Viking Cruises installs first Covid-19 PCR Testing Laboratory at Sea

Viking Cruises, constantly voted “Best Luxury Cruise Line” and “Best Ocean Cruise Line” in the world have taken the unparalleled step of installing the first Covid-19 PCR Testing Laboratory at Sea.

Last Friday the U.S. Centers for Disease Control (CDC) issued an order detailing a phased in plan for cruising to return. One of the CDC’s requirements is that cruise lines develop their own PCR COVID-19 testing capability. Turns out there’s at least one line that’s already done that.

Viking Cruises on Nov. 2 said it has completed installation of the first full-scale PCR laboratory at sea onboard the Viking Star. This new onboard facility, which Viking says is an industry first, 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. 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.

This first laboratory has been installed on Viking Star, the 930-guest oceangoing vessel. It will undergo a series of extensive tests to ensure the procedures and protocols that have been designed are fully effective.

Viking will be demonstrating the PCR laboratory, as well as new design and operating procedures, when the Viking Star comes to Oslo, Norway in mid-November.

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