Welcome Back Cruises 2021 - Malta & Adriatic Cruises and General Discussion

[cboyle]

I am not sure what "Beginning August 1, the Government of Malta will require CDC vaccination cards to be digitally verified, but further details have yet to be released." will involve.

 

NCDHHS has a state-wide vaccine registration portal (https://covid-vaccine-portal.ncdhhs.gov/s/?language=en_US) that can give people vaccinated in NC digital proof of vaccination and a QR code. Maybe that would be sufficient for Malta.

[CLBSC]

Woo Hoo, this is the news we have been waiting for..just booked the Viking Sea Barcelona to San Juan Transatlantic as a back up. Will do them both....now I just want to find some good masks...thanks to everyone for updates, they have been invaluable.

[jsam949]

6 minutes ago, cboyle said:

I am not sure what "Beginning August 1, the Government of Malta will require CDC vaccination cards to be digitally verified, but further details have yet to be released." will involve.

 

NCDHHS has a state-wide vaccine registration portal (https://covid-vaccine-portal.ncdhhs.gov/s/?language=en_US) that can give people vaccinated in NC digital proof of vaccination and a QR code. Maybe that would be sufficient for Malta.

It is unfortunate the US doesn't have one federally recognized system instead of leaving it up to each state to decide.

That's great ya’ll have that in NC!

Thankfully, here in California we also have something similar!

 

https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov

 

I got my vaccine at a CVS Pharmacy so I also have a pdf record from them with my vacinne details that I can pull up in my CVS account. 

 

I’m gonna have all documents handy in my phone And print them as well to keep with my original CDC card. 

[jsam949]

10 minutes ago, CLBSC said:

Woo Hoo, this is the news we have been waiting for..just booked the Viking Sea Barcelona to San Juan Transatlantic as a back up. Will do them both....now I just want to find some good masks...thanks to everyone for updates, they have been invaluable.

I have been on the hunt for some good masks too!  I’ve been looking at the huge selection of disposable masks on Amazon and reading reviews - trying to weed out the bad ones. 

The masks I want to get are called  “KF94” and the “KN95”... I want these since there's a lil bit of space between the mask and your face. The extra bit of breathing room will be nice while on the long flight as well as in hot Mediterranean summer weather. 

[LindaS272]

I just woke up to this news about Malta accepting our CDC cards as of July 19. Woo-Hoo! I KNEW this had to happen!!!

 

The digital requirement as of Aug. 1 may very well be something like the Vetifly app that Viking is requiring. Viking has been touting that in communications to pax, and they seemed to think it would help in negotiations with Malta. And it sure seems it’s Viking that has led the way in getting the CDC card accepted by Malta. Good work Viking!

[booksfan]

1 hour ago, cboyle said:

I am not sure what "Beginning August 1, the Government of Malta will require CDC vaccination cards to be digitally verified, but further details have yet to be released." will involve.

 

NCDHHS has a state-wide vaccine registration portal (https://covid-vaccine-portal.ncdhhs.gov/s/?language=en_US) that can give people vaccinated in NC digital proof of vaccination and a QR code. Maybe that would be sufficient for Malta.

Actually, the NCDHHS cannot provide proof for all those vaccinated in NC, as I just found out to my dismay. If you were vaccinated in a pharmacy, they do not have access to the NCDHHS database to enter your information. But this is good to know, I am sure, for a lot of people!

[NC1989]

2 hours ago, cboyle said:

I am not sure what "Beginning August 1, the Government of Malta will require CDC vaccination cards to be digitally verified, but further details have yet to be released." will involve.

 

NCDHHS has a state-wide vaccine registration portal (https://covid-vaccine-portal.ncdhhs.gov/s/?language=en_US) that can give people vaccinated in NC digital proof of vaccination and a QR code. Maybe that would be sufficient for Malta.

Yes!!  We have access to our digital vaccination records and we are hoping they work for Malta. 

[LindaS272]

47 minutes ago, NC1989 said:

Yes!!  We have access to our digital vaccination records and we are hoping they work for Malta. 

Stay tuned to Viking and the US Embassy in Malta. I have my doubts that countries will accept digital proof from a patchwork of states. More likely a third party app like Verifly with the “blessing” of the CDC.

Edited July 17, 2021 by LindaS272
Typo

[Tom.in.nc]

From Verifly app:

Edited July 17, 2021 by Tom.in.nc
Added context.

[gma1]

3 minutes ago, Tom.in.nc said:

Where did that come from Tom? Shows that all your info has been submitted.?

[Tom.in.nc]

Screen shot of Verifly app on iPhone.  Yes all data is entered for Aug 3 Malta.

[cboyle]

7 hours ago, booksfan said:

Actually, the NCDHHS cannot provide proof for all those vaccinated in NC, as I just found out to my dismay. If you were vaccinated in a pharmacy, they do not have access to the NCDHHS database to enter your information. But this is good to know, I am sure, for a lot of people!

We were vaccinated through UNC Healthcare and were given a paper with a QR code to set up our account with NCDHHS when we received our first dose.

 

I don't know where you were vaccinated, but CVS and perhaps other pharmacies can input information to UNC Healthcare's and Duke Healthcare's MyChart. If you use either of those health care providers, you might be able to get  your information put in your MyChart. Your health care provider may then be able to help you get your information into the NCDHHS database or you could try calling the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at (888) 675-4567.

 

Hope that helps!

[rizello]

I have been watching this thread carefully and was thrilled to see the good news about Malta allowing CDC certificates.  This gave us the increased confidence that future cruises would go ahead and we took the plunge and booked the August 13 Greek Isles cruise.  
 

I’m a first timer Viking cruiser and have found these boards so helpful and it does feel like Viking is working very hard to keep these cruises going.

[booksfan]

1 hour ago, cboyle said:

We were vaccinated through UNC Healthcare and were given a paper with a QR code to set up our account with NCDHHS when we received our first dose.

 

I don't know where you were vaccinated, but CVS and perhaps other pharmacies can input information to UNC Healthcare's and Duke Healthcare's MyChart. If you use either of those health care providers, you might be able to get  your information put in your MyChart. Your health care provider may then be able to help you get your information into the NCDHHS database or you could try calling the COVID-19 Vaccine Help Center at (888) 675-4567.

 

Hope that helps!

Thanks, I will try that! I spoke to NCDHHS, who told me that since we were vaccinated at Walgreens, they didn't have our info. But I certainly will follow up.

[cboyle]

11 hours ago, booksfan said:

Thanks, I will try that! I spoke to NCDHHS, who told me that since we were vaccinated at Walgreens, they didn't have our info. But I certainly will follow up.

When you mentioned Walgreens, that reminded me that the first person to win $1 million in the "Summer Vax Cash" lottery had been vaccinated at Walgreens. Apparently, NCHHS shares data via the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program: "People vaccinated at a pharmacy participating in the Federal Retail Pharmacy Program are entered into the drawings through a data partnership with the program. For individuals trying to access their vaccine records, Federal Retail Pharmacy Program vaccine records are not accessible to individuals through North Carolina’s COVID-19 Vaccine Management System. Anyone vaccinated at a Federal Retail Pharmacy partner will need to contact the pharmacy for their vaccine record." (https://covid19.ncdhhs.gov/summervaxcash/summer-cash-drawing-faqs#i-was-vaccinated-at-a-pharmacy-am-i-eligible)

 

I think vaccine recipients have to register with VAMS via an emailed code or QR code that they were supposed to get when  they registered to get the vaccine or when they received the vaccine. Maybe Walgreens can help you get digital access. (https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/covid-19/reporting/vams/faqs/vaccine-recipient.html)

 

Hope that helps!

[Pwalczyk]

20 hours ago, Tom.in.nc said:

Screen shot of Verifly app on iPhone.  Yes all data is entered for Aug 3 Malta.

See you then! 😉

 

On July 9 the Maltese government announced that beginning July 14 only fully vaccinated visitors with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate can enter Malta. 

Beginning July 19, Malta will recognize CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards as a valid vaccination certificate. Viking continues to work closely with the Maltese Health Authorities to ensure all our guests are allowed to arrive in Malta and embark their ship.

All of Viking’s Welcome Back voyages are available exclusively for vaccinated guests, with verification of vaccination status provided through a partnership with VeriFLY. A vaccination requirement for all guests complements the Viking Health & Safety Program, which was developed in coordination with an international team of scientific and medical advisors and includes frequent non-invasive saliva PCR testing for all guests and crew. The Viking Health & Safety Program is one of the most well-researched and comprehensive COVID-19 prevention and mitigation plans in the travel industry; therefore, we are confident that our voyages from Malta will continue to operate as planned.

[CLBSC]

40 minutes ago, Pwalczyk said:

See you then! 😉

 

On July 9 the Maltese government announced that beginning July 14 only fully vaccinated visitors with a COVID-19 vaccination certificate can enter Malta. 

Beginning July 19, Malta will recognize CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Cards as a valid vaccination certificate. Viking continues to work closely with the Maltese Health Authorities to ensure all our guests are allowed to arrive in Malta and embark their ship.

All of Viking’s Welcome Back voyages are available exclusively for vaccinated guests, with verification of vaccination status provided through a partnership with VeriFLY. A vaccination requirement for all guests complements the Viking Health & Safety Program, which was developed in coordination with an international team of scientific and medical advisors and includes frequent non-invasive saliva PCR testing for all guests and crew. The Viking Health & Safety Program is one of the most well-researched and comprehensive COVID-19 prevention and mitigation plans in the travel industry; therefore, we are confident that our voyages from Malta will continue to operate as planned.

 

[CLBSC]

Hopefully Verifly will be THE digital portal, one less thing to do. I wonder if Viking Air has ever considered the "I'll Call You Back" process. Been on hold almost an hour listening to that annoying music and statement over and over again....not complaining too much as so excited to be cruising again.......

[MissDaisyRI]

Not sure if I've posted this correctly, but: we are 55 days away from the 21 day Valletta to Valleta trip on the Venus and our stateroom category should have allowed us to book excursions 22 days ago. What in the world is happening about excursions??????

[Tom.in.nc]

This is in my invoice from Viking:

 

Effective June 1, 2021, we will temporarily disable the stateroom category function for shore excursion reservations in order to accommodate the short timeframe for the restart of our cruise operations. This change only applies to cruises departing through October 10, 2021. All guests will be notified via email when shore excursions are available for their cruise.

 

Tom

Edited July 18, 2021 by Tom.in.nc
Typo

[rizello]

We just booked the August 13 Malta Greek Isles tour yesterday and it looks like it is open for us to book shore excursions.  

[izmackar]

Those onboard the Malta cruise now (the ship is currently in Greece) are reporting on another social media site that the passengers are back in the bubble, unable to leave the ship unescorted. They cannot go into any shops or restaurants either. It’s unclear if this is a Viking policy or Greece’s. 

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, izmackar said:

Those onboard the Malta cruise now (the ship is currently in Greece) are reporting on another social media site that the passengers are back in the bubble, unable to leave the ship unescorted. They cannot go into any shops or restaurants either. It’s unclear if this is a Viking policy or Greece’s. 

I don’t think it’s “back in the bubble”— that was the advertised deal for all the Welcome Back cruises. Conditions can change for each cruise. Bermuda and Iceland are still on a cruise by cruise basis for independent excursions as far as I know. Greece, by the way, is currently experiencing a surge in cases.

[LindaS272]

2 hours ago, MissDaisyRI said:

Not sure if I've posted this correctly, but: we are 55 days away from the 21 day Valletta to Valleta trip on the Venus and our stateroom category should have allowed us to book excursions 22 days ago. What in the world is happening about excursions??????

So you are on the Sept. 12 cruise? Are you doing Malta/Adriatic? If so, that’s our cruise and we booked ShoreEx on June 16, though we had been scheduled for June 27.

[gma1]

2 hours ago, MissDaisyRI said:

Not sure if I've posted this correctly, but: we are 55 days away from the 21 day Valletta to Valleta trip on the Venus and our stateroom category should have allowed us to book excursions 22 days ago. What in the world is happening about excursions??????

We have been able to book ours...cruise August 30 on the Sea. I would check with Viking for that answer.