UK Only Viking Venus Cruise

[arlowood]

1 hour ago, Jammy Bun said:

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

. 

Not sure if you have already tried this but apparently after you download the app you have to register for "Patients Know Best" within the app. This will allow you to access your medical records including your vaccination status.

That's how it's supposed to work in theory but there may be issues accessing your records depending on what is set up at your local GP surgery

Edited May 2, 2021 by arlowood

[Jammy Bun]

5 hours ago, arlowood said:

Not sure if you have already tried this but apparently after you download the app you have to register for "Patients Know Best" within the app. This will allow you to access your medical records including your vaccination status.

That's how it's supposed to work in theory but there may be issues accessing your records depending on what is set up at your local GP surgery

I don't see "Patients Know best" - have looked everywhere...no sign!  I am almost 100% sure that my GPs won't be on top of new technology.  If they are, it'll be the first time!  Thanks for trying to help.  

[DGHOC]

This seems to differ with every GP practice. Ours uses Patient Access which allows access to all our medical records, including vaccination records. When I set up The NHS App I applied my NHS number and agreed access to my GP records. Then I was able to access the same info as I can when accessing my GP.

I think some GP practices are digitally more switched on than others with greater access to info. 

[Jammy Bun]

5 hours ago, DGHOC said:

This seems to differ with every GP practice. Ours uses Patient Access which allows access to all our medical records, including vaccination records. When I set up The NHS App I applied my NHS number and agreed access to my GP records. Then I was able to access the same info as I can when accessing my GP.

I think some GP practices are digitally more switched on than others with greater access to info. 

Agree!  I've used Patient Access for a while now, mainly to order repeat prescriptions, and occasionally (Pre-Covid) book non-urgent appointments.  But that's all that's ever been available.  My medical records are not available - though I'm fairly sure they have been digitised.  I do live in the sticks though!  Maybe in time we will catch up with London and the South!

 

[DGHOC]

I honestly don't think it's a London and the South thing, I think it's a specific practice thing. We've friends in the rural South West,  North East and rural Wales who have comprehensive detailed online access.

 

Maybe have a word with your practice manager, maybe the system could be easily tweaked! In this day and age, easy access to medical records, can only be beneficial when travelling.

 

 

[sugarside]

My husband and I are at the same practice and both registered for the NHS app at the same time.

He has full access to all his information but I only have a note of allergies showing on mine.

I think the surgery is blocking my information for some reason and I will need to contact them and give my permission for them to release my files to the app.

My Patient Access app is only showing the same details as well.

[Minnie29]

Has anyone booked on the England’s Scenic Shores cruises received any embarkation details or instructions on proving your vaccine status yet?

We are booked on the June 5th sailing but have had no details yet. 

[arlowood]

2 minutes ago, Minnie29 said:

Has anyone booked on the England’s Scenic Shores cruises received any embarkation details or instructions on proving your vaccine status yet?

We are booked on the June 5th sailing but have had no details yet. 

We're also on 5th June sailing but have heard nothing from Viking to date about proof of vaccine status or embarkation details.

If I remember correctly they usually have a tiered approach to embarkation whereby the guests in the highest grade cabins( eg Explorers Suite and other suites) are allowed earliest access for boarding - so maybe around noon on the date of sailing as a "for instance". Access is then granted progressively on a sliding scale to the lower grade cabins so the the V1 and V2 passengers have the latest boarding times - maybe 2 or 3pm on the sailing date.

I'm not sure if they will operate that type of system on these cruises since there will only be 50% of the normal passenger headcount on board. Having said that, with all the possible pre-boarding screening etc  there may be different rules applied.

 

It would be helpful to hear from any who have booked the first sailing (22nd May) to see if they have been given any information 

[pcolmer]

I wouldn't expect anything to be sent out until the government has confirmed that the next phase of leaving lockdown is going ahead and on the 17th May. Until then, the cruises are still at risk of not happening. 

 

[MikeD1000]

Hi, we phoned Viking today. They were very positive. Further details will be sent out in about a fortnight.

The only proof of jab is the little blue card. They don't supply masks so we need to take a supply.

 

Still planning for excursions to be by bubble/

 

If anyone hears anything else please let us know.

[Hockeyump]

1 hour ago, arlowood said:

We're also on 5th June sailing but have heard nothing from Viking to date about proof of vaccine status or embarkation details.

If I remember correctly they usually have a tiered approach to embarkation whereby the guests in the highest grade cabins( eg Explorers Suite and other suites) are allowed earliest access for boarding - so maybe around noon on the date of sailing as a "for instance". Access is then granted progressively on a sliding scale to the lower grade cabins so the the V1 and V2 passengers have the latest boarding times - maybe 2 or 3pm on the sailing date.

I'm not sure if they will operate that type of system on these cruises since there will only be 50% of the normal passenger headcount on board. Having said that, with all the possible pre-boarding screening etc  there may be different rules applied.

 

It would be helpful to hear from any who have booked the first sailing (22nd May) to see if they have been given any information 

It's not timed access to boarding by tier but access to cabins.

[arlowood]

12 hours ago, Hockeyump said:

It's not timed access to boarding by tier but access to cabins.

Sorry - yes I was getting confused with our experience on P&O where they tend to stagger the boarding time based on your cabin grade or loyalty club tier. 

[sugarside]

Marine Traffic app reporting Viking Venus arriving in Portsmouth 10th May at 05.00hrs 🎉🎊🎈🎉🎊

[friendlyfifer]

17 hours ago, Minnie29 said:

Has anyone booked on the England’s Scenic Shores cruises received any embarkation details or instructions on proving your vaccine status yet?

We are booked on the June 5th sailing but have had no details yet. 

We are on the 29 May sailing. I have had both injections but have no proof of vaccination. I spoke to Viking last week and they assured me that boarding would not be denied. I suspect that we will have to sign a health survey form until there is a recognised vaccine passport for all four nations of the UK.

[arlowood]

2 hours ago, friendlyfifer said:

We are on the 29 May sailing. I have had both injections but have no proof of vaccination. I spoke to Viking last week and they assured me that boarding would not be denied. I suspect that we will have to sign a health survey form until there is a recognised vaccine passport for all four nations of the UK.

Do your vaccinations not appear on your medical records at your GP practice? Is there not some link set up that recognises you through your NHS number and creates a record that is picked up at your GP practice?

 

Sorry for my ignorance - been an exile Scot for nearly 50 years and I'm a bit rusty on how medical records are handled north of the border. Here locally in the Midlands our vaccines showed up on our medical records within a couple of days of the jab(g) being administered

[arlowood]

Booked on the 5th June cruise and arranged parking a couple of weeks ago through CPS.

This is normally a valet parking service where you drop your car at the terminal and it is picked up and driven to a suitable secure parking site. At the same time your luggage is unloaded and taken away by porters to be transferred on board so you don't have to do anything other than get yourself to the check in desks.

Just received a letter from CPS informing me that Viking have instructed them to change the operation to a self-parking one. On arrival you will be met by a CPS representative and directed to your parking location. No mention of a luggage drop and porter service. Just hoping that we don't have to wrestle our own luggage from the car park to the ship.

I may give Viking a call just to check. 

Hopefully some of those on the earlier sailings will be able to give some guidance on how the operation went for them.

I'm guessing that the Portsmouth terminal is too small to run a valet service bearing in mind that we will be mixing with traffic for the cross-channel ferries.

Edited May 6, 2021 by arlowood

[pcolmer]

1 hour ago, arlowood said:

Just received a letter from CPS informing me that Viking have instructed them to change the operation to a self-parking one. On arrival you will be met by a CPS representative and directed to your parking location. No mention of a luggage drop and porter service. Just hoping that we don't have to wrestle our own luggage from the car park to the ship.

 

We've just received the same letter. I also note from it that we keep the car keys. A shame really as I could have opted to park at the multi-story for less money.

 

Also received a pack from Viking with luggage tags for the cruise along with two red luggage labels and two red Viking stickers "to be worn when we arrive at the airport" 😂. The Viking pack said we should be getting electronic documents 14 days before the cruise so not much longer to wait ...

 

[arlowood]

6 minutes ago, pcolmer said:

 

We've just received the same letter. I also note from it that we keep the car keys. A shame really as I could have opted to park at the multi-story for less money.

 

Also received a pack from Viking with luggage tags for the cruise along with two red luggage labels and two red Viking stickers "to be worn when we arrive at the airport" 😂. The Viking pack said we should be getting electronic documents 14 days before the cruise so not much longer to wait ...

 

Yes I will be a bit miffed if we end up being directed to an area of the multi-story and have to struggle back to the terminal with our luggage. As you say we could have booked directly with the local port car park if that is what we can expect.

I hope at least that there will be a luggage drop area before we are sent off to the designated parking spot. 

As I said above - maybe some folks on the earlier sailings (22nd/29th) can enlighten others of what to expect 

[pcolmer]

17 hours ago, arlowood said:

Just received a letter from CPS informing me that Viking have instructed them to change the operation to a self-parking one. On arrival you will be met by a CPS representative and directed to your parking location. No mention of a luggage drop and porter service. Just hoping that we don't have to wrestle our own luggage from the car park to the ship.

 

 

17 hours ago, arlowood said:

 

I'm guessing that the Portsmouth terminal is too small to run a valet service bearing in mind that we will be mixing with traffic for the cross-channel ferries.

 

I've been giving some further thought to this and I don't think it is related to the size of the Portsmouth terminal as the CPS website seems to suggest that they support a number of cruise lines operating out of Portsmouth.

 

Since the change came at the request of Viking, I think it is more likely that this is to try and reduce the risk of spreading COVID. By eliminating the valet aspect, you don't have to interact with anyone from CPS and they don't interact with your car or car keys.

 

In which case bonus points for Viking for continuing to think about how to keep the risks down.

 

[arlowood]

Luggage labels arrived today in the post but accompanied only by a generic card covering all types of cruise with reference to airport arrivals etc.

I was hoping for more details about joining arrangements on the day of sailing eg arrival times, guest meet and greet, luggage drop??, embarkation time and estimated cabin access time.

Hopefully we will get more information closer to the 5th June

[Marmaduke]

6 hours ago, pcolmer said:

I've been giving some further thought to this and I don't think it is related to the size of the Portsmouth terminal as the CPS website seems to suggest that they support a number of cruise lines operating out of Portsmouth.

 

Since the change came at the request of Viking, I think it is more likely that this is to try and reduce the risk of spreading COVID. By eliminating the valet aspect, you don't have to interact with anyone from CPS and they don't interact with your car or car keys.

 

In which case bonus points for Viking for continuing to think about how to keep the risks down.

I doubt this can be the reason.  What about all those arriving by public transport, they will have interacted with many other people on their journey to the ship.

[pcolmer]

35 minutes ago, Marmaduke said:

I doubt this can be the reason.  What about all those arriving by public transport, they will have interacted with many other people on their journey to the ship.

 

That is a fair point. I would just repeat that, according to CPS, this change is at Viking's request. CPS clearly offers valet parking at Portsmouth so Viking must have had a reason for asking this to be changed. I'm open to other suggestions as to why Viking might have asked for passengers to park their own cars and keep their vehicle's keys. I'm inclined to think that Viking are looking for all opportunities to reduce the risk of spreading COVID, even if those opportunities don't affect or apply to all passengers.

 

[steroc]

3 hours ago, arlowood said:

Luggage labels arrived today in the post but accompanied only by a generic card covering all types of cruise with reference to airport arrivals etc.

I was hoping for more details about joining arrangements on the day of sailing eg arrival times, guest meet and greet, luggage drop??, embarkation time and estimated cabin access time.

Hopefully we will get more information closer to the 5th June

Received ours today as well well for 5th June. On the card it states "You will be receiving your electronic documents via email about 14 days prior to your embarkation". 

[arlowood]

19 minutes ago, steroc said:

Received ours today as well well for 5th June. On the card it states "You will be receiving your electronic documents via email about 14 days prior to your embarkation". 

Ah OK. Didn't spot that. Hopefully all the relevant info will arrive then.

[Minnie29]

Had ours today too and didn’t spot that either.

thank you