Jump to content
Cruise Critic Community

sfocruiser

Members
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    605

  • Joined

 Content Type 

Posts posted by sfocruiser

    Post Viking Promos

    in Viking Ocean

    Thoughts on Viking Sky Tarragona to Civitavecchia

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

     

    Liars Club has a panel of 3 on the stage. They are provided an obscure word and each panel member provides a definition. Only 1 is correct. The teams (pax) have to guess which panel member provided the correct definition.

     

    They had that on Seabourn and it was a blast Panel included Head Chief, CD, etc. passengers loved it.

    • Like 1

    Proctored Binax Covid Testing using an IPad

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    22 minutes ago, disneyochem said:

    I’ve used my iPad for six monitored tests this past year.  Works great.  I do have my husband hold the tablet for me—haven’t found a stand that gives me the necessary angles.

     

    +1

     

    the biggest (minor) issue is getting the camera angle to capture both your face and the test kit for the proctor to observe.   But other than that has worked great for us as well

    If you cough, please cover your mouth.

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    12 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

    I am constantly amazed how much we "older generation" have un-learned.  I know my Momma told me to cover my mouth, take of hats indoors, etc. etc.  Everyone I knew growing up was also trained in manners.  Now it seems everyone is special and does not have to consider others.  Where is the Coach with the paddle when we need him???


     

    made me smile Mr Avery.   My folks were raised in the depression era but that didn’t stop them instilling basic manners.   Your comments about hats triggered a memory of my mom promptly removing my ballcap if I forgot

    • Like 1

    Viking Mimir Grand European Tour 7-1-22; "Live"

    in River Cruising

    Posted

    3 hours ago, StartrainDD said:

    Saturday, July 9; cruising the Danube and Regensburg Germany

     

    We arrived at the bus station and all three buses were there. One left as we arrived. The program director told us we could board the double decker bus and sit upstairs, leaving immediately or take the next bus that would leave within ten minutes. I asked if the ship was ready for us and he said yes, it is waiting in Deggendorf. It was a 55 minute bus ride back to Deggendorf. It was a bit warm on the upper deck and the A/C never made it really cool.

     

    We pulled into the dock at Deggendorf to find a river boat tied up, but it was not a Viking boat. Then we see the Eistla waiting just upstream. A few minutes later the third Viking bus arrived. So now, 90% of the guests from the Eistla are standing on the ground or sitting in buses with no air circulation and lots of people coughing. The other ship was waiting for their tour to return from Munich and refused the Eistla permission to tie up next to them so we could board our ship. Now it begins to rain.

     

    Long story short, we stood out there for 50 minutes, most of the time in the rain, until the other ship's passengers returned and the Eistla got into place so we could board. We all boarded in less than five minutes. This makes FIVE times in eight days that the majority of the Eistla's passengers had to wait at a docking area with nothing around it for the ship to get into position so we could board. So we boarded after 7:30.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Have you gotten the impression that this type of leapfrogging which seems to have happened in nearly every city is more prevalent on your route as opposed to the B to A?

     

     

    RNB “woke up” in Alaska; Eurodam Cruise brief review, 06/11/22

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    2 hours ago, RedneckBob said:

    One more thing. Forgot to mention an interesting story I heard on our tour in Juneau.

     

    Due to the number of eagles in Juneau residents are warned to always have dogs on leashes since eagles like dogs. The tour guide told us a friend of hers had climbed this tall tree to be a lookout for bears when he came across an large eagle nest in the tree.  In the nests he found fourteen (14) dog collars 😲.

     

    Thank goodness the Misses has me on a short leash 😀

     

    This is probably more of an urban legend,  but a funny read nonetheless

     

    https://archive.seattletimes.com/archive/?date=19930619&slug=1707273

     

     

    Viking Mimir Grand European Tour 7-1-22; "Live"

    in River Cruising

    Posted

    3 hours ago, StartrainDD said:

    We are on the Mimir.

     

     

    You'd think I would have picked that up from the title!   To fast to reply I guess.    

     

    About your seats two suggestions.   At least with Star Alliance during the check-in process there is another option to upgrade.  completely separate from the standard method.    

     

    Also at the gate ask the Gate Agent about folks you have had their upgrades clear.  Passengers who have their upgrades clear typically have status on the airlines which means the seat they originally had was probably a good one  i.e. Exit Row etc.  And might be a good seat to switch to.    I am very tall so I am always scouring a way to more leg room

    • Like 1

    Viking Mimir Grand European Tour 7-1-22; "Live"

    in River Cruising

    Posted

    Thanks for the post, wlll look forward to the updates!   We booked this cruise during the same flash sale (B to A) but we dont cruise until the Christmas Markets.

     

    hope you don’t  mind a few questions along the way, which ship are you on?
     

    about your ability to upgrade to PE, has your reservation been ticketed?  In our case for an earlier Viking cruise (on United) we could not upgrade until we had a ticket #

     

    Again thanks!

    Back from HAL Med cruise on Oosterdam

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    4 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

    No confusion, the Rotterdam was her first post Covid HAL cruise and she found the food quality to be poorer quality than what it was on other HAL ships she had cruised on pre Covid. I believe that the Rotterdam cruise is the only HAL cruise she has done Post Covid.

     

    I would take your TA's opinion with a grain of salt.  Besides the subjectivity of food opinions your TA is, as you note, a "huge Celebrity fan".  So I wouldn't expect to hear stellar HAL reviews, especially as you are also partial to Celebrity.  The client is always right

     

    We just finished a Eurodam cruise and the three MDR dinners we had were exceptional.  I usually am less than enthusiastic with the MDR but in this case it was great, especially the Culinary Council dinner

     

    There other minor issues with the cruise but nothing which dampened the experience,   It didn't hurt having great weather in AK which always makes it a better cruise.

     

     

     

    • Like 3

    Eurodam Far Below Capacity - what's up?

    in Holland America Line

    Posted

    11 hours ago, groundloop said:

    I'm on Eurodam at this very moment sailing toward Alaska.  The ship didn't feel very full to us so I asked our server about it, she said there are only around 1200 guests on board.  I'd have thought we'd be packed right now, any wild guesses?

     

     


    We were on over Memorial Day and we had 1,900.  Crew said it was the highest since Covid 

    • Like 2

    Current protocol for positive covid test on board

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    5 minutes ago, oceancruiser20 said:

    It doesn't seemed to be mentioned in the passenger cruise contract either, so does that mean if we booked with the thought that Viking would cover arrangements in the event of a positive test, this is no longer actually the case? From the wording posted above it seems Viking just merely acts as a travel agent /concierge to make arrangements, and not covering the expenses?

     

    From the cruise contract Paragraph 20

     

    If you are detained on board or elsewhere at any time or at final destination because of quarantine, port regulations, illness or other cause, all expenses incurred in connection with such detention shall be your sole responsibility unless otherwise required by applicable law. If you are carried aboard the Ship beyond final destination for any reason, without fault of the Carrier, you shall pay for any extra costs. Should it become necessary, in the sole judgment of the Master, to transfer you for medical reasons, the cost of such transfer shall be borne by you.

    Antigen Test Now Allowed

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    1 hour ago, gbldcl said:

    I emailed tellus this morning. Response I received this afternoon was "Binax NOW ag even though proctored, is NOT lab certified and therefore not acceptable as a Covid test for boarding."

     

    I am going to quit worrying about it and schedule an appointment for a PCR test and be done with it.

    Too much conflicting info, stress, and drama to start a cruise with.

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Unbelievable.   We also got a response today from tellus who were happy to inform us that the Binax AG was accepted.      They really need to get their communications figured out.    We are going to get a PCR and not chance it and take the binax AG as a backup.

     

     

    Antigen Test Now Allowed

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    1 hour ago, njhorseman said:

    Yes, this is what I've been saying.

    If Viking is actually not allowing the BInaxNOW Ag test they could very well be the only cruise line, airline or nation that permits antigen tests to be used as proof of not being infected with COVID-19 that does not accept that test. 

    What makes the situation even more unbelievable is that Viking uses saliva PCR tests in which the passenger is not supervised when providing the sample . There are two problems here...first saliva PCR tests themselves are generally considered to not be as accurate as PCR tests that use nasal swabs, and second it's easy to subvert the testing protocol by drinking soda, coffee or tea or eating before providing the saliva sample. https://machias.edu/return/2021/08/02/what-steps-should-i-take-to-help-ensure-my-shield-t3-saliva-pcr-test-is-successful/ 

    "

    • Drinking soda, coffee or tea within two hours of test time without thoroughly rinsing the mouth with water will make the test unreliable when read by the PCR testing machine. To ensure that your sample can be read, please do not drink soda, coffee, tea or Gatorade one hour before the test, and be sure to rinse with water 30 minutes prior to testing. 
    • Eating any type of food or chewing gum within two hours of test time without thoroughly rinsing your mouth with water also will affect the PCR machine’s ability to read your sample. Please do not eat food or chew gum one hour before the test and, again, be sure to rinse with water 30 minutes prior to testing.

     

    Yet Viking claims to be the cruise industry leader in preventing the spread of COVID on its ships.


     

    agree with all the above.  I think Viking initially led the pack for safety but that was months ago and they haven’t kept up with the quickly changing environment

     

    I’ve emailed tellus asking them to say yea or nay in writing on Binax.  Not holding my breath

     

    we depart in three weeks and will probably go the 72 hour pcr route.

    Antigen Test Now Allowed

    in Viking Ocean

    Posted

    Viking needs to step up and provide clear guidance on antigen at home testing.    All of the above back and forth just goes to show that what information they do provide is vague.

     

    With most of Europe dropping their entry testing requirement the only remaining entry test which would be required (for Europe) would be Viking which makes a crystal clear direction from Viking that much more important.

     

    We have been on a couple of trips the last 6 months and the Binax AG was accepted by Germany, Spain, and the USA.  Why they are unclear about it being sufficient for Viking is beyond me.

    • Like 2
×
×
  • Create New...