Twitchly

So I’d like to ask a question, not for argument’s sake or to change minds since we’re way past that. I’m genuinely interested in what people think about this. I promise not to argue in response. (I may ask for clarification if I’m unclear or interested in hearing more but will try not to do it in a loaded way.) The question: For those of you who feel Viking should continue daily COVID testing, at what point would you be fine with their discontinuing the practice? What would need to happen for you to be comfortable/OK with that? (Or do you think this should be Viking’s new normal from now on?) OK, that’s 3 questions, sort of. Thanks in advance for all civil responses.

The included excursions are often “panoramic” tours, which translates to riding around in a bus to take in the sights. We took these when we wanted an intro to a place before exploring it on our own, or when we had a second excursion afterward. Some included excursions were walking tours, which were more to our liking. Other than that, we tended to book other excursions, including some not run by Viking.

I’m going to go out on a limb and assume people who use this argument don’t test themselves daily when going out into public or otherwise. I’m also going to give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they don’t intend to be callous toward others. They simply don’t believe they need to test daily in order to protect those around them while going about their lives. That’s all we who don’t appreciate Viking’s daily testing policy are saying. A cruise is not sufficiently different from any other public venue to warrant more rigorous testing. This doesn’t equate to not caring about passing COVID along to others any more than your not testing yourself before going out into public does. Maybe it’s just the internet, but why must we assume the worst about each other when we disagree?

I assume so. But credit is only useful if we book another Viking cruise. We’re not frequent cruisers, and I’d really like to get out of the voucher cycle. We’d rather put our money elsewhere.

Apparently we should’ve gone with Trip Mate, then. Our insurance will not consider our trip interrupted if we quarantine onboard.

What an amazing ride it’s been! Thanks so much for bringing us along on your wonderful adventure. I’ve loved every minute of it. Safe travels home, and all the best to you both. 🥂

Please do! Oceania is one we’re looking at as an alternative while Viking continues its daily testing. Interesting how cruises differ. The discussions we encountered on our only Viking cruise so far rarely brought up careers or college experiences. They were mostly about travel, in particular the many cruises everyone else had been on, and retirement activities. We hadn’t been on other cruises and we weren’t retired, so we mostly did a lot of listening.

Do you use a DSLR or a phone or …?

Those phantom remnants of the Berlin Wall are very moving. Thanks for sharing them.

Rhymes with Lace Cook. First word is your visage. Last word is the thing with pages that you read. No idea why it can’t be mentioned here.

Over on The Site That Must Not Be Named, one poster says Viking is only testing at the beginning and end of the River cruise she’s currently on (Paris and Normandy). So there’s hope!

I’m sure you’re right. But I’d rather Viking didn’t try to assume that role in my life. I neither want nor need their protection, such as it is. Daily testing doesn’t exist anywhere else, not in the cruise or hotel industry (imagine if Marriott or Hilton required daily tests), not even in hospitals or nursing homes. Viking’s testing regime seems extremely heavy-handed to me. I recognize that others feel quite differently and enjoy the feeling of being looked after and “kept safe” in a way I personally find oppressive and unhelpful. They are the demographic Viking is targeting with its daily testing, not me. So after our voucher cruise, we’re done. It makes me sad because I love the rest of Viking’s excellent product. But thankfully there are other wonderful ways to see the world.

https://www.kwwl.com/news/national/us-airlines-travel-industry-push-white-house-to-end-pre-travel-testing/article_65f70b04-e22f-5a4d-897c-36f93d0d8e79.html There’s hope …

DH got a big kick out of your bus shot and commentary. 😜

Thanks for the update. I’m so glad this finally happened for you all.

@pontac I’m seeing two versions on the website: Duluth to Ushuaia and Ushuaia to Milwaukee. There are other (shorter) cruises that begin or end in Toronto.

We’ll probably get a PCR test for accuracy (especially to see if I’m still testing positive after my Covid bout) and have a proctored antigen test waiting in the wings in case the PCR one doesn’t come through in time. We shouldn’t have a problem getting a free PCR test. DH is pretty much always around people with Covid these days, and I’m always around him, so … We’ll take proctored tests with us as well to use in Bergen before we fly home, assuming the US still has this idiotic policy in September.

We would sign up for a cruise like that in a heartbeat!

Michiganders are like Australians: you run into them everywhere.

Thanks for the heads up. Yes, Viking accepts antigen tests done up to 24 hours before embarking on your first international flight or starting your first Viking pre-cruise activity. Have you logged in to My Viking Journey yet? That’s where you’ll find the most up-to-date info about Viking requirements for your cruise. See the Before You Go section.

OK, world cruisers — time to sign up for the new 2023 expedition world cruises. Looks like a great trip, from Canada to Antarctica. I want to be able to live vicariously through you, so please don’t delay!

Yes! We didn’t even have to go into the airport. There was a driver waiting right outside the plane.

I did once. Sadly, it was wasted on me. I was young and idealistic and had just returned from spending 6 months in one of the poorest countries in Africa. The cognitive dissonance was too much. I’d love to have another chance! ✈️

That’s a good question. I wonder the same. I know people who have gotten it more than once. But on the other hand, DH — who got Covid at the very beginning — hasn’t gotten it again in spite of treating Covid patients, attending the same events I did where 30+ people got it (including me), and not distancing from me at all when I had it a few weeks ago. On the other other hand, if we’d been testing every day a la Viking, maybe we would’ve discovered otherwise.