At last, after fourteen very long months we are back onboard a cruise ship, and whilst we are cruise veterans, we are Viking Virgins, and we were particularly excited to board the beautiful Viking Venus, a brand-new ship travelling round England from Portsmouth, on to Liverpool, the Scilly Isles, Falmouth, Portland and back to Portsmouth.

Of course, because of Covid, things are a little bit different now. We are aware that various cruise lines will have their own protocols, but in response to requests from many people across social media, we would like to start by talking about how Viking Cruises have tackled this. There are now daily saliva tests, temperature checks and the completion of a short daily health questionnaire, tracking monitors, and face masks to be worn in all inside public areas whilst standing or walking, except when eating or drinking obviously.

The ship has improved ventilation systems and two robot sanitisers that roam around the ship and are nicknamed Batman and Robin. There are sinks and soap at the entrances to the World Café (buffet) and you are expected to wash your hands when you enter, it is not optional as it may have been in the past. There are also modern sanitisers that give you just the right amount on your hands located all around the ship. Read more