Where Travel Is Safe Again

Posted onAuthorChris Owen

I was beginning to wonder if we will ever leave after-effects of the global pandemic solidly in the rearview mirror. Travel has been one of the hardest hit parts of life. We don’t have to look far to find an outbreak anywhere in the world. Still, traveling this week with Viking on a European river cruise, I’m discovering effective adjustments in programming, onboard and off. In their typically thoughtful and efficient way, Viking has again enabled safe travel.

It’s not Viking’s first rodeo either. Their present day skill was developed over many years as a number of travel disruptors have taken place. It’s why one of the most important travel skills to develop for travelers as well as travel service providers is flexibility. Frankly, some of our very best travel experiences have been due to modified travel.

We have seen river itineraries modified due to high water levels that would not allow ships to pass under bridges. Highlighting the unique value of their identical Viking Longship fleet, a ship swap allows sailings to continue. Leaving one ship on one side of the bridge, passengers move to another to continue their journey as Viking crew assist the transfer.

Modified itineraries, an occurrence that can suck the life out of a big ship ocean cruise, adds adventure to a Viking river experience. On one of our most memorable Viking sailings, the ship never sailed at all due to low water. Given the choice to go on the cruise or reschedule for a later date, we went and came home with a mind full of rich travel memories.

On Viking’s Rhine Getaway itinerary as I write this, a number of programming changes enable safe sailing in ways that make sense. Let’s take a look:

  • Fully Vaccinated Passengers: Viking requires all passengers to be fully vaccinated when they walk on to the ship.
  • Daily Testing: Every morning we spit into a test tube, seal it in a provided envelope, and drop it off to be tested.
  • Embarkation Testing On arrival, embarkation testing insures COVID exposure did not occur in transit to the ship.
  • Masking That Makes Sense: While wearing a mask when traveling (or for any reason unless doing surgery) is not what one would wish, Viking weighs the results of that daily testing as one factor in the need to mask. On our sailing, we are asked to wear masks only when moving about the ship. Frankly, if masks are the reason for self-deprivation in your travel department, get over it. The experience is worth it. On Viking anyway.
  • More Masking That Makes Sense: Lighter weight than KN-95 masks I brought from home, Viking masks as well as little bottles of hand sanitizer greet Viking guests in their stateroom.
  • Motorcoach Occupancy: Like luxury travel company Abercrombie & Kent has a comfort standard of two bus seats for each person, Viking does so to build in social distancing. Luxury is just a bonus in this case.
  • Assisted Buffet: At the Aquavit Terrace dining venue, Viking has masked and gloved crew standing by to serve us. It’s a practice that greatly reduces the chance of cross contamination which quickly spreads contaminants between people.

All of the above also highlights the value of small ship sailing in general. We’ve seen this element on other cruise lines as well. Windstar Cruises, Star Clippers, Seabourn and others come to mind. To be blunt: fewer potentially disease-spreading humans in one enclosed space greatly reduces the odds of illness. Frankly, I feel safer traveling with Viking than I do walking across the street at home for a trip to the grocery store.