COVID restrictions on Viking River Cruises

[GrannyLala]

Has anyone had any experiences lately with COVID restrictions on Viking River Cruises?

[Roz326]

I coontracted COVID while on the Sigrun. Not a fun way to spend my much anticipated vacation. It's difficult to  social distance on a river ship. You sit with 6-8 people at every meal; and ride with 40+ on every bus. It was hit or miss with the crew wearing masks correctly. Daily testing. If you see trays in the hallway, you know they are quarantined until they can be removed from the ship. You are then removed to a sub-standard hotel to wait out a negative result or your 10 days required to re-enter the U.S. Not sure what you are looking for, as far as restrictions but there you have it. 

 

[pontac]

13 hours ago, GrannyLala said:

Has anyone had any experiences lately with COVID restrictions on Viking River Cruises?

 

Please read my recent thread  Just off Viking Rhine Getaway - Ask Away

 

One update: I said Netherlands require all passengers and crew in planes flying out of and into Netherlands to wear masks. Mask are required at Schipol airport; staff hand out free disposable masks.

 

That was an EU regulation that has been dropped since we flew on 30 April, but individual airlines may choose to continue to require mask wearing.

 

The restrictions on Viking were not onerous and one had the reassurance that people with whom you shared dinner tables had all passed a PCR test that day.

[Roz326]

On 5/18/2022 at 5:27 AM, pontac said:

 

Please read my recent thread  Just off Viking Rhine Getaway - Ask Away

 

One update: I said Netherlands require all passengers and crew in planes flying out of and into Netherlands to wear masks. Mask are required at Schipol airport; staff hand out free disposable masks.

 

That was an EU regulation that has been dropped since we flew on 30 April, but individual airlines may choose to continue to require mask wearing.

 

The restrictions on Viking were not onerous and one had the reassurance that people with whom you shared dinner tables had all passed a PCR test that day.

Not really, unfortunately. You are responsible for delivering your saliva test to the front desk before breakfast. In my case, I did not hear I was positive until the next evening during the port talk for the following day. Well over 30 some hours later. 

[scottjeanne]

I have a close friend who was  on the Danube cruise last week.  She had covid in April and had the monoclonal infusion.  The doctor told her she could test positive for 90 days, and she informed Viking of it.  They boarded the ship, went on their first excursion.  Three suited gentlemen tracked them down, made them pack their bags and escorted them to the Ritz Carlton in Budapest for quarantine.  They had a letter from the doctor explaining things, but Viking would not budge.  The next day, they reached someone at corporate who understood.  Viking came and retrieved them and drove them 3 hours to rejoin the ship in Vienna.  Not a good beginning.

[notamermaid]

30 minutes ago, scottjeanne said:

The next day, they reached someone at corporate who understood. 

A bit embarrassing. If I was in corporate, for me a reason to immediately inform all ships of such a possibility with that treatment to make sure it does not happen again.

 

notamermaid

 

[Sun Lover]

On 5/17/2022 at 4:23 PM, Roz326 said:

I coontracted COVID while on the Sigrun. Not a fun way to spend my much anticipated vacation. It's difficult to  social distance on a river ship. You sit with 6-8 people at every meal; and ride with 40+ on every bus. It was hit or miss with the crew wearing masks correctly. Daily testing. If you see trays in the hallway, you know they are quarantined until they can be removed from the ship. You are then removed to a sub-standard hotel to wait out a negative result or your 10 days required to re-enter the U.S. Not sure what you are looking for, as far as restrictions but there you have it. 

 

 

[Sun Lover]

So were you sent to a sub-standard hotel for the remainder of your trip?  Did you have Viking trip insurance?  I called them a few days ago to ask about what would happen if you test positive and if you would have a choice what hotel you had to quarantine in and they said they couldn't say but that they would assist you in finding a hotel and the hotels Viking chooses for the pre and post cruise excursions were nice hotels and they're sure it would be of that quality. From everything I've read and in talking to other people, it seems with these variants that even with vaccines and boosters people are still testing positive so it makes me nervous to think of being in close quarters with other people on a ship and potentially being kicked off to spend the rest of the time in quarantine.

[Sun Lover]

On 5/20/2022 at 11:07 AM, Sun Lover said:

 

Did you have insurance with Viking?  We are considering canceling our upcoming trip in August.  We have insurance through Viking and if you had their insurance, I would like to know if you had any choice which hotel you were sent to and if everything was paid for.  Were the buses for the excursions packed?  I read they were only filling the buses halfway to allow for social distancing.  Would just the two of us be able to dine at a table alone at dinner or would we definitely be seated at a larger table with other people?