Viking Venus - What is the status of her build?

[GoesBoom]

We should start a cancellation date pool!  

Just got this from Viking UK Operations, “The Coronavirus has created much uncertainty in the world of travel. While Viking is currently planning to resume all sailings come January 2021 we are also closely watching world events and want to be sure we can do so safely. ”

[What was that?]

6 hours ago, GoesBoom said:

We should start a cancellation date pool!  

Just got this from Viking UK Operations, “The Coronavirus has created much uncertainty in the world of travel. While Viking is currently planning to resume all sailings come January 2021 we are also closely watching world events and want to be sure we can do so safely. ”

I'll take 11 November for a two-month extension of the pause in operations.

[Heidi13]

I will be extremely disappointed in Viking if they make an important announcement on Wednesday Nov 11th, which is recognised by many of their customer base as remembering our veterans and their sacrifices.

 

Still expect an update next week, but hoping for any day except Wednesday.

[OnTheJourney]

10 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

I will be extremely disappointed in Viking if they make an important announcement on Wednesday Nov 11th, which is recognised by many of their customer base as remembering our veterans and their sacrifices.

 

Andy - my Dad was a WWII vet and my brother was in 'Nam - so I value and honor veterans day; however, I really don't see how it would convey any degree of disrespect if indeed they make whatever sort of announcement on the 11th. Maybe I'm missing something in what you're trying to convey (?)

[OnTheJourney]

19 hours ago, GoesBoom said:

We should start a cancellation date pool!  

Yeah, really. Have to find some humor in the gloom....

[What was that?]

11 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

I will be extremely disappointed in Viking if they make an important announcement on Wednesday Nov 11th, which is recognised by many of their customer base as remembering our veterans and their sacrifices.

 

Still expect an update next week, but hoping for any day except Wednesday.

Sunday, 8 November, was Remembrance Day in Great Britain - their equivalent of our Veteran's Day in the USA.

[GoesBoom]

Now this is interesting.  100% Covid screening everyday of all crew and passengers.  Implemented on the Star now.  The Star is docked in Norway, but scheduled for the Caribbean in January.  One rumor is they leave the Star in Europe and it takes over the early cruises from the Venus, since Venus likely not to be ready.  The 100% testing everyday allows docking in Norway and the UK without quarantine.  Now just need the New York to London travel corridor to get approved.  Some think that Viking could make an announcement this week.

Star now has COVID lab onboard

[deec]

Does the Star have "passengers" onboard now?

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, What was that? said:

Sunday, 8 November, was Remembrance Day in Great Britain - their equivalent of our Veteran's Day in the USA.

 

Sorry, but that is incorrect.

 

Yesterday (Sunday 8th) in UK was not Remembrance Day, it was Remembrance Sunday, which is the 2nd Sunday in November. Since November 11th is not a country wide holiday, Remembrance Sunday is the day when they have the ceremonies at the cenotaphs.

 

In the UK, Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day is still November 11th, which is the day they observe the 2 mins silence. Unlike UK, Canada, which has a country wide holiday on Nov 11th, does everything on the 1 day.

 

 

[What was that?]

3 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Sorry, but that is incorrect.

 

Yesterday (Sunday 8th) in UK was not Remembrance Day, it was Remembrance Sunday, which is the 2nd Sunday in November. Since November 11th is not a country wide holiday, Remembrance Sunday is the day when they have the ceremonies at the cenotaphs.

 

In the UK, Remembrance Day, or Armistice Day is still November 11th, which is the day they observe the 2 mins silence. Unlike UK, Canada, which has a country wide holiday on Nov 11th, does everything on the 1 day.

 

 

Thanks for this correction. I should have known that - I do WWII research for my Dad's Bomb Group that was stationed in England, and I keep learning that I have a lot more to learn. Thanks for helping me!

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Andy - my Dad was a WWII vet and my brother was in 'Nam - so I value and honor veterans day; however, I really don't see how it would convey any degree of disrespect if indeed they make whatever sort of announcement on the 11th. Maybe I'm missing something in what you're trying to convey (?)

 

For both of us it is personal preference. Being brought up in UK and then Canada, for us it is similar to Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, etc.

 

When I was working and had to work Nov 11th, it was always a tough day, but at sea we always reduced speed to the minimum to maintain steerage, in port we stopped operations completely and on one ship we even cancelled a sailing while the Officers & Crew joined the ceremony at the Cenotaph close to the terminal.

 

This year will be especially challenging due to COVID, as our ceremonies are all cancelled. We go every year, often seeing the same people. This year our grandkids were also looking forward to seeing their dad marching in his RCMP serge uniform.

 

I know Nov 11th means different things to everyone, but with Viking TV focusing on Remembrance this week, it would be a disappointment to both of us, if the announcement came out on the 11th. 

[OnTheJourney]

Totally understandable...thanks for clarifying. 🙂

[PasadenaDave]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

For both of us it is personal preference. Being brought up in UK and then Canada, for us it is similar to Canada Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day, etc.

 

When I was working and had to work Nov 11th, it was always a tough day, but at sea we always reduced speed to the minimum to maintain steerage, in port we stopped operations completely and on one ship we even cancelled a sailing while the Officers & Crew joined the ceremony at the Cenotaph close to the terminal.

 

This year will be especially challenging due to COVID, as our ceremonies are all cancelled. We go every year, often seeing the same people. This year our grandkids were also looking forward to seeing their dad marching in his RCMP serge uniform.

 

I know Nov 11th means different things to everyone, but with Viking TV focusing on Remembrance this week, it would be a disappointment to both of us, if the announcement came out on the 11th. 

I like the continuing Canadian perspective.  My ancient relative came to Canada as a surgeon in his Majesty's Army in the mid 1700's.  My great uncle died in Northern France in 1917 and my grandfather buried many friends/fellow soldiers there.  My grandmother was returning from England to Montreal in 1939 and spent a few extra months in Ireland after having her ship, The Athenia torpedoed, she spent a night in a lifeboat.  My mothers brother retired as a Major with his last posting in Ottawa, he spent much of 1967 with the UN in the Golan Heights.

 

The eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month has always been important to my family.  Even though we are American, I hold it tighter than the Fourth of July or Memorial Day.  Likely due to my connection to the ending of that brutal war.

[GoesBoom]

No, the Star is just sitting in port with the Jupiter.  It sailed to Norway 3 days ago from Germany.   I tried to book the Star for the Caribbean during 1Q21.  It no longer shows as available.  

[CharTrav]

9 hours ago, What was that? said:

Thanks for this correction. I should have known that - I do WWII research for my Dad's Bomb Group that was stationed in England, and I keep learning that I have a lot more to learn. Thanks for helping me!

If you don't mind continuing the conversation about Remembrance Day, I still remember when I was in Dublin for a week long meeting and attended church on Remembrance Sunday. I so remember watching this old fellow slowly (with a cane) hobble his way up to the front of the church and be transformed. He all of a sudden stood stood up straight at attention, the years seem to fall away from his body and face, and he recited the poem "In Flanders Fields". When he was done, all the years returned, and he slowly made his way back to his pew. It was spectacular - brings tears to my eyes writing about it even now 20 yrs later. 

Edited November 10, 2020 by CharTrav

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

If you don't mind continuing the conversation about Remembrance Day, I still remember when I was in Dublin for a week long meeting and attended church on Remembrance Sunday. I so remember watching this old fellow slowly (with a cane) hobble his way up to the front of the church and be transformed. He all of a sudden stood stood up straight at attention, the years seem to fall away from his body and face, and he recited the poem "In Flanders Fields". When he was done, all the years returned, and he slowly made his way back to his pew. It was spectacular - brings tears to my eyes writing about it even now 20 yrs later. 

 

Thanks for posting.

 

We have good friends that both served, who are approaching 90. He served in the RN & RCN and still marches in the parade to the cenotaph, regardless of how cold, or how much rain.

[GoesBoom]

Nothing from Viking this week.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, GoesBoom said:

Nothing from Viking this week.

 

I know...it's really time to decide what they're going to do - at least for January. Our cruise on the Venus is now just short of 9 weeks out. 

Edited November 14, 2020 by OnTheJourney

[What was that?]

On 10/12/2020 at 8:22 AM, What was that? said:

I now offer for your amusement my refined prognostication of Tor's next announcement regarding resumption of Viking's cruise operations, or a further extension of the "pause": Wednesday, 18 November 2020, and if the announcement is an extension of the pause, it will be for at least until the end of February 2021.

This is based on an analysis of the pattern of prior announcements, and NOT on any official or leaked information I may have received, because I don't have any inside contacts at Viking! Please regard this only as an idle speculation and just because it is based on "data", remember what they say about the stock market: "past performance is no guarantee of future results."

Unless I'm right - then I will change my screen name to "Carnac the Magnificent!"

Carnac I'm not! In a later post, I revised my prediction of the date of a Viking announcement to Wednesday, 11 November 2020. Since that date has passed, I will fall back on my original prediction of Wednesday, 18 November - which will be "only" 45 days prior to Jupiter's scheduled departure from Buenos Aires on 2 January 2021. Our scheduled departure from Barcelona on Venus is 17 days later.

If Viking intends to sail these January cruises, they really need to tell us what to expect on board.

[Peregrina651]

We all wait with baited breathe for another shoe to drop.  Watch both your MVJ and the website.  If you are locked out of your booking AND things disappear from the website, it is a sure sign of impending cancelations.  

 

 

[What was that?]

6 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

We all wait with baited breathe for another shoe to drop.  Watch both your MVJ and the website.  If you are locked out of your booking AND things disappear from the website, it is a sure sign of impending cancelations. 

I want patience - and I want it NOW!

[MikeD4134]

My Crystal Ball says my cruise In Search of the Northern Lights February 2, 2021 will be canceled.  The starting date for booking shore excursions has come and gone, still no excursions listed, the starting date for making reservations for Specialty Dining and Spa Treatments for my level of cabin is today, and nothing is available.  The final indicator will be November 19th, the date Viking is to purchase my airline tickets, if that does not happen I will be 100% sure that the trip is canceled.  Also under current travel rules, Great Britain is requiring 14 day quarantine for folks arriving from other countries.

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, What was that? said:

I want patience - and I want it NOW!

LOL!!!  

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

20 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

My Crystal Ball says my cruise In Search of the Northern Lights February 2, 2021 will be canceled.

Me thinks your ball is probably correct. 

[OnTheJourney]

20 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

Great Britain is requiring 14 day quarantine for folks arriving from other countries.

I suspect Italy is doing the same (?) Our first cruise in Jan. is scheduled to start in Rome.