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. Since returning to service a year ago, we have seen record guest satisfaction scores. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. 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. Europe's Danube River is a frequent route for Viking River Cruises. Holland America Line visits 225 ports in 91 countries on sailings that are round trip from U.S. ports, including Boston, Fort Lauderdale, San Diego or Seattle. While the big-ship cruise lines (carrying 250 or more passengers and crew) have been trying to determine how to deal with coronavirus passenger safety and regulations of individual countries,. Viking Health & Safety Program Updated February 6, 2023. To ensure your journey is smooth and that you are able to fully enjoy your voyage as planned, we highly recommend that all guests take a pre-departure COVID-19 test, no more than three days prior to beginning your journey. While Viking has also launched an award-winning ocean cruise line, the company built its reputation in river cruising. If a destination requires masks be worn, onboard staff and local guides will confirm the local requirements. How is the air treated on board Viking ships? Plus, a "perfect storm" of soaring COVID-19 cases and rough winter weather has wreaked havoc with airline operations for weeks. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. It was smooth sailing for the first half of the trip. Our contact tracing devices were activated, and Viking tracked down any person on board who may have encountered said guests for any meaningful amount of time (determined as 15 or more minutes and within six feet of distance). COSTA MAGICA. So the cruise lines are delivering an experience that is meeting or exceeding expectations.. Does Vikings Travel Protection Plan cover COVID-19 costs (e.g., medical treatment, quarantine, repatriation, etc.)? But things are different this year, what with reduced restrictions on cruise ships and delayed or canceled flights across the country. Get tested 35 days after your trip and stay home for 7 days after travel. As I saw myself during a cruise to Antarctica in recent weeks, many sailings are operating relatively normally, even when there are COVID-19 cases on board. Theres also an increase with guests booking smaller, luxury cruises, she says. Guests with a positive COVID-19 test may be isolated on board or ashoredepending on local guidelines and symptoms, if any. For more cruise guides, tips and news, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. Developed in coordination with an international team of scientific and medical advisors, the Viking Health & Safety Programme is one of the most well-researched and comprehensive COVID-19 prevention and mitigation plans in the travel industry. Cond Nast Traveler does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The CDC cautions that any travel poses a higher risk of contracting COVID-19, including travel by air, bus or train, automobiles, and cruises. Discover the worldin comforton Viking ocean cruises to . 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. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Face coverings are also still required indoors while moving about the ship, in elevators and on tour buses. Lack of rainfall in . We have approached our fleets full return with the safety of guests, crew members and the communities we visit top of mind.. If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected. 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). Because individual cruise lines determine their ships' COVID-19-related requirements, your likelihood of catching coronavirus while at sea will depend on the specific ship's guidelines and. 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. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. We have also seen a surge in bookings, with June showing our highest booking levels for Alaska cruises since early 2020, she says. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 10511 covid-19 policies and procedures (us) page 1 of 3 cst0544-40 covid-19 policies and procedures (international voyages) viking river cruises, inc., d/b/a viking cruises, viking ocean cruises & viking expeditions ("viking") important notice for our us and canadian guestsplease read carefully: the following Cruise lines are reporting that the vast majority of passengers testing positive for COVID-19 in recent weeks are asymptomatic or have mild symptoms. Viking's recent sailing in Iceland departed from Reykjavik before a positive COVID-19 case was discovered onboard. Masked up and sanitized, it was time to explore. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. July 23, 2020 Plan ahead for sailing along the mighty Mississippi with Viking. Iceland Courtesy Viking Cruises Cruise A Vaccinated Passenger Tested Positive for COVID-19 on My Icelandic CruiseHere's What Happened Cruise lines are going to extreme measures to make. 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. For now, the cancellation needs to be done by Jan. 31, and the refund would come in the form of a future cruise credit to be used on any sailing that embarks through Dec. 31. Hand sanitizing stations and full sink basins were even more prevalent. Less convenient, however, is the thermal suite at the spa. Check here before booking an award fare. They have kept all . Still, it's important to note that most of these "cases" of COVID-19 are asymptomatic or mild, only discovered during routine testing. Easy peasy. Cruise lines in recent weeks have faced a growing number of ports that are balking at allowing ships with COVID-19-positive passengers or crew to dock. Developed in coordination with an international team of . Viking did everything in its power to protect guests, crew, and the communities it visited. An ambulance took me to . When COVID-19 is detected on a ship, cruise lines sometimes then test passengers multiple times to ensure it isn't spreading. Please note: Vikings Medical Team continually monitors conditions and may deem face masks to be necessary while moving about the ship, based on conditions at the time of travel. Whatever the case, travelers had no choice but to go back to the ship. While cruise ships have recorded relatively few cases of COVID-19 over the past year, in part due to unusually strict health protocols, the number of passengers and crew testing positive on ships has been rising sharply in recent weeks along with the greater surge on land. And youll probably come across a few new sinks for hand-washing and additional hand-sanitizing stations around the ship. Every stateroom is cleaned and sanitized daily. And of those who have cruised within the past six months, 87% say they felt safe on board.. Clients who have not traveled for the past two years want to treat themselves and do it right!. Viking Sea cruise ship near Fort. 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. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Viking was not messing around. Last modified on Thu 13 Jan 2022 18.22 EST A surge in Covid infections on cruise ships is causing mayhem across the industry, leaving passengers stranded aboard ships, exacerbating staff shortages. (The infected individual would eventually disembark in Reykjavk and move to a shoreside hotel for quarantine.). 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. Guests on affected departuresand their travel advisorshave been notified directly. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. For starters, there are the vaccine mandates noted above. RELATED: Unvaccinated People Will Be Barred From This, Starting Feb. 28. Restaurants are sanitized between every service; all other public spaces are fully sanitized at a minimum every 24 hours, with high touchpoints sanitized more frequently every day. Any information published by Cond Nast Traveler is not intended as a substitute for medical advice, and you should not take any action before consulting with a healthcare professional. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Case in point: Lengthyand priceyworld cruises with lines like Viking, Regent Seven Seas and Oceania Cruises sold out in record time. In either of those cases, you can rest assured that the following will occur. Travelers, it seems, are simply happy to be sailing once again. When we boarded the Viking Sky in Reykjavik, Iceland, little did we know that a suspected case of COVID-19 would be joining us. 10405 COVID-19 Policies and Procedures (Ver.1) Page 1 of 3 CST0544-40 . Use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement and Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement and Your California Privacy Rights. This policy is in line with current CDC guidelines. Guests must present proof of full vaccination at embarkation and should be prepared to present vaccination documents (original hard copy or electronic) along their journey. It was still complimentary, but temporarily serving guests by appointment only to limit capacity. As the leading small ship travel company, Viking takes you closer to the heart of the places you want to visit. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. or Vikings River-cruising vessels. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. 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. 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. VIKING RIVER CRUISES UK LIMITED ("Viking") A company registered in England and Wales (Co.No.01283655) whose registered office is at Nelsons House, 83 Wimbledon Park Side, London, SW19 5LP. For Further Assistance If you have any questions or need further information please contact Reservations at 1-877-523-0579 or email customerrelations@vikingcruises.com, Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM, PT. Anecdotal reports are that the number of cases on ships is up even more in the first 10 days of the new year. In Marialva (near the Spanish border), enjoy a picnic in the castles shadow of this 2,500-year-old town. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. After trundling across its frozen expanse in a former NATO rocket launcher, I slipped into a raincoat and waterproof booties and tunneled to its epic blue center. Viking While the Delta variant of Covid-19 continues to swirl, many travel companies are cautiously churning back to business, albeit with modified protocols. Similarly, pools were limited to just four people at a time and whirlpools to only two. Viking Sky cases: 1 fully vaccinated adult; COVID-19 protocol if someone tests positive. Of course, a requirement for one cruise line may be a nonissue for another. As it turns out, perhaps the most crucial measures for our sailing were daily testing and contact tracing. We are the most knowledgeable, experienced cruise travel company. 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