Bermuda Escape Cruises - insights, information, and more just on Bermuda

[Stempy]

4 hours ago, Ragnar Danneskjold said:

Since there seems to be plenty if cabins available on the 6/15 cruise, DW and I are discussing canceling the cruise outside the 14 day window, but flying to Bermuda, as we have a hotel booked for the first three nights of our trip.  Then, if we successfully get to our hotel, and pass the arrival screening test, we will call Viking from Bermuda to see if any nice cabins are available.  If there are none, we will spend the 10 day trip at luxury beachfront hotels, dining at myriad fine restaurants.  And doing whatever the hell we want during the day, rather than being trapped on a ship and being herded into very limited and boring bubble excursions.

We will be extremely happy to be “trapped” on a luxury ship where we  we will be pampered and waited on all week.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Haha, me too, all I need is a drink, a lounger, and an ipad.  But DW is the go, go, go type... 

[Stempy]

Noticed on Viking website this morning that new bookings for Bermuda Escape cruises receive free Silver Spirits package 🍷🥂🍺🍹.....not a bad incentive.

[MRGACRUZR]

All right, I'll just go ahead and say it. If Viking knows something about the Bermuda entry process on June 15th, they need to quit keeping secrets and share. Why can they tell individual callers to ignore Bermuda's entry protocol because Viking has it handled but not publish that information. Concerned.

 

Seems like they are inviting every passenger to call and find out what's going on. That's crazy.

 

This is like the Aug 13 Malta cruise we cancelled for "contradictory information". Malta is closed to US citizens but, Viking asked me if I thought that they would sell those cruises if they didn't know everything was going to work out. My response: if you know it publish it. Not giving Viking 20k to "bet on the come". Same with this cruise.

Edited May 16, 2021 by MRGACRUZR

[B_A_H]

Hey @MRGACRUZR I share your frustration.   There's a very high probability that Viking does have special agreements in place to facilitate their passengers in all the countries Welcome Back is sailing from.  But what's worked out on paper sometimes doesn't translate to the real world very well.  I'd like to think everything's fine and the communication is what needs work. 

 

When all the cruise lines announced vaccinated cruises from foreign ports I figured they'd be special and bound to operate.  Of the choices available I chose Viking because of what they'd already done to prepare for their return to sailing (EG: daily PCR tests).  

 

I was naïve to think these foreign port sailings would be a walk in the park.  I still trust that Viking will pull this off.  They want to.  Bermuda wants them to.  And obviously all us paid-in-full passengers want it to work.  I'm on the 5th sailing and am confident by then all the bugs will be worked out.  

 

PSA:  Anyone returning on Delta to Atlanta check your reservations. They ran a schedule change and my flight home was rebooked for two days earlier.  The hold time for the Diamond line was 9 hours (they should be embarrassed) so I got it corrected via chat.  The wait for a chat agent was only 2 1/2 hours.  You can start a chat at delta.com/needhelp.  

 

 

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

We are flying in three days early, so will assume none of the Viking special arrangements will apply to us.  We will do the same-day PCR tests and apply for the TA.  And I have booked fully-refundable ($$$) back-up flights for a day after our primary flights (on a different airline).  Our primary flights were booked with refundable miles.  So if the test results are late, we’ll cancel our primary flight and go with the back-up.  I am going to test the same-day test procedure next week, wasting $250.

 

Yes, yes, I always wear a belt AND suspenders.

[MRGACRUZR]

11 minutes ago, B_A_H said:

Hey @MRGACRUZR I share your frustration.   There's a very high probability that Viking does have special agreements in place to facilitate their passengers in all the countries Welcome Back is sailing from.  But what's worked out on paper sometimes doesn't translate to the real world very well.  I'd like to think everything's fine and the communication is what needs work. 

 

When all the cruise lines announced vaccinated cruises from foreign ports I figured they'd be special and bound to operate.  Of the choices available I chose Viking because of what they'd already done to prepare for their return to sailing (EG: daily PCR tests).  

 

I was naïve to think these foreign port sailings would be a walk in the park.  I still trust that Viking will pull this off.  They want to.  Bermuda wants them to.  And obviously all us paid-in-full passengers want it to work.  I'm on the 5th sailing and am confident by then all the bugs will be worked out.  

 

PSA:  Anyone returning on Delta to Atlanta check your reservations. They ran a schedule change and my flight home was rebooked for two days earlier.  The hold time for the Diamond line was 9 hours (they should be embarrassed) so I got it corrected via chat.  The wait for a chat agent was only 2 1/2 hours.  You can start a chat at delta.com/needhelp.  

 

 

I'm with you. Same thoughts. Delta tried to "do" us too. They moved our atl to bda to the Monday before the cruise and something equally ridiculous on trip home. Fortunately, this was shortly after our reservation was made through Viking Air. We called Viking and they got us back on our flights, while we held,  but our seats were gone. No doubt they wanted to sell the seats to the highest dollar. Crooks. It's not like the flight was cancelled, they just arbitrarily moved us to different dates to sell more seats. They didn't even ask. The only contact was "there has been a change to your flight". They did the same to my sister, who will be joining us from JFK. I think they moved her to a flight after the cruise had begun. It took Viking days to resolve . They ended up moving her to Jet Blue because Delta sold the seats of all the people they bumped to other flights.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

My experience with Viking air was poor.  Canceled them, and would not use them again.  They rely on low cost contracts with airlines, with many restrictions and loopholes.  You are better off handling your own air.

 

 

[ohiojohn]

8 minutes ago, MRGACRUZR said:

I'm with you. Same thoughts. Delta tried to "do" us too. They moved our atl to bda to the Monday before the cruise and something equally ridiculous on trip home. Fortunately, this was shortly after our reservation was made through Viking Air. We called Viking and they got us back on our flights, while we held,  but our seats were gone. No doubt they wanted to sell the seats to the highest dollar. Crooks. It's not like the flight was cancelled, they just arbitrarily moved us to different dates to sell more seats. They didn't even ask. The only contact was "there has been a change to your flight". They did the same to my sister, who will be joining us from JFK. I think they moved her to a flight after the cruise had begun. It took Viking days to resolve . They ended up moving her to Jet Blue because Delta sold the seats of all the people they bumped to other flights.

I had a similar situation with Delta.  Last week I noticed my seat assignments were gone.  I immediately went into The Delta app and recaptured my seats.  The Atl to BDA seem to be just about sold out, both ways so hyperventilating was involved. I am also on the 5th Bermuda sailing.

 

And this reservation is a Viking Air reservation.

Edited May 16, 2021 by ohiojohn

[bafinegan]

Guess I've been lucky ( so far).  We have had only 1 change- Delta return flight.  Our connection was made 15 minutes later than originally stated.  We are also on the July 13 cruise.

[gailellen12]

I am a stressed teacher and will be traveling solo and hope to do the Aug 3 cruise. The flight times are crazy. I live in Philly so not that far from Bermuda. Some of the flights have 10 hour layovers.  Would Viking air be a good idea   Do they have an in for better flights?The flight availability certainly has changed in the last year. Friends and I were able to get  direct flights to Spain and direct return home from Venice. I hope to meet some new friends on the cruise but also r and r after my most stressful teaching year in 30 plus years. Thanks  G

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

This gives a good listing of flights to/from Bermuda.  Unfortunately it is not updated very often.  But gives a good idea of the airlines that serve Bermuda, and the seasonality of the flights:

 

https://bermudaairport.com/flights/flight-schedules/

[Stempy]

16 minutes ago, gailellen12 said:

I am a stressed teacher and will be traveling solo and hope to do the Aug 3 cruise. The flight times are crazy. I live in Philly so not that far from Bermuda. Some of the flights have 10 hour layovers.  Would Viking air be a good idea   Do they have an in for better flights?The flight availability certainly has changed in the last year. Friends and I were able to get  direct flights to Spain and direct return home from Venice. I hope to meet some new friends on the cruise but also r and r after my most stressful teaching year in 30 plus years. Thanks  G

I would suggest going to JFK the night before and then take nonstop Jet Blue to Bermuda the next day.

[jasardeax]

32 minutes ago, gailellen12 said:

I am a stressed teacher and will be traveling solo and hope to do the Aug 3 cruise. The flight times are crazy. I live in Philly so not that far from Bermuda. Some of the flights have 10 hour layovers.  Would Viking air be a good idea   Do they have an in for better flights?The flight availability certainly has changed in the last year. Friends and I were able to get  direct flights to Spain and direct return home from Venice. I hope to meet some new friends on the cruise but also r and r after my most stressful teaching year in 30 plus years. Thanks  G

Drive from Philly to Newark Airport. Should take about 1.5 hours

 

Fly  United Airlines direct from Newark to Bermuda. 

Have a fantastic trip. 
Teachers are my heroes. 

Thank you. 

 

 

[MRGACRUZR]

We are on the June 15th cruise, so far. Comfort Check In was available this morning. We are now "checked in". You will be required to submit a passport type photo and there are clear instructions on the photo requirements. It was an easy process. One step closer.....now just tell us what to do about Bermuda's entry requirements and the unbelievably tight timeline. 😳

[What was that?]

19 minutes ago, MRGACRUZR said:

We are on the June 15th cruise, so far. Comfort Check In was available this morning. We are now "checked in". You will be required to submit a passport type photo and there are clear instructions on the photo requirements. It was an easy process. One step closer.....now just tell us what to do about Bermuda's entry requirements and the unbelievably tight timeline. 😳

Very interesting - and thanks! Wondering about the photo requirements. Will a selfie suffice, or do we have to mail in a passport type photo?

[MRGACRUZR]

7 minutes ago, What was that? said:

Very interesting - and thanks! Wondering about the photo requirements. Will a selfie suffice, or do we have to mail in a passport type photo?

Once you verify your personal info, your prompted to submit you photo. Once you select to proceed, you'll be offered the choice to "download from device". Once you select that, you are given options to download a file or take a selfie. You'll get very specific instructions on photo requirements. Not tough requirements, just stuff like no smiling, eyes open, color, properly cropped, which you are allowed to do from within Vikings site. You also get to accept or redo. Really well thought out. Good job Viking. I'm hesitant to say "foolproof" but......

Edited May 17, 2021 by MRGACRUZR

[What was that?]

1 minute ago, MRGACRUZR said:

Once you verify your personal info, your prompted to submit you photo. Once you select to proceed, you'll be offered the choice to "download from device". Once you select that, you are given options to download a file or take a selfish. You'll get very specific instructions on photo requirements. Not tough requirements, just stuff like no smiling, eyes open, color, properly cropped, which you are allowed to do from within Vikings site. You also get to accept or redo.

Wow! Sounds like a modern system. Thanks again. 

[SantaFe1]

40 minutes ago, MRGACRUZR said:

We are on the June 15th cruise, so far. Comfort Check In was available this morning. We are now "checked in".

We are on the June 26 Iceland cruise.  But so far the Comfort Checkin says it will be up to register in 40 days.  So, about the time we sit down for dinner on the ship.  I wonder if that will change?  Thanks for the instructions about how to take the photo!

[MRGACRUZR]

20 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

We are on the June 26 Iceland cruise.  But so far the Comfort Checkin says it will be up to register in 40 days.  So, about the time we sit down for dinner on the ship.  I wonder if that will change?  Thanks for the instructions about how to take the photo!

I don't have any facts but what went through my mind was what better way to see if/how this is going to work than to try it on the lab rats on the June 15 Bermuda cruise? I was surprised to see it on MVJ because our countdown clock had us checking in on the second day of the cruise, if I was counting days, correctly.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

The R&D department at Viking...

 

[Stempy]

2 hours ago, MRGACRUZR said:

I don't have any facts but what went through my mind was what better way to see if/how this is going to work than to try it on the lab rats on the June 15 Bermuda cruise? I was surprised to see it on MVJ because our countdown clock had us checking in on the second day of the cruise, if I was counting days, correctly.

This “lab rat” is all checked in...very smooth process.

[bafinegan]

53 minutes ago, Stempy said:

This “lab rat” is all checked in...very smooth process.

Hey have you gotten anything official as far as entry requirements?

[Stempy]

Nothing yet. Just health survey on My Viking Journey to be filled out 8 days before travel. Going to call again at week’s end to find out when specifics will be published.

[Ragnar Danneskjold]

Maybe they can put their count-down clock maven to work on a count-down to the day/second where you can’t cancel anymore.  Might buy us an extra day or two....