Packing Tips

What to bring

We suggest bringing comfortable, casual clothing. Ties and jackets are not required; there are no formal nights although some guests choose dressier clothing for the Captain’s Dinner. Consider dressing respectfully when visiting places of worship and other religious sites where you may be denied entry if wearing clothing considered to be inappropriate or too revealing. Your Tour Escort can assist you with any questions. Also, please consider baggage weight restrictions on the intra-China flights when packing.

Here is a short list of items you might want to bring with you:

- Comfortable walking shoes

- Dressier shoes

- Collapsible umbrella/lightweight rain gear

- Lightweight jacket/warm sweater/sweatshirt

- Sunglasses, sun hat or visor

- Toiletries (including medical remedies)

- Warm coat, gloves and water-resistant footwear (as needed for cooler months)

Pack in your carry-on baggage

We suggest you bring copies of your key travel documents (passport information page, airline tickets, credit card numbers and insurance information) and carry them separately in case you lose your originals.

You might also want to consider packing the following items:

- All needed medications, including prescriptions, in their original, labeled containers

- Eyeglasses, contacts, contact lens solution

- Important papers and travel documents

- Camera gear, film or extra memory cards, extra batteries

- Valuables

Optional items

Here is a list of optional items to consider bringing with you:

- Electric converter/adapter for North American appliances (220V)

- Travel alarm clock, travel flashlight, binoculars, anti-bacterial wipes and/or hand sanitizer

- Small calculator for foreign exchange calculations

- Travel journal/notepad and/or reading material

- Small, basic sewing kit/extra buttons; pack scissors in checked bags

- Address list or pre-addressed labels for sending postcards

NOTE: Most hotels and Reception onboard have hair dryers available for guest use. Also, laundry service (no dry cleaning) is available on board for a fee.

Animals

No pets or other animals are allowed on board the ship, other than service animals and certified therapy dogs as Viking may choose to permit at its sole discretion. Guests who require the aid of a service animal or certified therapy dog must advise Viking at the time of booking, and complete and submit the Service Animal Request Form to Viking before final payment is due. Failure to do so may result in a denial of boarding.

Dress Code

During the day, dress is casual including shorts (if the season is warm), slacks or jeans and comfortable shoes for walking tours. There are no “formal nights” in the evening; recommended evening dress is “elegant casual.” For ladies, this may include a dress, skirt or slacks with a sweater or blouse; and for gentlemen, trousers and a collared shirt. A tie and jacket are optional.

Dietary Requirements

In most cases, we can. Every meal has vegetarian options and our chefs will make reasonable efforts to accommodate special requests. Guests requiring special meals (low salt, diabetic, gluten-free or low cholesterol) should alert us 90 days prior to departure and inform the Maître d’ when on board.

While we take steps to minimize the risk of cross contamination, we cannot guarantee an allergen-free kitchen.

Smoking Policy

Viking vessels are generally nonsmoking. In order to accommodate guests who choose to smoke, there is a designated outdoor smoking area. All other areas of the ship, including your stateroom and veranda, are designated nonsmoking areas. Smoking restrictions also apply to e-cigarettes.

Accessibility

Viking welcomes guests with disabilities on our ships; however, guests must be aware there are risks associated with travelling on board ships that are unique to cruise travel. Therefore, guests must be able to independently move around the ship in case of an emergency or rough seas, understand the lack of immediate access to medical services in certain parts of the world, and acknowledge that access to some areas of the ship and ports of call may be limited. Shore excursions may require the ability to traverse cobblestones or go up and down stairs. We reserve the right to determine whether a guest is fit to travel and to deny boarding in the event that a guest represents a risk to themselves or to the safety and well-being of those on board the ship.

When you make your reservation, please advise us of any disability that will require special attention while sailing on a Viking cruise. Should you have any medical, physical or other special needs, check the information on our website to gain an understanding of the layout of any particular ship or contact Viking for any additional information or advice.

Wheelchair accommodations and elevators

Guests who have a disability, physical or otherwise, must travel with an able-bodied companion who can assist them as the staff are not permitted to lift guests or push wheelchairs. Guests need to provide their own wheelchairs, except in an emergency. Wheelchairs must not exceed 22" in width. Motorised scooters are not typically suitable for international cruises and cannot be accommodated. While our ocean vessels have lifts, there may still be thresholds that could make movement difficult.

Health & Safety

Small Ships

Our Switzerland-registered river vessels host just 190 or fewer guests, and our fleet of identical all-veranda Norway-registered ocean ships host only 930 guests. With the risk of disease infection significantly lower on small vessels, we believe our ships offer a safer environment than that of the mega ships. And with no interior staterooms on any of our ships, guests enjoy expansive views from outside staterooms.

Purified Air

Enjoy fresh air in your stateroom, knowing that all staterooms on Viking ocean and river ships feature independent air handling units that do not share air with other areas of the ship. Also take comfort in knowing that the air in the public areas of your ship has also been purified with new short-wavelength ultraviolet (UV-C) lights and high-density filters, which kill 99.99% of all airborne viruses and bacteria.

Daily PCR Testing

We believe a robust and adaptable testing programme is key in preventing the virus from entering a ship, and mitigating community spread among guests and crew. Quick and easy non-invasive PCR tests—via simple saliva sample—will be conducted daily throughout your itinerary, in the privacy of your stateroom.

Dedicated PCR Laboratories

Viking was the first cruise line to complete installation of the first full-scale PCR laboratory at sea. Each of our ocean vessels will be equipped with a PCR laboratory, providing Viking with the capability to test all guests and crew every day if necessary. A strong network of Viking-dedicated shoreside labs will bring the same high-quality, high-accuracy molecular testing regimen to our river ships.

Medical Services

While every precaution can reduce the risk of illness, we are also prepared for that outcome. Each of our ocean vessels has always had a state-of-the-art Medical Centre; those facilities have now been upgraded with more specialized equipment. We have also launched a new 24/7 hotline staffed by doctors, specifically for our river cruises.

Health Check

Regular health monitoring will verify the complete wellness of all guests and crew during your sailing. Short Health Questionnaires will be completed daily, and temperature checks will be conducted effortlessly with automated thermal cameras.

Sanitisation

Rest assured that the surfaces on your ship will be cleaned and sanitised continuously with daily scheduled deep cleanings. You will notice more hand sanitisation stations throughout your ship. And on our ocean ships, we are using new sanitisation robots that utilize UV-C light to treat surfaces in guest and crew public areas—an industry first.

Dining & Entertainment

On your ship, you can expect spacious, airy public areas and abundant options for al fresco dining. Also, on ocean cruises, as always, you can enjoy complimentary 24-hour room service. Now, more options for spaced seating in all dining venues will allow for physical distancing; self-serve dining stations will be replaced with staff service; there will be additional table service at all bars and lounges; and new capabilities will allow you to watch more live events and enriching content through your in-room entertainment system.

Physical Distancing & Face Masks

Public health experts agree that proper physical distancing and the use of face masks are effective in helping slow the spread of COVID-19 and other illnesses. Similar to many local guidelines currently in place, physical distancing measures are in place in public areas on board, and face masks may be required for all guests and crew while moving about Viking ships, depending on conditions at time of sailing. Face masks will not be required for guests when seated in dining venues, bars and lounges.

Spa & Fitness

On ocean cruises, The Spa will remain open to all guests by appointment only to ensure proper distancing and all spa staff will wear face masks during treatments. The Fitness Centre will also remain open with its own dedicated sanitisation staff to ensure all equipment and surfaces are cleaned in between each guest use.