hutch1994

12 hours ago, BQEC said:

This was further confirmed by a post which pictured a bus behind a chain link fence obviously port side. The photo showed suitcases which were lined up in front of the bus. So many that they ran the length of the bus. Someone opined that they may have been crew luggage. Rubbish!!

There will always be those people that drink the Viking Kool-Aid and believe that Viking is infallible.

11 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

We experienced the same issues with moderately large contingents not wanting to use masks on our Bermuda cruise.  Seemed to happen the most in the Explorer's Lounge, where large groups (8-16) pulled the chairs and tables together and were having a great time before dinner - as if there were no rules.   We also had quite a number of people throughout the ship who did the glass of water in front of them (without drinking it), so they could have masks off and talk with the others sitting next to them.

In the Star theatre, it was not so good either, as large groups would sit in a row and take off the dividers and X's that marked don't sit here, so they could have their huge groups together.  Sometimes it seemed like 2019.  Viking did make constant announcements over the speakers, but many people seemed to ignore them.  Like in our daily society, it does become a delicate issue on how much to escalate things, as you know there can be bad reactions, especially after alcohol is involved.

And if you comment on it on  a certain site, that  administrator immediately closes all further comments.  

7 hours ago, mancunian said:

We are on the Star in the UK at present.

 

Slightly disturbed by Viking’s attitude.  On a coach trip yesterday the guide began by spelling out Viking’s rules, face masks all the time on and off coach, and at our short stop for bathroom and photos of St Michael’s Mount we could not go into the shop or cafe.  At said stop she repeated it all.  A couple promptly set off purposely to the cafe or shop (next door to each other) and she had to race after them and persuade them to return or she had to report them.  Coming back the man sitting diagonally to us had his face mask round his chin.  Don’t know about others on the coach

 

My husband talked to the guide at the stop and sympathised with her.  She said it was awful and that the previous week one couple arrived ready to break all rules and though she hated doing so she had reported them. and they were confined to their cabins.  

 

We did not feel Viking should expect a tour guide to act as policeman.  If Viking want their rules obeyed they should put a crew member on the coach.  Actually on Silversea, Oceania and Holland America they always put a crew member on in any case.   It seems to me that with a crew member onboard the coach passengers may be a little deterred by the consequences but will have  even less respect for a guide.

 

Even more puzzled today, as yesterday seats had notices on them and we all had to sit in alternate rows with two rows clear between driver and guide row and passengers.  Today no social distancing and this was with a Viking person on the coach just at loading time, who said sit where you like and no notices on seats.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should see the pictures from the current Malta just about to finish.  People sitting around playing trivia, etc. sans masks.

1 hour ago, MarkTapley said:

Just my observations from being on Sky for the past five days: Viking seems to be doing their best to get people to wear their masks, or be socially distanced.  The cruise director mentions this requirement every time she’s doing an announcement. And Captain made a special announcement about this yesterday. And tour guides mention it.  But Viking may have decided that there was only so much they could do to get people to adhere to the Covid mask rules.  I think most people are wearing their masks as they should.  But it’s maddening to see people wandering around public spaces on the ship and riding on busses with their masks on their chins, or under their noses.  We have tried a time or two to coax people near us to mask up, but that is a losing venture.  We have our own strategy to stay safe and it’s worked fine for us (so far) during our week driving around the island and 5 days onboard.

Have seen the same thing on pictures posted on another site.  Using the glass of water on the table in front of them ploy while they are sitting in public places.

15 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

Has the information about folks being sent home early been independent!y confirmed?

Do you think they were going to lie about this?  Posted on this site and other Viking sites with pictures and first hand accounts by other passengers on the ship who saw them departing.

42 minutes ago, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

I think SOME "social influencers" get paid for what they do -- which I think is basically getting more people to visit a particular site, or post, or like, or whatever. 

Wouldn't be surprised in this scenario.

9 hours ago, gramfrog said:

As did I.

You can't believe the large number of people in that group that think his word is gospel.

11 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

I left the site that cannot be named for one reason and one reason only -- because I couldn't stand the S**** and S**** show. Shilling for a cruise line wasn't something I wanted to read.

Totally agree.  Don't need to see pictures of what they are eating.  One interesting aspect was when S**** complained about the person sitting next to him on the flight from Iceland to Malta encroached on his seat space, he got a lot of flack about this and then went ahead and removed the posting.  Couldn't handle the negativity that his remark caused.

12 hours ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

I'm sure the administrator of the site that cannot be named didn't want the word "DISGUSTING" splayed out on his site.

Anything that paints Viking in a less than flattering way is usually always removed.

17 hours ago, Rappersmom said:

Of course I don't expect Viking to send me a personal text or email every time something changes. And I didn't say that. But I would expect them to have their COVID policy--updated--on My Viking Journey. And to keep their customer service employees informed. I do my research daily but the US Embassy web site has a lot of errors on it, and covid.is doesn't address these issues. And now I have a Viking employee contradicting a first hand account (well, second hand on here but it seems like something pretty factual). So where do you go to make informed adult decisions about the ever-changing Viking/Iceland policies? I'd like to include that site in my research.

 

In our one and only Viking river cruise I found out by accident that until the week before ours the river water was low and people were being bussed from port to port and had to pack and unpack every day. Viking never once mentioned that. Of course they don't want people to cancel. But it doesn't engender a lot of trust for Viking.

They don't want to lose the revenue.  The mighty dollar is important to them.

18 hours ago, Rappersmom said:

I just called Viking and they said their official protocol is to retest someone who tests positive. If they get another positive test, that person and anyone in the cabin is removed from the ship ASAP to go into quarantine on land. The other passengers are tested twice and once everyone tests negative twice the cruise continues. No one else is required to quarantine. I asked if the captain had the latitude to change the protocol. The Viking customer service rep said the captain had a little latitude but not that much. So not sure what is going on here. I am trusting that cases will drop before my Sept. 7 cruise.

Certainly, not the case in this latest incident.  Everyone on that bus is being quarantined for the duration of the cruise or allowed to fly home immediately if they have tested negative.  Don't think that Viking is giving out truthful info.

23 hours ago, Pwalczyk said:

Think it was a rumor.   We are on and no issues

Not a rumor, go back one page and read previous postings on this subject.

1 minute ago, travelguy19 said:

This is everyone’s biggest fear. These breakthrough infections don’t seem that rare. Unfortunately, they didn’t even get to cruise at all. How much is the hotel costing them? Is Viking getting them a flight home when quarantine is over? 

They don't know that yet.  Took Viking 4 days before they reached out to them.  Think they are covering their own expenses now and hoping to be reimbursed by their insurance.  Sad situation.

8 minutes ago, DaveSJ711 said:

So this is proof (as if we needed it): Someone without Covid can indeed be swept up in a quarantine, ordered off the ship, and held in a hotel for 14 days just by virtue of exposure to someone wih Covid. Ouch!

Just watched her videos that she has been posting on her Facebook page describing what they are going through.  Viking should have stepped in earlier to help them.  Took them 4 days to be contacted by Viking.  Scary fact.

From reading her responses on other Viking sites; sounds like Viking really left them in the lurch.

1 hour ago, bardstowntraveller said:

Apparently there has been another positive test onboard a Viking Iceland ship. A poster on another site has stated that she was placed in quarantine because of close contact with a person she sat near on an excursion bus. She missed her flight home today and is being transferred to a Reykjavik hotel awaiting test results from Iceland officials

Read the same thing.  Apparently 71 people quarantined.

15 hours ago, jiminyC_fan said:

It's crazy!   These people would jump off a bridge for him and his wife.  I don't get it.

And don't dare criticize any of his postings, because a major fire store erupts.

Careful about the vouchers. Cancelled when Viking first gave the option of cancelling in 2020 due to covid and have never been able to get a monetary refund, just a voucher when they cancelled again in 2021 because of lack of monies paid.

2 hours ago, eldercruser1 said:

And what is in store for those scheduled to board Saturday?  So far "Crickets" from Viking.

It's for monies paid.  Don't think it apply to vouchers.  We were victims of the so called monies paid.

37 minutes ago, librarylady19 said:

He runs a Viking fan page on “zuckerberg’s invention” very popular among some……

More like a "cult" following.

1 hour ago, molymoo said:

I was certainly critical of the “get togethers” on the first Bermuda sailing, but in retrospect I really think he meant well and probably didn’t anticipate the backlash.  Viking facilitated his efforts at the time but it now appears they have adjusted their policies.  A “get together” of more than 100 (😮) was denied when a passenger contacted guest services prior to the 7/3 sailing (same social site, different person).  Some individuals seem to be determined to make their welcome back cruises exactly what they have experienced on previous cruises.  They are not going to be the same and best to accept that and enjoy what is “the new normal” … at least for now and the near future.  Viking has done a fabulous job making things as safe as they can and still providing a wonderful experience.  

Think he knew exactly what he was doing.  Flexing his pull with Viking.