Excited to see openings in the world for cruises!

[angela miller]

I think all of us agree it has been a long hard year and a half! I am so excited to see with vaccinations for travel the the world is opening! We can get there. Don’t let politics stop you from traveling.

[Let Me Travel!]

I agree!

[deec]

I hope Brazil's government can get their act together and help protect its people.

 

[CCWineLover]

3 hours ago, deec said:

I hope Brazil's government can get their act together and help protect its people.

 

Dee - I've sort of given up on our cruise stopping in Brazil on the way to Barcelona.  Low expectations.  I am hopeful they will still make it to Buenos Aires.  Will be tracking the November cruise that goes down there.  Fingers crossed!

[lackcreativity]

Even though we are not booked for cruises until 2022, I am still thrilled that Viking is working to resume modified cruising to select areas again. It's funny, I remember my initial thoughts a year ago that I wouldn't like to cruise if I had to wear a mask etc. Spending all this time unable to visit the places I love has certainly changed that opinion! I will wear a mask, spit in a test tube, and go ashore in my Viking bubble (in addition to my covid vaccine) just to have the chance to resume sailing again. I will do my part to reduce the risk to fellow shipmates and residents of the places I visit if I can just get back on board!

[JeriGail]

1 hour ago, lackcreativity said:

Even though we are not booked for cruises until 2022, I am still thrilled that Viking is working to resume modified cruising to select areas again. It's funny, I remember my initial thoughts a year ago that I wouldn't like to cruise if I had to wear a mask etc. Spending all this time unable to visit the places I love has certainly changed that opinion! I will wear a mask, spit in a test tube, and go ashore in my Viking bubble (in addition to my covid vaccine) just to have the chance to resume sailing again. I will do my part to reduce the risk to fellow shipmates and residents of the places I visit if I can just get back on board!

My thoughts exactly!

[irvington]

This may be a dumb question, but I have been trying to look for answers in other threads and don't see anything. Is it worth booking a cruise for late 2021 in the hope that it may go, or is it just a matter of time before Viking cancels the ones they have listed? I realize the smart thing would be to book one for Iceland, but that was our last out of the country trip before Covid, and while it was wonderful, we're not wanting that to be our first big post Covid trip. If it is super unlikely the 2021 trips will go, I feel I should force myself to move on. Or book a vacation somewhere that is likely to happen. In any case, I'm excited to have travelling back as a possibility!

[JeriGail]

4 minutes ago, irvington said:

This may be a dumb question, but I have been trying to look for answers in other threads and don't see anything. Is it worth booking a cruise for late 2021 in the hope that it may go, or is it just a matter of time before Viking cancels the ones they have listed? I realize the smart thing would be to book one for Iceland, but that was our last out of the country trip before Covid, and while it was wonderful, we're not wanting that to be our first big post Covid trip. If it is super unlikely the 2021 trips will go, I feel I should force myself to move on. Or book a vacation somewhere that is likely to happen. In any case, I'm excited to have travelling back as a possibility!

I don't think the question is dumb, but it is pretty impossible to answer.  We are booked on a Viking cruise at the end of November from Barcelona to San Juan, and I have hopes that it will still run. So far, Spain is doing well with vaccinations and with containing COVID. Spain is talking about doing some test cruises out of Barcelona in May, so that tells me there's at least a possibility of cruising working in Spain this fall.  It all depends on whether progress continues with vaccinations and containing the variants.

 

Viking is also talking about other cruises this summer or fall similar to the Bermuda and Iceland cruises to places like Greece or Malta.

 

If Viking cancels my 2021 cruise, I will still get the 125% towards a future cruise, so I wouldn't let the fear of cancellation deter me from booking.

 

It also depends on possible cruising conditions - would you cruise if you needed to wear masks, stay in the excursion bubble, and be vaccinated?

[irvington]

1 minute ago, JeriGail said:

I don't think the question is dumb, but it is pretty impossible to answer.  We are booked on a Viking cruise at the end of November from Barcelona to San Juan, and I have hopes that it will still run. So far, Spain is doing well with vaccinations and with containing COVID. Spain is talking about doing some test cruises out of Barcelona in May, so that tells me there's at least a possibility of cruising working in Spain this fall.  It all depends on whether progress continues with vaccinations and containing the variants.

 

Thanks, that's super helpful. I just don't have anyone in real life to obsess about this with. 🙂 This is for a special trip with my younger son and he, like so many young people, doesn't have a wide open schedule. Part of me agrees with the book and just get future credit if it gets cancelled, and then maybe we have a back up plan for a trip to just one country that we will do instead. We are vaccinated and have no problem with masks, but you raise a good point about the "bubble", since usually our favorite thing is to go our own way in port. So the other option is just to blow off a cruise for this year and hope they resume more normal operations in the future. Thanks for responding!

[angela miller]

We are booked on a Greek island cruise out of Athens in November and I am anticipating that it will sail.

[JeriGail]

23 minutes ago, irvington said:

Thanks, that's super helpful. I just don't have anyone in real life to obsess about this with. 🙂 This is for a special trip with my younger son and he, like so many young people, doesn't have a wide open schedule. Part of me agrees with the book and just get future credit if it gets cancelled, and then maybe we have a back up plan for a trip to just one country that we will do instead. We are vaccinated and have no problem with masks, but you raise a good point about the "bubble", since usually our favorite thing is to go our own way in port. So the other option is just to blow off a cruise for this year and hope they resume more normal operations in the future. Thanks for responding!

You can obsess about this to me anytime!

 

You said a younger son, but I don't know how much younger, so I hope you know that Viking doesn't allow anyone under 18.

[irvington]

Just now, JeriGail said:

You can obsess about this to me anytime!

 

You said a younger son, but I don't know how much younger, so I hope you know that Viking doesn't allow anyone under 18.

he's 20. Will that be looked askance? I have a friend in town who has taken her "children" that age which is where I got the idea. Plus ever since my son watched Masterpiece Mystery with me as a young guy and heard all the ads, he's been obsessed with Viking! 🙂 He and his older brother went on cruises on HAL and NCL with me as teens and didn't mind the older demographic. At that age I could even get him to put on a suit or even a tux without a struggle! But he will dress appropriately as needed. He's a history buff which is why I thought the Viking itineraries would appeal.

[JeriGail]

1 minute ago, irvington said:

he's 20. Will that be looked askance? I have a friend in town who has taken her "children" that age which is where I got the idea. Plus ever since my son watched Masterpiece Mystery with me as a young guy and heard all the ads, he's been obsessed with Viking! 🙂 He and his older brother went on cruises on HAL and NCL with me as teens and didn't mind the older demographic. At that age I could even get him to put on a suit or even a tux without a struggle! But he will dress appropriately as needed. He's a history buff which is why I thought the Viking itineraries would appeal.

He sounds like he'd fit in well, and I think other passengers would welcome a younger traveler.  Viking isn't a fancy dress cruise line.  The only requirement for men in the main dining room plus alternate restaurants is trousers (no jeans) plus a collared shirt.

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, irvington said:

he's 20. Will that be looked askance? I have a friend in town who has taken her "children" that age which is where I got the idea. Plus ever since my son watched Masterpiece Mystery with me as a young guy and heard all the ads, he's been obsessed with Viking! 🙂 He and his older brother went on cruises on HAL and NCL with me as teens and didn't mind the older demographic. At that age I could even get him to put on a suit or even a tux without a struggle! But he will dress appropriately as needed. He's a history buff which is why I thought the Viking itineraries would appeal.

 

On the last World Cruise we had an 18 yr old and an additional 3 or 4 in their early/mid 20's. They had a great time and were accepted by other pax.

[Clay Clayton]

He may need to be prepared to have multiple grandparents aboard!  On our first Viking Ocean cruise, the men’s glee club from the UVA- “The Virginia Gentlemen” were aboard as special entertainers. I noted that the 12 fellows were very popular not only with the younger crew members but also with those to whom they appeared to be acting as substitute grandchildren. 
 

On our river cruise, there was a family aboard with a 19 year old daughter.  She and I got to chatting on an excursion and later over drinks. I asked her how the cruise was for her and she said while it wasn’t the typical spring break that her college friends were having, that she was enjoying it and loved making memories with her parents and grandparents. She did say she was getting tired of hearing whenever she got on a bus for an excursion some joke about a baby on board!  LOL

Edited April 25, 2021 by Clay Clayton

[JeriGail]

56 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

He may need to be prepared to have multiple grandparents aboard!  On our first Viking Ocean cruise, the men’s glee club from the UVA- “The Virginia Gentlemen” were aboard as special entertainers. I noted that the 12 fellows were very popular not only with the younger crew members but also with those to whom they appeared to be acting as substitute grandchildren. 
 

On our river cruise, there was a family aboard with a 19 year old daughter.  She and I got to chatting on an excursion and later over drinks. I asked her how the cruise was for her and she said while it wasn’t the typical spring break that her college friends were having, that she was enjoying it and loved making memories with her parents and grandparents. She did say she was getting tired of hearing whenever she got on a bus for an excursion some joke about a baby on board!  LOL

Clay - do you know what the drinking age is onboard Viking ships?  I'd never wondered about that question since most passengers are in their 70's or older, but it would be relevant for this question. 

[Jim Avery]

11 minutes ago, JeriGail said:

Clay - do you know what the drinking age is onboard Viking ships?  I'd never wondered about that question since most passengers are in their 70's or older, but it would be relevant for this question. 

If memory serves, it varies as to the age permitted by the countries visited.  At one time I heard 18 and another time 21.  Since it really does not affect me anymore (still have the fake ID from college) I don't really pay attention to drinking age.  🍸😎

[Strangford]

5 hours ago, JeriGail said:

Clay - do you know what the drinking age is onboard Viking ships?  I'd never wondered about that question since most passengers are in their 70's or older, but it would be relevant for this question. 

From the UK terms and conditions. F7 Alcohol Policy.  Please note that you must be aged 21 or over in order to purchase or consume alcoholic beverages whilst on board our vessels. Silver Spirit packages (or similar arrangements for the supply of alcohol on board) can only be purchased where both occupants of the relevant cabin or stateroom are over the age of 21 and each occupant must purchase the relevant package for the full duration of the cruise. Proof of age may be required at any time and breach of this policy may result in persons involved (whether in the purchase, supply or consumption) being removed from the vessel pursuant to the provisions of clause F5.    You could check out the relevant info on the US site and see is it any different.