Rivers; Oceans; Expeditions; Complimentary Brochures; Call Viking at 1-800-304-9616 or Contact Your Travel Advisor. But Baden-Wrttemberg may follow too. Passengers from across the country say theyve received letters from the cruise company informing them their reservation, paid for more than two years in advance, had been canceled just days ahead of departure. Any time there's a heat wave in Europe, especially if coupled with lighter-than-average spring snow melt or rainfall, you can end up with low water in certain parts of . In 2017, Prochilo booked a Rhine sailing herself with Emerald, only to find "very low levels" of water. Last year they tried to hold the line on this and got so much pushback that they backed off. Powered by Invision Community. If my health made such an option not possible, I would not come at all. According to Wasserman, they paid more than $12,000 for the cruise, including money for travel insurance. The cruise lines should step up and just cancel the season. Viking OCEANs product was introduced in May 2015 with the launch of its first vessel MV Viking Star. 0 On September 12, 2023, departs Longitudinal World Cruise II . Harvey Wasserman and his wife Arleen have always loved to travel. Brutal but true, as much as it hurts me to say that. Sherri Gardneris the Assistant Editor for TripSavvy and has been with the company since May 2018. I hope you can enjoy the remaining stops and Christmas markets to the full, as well as the great service on the ship. On June 10, 2022, the U.S. announced it is eliminating the COVID testing requirement for air travelers to enter the country. Award-winning Viking Longships. Our money was refunded by Tuesday. 733 0 obj <> endobj Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP) A Viking river cruise ship heading . Any positive case adds to our count, anyone who needs medical attention takes the personnel away from the locals, be it river cruiser or mountaineer. 758 0 obj <>/Filter/FlateDecode/ID[<3B2B7E0F41F04746806E97F249047B35><0B2C10FC3CE5DD4FA2FE110046A04FF1>]/Index[733 43]/Info 732 0 R/Length 116/Prev 410459/Root 734 0 R/Size 776/Type/XRef/W[1 3 1]>>stream @CincyAL, Viking "acts more like a bank" because some travelers LET THEM. Closer to home, Viking plans to build and launch their first ship to cruise the Mississippi river, Viking Mississippi. Now we will wait and see. Has anyone cancelled their Viking River cruise? jAi Aaron, so far its only Bavaria and Saxonia. Forgot to use it? We are scheduled to leave Sunday and are going to spend 3 days independent in Amsterdam. Guests will have 24 months to select their new date and use their Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher to make a new reservation on any river, ocean or expedition cruise. Should any significant itinerary modifications become necessary, guests and their Travel Advisors will be notified directly by Viking. Bumped customers have been offered full refunds or vouchers equivalent to 110 percent of what theyve already paid so they can book at later dates. INTRODUCTION Your contract is with Viking River Cruises UK Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Co. No.01283655) whose The interest or growth potential of them requiring full payment that far in advance is financiallyimmoral. When I transferred it to a TA the agency movedthe payment up 2 weeks not a big deal. Risk-Free Guarantee: How it Works. Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all 2022 departures of our Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary. I understand your point. Shorter itinerary segments are also available for booking, including the 119-day Viking World Horizons 2022 that visits 49 ports in 22 countries. When you look up the UK website you will notice the difference in setup but also in the small print. Christmas Markets seem to be falling away, I wonder what the chance is Viking will cancel cruise entirely? On both the Hamburg-to-Kiel itinerary, departing August 26, and the Kiel-roundtrip sailing, departing September 7, World Navigator will call at Kotka and Mariehamn, Finland instead. Bathrooms are superb, even at the lowest category, with glassed-in showers, sleek styling, plenty of storage, Freyja toiletries andthe biggest indulgence of allheated tile floors and towel racks.- Cruise Critic, You May Like: What Cruise Line Goes Around Hawaiian Islands. If you have any questions or need further information please contact Reservations at 1-877-523-0579 or email customerrelations@vikingcruises.com, Monday Friday, 6:00 AM 6:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM 4:00 PM, PT. I understand what the written policy is stating, however this was the offer to us. Its unclear how many reservations have been terminated with days to spare, but a Facebook community page created by a ticket-holder on July 1 Viking Mississippi Cruise has drawn dozens of comments, many of them from worried or unhappy reservation-holders. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link, Change your cruise date up to 14 days prior to departure, The ultimate flexibility: You have 24 months to select your new cruise date, Combinable with all other Viking offers. I would not bet on any river cruise line giving up that business "just" because the Covid infection rate is high. https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/24/slovakia-becomes-the-second-european-country-to-go-into-lockdown-as-covid-cases-surge, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features. Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises, has canceled all 2022 departures from its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary. I see that the Viking Vali left Amsterdam, probably as scheduled, and has passed through the Rhine Gorge today. The river cruise lines will tell you that low water levels are rare, and that few sailings are altered due to water levels - but the truth is the risk is always present. Wasserman originally wanted to transfer the cruise to his step-daughter, but the company would not allow it, he said. Calls to Viking for comment were not returned this week. They said 21 days for refund. I have never sailed Viking and don't have first hand opinions about them - though I think they are one of the lines that will weather the storm better due to paying for their ships in cash. I only hope that Viking has not overextended themselves and alreadyspentthe paymentson other expenses with the expectation that bookings would continue perpetually. Viking River Cruises. I had one situation where I got SBC for paying at booking for a cruise 11 months out. 2 Viking River Cruises canceled all Russian river cruises and its planned Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest routes this year due to the events. Read Also: Which Cruise Line Is Best For Kids. When I called just to inquire about this, I was told the first available trip was actually in 2025, because everything earlier was fully booked., In other words, Viking wanted to keep our money for three more years, after already having it for almost two years, said Pletcher, who instead demanded a full refund. "The ship emptied the pool to lighten the load and we . By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. At Viking, your experience means the world to us. Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Viking Cruises suspended passenger shipping operations fleetwide by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 12, 2020, through July 2021. Then in 2022, they expect the debut of two new expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. Viking continues to reinvent cruises and next year will be no different. . All except $100 future cruise credit each. That mountain hut in the Vosges mountains is getting more attractive by the day, though. Great to hear Viking allowed you to cancel via telephone; the booking contract stated they required it to be in writing. The prospect of waiting until 2025 to board a Viking cruise strikes some elderly passengers as iffy if not unlikely given their age. The language barriers are real and the country is vast. mostly closed. The cruise turned into a very expensive and deceptive bus trip through Europe. It would be real interesting to see a movement by their customers against refusing to make full payment 1 and 2 years in advance. The itinerary was called Scenic British Isles. Itappears the rule at Viking is that if you are a TA or speak with the right person the policy is changed. The cancellations add to the ripple effect Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused throughout the travel industry. Viking Saturn will officially be named in New York on June 6 by its godmother, philanthropist and chairman of the Metropolitan Opera Ann Ziff. If you were booked on any of the canceled Viking river or ocean cruises in 2020, you are entitled to a 125% Future Cruise Voucher for whatever amount you have paid. The company cancelled the trip the very next day because the countries closed their borders. Featured review. Much like borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. So some of the rooms are unavailable for these reasons.. I wouldn't think so. We, along with 188 other passengers anticipated our Viking River Cruise on the Idun departing Nuremberg on June 1. By And when travel is less complicated, we are ready to resume operations and explore the world in comfort, again. Royal Caribbean noted that cancelations were a result of the ongoing COVID-related circumstances around the world, and in an abundance of caution.. This and the fact that the Christmas Markets have been cancelled for all 5 stops in Bavaria has made us decide to cancel the cruise. Are you just speculating, or have you read something? I just got off of the phone with Viking. countries, Click this link to navigate to the Find A Cruise page, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Of course there are unexpected circumstances that may necessitate setting aside policy. "Poseidon Expeditions Cancels 2022 Russia, North Pole Programs." It seems to me that Viking is inconsistent with their customers. We can always rebook. Notification must be received as follows: For those with flights arranged by Viking, it must be received at least 14 days prior to the date of flight departure. Let us help you navigate your way to what you're looking for - using the search bar or helpful links. Quite frankly, at this point in time, if I was booked on a river cruise and flying from the US, I would cancel it and come over on a land trip to stay in a mountain self-catering place with food and drink. Viking River Cruises has chosen to modify the itineraries of river voyages that include Austria. Today, 1/22/22 I contacted Viking Cruise lines about canceling a river cruise to France for this June, plenty of days before the cancellation date, and was told that I could not get ALL my money back. A friend is leaving to go on a Viking Rhine this weekend. I have to correct this mistake. Posted November 19, 2020 (edited) Update now posted on Viking's website - all cancelled until end Jan 21 + other in later months due to regional issues. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine creating an active war zone in the Baltic, Viking River Cruises, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises all canceled port stops or . TheViking Mississippiwas not located in the storms path at the time, and all guests and crew are safe. Generous closets, plentiful USB ports and US/EU outlets, plush robes and slippers add to your comfort. As of June 10, 2022, select ocean voyages on the Viking Orion and expedition voyages on the Viking Octantis in the United States and Canada will continue to require a pre-departure COVID-19 test. As of this afternoon, their Romantic Danube departure on the Viking Atla on December 5 has been modified with an extra day in Budapest, added day in Bratislava, and a scenic sailing day through Austria before reaching Passau and Regensburg so it seems like they are trying to find a way to operate. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! This policy in itself is really really pushing me away from Viking, and we had really been eyeing them up for an Australian cruise. We are still awaiting a decision by Tauck on our Brussels to Amsterdam cruise December 13-20. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, cruise line after cruise line has altered itineraries with stops in Russian ports or canceled voyages entirely. 6 Russian stops on Viking's ocean itineraries will be modified, and impacted guests and travel advisors will be notified. We were kind of excited about going with them because were close friends, Alvie Blankenship said. Viking River Cruises : does not do the right thing when things go wron. If you have any questions regarding these Terms or the Passenger Ticket Contract, please advise us in writing at Viking River Cruises, Inc., 5700 Canoga Avenue, Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. My take away is that it depends who you speak with and which supervisor is working the day you call. Walking to my stateroom the first day, the corridor was so peaceful with the soft lighting and easy and attractive decor. Exceptions to this payment policy apply for cruise tours more than 35 days, including Viking's World & Grand Cruises which require a 20% deposit of the Full Fare at time of booking the cruise tour. If you push back they provide better final payment dates. I believe the 125% FCC is for bookings through the end of April. Both packages are priced from USD 50000 per person . All three companies said they are working to confirm replacement ports and will advise impacted guests and travel advisers as soon as possible.. I would say that for yourselves you have made the right decision. With a fully paid trip,Id rather have my money refunded and all their CM trips for 2022 are booked except the week of Christmas. What really makes me angry about this is if I had just purchased the excursions they would show up on the credit card immediately. Future Cruise Vouchers valued at 125% are available exclusively for those guests whose cruise was cancelled due to, or associated with, our suspended operations. All bookings made by April 30, 2020, received Risk-Free Guarantee that allows penalty-free cruise cancellation up to 24 hours prior departure. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. They applied the refund to my balance but said I would still get it back on my Credit Card in the 21 Business Days. Talked to Viking and they insist they were done. Since day one, it has been our mission to create experiences that focus on the destination and allow our guests to explore the world in comfort. But they did keep $300 total unrefunded - $100 each cancellation penalty plus $50 each air penalty. The Travel Protection Plan includes a non-insurance . "Norwegian Cruise Cancels Sailings to Russia, Ukraine Ports." For us that was a year prior to sailing. 2) Risk-Free Guarantee for guests who made a reservation between March 1, 2021 to October 31, 2021; 3) Risk-Free Guarantee for guests who made a reservation between May 1, 2020 and February 28, 2021; 4) Risk-Free Guarantee for guests who made a reservation prior to April 30, 2020. Medieval Prague, "City of a Thousand Spires". Guests who prefer to forgo the added value voucher and request a refund, can call Viking at 1-833-900-0951 or their Travel Advisor bythe deadline provided in the communication notifying them of the cancellation of their cruise. :Crystal Cruises is reportedly shutting down US operations, With unrest in Eastern Europe, we have adjusted our voyages, President Alberto Aliberti said in a statement. After six decades of arts education, founder of St. Paul-based ArtStart to retire Indulge in complimentary programming on a flat-screen LCD TV with an easy-to-use remote. How long did they tell you it would be before you actually received your refund? In 2019 the parent company created the brand Viking Expeditions, with a newbuild fleet of two small-sized expedition vessels Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris , plus 2 more same-designed units. This guarantee is combinable with all other Viking offers available. While Austria is locked down, ships will sail through the country and skip port calls there. The testing requirement lifted on June 12, 2022. The company is also allowing him the option to transfer the cruise to someone else, according to Wasserman. So when they got a brochure to take a 15-day Viking cruise through the Panama Canal and Central America, Wasserman said his wife couldnt resist. Guests and their travel agents on impacted departures have been notified directly by Viking Guest Services. "Update: Cruise Lines Cancel Ukraine and Russia Calls. I did end my post by wondering if it made a difference that we had a TA dealing with Viking for us. Speaking of lighting, the bathroom lighting was spectacular. We have a cruise in Oct, and like you, they have held our money for a year already. will apply to such cancellation or amendment and you will be provided with the options set out in clause B.2.1 in these Booking Conditions but no other compensation will be payable. We will see. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. SwissMrs, March 25, 2020 in River Cruising. None of these would normally be on the ship. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. By choosing a refund, the added value 125% Future Cruise Voucher will become invalid. However we are talking a lot of money and there are so many unknowns right now. And do some shopping in small towns. 2022 will be an exciting year for the cruise line as they launch two new ventures with voyages on the Mississippi River and their incredible new expedition cruise ships. And we were really excited about going back and seeing it again. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. The line said it was also evaluating 2022 itineraries that call in Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. Being a retired infection control nurse I would be very surprised to see European river cruises happening at all this summer. Slovakia as well?! In mid-July 2020, Viking Ocean announced the companys Viking World Cruise 2021-2022 planned for MS Viking Star. Since we started Viking 23 years ago, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our employees. In April 2020, the Eagan couple paid $18,800 to reserve a luxury cruise from St. Paul to New Orleans, which would have been their sixth voyage with Viking, an international cruise giant based in Switzerland. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. Orient Express Is Launching the World's Largest Luxury Superyacht, Hurtigruten's 'Northern Lights Promise' Ensures Every Cruiser Sees Auroras, What It's Like to Cruise Around French Polynesia on Windstar's Star Breeze, These Cruise Lines Will Require COVID-19 Vaccines To Sail, Despite What Cruise Lines Say, You Wont Be Setting Sail in May, My Favorite Luxury Cruise Line Is Setting Sail Again. Cruise lines want happy TA's as they can refer to them a lot of business. The Oberammergau play is being rescheduled for 2022. Poseidon Expeditions Cancels 2022 Russia, North Pole Programs. We were all set to fly to Prague in a few days to begin our trip from there to Berlin then London. The elegant boulevards and grand monuments of Paris. Journey with the world's #1 river cruise line. to halt operationsSerenade of the SeasSymphony of the SeasJewel of the Seas Vision of the Seaslater added its Independence of the Seas, We regret having to cancel our guests long-awaited vacations and appreciate their loyalty and understanding. Reservation changes under the Risk-Free Guarantee will be reimbursed in the form of a Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher in the amount of 100% of all monies paid to Viking. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. "Updates on Current Sailings." Viking Neptunes World Cruise itinerary offers overnights in 11 ports, including Auckland New Zealand, Sydney NSW Australia, Benoa Bali Indonesia, Saigon Vietnam, Singapore, Yangon Burma, Colombo Sri Lanka, Mumbai India, Haifa Israel, Istanbul Turkey and London-Greenwich . Please note that Viking is in the process of notifying guests about these changes to the Viking Health & Safety Program, as well as updating specific requirements for all voyages across documents channels, including on MyVikingJourney.com. So far, only one line -- Avalon Waterways -- has cancelled its Main and Danube voyages for the rest of the year. Richard and Jean Pletcher hoped to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary in style. The travel insurance was purchased with Tripmate through Viking, Wasserman said. Cruise Critic. That is why Viking is offering a limited-time offerthe most flexible of any cruise lineso that you can plan your voyage with peace of mind. Vikings expedition ships will have everything from zodiacs to two six person submarines . March 15, 2022. Viking, which had once planned to debut its new cruise ship in 2017, delayed the launch five years while it worked through federal regulatory challenges under the Jones Act, otherwise known as the . We too were very unhappy with Vikings pay in full policywe paid in full 18 months before the cruise is scheduled to run. The scenic route was a gentle way to ease back into cruising. I want the same policy from every agent.period! Note: For the itinerarys all call ports see at the ships Wiki section here. Try checking the URL for errors or explore the world of Viking Cruises by clicking one of our links below. Atlas Ocean VoyagesVisits to St. Petersburg have been dropped from Atlas summer Baltic itineraries. I called immediately and was given very little information, only that we could reschedule for the trip during 2023 or 2024 with a 110 percent credit, said Richard Pletcher, who is in his 70s. The price has shot up quite a bit from what we paid. Catherine Frohnert and her husband, both in their 80s, booked their Viking trip on the Mississippi River in 2019 and paid for it in early 2020, only to learn this month that their reservation from New Orleans to St. Paul had been canceled. @garlinn decided to cancel, which leaves another poster. They saiid that they are going to make a decision in the next 24 hours and will email everybody as soon as they make a decision. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called "Italian Sojourn," which would travel around Italy's . Review of Viking Cruises. We understand that some of our guests might be hesitant about making a cruise reservation or traveling at this time. As they're a private company details of things like their financing and debtaren't all that visible, but it seems they didn't useall their own money to pay for at least one of their ocean fleet - it's not a coincidence that Viking Sun was namedin Shanghai. This cruise began in Budapest, Hungary and ended in Bucharest, Romania with visits to Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi, Vidin , Golubac, and Belgrade , Osijek , and Kalocsa . The Carnival Sunshine, part of Carnival Cruise Lines' Caribbean fleet. For sale: A green thumbs house on Summit Avenue (with a conservatory!). "Cruise Lines Cancel Scheduled Stops in Russia, Ukraine." But they did keep $300 total unrefunded - $100 each cancellation penalty plus $50 each air penalty. After all, this too shall eventually pass. All affected bookings received a 125% refund in FCC with rebooking or 100% monetary refund. I chatted with a Viking agent yesterday to see if they might consider an approach like this for our Oct cruise. Announcing Our 2023 Cruisers' Choice Award Winners! There will be another and eighth ocean ship, Viking Mars. If, or rather when, we cancel that one, if we take the FCC that the offer at that time to rebook something later, it's not inconceivable that they would have held our money for up to 3 years! I hope not. Theyll refund the vouched amount to you. I believe Crystal's Rhine cruises are still a go. Reviewed 15 August 2018 via mobile . Entire boat trips planned from St. Paul in July and August were canceled this summer, and interior work aboard the ship has apparently continued right through the first departure from St. Paul toward St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 3. The woman at Viking DID offer us 125% FCC. ", "Norwegian Cruise Cancels Sailings to Russia, Ukraine Ports. This guarantee is combinable with all other Viking offers available. They then said it is 21 Business days. If we cancel we have to take a FCCso disappointed as weve had this booked since January 2019. New Viking Ocean Cruise Ships: Viking Venus - Launched in 2021, the Viking Venus accommodates 930 passengers and features a variety of staterooms, including suites with balconies.

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