Iceland's Natural Beauty General - 2022

[Peregrina651]

Speaking of the list of prohibited items, ladies please note that curling irons are permitted.

[Seaharvest]

8 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

More laundry tips.

 

Short people will really appreciate a lingerie bag when it comes time to get that one last sock out of the back of the dryer. Tall people will appreciate  a lingerie bag when they can't find sock #6. Also good for stocking/tights/pantyhose because we aren't supposed to put them into the machines.

 

Please stick with the laundry products supplied by the ship as they are chosen to be compatible with the ship's systems. Dryer sheets can cause problems for those with allergies and sensitive skin.

 

For those who are hemming and hawing about sending out their laundry.  I have used it 5 different trips now and never had a problem.  My line is: I don't iron DH's shirts at home, why am I going to do it on vacation?

Andrea, I didn’t know that about dryer sheets. Thanks

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Seaharvest said:

Andrea, I didn’t know that about dryer sheets. Thanks

 

They leave a residue in the dryers that builds up over time and will get on the clothing of anyone who uses the dryer. Dryer sheets are on the list of products that folks with skin rashes are told not to use, even the ones that are fragrance free..

[Heartgrove]

United Airlines is adding a ORD-KEH non-stop beginning July1. They are currently bookable on the UAL site. Boeing 757-200 with Polaris 16 Lie-Flat seats in Business. Scheduled ORD 7:45 pm departure and KEH 7:00 am arrival. Return is KEH 11:00 am departure with 12:45 pm arrival.

[id4elizabeth]

Some thoughts about going directly to the Blue Lagoon from the airport.  I was reading the Blue Lagoon Terms and Conditions today and if I'm reading correctly you will not be allowed in the Blue Lagoon or any of the Hotels, or the Spa or restaurants until you've gotten the ok test results from your covid test at the airport which might take as long as 12 hours.  Now hopefully this changes.  We currently have a reservation at the Hilton in Reykjavík,  but I was thinking of changing that to a Blue Lagoon hotel so we could enjoy the retreat spa while we're waiting for check -in.  But this may not be possible.  I have a question into the hotel at the moment and will let you know what I find out.  So, if u r just planning on hitting the blue lagoon, and you don't have the results back from your airport  Covid  test, they might not allow u in. 

Now all this appears to apply to the general Covid restrictions before the vaccinated passengers became exempted in general.  So perhaps this will change hopefully soon.  Just wanted to make you aware of the Ts.& Cs of the Blue Lagoon

 

Someone in one of our groups was going to stay at a Lagoon hotel right from the airport and he may know more about the situation.  If you're reading this and have some insights please let us know!

 

[librarylady19]

2 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

United Airlines is adding a ORD-KEH non-stop beginning July1. They are currently bookable on the UAL site. Boeing 757-200 with Polaris 16 Lie-Flat seats in Business. Scheduled ORD 7:45 pm departure and KEH 7:00 am arrival. Return is KEH 11:00 am departure with 12:45 pm arrival.

Wish they had this before I booked ORD-KEF with Icelandic!

[LindaS272]

2 hours ago, id4elizabeth said:

Some thoughts about going directly to the Blue Lagoon from the airport.  I was reading the Blue Lagoon Terms and Conditions today and if I'm reading correctly you will not be allowed in the Blue Lagoon or any of the Hotels, or the Spa or restaurants until you've gotten the ok test results from your covid test at the airport which might take as long as 12 hours.  Now hopefully this changes.  We currently have a reservation at the Hilton in Reykjavík,  but I was thinking of changing that to a Blue Lagoon hotel so we could enjoy the retreat spa while we're waiting for check -in.  But this may not be possible.  I have a question into the hotel at the moment and will let you know what I find out.  So, if u r just planning on hitting the blue lagoon, and you don't have the results back from your airport  Covid  test, they might not allow u in. 

Now all this appears to apply to the general Covid restrictions before the vaccinated passengers became exempted in general.  So perhaps this will change hopefully soon.  Just wanted to make you aware of the Ts.& Cs of the Blue Lagoon

 

Someone in one of our groups was going to stay at a Lagoon hotel right from the airport and he may know more about the situation.  If you're reading this and have some insights please let us know!

 

Here’s the link to current info: https://www.bluelagoon.com/blue-lagoon-temporarily-closed

 

Despite saying “temporarily-closed”, this should link to “the Blue Lagoon has re-opened.”

 

[vslparis]

9 hours ago, id4elizabeth said:

Some thoughts about going directly to the Blue Lagoon from the airport.  I was reading the Blue Lagoon Terms and Conditions today and if I'm reading correctly you will not be allowed in the Blue Lagoon or any of the Hotels, or the Spa or restaurants until you've gotten the ok test results from your covid test at the airport which might take as long as 12 hours.  Now hopefully this changes.  We currently have a reservation at the Hilton in Reykjavík,  but I was thinking of changing that to a Blue Lagoon hotel so we could enjoy the retreat spa while we're waiting for check -in.  But this may not be possible.  I have a question into the hotel at the moment and will let you know what I find out.  So, if u r just planning on hitting the blue lagoon, and you don't have the results back from your airport  Covid  test, they might not allow u in. 

Now all this appears to apply to the general Covid restrictions before the vaccinated passengers became exempted in general.  So perhaps this will change hopefully soon.  Just wanted to make you aware of the Ts.& Cs of the Blue Lagoon

 

Someone in one of our groups was going to stay at a Lagoon hotel right from the airport and he may know more about the situation.  If you're reading this and have some insights please let us know!

 

I had sent an email to them about this yesterday and this was their response. Of course, things may, and most likely will, change before we go. The next update to the restrictions is  scheduled for 01 May .

 

Jón Ólafur (Blue Lagoon Iceland)  Apr 20, 2021, 9:25 GMT  Dear Valerie,   Thank you for contacting Blue Lagoon Iceland.   Kindly note that based on the current Icelandic government regulations, fully vaccinated travelers need to take a PCR test upon arrival at the international airport. They are then required to self-isolate until they receive their test results (within a 24-hour period). These government guidelines are currently in place until May 1, 2021.   Guests waiting for their test results are not permitted to use the Blue Lagoon, Silica Hotel or Retreat Hotel facilities, which includes all restaurants, common areas, shops, the Retreat spa, and lagoons

[Clay Clayton]

My line is, we don’t iron anything at home why we gonna do it on a cruise!  LOL. I figure wrinkles on our clothes make the ones on our faces less noticeable. LOL

[TayanaLorna]

I fully anticipate being tested for Covid at the airport and quarantined until results are in, tested every day on Viking, being unable to combine dinner tables with those outside our "family" group, prohibited from organizing our own M&M, required to mask on board, on busses etc. and not allowed to wander off ship on our own.  I hope it will be otherwise, but since i booked with these restrictions, i am happy to follow them.  If the restrictions remain in place and a guest violates them, i hope Viking will have strict penalties.  I don't want to be a downer here, but we all want these Viking sailings to be succesful - which means Covid free. 

 

We the vaccinated have low risk but we can still carry and transmit the virus to the unvaccinated. Here in PR in the past few weeks we had over 20 fuly vaccinated people test postive for the varients - one group of 7 people traveling together all tested positive.  Both visitors and returning residents must test for Covid within 48 hours of arrival or be fined $300.  Cases are being caught as a result.

 

I urge everyone to be extremely careful especially in the two weeks before traveling, when in airports, while making connections and during flights.  Ok, I will step down from my soapbox now.

 

🙂

[Peregrina651]

WELL, WELL PUT!  Thank you.

 

But a few questions. Have we actually heard from Viking that we cannot share tables with non "family" members and that we cannot organize an M&M? And is the testing period 48 hours or 72 hours? I have now heard both.

[TayanaLorna]

5 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

WELL, WELL PUT!  Thank you.

 

But a few questions. Have we actually heard from Viking that we cannot share tables with non "family" members and that we cannot organize an M&M? And is the testing period 48 hours or 72 hours? I have now heard both.

The testing in parag 2 is for us returning to PR.  If we don't arrive with a test, we have 48 hours to produce one or be fined.  People used to say - oh I will quarantine - and never do.

 

No we don't know yet what we can or cannot do on board.  I don't want to rely on rumors from speaking to Viking reps.  I want to see it in an email from Viking to all of us on these Welcome Back trips 

 

Dining reservations on line are all for two people and the Viking guidelines refer to social distancing for the restaurants.  So until we hear otherwise...

[TayanaLorna]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

My line is, we don’t iron anything at home why we gonna do it on a cruise!  LOL. I figure wrinkles on our clothes make the ones on our faces less noticeable. LOL

Now that is a perfect excuse.  Love it.

[Peregrina651]

3 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

I don't want to rely on rumors from speaking to Viking reps.  I want to see it in an email from Viking to all of us on these Welcome Back trips 

 

Agreed.

[Clay Clayton]

17 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

Dining reservations on line are all for two people and the Viking guidelines refer to social distancing for the restaurants.  So until we hear otherwise...

That has always been the case (at least in my experience) with the ability to “invite” others. Which is what we did and were able to add Mike’s mom to our reservation. Given her name is different than either of ours, Viking had no way to know we were a family. 

[Heartgrove]

18 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

The testing in parag 2 is for us returning to PR.  If we don't arrive with a test, we have 48 hours to produce one or be fined.  People used to say - oh I will quarantine - and never do.

 

 

My understanding is that on the return flight that you need to produce a negative test or else be denied boarding.

 

I expect that the test upon arrival for vaccinated passengers to be lifted on May 1. The reason being that I read an article on "The Points Guy" blog that Iceland currently only has the capacity to test 500 passengers arriving at Keflavik daily. A disturbing piece of information in the same article is that Icelandair has been cancelling flights. But -  no information was given on TPG detailing why. I know currently FI has only been flying certain days from BOS due to lack of travelers. The full schedule for all the US destinations has yet to roll out. UAL is only starting their second route (ORD-KEH) to Iceland July 1 but the EWR_KEH starts June 3.

[Heartgrove]

For those still looking for raingear, I was able to get a "used" pair of rain pants through REI's (Recreational Equipment, Inc) Used Gear store. I saved over $30.00 on something that may not be needed - but necessary in case it is! The pants look like a pair that was returned unused as they look brand new. I didn't have the same luck with the jacket though so paid full price. I'm too modest to model them.  

 

For those not familiar with REI, it is a co-op selling outdoor and travel gear. Operating as a co-op they return around 5-10% to their members of what they have spent for that year. The dividend varies per year. I joined back in 1975!

 

 

Edited April 20, 2021 by Heartgrove

[TayanaLorna]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

That has always been the case (at least in my experience) with the ability to “invite” others. Which is what we did and were able to add Mike’s mom to our reservation. Given her name is different than either of ours, Viking had no way to know we were a family. 

I am curious, did you book together? Or perhaps your booking numbers are linked as traveling together?

[Clay Clayton]

30 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

I am curious, did you book together? Or perhaps your booking numbers are linked as traveling together?

No and no.  I wish I could do that.  

[DaveSJ711]

New post on the Viking Cruise Forum -- Viking has announced two additional Iceland sailings, both in July. These will be on the Viking Jupiter. Passengers on the Jupiter will be able to wave to passengers on the Sky.

[SantaFe1]

2 hours ago, Heartgrove said:

For those still looking for raingear, I was able to get a "used" pair of rain pants through REI's (Recreational Equipment, Inc) Used Gear store. I saved over $30.00 on something that may not be needed - but necessary in case it is! The pants look like a pair that was returned unused as they look brand new. I didn't have the same luck with the jacket though so paid full price. I'm too modest to model them.  

I ordered from LL Bean and had the opposite experience.  I got 65% off a jacket, but paid full price for pants.  Although some found the rain pants rather pricey, they are really nice, with zippered legs so you don’t have to take your boots off to put them on and drawstring bottoms to tighten them over your boots.  I’m not going to model them either, because they are really ugly.  I look like a big black bear!!

[Peregrina651]

6 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

New post on the Viking Cruise Forum -- Viking has announced two additional Iceland sailings, both in July. These will be on the Viking Jupiter. Passengers on the Jupiter will be able to wave to passengers on the Sky.

 

However, they are not yet showing on the website, yet. Maybe those who got the email (mentioned in the post) are being given a head start before Viking goes public. In any case, I expect that they will fill up just as quickly as the first four sailings.

 

I am not surprised this is happening. When I looked at the list of ships that were scheduled to dock in Reykjavik this summer, I did see Jupiter on the list and thought that they might be opening up more sail dates. The more sailings they can fill, the better.

 

Nor would it surprise me that Viking turned away more people for the first four sailings than actually booked. They know they have the market and they are jumping on it.

 

2 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

 I look like a big black bear!!

 

Don't worry, we are all going to look like black bears. < queue music: Teddy Bears' Picnic >

 

 

 

[temerarious]

I'm going to look like a yellow bear...  

BTW - These are on clearance at Land's End (both regular adult & big adult sizes). Originally $60 - $65 - now less than $20.

Edited April 21, 2021 by temerarious
Added additional info

[Peregrina651]

11 minutes ago, temerarious said:

I'm going to look like a yellow bear...  

BTW - These are on clearance at Land's End (both regular adult & big adult sizes). Originally $60 - $65 - now less than $20.

 

And I bought the yellow galoshes to go with them!

[Louhut1]

I bought those yellow rain pants for both DH and me also. We will be seen and can find each other in a storm.