Possibly the end of daily testing?

[Canadian Sunset]

I don’t get why people are so upset with daily testing. How hard is it to spit in a tube every morning?  My husband and I did it for 25 days and survived.  We also continue to wear masks now that we’re home.  Not a big deal.

[Jim Avery]

16 minutes ago, Canadian Sunset said:

I don’t get why people are so upset with daily testing. How hard is it to spit in a tube every morning?  My husband and I did it for 25 days and survived.  We also continue to wear masks now that we’re home.  Not a big deal.

To each his own....🥃

[KBs mum]

13 minutes ago, Canadian Sunset said:

I don’t get why people are so upset with daily testing. How hard is it to spit in a tube every morning?  My husband and I did it for 25 days and survived.  We also continue to wear masks now that we’re home.  Not a big deal.

It's not the spitting into a tube that's the problem, it's the fact that the resulting ruined holiday with no cash refund is out of proportion to the problem and is illogical given that the ships are not closed systems. Wear a mask if you want to, I support you in that and if you want to social distance. 

We are happy to get on with life now that covid is endemic in an increasing number of countries, including all of those we wish to visit. 

[uktog]

1 hour ago, onlyslightlymad said:

I wasn't thinking of Europe.  It's a big world.

Given that most of the vessels are currently in Europe, that is why I would like to understand more what is driving the continued daily testing

[Twitchly]

10 minutes ago, uktog said:

Given that most of the vessels are currently in Europe, that is why I would like to understand more what is driving the continued daily testing

Money. That’s what drives most business decisions, near as I can tell. I have to assume Viking thinks its target market still wants to be tested daily, and that they’ll lose that market if they stop. 

[Ceegeefl]

6 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Money. That’s what drives most business decisions, near as I can tell. I have to assume Viking thinks its target market still wants to be tested daily, and that they’ll lose that market if they stop. 

 

I wonder if that market is as big as they think it is.  Thinking back to prior posts where some thought that most would wear masks when Viking dropped the requirement. 

 

 

[miami mama]

Just spent 12 days on Octantis and it appeared that all aboard remained well. While most guests did not mask up, we still continued to do so when not eating or drinking. Daily testing really wasn't a bother either. I have only been on 5 cruises (3 on Viking) but this is the first cruise that didn't end with most of the passengers displaying cold symptoms of some sort. (One cruise started with all of the staff seemingly sick and ended with the passengers the same.) I think the ship's employees masking up and changing gloves in between daily cabin cleaning helped to keep all of us well. Of course, most of the trip was through provinces in Canada where masking is still required indoors and on transportation. All factors working together kept us all well.

While I am hoping we someday get to an endemic phase, trends are showing 4 to 6 months to be the length of immunity regardless if you are vaccinated, recovered from Covid, or vaccinated and recovered from Covid. It will be a long time before a return to pre-pandemic times and conditions. Until then, we must adapt to the current situation. Viking provides for us a sensible way to travel.  

[OnTheJourney]

On 5/3/2022 at 11:04 AM, Haworth said:

why do we have to have a pre departure PCR test as we are fully vaccinated?

Haworth....I agree completely. Viking will test upon embarkation anyway, so, doesn't make any sense. Also, requiring daily PCR in conjunction with not requiring masking doesn't seem to quite add up either. Viking's 24-hour testing mandate prior to international flight is simply nerve-wracking. I already had one covid test canceled the night before it was scheduled and had to scramble to find another right before a cruise. This is even less time to try and reschedule something if the one I'm planning on doesn't pan out. We will evaluate our participation in (at least international) future Viking trips based on how we feel after this upcoming one. Instead of worrying so much about testing their pax, it'd be nice if Viking would officially let them know about the change in the EUdPLF requirements. 

Edited May 4, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[PasadenaDave]

I actually can understand the pre-flight test.  If you were to test positive, it would be better to do so before a long flight.  We tested negative Sunday night and fly out tonight

 

No judgement on the issue of testing, just following protocol as I do in all of life such as stopping at red lights

[duquephart]

I heard there was a person who still stopped at red lights.

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, PasadenaDave said:

I actually can understand the pre-flight test.  If you were to test positive, it would be better to do so before a long flight.  We tested negative Sunday night and fly out tonight

 

No judgement on the issue of testing, just following protocol as I do in all of life such as stopping at red lights

I have to recognize your red light stopping analogy and ask is there none among us, in all our years of driving, who have never pulled up to a red light and waited, and waited, at an obviously stuck signal and then, when traffic permits, drive on through the red light?  As a sworn officer of the Analogy Police Force it is my duty to bring this to your attention....😎

[duquephart]

4 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

I have to recognize your red light stopping analogy and ask is there none among us, in all our years of driving, who have never pulled up to a red light and waited, and waited, at an obviously stuck signal and then, when traffic permits, drive on through the red light?  As a sworn officer of the Analogy Police Force it is my duty to bring this to your attention....😎

 

I had a cop tell me to run a light once. My MC didn't trip the plate.

[Jim Avery]

13 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

I had a cop tell me to run a light once. My MC didn't trip the plate.

Haha, get a bigger bike....🍺

[duquephart]

20 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Haha, get a bigger bike....🍺

 

Both bike and me are bigger now.

[Haworth]

We are now actually on holiday in Turkey, it’s a land based golf trip. No pre flight PCR tests required, masks only on the plane, no where else. A few staff in the hotel wearing masks and if you ignore that it’s all very much back to pre covid days.

[Mariastreby]

On 5/4/2022 at 12:44 PM, PasadenaDave said:

I actually can understand the pre-flight test.  If you were to test positive, it would be better to do so before a long flight.  We tested negative Sunday night and fly out tonight

I agree with this one, as we also have to "pass" the saliva test to embark on our cruise, after being on a pre excursion (14 days) on our own. Every cruise company requires that before boarding. But Viking is - I believe - the ONLY cruise company in the world that still requires daily PCR testing. If they just scaled back to antigen tests, which pick up the "sicker" and more contagious people, that would be a step in the right direction.

 

But most people on both river and ocean who are testing positive have mild to absolutely no symptoms, meaning their viral loads are extremely low. Often when spouses have quarantined together, one continues to test negative while the other is positive. That's how non-contagious some people really are. Covid has to be treated endemically at this point, or else we might as well test for the seasonal flu and colds. Yes, staying masked is still a great idea, especially on excursion buses.  

 

Obviously, the other ridiculous testing requirement, which the US is the only one left doing - the testing to return home. That's outrageous, especially if you aren't "with" Viking inside the 24 hours of getting on your flight. But that's another whole conversation that I'm sure is on these boards somewhere... if permitted.

[Twitchly]

14 hours ago, Haworth said:

We are now actually on holiday in Turkey, it’s a land based golf trip. No pre flight PCR tests required, masks only on the plane, no where else. A few staff in the hotel wearing masks and if you ignore that it’s all very much back to pre covid days.

Right now we’re thinking our next trip (after the voucher cruise in the fall) will be a safari. Not sure we’re cut out for the cruising life anymore.

 

Golfing in Turkey? Fascinating. I would never have pegged Turkey as a golf destination.

[Haworth]

5 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

Right now we’re thinking our next trip (after the voucher cruise in the fall) will be a safari. Not sure we’re cut out for the cruising life anymore.

 

Golfing in Turkey? Fascinating. I would never have pegged Turkey as a golf destination.

Have a look at Belek, loads of great courses and really nice hotels, played a Faldo designed course today

[shadowlover]

8 hours ago, Mariastreby said:

I agree with this one, as we also have to "pass" the saliva test to embark on our cruise, after being on a pre excursion (14 days) on our own. Every cruise company requires that before boarding. But Viking is - I believe - the ONLY cruise company in the world that still requires daily PCR testing. If they just scaled back to antigen tests, which pick up the "sicker" and more contagious people, that would be a step in the right direction.

 

But most people on both river and ocean who are testing positive have mild to absolutely no symptoms, meaning their viral loads are extremely low. Often when spouses have quarantined together, one continues to test negative while the other is positive. That's how non-contagious some people really are. Covid has to be treated endemically at this point, or else we might as well test for the seasonal flu and colds. Yes, staying masked is still a great idea, especially on excursion buses.  

 

Obviously, the other ridiculous testing requirement, which the US is the only one left doing - the testing to return home. That's outrageous, especially if you aren't "with" Viking inside the 24 hours of getting on your flight. But that's another whole conversation that I'm sure is on these boards somewhere... if permitted.

I think you also have to get your own pcr or antigen test PRIOR to boarding if you do an excursion on your own.  Then when you arrive to the ship they do yet another spit pcr test.  Not sure why this is required but the wording is pretty clear.  - PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to boarding first international flight, (or joining Viking if traveling independently,) or - Antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to boarding first international flight (or joining Viking if traveling independently,)

[Mariastreby]

15 hours ago, shadowlover said:

I think you also have to get your own pcr or antigen test PRIOR to boarding if you do an excursion on your own.  Then when you arrive to the ship they do yet another spit pcr test.  Not sure why this is required but the wording is pretty clear.  - PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to boarding first international flight, (or joining Viking if traveling independently,) or - Antigen test taken within 24 hours prior to boarding first international flight (or joining Viking if traveling independently,)

The wording is misleading. I found out for sure that Viking only cares to see the negative results of any PCR/antigen test taken within those time limits prior to checking in at the port. They don’t even know that we’re flying into Spain two weeks prior. To them, that doesn’t matter. Even if they did know, they wouldn’t pay any attention to a test taken 15-17 days before embarkation.
 

This is where the whole “traveling independently” comes into play. We’ll get a PCR 2-3 days before embarkation in Barcelona, and it will probably be a “fresher” test because we didn’t have several long flights in between. However, my husband and I will get PCR tests two days before we fly to Madrid next week anyway. We need to know ahead of leaving the country (just for our own peace of mind) that one of us is positive but asymptomatic. 

[CILCIANRQTS]

Must we continue to read about who gets what test when and where??
This has nothing to do with the original topic. 
I’m getting a headache from all this, which means that - out of an abundance of caution - I’ll need to do yet another home antigen test! 😎

[MarkTapley]

On 5/5/2022 at 2:14 PM, Twitchly said:

Right now we’re thinking our next trip (after the voucher cruise in the fall) will be a safari.

That’s what we’re doing.  Leaving August 2nd for 4 weeks in south and east Africa on our own, before a Nile cruise.  It looks like there may be testing needed at some border crossings, but these requirements may be gone by the time we get there.  We prefer independent travel, with a cruise now and then.  Returned this week from 2 weeks in Italy with a rental car.  Tested the day before our return flight, as required by current USA rules.

 

 

[KBs mum]

30 minutes ago, MarkTapley said:

  We prefer independent travel, with a cruise now and then.  Returned this week from 2 weeks in Italy with a rental car.  Tested the day before our return flight, as required by current USA rules.

 

 

Same here, having successfully swapped cruise itineraries to one where the countries, including ours, have few covid regulations, if not for Viking no tests at all would be required at any time. We need QR code proof of vaccination, but that's no problem, have already downloaded it from our NHS app, can refresh it as required date wise. 

PCR tests are not easily obtainable in the UK now. A friend who booked a test to go to the USA (for work) two months in advance found the only appointment in the time frame was a 3 hour round trip. 

[Messybill]

On 5/3/2022 at 9:26 PM, Canadian Sunset said:

I don’t get why people are so upset with daily testing. How hard is it to spit in a tube every morning?  My husband and I did it for 25 days and survived.  We also continue to wear masks now that we’re home.  Not a big deal.

 

On 5/3/2022 at 9:42 PM, Jim Avery said:

To each his own....🥃

Here's a consideration.   We are currently on Jupiter in Norway.  Last night the tubes were delivered to our room as usual.  We woke this morning and were just about to deliver the goods into the tubes when we noticed they were not ours.  Someone else got ours. We got someone else's.   We went down to guest services and gave them the wrong tubes.  They arranged a re-test, but we'd already been to the gym, brushed our teeth, had coffee and a danish, etc.  All those things they insist you don't do before providing the sample.  Guest services didn't care.  We got the impression that they just wanted to be able to check off that everyone had done the test that day.  And... someone had to go through all the tubes that were submitted this morning looking for the ones that were actually labelled as ours and had been delivered to someone else. Apparently they found them - used.  So whoever got our tubes didn't notice - they spat and ran.   What if we hadn't noticed the mixup?  And how many times does this happen and nobody notices?  There's how you get false positives (and corresponding false negatives).   If Viking can't do this job with precision, it is worse than useless.  And that is obnoxious and irritating.  Viking doesn't monitor the actual testing, nor does it maintain any kind of control over what happens to the sample while it is sitting out in the hall for potentially 8 hours overnight (we have observed that some people do them the night before).   If we had wanted to game it a little, we could easily have collected a week's worth of spit before we joined the ship and doled that out each day.  We'd never show positive.  And by the way spitting in a tube is not so straightforward, usually resulting in unpleasant liquid all over the floor and dripping down the tube onto my hands. So after three days of this, I'm of the opinion that this is a ridiculous sideshow, and that the video I saw of the Chairman announcing that "Covid was behind us" was not really sincerely implemented.

[Mariastreby]

2 hours ago, Messybill said:

What if we hadn't noticed the mixup?  And how many times does this happen and nobody notices?  There's how you get false positives (and corresponding false negatives).   If Viking can't do this job with precision, it is worse than useles.

On several of the Viking Facebook group pages, people posted about this exact mix-up of tubes happening. But one cabin attendant told the passenger that doing that was supposedly a fireable offense. Yet we’re hearing about it yet again. The attendants make human mistakes, but it seems weird to me that they are still making them if the importance of this has been hammered into their training. They take care of straightening and cleaning up the cabins and bathrooms so well, but as long as this ridiculous testing continues, you’d think that double checking the cabin names and numbers they are responsible for would be top priority. 
 

And then yes, one person could pay the price for that major mistake, if he or she seems positive, but actually isn’t. Our cruise is in 3 weeks, so I will carefully inspect our name and cabin number every night. The whole thing really is asinine at this point. 😡