Viking's PCR testing policy...

[NavyCruiser]

Just received email from Viking for our upcoming GE river cruise out of Amsterdam in 2 weeks.

It says their policy, as of Oct 15:

"If your cruise starts in AMSTERDAM: Get a COVID-19 PCR Test not more than 48 hours prior to departure..."

So for our Nov 14 cruise (embarkation day) we had to change our testing reservation from 3 days earlier, Nov 8 for our Nov 11 flight to arrive Amsterdam Nov 12 (2 days before embarkation), to 2 days earlier Nov 9.

Just got off the phone with Viking rep, who was wonderfully nice, who was also surprised that although the Netherlands has moved the US from "very high risk" to "high risk" category, meaning that fully vaccinated US passengers (we got our 3rd booster Pfizer shot last week) do not need to get PCR tested to fly into Amsterdam, but it's still Viking policy to get negative PCR test 2 days before flight date.

He says that Viking is adhering to each boarding country's regulations.

But seems to me that while The Netherlands is making it easier (no stress for PCR testing requirement), Viking is making it stricter & it causes more (testing) stress for our 4 other traveling companions.

Thinking that this 2 days’ testing before departure is arbitrary, since it doesn’t differentiate whether travelers fly out the day before to arrive day off ship’s debarkation, or 2 days earlier, or a week earlier, or a month earlier, etc… 

ie:  Someone flies to Amsterdam One month before ship’s debarkation, but satisfy the 2 day’s requirement, is good, but Someone else flies into Amsterdam the same day as debarkation, but got tested 3 day’s early, is not…? 

Luckily, we have lots of testing sites in our metro area, so I’m thinking for our Nov 11 flight, of getting tested 3 days early, on early morning Nov 8, & then again 2 days early morning Nov 9 (maybe twice more), just in case, to see who’ll sends back results first.

Most sites says we should receive results within 24 – 48 hours, closer to 24 hours if we get tested earlier in the morning.

 

 

[orchid2010]

We are also struggling with this policy.  We are on the A to B leg  for the Rhine Getaway departing on Nov 30.  We have a pre-cruise extension in Amsterdam, so we depart the US the evening of the 27th of November.  Guess what -- 48 hours before our flight it is Thanksgiving, and no one is open to test that day except the airport site that costs $199 per person.  We are still trying to figure out how to get results back in time if we test on the 26th. Some sites advertise 1-2 days for results, but it is a holiday weekend and I'm skeptical about the timeline, given the big holiday.  It also looks like the Netherlands would accept a rapid antigen test, but Viking requires PCR, so it is a bit of a bind.  We are hoping not to have to pay an extra $400 to pay for rapid PCR testing at the airport, but that may be our only option. right now, we have PCR tests scheduled for 9 a.m. on the 26th and hopefully they will be complete in time...

[NavyCruiser]

1 hour ago, orchid2010 said:

It also looks like the Netherlands would accept a rapid antigen test

 

Actually, currently, the Netherlands has NO testing requirement at all for US travelers who are fully vaccinated.

https://www.government.nl/topics/coronavirus-covid-19/visiting-the-netherlands-from-abroad/requirements-for-proof-of-vaccination

"Travelling to the Netherlands with proof of vaccination

People who are fully vaccinated can travel to the Netherlands, but they must be able to show proof of vaccination...."

[NavyCruiser]

We've just came back from Cancun, & in order to fly back to the US, & the resort provided a free quick antigen test, which we got results back in 2 hours.

So if the Netherlands doesn't require testing, maybe Viking will revise their policy & just need a quick test, we can do simple at home test like this one, $14 at Walmart:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/BinaxNOW-COVID-19-Antigen-Self-Test-2-Count/142089281