Viking no longer requires pre-departure COVID-19 test. RCCL next...?

[NavyCruiser]

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/why-viking/health-and-safety/health-and-safety-program.html?_ga=2.254377419.259112913.1654881556-290090106.1654881556&_gl=1*10rty20*_ga*MjkwMDkwMTA2LjE2NTQ4ODE1NTY.*_ga_24KNYDH1S6*MTY1NDk3NTUxMi4zLjEuMTY1NDk3NTUzNy4w

 

"...Viking highly recommends, but no longer requires, a pre-departure COVID-19 test—unless one is required by the destination...."

 

RCCL soon too...?

[time4u2go]

That change does not apply to Viking Cruises out of the US and Canada.

[h20skibum]

Or on cruises where destinations require them. 

[Lane Hog]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

Or on cruises where destinations require them. 

 

How many destinations are actually requiring them?  Lots of conjecture, but where's the proof?

If you can fly into the country without a test, I can't believe they'd require the test for a port call.

[karl_nj]

9 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

 

How many destinations are actually requiring them?  Lots of conjecture, but where's the proof?

If you can fly into the country without a test, I can't believe they'd require the test for a port call.

 

The destinations currently requiring them are the US and Canada, apparently:

 

Viking Health & Safety Program (vikingcruises.com)

 

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.

 

Though there could be destinations that Viking is not currently sailing from (or to, or visiting) that could also require them.  And anything is subject to change in the future.

 

[time4u2go]

10 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

 

How many destinations are actually requiring them?  Lots of conjecture, but where's the proof?

Several Caribbean countries require a negative test:

 

https://www.travelweekly.com/Caribbean-Travel/Caribbean-readies-for-a-wave-of-reopenings

 

[Lane Hog]

Thanks for that.  So essentially cruises to the following don't require testing:

Antigua, Barbados, Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao, Barbuda, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Puerto Rico/USVI, St. Barts, St Martin, and Turks & Caicos

Seems like a decent set of destinations that already make up many existing itineraries...

Notably, Bahamas still requires it, as do Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Cuba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, and Nicaragua... 

Something says if the cruise industry suddenly started canceling port stops, some of those islands would re-think their testing requirements.  Bahamas?  Go ahead and test if you're not going to a private island...

Edited June 15, 2022 by Lane Hog

[Ourusualbeach]

30 minutes ago, Lane Hog said:

Something says if the cruise industry suddenly started canceling port stops, some of those islands would re-think their testing requirements.  Bahamas?  Go ahead and test if you're not going to a private island...

Going to have to get the CDC to change their requirements before you start worrying about the islands

[BirdTravels]

4 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

Thanks for that.  

Stopping testing is a horrible idea. Based on the number of people who gripe about testing positive on our roll calls and having to cancel their cruise, pre-cruise testing is doing exactly what it is supposed to. Stopping COVID positive people from boarding ships. Yup, folks can test positive mid-cruise, but at least you are not knowingly allowing infected people onboard. Pre-cruise testing should never end. 

[rudeney]

13 minutes ago, BirdTravels said:

. Pre-cruise testing should never end. 

 

My great-grandchildren will certainly appreciate that.

[stacynray]

From your lips to God’s ears 🤞🏻 

[zap99]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Stopping testing is a horrible idea. Based on the number of people who gripe about testing positive on our roll calls and having to cancel their cruise, pre-cruise testing is doing exactly what it is supposed to. Stopping COVID positive people from boarding ships. Yup, folks can test positive mid-cruise, but at least you are not knowingly allowing infected people onboard. Pre-cruise testing should never end. 

How will you test positive mid cruise if nobody is going to test?.

[pyrateslife4me84]

6 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Stopping testing is a horrible idea. Based on the number of people who gripe about testing positive on our roll calls and having to cancel their cruise, pre-cruise testing is doing exactly what it is supposed to. Stopping COVID positive people from boarding ships. Yup, folks can test positive mid-cruise, but at least you are not knowingly allowing infected people onboard. Pre-cruise testing should never end. 

They should just do a full cavity search of all passengers to be safe. They could be bringing all sorts of things on board!

[ace2542]

11 hours ago, Ourusualbeach said:

Going to have to get the CDC to change their requirements before you start worrying about the islands

That will never happen they would close the cruise industry down if they could.

 

[Ourusualbeach]

23 minutes ago, ace2542 said:

That will never happen they would close the cruise industry down if they could.

 

From the person who said we'd be wearing masks forever....🤣

[Billy Baltic]

7 hours ago, BirdTravels said:

Stopping testing is a horrible idea. Based on the number of people who gripe about testing positive on our roll calls and having to cancel their cruise, pre-cruise testing is doing exactly what it is supposed to. Stopping COVID positive people from boarding ships. Yup, folks can test positive mid-cruise, but at least you are not knowingly allowing infected people onboard. Pre-cruise testing should never end. 

Whether people like it or not, it will end, as have the other controls. Social distancing came and went. Masks are there for those that want them. Testing will go the same way.

I have some sympathy for people who are or feel vulnerable but the world moves on based on the needs and wants of the majority. 

[alfaeric]

Much of the forced CDC constraints have been lifted- and the cruise lines are far more operating on their own.   Listen to what their leaders are saying- the current requirements are there to balance risk- they don't want people to get seriously sick on board as they just can't deal with it (both on a health and a PR basis).

 

Someday, testing will end- but that will be when the number of people getting sick would end up less than the number of people getting sick with testing.

 

Same goes for the vaccine requirement.

 

I've stopped paying attention to the numbers- as it seems that the ebbs and flows of people getting sick are coming in smaller waves now.  And this is really good.  But I expect that the cruise lines are keeping very, very close watch in what is going on.

 

BTW, noting that masking is starting to be required for some ships in Alaska, prepare that no change in requirements will be permanent.  Testing may go, but it may come back again.  

[smokeybandit]

13 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

 Listen to what their leaders are saying

The cruise line leaders are saying, via the CLIA, that it's time to end pre-cruise testing

[alfaeric]

6 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

The cruise line leaders are saying, via the CLIA, that it's time to end pre-cruise testing

We interpret their messages differently.

 

Especially bearing in mind that masks are not required, but ships are starting to require them on some sailings.

 

I would read that they want less direct involvement from the CDC, but that does not mean the stop of anything.  Heck, I would wager that the cruise lines would keep requirements longer than the CDC would recommend just to prove they are responsible.

 

Given how full ships are right now, testing isn't exactly lowering the passenger count.

[smokeybandit]

5 minutes ago, alfaeric said:

We interpret their messages differently.

 

Especially bearing in mind that masks are not required, but ships are starting to require them on some sailings.

 

I would read that they want less direct involvement from the CDC, but that does not mean the stop of anything.  Heck, I would wager that the cruise lines would keep requirements longer than the CDC would recommend just to prove they are responsible.

 

Given how full ships are right now, testing isn't exactly lowering the passenger count.

 

"As the CDC monitors the improving health landscape and works with airlines to support a smooth transition with the lifting of the pre-arrival testing requirement, we believe a review of pre-embarkation testing requirements for cruise travelers is also in order"

I'm not sure how one could interpret that message a anything other than 'get rid of pre cruise testing"

 

What ships are requiring masks? 

 

And if testing isn't lowering the passenger count, then that's even more of a reason to get rid of testing.

[DCPIV]

13 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

Notably, Bahamas still requires it, as do Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Cuba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, and Nicaragua... 

Something says if the cruise industry suddenly started canceling port stops, some of those islands would re-think their testing requirements.

 

It's hardly that simple.  Bahamas and Barbados (and maybe some others there) are major parts of the infrastructure.  You don't just skip those.

[smokeybandit]

13 hours ago, Lane Hog said:

Thanks for that.  So essentially cruises to the following don't require testing:

Antigua, Barbados, Aruba/Bonaire/Curacao, Barbuda, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guatemala, Honduras, Jamaica, Martinique, Mexico, Puerto Rico/USVI, St. Barts, St Martin, and Turks & Caicos

Seems like a decent set of destinations that already make up many existing itineraries...

Notably, Bahamas still requires it, as do Anguilla, Antigua, Barbuda, Barbados, BVI, Cuba, St. Lucia, St. Kitts/Nevis, and Nicaragua... 

Something says if the cruise industry suddenly started canceling port stops, some of those islands would re-think their testing requirements.  Bahamas?  Go ahead and test if you're not going to a private island...

 

St Kitts doesn't require covid tests for cruise passengers.  St Lucia and Antigua/Barbuda have no covid restrictions at all for vaccinated travelers. 

[alfaeric]

23 minutes ago, smokeybandit said:

 

"As the CDC monitors the improving health landscape and works with airlines to support a smooth transition with the lifting of the pre-arrival testing requirement, we believe a review of pre-embarkation testing requirements for cruise travelers is also in order"

I'm not sure how one could interpret that message a anything other than 'get rid of pre cruise testing"

 

What ships are requiring masks? 

 

And if testing isn't lowering the passenger count, then that's even more of a reason to get rid of testing.

A HAL ship is requiring mask in Alaska right now.  

 

When I hear CEO's clearly point out they can't care of really sick people, it's very much a balance of risk.  They want to do all they can do to not have anyone in bad shape on the ship, and it's working.  Again, just because they want to get the CDC to end it does not 100% mean they will stop ot.

 

And I'm not sure how you conclude that they should part with testing when it's not impacting passenger count.  Given that it reduces the risk of sick people without impacting passenger count, seems to me that it would stay longer, not shorter.  People are sailing WITH the current restrictions, so removing them won't have any significant impact on passenger numbers.

 

I want this to end as much as anyone else does, but at least understand WHY people and companies are slow to change.

[Robo1098]

I think that this more of an attention grab on Vikings part. Lots of talk and publicity for them and no signifcant change as many of their cruises and all out of the US still require testing. Gets lots of people on their side. Also stirs up a lot of confusion though. 

[DCPIV]

2 minutes ago, Robo1098 said:

I think that this more of an attention grab on Vikings part. Lots of talk and publicity for them and no signifcant change as many of their cruises and all out of the US still require testing. Gets lots of people on their side. Also stirs up a lot of confusion though. 

 

It's not just an attention grab.  Viking operates in Europe much more than anywhere else.  European nations have pretty much reduced or eliminated entry requirements.  If testing is required, it's pretty much only for those without proof of vaccination.