SrCruizer

I've traveled all over the world & this is what I personally do & have never had a problem. Granted my prescriptions are pretty common but never have I been questioned about my drugs going in or out of a foreign country. I don't travel with the bottles (take up too much space) but take pictures of them on my phone. That includes putting an actual pill in the picture. I also keep a list in my purse of the meds I take for quick reference. That's a precaution in case of a medical emergency & someone needs to know what I do take. Hope this helps.

Totally agree with Ashland. Having witnessed people doing it, looked rather unsanitary.

I’m no expert & can only speak about my personal experience rounding Cape Horn in 2019 on a Viking ship. All modern day cruise ships, such as Viking, have stabilizers. I experienced some fairly rough seas rounding the Cape and did not get seasick. It was something I was concerned about. I did pack seasickness pills but didn’t need them. I did notice a number of people wearing the patch behind their ear which has to be prescribed by a Dr. I did wear the acupressure Sea-Bands on my wrist. It was something my Dr. recommend & I’d like to think they helped. Location of your stateroom is an important factor to consider. Book one that is mid ship & on a low floor like my husband & I did. They tend to be the most stable. Good luck. 

9 hours ago, JJean said:

What is the easiest way for 2 people to get from Santiago airport to Valparaiso.

If looking for the easiest way, hire a car & driver like we did in 2019. You can find a number of companies online like we did back then.

1 hour ago, KBs mum said:

The ships don't have any draft beers on board, they are all lagers.

The movement of the ship would make properly racking cask beers impossible. 

Good point. 

However, we have had draft beers in some of the bars on the last couple cruises.  (Pool Grill, Aquavit, Explorer's Lounge).  Not sure what they were or where they came from.

Beers on Viking are definitely not all lagers.  There is actually a variety.  We like the Norway Dark Amber and the IPA beers.   To me the IPA's tasted quite similar to some of the best from the West Coast.  But the Amber is my go to beer. 

It is my understanding that Meet & Mingle gatherings have been postponed indefinitely. I would check with guest services to be certain.

33 minutes ago, MRGACRUZR said:

I'll try and articulate what to expect on this trip. First, we were unable to check in on line for our flight. As it turns out, the Delta agents have to look up the requirements for entry to wherever you are flying. Then, they verify all of your stuff (Bermuda Travel Auth, shot cards and negative PCR test) before issuing your boarding pass.

 

The flight from Atlanta was uneventful. 

Arrival in Bermuda, let the fun begin. Be sure to have a few drinks on the plane before arriving. We were met as we exited the jet way and escorted to a long line in a long hallway. About 30 minutes later you arrive at a station where it looks like they are preparing to perform surgery. Be sure to have your Travel Authorization and proof of vaccination in hand, it will speed the process of moving on to the next line. This first stop is so they can give you instructions of all the protocols to follow during your visit. Be sure the agent knows you are on the Viking Orion so they can tell you to disregard the blue protocol instructions you just got (hint: do not dispose of these instructions, yet).

 

NOTE: Be sure not to eat, drink or put anything in your mouth because this is a requirement for the saliva PCR test upon arrival on the ship.

 

Next line: Immigration. By far the easiest and shortest stop. Have your passport, Travel Authorization, customs form and proof that you are on the Viking Orion. We used our "Final Documents". 

 

Next: collect bags. Move to next line. Another 30 minute line. When you reach the front of the line they want to see your travel authorization, want to know what seat you sat in on the arriving flight and prove you have the blue document (that doesn't mean anything if your on Orion) that I said not to throw away, yet.

 

Next: a reasonably short line to pick up your nose swab order form. 

 

Next: drop your luggage where directed and join a short line for your nasal swab.

 

Next: board a small van or mini bus, as directed by Viking rep, for transport to the ship. Seems like about a 25 to 30 minute ride to the ship. You can fill out another health survey during the ride. Luggage was collected right after nasal swab, on the sidewalk out front. We got our luggage about 15 minutes after boarding.

 

Next: enter line in the pier terminal building for another wellness check.

 

Next line: Have passports out. Have your photo taken, recieve tracking devices and room keys.

 

Next line: security, xray carry ons.

 

On to ship.

First: go to lifeboat muster station for individual instruction on putting on a life jacket.

Next: on the way to room, intercept by room steward. Verbal instructions about spitting into tube in your room and when he'll collect it.

 

Next: start spitting.

 

Other observations:

There are bottles of hand sanitizer, masks, sanitizer wipes in your room.

You have to wear your tracking device everywhere, except wet locations.

There are written instructions for spitting, a FULL page.

The ship is a little less than 50% occupancy. That may be this voyage only. Don't know.

All of the gathering and eating venues are set up for social distancing. 

There is no self service, of any kind, in the World Cafe. It seemed very empty.

Put all of your dining reservations on a personal calendar before leaving home,  they are not on Viking Voyager.

MVJ was gone on the day of arrival..

 

Once we arrived onboard, the three of us agreed that if we knew all of what was involved, we would have waited till things became more normal. Glad to be here but, the process sucks some of the life out of the relaxation.

Everyone has been fabulous, despite some of the orments and conditions of early travel.

 

Manfredi's last night, seafood buffet tonight.

 

I'm sure I've forgotten some items (Bermuda PTSD) but feel free to ask if you have any questions about the process. And, all of this may change with each upcoming voyage. I would not do it again. Glad we cancelled Malta and the Adriadic Jewels.

 

33 minutes ago, MRGACRUZR said:

I'll try and articulate what to expect on this trip. First, we were unable to check in on line for our flight. As it turns out, the Delta agents have to look up the requirements for entry to wherever you are flying. Then, they verify all of your stuff (Bermuda Travel Auth, shot cards and negative PCR test) before issuing your boarding pass.

 

The flight from Atlanta was uneventful. 

Arrival in Bermuda, let the fun begin. Be sure to have a few drinks on the plane before arriving. We were met as we exited the jet way and escorted to a long line in a long hallway. About 30 minutes later you arrive at a station where it looks like they are preparing to perform surgery. Be sure to have your Travel Authorization and proof of vaccination in hand, it will speed the process of moving on to the next line. This first stop is so they can give you instructions of all the protocols to follow during your visit. Be sure the agent knows you are on the Viking Orion so they can tell you to disregard the blue protocol instructions you just got (hint: do not dispose of these instructions, yet).

 

NOTE: Be sure not to eat, drink or put anything in your mouth because this is a requirement for the saliva PCR test upon arrival on the ship.

 

Next line: Immigration. By far the easiest and shortest stop. Have your passport, Travel Authorization, customs form and proof that you are on the Viking Orion. We used our "Final Documents". 

 

Next: collect bags. Move to next line. Another 30 minute line. When you reach the front of the line they want to see your travel authorization, want to know what seat you sat in on the arriving flight and prove you have the blue document (that doesn't mean anything if your on Orion) that I said not to throw away, yet.

 

Next: a reasonably short line to pick up your nose swab order form. 

 

Next: drop your luggage where directed and join a short line for your nasal swab.

 

Next: board a small van or mini bus, as directed by Viking rep, for transport to the ship. Seems like about a 25 to 30 minute ride to the ship. You can fill out another health survey during the ride. Luggage was collected right after nasal swab, on the sidewalk out front. We got our luggage about 15 minutes after boarding.

 

Next: enter line in the pier terminal building for another wellness check.

 

Next line: Have passports out. Have your photo taken, recieve tracking devices and room keys.

 

Next line: security, xray carry ons.

 

On to ship.

First: go to lifeboat muster station for individual instruction on putting on a life jacket.

Next: on the way to room, intercept by room steward. Verbal instructions about spitting into tube in your room and when he'll collect it.

 

Next: start spitting.

 

Other observations:

There are bottles of hand sanitizer, masks, sanitizer wipes in your room.

You have to wear your tracking device everywhere, except wet locations.

There are written instructions for spitting, a FULL page.

The ship is a little less than 50% occupancy. That may be this voyage only. Don't know.

All of the gathering and eating venues are set up for social distancing. 

There is no self service, of any kind, in the World Cafe. It seemed very empty.

Put all of your dining reservations on a personal calendar before leaving home,  they are not on Viking Voyager.

MVJ was gone on the day of arrival..

 

Once we arrived onboard, the three of us agreed that if we knew all of what was involved, we would have waited till things became more normal. Glad to be here but, the process sucks some of the life out of the relaxation.

Everyone has been fabulous, despite some of the orments and conditions of early travel.

 

Manfredi's last night, seafood buffet tonight.

 

I'm sure I've forgotten some items (Bermuda PTSD) but feel free to ask if you have any questions about the process. And, all of this may change with each upcoming voyage. I would not do it again. Glad we cancelled Malta and the Adriadic Jewels.

 

Wow! Thank you very much for your detailed account of arrival. Very helpful.

It’s very true that the “bubble” concept isn’t ideal. Fortunately we have been to Bermuda 4 times so are willing to accept Viking’s terms & conditions. I desperately want to cruise no matter the restrictions & obviously not alone considering the demand for Viking’s Bermuda & Iceland cruises. We do have future cruises booked in 2022 & we might be more hesitant to keep our bookings if touring in a bubble still exists. Exploring on our own is part of the joy of traveling.

36 minutes ago, Canes#1 said:

Simple question, will I be able to go ashore, alone on my own, in Bermuda to go to the beach for the day or rent a whaler and explore the various isolated beaches as I have done in the past?  Or go to dinner or lunch in town?

Simple answer, NO. 

34 minutes ago, guest26 said:

Is end of September/begin October considered good or worst time for cruise?

 

Depends on a lot of factors such as where are you cruising to for starters.

Wondering though that if you get the regular air with Viking, can you then do the upgrade on your own?  i.e. call the airlines and use miles or dollars to upgrade?  And this would be the way to get Premium or Business the whole flights?   Have people done this?   Maybe it is even less expensive than a Viking partial upgrade?

19 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

Waiting until 2022 would suit me fine. I have nothing booked with them until  '23 at this point, but Mr. Hagen has indicated that the chairman's cruise that was scheduled for last month will be rescheduled to sometime this year yet. Good point about predominantly older clients, so, yeah, you'd think that most would indeed have both doses of vaccine by summer. Still so many variables at play - especially with covid variants. 

Even if all passengers and crew have been vaccinated, my concern is that too many countries/cities prefer we stay home & won’t allow us in. I think we might be looking at 2023 before cruising gets back to “normal”.

As stated, you can get made to order espresso drinks in the atrium bar early morning. Personally I loved the Nespresso coffee maker in our stateroom. Enjoyed delicious, strong coffee in bed each morning but I do drink it black. For me, their everyday coffee is not drinkable. I’m sure you could get room service to provide you with real cream. Another place I enjoyed espresso drinks was in the Explorers Lounge but that was later in the morning when it was staffed. 
 

My only experience with luggage is that was delivered to our room from the airport.

Sadly, I would not be very optimistic. We have a Viking cruise booked for July 2021 & unless there is a vaccine, we don’t plan on going. I really don’t want to spend a lot of money to be on a ship wearing a mask & social distancing. Part of the fun of cruising is engaging with other people. But, a lot can happen between now & when you set sail so for now, keep your fingers crossed.

We have been on many Viking Cruises & as stated, the included is typically a 2 or 3 hour bus or walking tour of the town. We have done a mix of both included & paid Viking tours depending on the port. The cost of the paid tours really varies depending on the length & what it entails. Some tours are less than $100 and some $200 plus. We have also had good luck getting together with fellow cruisers on Cruise Critic and booking tours through local tour operators. Do your homework & explore the options available to you. Good luck.

We also prefer to dine alone and with Viking that is no problem. The Chef’s Table & Manfredi’s require reservations & there are plenty of twosome tables. The main dining room doesn’t require a reservation but again, plenty of twosomes they can seat you at. For all other dining options you can wander in and pick out your own table.

Albert Heijn is a major supermarket chain in the Netherlands with lots of locations. We’ve been to Amsterdam numerous times and they were our “go to store” for food & wine, etc. Looking on line they appear to have a store fairly close to the cruise terminal. I recommend you check them out.

3 hours ago, Arizona340 said:

Thanks for your replies.  We booked our 2021 Viking cruise today in cabin 4029.  Other side more forward.

Great! Enjoy your cruise.

1 hour ago, Arizona340 said:

Looking into 2021 Sky cruise only cabins available are dv4 cabins 4080 & 4082. Please, are their any obstructions or problems with this deck 4 location, aft port side?

From our research & looking at Viking’s website showing deck plans, you will see that those staterooms are located directly above the tenders on deck 3. I have read on various CC posts that some passengers hear the “creaking” of the tenders especially in rough seas. We have been on 4 Viking cruises & have purposely stayed away from staterooms located above tenders. 

1 hour ago, Fred321 said:

My wife and I have approx. 800 sea days on Holland America, including 3 and a half world cruises. (The half was this year's when we got as far as Australia where we were told the cruise was over and we had to make our own way home since we hadn't used Holland America air to get to the ship) Needless to say we were less than amused by this.

 

I have been intrigued by Viking mostly because of the size of the ships and the fact that children and scooters aren't allowed. Not so much of a fan of paying for excursions which I probably will not use (like to do my own) , the "class" system of boarding and making reservations and the ridiculous lead time they use for full payment. 

 

That being said we are kicking around booking a b2b on the Star for the fall of next year starting in NYC and ending in Ft. Lauderdale. (We live in Fla.) We would use this as a test run for whether we might want to try a Viking world cruise since HAL left a bad taste in my mouth this year. Would appreciate any insight into pros and cons of the line itself and this particular ship and any other useful info. Thanks in advance.

1 hour ago, Fred321 said:

My wife and I have approx. 800 sea days on Holland America, including 3 and a half world cruises. (The half was this year's when we got as far as Australia where we were told the cruise was over and we had to make our own way home since we hadn't used Holland America air to get to the ship) Needless to say we were less than amused by this.

 

I have been intrigued by Viking mostly because of the size of the ships and the fact that children and scooters aren't allowed. Not so much of a fan of paying for excursions which I probably will not use (like to do my own) , the "class" system of boarding and making reservations and the ridiculous lead time they use for full payment. 

 

That being said we are kicking around booking a b2b on the Star for the fall of next year starting in NYC and ending in Ft. Lauderdale. (We live in Fla.) We would use this as a test run for whether we might want to try a Viking world cruise since HAL left a bad taste in my mouth this year. Would appreciate any insight into pros and cons of the line itself and this particular ship and any other useful info. Thanks in advance.

We have taken 4 Viking cruises & booked 3 for this year. Sadly, 2 have been officially cancelled. Have our fingers crossed for our December cruise. Obviously we are fans of Viking. The pros: small ship, no children, exceptional crew & service, nicely appointed stateroom that includes a veranda, a large variety of dining options, the relaxing Nordic spa experience that is included, and the exceptional guest lecturers. They provide such a wealth of information regarding the history & culture of the various countries. Regarding the included tours, they tend to be either city walking tours or bus tours. We usually take advantage of any walking tours & then do something else on our own. The “class” system has never bothered us. We discovered that once on board it’s easy to change various reservations due to people canceling/shuffling what was booked ahead of time. As mentioned, the major con for us is having to pay so far in advance. Since stateroom location is important to us, we are willing to book far in advance & make our payment to Viking. Something that could be a con for some, but not for us, is that the entertainment is OK but not great. No lavish productions. Basically Viking fits our style of travel & when things return to “normal”, we hope to be booking many more cruises with them.

3 hours ago, BrendaEDH said:

Interesting article from yesterday's WSJ (paywall article):

"Viking Cruises Seeks $600million in bond offerings..."

 

https://www.wsj.com/articles/viking-cruises-seeks-to-raise-600-million-11589215417

Would liked to have read the article but must be a WSJ subscriber to do so.

2 hours ago, VitaminSea53 said:

We are thinking of booking 4 cabins in a row. Can the divider between the balconies be opened so that we can socialize between balconies?
thanks 

Physically yes, but not sure they will open up 4 staterooms based on something we observed. On last year’s cruise our neighbors did just that between 2 stateroom balconies but within 2 nights the balconies were closed off to each other during the entire rest of the cruise. 

20 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

My wife and I took four Viking cruises beginning last July and finishing up last month.  Oddly, our March cruise to the most remote destination -- the southern tip of South America -- had by far the highest number of infirm and unwell folks, almost all of them well north of 75.  The sheer number of canes, walkers, wheelchairs, and oxygen tanks was astounding.  We felt like we were traveling in a high-end nursing home.

 

   

My husband and I went on the Valparaiso to Buenos Aires cruise in December and at 70 & 68 respectively, we felt “young”. For many, just getting on and off a bus was an ordeal. I admired these folks for getting out there and seeing the world and a cruise is realistically their best option. I certainly hope that Viking survives this crisis financially since we would like to continue sailing with them well into our 70s & 80s even if we have to pack our walkers😀

7 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Our cruise is not cancelled yet but I assume it will be. The same cruise next year, same time of year, same stateroom, is $400 cheaper than what we currently have. How does that make sense?

I have read various posts that the same itinerary for next year is costing them more. You maybe one of lucky ones getting a better deal. We have three cruises booked for this year and figure that they will get canceled. We have our fingers crossed that if it’s possible to rebook for next year we won’t have to pay more but won’t be surprised if that’s not the case. The cruise industry will need to recoup their losses somehow.

1 hour ago, clojacks said:

We're new to Viking, but not to cruising. We have learned to watch for the best booking sales or deals at different times of the year from the lines we like to sale. What are the best deals you have seen from Viking that would be worth waiting for. We are looking at a B2B in Australia and New Zealand in 2022, so getting the best price will absolutely help.

I think you’re asking people to gaze into their crystal balls & try to predict the cruise industry’s future during these very uncertain times. Currently many people are proactively canceling 2020 Viking cruises that still show sailing but I’m guessing will eventually be cancelled. Many are rebooking the same cruise for 2021 at higher rates. If Viking survives this crisis, which I certainly hope so since we have future cruises booked, I don’t think you’re going to see any deals unless people are so afraid to cruise they can’t fill their ships. Obviously I’m no expert on the future of cruising but I’m optimistic that cruising will be back to “normal” by 2021.