Iceland's Natural Beauty General - 2022

[Clay Clayton]

7 hours ago, JM0115 said:

I don’t understand this. The first circle says that you have to quarantine if you are in contact with someone with COVID. Not sure what the second circle means?

I read the first circled paragraph in conjunction with the opening paragraph.  In the current Bermuda situation, that applied to the other guest who tested positive but was asymptomatic and the second paragraph applied to the administrator of that other site…but I see your and USI points.  So now I don’t know.   

[gramfrog]

8 hours ago, JM0115 said:

I don’t understand this. The first circle says that you have to quarantine if you are in contact with someone with COVID. Not sure what the second circle means?

RE: the two circled points: 1) if you are in contact with a person positive for Covid, you must quarantine.  That is considered close contact.  2) if you had sat next to someone, for example, or at their table, who has to quarantine because they were near a C+ person, YOU don't have to quarantine.  Example: in a school room, regular desks, person A tests positive.  He is sent home, as are the people who sit in front, back and immediate sides- four people sent home to quarantine who did NOT test positive (that's the "close contact").  Those others in the classroom do not have to  quarantine.  Real life example:  one child tested positive while in class (mom called it in, and child was taken to nurse).  The four around him had their parents called to take them home to quarantine and test.  One child, my grandson, was one of the quarantined close contacts.  His twin sister, who of course lives in the same household and is in the same classroom, but several seats apart, was not quarantined.  

Edited June 19, 2021 by gramfrog

[Twitchly]

It sounds like Iceland and Bermuda are more cautious than our CDC at this point. From https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/fully-vaccinated-guidance.html :

 

——

Fully vaccinated people can:

• Refrain from testing following a known exposure, if asymptomatic, with some exceptions for specific settings
• Refrain from quarantine following a known exposure if asymptomatic

——

Sounds like that’s not the case in Iceland and Bermuda. And probably other countries, too, which is indeed concerning. I would hate to see my expensive vacation trashed because I was near someone who tested positive but had no symptoms. Given the sensitivity of these tests and the extreme unlikelihood of developing symptoms once vaccinated, I hope Viking gets rid of the daily testing for vaccinated passengers sooner rather than later.

 

 

[Azulann]

9 hours ago, FoggyEthan said:

 

Perhaps they'll also skip daily testing too, which will remove a lot of my fear.  PCR tests have regular false positives, and if we get quarantined off ship simply for having shared a tour with someone who falsely tested positive, a lot of people may end up quarantining. Hopefully at least they'll require two positive tests to conclude someone is truly positive.

In Bermuda the government  states one must be tested with in four days of arrival(starting June20), at the airport and then on day 4, 8, 14 as a guest in Bermuda. Viking also does  saliva test  daily . So did this person  test positive on day 4 of arrival in Bermuda? The guy who is the owner of a FB page, had the owners suite and had  dinner parties  for all his folks  without masks from day one. Some one in their 4 passenger van  tested positive.

 I will await for Viking official statement to all of us cruising  on these Welcome Back cruises to Bermuda and Iceland.  I sail July 13 in Bermuda.
 

Edited June 19, 2021 by Azulann

[vslparis]

Received the link to our Health Questionnaire link this morning for our 26 June Iceland trip 😀. The email says that the link will remain live until 5 days before the voyage. 

It asks the usual questions about the last 14 days -  of  being exposed to anyone with Covid, symptoms you may have had etc. Also asks if you have been vaccinated, which vaccine you had and the date of your last vaccination. That’ s it. 

[tupperny]

What is concerning to us is that, if I read correctly, someone tested positive and was not allowed a second test (to see if the first was real or false).  There are several examples of false positive tests.

One false positive and many people are in quarantine for 2 weeks.  

 

Does Iceland allow for multiple tests?

 

If we are on a tour bus with say 30 other people and one tests positive, is the entire bus in quarantine?

 

We are really getting twitchy.  We are on the July 13 cruise, but our 15 day window to cancel is rapidly approaching.

 

Thoughts?

BIll

 

[madrone]

1 minute ago, tupperny said:

What is concerning to us is that, if I read correctly, someone tested positive and was not allowed a second test (to see if the first was real or false).  There are several examples of false positive tests.

One false positive and many people are in quarantine for 2 weeks.  

 

Does Iceland allow for multiple tests?

 

If we are on a tour bus with say 30 other people and one tests positive, is the entire bus in quarantine?

 

We are really getting twitchy.  We are on the July 13 cruise, but our 15 day window to cancel is rapidly approaching.

 

Thoughts?

BIll

 

That is the question we all have and instead of waiting for an official statement from Viking, I believe we should all be contacting Viking via Reps and TellUs@Vikingcruises.com requesting more detailed info about this and what Iceland's protocol is and if it is contrary to Viking - what are the ramifications. 

 

[philw1776]

Note that Iceland rules are not Bermuda rules. Since we do not have an explicit answer from Viking regarding Iceland, those seriously concerned about getting caught up in isolation protocols should consider cancelling their cruise. I'm not one but the point is moot for me as I'm inside the 15 day window.

Edited June 19, 2021 by philw1776

[molymoo]

33 minutes ago, tupperny said:

What is concerning to us is that, if I read correctly, someone tested positive and was not allowed a second test (to see if the first was real or false).  There are several examples of false positive tests.

One false positive and many people are in quarantine for 2 weeks.  

 

Does Iceland allow for multiple tests?

 

If we are on a tour bus with say 30 other people and one tests positive, is the entire bus in quarantine?

 

We are really getting twitchy.  We are on the July 13 cruise, but our 15 day window to cancel is rapidly approaching.

 

Thoughts?

BIll

 

I don’t know what the testing protocol was but nowhere was it suggested that no second test was taken.  According to the Bermuda rules you are subject to quarantine if you are in close contact with an affected person for more than 15 minutes and unmasked.  I have little doubt that the during the four hour tour the masks came off at least at some point.  There is the problem!

 

[librarylady19]

Sounds like you all have little appetite for the unexpected and are expecting a pre-Covid experience. That’s not where we are at and if you can’t accept the fact that you can’t control the situation and that both Viking and the Icelandic government have the right to set the rules to keep us all safe, then I say you should cancel your expensive vacation amd wait for the world to catch up.  Calling up Viking and expecting answers from low-level employees is ludicrous.I don’t think even the Chairman knows what’s happening in Iceland day to day. it’s a fluid situation.

I’m just going to expect what we were told when we booked (testing, Viking bubbles, masks, etc.) and If the situation changes for the better, its all good. 

[patchicago]

40 minutes ago, madrone said:

That is the question we all have and instead of waiting for an official statement from Viking, I believe we should all be contacting Viking via Reps and TellUs@Vikingcruises.com requesting more detailed info about this and what Iceland's protocol is and if it is contrary to Viking - what are the ramifications. 

 

I contacted Tellus@vikingcruises.com and after providing a little bit of background on the four people on the Viking Orion I posed a couple of questions. I understand that, while not common, false positives are going to happen. My concern is that a 2nd confirming test is not done or that I’m put off the ship because I stood next to someone and they tested positive and I’m deemed to have been “in close contact”. There were probably additional questions I should’ve asked but they didn’t occur to me.

 

So, two questions then:

(1) What are Iceland‘s rules regarding a second test to confirm a positive Covid test.

(2) How is Viking defining “close contact”?

[madrone]

1 minute ago, patchicago said:

I contacted Tellus@vikingcruises.com and after providing a little bit of background on the four people on the Viking Orion I posed a couple of questions. I understand that, while not common, false positives are going to happen. My concern is that a 2nd confirming test is not done or that I’m put off the ship because I stood next to someone and they tested positive and I’m deemed to have been “in close contact”. There were probably additional questions I should’ve asked but they didn’t occur to me.

 

So, two questions then:

(1) What are Iceland‘s rules regarding a second test to confirm a positive Covid test.

(2) How is Viking defining “close contact”?

Exactly!  Those are my two biggest questions.  I too sent them an email asking them to address these two questions.  The close contact has me concerned mostly regarding the tour buses.  If they socially distance us properly, is it safe to assume we are not close enough to be considered for quarantine if someone on our bus tests positive?  I will share any info i may get back from Viking. 

[madrone]

12 minutes ago, molymoo said:

I don’t know what the testing protocol was but nowhere was it suggested that no second test was taken.  According to the Bermuda rules you are subject to quarantine if you are in close contact with an affected person for more than 15 minutes and unmasked.  I have little doubt that the during the four hour tour the masks came off at least at some point.  There is the problem!

 

The gentleman involved in the quarantine stated that Bermuda would not allow the second test - they made their decision based on the one positive covid test. 

[SantaFe1]

5 minutes ago, madrone said:

The close contact has me concerned mostly regarding the tour buses.  If they socially distance us properly, is it safe to assume we are not close enough to be considered for quarantine if someone on our bus tests positive? 

I was just thinking this. If no one is in front or back of us or in the row across then we should be safe, it seems.  Viking has literally thousands of guests on these cruises.  They will figure out something, I’m sure.  But it better be quick.  This time next week we will be on the ship!

 

[CatefromNH]

We’ve been concerned from the start about the possibility of needing to quarantine in Iceland because of an exposure. For that reason I looked for a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes “Covid coverage”. It wasn’t cheap but we decided it was worth it considering how much we had invested in the trip. When I saw what happened to the couple in Bermuda I realized we’d made a wise choice. Obviously, I ‘m hoping we won’t need it but at least it would eliminate the financial concerns related to an extended quarantine. 
 

[Clay Clayton]

6 minutes ago, CatefromNH said:

We’ve been concerned from the start about the possibility of needing to quarantine in Iceland because of an exposure. For that reason I looked for a comprehensive travel insurance policy that includes “Covid coverage”. It wasn’t cheap but we decided it was worth it considering how much we had invested in the trip. When I saw what happened to the couple in Bermuda I realized we’d made a wise choice. Obviously, I ‘m hoping we won’t need it but at least it would eliminate the financial concerns related to an extended quarantine. 
 

But does it cover if you don’t test positive but were in contact with someone who did?

[Clay Clayton]

30 minutes ago, librarylady19 said:

Sounds like you all have little appetite for the unexpected and are expecting a pre-Covid experience. That’s not where we are at and if you can’t accept the fact that you can’t control the situation and that both Viking and the Icelandic government have the right to set the rules to keep us all safe, then I say you should cancel your expensive vacation amd wait for the world to catch up.  Calling up Viking and expecting answers from low-level employees is ludicrous.I don’t think even the Chairman knows what’s happening in Iceland day to day. it’s a fluid situation.

I’m just going to expect what we were told when we booked (testing, Viking bubbles, masks, etc.) and If the situation changes for the better, its all good. 

No disagreement but I don’t see where Viking told us in the T&Cs that we might be disembarked for being in contact with someone who tested positive. Am I missing something?

Edited June 19, 2021 by Clay Clayton

[Travel Pat]

If we are now permitted to move about freely on own while in port per last night’s email from Viking, how will that impact Viking’s contact tracing via the tracking device we are required to wear if the general population that we will be permitted to come in contact with is not part of that tracking system?  

[SantaFe1]

Just now, Travel Pat said:

If we are now permitted to move about freely on own while in port per last night’s email from Viking, how will that impact Viking’s contact tracing via the tracking device we are required to wear if the general population that we will be permitted to come in contact with is not part of that tracking system?  

It will make it useless!

[philw1776]

19 minutes ago, Travel Pat said:

If we are now permitted to move about freely on own while in port per last night’s email from Viking, how will that impact Viking’s contact tracing via the tracking device we are required to wear if the general population that we will be permitted to come in contact with is not part of that tracking system?  

Viking contact tracing main purpose is to inhibit spread onboard to other passengers. It remains quite useful in that purpose even with mingling with the unwashed ashore. :)
So if somehow on Day 2 you got the bug ashore from unknown Puffin X and later test positive Day 5 then Viking wants to know who aboard you've associated closely with for testing at a bare minimum.

Edited June 19, 2021 by philw1776

[CatefromNH]

 

22 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

But does it cover if you don’t test positive but were in contact with someone who did?

Yes, it covers the costs of in-country quarantine even if it is just contact related. I specifically looked at the fine print to make sure it would be covered. 

“Your strict isolation imposed by a Government authority or Physician to prevent the spread of disease.”

[CCWineLover]

29 minutes ago, Travel Pat said:

If we are now permitted to move about freely on own while in port per last night’s email from Viking, how will that impact Viking’s contact tracing via the tracking device we are required to wear if the general population that we will be permitted to come in contact with is not part of that tracking system?  

 

It does make for motivation though to just go ashore yourselves and not come in contact with other Viking passengers.  I believe from now on the motivation will also be to disengage from anyone else on the ship itself.  Will be like the beginning COVID days when everyone was avoiding everyone.

[SantaFe1]

We saw how quickly the no going ashore on your own policy changed.  Just ever night.  Viking’s lawyers clearly worked hard on drafting the health policy.  There is a lot of CYA language like this:

 

“Depending on your dates of travel, Viking may require frequent PCR testing throughout your itinerary.”

 

They could change that policy at any point with no notice, and then change back again.  But it does make us wonder whether to keep our Viking excursions.  

[vslparis]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

But does it cover if you don’t test positive but were in contact with someone who did?

I know one company has an Epidemic Coverage Endorsement policy the covers $250 per day for 5 days if you or traveling companion  has to quarantine due to exposure . Check with your insurance policy company and see if they have an  updated coverage endorsement like that. Some companies may give more perhaps.  

[Dukefan]

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

It will make it useless!

Not true.   It's purpose is to let Viking and its passengers know if a guest is postitive what other guests they have been in contact with.  That does not change if you are out and about in Iceland.  If you come back and test positive, Viking will be able to let any other guests you were in contact with know that they are at risk.