Covid Policy

[OnTheJourney]

On 1/5/2022 at 3:50 AM, KBs mum said:

Quarantines, entry restrictions, lock downs, testing, mask wearing and social distancing have been affecting international travel for two years now. Surely it is not news to anybody that the policies of individual countries and their likely future actions (given what they've done in the past) should be taken into account at the planning stage. 

I read posts like this and am pulled in the direction of doubting whether I truly want to subject myself to all of it by boarding a ship. Then, there are posts from people who just came back from recent trips and indicate that all went well, they felt very safe, safer than at home, etc. and then that pulls me in a different direction.

 

No use following all these protocol changes too closely right now since I'm a landlubber at least till mid-March. One of the most worrisome things that has been expressed in several threads is not having ready access to a required PCR test and then getting the results in a timely fashion before embarkation. 

Edited January 6, 2022 by OnTheJourney

[sleepybobo]

22 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I read posts like this and am pulled in the direction of doubting whether I truly want to subject myself to all of it by boarding a ship. Then, there are posts from people who just came back from recent trips and indicate that all went well, they felt very safe, safer than at home, etc. and then that pulls me in a different direction.

 

No use following all these protocol changes too closely right now since I'm a landlubber at least till mid-March. One of the most worrisome things that has been expressed in several threads is not having ready access to a required PCR test and then getting the results in a timely fashion before embarkation. 

Getting PCR test 48 hours prior to embarkation was stressful.  It's no fun standing in a line for over an hour and worrying about whether the lab can provide result in time.

 

I did feel safe on the ship.  Yes, it's safer than my neighborhood grocery store.  But the concern was not about getting Covid.  I trust the vaccines and booster would protect me from serious illness.  The concern was always about being tested positive and subject to quarantine in the stateroom, or worse, in a less than desired location in the next port.  There are stories from people having fantastic time to people isolating in a foreign hotel room.  You just don't know which end you will fall onto.  Now that we know breakthrough cases are common.  

 

The onboard experience was nice, but just not the same as pre-Covid.  I think my experience was more stressful because of timing of the sailing.  We sailed during Omicron surge.  I am sure people who sailed in the post-vaccines, pre-Omicron period would have a more relaxed experience.

 

I will definitely sail with Viking again.  But will wait until Covid becomes less of a concern.  

[OnTheJourney]

16 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

But will wait until Covid becomes less of a concern.  

Excellent and well-explained post. I have no Viking cruises till Jan. '23 but do have a few others coming up this spring. See how things go by then. Stay safe....

[Twitchly]

22 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

Getting PCR test 48 hours prior to embarkation was stressful.  It's no fun standing in a line for over an hour and worrying about whether the lab can provide result in time.

 

I did feel safe on the ship.  Yes, it's safer than my neighborhood grocery store.  But the concern was not about getting Covid.  I trust the vaccines and booster would protect me from serious illness.  The concern was always about being tested positive and subject to quarantine in the stateroom, or worse, in a less than desired location in the next port.  There are stories from people having fantastic time to people isolating in a foreign hotel room.  You just don't know which end you will fall onto.  Now that we know breakthrough cases are common.  

 

The onboard experience was nice, but just not the same as pre-Covid.  I think my experience was more stressful because of timing of the sailing.  We sailed during Omicron surge.  I am sure people who sailed in the post-vaccines, pre-Omicron period would have a more relaxed experience.

 

I will definitely sail with Viking again.  But will wait until Covid becomes less of a concern.  

That’s our thinking, too. Just bad luck scheduling a cruise during Omicron. We’re probably going to try again next summer or early fall with the hope that things have settled down a bit. 

[OnTheJourney]

On 1/8/2022 at 3:27 PM, Twitchly said:

We’re probably going to try again next summer or early fall with the hope that things have settled down a bit. 

I sort of wish that we didn't have March and May cruises coming up. Last year at this time I would have figured that "by next year things should be alot better"....uh-huh. 

[crusinbanjo]

14 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

I sort of wish that we didn't have March and May cruises coming up. Last year at this time I would have figured that "by next year things should be alot better"....uh-huh. 

Mrs Banjo and I also booked cruises last year thinking all would be good by now.  We canceled March and May cruises for the same reasons.  We’ll see what the next few months bring, trying to stay optimistic 

[Vineyard View]

We have a couple cruises booked this Spring and we’re about to book another Viking. We honestly believe that Viking offers the best Covid protocols. It’s the getting to the ship piece, or the having to possibly disembark early in a port that is concerning for us. 
 

I have been reading several boards. I keep fighting it, but I believe that we are inclined to cancel booked and hold on almost booked for a bit. Our county was just asked to shelter for 30 days all but non essential.  We also had a land trip booked for the end of this month that we cancelled yesterday. 

[R,D,W]

Hi,

I am so confused.  I do understand that this time of a pandemic is ever changing.  I also understand that one person's perspective may differ from another person's.  However, there must be something that we "can hang our hat on".   We have never sailed with Viking.  It is not for lack of trying.  Covid reared its ugly head and that was that (times 3).  I also understand that pre-covid and post-covid are not at all "the same animals".   The protocol for being quarantined is my current source of confusion.  I do understand that Viking will remove me from the ship, (if I test positive twice).   I called Viking yesterday to inquire about an upcoming booked cruise.  I asked about quarantine protocol and was told I would be removed after 2 positives and the quarantine period off ship would be at my expense.  I said, "so I will have a say in where I stay"?  I was assured that if Viking's recommended accommodations were not what I wanted I could offer suggestions.  I was assured that Viking used 4- and 5-star accommodations. I was also reminded that this is why I needed travel insurance.  If this is the protocol, why were passengers sent to a hostel and why were others sent to a villa?  Those in the villa reporting quarantine experience was at Viking's expense.  Those in Villa could have gone to Turkey but apparently Viking sought more acceptable accommodations in another country.   Viking has to follow the rules or whims of the country they are in?  So Viking has no voice as to what happens to their quarantined passengers?  Is the experience of being quarantined on a Viking cruise dependent upon the luck of the draw?  

[Jim Avery]

46 minutes ago, R,D,W said:

Hi,

I am so confused.  I do understand that this time of a pandemic is ever changing.  I also understand that one person's perspective may differ from another person's.  However, there must be something that we "can hang our hat on".   We have never sailed with Viking.  It is not for lack of trying.  Covid reared its ugly head and that was that (times 3).  I also understand that pre-covid and post-covid are not at all "the same animals".   The protocol for being quarantined is my current source of confusion.  I do understand that Viking will remove me from the ship, (if I test positive twice).   I called Viking yesterday to inquire about an upcoming booked cruise.  I asked about quarantine protocol and was told I would be removed after 2 positives and the quarantine period off ship would be at my expense.  I said, "so I will have a say in where I stay"?  I was assured that if Viking's recommended accommodations were not what I wanted I could offer suggestions.  I was assured that Viking used 4- and 5-star accommodations. I was also reminded that this is why I needed travel insurance.  If this is the protocol, why were passengers sent to a hostel and why were others sent to a villa?  Those in the villa reporting quarantine experience was at Viking's expense.  Those in Villa could have gone to Turkey but apparently Viking sought more acceptable accommodations in another country.   Viking has to follow the rules or whims of the country they are in?  So Viking has no voice as to what happens to their quarantined passengers?  Is the experience of being quarantined on a Viking cruise dependent upon the luck of the draw?  

I continue to wonder who is paying thousands of dollars to experience the conditions you describe.

[CCWineLover]

HUCA and see what you get from other reps.

[H2Otstr]

Does anyone know how Viking handles covid testing for post cruise extensions? IF our trip takes place we will be on a post trip to Vancouver for two days in a hotel and we need a covid test one day before our flight home. Does Viking take care of that or do we have to find our own testing site? 

Thank you. 

[Mitina]

8 minutes ago, H2Otstr said:

Does anyone know how Viking handles covid testing for post cruise extensions?

We did the Viking 2 day post on the Malta welcome back cruise this fall and Viking provided the test at the hotel.  We had the results prior to our transfer to the airport.