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Cruise ship will be fully vaccinated..?


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As will we.   It I do t think it will be an issue  

3 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

If vaccinations aren't mandatory, we will certainly reconsider our preferred cruise line

As will we.  But I don’t think it will be an issue.

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2 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

As will we.  But I don’t think it will be an issue.

 

I am also reasonably confident they are listening and will do the right thing.

 

However, I was somewhat disappointed when I recently read that they were completing a survey in UK to determine opinions on vaccinations. I consider that poor leadership, as real leaders make the correct safety decisions based on safety and not public opinion. 

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Well, we both had our second shots over two weeks ago so are raring to go.  Had always planned on doing a world cruise when between dogs, but covid has put the kibosh on that.  Cruising unlikely to start before July, and we just got a copy of the ultrasound of our new doberman puppy in the womb... He will be ready to take home mid-June.  So no cruising for us for at least a year.  And only short cruises after that.  I think we will name him “Sea-anchor”.....

 

 

 

 

Edited by Ragnar Danneskjold
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3 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

I am also reasonably confident they are listening and will do the right thing.

 

However, I was somewhat disappointed when I recently read that they were completing a survey in UK to determine opinions on vaccinations. I consider that poor leadership, as real leaders make the correct safety decisions based on safety and not public opinion. 

I got a survey from Viking Australian on Thursday! Which I filled out. 
Everyone needs to be vaccinated.

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I will be shocked and disappointed if Viking doesn't require vaccination to sail at least for the near future.  My wife and I are scheduled for a B2B (British Isles and Viking Homelands) starting the August, but we will cancel if vaccines are not required. 

 

Life is not without accepting some level of risk, but with onboard testing and a vaccinated crew and passenger load it will be about as safe as can be achieved.  Viking should step up and announce that vaccines are required or we will also reconsider who we will travel with going forward.  We've already lost over a year of the prime travel time we have left.  Its time for Tor to record a new video announcing that once again Viking will take the lead in setting the industry standard.    

 

 

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@Gojagators, I'm with you on that. Well put. 

 

Maybe we should all be taking the time to share our thoughts about this directly to Viking.  

 

We can answer surveys but surveys only tell the company what they want to hear.  Plus, they are anonymous. 

 

Letters and emails are personal, they are immediate and they express exactly what we think without trying to fit us into a narrow list of responses. 

 

 

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@Peregrina651  Great idea about personal emails to Viking.  Its time for Viking to step up and truly set the industry standard for a return to travel with pre and onboard testing and requiring everyone to be vaccinated.   I'll send an email today.  Viking, Are you listening??   I'm ready to once again "Travel the world again in comfort" with you if you take the last step to minimize the chance of a travel interruption.   

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I have heard they are setting aside a block of cabins for isolation if needed.  Don't know which cabins.  Removing some tables in the World Cafe and Dining Room would imply less capacity.  Not a bad thing.  I was saying, pre-covid, that Viking would be absolutely perfect with about 500 passengers. 🍸

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11 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

I have heard they are setting aside a block of cabins for isolation if needed.  Don't know which cabins.  Removing some tables in the World Cafe and Dining Room would imply less capacity.  Not a bad thing.  I was saying, pre-covid, that Viking would be absolutely perfect with about 500 passengers. 🍸

Isolation cabins totally makes sense and I believe that was already announced.  Inevitably, someone will get sick with something (covid, noro or whatever).  I was thinking 600 passengers to restart but I like your idea of 500 better!  I think I'll include that in my email to Viking also. 

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34 minutes ago, Gojagators said:

Viking, Are you listening??   I'm ready to once again "Travel the world again in comfort" with you if you take the last step to minimize the chance of a travel interruption.   

Oddly, this is something I had not really considered. Of course we will be vaccinated (finally get our first shots on our March 22 anniversary!), so we will have the protection from serious risk of illness from covid . I hadn't thought about the disruption to a cruise if unvaccinated people are included in the mix. So count me in with the group who will only travel if Viking requires vaccines. We are scheduled for two cruises in 2022, so they have some time to get this right!

Edited by lackcreativity
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57 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

Except for the price, which they would have to nearly double!!

Not after you get your Cruise Critic discount.....😎  Ha, I have found Viking very close with discounts.  As a repeat World Cruise passenger we got $200 each for being past passengers.  Ok, there were some pretty good perks too.🍸

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2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

@Gojagators, I'm with you on that. Well put. 

 

Maybe we should all be taking the time to share our thoughts about this directly to Viking.  

 

We can answer surveys but surveys only tell the company what they want to hear.  Plus, they are anonymous. 

 

Letters and emails are personal, they are immediate and they express exactly what we think without trying to fit us into a narrow list of responses. 

 

 

 

Great idea.

 

Already sent our thoughts to Viking with the focus being on leadership. When we were aboard Viking Sun, Viking showed exceptional leadership by not permitting pax to board in Bali, and being the first to shut down operations. Then, in December, they were first to publish the Health & Safety Plan, requiring daily non-invasive testing.

 

I expected Viking to again lead the industry requiring mandatory vaccinations. Sadly conducting a survey is a complete leadership failure. Safety decisions MUST never be based on public opinion.

 

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5 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Great idea.

 

Already sent our thoughts to Viking with the focus being on leadership. When we were aboard Viking Sun, Viking showed exceptional leadership by not permitting pax to board in Bali, and being the first to shut down operations. Then, in December, they were first to publish the Health & Safety Plan, requiring daily non-invasive testing.

 

I expected Viking to again lead the industry requiring mandatory vaccinations. Sadly conducting a survey is a complete leadership failure. Safety decisions MUST never be based on public opinion.

 

We will also contact Viking to express our view on compulsory vaccinations for all guests and crew.   There is contact information on the Viking website and we have also contacted "Tellus" in the past.  Is an email to both in order?  

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1 minute ago, Islandbc said:

We will also contact Viking to express our view on compulsory vaccinations for all guests and crew.   There is contact information on the Viking website and we have also contacted "Tellus" in the past.  Is an email to both in order?  

 

Hi Janet - I sent an email to "Tellus" , but am open to other suggestions.

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15 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

 

So true Jim.

 

Viking were the first to show real leadership and cease operations due to COVID, so it is well past time for Viking to show similar leadership with respect to vaccinations.

 

The snowflake anti-vaxxers have a right to refuse the vaccine, but it's past time for Viking to state that catagorically they won't be welcome on their ships. The responsibility for the safety of fellow pax and crew should not rest with the countries visited requiring vaccinations. The Health & Safety Plan, with daily saliva tests, etc is a great plan, but the final components must be mandatory vaccinations.

 

If vaccinations aren't mandatory, we will certainly reconsider our preferred cruise line.

What is a "snowflake anti-vaxxer?

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The term "snowflake generation" was one of Collins English Dictionary's 2016 words of the year. Collins defines the term as "the young adults of the 2010s (born from 1980-1994), viewed as being less resilient and more prone to taking offence than previous generations".

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It has been reported on the Crystal board that the Serenity will start up 7-day cruses in July in the Bahamas. And Crystal has long stipulated that all  passengers will need to be vaccinated, in addition to showing a negative COVID test. So there is some movement there ...

 

Edited by OceanPatter
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In some cases, surveys may be used to evaluate customer responses to various alternatives under consideration.  While they aren't always used to validate an already selected alternative, they can offer insight on future behavior.

 

If Viking said the Daily Health Protocol would include a tube up the nose, I might have a different reaction than if the test was a spit vial daily.  Knowing that some % of customers would accept one, but not the other, could influence how Viking sets its guidelines.

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5 hours ago, Cienfuegos said:

In some cases, surveys may be used to evaluate customer responses to various alternatives under consideration.  While they aren't always used to validate an already selected alternative, they can offer insight on future behavior.

 

If Viking said the Daily Health Protocol would include a tube up the nose, I might have a different reaction than if the test was a spit vial daily.  Knowing that some % of customers would accept one, but not the other, could influence how Viking sets its guidelines.

I agree -- I don't see these surveys as a mechanism for allowing customers to dictate policy but . as you  say .. a mechanism for determining the best way to implement that policy.  Like you I would balk at having a tube up my nose daily but spitting into a vial?? That would be ok.  I haven't received this survey so I don't know what's in it but would be interested to know if it asks for customer reaction to let's say a proof of COVID vaccination requirement.  

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On 3/14/2021 at 9:45 AM, Heidi13 said:

 

Hi Janet - I sent an email to "Tellus" , but am open to other suggestions.

 

Andy:   we also feel very strongly that Viking needs to take leadership and make proof of vaccinations an absolute requirement (no exemptions) for anyone boarding the vessels.

We just sent a very strong letter/email to "Tellus" to at least have 1 (or rather 2) votes in.

We stated that we have 5 cruises on the books (which is true), and that we will pull all of those if Viking waffles on this.

We'll see if we even get any response.

Edited by CCWineLover
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The Crystal Cruises trial voyages in the Bahamas might be a good indicator of what may be in the cards.  As I understand the deal, their ship will sail entirely from, within, and end in the Bahamas.  Seven days, limited only to documented, vaccinated travelers.

 

Meanwhile, it generates much needed cash flow for the cruise line, and the deeply beleaguered nation.

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2 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

 

Andy:   we also feel very strongly that Viking needs to take leadership and make proof of vaccinations an absolute requirement (no exemptions) for anyone boarding the vessels.

We just sent a very strong letter/email to "Tellus" to at least have 1 (or rather 2) votes in.

We stated that we have 5 cruises on the books (which is true), and that we will pull all of those if Viking waffles on this.

We'll see if we even get any response.

Hear, hear - I expect you will receive a call from them tomorrow. They called me shortly after 09:00 and Janet (Island BC) also got a call from them. We only have 1 cruise booked at present, but it is 120 days and we will cancel, if they waffle.

 

Had a great chat, with the agent advising that policy was never made based on customer opinion. Personally, I call BS on that one, but responded the optics are concerning, especially considering Viking's previous bold calls, when we were aboard Viking Sun.

 

I mentioned they have no policy promulgated, at present, but are actively seeking public opinion on mandatory vaccinations, something I consider a key safety issue. If it looks like a duck and quacks like a duck ...... the optics indicate they are seeking public opinion on mandatory vaccines.

 

I also named airlines and other cruise lines that have already published mandatory vaccination requirements when operations resume. In addition, I suggested it was time for Mr Hagen to publish another short film outlining an addition to the Health & Safety Plan, with mandatory vaccinations being the final piece of the jigsaw. 

 

Will be interesting to see the response, as we will also cancel our cruise and add Viking to the list of ex-cruise lines. We will be greatly disappointed, as we have a great group boarding Viking Neptune.

 

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