Viking will test daily

VIKING is setting a high bar for the safe resumption of ocean cruising, with the installation of a facility on one of its ships which will enable daily onboard coronavirus testing of all passengers and crew members.

The cruise line has confirmed the completion of the first “fullscale PCR laboratory at sea,” on board Viking Star, able to process daily non-invasive saliva tests for a full complement of 930 passengers as well as the crew.

Viking’s Vice President Maritime Operations Matt Grimes said the project had been under way for several months, with the completed laboratory “moving us one step closer to operating cruises again, without compromising the safety of our guests and crew”.

Having capacity for daily testing would set Viking’s standards even higher than the plan announced last month by Cruise Lines International Association, which has mandated pre-cruise tests for all passengers (CW 07 Oct).

Grimes said the new Centers for Disease Control & Prevention guidelines for the resumption of cruising (CW yesterday) were “clearly aligned with our public health research, and we welcome the agency’s push towards testing, as we believe this is the only way to safely operate.

“In our view, continuous PCR testing, along with our extensive onboard hygiene protocols, will lead to making Viking ships a safe place to get away and to explore the world,” he said.

The new onboard testing facility will be demonstrated later this month when Star arrives in Oslo, with Viking expected to also unveil its own comprehensive COVID-safe operating procedures for the return of voyages.