Questions for someone currently on a Viking cruise in France.

[mlbcruiser]

Hoping someone who is on a Viking cruise in France right now (even if you are boarding today!) sees this and has time to reply ASAP.  Would truly greatly appreciate some info!  

 

Did the cruise line take care of obtaining a pass sanitaire for the passengers on your cruise? We are supposed to cruise from Paris very soon and wondered if all of the forms and the app we downloaded, etc., took care of this issue by the time you boarded? Or before? Or if you are able to get by without one? 

 

I understand Covid tests are being done. It’s fine if these are daily but have you been given a time each morning that you have to have this saliva test turned in? Some have said 7 AM each day. I’ve also heard there is no set time. Please post your current experience with this on board. I know others are wondering as well.

 

Have you, or will you be, allowed to disembark the ship in port even if you do not intend to stay with a Viking tour when on land, or if you simply prefer to strike out on your own and just do your own thing when in port? 

 

 

How is dining room seating being handled with regard to sitting with others? Have you been assigned a table because of the Covid restrictions? Please share the procedure if there are new rules about dining in the current covid situation.  
 

Is there  a window of time to have breakfast instead of an exact time and if so, what are the hours?
 

If you spend time on land for a couple of days prior to your cruise, did you run into any particular issues caused by new restrictions in France? 
 

Ate masks worn at all times on the boat except when dining?

 

Does your ship seem fully booked or does the guest load seem lower than normal? 
 

Please comment on the weather you’re experiencing.

 

Please don’t hesitate to share anything you think might be of interest to those of us about to embark on a Viking cruise in France soon.

 

Thank you so much for any helpful information!

[lindalouT]

MLB:

girl....youre doing work for me!

 

[mlbcruiser]

Except we have no answers yet! 🙁

[maven9]

Great questions, and I'll check back to see answers, if any.  This is our 1st river cruise.  Viking wineries & chateau from Bordeaux Aug. 21.  Hope we can get answers.

Marie & Al (Illinois)

[mlbcruiser]

Well I’m not surprised we don’t have answers in a way. Most people don’t want to waste their time going online when they are on a river cruise but, then again, some people enjoy reporting about their trips as they go. We have to make a decision tomorrow, unfortunately and I would have loved to see some replies.

[Daisi]

@pinot loverwas on a cruise, maybe they have missed this as they did answer some of your questions in this message.

 

 

[mlbcruiser]

Yes, daisi. Pinotlover was on a cruise and posted last Friday. It wasn’t a Viking cruise. (I think he was on Uniworld, which possibly has different rules, etc.) additionally, some of the new French health pass requirements officially took place August first. I was hoping for an actual Viking passenger reply to some of my questions. I understand some of the

pass sanitaire restrictions in France take affect on August 9, which will have to with tighter compliance at restaurants, theaters, etc.  Of course, who knows which restaurants can get away with ignoring the rules. 
 

i’m sad to say we are going to have to bail out of this cruise and rebook for probably next spring or early summer. (i’d really love to go in mid to late Sept. but getting away then is out of the question for us this year on many fronts.) 
It wasn’t really that much to do with Covid by a long shot. Some new obligations cropped up that we had not foreseen having to do with family members. Over the last couple of days we have really been trying to think of a way to make everything work but it doesn’t seem like that’s going to happen. Our last day to cancel is today without losing quite a lot of money. So we are out of time to find a solution. 

🙁 I will still follow along as to how things go with everyone who is planning on taking their upcoming cruises. Hope Things work out well for everyone!

[Daisi]

Sorry @mlbcruiser, I just saw them commenting on the other thread an thought they were on Viking.  Sorry to hear you have had to cancel your cruise, hope the personal stuff works out.

 

On the plus side, hopefully by the time you re-schedule, either the cruise lines have things down to an art, or 1/2 of the stuff you have to do now is no longer in effect!  I always try to look on the bright side, gives you something to look forward to!

 

[mlbcruiser]

Yes daisi, you are right on all counts. Just hope that the Covid virus thing is under control and whatever prerequisites there are when we cruise will be more smoothly in place and easy to deal with by then. Even if masking is not required by the time we go, I would imagine many requirements will stay in place for sometime after it appears the virus is under control. I’d like to say completely eradicated but somehow I think that’s going to be quite a while- At least world wide.

[Roz]

Based on what I'm seeing on TV, a flack jacket or bullet proof vest would be more useful in Paris right now than a pass sanitaire. 😉

[Wings55]

1 hour ago, Roz said:

Based on what I'm seeing on TV, a flack jacket or bullet proof vest would be more useful in Paris right now than a pass sanitaire. 😉

Oh gee, that means I'm going to have to adjust my luggage packing list!  😉