

Loved the link re: the year of warm/hot dock....makes my heart pitter-patter to get out of the house! Let’s have a glass of wine and watch the sail-in/sail-out....please post photos!

[Twitchly]

1 hour ago, Let Me Travel! said:

Loved the link re: the year of warm/hot dock....makes my heart pitter-patter to get out of the house! Let’s have a glass of wine and watch the sail-in/sail-out....please post photos!

I hope you get to sail this summer! Crossing my fingers for you. Here are a few of the Explorer’s Lounge on the Sky. Definitely our favorite space on the ship. Cheers!
 

 

[SantaFe1]

1 hour ago, Let Me Travel! said:

Let’s have a glass of wine and watch the sail-in/sail-out....please post photos!

 

Early morning arrival, Sydney!  Another shot of espresso, please  

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, TayanaLorna said:

Viking could resume a number of itineraries in South America and the Caribbean by skipping US ports and using the Bahamas, Sint Maarten or Cozumel as stopovers instead.

 

 

Totally agree, it will be fairly easy to resume cruising in the Caribbean, Panama & South America without visiting a US Port and falling under the CDC Umbrella. In addition to the ports you mentioned, P&O Cruises is also using Barbados  and St Lucia as turn-around ports.

[Liz Masterson]

It looks like you can not book an ocean cruise before August 2021 on the Viking website. 
 

I suspect my July 2021 (June 2020) Cruise is cancelled. 
 

😔
 

I’m  actually a little relieved since they don’t seem to be requiring vaccinations. 
I certainly wouldn’t want to be on a cruise ship with an infection break out after I spent that much money. And ethically I worried about a fellow member possibly infecting someone in port. 
 

Have not decided what to do next. Have traveling companions to consult with. 
 

Also have NOT received notification from Viking... so this is all what I am inferring. 

[Peregrina651]

5 hours ago, Let Me Travel! said:

this will be our first Viking Ocean.

 

Welcome!  If you haven't found it already there is a great thread here for Viking newbies: Tips for New Viking Ocean Cruisers

 

Also, when you are looking for pictures, all of the ships look alike so don't limit the search to just Venus.

 

46 minutes ago, Liz Masterson said:

It looks like you can not book an ocean cruise before August 2021 on the Viking website. 

 

Definitely one of the signs of impending cancellations. Next we will start hearing from people who cannot access their summer cruise on MVJ -- if we haven't already. Keep an eye on your inbox!

 

 

[Tom.in.nc]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

Definitely one of the signs of impending cancellations. Next we will start hearing from people who cannot access their summer cruise on MVJ -- if we haven't already. Keep an eye on your inbox!

 

My June 3 Baltic sailing has been locked in ReadOnly mode all day long. Doesn’t sound good.

Tom

[CharTrav]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Definitely one of the signs of impending cancellations. Next we will start hearing from people who cannot access their summer cruise on MVJ -- if we haven't already. Keep an eye on your inbox!

I'm maintaining a firm sense of humor along with an awareness of and readiness to take advantage of silver linings. 🙃

Edited April 3, 2021 by CharTrav

[Jim Avery]

Love the pictures.  I went back and am amazed that I have tons of pictures taken From Explorers, but no pictures OF Explorers.  Bummer....🍹

[Twitchly]

We just took the leap and signed up for a cruise next January — Cities of Antiquity and the Holy Lands. Very excited! This will be our second Viking cruise. (Second cruise ever, actually, if I don’t count one I did for work ages ago.) Funny that we’ll be on Sky again. 
 

We got a “guaranteed” room, couldn’t pick our own. Apparently the cruise is pretty booked up. I guess I don’t mind… I think. Has this happened to any of you veterans? 
 

We’re also doing the pre-cruise trip to Tuscany. Now to figure out post-cruise possibilities in Greece, and maybe a non-Viking excursion in Israel …

[CharTrav]

On 4/2/2021 at 11:40 AM, TayanaLorna said:

I too figured "safe within the bubble" meant tested, quarantined, no leaving ship or having outside contact etc.  I just wondered about Karine coming on board.  She said she was there for two weeks.  Hopefully she masked and tested daily before unmasking...or quarantined before interacting.

I contacted Customer Relations on that very question esp all the unmasked not socially distanced people I saw. The response I got was that in essence everybody on board ship was in a bubble - no different than a household - just a bigger one. With regards to Karine, I'm confident they followed all the necessary procedures to ensure she didn't break their bubble. 

[Let Me Travel!]

Hi thanks for the Explorers Lounge photos....I love ‘em!

 

Just yesterday we found out our flight to Paris (deviation) was cancelled (Lufthansa from Atl to Frankfurt to Paris). Flights to the EU are getting cancelled. The EU is not doing well with the virus/vaccine. I asked about doing the pre-excursion to London, but the sweet agent at Viking Air said they recommend flying in the same day as the cruise.....so....the whole “bubble” concept seems to be what’s going to happen...The agent and I, just in casual conversation said there was not much worry about the UK because the US and UK are fairly similar in their vaccine distribution and will likely open to each other before summer.  But I can kinda see what will happen....we will get off the plane in London, get screened, tested and get bundled on a shuttle for the ship.  I also feel like we will have to stay with our particular group for excursions...that is actually OK with me because we typically do the Viking excursions (though we like the optional the best). I just hope the excursions will be more than the “overview” bus tours....we really do like the “destinations”.  So, we’re still planning to go...hope Viking figures out a way to require vaccines...it will be best for pax, crew and the host country.

[Jim Avery]

Happy Easter to all the Viking folks.  Do they have Easter Egg Nog here in Explorer's?  🍹

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Happy Easter to all the Viking folks.  Do they have Easter Egg Nog here in Explorer's?  🍹

 

[Peregrina651]

20 hours ago, Twitchly said:

We got a “guaranteed” room, couldn’t pick our own. Apparently the cruise is pretty booked up. I guess I don’t mind… I think. Has this happened to any of you veterans? 

 

We have booked "guaranteed" twice now and both times ended up in DV4. Once it was because we booked less than a month before sailing and the other time was because it was a one week cruise and I felt like playing "guaranteed" roulette.

3 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Happy Easter to all the Viking folks.  Do they have Easter Egg Nog here in Explorer's?  🍹

 

We have virtually anything you ask for.

Edited April 4, 2021 by Peregrina651

[Mich3554]

On 4/3/2021 at 12:57 PM, Tom.in.nc said:

My June 3 Baltic sailing has been locked in ReadOnly mode all day long. Doesn’t sound good.

Tom

Yep.  This has happened to us for our cancellations too.  Ironically, during this time, Viking air posted our itinerary for the cruise that we had that canceled in April.