Viking Offers The Viking Health and Safety Program On All Viking Ships
Viking Ocean Cruises is the leading small ship cruise line, offering 930-guest ocean ships and 190-guest river vessels. The cruise line has always had the highest standards for health and cleanliness for more than 23 years. However, in the time of the COVID-19 pandemic, Viking has added new protocol enhancements to make cruising ever safer.
The Viking Health and Safety Program has been developed in coordination with an international team of medical and scientific advisors. The cruise line’s program is among the most comprehensive and well-researched COVID-19 prevention plans within the travel industry.
The Viking Health and Safety Program:
Planning your cruise
Reserving your cruise with Viking can be done with confidence. The cruise line’s Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up to 14 days prior to the planned departure. No fees will be charged for changes or cancellations.
Before you leave home
Before leaving home on their dream cruise, guests will complete a digital Health Questionnaire on MyVikingJourney.com. The questionnaire was developed by medical and scientific advisors and only takes a minute to submit to very guests’ wellness prior to travel.
Getting to the cruise ship
Guests can enjoy a coordinated travel experience with a flight arranged by Viking’s air specialists. Viking is one of the largest purchasers of flights and works closely with airline partners to ensure that strict health and safety protocols are on offer to ensure the safest journey possible.
Guests who include their air travel with Viking will be offered complimentary airport transfers. With Viking Air, passengers will enjoy smaller group transfers at the start and end of their journey on sanitized motor coaches, offering physical spacing between occupied seats.
Safety at check-in
Physical distancing is also practiced at guests’ embarkation, with each assigned boarding times, based on their flight arrivals. Once at the ship, check-in counters are set up to ensure proper social distancing and are sanitized after each guest. For even more protection, Viking offers a touch-free check-in option. Viking, in cooperation with its local partners, will ensure that all cruise port terminals are sanitized prior to guest arrivals.
As part of the check-in process, guests’ temperatures will be checked with a touchless thermometer and will be asked to complete a Health Questionnaire. This questionnaire has been developed by medical and scientific advisers and verifies guests’ wellness prior to boarding their ship.
Guests will also undergo a quick and easy, non-invasive saliva PCR test during the embarkation process. The tests will be processed in a Viking-dedicated laboratory. Depending on guests’ travel itinerary and local regulations, they will be asked to await their test result – which normally takes a maximum of four hours. Guests will relax in their pre-cruise hotel or a designated Viking waiting area.
On board the Viking cruise ship
Small ships
Viking’s Swiss-registered river vessels carry 190 or fewer guests, while the fleet of all-veranda, Norway-registered ocean ships host 930 guests. The risk of infection is significantly lower on small vessels and Viking believes their ships offer a safer environment than the mega cruise ships.
On top of this, with no interior staterooms on any of their ships, guests can enjoy expansive views from the outside staterooms.
Purified Air
With each stateroom on Viking ocean and river ships featuring independent air conditioning units, guests can enjoy fresh air without sharing it with other areas of the ship. Guests can also rest assured that the air in public areas of the ship has also been purified with their new, short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) lights, together with high-density filters. These kill 99.99 percent of all airborne bacteria and viruses.
Daily PCR testing onboard
Viking offers a robust testing program that is key in preventing the virus from entering the ship. The program also stops community spread among the guests and crew members. Each day, quick and easy, non-invasive, saliva PCR tests are conducted throughout the trip in the privacy of guests’ staterooms.
Viking was the first cruise line to install full-scale PCR laboratories at sea. Each of their vessels has a PCR laboratory with the capability to test all guests and crew members daily if required. On top of this, a network of Viking-dedicated shoreside labs offer the same, quality, high-accuracy molecular testing program to the river ships.
Viking medical services
While Viking provides every precaution to reduce the risk of illness, each ocean vessel offers a state-of-the-art Medical Center. These have now been upgraded with more specialized equipment relating to COVID-19. The ships offer a new 24/7 hotline, staffed by doctors, specifically for the river cruises.
During each cruise, regular health monitoring verifies the complete wellness of all guests and crew. Daily, temperature checks will be run with automated thermal cameras, while short health questionnaires will be completed by guests.
On-board sanitization
Each surface on the Viking ships will be cleaned and continuously sanitized with daily scheduled deep cleanings. Guests will notice there are more hand sanitization stations located throughout the ships. On the Viking ocean ships, new sanitization robots will utilize UV-C light to sanitize surfaces in the guest and crew public areas.
Dining and Entertainment
Viking ships offer spacious and airy public areas as well as many options for al fresco dining. More options will be available for spaced seating in all dining areas, while self-serve dining stations will be replaced with staff service. There will also be additional table service at the bars and lounges. Guests also have access to complimentary 24-hour room service. The ships will provide new capabilities to watch live events and enriching content via in-room entertainment systems.
Face masks and physical distancing
Physical distancing measures are in place in all public areas on board the ships. Guests and crew are required to wear face masks while moving around the ships. However, face masks will not be required while guests are seating in dining venues, bars and lounges.
Spa and Fitness options
The Spa will remain open to guests on ocean cruises. This will be by appointment only to ensure physical distancing and all spa staff is required to wear face masks during treatments. The Fitness Center will also remain open and will have its own dedicated sanitization staff to keep all surfaces and equipment cleaned between each guest use.
Shore excursions
Viking has redesigned the land program, in order to monitor destinations for the prevalence of COVID-19. Group sizes will be limited and will only be available while in port. Guests will wear audio headsets while on shore excursions to allow for social distancing in each group. Guests will be given complimentary face masks prior to heading out on an excursion, especially if proper physical distancing may not be possible, or if masks are required by local guidelines.
Returning to the ship
On return to the ship following an excursion, guests will have their temperature taken using automated thermal cameras.
Enjoy a river or ocean cruise with Viking Ocean Cruises, safe in the knowledge that all efforts have been made with health and safety protocols. Find out more on Viking’s official website.