UK Only Viking Venus Cruise

[Dave W 10]

Very helpful information.

Many thanks.

Another David

[Janet&David]

Viking Venus has set sail from the shipyard in Italy! It seems to be sailing in tandem with Viking Sea - hopefully not worried that it may break down.

 

Our cruise next month beginning to feel real.

[sugarside]

1 hour ago, Janet&David said:

Viking Venus has set sail from the shipyard in Italy! It seems to be sailing in tandem with Viking Sea - hopefully not worried that it may break down.

 

Our cruise next month beginning to feel real.

 

[sugarside]

1 minute ago, sugarside said:

 

Destination  Malta I believe.

Edited April 16, 2021 by sugarside

[MikeD1000]

A bit late catching up on the booking and vaccination discussion.

 

We managed to get all restaurant bookings a couple of weeks ago, probably the first day that MVJ returned from its two-week break.  We only tried one reservation for each of the specialist restaurants, and I imagine it will be hard to change anything once we sail.  We don't especially want to do the included coach trips, so haven't made any bookings for excursions.  It will just be lovely enjoying being back on a ship again.

 

We are on the 5 June sailing, and assume that pre-cruise arrangements will be mad gradually.  We would be most grateful if those on the first staycation cruise could let us know how embarkation went  and anything else of interest about on-board behaviour.

 

We have had both vaccinations (Pfizer) and do have the little card to show, if that is enough.  Actually, I wasn't given one for the first jab, but went back the next day and asked for one.  I think many injectors feel under pressure and just forget to offer the card.  It is going to be hard for those who haven't yet been offered vaccination, but surely Viking will be able to go back to what they first offered which was to accept on-the-spot tests.

 

Looking forward to meeting others who have joined this thread, and Minnie who has started a roll-call.

[Janet&David]

On 4/12/2021 at 7:55 AM, friendlyfifer said:

No little cards have been issued in Scotland so we have no proof of vaccination. We are on the 29 May sailing so will wait for a few more weeks to see what is issued by Viking. Hopefully we will simply have to sign to say that we have had at least one dose of the vaccine.

Someone from Scotland who is booked on the 29th May cruise (perhaps it was you, friendlyfifer) wrote to the travel advice page of Saturday's Times newspaper asking about this. The paper's response included a quote from a Viking spokeswoman saying "Viking is evaluating third-party medical and technology partners to verify the vaccination status of guests. All guests booked on sailings that have a vaccine requirement will receive any relevant instructions to verify their status in advance of their departure."

 

Let's hope they don't go for anything too complicated - particularly if it depends on Government IT systems like the Track & Trace app! As I think someone else has commented here, your vaccination status does seem to be updated automatically on the Patient Access system which is widely accessible - perhaps Viking will accept this as proof.

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Janet&David said:

Someone from Scotland who is booked on the 29th May cruise (perhaps it was you, friendlyfifer) wrote to the travel advice page of Saturday's Times newspaper asking about this. The paper's response included a quote from a Viking spokeswoman saying "Viking is evaluating third-party medical and technology partners to verify the vaccination status of guests. All guests booked on sailings that have a vaccine requirement will receive any relevant instructions to verify their status in advance of their departure."

 

Let's hope they don't go for anything too complicated - particularly if it depends on Government IT systems like the Track & Trace app! As I think someone else has commented here, your vaccination status does seem to be updated automatically on the Patient Access system which is widely accessible - perhaps Viking will accept this as proof.

It’s not on my Scottish gp system records that I can access. The answer when DH had his second jag today was you don’t need proof as you shouldn’t be traveling overseas!  

Edited April 26, 2021 by uktog

[uktog]

As an update this will work for those in Scotland

 

Go to www.nhsinform.scot/covid19vaccineappointments and log in using the unique user name on your vaccine appointment record.  Set off on this site as if you are wanting to rearrange an appointment but then click on the tab past appointments.  There you can see your record and you can take a screen shot that shows the official NHS logo, your name and the dates, times and places of your vaccinations.  I would think for travel within the UK this should be more than enough

[Mrs Miggins]

Hi uktog,  Good to see you posting regularly on the Viking board.  Just curious - do you have a Viking cruise booked or have you already been onboard ?

[uktog]

1 hour ago, Mrs Miggins said:

Hi uktog,  Good to see you posting regularly on the Viking board.  Just curious - do you have a Viking cruise booked or have you already been onboard ?

Hi Pam

Booked, cancelled and moved, expect to be cancelled again.  Not sure if or when we will now address a curiosity.....

[friendlyfifer]

8 hours ago, Janet&David said:

Someone from Scotland who is booked on the 29th May cruise (perhaps it was you, friendlyfifer) wrote to the travel advice page of Saturday's Times newspaper asking about this. The paper's response included a quote from a Viking spokeswoman saying "Viking is evaluating third-party medical and technology partners to verify the vaccination status of guests. All guests booked on sailings that have a vaccine requirement will receive any relevant instructions to verify their status in advance of their departure."

 

Let's hope they don't go for anything too complicated - particularly if it depends on Government IT systems like the Track & Trace app! As I think someone else has commented here, your vaccination status does seem to be updated automatically on the Patient Access system which is widely accessible - perhaps Viking will accept this as proof.

Yes it was me. I get my second vaccination on 4 May but once again will have no evidence to show Viking. Friends phoned the cruise line and they said they are still determining what evidence of vaccination, if any, will be required. With only a month to go I doubt if the UK or Scottish governments will come up with a working Covid travel passport . Viking I’m sure will take everything into consideration.

[Medeba]

On 4/26/2021 at 8:49 PM, friendlyfifer said:

Yes it was me. I get my second vaccination on 4 May but once again will have no evidence to show Viking. Friends phoned the cruise line and they said they are still determining what evidence of vaccination, if any, will be required. With only a month to go I doubt if the UK or Scottish governments will come up with a working Covid travel passport . Viking I’m sure will take everything into consideration.

I am able to access my medical record online and I have today printed out the part that shows both my vaccinations.  The printout shows my name, date of birth and address of my GP surgery.  I'm hoping that this may be enough proof until a Covid passport becomes available.  I also have a vaccination card.

Edited April 28, 2021 by Medeba
spelling

[portisheadblue]

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

[pcolmer]

18 minutes ago, portisheadblue said:

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

 

A small word of warning that this may not be the case for everyone. From what I've read, and my own personal experience, it depends on how well the app is integrating with your GP's records. For some GPs, you have to ask them to explicitly share some data outwards. I know that my NHS app definitely isn't showing my vaccination status yet.

 

Again, from what I've read, the government is trying to get the NHS app to be the definitive record of COVID vaccinations but it may not be ready in time for these cruises ... I think that this may be a case of hype without substance - not from @portisheadblue, mind, but from the government.

 

Sorry - didn't want to come across as negative towards @portisheadblue's post but I didn't want people to get excited and then possibly disappointed.

[uktog]

44 minutes ago, portisheadblue said:

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

Not for Scottish cruisers though 

[Hockeyump]

I downloaded the app this week and had to fill a form in, supplied by my GP surgery, requesting access.  Strangely my husband, who downloaded the app a few months ago, could access his vaccination details without such a request.

[Medeba]

1 hour ago, portisheadblue said:

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

Thank you Portisheadblue.  I have downloaded the NHS App and now have access to my vaccination record.  Just have to remember the password to access it 😂

[Strangford]

2 hours ago, portisheadblue said:

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

Play Store says 'Access NHS services in England'.

[Janet&David]

4 hours ago, portisheadblue said:

Re UK residents … the NHS app (not the NHS COVID app) has proof positive of all your immunisation - and much more.

 

Simple to download and set up.

Very helpful. Took a few minutes to set up but works fine. Data seems to be in the same format as accessing your local GP records via Patient Access so if you currently use the latter I'd guess it should be straightforward to set up the app. If you have a fingerprint reader on your phone you can use this to log in so don't need to remember a password.

[Medeba]

20 hours ago, Janet&David said:

If you have a fingerprint reader on your phone you can use this to log in so don't need to remember a password.

This was the one thing I couldn't get to work.  Will try again sometime.

[arlowood]

20 hours ago, Janet&David said:

Very helpful. Took a few minutes to set up but works fine. Data seems to be in the same format as accessing your local GP records via Patient Access so if you currently use the latter I'd guess it should be straightforward to set up the app. If you have a fingerprint reader on your phone you can use this to log in so don't need to remember a password.

I'll have a go at the NHS app in the next day or so but I've already gone into my Patient Records through the SystmOnline web portal that our GP surgery uses. There I was able to locate my vaccination record and print it off. I'm hoping that this will be acceptable to Viking as I don't have a great deal of confidence in our Government in relation to IT based approval projects. As far as I can establish they are still in discussion with the app developer on exactly what the "Vaccine Passport" will look like so my guess is that it is unlikely to be rolled out in its final format before our various Viking cruises set sail.

I read somewhere that one guest had been told by a Viking contact that she would be OK with the little card issued to many people at the vaccine centres. However, as noted above, our Scottish colleagues are not issued with this document and they would be widely open to fraud and counterfeiting. I understand that they cards are already selling on Ebay for £20

[sugarside]

Viking Venus is still docked in Valletta but is listed as going back to Gibraltar shortly.🤞

[dides]

On 5/1/2021 at 9:21 AM, pcolmer said:

 

A small word of warning that this may not be the case for everyone. From what I've read, and my own personal experience, it depends on how well the app is integrating with your GP's records. For some GPs, you have to ask them to explicitly share some data outwards. I know that my NHS app definitely isn't showing my vaccination status yet.

 

Yes, we the NHS app wasn't showing ours and so we contacted our local GP surgery who said the option to view our medical records online is not yet available and should be "in the near future".  How soon, we don't know!

[Mrs Miggins]

Both my husband and I downloaded the App yesterday and our Covid injections are shown.  However he had no difficulty with the App and it immediately showed his details whereas I had to "prove" who I am by photographing and downloading by Drivers Licence and then a photo.  It said it could take up to 3 days to verify - but in fact it was only about 30 minutes.  

[Jammy Bun]

I've downloaded the NHS App too (not that I have any intention of travelling Anywhere for quite a while!) but it doesn't show my Vaccination record, or anything else of use at the moment

.