Dukefan

10 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

Six drinks in one day? I would fall flat on my face! 🤪

After your great reporting of your drive around Iceland before your cruise you deserve a Cocktail or two or even six.   Thanks for your updates and enjoy your cruise but don't stop reporting (unless you had the six cocktails and are in fact flat on your face)!

9 minutes ago, njhorseman said:

As someone who has been  a regular visitor to Bermuda for about 35 years, I think some of what you said needs clarification/amplification/correction. 

 

 Some of the "mini" buses can hold 20, and a few nearly 30 passengers, not much less than the regular Bermuda public buses, which  are quite small compared to buses commonly used in the US and elsewhere .

 

For a couple of years now two seater electric  mini cars have been available for rent by tourists in Bermuda. Here are descriptions of the four different vehicle models available:

https://www.gotobermuda.com/article/bermuda-car-rental-options

 

I'd also like to add that taxis as well as the public transit system of buses and ferries are considered by many to be the best ways to get around in Bermuda. 

 

We rented the Renault Twizy in Bermuda two years ago for several days and loved it.  It was fun to tool around in and we felt much safer thn on the mopeds we had always previously rented in Bermuda.  From now on in Bermuda it is Twizy's for us!

Hopefully something like this will be sent for the Iceland folks.

Some questions for the first Viking Iceland path finders:

1)  On what days are there any special meals (i'e. Seafood Buffet, etc)?

2) What is the entertainment in the theater each night?  Movies by the pool?

3) What type of entertainment was there in the Living Room, Explorer Lounge, etc.

4) How hard was it to make the 45 minute reservations for the free Spa Area?  For the Treadmills

Thanks

29 minutes ago, Envelope21 said:

Do they have one for wine? Asking for a friend. 😄

I hope so!!!

Yes the Silver Spirits folks get different wine glasses than those that are not on the package.  If you purchase the wine pairing they will also change out the glass.

I have a daily calendar that gives me interesting bits of information. 

Yesterday's information:  Where in the world can you find an equestrian contest in which people carry mugs of beer and try not to spill any while riding horses? 

Answer: Iceland - The game is called beer tolt. (Tolt is also the name of a fluid, steady gait that is unique ti the Icelandic horses).

I can tell I'm going to love Iceland already!!!

11 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

Ok, I started over.  I entered phone number, and got and entered the code.  Then it says to enable notifications, I have to go to settings and select Iceland,  I do that and it send me to,the App Store to download the app, which I already have.  How can this be so,difficult???

 

 

 

When you first open the app it ask you do you want to enanble notications.  If you enter yes at that time you do not have to go to settings to enable them.   It enables them when you download the app.  Without allowing notications you will never be able to have the results sent to you.

21 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

We leave on Friday for the first cruise.  Successfully pre-registered.  But I cannot get the RankingC19 app up and running.  It asks for a code and I can’t seem to get one.  Any help appreciated.

When you enter your phone number, you will recieve a text message with the activation code.

On 6/21/2021 at 7:09 PM, CulverCityCruisers said:

Hotel Barcelona on Las Ramblas.  Loved it!!  Would stay again in an instant!! 

 

There was talk on another site about very slow old elevators, wall paper on everything, and musty halls.  Was this your experience?   The rooms and baths get good marks.   When did you last stay there and are you going to stay there on your upcoming trip on 9/25/2021?   Thanks.

1 hour ago, WanderingBrit said:

Do you happen to have any photos to share? There seem to be remarkably few available of the aft ES cabins.

Top tip - Googling for "Aft Explorer" might not get the results you'd hoped for 🤣 

We checked with Viking on the subject of connecting rooms a few cruises ago and were told that there are no connecting rooms on there ships.   On most cruise ships the walls between the stateroom verandas can be opened to help with cleaning the decks.  Some cruise lines will remove the wall on the veranda between two rooms on request from both cabins to allow two rooms to connect.   I have never explored this with Viking.   

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

We also enjoyed the British menu in the Chef’s Table. I keep hoping for the Sweet and Salty but so far haven’t been lucky to have it while aboard. We haven’t had a bad menu there, just ones we like better than others. 

 

We have had the Sweet and Salty and loved it.  Every course was delightful.   We have currently experienced nine different Chef's Table menus and would do any one of them again. The eight others we have had besides the Sweet and Salty were Xinag, Asian Panorama, Mexico, La Route Des Indes, Erling's Scandinavan Bistro, Lotus , Venice Carnival, and A Gastronomic Journey Through Time.  All were great fun! 

I look forward to seeing if there are any new ones on this cruise.  Since the Chef's Table changes every three days, we are hopeful that we can try it three times on this cruise but, of course, will not know for sure until we get on board and see what reservations we can book.   On our past cruises we have been able to try almost all of the menus available by booking first thing when we get on board.  With the social distancing set up on this cruise that may not be possible.

Very happy with Cruise Critic's new Covid Policy.    All the debate and hearsay was wearing me out!

2 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

 

 

I wouldn’t believe what TellUs told the FB poster. This is, at best, third hand information. We read, or were told by Tor in a video, that all Viking crew would be vaccinated, as a requirement from the government in the countries Viking will be visiting. I wish I could point you to the source on this, but it’s way back in the threads from weeks ago. It would make no sense whatsoever for Viking to require pax be vaccinated and not the crew. So yes, we are under the assumption, from prior information, that the crew has been vaccinated. We’ve had completely bogus information from TellUs in the past, even when they swore up and down that their information was correct.

•  

For the information from Tor that the Viking Crew were being vaccinated, read Clay's post at the top of this thread.

2 hours ago, basenji56 said:

I contacted a company I had used in the past with this question.  Here is their response:

 

"The quarantine coverage under our policies are designed to provide coverage if a traveler were to contract Covid-19 and have to quarantine due to being ill."

 

So, if you were sent into quarantine due to exposure, but without a positive test, I believe there is no coverage based on that language.

 

 

 

I think what the previous poster said was that it you were quarantined without being ill, it would fall under the trip interrution section of the policy, not the illness medical section of the policy.   Every company's policy is different, even different policies by the same company are different. That is way it is always a good idea to read each policy carefully and when in doubt, ask for clarifaction.  We generally use our credit card's travel policy insurance against almost everything but medical and always purchase a seperate medical policy for each foreign trip.  Because of the pandemic, we actually purchased a travel policy for this trip.

Just now, SantaFe1 said:

OK, retracted.  This whole topic is making my stomach churn!

Some people who have been vaccinated are going to get Covid, the vaccine is not 100% effective in preventing this.   The good news is, so far, almost all the folks that have gotten breakthrough cases have had very mild cases.  It is more likely to happen at home where probably less than 50% of the folks you pass in grocery stores or on the street have been vaccinated than on a Viking ship where 100% have been vaccinated. 

I know this case in Bermuda is concerning to almost all of us but when we think about it, we knew it was  going to happen sooner or later. The message from this is to not let your guard down whether you are at home or on a cruise and to take reasonable actions such as getting insurance, bring along a cruise plus 14 days supply of medications, etc.   I understand you concern but don't let it spoil a great vacation because there is less than a 1% chance that something could go wrong.  Life is about taking reasonable actions in everything we do and then enjoying it - that's part of what makes life such a wonderful adventure.

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

It will make it useless!

Not true.   It's purpose is to let Viking and its passengers know if a guest is postitive what other guests they have been in contact with.  That does not change if you are out and about in Iceland.  If you come back and test positive, Viking will be able to let any other guests you were in contact with know that they are at risk.

The Bermuda situation was to be expected.   None of the vaccines are 100% effective.  Look at the New York Yankees situation where the whole team was vaccinated.  Weeks later one team member was slightly sick, was tested and found positive for Covid.  As a result, the entire team was tested, and 7 others were found positive that were all asymptomatic (showing or feeling no effects of the virus). 

Even though everyone on our cruise is vaccinated, there is a good chance that with several of them they can still get the virus.   Since we are testing every day, the odds of someone being discovered positive are greater than at home where the only folks normally tested are those who need to get the test for travel or some other reason and those who are feeling symptoms.

The good news is that almost all folks that have been vaccinated and develop a breakthrough case of Covid are either asymptomatic or only get slightly ill and don't require hospitalization. 

I have said before on this board and I will say it again, I can think of no reasonable situation where any folks will be 100% protected against getting the virus, but Viking's standards make me feel that I am safer than moving around in my own community at home. On the cruise and at home each of us decide how much we want to exceed the minimum requirements of the situation we are in, such as how much we wear a mask, how much we social distance, what type of situations we place ourselves in, etc.  

I am very much looking forward to this cruise and the Bermuda situation has not dampened that excitement a bit.  It only reenforces the importance of having a health insurance policy that covers needing to be in quarantine or to receive treatment for the virus or any other medical situation in a foreign country.

34 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

Been following the weather - barely in the 40's during daytime.

I checked the future forecast this morning for our July 10th cruise.   Looking this far out is actually not very accurate for the actual weather but it is generally in the ballpark for temperatures.  My guess is for our cruise the temperature should always be between 40 degrees and 60 degrees.  The forecast showed a low during the period of our cruise of 43 degrees (in Isafjordur) and a high of 60 degrees (in Reykjavik) for the nine days we are in Iceland.  Of course, the big unknown is the rain and wind chill factor.

10 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Others have reported the same on other roll calls. Mine is missing this morning, too.

Mine are gone too but I have printed copies of our Comfort Check-in Boarding Passes.

Our spa treatments have returned to our calendar. Thats good news!

Just now, Clay Clayton said:

Are your other reservations still there? Just check and all ours are. 

Yes the only thing that was dropped were the two spa appointments.  Everything else has been unchanged (so far) .

22 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

I am asking anyone who has made Spa reservations can they still see them on their MVJ calendar? I thought they were there but they're not there now. Did Viking chat and agent could not access Spa reservation info to confirm. Said to confirm onboard. Meanwhile all times for all days booked.

I just checked and our two Spa treatments are no longer on our calendar.

1 minute ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Rather than sailing directly to Iceland the Viking Sky has now set course for Portsmouth UK. ETA 19th June.

That's kind of going to Reykjavik from Skagen by the scenic route isn't it?  Surprised it is going south of the UK to get there.

25 minutes ago, jeremybe said:

You are lucky you have excursions booked..We're booked on July 17 and basically everything is sold out -If Viking doesn't come through and open up more excursions or allow us to book on our own, we will be cancelling- The worst part is, before booking we checked the MVJ site and it said the excursions were available - It was only after paying when selecting the actual excursions that it says sold out.. 

On the July 10th cruise everything was sold out except 5 of the 38 excursions a week ago.  About 5 or 6 days ago Viking was able to add to each of the excursions.  Only 8 of the 38 excursions on our cruise are showing sold out now.   Keep checking because my guess is that within the next 5 or 6 days almost every excursion will be available on the July 17th cruise.