cruise ships have recorded relatively few cases, requiring all or nearly all passengers to be fully vaccinated, Will I need a COVID-19 vaccine to cruise? Cond Nast Traveler may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers. For most travelers, cruise ship travel is voluntary and should be rescheduled for a future date. On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean . Founded in 1997 by former officials from the Royal Viking Line, Viking River Cruises boasts one of the largest and newest fleets of . What to Expect On Your Journey Widget Content Some passengers who were deemed close contacts of the passengers who tested positive were isolated for a short period while being tested for COVID-19. In safjrur, one of Icelands oldest fishing villages, I opted for a hike to Dynjandi, the largest waterfall in the Westfjords. Set to launch in December 2022, highlights of the sailing include light displays, Cajun cuisine, and VIP access to Graceland. They've spent the past year and a half creating the only full-scale testing labs at sea, putting them into place on every one of their ships (not an. Sure, you might see the ships crew donning face masks, along with a few passengers. I also witnessed the guest relations staff disinfecting their desks after each passenger transaction. Viking's bookings are up more than 40% from the same time in 2019 and guest satisfaction, according to post-cruise surveys, is at least as high as it was pre-pandemic. Our guide received an emergency phone call from his boss. Just like in a hospital, we have also designed a solution to implement short-wavelength ultraviolet (or UV-C) lights and new high-density filters that will sanitize the air on our vessels. Individual cruise lines will determine their own specific COVID-19-related requirements for cruise travel, as well as safety measures and protocols for passengers traveling on board, based on CDC recommendations for reducing the risk of COVID-19, Reed says. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link. The number of passengers being quarantined on ships (after testing positive for COVID-19) also is on the rise. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link. sent to you for updated policies and procedures related to covid-19 . COVID-19 Test Health & Safety FAQ As the leading small ship travel company, Viking takes you closer to the heart of the places you want to visit. . For summer 2022 and into fall, cruising is a value proposition, and so while bookings are not quite at 2019 levels yet, cruise shoppers are taking advantage of these deals., Cruising closer to homeand flying shorter distances, or not at allis also trending in the industry. The relaxation of the testing policy is in line with the rest of the travel, leisure and hospitality industry worldwide as society continues to adapt and return to a state of normalcy.. If you do go on a cruise during the COVID-19 pandemic: Do not board a cruise if you are sick, if you know you have COVID-19, or if you were exposed to a person with COVID-19 in the past 14 days. Effective July 25, 2022, it will no longer require pre-cruise testing, except in ports where the country requires it. Wear a mask to keep your nose and mouth covered when you are in shared spaces, including when using public transportation. Since this is Viking, where experiences are everything, youll learn the secrets to fine Port wine-blending at a quinta, and taste wine and popular regional delicacies, like bola de carne, an irresistible bread filled with a combination of meats and smoked sausage. If you get sick with symptoms of COVID-19, stay in your cabin and notify the onboard medical center immediately. cruise tour through viking river cruises, inc., d/b/a viking cruises, viking ocean cruises and viking expeditions ("vr"). The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. You can also avoid crowded areas to limit your exposure even further. DIAMOND PRINCESS. As of March 11, Viking River Cruises is temporarily suspending operations of all cruises taking place between March 12 and June 30. Find the right card for you. They are also one of the most affordable river cruise options. But the warning shouldn't be seen as a call-out on any elevated risk to cruising as opposed to visiting other places, per se. Specific protocols and procedures may evolve over time to adapt to various conditions or travel regulations in the destinations in which we operate. To learn more, visit Viking River Cruises' website. Are you requiring that I take a COVID-19 test before traveling to a Viking ship? Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Credit card showdown: Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Venture X, JetBlue adds 3 new NYC-area routes as Northeast Alliance hangs in the balance, It's back: Best-ever bonus of 70,000 miles on the Alaska Airlines Business card, Thrills for all ages: 6 best rides at Universal Studios Hollywood. All Rights Reserved. Discover the worldin comforton Viking ocean cruises to . Viking, meanwhile, has suspended all of its operations - river and ocean-going cruises - through at least January 2021. We were nearly an hours drive into my first excursion of the daya hiking trip rich in Icelandic folklore about elves, faeries, and trollswhen our tour guide announced that our bus must immediately return to port. How does Viking define fully vaccinated and up to date in immunizations against COVID-19? And youll probably come across a few new sinks for hand-washing and additional hand-sanitizing stations around the ship. Viking is bringing its signature Scandinavian style to the U.S., and just released details of its holiday-themed voyages along the Mississippi River. CDC has determined that the cruise industry has access to the necessary tools [cruise-specific recommendations and guidance, vaccinations, testing instruments, treatment modalities and non-pharmaceutical interventions] to prevent and mitigate COVID-19 on board.. It took several hours but eventually trustworthy information emerged, confirming that one fully vaccinated, asymptomatic guest had likely tested positive for COVID-19. Vikings policy is that close contacts who are fully vaccinated do not have to quarantine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness on a recently concluded Viking Cruises' voyage. Although no additional positive cases had been detected on board, our final port stopHeimaey Island in the Vestmannaeyjar archipelagowas also cancelled and the Iceland Coast Guard ordered Viking Sky to return to Reykjavk post-haste. Viking Health & Safety Program Pre-Departure COVID-19 Testing Viking is committed to doing all we can to ensure you are healthy and well prepared for international traveland that you will be able to arrive in your destination and embark your ship without incident. Yes, Viking requires all guests to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure. This is one of the biggest risks of taking a cruise right now, and one reason you may consider canceling a sailing scheduled in the short term (see the section on more-flexible cancellation policies below). Every stateroom is cleaned and sanitized daily. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Copyright 2023 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Cond Nast Traveler does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Celebrity Cruises this month became the first major cruise line to operate a sailing in the Caribbean since the COVID-19 pandemic began, and several other major lines including Royal Caribbean are in the midst of starting back up in the Caribbean, too.. A growing number of cruise ships also are restarting operations in Europe and . Bermuda requires visitors 10 and older to show a negative COVID-19 PCR test no more than five days before arrival and fill out a travel authorization online. Passengers feel safe and . We have set up all of our public spaces, including restaurants and lounges, for appropriate social distancing. For more than 23 years, we have always had the highest standards for health and cleanliness, and our new protocol enhancements make Viking even safer. While health authorities no longer are quarantining whole ships when a few passengers or crew test positive for COVID-19, the presence of the illness on board a vessel still could result in notable disruptions to your itinerary. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. No other segment of the travel industry has been as uniform in requiring almost every customer to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Hand sanitizing stations and full sink basins were even more prevalent. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Still, the situation isn't anywhere near as dramatic or disruptive as what we saw at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic two years ago, when whole ships were being quarantined due to outbreaks of the illness and, eventually, the entire industry shut down. . Please visit the Resources tab in My Viking Journey to see if your country of entry has this requirement. Viking Sea cruise ship near Fort. Theres also an increase with guests booking smaller, luxury cruises, she says. As noted above, health authorities no longer are quarantining whole ships when a few -- or even a lot -- of passengers and crew test positive for COVID-19. Notably, all 92 cruise vessels currently operating in U.S. waters have recorded at least a handful of COVID-19 cases in recent weeks, according to CDC data. We have also seen a surge in bookings, with June showing our highest booking levels for Alaska cruises since early 2020, she says. or Vikings River-cruising vessels. Alas, I wasnt two miles into a nature walk through fields of Alaskan lupine when it was dj vu all over again. If anything, the positivity rate is far lower on ships than on land, thanks to much stricter health protocols (more on that in a moment). This includes both its river cruises and . We may earn a commission from your purchases. Viking had already operated two Welcome Back circumnavigations of the island nation with zero incidents, and we anticipated the same. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The agency currently identifies 86 ships where the number of Covid-19 cases meets the threshold for investigation a 178% jump in 10 days as the omicron variant spreads quickly across the U . Even if you test negative, stay home for the full 7 days. Will there be social distancing on board? If a destination requires masks be worn, onboard staff and local guides will confirm the local requirements. This solution will ensure that: Yes, our Travel Protection Plan helps protect you from many unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, which could include necessary medical, quarantine or repatriation expenses related to COVID-19. As of Feb. 1, a new policy has gone into effect at Viking Cruises that requires all passengers to have received their COVID-19 booster if they are eligible to do so. Should you have additional questions about your voyage, please visit the Viking River Cruises FAQ. The information included here should be considered current for all guests. Viking on Sunday was forced to announce a major revision of its soon-to-begin, 120-day world cruise after India notified the line it was closing to cruise ships. The next days itinerary had us docking in Djpivogur, an even smaller hamlet than Seydisfjrdur, so you can imagine our surprise when guests were told that most shore excursions would move ahead as planned. Reducing regulations and restrictions regarding COVID-19 has been the cruise industrys focus since the pandemics beginning. Can I explore the cities/towns we will visit independently while on my cruise? Viking will test symptomatic guests to confirm presence of COVID-19, if a guest requests a test or if the medical staff determines testing is necessary for treatment. Viking River Cruises. COVID-19 had been detected on the ship. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. WESTERDAM. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link. Additionally, Viking Cruises, which operates a global fleet of nearly 80 river boats and ocean cruise ships, suspended all embarkations through April 30 in response to the pandemic, said founder . And our third and final port of call was completely off limits to us. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. Viking Cruises: Viking refusing to refund given COVID risks! Nonetheless, like a true warrior, the . Review fromElizabeth K. 1 star. Less convenient, however, is the thermal suite at the spa. The ports have since reopened after Mexico's Health Department overruled the decisions of local port officials. If you booked your cruise directly with Uniworld, please email us at: ConsumerReservations@Uniworld.com or call our Consumer team at 1-800-259-2009. The CDC currently advises that travel to some 189 countries presents a very high risk in addition to cruises. This digital library, created by the river and ocean cruise company, will showcase experiential programming that Viking guests have access to onboard their respective cruises, on deck levels or their cabin TV. October 5, 2020 As Viking.TV celebrates six months of offering award-winning programming this week, four astronauts will host a special panel discussion on Friday sharing what its like to live and work in space. Time will tell how everything goes after this initial hiccup, but were still onboard Viking this week and will hopefully report on a second sailing without incident. Anecdotal reports are that the number of cases on ships is up even more in the first 10 days of the new year. The cruise industry is once again at sea thanks to the Omicron coronavirus variant, with some ships experiencing outbreaks and disruptions. Without those precautions in place, I wouldnt have even considered traveling on a cruise ship during a global pandemic. Hey, whats another year of dreaming? Short on time, most visitors to Iceland head straight for the Blue Lagoon or heavily touristed Golden Circle. That growth means theyre also finding new fans, like one guest who traveled aboard theViking Tor: It was my Cinderella vacation, said this reader. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. If you do go on a cruise during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-cruise-ship. There are still entry requirements for certain countries and other nuances that will impact travel. (The infected individual would eventually disembark in Reykjavk and move to a shoreside hotel for quarantine.). That said, the option to spend your time outdoors versus inside the ship gives you the ability to somewhat lower your risk compared with, say, air travel. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Pricing remained stableno need for the lines to discount faresthroughout the year. Will I be required to wear a face mask when going ashore? Additionally, some countries may have their own testing requirements. Jun 03, 2020 at 4:02 pm. With the discontinuation of the CDCs program, cruise lines are announcing updated COVID-19 protocols. Generally speaking, going on a cruise does pose some risk of COVID-19 transmission. Viking Health & Safety Program Below is a list of frequently asked questions related to the Viking Health & Safety Program. We are the most knowledgeable, experienced cruise travel company. 210515 covid-19 privacy notice us uk (ver.1) page 1 of 4 cst2052644-40 covid-19 privacy notice viking river cruises, inc., and viking river cruises uk limited what is the purpose & scope of this document? If your cruise line does not have a specific testing requirement, get tested as close to time of cruise departure as possible (no more than 3 days before you travel). Guests with a positive COVID-19 test may be isolated on board or ashoredepending on local guidelines and symptoms, if any. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link. For more cruise guides, tips and news, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. The bright return of holiday river cruising in 2021, heralded as the year the European Christmas markets would return, has dimmed even further as the German states of Bavaria and Saxony have also. In April, the country was considered a Level 1 destination by the U.S. Department of State, indicating a low level of COVID-19 cases, making it an attractive destination for our family. For bookings made through April 31, 2022, for cruises departing any time in 2022, Viking is permitting its ocean and river customers to cancel within 14 days of sailing and receive a credit for a future sailing. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. December 11, 2020 Viking Cruises will test all guests and crew for COVID-19 with daily PCR tests when sailings resume, as part of the companys new Viking Health & Safety Program, the cruise line recently announced. Should the destination where the ship is located require those who test positive be disembarkedor should guest choose to isolate ashoreViking will help the guest arrange accommodations to recover ashore and help coordinate their travel home. Its culturally-focused content will feature appearances by the Viking executives and crew and subjects relating to its at-sail and at port ventures, plus live video of happenings from around the world. Cruise lines are reporting that the vast majority of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called "Italian Sojourn," which would travel around Italy's boot from Civitavecchia to Venice. Details of its holiday-themed voyages along the Mississippi River have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed our! Requirements for certain countries and other nuances that will impact travel its holiday-themed voyages along the Mississippi.! 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