Covid Testing Prior to Joining Viking River Cruise

[terriwa]

Hello,

 

We are booked on a Viking River Grand European river cruise for August 2022.  We are departing from the US early in the morning of the 3rd day prior to joining the cruise to do some independent sightseeing so we won't be able to get a PCR test in the US within Viking's 72 hour PCR test window.  So I think our options are:

1. Get rapid PCR tested locally in Amsterdam when we arrive.
2. Bring along a home anitgen test with video proctoring and test in the hotel within the Viking 24 hour antigen test window.
3. Modify our travel plans to skip the independent pre-cruise sightseeing and get tested in the US within the 72 hour PCR test window.

(We didn't buy "cancel for any reason" insurance, just standard third-party travel insurance; so I don't think we will be able to postpone/cancel the cruise without forfeiting a significant portion of the cruise cost.)

 

Questions:

• Has anyone tried getting a rapid PCR test in Amsterdam?  Looks like a company called "Tours and Tickets" has several rapid PCR testing locations in the downtown area. 
• Does anyone know if Viking River will accept video proctored antigen testing (e.g. BINAX now)?  Would a typical hotel wifi connection be sufficient to support the video proctoring?

 

Thanks!

[MrsFops&FopsC5]

We were in Amsterdam prior to our Rhône River cruise just 2 weeks ago.  Our hotel arranged a PCR for us, came to the room and had the results about 26 hours later.  It was pricey but it was the only way we could get tested since we were not arriving in Lyon until after most of the pharmacies were closed.   Check with your hotel.  Have fun.  We sure enjoyed our Viking Cruise.

[Gourmet Gal]

Sounds like you have a choice of PCR or Antigen?  If so, it should be very easy to find rapid Antigen testing in Amsterdam as it is in many European cities.  Have you asked the concierge at your hotel?  We were recently in Paris and there were testing tents literally everywhere and many pharmacies did testing as well.  This is not worth changing your travel plans for.

 

BTW, the proctored tests work very well.

[sharkster77]

44 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Sounds like you have a choice of PCR or Antigen?  If so, it should be very easy to find rapid Antigen testing in Amsterdam as it is in many European cities.  Have you asked the concierge at your hotel?  We were recently in Paris and there were testing tents literally everywhere and many pharmacies did testing as well.  This is not worth changing your travel plans for.

 

BTW, the proctored tests work very well.

Good to know the proctored tests went well.   Thanks for the info.

[mhb1757]

Your cheapest option is the Binax Now video proctored test. Hotel WiFi should be fine but if you have poor internet in your hotel room you may have to go elsewhere. A friend recently was in a hotel with spotty WiFi in the room and she asked at the front desk and they offered her use of a small conference room with much better internet. They also offered her use of an Ethernet cable for her laptop but she was fine with the WiFi and her phone in the conference area. 

[Wings55]

We used the proctored tests twice on our most recent (ocean) cruise. Once in Barcelona and again in Venice. You can take the tests when it fits you schedule and the hotel wifi worked just fine. One caution; one of the tests was missing the vile of fluid needed. Thankfully we brought a couple extra tests 'just in case'. 

Paul

[terriwa]

Thanks everyone!  I guess we'll purchase the video proctored test kits before we depart and also verify that Viking will accept the results.

[waldorf]

Viking asked us to have a test prior to our cruise in April, although we paid for tests no one asked to see the test results!

[BOB999]

1 hour ago, waldorf said:

Viking asked us to have a test prior to our cruise in April, although we paid for tests no one asked to see the test results!

 

This was my experience two weeks ago as well.  They also didn't ask to see proof of vaccination nor the Verifly QR code (where only the vaccination goes) but perhaps they already saw it.  A little annoyed that we had to pay for tests that they didn't ask for.

 

Upon boarding we were immediately whisked away for a nasal swab antigen test that had to be the lightest test I've ever had.

[emckeeve]

Just back from Normandy cruise May 31.  The exit test on May 30 seemed perfunctory.  Three of the four in our group tested positive at home on June 1.  

 

[Aardfark]

On 6/4/2022 at 4:06 AM, waldorf said:

Viking asked us to have a test prior to our cruise in April, although we paid for tests no one asked to see the test results!

The Covid test prior to leaving on your 1st flight leg is for you, not the cruise ship company. No thinking person is going to leave on their trip if they test positive, only to get put off the ship immediately upon failing the entry test. You would lose all your air travel cost.

[cibaygirls]

How about tests for returning back to the US? Does viking provide them?  I am cruising next week and am set to go just not sure what happens at the end of the cruise 

[Travel_Maven]

9 hours ago, cibaygirls said:

How about tests for returning back to the US? Does viking provide them?  I am cruising next week and am set to go just not sure what happens at the end of the cruise 

All of that information should be in your pre-cruise information from Viking. We lhave a September Cruise and received an email from Viking about all things Covid last week. 

Edited June 8, 2022 by Travel_Maven
Spelling

[Aardfark]

10 hours ago, cibaygirls said:

How about tests for returning back to the US? Does viking provide them?  I am cruising next week and am set to go just not sure what happens at the end of the cruise 

Viking gives you another saliva test on the morning of your last day and delivers the printed results in the evening along with the the other daily cruise notes. Hand that to the airline check in and you are good to go.

[Aardfark]

ETA: That assumes you are not extending your cruise in a hotel, but leaving directly for the US as the test has to be no farther out then the day before your flight departs. In this case, Viking would not provide you with a test for the US return, you would probably ask the hotel front desk for a test provider recommendation.

[2017newcruiser]

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/why-viking/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-program.html

[meg1021]

In reading through the posts on this topic, many opted for the proctored home tests.  Some got tests once in Europe.  Reading through Viking's website, a Rapid Antigen test, 24 hours before boarding your flight is acceptable.  Our flight leaves PIT At 12:43 on 7/29, and leaves ATL for AMS at 5:35. I guess that to be on the safe side, we can get a rapid antigen test at MedExpress anytime after 5:35 on Thursday 7/28.  Has anyone done this?  Or is it best to call Viking, just to be sure?  If Viking hasn't been checking tests results when boarding, like some have said, I'm assuming that our plan would be acceptable.

[GrannyLala]

3 hours ago, meg1021 said:

In reading through the posts on this topic, many opted for the proctored home tests.  Some got tests once in Europe.  Reading through Viking's website, a Rapid Antigen test, 24 hours before boarding your flight is acceptable.  Our flight leaves PIT At 12:43 on 7/29, and leaves ATL for AMS at 5:35. I guess that to be on the safe side, we can get a rapid antigen test at MedExpress anytime after 5:35 on Thursday 7/28.  Has anyone done this?  Or is it best to call Viking, just to be sure?  If Viking hasn't been checking tests results when boarding, like some have said, I'm assuming that our plan would be acceptable.

If you are considered to be "traveling independently" this will not work.  If Viking has booked your air, they are providing your transfer straight to their boat or a pre-cruise hotel it will work.

[Foamer]

We booked air through Viking, but are going over a week early to do some sightseeing in the area I lived in the first half of the 90s (Uncle Sam's Uniformed Travel Agency - You're going green!). I suspect (and have sent in an inquiry) that this will be treated the same as independent air and we'll just have to get a test in the city we are staying in prior to joining the cruise in Munich. 

 

I'll comment back if I find out any different. 

[meg1021]

17 hours ago, GrannyLala said:

If you are considered to be "traveling independently" this will not work.  If Viking has booked your air, they are providing your transfer straight to their boat or a pre-cruise hotel it will work.

Thanks for the information.  We did use Viking Air, but we're going to Amsterdam a day early, and booked our hotel independently.  I guess that my best option will be to call Viking, to make sure that we're complying with their requirements.  If it is necessary to test in Amsterdam, hopefully they provide you with some assistance in booking your tests. If not, perhaps I'll email the hotel and they'll provide options for testing in Amsterdam.