New COVID testing procedures??

[WNcruiser]

2 hours ago, longterm said:

You mean, the rest of the cruise industry where onboard Covid surges are common and frequent?
 

Can you provide recent factual data please to back up your statement? What ships have recently had frequent Covid surges? 

[crimmj]

Re: new wording in My Viking Journey:

 

can now see lots of new wording in a new tab called explore safely on MVJ

 

I see today there is a new tab called Explore Safely. We embark San Juan March 21 and today there is no more info on pre-departure requirements for Puerto Rico in MVJ as there had been. In the new Explore Safety tab the Covid test requirement is shown as 72 hours before your first flight. But I just had an on line chat with Viking and the Rep said oops - it’s still 72 hours before boarding. NOT before first flight!!! He would let someone know so that info could be corrected. But the confusion continues!!! 

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

Can you provide recent factual data please to back up your statement? What ships have recently had frequent Covid surges? 

 

Would be relatively easy by checking Google. However, from memory I recall reading reports of 5 ships in Brazilian waters, which caused Brazil to close her ports to cruise ships.

[longterm]

7 hours ago, WNcruiser said:

Can you provide recent factual data please to back up your statement? What ships have recently had frequent Covid surges? 

Yes, I can; go to this site and look at the list of cruise ships with Covid outbreaks; look for Viking ships:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

 

You'll see that the Viking Sea is being observed, but it's the only Viking ship that has had any issues (the other Viking ship listed is green, which means without issues).

 

Look at all the other cruise lines.

Edited March 11, 2022 by longterm

[Twitchly]

26 minutes ago, longterm said:

Yes, I can; go to this site and look at the list of cruise ships with Covid outbreaks; look for Viking ships:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

 

You'll see that the Viking Sea is being observed, but it's the only Viking ship that has had any issues (the other Viking ship listed is green, which means without issues).

 

Look at all the other cruise lines.

Very cool that none of the cruise ships on this list are currently in the red zone, meaning no big outbreaks. (The CDC’s red zone is defined as .3% of total people onboard testing positive, including staff and passengers, plus health care facilities being overwhelmed or the discovery of a variant of interest.)  Of course, most aren’t testing daily, either. But if people are dropping like flies on cruise ships, we’re not hearing about it.

[miami mama]

Biggerbearmom, thanks for sharing what the lab report looks like. I can't see how that would be turned down. Looking forward to hearing from you after boarding. Our trip occurs just a few weeks later, so what you encounter will most likely be similar to what is in store for us.

 

[WNcruiser]

58 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Very cool that none of the cruise ships on this list are currently in the red zone, meaning no big outbreaks. (The CDC’s red zone is defined as .3% of total people onboard testing positive, including staff and passengers, plus health care facilities being overwhelmed or the discovery of a variant of interest.)  Of course, most aren’t testing daily, either. But if people are dropping like flies on cruise ships, we’re not hearing about it.

Exactly. There have not been any “frequent surges” in the last couple months. 

[steve1191]

On 2/23/2022 at 7:53 PM, longterm said:

I'm with you; we didn't mind daily testing at all on our December cruise. Since we board the ship on March 5th, I'm guessing we'll still be spitting into test tubes on our cruise.

Having had a mild case of Covid a month ago for 2-3 days, and then the lingering congestion for a week, I'm more than willing to do whatever it takes to stay healthy.

The only time it's a problem is when I put food to my mouth, only to smear it into the mask I forgot to remove...

So have you been tested daily and do you still wear masks indoors?

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, longterm said:

Yes, I can; go to this site and look at the list of cruise ships with Covid outbreaks; look for Viking ships:

 

https://www.cdc.gov/quarantine/cruise/cruise-ship-color-status.html

 

You'll see that the Viking Sea is being observed, but it's the only Viking ship that has had any issues (the other Viking ship listed is green, which means without issues).

 

Look at all the other cruise lines.

 

If only considering the US CDC dashboard, you should also be aware that it only includes about 1/3 of the world's cruise ships, as it only includes ships operating, or have operated in US Waters.

[longterm]

6 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

If only considering the US CDC dashboard, you should also be aware that it only includes about 1/3 of the world's cruise ships, as it only includes ships operating, or have operated in US Waters.

I don’t believe that is accurate; the Viking sky was listed there a week offer so ago, and it hasn’t sailed in US Waters in the last few months.

[gbldcl]

From the Viking Pre-departure Information - Travel Requirements dated March 4, 2022 for travel to Canada for US, Canadian, UK, AU and NZ guests:

 

"Note: Antigen tests must be professionally administered or observed by a telehealth service."

 

They finally updated the protocols with a clear definition of what is acceptable for boarding.

[Heidi13]

12 hours ago, longterm said:

I don’t believe that is accurate; the Viking sky was listed there a week offer so ago, and it hasn’t sailed in US Waters in the last few months.

 

While the number of cruise ships have reduced by about 20, last I read they still have about 320 world-wide. The US CDC has only 114 cruise ships reporting, or about 35%.

 

The Viking Sky last had to report to US CDC in March/April 2020 until it sailed across the Atlantic to Portsmouth to disembark crew, since the US would not accept crew for repatriation to home. Since the Viking Sky is scheduled for the World Cruise in 2023/24, Viking must be voluntarily retaining the US CDC reporting, which saves time in re-applying for the World Cruise. Other than Orion, none of the other Viking ships report to US CDC. Even Viking Star, which departed L/A in January, is no longer reporting.

 

US CDC only has authority over ships that operate in US Waters; however, cruise lines can voluntarily report, if the vessel will return to US Waters, to save having to reapply. 

[miami mama]

gbldcl, I'm having a really hard time finding this on MVJ. Could you provide a link for this or are you departing in the near future and your booking has been updated? 

[PRH]

34 minutes ago, miami mama said:

gbldcl, I'm having a really hard time finding this on MVJ. Could you provide a link for this or are you departing in the near future and your booking has been updated? 

Go to "before you go" and look through the categories 

[gbldcl]

1 hour ago, miami mama said:

gbldcl, I'm having a really hard time finding this on MVJ. Could you provide a link for this or are you departing in the near future and your booking has been updated? 

When I logged into MVJ this morning there was an alert to view a new message. The doc that appeared was dated March 4, 2022 and had the new verbiage. We are departing April 25 on the Orion to Vancouver. The message and doc have since disappeared because I read it, but I was smart this time and printed out a copy.

[LindaS272]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Other than Orion, none of the other Viking ships report to US CDC.

Just saw the Sea listed there from March 10. They’ve been going out of San Juan. We board March 21 for the TA.

[miami mama]

Thanks GBLDCL. We do sail a little before you but I would think we will receive the same thing soon. It will be good news for us as I much prefer doing supervised testing at home. 

[biggerbearmom]

I spoke to my TA today, she confirmed what I was told via Viking chat confirming the use of the home test with a lab report, and that her mother recently used the  BinaxNOW Antigen supervised test for a Viking Cruise.

[takemewithyou]

3 hours ago, gbldcl said:

When I logged into MVJ this morning there was an alert to view a new message. The doc that appeared was dated March 4, 2022 and had the new verbiage. We are departing April 25 on the Orion to Vancouver. The message and doc have since disappeared because I read it, but I was smart this time and printed out a copy.

Do you have a copy of this?  We are departing 4/17.  I had the notification today but when I clicked on it with my IPAD I saw nothing!

[gbldcl]

2 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Do you have a copy of this?  We are departing 4/17.  I had the notification today but when I clicked on it with my IPAD I saw nothing!

I can take a pic with my phone and email it to you if you give me your address.

 

[Jammy Bun]

On 3/11/2022 at 12:43 PM, WNcruiser said:

Can you provide recent factual data please to back up your statement? What ships have recently had frequent Covid surges? 

This one for a start (I suggest reading the thread from towards the end and then going backwards to see how the daily figures changed until the ship had to turn around and head back to the UK)

 

 

[tigger8792]

I checked on MVJ today to see if anything changed and saw this now on the Viking Pre-departure Information - 

If you are traveling independently, please ensure you review local requirements for the countries you are visiting. You will also need to meet Viking’s COVID-19 testing requirements: either a PCR test taken 72 hours, or an antigen test taken 24 hours before joining your first Viking activity. Alternatively, you may present proof of recovery as outlined below.

I guess now we will have to take a test in Athens.  At least now we can do a home test with a lab report.

 

[longterm]

1 hour ago, tigger8792 said:

I checked on MVJ today to see if anything changed and saw this now on the Viking Pre-departure Information - 

If you are traveling independently, please ensure you review local requirements for the countries you are visiting. You will also need to meet Viking’s COVID-19 testing requirements: either a PCR test taken 72 hours, or an antigen test taken 24 hours before joining your first Viking activity. Alternatively, you may present proof of recovery as outlined below.

I guess now we will have to take a test in Athens.  At least now we can do a home test with a lab report.

 

This isn't changed; it's what we had to do when we arrived in Rome for 5 days on our own before getting on the Viking Sky. 

 

It was a nothing burger; we went into a pharmacy a half-block from the hotel, got rapid antigen tests that cost 22 euros each, waited 10 minutes, got our results, boarded the ship the next morning.

If you're on the Sky and arriving in Athens, you'll have your daily PCR test results if necessary. Before heading home if you're doing the post extension (as we are), Viking will provide a test so that we can go home with test results.

If you're flying into Athens early to get on the Sky headed back to Italy, yes, you'll need to get a test before boarding the ship, but I recommend going to a local pharmacy, make sure they do rapid tests and that they're open the day before you're boarding, and just do that. It was easy, and considering the cost of a PCR test in Rome was 55 euros each, it was much cheaper too.

[gbldcl]

14 hours ago, takemewithyou said:

Do you have a copy of this?  We are departing 4/17.  I had the notification today but when I clicked on it with my IPAD I saw nothing!

Once before I had an alert to view a new document, so I looked at it but did not print it. When I went back later to look at it again it was gone. I had to call Viking and have them send me a copy. Apparently this glitch is known to them but has not been fixed. If you want a copy, call them and ask them to send you the Pre departure doc dated March 4.

[SailorPaulH]

3 minutes ago, gbldcl said:

Once before I had an alert to view a new document, so I looked at it but did not print it. When I went back later to look at it again it was gone. I had to call Viking and have them send me a copy. Apparently this glitch is known to them but has not been fixed. If you want a copy, call them and ask them to send you the Pre departure doc dated March 4.

Same happened to me once. Instead, just 'Save to a PDF' in your print options and you have it on file.