Viking has completed the installation of the first full-scale PCR laboratory at sea. This new onboard facility allows for unprecedented testing capacity in the cruise industry, enabling Viking to conduct PCR testing of all crew members and guests with a non-invasive saliva test.
This first laboratory has been installed on Viking Star, the company’s award-winning 930-guest ocean vessel.
The laboratory has enough capacity for daily testing of every crew member and guest, which provides flexibility to respond to COVID-19 prevalence levels around the world.
“We have been working on this for a number of months, and today is important as it moves us one step closer to operating cruises again, without compromising the safety of our guests and crew. The recently announced CDC guidelines are clearly aligned with our public health research, and we welcome the agency’s push toward 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 to and explore the world,” said Matt Grimes, Vice President of Maritime Operations for Viking.
Developing adequate and sufficient onboard COVID-19 diagnostic testing capabilities is one of the requirements in the CDC’s ‘Framework for resuming safe and responsible cruise ship passenger operations‘.