Vikings Fit to Cruise policy?

[Justalone]

Has Viking implemented Fit to Cruise policy where passengers need a signed Fit to Cruise certification from their  doctor?

[Jim Avery]

1 minute ago, Justalone said:

Has Viking implemented Fit to Cruise policy where passengers need a signed Fit to Cruise certification from their  doctor?

For 70 plus.

[nini]

This will bankrupt them! On the Princess board, people have quoted that there is NO WAY

their physician will or be allowed to sign a form like this. Too much liability.

[stretchcruz]

What is it? And when is it effective? My husband will be 74 at the time of our Oct cruise. I hadn't heard of it before. Thanks!

[Jim Avery]

19 minutes ago, nini said:

This will bankrupt them! On the Princess board, people have quoted that there is NO WAY

their physician will or be allowed to sign a form like this. Too much liability.

I agree.  When the global panic subsides (and it will) this will probably be quietly dropped.

[nini]

The following is the letter received by a cruiser who is over 70 and manages his diabetes.

Other cruise lines are adopting this as well. I know many people over 70 who manage

their diabetes or a heart defect and are fine. People have already received denials from their

doctors to sign it. My fear is that this will become a standard in the cruise industry and not 

be dropped after the ongoing Corona Virus issues. 

 

 

Dear xxxxxx

It's no secret that the world is a challenging place at the moment which is affecting all of us in some way or another!  Many of you have already canceled your upcoming travel plans or maybe trying to decide what to do in the coming weeks.  I wanted to make you aware of a new policy being implemented by almost all cruise lines as they continue to make sure they keep their passenger and crew as safe as possible.

Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, any person age 70 or older must present written verification from a qualified physician certifying that the person has no severe, chronic medical condition and is fit to travel and in good health. Additionally, any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC – i.e. chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer – will be unable to sail.

It's important to confirm if you are going to continue with your cruise plans that you are aware of any new policies and procedures for boarding.

If you are unable to provide a "fit to travel" letter from your physician or have a compromising medical condition, they will provide you with a Future Cruise Credit to come back and sail with them at a later time.

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to me and we will walk thru the changes together!  I can't thank you all enough for your business and hope that going forward you will help spread the word how important it is to use a travel professional!

My Best

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, nini said:

This will bankrupt them! On the Princess board, people have quoted that there is NO WAY

their physician will or be allowed to sign a form like this. Too much liability.

Complete rubbish !!!!!!!!!! 

 

Viking is actually looking after your best interests, especially if you are in the ultra high risk category ( >70)

 

After what we experienced in Indonesia, your post is definitely not appreciated in these rather difficult times. Please check the WC threads for how these type of posts on social media negatively affect normal cruise ship operations.

 

[nini]

Unfortunately, this is not rubbish. This letter is valid from a Princess customer's travel agent. 

And I do have faith in the stability of the cruise industry. 

And REAL physicians have already said they will not sign these letters due to the liability.

 

What is so silly, is that there are thousands of immune compromised people who will slip through 

just because they are not 70 or older. This is a flawed tactic.

 

[Hanoj]

It was reported this initiative was undertaken by the CLIA including submitting this proposal to VP Pence. 

[Squawkman]

I agree with Heidi13 - that letter is non-sensical as is 99.9% of cases, there could be no “later time” to use a credit. A plurality, if not a majority, of Viking cruisers would be affected.

[Hanoj]

Age 70 proposal: https://www.foxnews.com/travel/cruises-restrict-travelers-certain-age-white-house

 

[Rawmac]

Just to remind you, and Heidi13 on his very FIRST Viking cruise, that Viking is NOT an American cruise line,  is not governed by US law and regulations (except when in the US) and we trust Viking itself to decide whether to board certain guests, and not slavishly follow some trumped up regulation which is not binding on it.  A "one-size-fits-all" edict seldom works satisfactorily.

[Hanoj]

It is not likely to relevant to Viking since the company isn't a member of the Cruise Lines International Association that introduced the age based policy during the current pandemic. Here is the link to CLIA's cruise lines: https://cruising.org/cruise-vacationer/cruise-lines

 

[Squawkman]

Hanoj- thanks for pointing that out. I’m just thinking about Viking River - no way would they support that policy given their clientele. 

[nini]

59 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

Hanoj- thanks for pointing that out. I’m just thinking about Viking River - no way would they support that policy given their clientele. 

You do not need to agree. It is a fact; at least for other cruise lines and for physicians.

It may only be a policy now; but law later. My only intent is to give people a heads up.

 

[stretchcruz]

Wow.

[Thom71]

I'm 70........do Senior Olympics
I'll do as many push ups and set ups they want before I board

[Jim Avery]

33 minutes ago, Thom71 said:

I'm 70........do Senior Olympics
I'll do as many push ups and set ups they want before I board

Just don't challenge Joe Biden....😎

[Thom71]

7 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Just don't challenge Joe Biden....😎

Ha!

[Peregrina651]

8 hours ago, Rawmac said:

Just to remind you, and Heidi13 on his very FIRST Viking cruise, that Viking is NOT an American cruise line,  is not governed by US law and regulations (except when in the US) and we trust Viking itself to decide whether to board certain guests, and not slavishly follow some trumped up regulation which is not binding on it.  A "one-size-fits-all" edict seldom works satisfactorily.

 

Heidi13 may be on his first Viking cruise but he has more days at sea than most of us here, including his years as an officer on board cruise ships. If anyone here knows how things work on board a cruise ship and can comment on it with the perspective of hands-on knowledge of operations, it is he.

 

Perhaps, we should listen to what he has to say and perhaps if we ask nicely, he well explain a bit more clearly why he thinks this is complete rubbish.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Captain_Morgan]

14 hours ago, nini said:

You do not need to agree. It is a fact; at least for other cruise lines and for physicians.

It may only be a policy now; but law later. My only intent is to give people a heads up.

 

Careful, if you continue to post anything remotely contrary to the fragile beliefs of the delicate flowers on this board you'll be labeled a 'troll'...best to just sit quietly in the corner and watch the children play with their crayons while sipping their kool-aid

[DGHOC]

The delicate flowers on this site are adept at recognising our one anti Viking resident troll. Aren't you bored yet?

[Azulann]

19 hours ago, nini said:

The following is the letter received by a cruiser who is over 70 and manages his diabetes.

Other cruise lines are adopting this as well. I know many people over 70 who manage

their diabetes or a heart defect and are fine. People have already received denials from their

doctors to sign it. My fear is that this will become a standard in the cruise industry and not 

be dropped after the ongoing Corona Virus issues. 

 

 

Dear xxxxxx

It's no secret that the world is a challenging place at the moment which is affecting all of us in some way or another!  Many of you have already canceled your upcoming travel plans or maybe trying to decide what to do in the coming weeks.  I wanted to make you aware of a new policy being implemented by almost all cruise lines as they continue to make sure they keep their passenger and crew as safe as possible.

Effective Monday, March 16, 2020, any person age 70 or older must present written verification from a qualified physician certifying that the person has no severe, chronic medical condition and is fit to travel and in good health. Additionally, any person with a severe, chronic medical condition, including those specified by the CDC – i.e. chronic heart, lung, liver, or kidney disease, diabetes, HIV/AIDS, or cancer – will be unable to sail.

It's important to confirm if you are going to continue with your cruise plans that you are aware of any new policies and procedures for boarding.

If you are unable to provide a "fit to travel" letter from your physician or have a compromising medical condition, they will provide you with a Future Cruise Credit to come back and sail with them at a later time.

If you have any questions at all, please reach out to me and we will walk thru the changes together!  I can't thank you all enough for your business and hope that going forward you will help spread the word how important it is to use a travel professional!

My Best

 You  post a letter without any citation  of origin  or source. Posting something that a "cruiser" said they received is not  fact.  Who is the "me' in the letter  that want you to reach out to them? 

Relax and worry about more important issues if you must worry aobut something today .

Cruising has  come to a halt for all pratical purposes.

Edited March 15, 2020 by Azulann

[Squawkman]

17 hours ago, nini said:

You do not need to agree. It is a fact; at least for other cruise lines and for physicians.

It may only be a policy now; but law later. My only intent is to give people a heads up.

 

No - it is NOT a fact, policy or anything substantial. I spent a whole 6 minutes researching this. Nothing on the CLIA website. The only place this was mentioned was on Fox News 3 days ago. I rest my case.

[Peregrina651]

28 minutes ago, Azulann said:

 You  post a letter without any citation  of origin  or source. Posting something that a "cruiser" said they received is not  fact.  Who is the "me' in the letter  that want you to reach out to them? 

Relax and worry about more important issues if you must worry aobut something today .

Cruising has  come to a halt for all pratical purposes.

 

The letter was written by a Travel Agent to their client list. That is why the signature was left off. How the poster got her hands on it is unknown. It is a sales piece; just read the last sentence, "I can't thank you all enough for your business and hope that going forward you will help spread the word how important it is to use a travel professional!" Fear sells.