Positive For Covid on Viking

[Babr]

9 hours ago, stretchcruz said:

Did you have trip insurance? Will your trip insurance cover?

This was discussed earlier in the thread. I still contend that travel insurance would not cover isolation or quarantine on the ship because there is no financial loss to reimburse. The passenger still receives housing, food, and medical care; and the trip continues to progress. Inconvenience, disappointment, or frustration are the elements of a law suit, not insurance.

 

There was an instance of people being offered the opportunity to remain on board to complete quarantine during the following cruise for $100 per person per day on a Windstar cruise recently. Now that might qualify a travel insurance claim.

[Heidi13]

7 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

The routine is the same for all who test positive while on  board. If someone is quarantined in the middle or end of the cruise - or a partner chooses to quarantine together and subsequently becomes positive days later - the quarantine must continue post-cruise until 10 days are completed which the CDC requires to return to the USA.. Usually this is in a hotel, but it may be on the same ship in a quarantine cabin. Sorry, but eel's situation followed the same rules all who tested positive did. 

 

Covid is what it is, and although there will always be issues, Viking does compensate well compared to other cruise lines. Check this out:  https://www.khon2.com/coronavirus/covid-in-hawaii-we-are-in-princess-cruise-jail-now/

 

Just to continue your great response.

 

Viking are completely open on the daily testing and implications of testing positive. They have been discussed extensively on this and other forums. If pax don't accept this risk they have the option of cancelling and getting most money back 120+ days out, or a FCV, if within.

 

Therefore, everyone that elects to cruise with Viking at present, accepts this risk and the potential consequences. They may not like the risk, but by continuing with the cruise they have accepted the risk.

 

If you are aware of the risk and have options, hardly grounds for litigation after a cruise.

[CurlerRob]

32 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

The routine is the same for all who test positive while on  board.

17 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

If you are aware of the risk and have options, hardly grounds for litigation after a cruise.

 

Squawkman and Andy - I agree with all of your points about process, risk and lack of liability, but I'm troubled by two items raised by eel:

 

In my opinion, daily test results for quarantined pax should be provided to them automatically. They should not have to request them after the fact - they are our health records. Keeping a patient fully informed about their medical condition is mandatory good medicine.

 

The circumstances described by eel do raise the question of whether the on board physician should have some professional discretion, especially around the "90-day" timing. There's no magic to the 90-day window, it's simply a point in time chosen by the CDC. Other countries' health institutions have different  recovery "windows" and quarantine times. While it may be simpler for the cruise lines to avoid exceptions, I'm sympathetic to the difference that one day made in this case. 🍺🥌

[Squawkman]

21 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

In my opinion, daily test results for quarantined pax should be provided to them automatically. They should not have to request them after the fact - they are our health records.

Quarantined pax are given the phone extension for the medical office and will be given test results for that day if they were not called. There were at least 20 pax in quarantine when I was on the Jupiter, so it can get busy for the medical staff. - so just call if you didn't hear.

 

26 minutes ago, CurlerRob said:

The circumstances described by eel do raise the question of whether the on board physician should have some professional discretion, especially around the "90-day" timing. There's no magic to the 90-day window, it's simply a point in time chosen by the CDC. 

True, but Viking's policy is conforming with the CDC guide as <90 days excuses you from a Covid test to enter most countries. I don't think it's necessarily "simpler" for Viking to conform. If they allow 91 days, why not 92? 

[bookbabe]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

Viking are completely open on the daily testing and implications of testing positive. They have been discussed extensively on this and other forums. If pax don't accept this risk they have the option of cancelling and getting most money back 120+ days out, or a FCV, if within.

This exact situation is why we chose to (sadly) cancel our fully-paid February 2023 Panama Canal cruise with Viking and book a similar NCL cruise instead.  While we are eager to cruise with Viking at some point, the testing and the possibility of (rightful or wrongful) quarantine adds a layer of stress to the journey that we just don't want to deal with at this point.  

Viking has been very clear on their policies, so it's up to each individual to determine their comfort level with those policies.  Knowing the policies and going on the cruise, only to get upset with the policies afterwards isn't reasonable IMO.

[Baron Barracuda]

"The circumstances described by eel do raise the question of whether the on board physician should have some professional discretion, especially around the "90-day" timing. There's no magic to the 90-day window, it's simply a point in time chosen by the CDC. Other countries' health institutions have different  recovery "windows" and quarantine times. While it may be simpler for the cruise lines to avoid exceptions, I'm sympathetic to the difference that one day made in this case. 🍺🥌"

 

Maybe a lesson for anyone who tests positive around 3 months prior to a Viking sailing is to delay applying for a recovery letter so it is dated  no more than 90 days from disembarkation.

[eel]

Just now, Baron Barracuda said:

Maybe a lesson for anyone who tests positive around 3 months prior to a Viking sailing is to delay applying for a recovery letter so it is dated  no more than 90 days from disembarkation.

The recovery letter is dependent on the date you first test positive for COVID-19. The doctor requires a positive test to write the letter. I suppose I could have used a subsequent positive test to "fudge" the date but that would have been shady in my opinion. 

[Squawkman]

29 minutes ago, bookbabe said:

This exact situation is why we chose to (sadly) cancel our fully-paid February 2023 Panama Canal cruise with Viking and book a similar NCL cruise instead.  While we are eager to cruise with Viking at some point, the testing and the possibility of (rightful or wrongful) quarantine adds a layer of stress to the journey that we just don't want to deal with at this point.  

The problem with this latest strain of Covid is that many - if not most - who get it are totally asymptomatic and run the risk of testing positive when they're ready to fly home. This happened to friends of ours on a Princess TA to London. Between the two of them, they wound up spending 20 days in quarantine in a London hotel after the cruise was over. My advice to anyone travelling these days isto take plenty of extra medications as you can never be sure when you'll get back home.

[SJD117]

@eelI’m going to offer you some friendly advice. I’m not your attorney and I won’t be your attorney on the Viking dispute. But I’ve been a lawyer for 40 years, so I know something about legal process.

 

You said you’ve consulted with a maritime attorney. Great — that’s your right. But don’t tell us in this group, or anybody else, what the results of that consultation might be. If you do, you lose the protection of attorney-client privilege as to the consultation. It will no longer be confidential because you’ve waived the privilege.

 

On a related point: You should assume Viking reads the comments in this group. So you should likewise assume that Viking has read or will read every statement you make here (especially since you’ve raised the prospect of a legal claim in multiple threads). If I were in your situation, I would be very hesitant about arguing a claim in a public forum like this one and the other threads where you’ve posted. Every word will be parsed by Viking and its attorneys and potentially used against you. Why give them that ammunition?

 

Good luck.

[bookbabe]

1 hour ago, Squawkman said:

The problem with this latest strain of Covid is that many - if not most - who get it are totally asymptomatic and run the risk of testing positive when they're ready to fly home. This happened to friends of ours on a Princess TA to London. Between the two of them, they wound up spending 20 days in quarantine in a London hotel after the cruise was over. My advice to anyone travelling these days isto take plenty of extra medications as you can never be sure when you'll get back home.

We had totally asymptomatic Covid back in January, only found out on a travel test to leave for a vacation, so we are well aware of how it works.  And Canada doesn't require a test to return home anymore, so we are more worried about a shipboard or mid-cruise quarantine. Thanks, though.  

[Begete]

If one tests positive and cannot get on a plane back to the USA that person will need to go into quarantine in a hotel.  I assume that one’s travel insurance will cover the hotel, meals and medical costs, but what responsibility does the cruise line have?  Will they assist with rescheduling flights?  Airport transfers?  Finding a hotel?

 

Does the travel insurance have a cap on the price of a hotel room?

[Babr]

8 minutes ago, Begete said:

If one tests positive and cannot get on a plane back to the USA that person will need to go into quarantine in a hotel.  I assume that one’s travel insurance will cover the hotel, meals and medical costs, but what responsibility does the cruise line have?  Will they assist with rescheduling flights?  Airport transfers?  Finding a hotel?

 

Does the travel insurance have a cap on the price of a hotel room?

 

 

I can’t say what the cruise line will do for you, but I do know that travel insurance benefits for trip interruption and trip delay are capped. Depending on the policy you have, you may get as little as $500 total or as much as $250 per person per day up to the schedule maximum of $2,500 each.

 

Usually the trip interruption provision pays for prepaid nonrefundable unused expenses and return transportation up to 150% of the cost of the trip while the trip delay provision pays for hotel, meals, and miscellaneous expenses up to the schedule maximum. Once again it depends on the policy.

 

Medical will be covered in any event as long as you can provide the proper documentation. Usually that means confirmation of the diagnosis by a health care professional or local health authority.

 

People who are depending on credit card insurance will find they have little protection in the event of delay caused by a positive test.

[KBs mum]

3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Viking are completely open on the daily testing and implications of testing positive. They have been discussed extensively on this and other forums. If pax don't accept this risk they have the option of cancelling and getting most money back 120+ days out, or a FCV, if within.

 

Therefore, everyone that elects to cruise with Viking at present, accepts this risk and the potential consequences. They may not like the risk, but by continuing with the cruise they have accepted the risk.

 

If you are aware of the risk and have options, hardly grounds for litigation after a cruise.

I hate to disagree with you, bit we have heard nothing from Viking regarding the testing before departure, daily testing and implications resulting.

If I hadn't accidentally found cruise critic via a hotel search I wouldn't have been aware of either cruise critic, or Viking's illogical covid policies. 

I'm not in the US, I don't care what the CDC says (whilst having nothing against them, they are dealing with the situation in the USA, which we are not going anywhere near) 

Viking are not providing the information necessary to make an informed choice re. cancellation or not. We accept that government mandates might change for the countries on the itinerary, but Viking are not following them. 

[Squawkman]

9 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

I hate to disagree with you, bit we have heard nothing from Viking regarding the testing before departure, daily testing and implications resulting.

If I hadn't accidentally found cruise critic via a hotel search I wouldn't have been aware of either cruise critic, or Viking's illogical covid policies. 

I'm not in the US, I don't care what the CDC says (whilst having nothing against them, they are dealing with the situation in the USA, which we are not going anywhere near) 

Viking are not providing the information necessary to make an informed choice re. cancellation or not. We accept that government mandates might change for the countries on the itinerary, but Viking are not following them. 

This is all spelled out on the Viking website - "Why Viking" -> "Explore Safely". It's all there.

[Heidi13]

24 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

I hate to disagree with you, bit we have heard nothing from Viking regarding the testing before departure, daily testing and implications resulting.

If I hadn't accidentally found cruise critic via a hotel search I wouldn't have been aware of either cruise critic, or Viking's illogical covid policies. 

I'm not in the US, I don't care what the CDC says (whilst having nothing against them, they are dealing with the situation in the USA, which we are not going anywhere near) 

Viking are not providing the information necessary to make an informed choice re. cancellation or not. We accept that government mandates might change for the countries on the itinerary, but Viking are not following them. 

 

In Canada, Viking provide the information on both our invoice and in MVJ, so I suspect in UK, at least MVJ is consistent. I expect your invoice has a similar link, which takes us to a document outlining pre-cruise requirements and what to expect onboard.

 

The testing requirements were posted on the Viking website in December 2020.

Edited May 10, 2022 by Heidi13

[molymoo]

3 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

This is all spelled out on the Viking website - "Why Viking" -> "Explore Safely". It's all there.

And in MVJ in the “Before You Go” section.  This gets updated regularly and even more detail is added as the cruise date nears.

[eel]

1 hour ago, SJD117 said:

@eelI’m going to offer you some friendly advice. I’m not your attorney and I won’t be your attorney on the Viking dispute. But I’ve been a lawyer for 40 years, so I know something about legal process.

 

You said you’ve consulted with a maritime attorney. Great — that’s your right. But don’t tell us in this group, or anybody else, what the results of that consultation might be. If you do, you lose the protection of attorney-client privilege as to the consultation. It will no longer be confidential because you’ve waived the privilege.

 

On a related point: You should assume Viking reads the comments in this group. So you should likewise assume that Viking has read or will read every statement you make here (especially since you’ve raised the prospect of a legal claim in multiple threads). If I were in your situation, I would be very hesitant about arguing a claim in a public forum like this one and the other threads where you’ve posted. Every word will be parsed by Viking and its attorneys and potentially used against you. Why give them that ammunition?

 

Good luck.

Thank you very much for the friendly advice. Much appreciated!

[KBs mum]

37 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

In Canada, Viking provide the information on both our invoice and in MVJ, so I suspect in UK, at least MVJ is consistent. I expect your invoice has a similar link, which takes us to a document outlining pre-cruise requirements and what to expect onboard.

 

The testing requirements were posted on the Viking website in December 2020.

MVJ is of no interest to us, we don't book anything other than the cruise itself and sometimes flights via Viking. It is not suggested as vital by viking. We do not book, or select a cruise via the website. The call centre has never mentioned it. Our invoice is an emailed PDF and doesn't mention MVJ. Different countries have different websites. Under UK law any terms and conditions mist be provided in a tangible format either prior to, or at the time of booking  (either by post, email, or via a stated link to a website) As I said, we happened to find this site by accident,. No information specific to the itinerary has been provided by Viking, which makes an informed decision regarding the financial hit impossible 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by KBs mum

[hutch1994]

Wonder if Viking does test everyone on their cruises or do they make exceptions for special people (influencers, etc.) so that those chosen few don't get isolation, or taken off the ship.  Would be very curious about this.

[Heidi13]

8 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

MVJ is of no interest to us, we don't book anything other than the cruise itself and sometimes flights. It is not suggested as vital by viking. We do not book, or select a cruise via the website. The call centre has never mentioned it. Our invoice is an emailed PDF and doesn't mention MVJ. Different countries have different websites. Under UK law any terms and conditions mist be provided in a tangible format either prior to, or at the time of booking  (either by post, email, or via a stated link to a website) As I said, we happened to find this site by accident,. No information has been provided by Viking, which makes an informed decision impossible 

 

 

 

Our invoice is also in pdf format. I would be very surprised that your invoice does not include some link to the daily testing requirement and pre-cruise requirements, since that is a requirement of UK Law.

 

You may elect not to use MVJ, but that doesn't negate the fact the information is most likely included in that resource. 

[KBs mum]

37 minutes ago, molymoo said:

And in MVJ in the “Before You Go” section.  This gets updated regularly and even more detail is added as the cruise date nears.

If essential I don't expect to have to search out the info. We've booked the room we want on the dates we want. We don't book anything else via Viking

[KBs mum]

12 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Our invoice is also in pdf format. I would be very surprised that your invoice does not include some link to the daily testing requirement and pre-cruise requirements, since that is a requirement of UK Law.

 

You may elect not to use MVJ, but that doesn't negate the fact the information is most likely included in that resource. 

Yes, interesting isn't it? Our invoices don't mention MVJ at all, we moved itineraries  over the phone, about 18 months ago. I don't mind what Viking policies are, so long as they are itinerary specific and provided in a timely manner via post or email, Instead of unverified third hand on a website forum. 

We've been on several Viking cruises over the years, have only seen MVJ mentioned here. 

 

 

 

Edited May 10, 2022 by KBs mum

[BigBee51]

I really don't want to get involved with this but, I book through a travel agent. That agent provides us with a copy of the Viking invoice she receives. The invoice contains pertinent information including the Viking passenger contract. The passenger contract provides a link to the Viking terms and conditions which includes a long section on COVID 19 Policy and Procedures. I don't understand why if you are booking directly through Viking that information is not provided directly to you in the invoice.

[SJD117]

51 minutes ago, KBs mum said:

Yes, interesting isn't it? Our invoices don't mention MVJ at all, we moved itineraries  over the phone, about 18 months ago. I don't mind what Viking policies are, so long as they are itinerary specific and provided in a timely manner via post or email, Instead of unverified third hand on a website forum. 

We've been on several Viking cruises over the years, have only seen MVJ mentioned here. 

 

 

 

On its main website, Viking links to its Passenger Contract and to its Booking Terms and Conditions. Whether you choose to work with Viking by yourself or through a travel agent, the Contract and T&Cs are available for review before, during, and after the booking process.

[KBs mum]

2 hours ago, SJD117 said:

On its main website, Viking links to its Passenger Contract and to its Booking Terms and Conditions. Whether you choose to work with Viking by yourself or through a travel agent, the Contract and T&Cs are available for review before, during, and after the booking process.

We booked over the phone, the itinerary was in a leaflet. We had no reason to look at the website, and we were not asked to do so by Viking.