LIVE from "Iceland's Natural Beauty" -- All Sailings, 2021

[patchicago]

1 hour ago, SantaFe1 said:

From 2019, but I imagine still the same.  

Thank you so much!

[Pug Traveler]

8 hours ago, KarNog said:

I'm new to Viking. I've never been on a cruise before!  So excited for my Aug 21 trip!

Noob question:  My partner is thinking about staying home because he cannot be subject to quarantine. He HAS to be back at work. If he cancels, can I still go? I know, I can physically go, but what happens to our funds?

We have insurance. Will we be refunded his share of the cost? Or will they cancel me as well?

 

This happened to us on a Viking River Cruise a few years ago. I couldn’t get away from work at the last minute so my husband went alone (we were traveling with another couple). My money was not refundable but it was effectively treated as payment for a single supplement for my husband. In other words, he traveled alone in our cabin for the price we paid for both of us.

[Wander58]

52 minutes ago, dobbs36 said:

The contact tracer does not track where you are or went. My husband lost his and I asked if they could ping it so we could find it. The agent said that they have no idea where it is. Viking doesn't even know if you are wearing it. They only know if it shows up as having been near a tracker on a person who tests positive.

So what happens if you don't wear it?

[Wander58]

5 minutes ago, Wander58 said:

So what happens if you don't wear it?

Actually, I should re-phase, what happens when someone doesn't wear it?

[LindaS272]

1 hour ago, Wander58 said:

So what happens if you don't wear it?

Probably the same thing that happens if you agree to be in the Viking bubble on a ShoreEx and then go off on your own unmasked, for instance. Denied boarding.

[Dukefan]

1 hour ago, Wander58 said:

Actually, I should re-phase, what happens when someone doesn't wear it?

If you don't wear it you are not very honorable because you acknowledged in your Viking documentation that you agreed to wear it.   It is up to each person to determine how honorable they are.   I think must people are honorable but I fully recognize that we have folks in this world whose word means nothing.

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, KarNog said:

Amyr did NOT have the Cancel for Any Reason insurance "Our insurance was not 'cancel for any reason' insurance, and getting scared is not a valid reason for cancelling with regular insurance." We do have the Cancel for Any Reason. Why wouldn't my roomie be covered by the insurance?
 

 

It's not that simple. Even "cancel for any reason" has restrictions, so before you do anything read the fine print on the policy, call the insurance company and talk to a couple of different people to make sure that your reason is covered and that you will be reimbursed. It is an expensive mistake to get this wrong.

 

 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, Pug Traveler said:

My money was not refundable but it was effectively treated as payment for a single supplement for my husband. In other words, he traveled alone in our cabin for the price we paid for both of us.

 

Interesting in that this contradicts other people's stories that I have read here over the past few years. Most of them reported that Viking kept the fare from the one who couldn't go and demanded additional payment of the single supplement before the person who could go was permitted to board. To get back the roomie's portion of the fare, they had to file an insurance claim. I sure like your scenario better.

[bardstowntraveller]

We are on 8/3 Jupiter cruise. How can we tell which ports are tender ports for us?

[NeilP57]

6 minutes ago, bardstowntraveller said:

We are on 8/3 Jupiter cruise. How can we tell which ports are tender ports for us?

Your final documents from Viking which you should have received by now will show the itinerary and latest timings. The ports which are tendered are denoted by a little anchor. 
 

We are on the departure a few days before you (31 July) and we are tendering at the last three ports. Just hope the weather is good and the spacing on tenders generous. 
 

 

[IheartNYC]

Viking Sky, July 31

Hi, everyone! We finally made it to Iceland. Just wanted to give a quick rundown of our experience while it's still fresh in my mind. We are at the lobby of our hotel just waiting to check-in .

 

We flew Delta from JFK-KEF and they checked our documents 2X 

First was when we were about to do baggage drop (we checked in online and opted to print boarding pass at the airport Delta kiosks when we got there.) The lady asked to see boarding pass, negative Covid test, vaccination card and Iceland barcode before she let us into the line. Second time was at the Delta counter where we dropped the luggage. It helps to expedite the line if you have everything in order because so many people ahead of us were so disorganized they were scarmbling and trying to get the documents from deep inside their luggages/bags and I must say, with very few counters open, it definitely slowed down the line.  

At the gate- only boarding pass for us since that was not a connecting flight for us. They made an overhead announcement that passengers from connecting flights should have all documents out for them to check.

 

When we got to Iceland, first check was to stamp passport. We had all documents out (passport, covid test, covid vaccination card) but lady said it wasn't needed, just the passport for now. Down we went to baggage claim. It is right by duty free so we went in quickly while waiting. After that was customs and you choose a lane if you have anything to declare or nothing to declare. This is where they checked and finally scanned our barcode. After that we were free to go about our day. All in all we were out by 9am (approx an hour for everything including  bathroom break and detour to duty free)

[IheartNYC]

Also, I did the home covid antigen test and it was accepted. It literally saved my life because I worked long hours the last 3 days (72 hrs) before our flight and that was what stressed me out the most (when and where do I get the test?)  I ordered the Ellume/Azova covid home test kit with video verification for $50 a kit ($35 for kit and $15 for video verification so that you could get pdf result for you to print and present to airline)

I had to do the test twice because the first one came back inconclusive (apparently the code that came out after the test was due to the fact that I didn't scrape or went in far enough with the swab) The second test came back negative 

[IheartNYC]

Another thing, we breezed through the security line at the airport because I subscribed to Clear. We only had TSA precheck prior to Clear and with "Clear with TSA precheck" we avoided such a long line people were giving us dirty looks as we were escorted to the front of the line to do security check. Definitely give yourselves time because the lines were super long! 

[peribit]

5 minutes ago, IheartNYC said:

Also, I did the home covid antigen test and it was accepted. It literally saved my life because I worked long hours the last 3 days (72 hrs) before our flight and that was what stressed me out the most (when and where do I get the test?)  I ordered the Ellume/Azova covid home test kit with video verification for $50 a kit ($35 for kit and $15 for video verification so that you could get pdf result for you to print and present to airline)

I had to do the test twice because the first one came back inconclusive (apparently the code that came out after the test was due to the fact that I didn't scrape or went in far enough with the swab) The second test came back negative 

It is good to know that they allow Ellume/Azova test.  The Iceland Covid test rule said "no self-test" are allowed.

[NeilP57]

1 minute ago, peribit said:

It is good to know that they allow Ellume/Azova test.  The Iceland Covid test rule said "no self-test" are allowed.

You have to assume that a supervised self test is accepted. 
 

Nobody supervises the spit PCR sample which is used to provide our certificates to return home to the US or Uk. So in some ways a supervised antigen test is better than an unsupervised PCR test. Not necessarily by virtue of accuracy but identification of who actually provides the sample. 
 

I have my video supervised antigen test in 30 minutes ahead of our 31 July departure. Hopefully no more dramas today please. 

[IheartNYC]

3 minutes ago, peribit said:

It is good to know that they allow Ellume/Azova test.  The Iceland Covid test rule said "no self-test" are allowed.

Home self tests should have the video verification (like the Ellume-Azova) so that someone can attest that you actually took the test and then they give you the results via email with a pdf attachment for you to print. You could also open the Azova app and the results will be there too

[BQEC]

Many thanks to iheart ny for providing the detailed information regarding the antigen test procedure and acceptance. A question, how long between order and receipt of the kit?Thank you again. 

[Snit13]

14 minutes ago, IheartNYC said:

Another thing, we breezed through the security line at the airport because I subscribed to Clear. We only had TSA precheck prior to Clear and with "Clear with TSA precheck" we avoided such a long line people were giving us dirty looks as we were escorted to the front of the line to do security check. Definitely give yourselves time because the lines were super long! 

What is Clear?  How do you subscribe?

[peribit]

16 minutes ago, NeilP57 said:

You have to assume that a supervised self test is accepted. 
 

Nobody supervises the spit PCR sample which is used to provide our certificates to return home to the US or Uk. So in some ways a supervised antigen test is better than an unsupervised PCR test. Not necessarily by virtue of accuracy but identification of who actually provides the sample. 
 

I have my video supervised antigen test in 30 minutes ahead of our 31 July departure. Hopefully no more dramas today please. 

If the video supervised antigen test is allowed, it will make it much easier.  Please post back if you encounter any problem on July 31.

[IheartNYC]

5 minutes ago, Snit13 said:

What is Clear?  How do you subscribe?

We fly mostly on Delta so I am not entirely sure if other airlines have Clear too? It is a paid annual subscription where you enroll and register your biometrics which then expedites the whole process. It is $179/year plus $60 per family member but I got a discount which brought down the cost to $129/year. For the amount of stress you save yourself, it might be worth it especially if you travel a lot.

 

[IheartNYC]

This is the Clear link from the Delta website

 

https://www.delta.com/us/en/check-in-security/expedited-airport-security/clear

[IheartNYC]

27 minutes ago, BQEC said:

Many thanks to iheart ny for providing the detailed information regarding the antigen test procedure and acceptance. A question, how long between order and receipt of the kit?Thank you again. 

I ordered 3 kits (1 for myself as my Iceland antigen test and the other 2 for me and my fiance for the return flight back to US.) We were staying 4 days after the cruise so we would've had to arrange our own covid test to fly back to the US. 

 

Total was $165 ($50 per home kit+ video verification and $15 for 2 day shipping) They sent me one extra complimentary kit (which I ended up using because of the indeterminate results that I got with the first one.) Definitely stick that swab as far as it would go and swab well or it would come out with an error like the first test I did. 

[IheartNYC]

23 minutes ago, peribit said:

If the video supervised antigen test is allowed, it will make it much easier.  Please post back if you encounter any problem on July 31.

Will do! I owe so much to this group because I learned so many tips so just trying to pay it forward

[Ellistravels]

My question is about mask compliance on shore excursion buses.  I have read some posts  that say masks are not being enforced on the buses.  
Has this been your experience?  Your response will help me decide whether or not to cancel our shore ex that involve a bus ride …. at least those that are all day trips.  

[IheartNYC]

2 minutes ago, Ellistravels said:

My question is about mask compliance on shore excursion buses.  I have read some posts  that say masks are not being enforced on the buses.  
Has this been your experience?  Your response will help me decide whether or not to cancel our shore ex that involve a bus ride …. at least those that are all day trips.  

We start our cruise this Saturday, July 31st. I'll let you know about the masks on buses when we go on our shore excursion. Just giving some tips on the airport/covid testing stuff that we encountered so far