What do you think of the new Covid-19 Health Program for all Viking Ships?

[duquephart]

Will there be modifications to the cancellation policies? Those who do not wish to travel under these restrictions should not be penalized.

[jow623]

Alot of excursions are only a few hours.  What happens for the rest of the day?  Will Viking offer more excursions, and will they be of the ones that we have to pay more for?

[cinlo]

What happens to the spouse/ travel mate if a person is quarantined ashore?  Are they left to saail onwards alone, worrying about their mate....or do they go ashore as well?  What about packing up the luggage before being removed from the ship if both are removed?  Is the entire cruise held up while the packing  and removing of the “sick” passenger occurs?

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, cinlo said:

What happens to the spouse/ travel mate if a person is quarantined ashore?  Are they left to saail onwards alone, worrying about their mate....or do they go ashore as well?  What about packing up the luggage before being removed from the ship if both are removed?  Is the entire cruise held up while the packing  and removing of the “sick” passenger occurs?

 

Since the greatest majority  of medical disembarkations take place alongside a berth, or at anchor while tendering, the spouse is also disembarked. If removed by helo, at sea, most will only take the actual patient.

 

The cruise line, using port agents and/or customer care staff provide assistance with arrangements.

 

If the doctor recommends a medical disembarkation just prior to departure, the ultimate decision rests with the Master. Unless exceptional safety issues are present, the Master will delay departure to effect the disembarkation. The crew will normally pack up the cabin, while patient transfer is taking place.

 

I have delayed sailing many times for medical disembarkation and on a couple of occasions have even returned to the dock after being notified of a situation while still within the confines of the berth. In my experience, the transfer process generally takes < 1/2  hr, often 15 to 20 mins between the ambulance arriving and patient leaving. Although standing on the Bridge, the wait always seemed much longer.

 

All my experiences are pre-COVID, so things may have changed.  

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Never mind!

Edited December 24, 2020 by IWantToLiveOverTheSea
Sorry - just ignore. Read some more, answered my own questions!

[IWantToLiveOverTheSea]

Kudos to Viking for trying out the testing on Star.

 

I hope to travel this fall on either Viking Ocean or Oceania. I know things won't be like they were before, but I think things will be safe enough, and the overall cruise experience a good one.  I really miss seeing the world.  I've been staying home a lot, and giving up indoor dining and other risky activities. With caution and after getting a vaccine, I'm looking forward to venturing out, while still being careful.

Edited December 24, 2020 by IWantToLiveOverTheSea

[jtwind]

On 12/11/2020 at 1:26 PM, TayanaLorna said:

There was a travel writer on the Sea Dream Barbados cruise who described the experience.  At the end of her blog said something like - a cruise line can create all the protocol they want but it is the people who will flaunt the rules and bring it on board.  I wonder how many people of the group that brought Covid19 on board went out partying on a layover.  It is not easy to get to Barbados from many US locations in one day and in time to board the ship before departure without a layover.  But then taking a mask off to eat or drink on a plane or at an airport food vendor can expose a person.  I am curious to learn the habits and whereabouts of those Covid carriers.

 

 

Nobody on SeaDream broke any rules.  The passengers with the virus appeared to be following the rules that were in place in the State of Florida and SeaDream's rules.

 

The activities that take place between the 72 hour test and boarding, plus the known inaccuracy of tests conducted within a few days of infection, open the door for the virus to get onboard, as happened on SeaDream.

[Vineyard View]

On 12/9/2020 at 8:34 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

As for the vouchers, first, once a voucher, always a voucher, and second, you may apply for a refund once expires at the end of two years.

Hi Peregrina. I am wondering if this is a fairly new protocol with Viking.  I ask because we had a voucher expire, Viking was kind enough to extend it for us. We had to reschedule a second time due to wildfires here so it expired again. At that point, Viking would not extend nor refund. They refunded our deposit, but not our voucher credit. Maybe they only extend one time? This was in 2019. 
 

I haven’t been on CC for a long while but the need to travel is starting to be crazy making. I agree that Viking is doing an exemplary job of safety planning as best as possible. We will not travel before vaccines. Likely no cruises until 2022 - by then hopefully some of these restrictions will not be necessary. As others have stated, we are also in the camp of  independent/third party exploring in ports.  While I understand the reasoning, we would not be enticed to cruise with those restrictions. We will likely stay with land travel until then. Or a heavy sea days itinerary. 

[Peregrina651]

8 minutes ago, Vineyard View said:

Hi Peregrina. I am wondering if this is a fairly new protocol with Viking.  I ask because we had a voucher expire, Viking was kind enough to extend it for us. We had to reschedule a second time due to wildfires here so it expired again. At that point, Viking would not extend nor refund. They refunded our deposit, but not our voucher credit. Maybe they only extend one time? This was in 2019. 

 

I only know that this is the current policy applying to vouchers that have been issued during the pandemic. I don't know much about vouchers prior to that.

[Vineyard View]

21 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I only know that this is the current policy applying to vouchers that have been issued during the pandemic. I don't know much about vouchers prior to that.

Thank you Peregrina. It must be a Pandemic based policy as that wasn’t the case last year. I think it is an important change in policy and I am glad to learn of it, so thank you.