Star gets PCR lab

[Clay Clayton]

Maybe this will get us back onboard! 😢
https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23803-viking-star-gets-first-pcr-laboratory-at-sea-for-covid-testing.html

[Islandbc]

45 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Maybe this will get us back onboard! 😢
https://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/23803-viking-star-gets-first-pcr-laboratory-at-sea-for-covid-testing.html

Good news for the 2022 world cruisers!

[knoxclone]

This definitely could be a game changer - but I don't believe could be practical with ships with more passengers.

[Heidi13]

29 minutes ago, knoxclone said:

This definitely could be a game changer - but I don't believe could be practical with ships with more passengers.

 

Although we experienced multiple temperature checks, not COVID tests, on the Viking Sun, the process for crew and pax went very smoothly. I have no doubt that Viking have a plan that will work.

[JM0115]

Interesting to see how this affects their schedule!

[Peregrina651]

The article said:

Viking will be demonstrating the PCR laboratory, as well as new design and operating procedures,

 

Any guesses what is meant when they say "new design"? Or are we going to have to wait for some sort of big reveal?

[angela miller]

Sounds like Viking is ahead of the game!  Impressive!

[LunaSeaRetreat]

Interesting what it says at the end of the article since the Star is suppose to be in Puerto Rico  in January.  Is there any reason she would go to Norway first? Or is she staying in Norway as was discussed before? Since I'm suppose to board the Star in Puerto Rico in February for the crossing, I'm more interested than most.

Good news about the lab.

 

Viking will be demonstrating the PCR laboratory, as well as new design and operating procedures, when the Viking Star comes to Oslo, Norway in mid-November.

 

Cynthia

[Jim Avery]

This lab is a good start but I long for the day when cruising is just cruising.  One thing about the lab is that would it not need to be approved by all countries visited by Viking in order to let the passengers ashore? A tough task on its own.

[Cienfuegos]

The laboratory could be a powerful tool for convincing some port authorities to allow cruise landings.  The ability to deliver a professional certification of freedom from disease could be powerful.

 

The confusion among Miami-Dade local authorities, Florida state health administration, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the airlines caused long delays in allowing ships to discharge passengers and crew months ago.

[SantaFe1]

With two cruises on The Star next year, in the Wake of the Vikings in Sept.,and the first leg of the WC, Ft Lauderdale to LA, In Dec., I view this as good news!

[Barrhead2015]

This sounds promising. In UK we are piloting large scale (whole city) saliva tests for COVID too. Hope this is the big step in managing COVID and to restart a relative normal life again.

[Redtravel]

While I am booked, I will not sail until a vaccine is mandatory for all cruises.

[rbslos18]

On 11/2/2020 at 4:46 PM, Islandbc said:

Good news for the 2022 world cruisers!

It’s a brilliant move. It will have to be fleet wide to get things rolling.
There are two things that need to happen. We need a vaccine which like the flu vaccine may only be 50-60% effective. We also need more effective treatments. Already, mortality is down since March. I am hoping they will have this under control by winter 2021. Until then, everyone be safe! And PLEASE keep posting. I need my daily cruise fix!

Bob

[rbslos18]

We are getting close! The Pfizer 2-shot vaccine is over 90% effective! Don’t back your bags yet, but here’s predicting we will be able to cruise by Fall 2021. Remember, even when the vaccine is ready for distribution in 2021, there are a few people in line to get it!

https://www.wsj.com/articles/covid-19-vaccine-from-pfizer-and-biontech-works-better-than-expected-11604922300?st=3ybjjxrnd9uhebl&reflink=article_copyURL_share

RB

Edited November 9, 2020 by rbslos18

[cliffdweller]

Excellent news on both the lab and the vaccines.  We are booked on the Star 5/20/2021 and are still cautiously optimistic we will sail.  If we can't do private tours, so be it.  Pat

 

[angela miller]

1 hour ago, cliffdweller said:

Excellent news on both the lab and the vaccines.  We are booked on the Star 5/20/2021 and are still cautiously optimistic we will sail.  If we can't do private tours, so be it.  Pat

 

Great news!

[Cienfuegos]

Several Caribbean nations have begun to open their doors to airborne tourists.  Grenada, St Kitts, Caymans, etc join (non-Caribbean) Bermuda. All are currently in the lowest US risk tier, so returning tourists don't need any checks under federal rules.

 

One requirement is a clean "bill of health" in the preceding 72 hours before arrival, so Viking's lab could provide that evidence. Very helpful on a 12 or 14 day cruise.

 

At this point, it's doubtful whether there are enough ports accepting US tourists, but the situation may change in two or three months

[Mich3554]

Hmmm......I used to run PCRs in my pre retirement life.   It wouldn’t take me long to get back up to speed.
 

I wonder if they’d hire me to stay on a ship and do their testing?  Interesting thought.

[Cienfuegos]

5 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

Hmmm......I used to run PCRs in my pre retirement life.   It wouldn’t take me long to get back up to speed.
 

I wonder if they’d hire me to stay on a ship and do their testing?  Interesting thought.

 

Go for it!  Can't hurt to ask...

[Clay Clayton]

19 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

Hmmm......I used to run PCRs in my pre retirement life.   It wouldn’t take me long to get back up to speed.
 

I wonder if they’d hire me to stay on a ship and do their testing?  Interesting thought.

Is it hard to learn?  Maybe I need to take some classes!

[JeriGail]

26 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Is it hard to learn?  Maybe I need to take some classes!

Me too!  🙂  I was a medical technologist who specialized in Microbiology, so testing procedures were a huge part of my job.  That's how I could join the World Cruise.

[Mich3554]

Not really, pretty tedious, like all lab work can be.  I’d be interested to see how sensitive equipment manages to stay calibrated with continual movement though, and how you run them under a ship that shifts and rocks.  

I hung up my lab coat 8 years ago after 35 years.  

[klh720]

We just cancelled our Viking cruise for May 2021.  We just aren’t confident it will be able to sail, at least not without many restrictions.  Viking said we could change our booking to a similar cruise in 2022, but would have to pay the full balance a year in advance.  We don’t want to do that.  We’ll just wait for the pandemic to get more under control before we book another cruise.  I’m sure there will be a big rush at that point, but we’ll take our chance on getting the cruise/cabin we want.  One good thing, Viking will give us a credit on the travel insurance for a future cruise, which they don’t normally do.

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

Not really, pretty tedious, like all lab work can be.  I’d be interested to see how sensitive equipment manages to stay calibrated with continual movement though, and how you run them under a ship that shifts and rocks.  

I hung up my lab coat 8 years ago after 35 years.  

 

Vibration dampers can manage the vibration and gimbles can eliminate the movement. Up on the Bridge, we have equally sensitive electronics and no issues.

 

Temperature fluctuations are generally a greater concern than vibration/ship movement.