Iceland's Natural Beauty General - 2022

[JeriGail]

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

I’ve been lurking on the UK summer cruises board and someone over there whose cruises on June 5th just posted about a new feature “Comfort Check In”. Basically provide a picture ahead of time and speed up the process.  I went looking, found it under the same section as the guest check in form...but when ai click on it, it says check in begins in 59 days which is one day after we are scheduled to board🤪

When I check this area on our November 29, 2021 cruise, I see that "Comfort Check-in" has been added as well.  Our cruise is 200 days away, but Comfort Check-in is available in 197 days (when we plan to be in Barcelona).

[Clay Clayton]

1 minute ago, JeriGail said:

When I check this area on our November 29, 2021 cruise, I see that "Comfort Check-in" has been added as well.  Our cruise is 200 days away, but Comfort Check-in is available in 197 days (when we plan to be in Barcelona).

Very strange

[Cruiser1854]

Clay I am seeing something similar on my end.  We are sailing on July 20 and it showed 69 days 3 hours 35 minutes….which would be July 20:at 7pm DST.  So it’s not only you.

[NeilP57]

It's the same for us in the UK as well. "Comfort Check In" opens in 80 days and 4 hours which should be about when we are sitting down for a dinner on our first night!

 

That said in a lowly V2 cabin, who knows what time we will be having dinner?

[Balticsailor]

4 hours ago, Balticsailor said:

This is our first Viking Cruise.  Does anyone know if "nice" jeans (not blue, rather dressy) are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening?  

Thanks to all of you for your quick and much appreciated replies to my question.  We won't wear jeans to dinner.

[Peregrina651]

 

 

48 minutes ago, Cruiser1854 said:

Since this is the first cruise I have ever booked with Viking…..is this what I should expect from them…..Confusion and chaos?  🤔

 

No. This is not normal for Viking.

 

But, these are the first cruises in over a year and under entirely new circumstances with an entirely new set of requirements and demands. As it will be for all of the cruise lines, there will be glitches and issues along the way. Viking had a choice: they could take their time, get things perfect, smooth out all the bumps and start sailing again in September or October OR they could jump right in as soon as the destinations were ready for us and get us back on the high seas again in spite of the glitches.

 

Perhaps not the best circumstances to be meeting the in-laws for the first time.😉

But, as a return guest, in the end, I know that my patience will pay off and by the time we board in a few weeks, all of these bumps in the road will be behind us. I will be on board and I will be surrounded by a whole lot of smiling people who are glad to see me again. I may have to spend a lot more time in a mask than normal, I might not be able to leave the ship on my own, but I knew that was what I was buying into when I booked and I am will to accept the restrictions.

 

 

 

 

[vslparis]

1 hour ago, Cruiser1854 said:

Since this is the first cruise I have ever booked with Viking…..is this what I should expect from them…..Confusion and chaos?  🤔

Generally not a lot of confusion and chaos.  A good bit if this is due to the ever changing Covid restrictions and trying to figure out how to work with those restrictions and procedures in the countries to be visited. Plus the reduction in staff due to Covid layoffs.  I am in the travel industry and  can tell you that every cruise line that is starting up this summer is going thru  the same growing pains as Viking . Seeing the hoops that they have to jump thru, the constant adjustment to comply with local government regulations , I applauded them all for even attempting to get things

started !  

 

I know that once you get on board you will discover why so many of us love to travel on Viking Ocean. 

[Cruiser1854]

Thanks for responding to my concerns.  Yes,  I agree these are ‘strange times’ and cruise lines need to adapt to stay in business.  New procedures and processes take time to implement effectively.  

By the way the following quotes below are some newer CDC guidelines specifically to vaccinated cruising. 

Here is the link from which I am quoting 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html
 

‘Fully Vaccinated Travelers

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings.’

‘Fully Vaccinated Travelers

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may engage in self-guided or independent exploration during port stops, if they wear a mask while indoors. The cruise ship operator is additionally advised that foreign jurisdictions may have their own requirements.’

The caveat.

• ‘Limit shore excursions in foreign ports of call to countries listed as Level 1: COVID-19 Low in CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination.’

Iceland is still at CDC Level 3 😢

 

Anne

[Clay Clayton]

Thanks to someone on one of the many Iceland rollcalls, just found out the included excursion in Akureyri is now up for booking!  Got ours booked! 😊

[vslparis]

5 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Thanks to someone on one of the many Iceland rollcalls, just found out the included excursion in Akureyri is now up for booking!  Got ours booked! 😊

Wow, it wasn't there an hour ago !  Have to just keep on checking.

[Clay Clayton]

1 minute ago, vslparis said:

Wow, it wasn't there an hour ago !  Have to just keep on checking.

Agreed!   I hd just checked also. 

[vslparis]

38 minutes ago, Cruiser1854 said:

 

The caveat.

• ‘Limit shore excursions in foreign ports of call to countries listed as Level 1: COVID-19 Low in CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination.’

Iceland is still at CDC Level 3 😢

 

Anne

Level 1 - Which is just about no country on that map ! 

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, Cruiser1854 said:

Thanks for responding to my concerns.  Yes,  I agree these are ‘strange times’ and cruise lines need to adapt to stay in business.  New procedures and processes take time to implement effectively.  

By the way the following quotes below are some newer CDC guidelines specifically to vaccinated cruising. 

Here is the link from which I am quoting 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/covid19-operations-manual-cso.html
 

‘Fully Vaccinated Travelers

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may gather or conduct activities outdoors, including engaging in extended meal service or beverage consumption, without wearing a mask except in crowded settings.’

‘Fully Vaccinated Travelers

• Cruise ship operators, at their discretion, may advise passengers and crew that—if they are fully vaccinated—they may engage in self-guided or independent exploration during port stops, if they wear a mask while indoors. The cruise ship operator is additionally advised that foreign jurisdictions may have their own requirements.’

The caveat.

• ‘Limit shore excursions in foreign ports of call to countries listed as Level 1: COVID-19 Low in CDC’s COVID-19 Travel Recommendations by Destination.’

Iceland is still at CDC Level 3 😢

 

Anne

 

This is great information, but at present these guidelines are not applicable on any of the Viking ships, which are not operating in US Territorial Waters. The US CDC guidelines only apply to ships operating in US Territorial Waters, regardless of the pax nationalities.

 

Since Viking are operating in mostly EU, UK/Territories and Iceland, they are required to meet the requirements of those CDC's or equivalent organisations. 

[LindaS272]

28 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

This is great information, but at present these guidelines are not applicable on any of the Viking ships, which are not operating in US Territorial Waters. The US CDC guidelines only apply to ships operating in US Territorial Waters, regardless of the pax nationalities.

 

Since Viking are operating in mostly EU, UK/Territories and Iceland, they are required to meet the requirements of those CDC's or equivalent organisations. 

Doesn’t matter if they’re not applicable. Viking has said they are conferring with the CDC as well as equivalents in the countries where they will be cruising. Viking will want to be cruising out of the U.S. as soon as they are able and are conferring with the CDC both to influence them, I suspect, as well as work to meet their requirements when they can begin cruising in the U.S.

[SantaFe1]

Just got off with Viking on another subject.  When I asked about this, She said for the first cruises, there is at present no plan to allow people out of the Viking bubble.  As we are on the first cruise, I’m sure we are stuck with what we originally agreed to.  Really not so bad, or we wouldn’t have agreed to it. 

[LindaS272]

7 hours ago, Balticsailor said:

This is our first Viking Cruise.  Does anyone know if "nice" jeans (not blue, rather dressy) are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening?  

Yes, “nice” jeans are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening. I think what they’re after here is not allowing blue denim jeans like you might wear to the ball game or on an outside work detail :-). On our last cruise in SA ending in March 2020, I sometimes wore a black pair of dressy “jeans” with a nice tunic, shawl & sandals, and a bit of jewelry. If you are dressed up, you are fine.

 

On our 2019 cruises, it sometimes depended on the receptionist doing the seating—not for the outfit I just described, but more for men. I saw several let in in sweat pants and jeans—other times, they were told they had to change. I never saw them turn a woman away, but I never saw a woman under dressed!

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, LindaS272 said:

Yes, “nice” jeans are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening.

 

From the Viking website/FAQ:

What is the dress code?

During the day, dress is casual including shorts (if the season is warm), slacks or jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for the Fitness Center, pool areas and Sports Deck. There are no “formal nights” in the evening; evening dress is “elegant casual” for all dining venues, performances and special events. On these occasions, required attire for ladies includes a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional; jeans are not permitted. The evening dress excludes World Café where the dress remains casual after 6:00 PM.

 

[LindaS272]

2 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Yes, “nice” jeans are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening. I think what they’re after here is not allowing blue denim jeans like you might wear to the ball game or on an outside work detail :-). On our last cruise in SA ending in March 2020, I sometimes wore a black pair of dressy “jeans” with a nice tunic, shawl & sandals, and a bit of jewelry. If you are dressed up, you are fine.

 

On our 2019 cruises, it sometimes depended on the receptionist doing the seating—not for the outfit I just described, but more for men. I saw several let in in sweat pants and jeans—other times, they were told they had to change. I never saw them turn a woman away, but I never saw a woman under dressed!

I reiterate what I said about actual practice, Peregrina. The spirit of the “dress code” is that people should dress up and look nice, not like slackers. Most people follow the spirit of the request—and some are asked to change if they do not.

[SantaFe1]

I’m sorry,  But I have not generally found this to be true in more recent years.  We spent 128 days on a 2019 WC, and except in exceptional circumstances, like losing your luggage, they sent you back to change.  But not to argue any further, if I was asking this question, I would just believe the published info and not plan to wear jeans of any kind in the MDR.  

[Twitchly]

3 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

Yes, “nice” jeans are acceptable in the dining rooms in the evening. I think what they’re after here is not allowing blue denim jeans like you might wear to the ball game or on an outside work detail :-). On our last cruise in SA ending in March 2020, I sometimes wore a black pair of dressy “jeans” with a nice tunic, shawl & sandals, and a bit of jewelry. If you are dressed up, you are fine.

This was our experience, too. I think some black “jeans” are dark enough that it’s hard to tell they’re not slacks. I’m not really sure what the distinction is at that point, to tell you the truth. 
 

But this is one of those subjects that some people here feel very strongly about, so if one wants to be on the safe side, best to interpret the rule broadly and wear dressy slacks. Or at least don’t mention that you might do otherwise on these boards. 😉

[LindaS272]

26 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

This was our experience, too. I think some black “jeans” are dark enough that it’s hard to tell they’re not slacks. I’m not really sure what the distinction is at that point, to tell you the truth. 
 

But this is one of those subjects that some people here feel very strongly about, so if one wants to be on the safe side, best to interpret the rule broadly and wear dressy slacks. Or at least don’t mention that you might do otherwise on these boards. 😉

Sure—pants—I meant to say “pants” 😉 

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

I’m sorry,  But I have not generally found this to be true in more recent years.  We spent 128 days on a 2019 WC, and except in exceptional circumstances, like losing your luggage, they sent you back to change.  But not to argue any further, if I was asking this question, I would just believe the published info and not plan to wear jeans of any kind in the MDR.  

 

We spent almost 100 nights on the same ship on the 2020 WC and we had exactly the same experience as you. We have seen the host request both ladies & gentlemen return to the cabin, regardless of how smart the jeans were.

 

As Peregrina posted, the Viking Dress Code is very clear. My hats off to the crew that enforce it and to the Senior Officers that support their crew and set the high standards we enjoyed.

 

[LindaS272]

In the spirit of cruising in Iceland, will these qualify? (Hubby found this link tonight when Googling “Iceland, trousers, jeans”).

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nábrók

 

I found it hysterical! Enjoy!

 

Be sure to read the Ritual section. 😉 

Edited May 13, 2021 by LindaS272

[Seaharvest]

7 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

In the spirit of cruising in Iceland, will these qualify? (Hubby found this link tonight when Googling “Iceland, trousers, jeans”).

 

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nábrók

 

I found it hysterical! Enjoy!

 

Be sure to read the Ritual section. 😉 

Quite interesting. Who would I want to wear my skin after I am dead? 

[DaveSJ711]

13 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

From the Viking website/FAQ:

What is the dress code?

During the day, dress is casual including shorts (if the season is warm), slacks or jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for the Fitness Center, pool areas and Sports Deck. There are no “formal nights” in the evening; evening dress is “elegant casual” for all dining venues, performances and special events. On these occasions, required attire for ladies includes a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional; jeans are not  --permitted. The evening dress excludes World Café where the dress remains casual after 6:00 PM.

 

Viking says it allows trousers for men, and the cruise is in Iceland, so here are examples of Icelandic trousers you can expect to see at dinner.  Too bad the flame-red swim shorts aren't allowed. 

https://www.icewear.is/uk/men/trousers