Viking Announced Resumption!

[Clay Clayton]

Here’s hoping these UK only cruises go smoothly!
 

https://www.mirror.co.uk/travel/cruises/viking-cruises-restart-sailings-new-23735895

[Porcupine 52]

Moving forward!!!!

[Jammy Bun]

8 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Here’s hoping these UK only cruises go smoothly!
 

 

Here's hoping these UK only cruises GO... we are still pretty much locked down in England, and the government can make a U turn on 'road map' to freedom at any point that the virus numbers make them uneasy.  At the moment I believe 17th May is the earliest date at which we might be able to travel - so I'm not sure I'd be booking any vacation to start that week!  

[TayanaLorna]

We have some cruises to watch how they are handled.  Good news.  Now if these UK ones are successful in terms of no outbreak on board and if Viking can expand to Norway, maybe another itinerary can be added.  

[Heidi13]

Interesting that in the website announcement, Viking have made no mention of a vaccination being required. The Health & Safety Plan is good, but it omits another level of risk mitigation - vaccinations.

 

We can all remember what happened on the Seadream cruise back in November, which also had pre-boarding and daily testing - 7 confirmed cases.

 

Sorry Viking, but returning to cruising without requiring vaccinations, in our opinion is a major failure.

[Ellen Linda]

Thrilled at the announcement! Hope they go smoothly. We’re booked on Bergen-London at end of July. Desperately want to get on a cruise. Mental health requires it!! And hoping our favorite crew member, Angela Shaleva, works on the ship. We’ve had her on past two Viking cruises.

[Islandbc]

2 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Interesting that in the website announcement, Viking have made no mention of a vaccination being required. The Health & Safety Plan is good, but it omits another level of risk mitigation - vaccinations.

 

We can all remember what happened on the Seadream cruise back in November, which also had pre-boarding and daily testing - 7 confirmed cases.

 

Sorry Viking, but returning to cruising without requiring vaccinations, in our opinion is a major failure.

Strongly agree, Andy.  If vaccinations are not mandatory, these sailing may cause a major setback for cruising.

[Clay Clayton]

Yep, that’s my fear, a setback which will keep us from ever getting back aboard a Viking ship. 

[SantaFe1]

39 minutes ago, Islandbc said:

Sorry Viking, but returning to cruising without requiring vaccinations, in our opinion is a major failure.

And I just emailed tellus @ Viking to tell them so!  

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

Yep, that’s my fear, a setback which will keep us from ever getting back aboard a Viking ship. 

 

Clay - That's also my concern, which is based on the other cruise lines that have tried. Based on their previous record and strong actions, I find it really surprising why Viking are waffling over this one.

[SantaFe1]

One and one half hour after emailing tellus, I got a phone call.  Long story short, they said our concerns were being noted, but they couldn’t promise that vaccines would be required. I didn’t feel particularly encouraged, so everyone, keep emailing them!

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

And I just emailed tellus @ Viking to tell them so!  

Thank you. I am also encouraging our friends who sail with Viking to email them as well.

As Andy let me know, I also received a personal phone call to my email.

Like Clay, I am dumbfounded that they are waffling on this and testing the waters - the risks are so high because if there is any issue during these 3 cruises - that will be it.  I can only think that they are really feeling that enough people will go anyways.

 

[CCWineLover]

Just now, SantaFe1 said:

One and one half hour after emailing tellus, I got a phone call.  Long story short, they said our concerns were being noted, but they couldn’t promise that vaccines would be required. I didn’t feel particularly encouraged, so everyone, keep emailing them!

Yes, I did not feel like any real answers were forthcoming.  They are "waiting" and "evaluating".  Again - my feeling is they want to see how many (in the UK) don't care about vaccinations.  Perhaps they think they have a solid enough base of COVID fatigued customers...

[uktog]

7 hours ago, Jammy Bun said:

 

Here's hoping these UK only cruises GO... we are still pretty much locked down in England, and the government can make a U turn on 'road map' to freedom at any point that the virus numbers make them uneasy.  At the moment I believe 17th May is the earliest date at which we might be able to travel - so I'm not sure I'd be booking any vacation to start that week!  

They will probably have to stay away from Scotland from a lot longer than then if the "release plans" of the past are any indicator of the future.  Scotland has been much stricter - we still have mandatory quarantine at your expense in an establishment controlled by the Scottish Government for ALL coming into the country, we don't have safe/red list countries.  Everyone is caught

[cruiselvr04]

I’m not sure why the cruise lines are dragging their feet over this one.  It would seem that this would give them the best chance of keeping their cruises going once they resume.  Otherwise an outbreak will happen.  They can always back off after a period of time and open back up to everyone. 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Like I mentioned on another thread, all existing vaccination certificates are easy to fake.  The cruise lines need governments, or accredited third parties, to provide secure methods of proving vaccination.  Otherwise its a waste of time and there WILL BE people coming aboard unvaccinated, using fake docs.  It’s just human nature, sadly.

[uktog]

P and O have announced this morning that for their round UK cruises for UK guests only proof of vaccination (both doses) is required.  Surely Viking has to say likewise 

[DGHOC]

I would certainly hope so . A vaccine passport is still being mooted, one can only hope that they get this organised sooner rather than later. I would expect the vast majority of UK cruisers will have had their second jabs by then, they are now jabbing 40 + here, but the crew are super young, how will vaccinations be organised for them? 

 

I won't go on a cruise without all the passengers and crew being vaccinated. Yep we're all desperate for holidays and to get our lives back on track but I'm really not interested in playing Russian roulette with anti-vaxxers and Covid deniers on board a ship, who refuse to follow the recommended guidelines. British scientists are predicting a definite surge again in early Autumn, all precautions need to be taken.

Edited March 17, 2021 by DGHOC

[arlowood]

A couple of observations.

Viking are asking existing customers to pre-register their interest in these cruises. I'm sure they will be able to track the age profile of those responding and have a good idea that  most if not all will be in the bracket that have had one or both vaccinations. I'm not defending their wavering on this but just throwing out that idea for consideration.

Secondly - comments have been made about the P&O policy on all cruisers requiring 2 vaccinations before they can join one of their local cruises. However their statements do not suggest that this requirement will apply to the crew. All they state is that the crew will be regularly tested and monitored throughout

Edited March 17, 2021 by arlowood

[Captain_Morgan]

3 hours ago, uktog said:

P and O have announced this morning that for their round UK cruises for UK guests only proof of vaccination (both doses) is required.  Surely Viking has to say likewise 

Seems Viking are a little more cash strapped perhaps, hence the reluctance in singling out a group of people over another?  Add to the fact they (Viking) will no doubt tout their onboard testing plan as reason enough to not require vaccinated only pax...just a thought

[Clay Clayton]

14 hours ago, uktog said:

They will probably have to stay away from Scotland from a lot longer than then if the "release plans" of the past are any indicator of the future.  Scotland has been much stricter - we still have mandatory quarantine at your expense in an establishment controlled by the Scottish Government for ALL coming into the country, we don't have safe/red list countries.  Everyone is caught

And based on our friends reports they are not as far along with vaccinating as a Previous Poster reported. One of our friends is scheduled to get her jab next week and while I don’t know her exact age I do know she is closer to 65 than she is to 40🤫

[Jammy Bun]

2 hours ago, Captain_Morgan said:

Seems Viking are a little more cash strapped perhaps, hence the reluctance in singling out a group of people over another?  Add to the fact they (Viking) will no doubt tout their onboard testing plan as reason enough to not require vaccinated only pax...just a thought

But they are singling out one group aren't they?  The Brits?  They presume that the vast majority of older people in UK should have received both vaccinations by then.  I would be interested only if I knew that the crew had also received all their jabs.  And until we know whether having the vaccine prevents us spreading it to others, even though we ourselves are protected, I can't see many ports being keen for a cruise ship to call.  So it may well be literally a Round Britain cruise.  No stops. 

 

[Jammy Bun]

5 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

And based on our friends reports they are not as far along with vaccinating as a Previous Poster reported. One of our friends is scheduled to get her jab next week and while I don’t know her exact age I do know she is closer to 65 than she is to 40🤫

There are regional differences in the UK.  My son is 44 and had his first jab yesterday, but he lives in London.

 

[Porcupine 52]

So here is just a question.  You have 100 people that go on an excursion.  99 have had the vaccine.  1 lies about having the vaccine.  Who is being put into danger?  The 99 or the 1?

 I ask the nurse at the Pfizer vaccine study when I was there a few weeks ago about how many people that had the "real" vaccine come down with the virus.  She said they were not done unblinding yet but to date none.  I guess my point is I am sure you are going to get some people to lie... but I think the danger is to the person that is lying about it.

 

On a side note in our area they have dropped the vaccine age down to 16 starting April 26 

[Clay Clayton]

Well for the P&O cruises which were announced today, there won’t be any port stops so excursions won’t be an issue-has Viking announced their iteniaries?