Viking Eliminates Mandatory Pre-Cruise Covid Testing - Will Oceania Be Next?

[ReaderGirl57]

From the Viking Ocean website:

Viking is committed to doing all we can to ensure you are healthy and well prepared for international travel—and that you will be able to arrive in your destination and embark your ship without incident. Viking highly recommends, but does not require, a pre-departure COVID-19 test—unless one is required by the destination.

As of June 10, 2022, select ocean voyages on the Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada will continue to require a pre-departure COVID-19 test.

Obviously, they have eliminated their daily testing protocol as well. 

[ORV]

Seeing how FDR was one of the most adamant on 100% vax I doubt it. 

[ReaderGirl57]

Viking still requires all guests to be vaccinated. But they were requiring  guests to be tested daily as well as provide a negative test pre-cruise. So this is a huge and very sudden turnaround for them.

[Rosroz]

Oh I do hope so , I’ve got everything crossed 

[ToxM]

It seems a little early to be doing that, I will watch with interest.

[bbtondo]

I'm hopeful that the precruise test will no longer be needed for boarding Oceania by the time I sail this August.  Keeping fingers crossed!

 

 

[oskidunker]

Doesn't make sense since the numbers are going up. But I would welcome it. 

[sunlover12]

I would welcome the elimination of testing. Most countries of the world no longer require it to enter. I'm all for the vaccine though. I hope they do away with it before my next cruise in October. 

[kibutzer]

Haven't eliminated,  still required on some voyages. 

 10, 2022, select ocean voyages on the Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada will continue to require a pre-departure COVID-19 test. 

 

I feel better that knowing initially folks are coming on board testing negative. 

[TKS]

Traveling on the Viking Octantis in July. Pre-cruise testing is still required - either PCR or antigen tests, but either must be lab-certified. Daily required testing has been eliminated, but testing can be re-instituted depending on the trajectory of the virus.
 

We are scheduled for Riviera in December (our first O cruise since before the pandemic). I’m, personally, more comfortable knowing all passengers are vax’ed and have tested prior to boarding, so I’m fine with continued pre-cruise testing on O.

 

I just wish I was as comfortable with air travel.

 

 

[CurlerRob]

4 hours ago, TKS said:

Traveling on the Viking Octantis in July. Pre-cruise testing is still required - either PCR or antigen tests, but either must be lab-certified. Daily required testing has been eliminated, but testing can be re-instituted depending on the trajectory of the virus.
 

We are scheduled for Riviera in December (our first O cruise since before the pandemic). I’m, personally, more comfortable knowing all passengers are vax’ed and have tested prior to boarding, so I’m fine with continued pre-cruise testing on O.

 

I just wish I was as comfortable with air travel.

 

 

@TKS, just FYI, your Octantis pre-cruise testing is a Canadian government regulation, as opposed to Viking's - but they noted it in their announcement - "expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada".  Enjoy your Great Lakes cruise. 🍺🥌

[Croooser]

On 6/13/2022 at 12:35 PM, kibutzer said:

Haven't eliminated,  still required on some voyages. 

 10, 2022, select ocean voyages on the Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada will continue to require a pre-departure COVID-19 test. 

 

I feel better that knowing initially folks are coming on board testing negative. 

Can you speak up?

[Redtravel]

If Oceania doesn’t test, I will not sail.  
just back from a cruise, not O.  We brought home an undesired memory. Spouse has Covid.

[LHT28]

9 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

If Oceania doesn’t test, I will not sail.  
just back from a cruise, not O.  We brought home an undesired memory. Spouse has Covid.

Did Celebrity test upon boarding?

[pinotlover]

In Europe, starting a cruise tomorrow. Not on Oceania. No pre-Embarkment test required, only fully vaccinated.

 

But, daily temperature check requirement for all passengers. We were told too many people getting Covid in transit and testing negative upon arrival. This way everyone gets a temperature check daily, and if high , off to mandatory testing. No escape and hiding with negativity on pre-cruise check.

[pinotlover]

Let me add, the airport was a quagmire! We quickly ended up putting on a mask. In the Admirals Club, people were hacking, coughing, and some visually ill. Many not wearing masks, when they entered, were soon digging for them. We ended up leaving and waiting in a mostly remote part of Philly’s airport.

 

We spoke with a couple that got off a Viking cruise. They said most coming down with Covid, on their cruise, did so on Day 3-4. Only a few tested positive later in the cruise. That negative pre-cruise test means little because of infection time.