Below is a list of frequently asked questions related to the Viking Health & Safety Program. Should you have additional questions about your voyage, please visit the Viking Expedition Cruises FAQ.
Health & Safety
Viking crew are tested as needed.
All Viking crew are fully vaccinated.
Yes, Viking requires all guests to be fully vaccinated at least 14 days prior to departure. For added protection, we strongly recommend that guests who are eligible for a booster receive one before they travel.
To ensure your journey is smooth and that you are able to fully enjoy your voyage as planned, we highly recommend that all guests take a pre-departure COVID-19 test, no more than three days prior to beginning your journey.
Additionally, some countries may have their own testing requirements. Please visit the Resources tab in My Viking Journey to see if your country of entry has this requirement.
Guests may explore independently while following requirements in the country they are visiting. While conditions have stabilized, allowing for independent exploration, they may change and vary by country.
Our fleet of modern, small ocean and river ships feature independent air handling units, which means each stateroom has “fresh” external air that is not shared with other staterooms or public spaces. Just like in a hospital, we have also designed a solution to implement short-wavelength ultraviolet (or UV-C) lights and new high-density filters that will sanitize the air on our vessels. This solution will ensure that:
- 99.99% of viruses and bacteria in the air are killed.
- We maximize the possible number of air changes.
- We provide a risk-free solution for the crew when cleaning filters, as viruses are killed and not simply trapped in the filters.
Yes, our Travel Protection Plan helps protect you from many unforeseen circumstances that may arise before or during your trip, which could include necessary medical, quarantine or repatriation expenses related to COVID-19.
To sail with Viking, guests will need to provide proof that they are “fully vaccinated”: received their second dose in a two-shot series (i.e., Pfizer or Moderna) or single dose of J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccination at least 14 days prior to travel.
For added protection, Viking strongly recommends that guests be “up to date” with their immunizations. If they are eligible to receive their booster dose, they should receive it prior to travel. Please note, some countries along your journey may require a booster dose. On select itineraries where required by local authorities, guests will be required to show proof of vaccination. Viking strongly suggests guests carry their physical vaccine records at all times.
Every stateroom is cleaned and sanitized daily. In addition, every stateroom goes through a “deep-cleaning” sanitization process between each cruise.
Restaurants are sanitized between every service; all other public spaces are fully sanitized at a minimum every 24 hours, with high touchpoints sanitized more frequently every day.
Viking will test symptomatic guests to confirm presence of COVID-19, if a guest requests a test or if the medical staff determines testing is necessary for treatment.
Our Viking Health & Safety Program is the same across our fleet of ocean and river vessels. Viking ocean and river ships, however, differ in size and number of venues. As such, guests traveling on either an ocean or river ship may experience minor day-to-day variations in how we implement our overall program.
Guests with a positive COVID-19 test may be isolated on board or ashore—depending on local guidelines and symptoms, if any. Should the destination where the ship is located require those who test positive be disembarked—or should guest choose to isolate ashore—Viking will help the guest arrange accommodations to recover ashore and help coordinate their travel home. Any expenses incurred are the guest’s responsibility. Upon their return home, Viking Customer Relations will contact the guest and their travel advisor directly regarding any necessary refunding or rescheduling. We recommend that, ahead of departing, guests check with their provider to ensure their travel protection policy covers any necessary medical, quarantine or repatriation expense related to COVID-19. Please Note: Guests who have recovered from COVID-19 in the past 10–90 days should bring either a physician certificate of recovery or a positive PCR test result from within that time window.
Viking’s policy is that close contacts who are fully vaccinated do not have to quarantine. This policy is in line with current CDC guidelines. However, a different approach may be required when in a destination, depending on the local situation at the time.
Viking recommends that guests wear masks while ashore. If a destination requires masks be worn, onboard staff and local guides will confirm the local requirements.
Face masks are optional while moving about the ship. Please note: Viking’s Medical Team continually monitors conditions and may deem face masks to be necessary while moving about the ship, based on conditions at the time of travel.