Viking Gulf Coast Cruise

[Jack E Dawson]

Our local NBC news station reported tonight that Viking Ocean Cruises will begin stoping here in Panama City Beach Florida beginning in April of this year. It will be a tender port call. It is being reported as a cruise starting in Tampa going to PCB, Mobile, Key West, Nassau and back to Tampa. I Googled this story in found a number of corroborating stories. The weird thing is that there is nothing about it on the Viking web site. I also spoke to 2 agents and they knew anything about it. 

Is this for real?

 

Jack

[TayanaLorna]

11 hours ago, Jack E Dawson said:

Our local NBC news station reported tonight that Viking Ocean Cruises will begin stoping here in Panama City Beach Florida beginning in April of this year. It will be a tender port call. It is being reported as a cruise starting in Tampa going to PCB, Mobile, Key West, Nassau and back to Tampa. I Googled this story in found a number of corroborating stories. The weird thing is that there is nothing about it on the Viking web site. I also spoke to 2 agents and they knew anything about it. 

Is this for real?

 

Jack

I can't find a thing about it on the Viking website.  Did the news get the name of the cruise company wrong?  Is it a Viking cruise with no paying passengers?  Is it a test cruise for Viking to demonstrate its Covid 19 safety protocol in order to meet the guidelines to begin sailing in US waters again.  If Viking wants to sail Alaska this summer or wishes to do the transatlantic crossings in the Fall in order to open the New England and Caribbean markets they must get approval for it.  The current safety guidelines are in effect until November 1, 2021.

[Jack E Dawson]

Yes, it was definitely Viking. Spoke to the reporter today.

 

Jack

[Geosez]

https://www.wjhg.com/2021/01/20/update-on-viking-cruises-set-to-dock-in-panama-city/

 

Reported today on local TV channel.  Still in early planning stages.  Please don’t confuse Panama City with Panama City Beach.  Two different vibes.

[Jim Avery]

I have seen it once on the Viking site but have not looked lately.  I suspect it is still up in the air.  We used to live in the Florida Panhandle and would love to take this one if it actually happens.  🍸

[Clay Clayton]

I’m surprised by the Nasssu stop.  Doesn’t seem at all like a Viking stop. 

[Heidi13]

Clay - I suspect this is the foreign port they picked for compliance with PVSA. The other option would be steaming down to Cancun

[Jim Avery]

31 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’m surprised by the Nasssu stop.  Doesn’t seem at all like a Viking stop. 

Nassau or Cozumel.  Must have a near foreign stop.

[Clay Clayton]

8 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Nassau or Cozumel.  Must have a near foreign stop.

But there are so many other foreign stops that are more “Vikingy” than either of those. Aren’t there some other ports in Mexico that would be more interesting? 

[Jim Avery]

7 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

But there are so many other foreign stops that are more “Vikingy” than either of those. Aren’t there some other ports in Mexico that would be more interesting? 

Such as?

[Cienfuegos]

Has Viking addressed the Key West limits on larger ships? 

 

FWIW, Miami would be a much more interesting place to me

[Clay Clayton]

20 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Such as?

Dunno? That’s why I was asking...just seems like there have to be.  

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Cienfuegos said:

Has Viking addressed the Key West limits on larger ships? 

 

FWIW, Miami would be a much more interesting place to me

The referendum that passed in November restricted cruise ships to less than 1300 passengers so It doesn’t apply to Viking. The other parts of the referendum mandate a max of 1500 passengers per day and give priority for docking based on a ship’s environmental safety.  So I suspect Viking will be able to work out calling there.  

 

 

Edited January 22, 2021 by Clay Clayton

[Jim Avery]

50 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Dunno? That’s why I was asking...just seems like there have to be.  

Steaming time counts in scheduling.  If they went to a Mexican Gulf port, VeraCruz for example, it would be nearly an extra day steaming each way.  Plus Vera Cruz, Tampico, and other Gulf Coast ports are industrial ports and high crime areas.  Cancun or Cozumel are the only ones I can think of that would work for this particular sailing.  Instead they chose Nassau.  The Bahamas have some beautiful places as long as you get away from the major towns.  Time will tell if this "local" Viking cruise actually happens.  Wouldn't mind seeing Viking sail out of San Diego to places like Cabo, Puerto Vallarta, etc. but that is on the Pacific side.  Glad I don't have to try and figure all this out...🥂

[Cienfuegos]

7 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

The referendum that passed in November restricted cruise ships to less than 1300 passengers so It doesn’t apply to Viking. The other parts of the referendum mandate a max of 1500 passengers per day and give priority for docking based on a ship’s environmental safety.  So I suspect Viking will be able to work out calling there.  

 

 

 

Thanks.  Hopefully the situation can work out to Viking's benefit