Viking Expeditions Thread

[Frenchberet]

Hi, we are booked on the August 28, 2022 sailing to the Arctic on Polaris.  Really looking forward to it!  Here’s the roll call info:
 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2779809-arctic-adventure-august-28-september-9-2022/

[tloebl]

We are booked on the Feb 28 - 8 Mar 2022 Antarctic Expedition

 

[emileg]

So, here is some potentially really good news. Argentina announced that it will open its borders to fully vaccinated travelers on November 1.

 

https://secretsofbuenosaires.com/argentina-covid-certificate-travel/

 

Here is the official decree, which is helpful to those who read Spanish.

 

https://www.boletinoficial.gob.ar/detalleAviso/primera/247816/20210807?busqueda=1

 

Edited September 24, 2021 by emileg

[emileg]

Good news for those on the January and February Antarctic expeditions: My Viking Journey is up and running!

[Janet&David]

I know these cruises are a bit pricey, but I assume this is a typo. 13 days in Tromso/Svalbard for £99,999. Elon Musk or Richard Branson would take you into space for not much more!  🙂
 

[JeriGail]

2 hours ago, Janet&David said:

I know these cruises are a bit pricey, but I assume this is a typo. 13 days in Tromso/Svalbard for £99,999.

Definitely better to book in dollars!  🙂  Only $13,995!

Find A Cruise | Viking Expeditions® (vikingcruises.com)

Airfare shows as $999, so maybe that was copied instead of the cruise fare.

[pickwright]

7 hours ago, emileg said:

Good news for those on the January and February Antarctic expeditions: My Viking Journey is up and running!

MyVikingJourney is up for the March expedition also!

[FMichelson]

Hello, we are on a Feb. cruise and as of yesterday, Friday, the Viking rep. did not know which hotel Viking will be using for the night in Buenos Aires.  Do any of you earlier cruisers have the hotel listed yet?  We are going down a couple of days early, and we would like to book the same hotel.  Thanks,  Frank

[Denny01]

Just a heads up on the Expedition Great Lakes cruises, many are either sold out or limited availability. Half the 2022 cruises between Toronto and Milwaukee are sold out and the others are limited avail. We are doing the Thunder Bay to Milwaukee and then Milwaukee onto Toronto. 

 

Cruise Critic main page is reporting, yes we want to get back to cruising,, but many want to cruise ‘closer to home’ so I guess that’s one reason. 

 

Den

[Buckwheel]

15 hours ago, emileg said:

Good news for those on the January and February Antarctic expeditions: My Viking Journey is up and running!

My Antarctic expedition cruise is not until December of 2022 and, not unexpectedly, our excursions are not up and running yet. Can you post some excursion information when you get a chance, please? My husband and I are super excited about our cruise as I'm sure you are as well. 

[emileg]

12 hours ago, FMichelson said:

Hello, we are on a Feb. cruise and as of yesterday, Friday, the Viking rep. did not know which hotel Viking will be using for the night in Buenos Aires.  Do any of you earlier cruisers have the hotel listed yet?  We are going down a couple of days early, and we would like to book the same hotel.  Thanks,  Frank

 

I spoke with a Viking rep yesterday. She checked on the Buenos Aires hotel they put us up in on the first night. She said "unofficially" it is the Hilton Buenos Aires However, arrangements were not yet definite.  We also are coming in for three nights prior. We booked this hotel as the location is very convenient to walking and dining in what was once a warehouse and shipping area, though slightly out of the way from the Calle Florida pedestrian street, San Telmo and Recoleta, which ware not to be missed.

 

The photo below shows the Hilton from the vantage point of the boardwalk on what I would call restaurant row.

 

[emileg]

8 hours ago, Buckwheel said:

My Antarctic expedition cruise is not until December of 2022 and, not unexpectedly, our excursions are not up and running yet. Can you post some excursion information when you get a chance, please? My husband and I are super excited about our cruise as I'm sure you are as well. 

From what I understand, sea and land excursions are decided on a daily basis depending where the ship is anchored. There is no set itinerary. Where we go depends weather conditions and the position of other expedition ships in order to maintain the illusion of solitude. I have read that all the ships communicate with each other to provide sighting, weather and position location.

 

I encourage everyone on the Antarctic expeditions to watch the lengthy videos about our expedition that Viking has posted on Viking TV. https://viking.tv/tv/this-week-on-viking-tv/wednesdays/special-episode-update-on-viking-expeditions

 

[FMichelson]

Thank you for the Buenos Aires hotel information.  We too have made a reservation in the Hilton!  Frank

[secretcinderella]

On 10/2/2021 at 5:09 PM, Denny01 said:

Just a heads up on the Expedition Great Lakes cruises, many are either sold out or limited availability. Half the 2022 cruises between Toronto and Milwaukee are sold out and the others are limited avail. We are doing the Thunder Bay to Milwaukee and then Milwaukee onto Toronto. 

 

Cruise Critic main page is reporting, yes we want to get back to cruising,, but many want to cruise ‘closer to home’ so I guess that’s one reason. 

 

Den

Hi Denny, Cindy Baehl here.  We are (were?) booked in the opposite direction: Toronto to Milwaukee then Milwaukee to Thunder Bay.  BUT Viking called yesterday and said because of "cabotage" which apparently is because of The Jones Act from the 1920's we are NOT allowed to do this B2B since we embark in Canada and actually don't disembark in US but rather Thunder Bay, Canada.  I know,  I'm confused, too.  I haven't heard back from Lauren with Viking today to discuss all our options, but it looks like they will not allow us to do both of these cruises B2B.  I am perturbed because I booked this directly with a Viking rep back in Jan. 2020.  Didn't they know of The Jones Act then?!

 

I'd suggest to call your TA or Viking directly and see if this sticky situation may apply to you, too.

 

Good Luck!

Cindy  

[CharTrav]

Wow!  That certainly messes up an itinerary I've got in my list of 'future-cruises-to-do' -- specifically Niagara & the Great Lakes (Toronto to Milwaukee) followed by Great Lakes Explorer (Milwaukee to Thunder Bay).  Is that what you booked? I think it might be worthwhile to see if @Heidi13 or @chengkp75 might have  some insight to offer regarding the Jones Act and this itinerary.  Based on their posts elsewhere, they've proven themselves to be quite knowledgeable about all things related to ship operations and the associated legal issues/constraints.

[Denny01]

1 hour ago, secretcinderella said:

Hi Denny, Cindy Baehl here.  We are (were?) booked in the opposite direction: Toronto to Milwaukee then Milwaukee to Thunder Bay.  BUT Viking called yesterday and said because of "cabotage" which apparently is because of The Jones Act from the 1920's we are NOT allowed to do this B2B since we embark in Canada and actually don't disembark in US but rather Thunder Bay, Canada.  I know,  I'm confused, too.  I haven't heard back from Lauren with Viking today to discuss all our options, but it looks like they will not allow us to do both of these cruises B2B.  I am perturbed because I booked this directly with a Viking rep back in Jan. 2020.  Didn't they know of The Jones Act then?!

 

I'd suggest to call your TA or Viking directly and see if this sticky situation may apply to you, too.

 

Good Luck!

Cindy  

Not sure how it’s an issue. We are booked on two cruises. One goes from Canada, Thunder Bay, to US Milwaukee. Then a 2nd cruise from US Milwaukee to Canada Toronto. 

 

We will call our TA immediately but this doesn’t make sense since its 2 separate cruises. 

 

Den

[CharTrav]

5 minutes ago, Denny01 said:

Not sure how it’s an issue. We are booked on two cruises. One goes from Canada, Thunder Bay, to US Milwaukee. Then a 2nd cruise from US Milwaukee to Canada Toronto. 

 

We will call our TA immediately but this doesn’t make sense since its 2 separate cruises. 

 

Den

You're right. It has been my understanding, which hopefully the two fellows I called out can help clarify, that the Jones Act does not allow a foreign owned/flagged vessel to travel from a US port and return to a US port without a stop at a foreign port in between.  Let's see what @Heidi13and @chengkp75have to say. 

[secretcinderella]

1 minute ago, Denny01 said:

Not sure how it’s an issue. We are booked on two cruises. One goes from Canada, Thunder Bay, to US Milwaukee. Then a 2nd cruise from US Milwaukee to Canada Toronto. 

 

We will call our TA immediately but this doesn’t make sense since its 2 separate cruises. 

 

Den

I agree wholeheartedly about not making sense, and apparently Viking thought they were compliant with the law when we all were allowed to book this way.  BUT they were informed they were not compliant  since these 2 cruises were on the same ship.  I know, I know, but when does the "law" have to make sense? 🤪  My understanding is that Viking has 4 to 5 reps working 20-25 cases each in order to make us all "compliant". 

 

In order to not spend my time tilting at windmills, I've cancelled the first leg of Toronto to Milwaukee and kept Milwaukee to Thunder Bay as we already had the Churchill on Hudson Bay post tour booked.  That was important to us, and for the heck of it I added the 2 night pre Chicago tour as my consolation prize! 

 

Good Luck Y'All!!

Cindy  

[CharTrav]

Hopefully our two resident experts will weigh in. 

 

Until they do - suggest checking out Passenger Vehicle Service Act (associated with Jones Act that applies to cargo ships) in Wikipedia.  It includes this:

"The handful of U.S.-flagged cruise ships in operation are registered in the U.S. to permit cruises between the Hawaiian Islands, or from the continental U.S. to Hawaii.

The Passenger Vessel Services Act, however,

• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from and returning to the same U.S. port, provided the ship visits any foreign port;
• does not prohibit foreign-flagged ships departing from a U.S. port, visiting a distant foreign port, and then continuing to a second U.S. port. However, in order to embark in a U.S. port and disembark in a second U.S. port, the vessel must visit a distant foreign port outside of North America (Central America, Bermuda, the Bahamas, and all of the Caribbean except Aruba, Bonaire, and Curaçao, count as part of North America);

   

Edited October 7, 2021 by CharTrav

[Heidi13]

30 minutes ago, CharTrav said:

You're right. It has been my understanding, which hopefully the two fellows I called out can help clarify, that the Jones Act does not allow a foreign owned/flagged vessel to travel from a US port and return to a US port without a stop at a foreign port in between.  Let's see what @Heidi13and @chengkp75have to say. 

 

Hi CharTrav,

 

This one has Cabotage Laws on both sides of the border. The relevant US Act is the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA), which is the passenger equivalent of the cargo act (Jones Act).

 

As a quick summary, cruises on foreign-flag ships cannot sail between US Ports unless:

• Closed-Loop Cruise (same embarkation & disembarkation) ports - the vessel must visit any foreign port
• Different embarkation & disembarkation ports - the vessel must visit a distant foreign port, which eliminates all of Canada, Mexico, Central America and most of the Caribbean - ABC Islands and S/America are the closest.

The PVSA applies to each individual passenger, based on port of embarkation and disembarkation. Therefore, the number of cruises booked is irrelevant. If you embark after the start of the cruise and/or disembark early, the actual ports used are what is used in the cabotage determination, not the cruise ship's itinerary.

 

From what I have read, both parties are embarking & disembarking in Canadian ports, so the US Cabotage Laws should not be applicable. However, I note they may have special requirements in the Great Lakes. I never covered the Great Lakes for my UK Certificates, but we did cover it during my Canadian Masters. Since I had zero desire to work in the Lakes, I promptly forgot most of it when I received my certificate.

 

Since you are embarking and disembarking in Canada, the applicable Cabotage Law would be the Canadian Coasting Trade Act. This provides preference to Canadian vessels to engage in domestic trade, but when no Canadian vessels are available, numerous exemptions are provided. Since arriving in Canada, I worked only in domestic shipping on Canadian flag ships, so never used our Cabotage Laws.

 

I also recall that when Canada signed the trade deal with the EU, the EU received concessions to the Coasting Trade Act. While Norway isn't a full member of the EU, it does follow EU guidelines and may have some standing with the trade agreement.

 

Basically, for embarking in Toronto and disembarking in Thunder Bay, I am not aware of any restrictions, as all Viking would require is to apply for a Coasting Tract Act exemption.

 

Hopefully the Chief can assist.

[CharTrav]

25 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

Basically, for embarking in Toronto and disembarking in Thunder Bay, I am not aware of any restrictions, as all Viking would require is to apply for a Coasting Tract Act exemption.

 

Hopefully the Chief can assist.

First of all, thanks for your response. Was just discussing this with hubby and we came up with this thought. That if Canada has a similar rule to the US - then it may indeed be that like the US PVSA, Canada's cabotage rules (CCTA) prohibit a passenger from sailing on a foreign flagged vessel between two different Canadian ports (embarking and disembarking) without an intermediate stop at a distant foreign port where "distant" is any port outside of North America. And that Viking hasn't yet applied for an exemption to that rule. Why they haven't done so is beyond me. Sound reasonable? 

Edited October 8, 2021 by CharTrav

[secretcinderella]

1 minute ago, CharTrav said:

First of all, thanks for your response. Was just discussing this with hubby and we came up with this thought. That if Canada has a similar rule to the US - then it may indeed be that like the US PVSA, Canada's cabotage rules prohibit a passenger from sailing on a foreign flagged vessel between two different Canadian ports (embarking and disembarking) without an intermediate stop at a distant foreign port where "distant" is any port outside of North America. Sound reasonable? 

Has reason really been applicable to the whole last year and a half, especially pertaining to the cruise industry? 😜 All I know is my rep said our ship, Octantis is registered in Europe so whatever that has to do with this only smarter people than I can explain!!

 

I used the same "reasoning" and still got the same answer:  We (Viking) thought we were being "compliant" but turns out we weren't. 

 

We just want to get on a ship again!  😂

 

Cindy

[Denny01]

Cruising from a Canadian port of Thunder Bay to a US port Milwaukee, then Milwaukee to a Canadian port of Toronto is very similar to other B2B cruises. Alaska cruising is an example. I cruise from Vancouver (Canada) to Seward (US) then from Seward back to Vancouver. This is allowed and done. So what is the difference unless there is some Great Lakes issue. 

 

I haven’t been contacted and will wait it out since I have 7 months to go. 

 

Den

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, CharTrav said:

First of all, thanks for your response. Was just discussing this with hubby and we came up with this thought. That if Canada has a similar rule to the US - then it may indeed be that like the US PVSA, Canada's cabotage rules (CCTA) prohibit a passenger from sailing on a foreign flagged vessel between two different Canadian ports (embarking and disembarking) without an intermediate stop at a distant foreign port where "distant" is any port outside of North America. And that Viking hasn't yet applied for an exemption to that rule. Why they haven't done so is beyond me. Sound reasonable? 

 

We do have a Cabotage Act, but it is way more flexible than the PVSA, in some respects. Sailing from Toronto to Thunder Bay is considered as being Canadian Coastal Trade. Unlike the PVSA, the Coasting Trade Act doesn't include exemptions for visiting a foreign port/distant foreign port.

 

Viking needs to submit a request to the Minister, which is published. Provided no Canadian ship is readily available, exemptions are normally granted.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Denny01 said:

Cruising from a Canadian port of Thunder Bay to a US port Milwaukee, then Milwaukee to a Canadian port of Toronto is very similar to other B2B cruises. Alaska cruising is an example. I cruise from Vancouver (Canada) to Seward (US) then from Seward back to Vancouver. This is allowed and done. So what is the difference unless there is some Great Lakes issue. 

 

I haven’t been contacted and will wait it out since I have 7 months to go. 

 

Den

 

The Cabotage Acts don't consider cruises, only ports of embarkation and disembarkation. They also have R/T cruises from Vancouver to Alaska, which must have an exemption from the Coasting Trade Act.

 

In the Great Lakes, I suspect Viking have not requested an exemption, or if they submitted a request, a Canadian company responded with an objection, as they have a Canadian vessel available.