Is Guest Information Form Viking's version of online checkin

[zitsky]

Other cruise lines offer online checkin.  I see Celebrity does but I haven't used it yet.  Is Viking's Guest Information Form basically the same thing?

[vnb2003]

Viking doesn’t have online check-in. 

[Homosassa]

18 hours ago, zitsky said:

Other cruise lines offer online checkin.  I see Celebrity does but I haven't used it yet.  Is Viking's Guest Information Form basically the same thing?

Short answer , yes.

[Krisval]

It’s the record used for a number of purposes. In terms of checking in, typically when you enter the cruise terminal you drop off your luggage and go to desks for checking in. Present your passport and proof of reservation (your cruise booklet counts) and Viking will scan the passport, take your picture (sometimes they just use your passport picture for their records), and check you in. There may be a form to complete about recent contagious diseases, though depends if something has been going around in any of the countries you will visit. Only takes a few minutes and you’re off to board the ship. If it’s too early to board the ship or you’d rather go out to the city, you can drop your luggage off (tags attached) and go explore.

This describes our general experience on ocean cruises. Check in on river tends to be at a kiosk area next to the boat. The same general procedure takes place. 

[zitsky]

Form for contagious diseases.  Is that like cold or flu? I was planning to get a flu shot before I leave.

[Jay23]

The form asks if you have had cold/cough or gastrointestinal illness within a short time before your cruise.  It is a standard form for all cruise passengers travelling with all cruise lines.  It doesn't ask about any preventative vaccinations you might have had. J

[zitsky]

I don't recall doing a medical form for NCL.  Maybe it was online?  All my cruises start to blur together and I only remember the highlights.  If only there was a way to take notes!

 

I am taking allergy meds for seasonal allergies.  I don't want that confused with a cold.

[philw1776]

1 hour ago, Jay23 said:

The form asks if you have had cold/cough or gastrointestinal illness within a short time before your cruise.  It is a standard form for all cruise passengers travelling with all cruise lines.  It doesn't ask about any preventative vaccinations you might have had. J

On our Alaska cruise on Silversea this August 40 of us did a pre-cruise tour of Denali. It was wonderful, but the point here is that one couple had AWFUL colds, sneezing & blowing all day long. Brutal.  Somehow they were next to us on the bus day after day.  Worse yet there was a woman with reallyserious diarrhea.  She destroyed the bus bathroom one day and we had to make a stop while the poor driver took an hour to clean it.  

As we exited the fantastic dome train ride arriving at our ship, she turned around and rushed back into the train slamming the door on the bathroom.
I would really hate to be sick like that on the tour and feel badly for them but they obviously did not disclose their illnesses boarding the ship putting even more of us at risk.  Fortunately, none of our 40 got sick on the cruise and the sick folks seem to have recovered.

[zitsky]

She's lucky.  On my Danube cruise we had a bathroom on the bus from Prague to Nuremberg.  We did stop for bathroom break.  But I think normally buses don't have bathrooms?

[Peregrina651]

  If you are doing Viking Air, they use the info on the form to fill out the passenger info on your reservation-- passport info, known traveler #, etc. 

 

If you have an open reservation and book another, they will use the same GIF for the new reservation.  

 

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

am taking allergy meds for seasonal allergies.  I don't want that confused with a cold.

 

Fever is part of the equation, not just coughing and sneezing. 

[zitsky]

17 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Fever is part of the equation, not just coughing and sneezing. 

 

Yes.  About 10 years ago I went to Hong Kong.  They were checking everyone with a laser? thermometer to see who had a temperature. 

[Lorizack]

When we boarded the Sky on Sunday we were asked to read two questions regarding recent health (fever, cough, diarrhea..) and verbally reply. Done.  Just presented our passport, where our photo was scanned and copied, and we were done. Our credit card was registered online previously and was not required at check in. Nor our cruise documents.

[zitsky]

2 hours ago, Lorizack said:

When we boarded the Sky on Sunday we were asked to read two questions regarding recent health (fever, cough, diarrhea..) and verbally reply. Done.  Just presented our passport, where our photo was scanned and copied, and we were done. Our credit card was registered online previously and was not required at check in. Nor our cruise documents.

 

How long did it take to get on ship from the time you arrived at terminal?  Long lines?

 

Do they freak out if you tell them you have seasonal allergies?  Anyone know?

[Lorizack]

No one asked us about allergies...seasonal or otherwise. We arrived with a bus load from our included tour. Perhaps 40 people? The only hold up was the few folks who hadn’t mastered emptying pockets etc for security screening. Otherwise we walked straight along. There were 10 stations opened to register guest so we walked right up. Less than 3 minutes and we were drinking sparkling wine😀

[zitsky]

1 hour ago, Lorizack said:

No one asked us about allergies...seasonal or otherwise. We arrived with a bus load from our included tour. Perhaps 40 people? The only hold up was the few folks who hadn’t mastered emptying pockets etc for security screening. Otherwise we walked straight along. There were 10 stations opened to register guest so we walked right up. Less than 3 minutes and we were drinking sparkling wine😀

 

Was it Dom Perignon 1984?  LOL

[RJ2002]

3 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

How long did it take to get on ship from the time you arrived at terminal?  Long lines?

 

Do they freak out if you tell them you have seasonal allergies?  Anyone know?

 

I"m going to take a wild guess that seasonal allergies are not going to be a concern.  Have you sailed other lines before?  Most of the health questionnaires we've filled out for our 30+ cruises are focused on stomach type ailments.

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

[zitsky]

16 minutes ago, RJ2002 said:

 

I"m going to take a wild guess that seasonal allergies are not going to be a concern.  Have you sailed other lines before?  Most of the health questionnaires we've filled out for our 30+ cruises are focused on stomach type ailments.

 

Hope you have a great cruise!

 

I only ask because coughing and sneezing (allergy) looks like a cold.  I'm sure it will be fine.

[Lorizack]

6 hours ago, zitsky said:

 

Was it Dom Perignon 1984?  LOL

Ha! We could pretend....

[Cruisin Kay D]

Those new to Viking cruises will be amazed on their 1st cruise how simple V is!!!

 

For us, despite being our 5th upcoming V cruise, we are for 1st time using Viking Air & transfer from airport to ship.  We arrive about 10 AM and curious how long we will have to wait at  JFK baggage claim until we are actually on a vehicle going to ship.....

 

Edited September 24, 2019 by Cruisin Kay D

[zitsky]

14 minutes ago, Lorizack said:

Ha! We could pretend....

 

No need to pretend.  I travel with my personal butler and a case of the finest champagne.

[Peregrina651]

52 minutes ago, Cruisin Kay D said:

Those new to Viking cruises will be amazed on their 1st cruise how simple V is!!!

 

For us, despite being our 5th upcoming V cruise, we are for 1st time using Viking Air & transfer from airport to ship.  We arrive about 10 AM and curious how long we will have to wait at  JFK baggage claim until we are actually on a vehicle going to ship.....

 

 

Just hazarding a guess but it will take you longer at baggage claim than it will to actually check in at the cruise terminal.

 

Baggage claim to bus is harder to predict.  There are too many variables. We have had transfers where there was one other couple arriving on our flight and we were whisked away in a van as soon as we had collected out bags and made a stop at the restrooms. Another trip we had to wait for the buses to arrive. Just no predicting.

[philw1776]

No predicting.  Last Viking cruise we first collected our checked bags but then waited over an hour for another couple the Viking airport people said landed 15 minutes before us.  After repeatedly bugging the Viking airport folks they finally put us on a van to our ship.