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. With over 50 riverboats, there are many cruises ships, dates, and itineraries to consider. The situation is evolving, but its essential to know that some lines, like Azamara, still require guests 12 years of age or older to be fully vaccinated to sailthat includes a booster shot, if guests are eligible for one. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. Guest feedback is positive on all metrics including service, cuisine, programs, cleanliness of the ship and more, she says. Review fromElizabeth K. 1 star. According to Scrivanich, cruise lines are currently sailing between 70% and 100% capacity, depending on the destination. And there is a long list of new cruise ships (and new classes of vessels for the lines) debuting in 2022 and 2023. 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. Viking is the first cruise line to have a full testing laboratory onboard each of its ocean ships, and guests must spit into a tube every morning to receive a non-invasive molecular COVID-19 test. With each minute that ticked by, rumors swirled. This Summer, Onboard Celebrity Cruises' First Voyage in More Than 15 Months, Cruise Review: Windstar Cruises' Enhanced Star Breeze, When Will the Brightline to Orlando Open? $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. (Surely the jovial attitudes of the exceptionally well-trained staff and 50 percent credit toward future cruises helped.) 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. 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. On Dec. 30, the CDC added cruise ships to its list of "Level 4" destinations you should avoid visiting for now due to high levels of COVID-19. 877-66-VIKING. If a destination requires masks be worn, onboard staff and local guides will confirm the local requirements. Still, the Iceland Coast Guard told Viking Sky to leave Seydisfjrdur. And of those who have cruised within the past six months, 87% say they felt safe on board.. Fair enough. The new rule, which was first announced on Jan. 5, states that travelers must provide proof of the supplemental shot to board ships at embarkation. or activities executed and escorted by Viking-approved tour operators who maintain Viking's level of COVID-19 controls to help limit potential . In normal times, you'd lose all your money if you backed out of a seven-night Norwegian cruise with fewer than 31 days' notice. Make like Mark Twain on the Mississippi, taste the best of Portugals port wines on the Douro, see the pyramids on the Nile, or go deep into the Mekong Deltaall while enjoying sleek staterooms and regional dining. And with that, our vacation was over. Our editors and experts handpick every product we feature. As the CDC states, the virus spreads easily in close quarters on ships, and passengers and crew are all at risk. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link. Cruise lines planned a slow, methodical return to cruising, which meant welcoming back just a few ships and itineraries at a timeall with limited capacity on board.. Plus Ups are excluded. 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. As it turns out, perhaps the most crucial measures for our sailing were daily testing and contact tracing. Specific protocols and procedures may evolve over time to adapt to various conditions or travel regulations in the destinations in which we operate. Check directly with your cruise line about their COVID-19 testing or vaccination protocols before travel. Face coverings are also still required indoors while moving about the ship, in elevators and on tour buses. Virgin Voyages Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas has also had to make itinerary changes, including canceling port calls, due to at least 55 cases of coronavirus on board. 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 . 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. Theres also an increase with guests booking smaller, luxury cruises, she says. So, the CDC is basically telling you that now isn't a good time to travel. On Wednesday, Royal Caribbean . The companys first custom vessel, Viking Mississippi, makes its debut in August 2022, though with many of its first voyages sold out, Viking has made additional 2023 sailings available for booking now. Guests who had disembarked on the morning the COVID-19 case was discovered were returned right back to the ship by local Icelandic authorities. . The information included here should be considered current for all guests. The answer is yes. Whatever was happening, it wasnt good. 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. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. 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. Viking highly recommends, but does not require, a pre-departure COVID-19 testunless one is required by the destination. They were scheduled by Viking well before what . It's also important to note that the detection of COVID-19-positive passengers or crew on board your ship won't necessarily impact your sailing (unless you are among those testing positive). The details of the COVID-19 boarding procedures will be provided to guests in an . What happens if I am confirmed to be a close contact with a guest who tests positive? 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 material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Cond Nast. 10405 COVID-19 Policies and Procedures (Ver.1) Page 1 of 3 CST0544-40 . The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. Cruise giant Viking is suspending operations around the world, effective immediately.. Take, for instance, Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd., the parent company for Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. At the end of December, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that 5,013 COVID-19 cases had been reported on cruise vessels operating in U.S. waters during the last two weeks of the month, up from just 162 cases during the first two weeks of the month. The guest tested positive twice, but all contacts were negative. If your test is positive, isolate yourself to protect others from getting infected. And youll probably come across a few new sinks for hand-washing and additional hand-sanitizing stations around the ship. For most travelers, cruise ship travel is voluntary and should be rescheduled for a future date. However, a different approach may be required when in a destination, depending on the local situation at the time. September 24, 2020 Viking.TV will feature Mississippi sailings during the week of September 28, 2020, including the chance to join Richard Riveire as he shares the design and inspiration behind the Viking Mississippi. As such, guests traveling on either an ocean or river ship may experience minor day-to-day variations in how we implement our overall program. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. We may earn a commission from your purchases. 16 Best Beaches in MexicoWhether You Want a Quiet Surf Escape or Thrumming Nightlife, Kansas City's New Airport Terminal Is a Glimpse at the Future of Air Travel, March Horoscope 2023: Which Signs Can Expect Luck in Travel This Month. 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. 02/23/2023. 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. 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. Effective Aug. 1, 2022, we will no longer require guests to complete pre-cruise COVID-19 testing, unless required by local regulations, a spokesperson for the company said. Physical distancing began at embarkation. I also witnessed the guest relations staff disinfecting their desks after each passenger transaction. Will there be social distancing on board? 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.. Alas, I wasnt two miles into a nature walk through fields of Alaskan lupine when it was dj vu all over again. What Is It Like to Travel to Saudi Arabia. And our third and final port of call was completely off limits to us. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. If you are an American cruising overseas, you also won't be able to return to the U.S. until you have tested negative for COVID-19 (or until you recover from the illness and are cleared in writing to travel by a licensed healthcare provider or a public health official). That, it appears, is enough assurance for many travelers who are flocking to their favorite cruise lines. (The glacier is receding at an alarming speed of six miles per year, so navigating its man-made shafts means sloshing through ankle-deep puddles while water pours down from overhead.). Each lunch and dinner was a gourmet-style three-course meal; breakfast . We have approached our fleets full return with the safety of guests, crew members and the communities we visit top of mind.. Cruises are no exception, and. We recently surveyed travelers who cruised within the past six months, and 89% of those surveyed said they would sail again under the same circumstances. While some ships only are testing passengers who report feeling ill for COVID-19 (and close contacts of those who subsequently test positive), other ships are testing every single passenger at least once per voyage, sometimes more. 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. Discuss cruise ship travel with your healthcare provider. Should you have additional questions about your voyage, please visit the Viking River Cruises FAQ. particularly from Viking River Cruises and AmaWaterways, has been superb," said John Gawne, an advisor with Cruises Inc. in Virginia Beach, Va. . If you do go on a cruise during the COVID-19 pandemic: https://wwwnc.cdc.gov/travel/notices/covid-4/coronavirus-cruise-ship. Things are getting iffy again for cruisers -- at least for those with near-term bookings. In March of 2020, Viking offered all travelers that they could rebook to a later date due to COVID, which we did for Jan 2021. This includes both its river cruises and . 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? But things are different this year, what with reduced restrictions on cruise ships and delayed or canceled flights across the country. While Viking has also launched an award-winning ocean cruise line, the company built its reputation in river cruising. Viking had already operated two Welcome Back circumnavigations of the island nation with zero incidents, and we anticipated the same.