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. For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube. #VikingVictims. We are cancelling our river cruise due to viking's heavy handed covid vaccine requirement. Ive asked that one room in the hotels have two separate beds for our two adult children who do not want to share a bed. I complained initially that I was not given a direct flight. I am extremely disappointed that a once in a lifetime trip I have been looking forward to for two years is now marred before we even get on the ship. The typical characteristics of river boats regardless of cruise line are about the same. "Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine,. We are told now that change is not possible at all because vouchers have expired. We booked a Viking cruise from Venice to Athens in late 2020 for September 2021. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority," a Viking representative told Travel Market Report. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. The photo is from my first premium, international award flight in 2012. We called our AAA travel agent and she notified Viking on September 17,2022, we were scheduled to leave on September 22,2022. This is an awful company to deal with. Coach would have been better. I advised Viking that my wife and I could not get the vaccine ever and asked for a refund of our primary payment. The dream vacation I have waited for 8 years has gone down the drain. We only wanted our money to be applied to another cruise in 2023. In fact, everything we have come to expect from Viking exceptthere were apparently a few cases of a GI infection . "You might see some cities you might not have expected to see and you might miss some you wanted to see. We would never do a river cruise again, Paid for a cruise in Nov 2021 for an Oct 2022 cruise, 2 days before departure I broke both wrists, contacted Viking about a credit for for a future cruise - a very rude man said Viking would do nothing- they had my money for almost a year and basically told me "to bad". A weighted-down ship sinks lower in the water and therefore needs more distance from the water line to the river bottom to sail safely without scraping the riverbed. Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. They feature elegant Scandinavian design, spacious staterooms with large verandas, and both indoor and al . This would mean that river cruise lines could face severe disruptions . Special fares plus Free airfare valid on select 2023 departures of Eastern Seaboard Explorer and Canada & New England Scenic Shores. Articles are of a general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. Published on May 21, 2021. The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French, said Schreiner. Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled . It turns out that during the second half of the cruise, we were in a heat wave, experiencing very hot temperatures. Viking changed their policy after they took all our money, lured us into taking now worthless vouchers. Feb 1, 2023. The flight from Amman Jordan to Our flexible deposit policy applies to new reservations only made between 17 December 2022 to 31 March 2023 and is combinable with all other Viking offers available. This is known as ship swapping. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus Vikings entire river fleet of over 75 ships is also actively sailing. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Last week, the cruise line cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary and said it was evaluating 2022 sailing that call in Russia. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. This was a question that I asked myself before booking my Rhine River cruise. Not a problem for him at all. by Steve CaseLast updated September 6, 2022. On the last day, all running water was turned off until we left the ship. We missed 2 ports of call and 1/3 of our sites to see the auroras. Maximum capacities of 164 passengers and 47 crew. . All I want if a refund for our primary payment so we can sail on a ship that does not require the vaccine since we can not get it. In June, there were places along the Po that completely dried up. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 1. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. . We called Viking and there is nothing that they will do to be able to use the over $7,000 paid for the trip. Ships might be able to pass through a tricky spot, like Kaub, today but not tomorrow, or cant this week but can next week. Vikings' policy allows no refund under the circumstances (i.e. Thank you. Airfares vary on other gateways & departures. Sure we were free but that's no excuse. After 5 Viking Passengers from across the country say they've. Cruises beginning in 2009, this is not the first error and being loyal Part refund, at least 25%. "But its clear that river cruising is not going away anytime soon.". Cannot recommend whatsoever - there are better cruise lines who deliver & care about providing a decent level of customer experience - avoid them if you can. We feel we should get the $3,494 dollars refunded to us. 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. The first example of river distress is the Po River in Northern Italy. Viking has lost four loyal customers with 10 past cruises between us. Cancellation conditions 2. He replied "absolutely no way both medically and because ************ weakens her immune system!" Customer Reviews are not used in the calculation of BBB Rating, My husband and I took an Antarctica cruise with Viking Octantis Dec 25 to Jan 7' as an all inclusive trip, all airfares and transportations were included . Pharaohs & Pyramids. Why? Having trip insurance may pay you in full depending on your coverage. It was not a condition of completing this trip. Published: Aug. 08, 2022, 9:30 a.m. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. Posted May 4, 2021. I'm with Robin (see below). . He was assertive and very confident, pushy and eager to make the booking. We have rescheduled 2x as we refuse to get the Covid vaccine and Viking will not allow boarding if you are not 100% vaccinated. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. Or, you might have a few port stops changed out for new ones, or spend more time than you prefer in busses or hotels, possibly with shorter visits to destinations that now require longer bus rides. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have canceled several trips as the Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc with the cruise . We said yes. How is this hard? Viking Cruise recommends that their customers insure their travel & trip with Trip Mate Travel Insurance. Viking Ocean Cruises has sailings listed for June, 2021. Wanted us to travel with 3 flights via 2 countries, when we complained they hid behind T & Cs very sneaky & very poor customer service, they cited they couldnt absorb costs of a more direct flight routing. However, the same problems do not affect river cruise ships. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. Refund or partial credit. We paid some #10,000 for premium air. Courtesy Sheila Davies. We were given misinformation by their employee, to which their supervisor stated that verbal statements do not count. Holland America Cruise Line | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. By. The ship can welcome up to 386 passengers, and. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. Viking suggested that I should talk to my travel insurance company to reimburse the cost of additional airfare cost. How the Coronavirus Might Impact My Upcoming Viking River Cruise, Update: My Viking River Cruise And Their Coronavirus Response, Reivew: Nile River Cruise on the Grand Princess Amwaj. She is scheduled to start ************ this week. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. AAA travel called Viking many times to rectify this and in December we were finally told that they would give us a $10,000 dollar credit toward another cruise and a $1,500 dollar shipboard credit. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. We would appreciate any help you can provide in helping us to get the rest of our money back. Thanks for reaching out, Itom, although we regret to learn of your experience with booking excursions. The first thing that I noticed when I boarded is that all river ships are built to similar dimensions. MVJ is locked for this specific cruise , and if you try to book the cruise (UK website) the first available Fjords cruise in now April 2022. Learn more. Then before the departure, Viking cancelled operations and offered us vouchers for future cruises. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. We have one ship starting in Amsterdam and one ship starting in BaselIf they cannot pass Kaub [the critically low water point on the Rhine], then [the passengers] all disembark on either side," he explained. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. No one expects to have to cancel a cruise. I checked with many countries and all their restrictions have been dropped. I won't be booking any future cruise with them. Share. Cailey Rizzo. But this is one American that will never sail with this awful company ever again. Other ships were docked at the pier. If ships have to lighten their loads to cross shallow water, fewer goods can be transported at once. Another point that travelers should understand is that when the news reports low water levels, its not that an entire river has dried up and is impassable. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity mentioned herein. Cruise was not very happy because this was a Christmas Market cruise and many of the markets were closed or food only due to the dates. To date we have sent a certified *** ****** ***** letter to VRC and had no response. In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. I'm now wondering what the cozy deal is between Viking and Trip Mate, considering the vast number of Trip Mate complaints from Viking Cruise customers. Due to my cancellations, Viking held onto $8,000 of my Funds for about two years. We were informed by the booking person at Viking that we could change the date as necessary for as long of period of time, even years down the road. Plus Ups are excluded. Well guide you through the process. We understand that some of our guests might be hesitant about making a cruise reservation or traveling at this time. 1. Thanks for reaching out, M Mulmech., although we regret to learn of your disappointment with your hotel arrangements. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . On 11/22 we received an email from Trip Mate regarding the resolution of our claim. Anybody got any idea what do I do? The cruise was cancelled due the pandemic ($11,367.50) Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% We said yes. Weve taken note of your feedback and if you'd like discuss your trip further and welcome you to email TellUs@vikingcruises.com with your booking information. Related: Booking your first river cruise? #7. The US gov has basically declared the "plandemic" over and all other mandates have been drop but Viking still won't change their policy. TPG values it at $1,600. On November 26, 2021 when speaking with VRC representative we were informed that out ********* is in the form of a voucher and has no cash value and cannot be refunded. We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. By Alyssa Lukpat and Ceylan Yeginsu. It turns out that for the most part, if the ship sank, we would be high and dry standing on the sun deck. 05 Aug 2022. All other passages from ******* for the same Antarctica cruise with Viking Octantis got their boarding passes with no problem. Enrollment required. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . He lied. Viking Plans A Robust 2021 2022 Cruise Season Despite the canceled 2020 cruise season, Viking has high hopes for 2021 and beyond. We are unable to meet VRC health requirements to participate in one of their cruises. My bag didn't make it. While we may have to make changes to some of our itineraries and have had to cancel a few voyages, impacted guests and travel partners have and will receive transparent updates and the opportunity to re-book onto another sailing, shared Ellen Bettridge, president and CEO of Uniworld, in an email to TPG. Because there was no time for a further delay, we paid the tickets to the airline. Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher To go on the cruise people do not have to supply a negative covid test so you still go on the cruise in theory even if you have covid. In a statement issued to the Star Tribune, Viking confirmed that some of the ship's first scheduled departures were canceled this summer, and that the luxury vessel is temporarily operating. Global warming is indeed having an effect on European rivers. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. How could we?? Find out how we combat fake reviews. Water levels on the Rhine River are set to fall close to the point where the river cannot hold ships anymore. Spoke to several people today, including a supervisor My husband and I were scheduled to leave for our Viking cruise around Spain on Jan. 11. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Subscribe to Apple News. If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles. Scheduled and rescheduled elder family care and pet sitting services. These hotels are Marriott and hilton properties that have such rooms. I encourage all Americans to do the same. Booked a trip just before covid hit which had to be canceled for obvious reasons. Royal Caribbean Group's Celebrity Cruises has canceled four sailings from March 26 through April 16 aboard the Celebrity Eclipse, which has yet to return to service, a spokesperson for the. Schreiner does not hold with that assertion because river cruise lines simply adjust their schedules year after year for optimal weather conditions. Very disappointing. The booking # is *******. After a further communication with Viking, the second answer was because the flights were on a promotion deal, any delay or cancellation was not covered by Viking. Don't sail Viking unless you are guaranteed of going on the trip. On 10/12 as our plane was taxiing for departure, my husband suffered a medical emergency. The vaccinations mean nothing anyway. Planning a cruise? 12 reviews. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. When considering complaint information, please take into account the company's size and volume of transactions, and understand that the nature of complaints and a firm's responses to them are often more important than the number of complaints. When Viking River Cruises canceled my cruise in 2021 for Covid, they gave me a cruise voucher for 125% and some optional packages as an incentive to rebook. Contact your Sales Agent or our Customer Service department online, via email, or by phone at 1-800-427-8473 and ask about potential opportunities for flexible cancellation policies, rebooking opportunities and other options. The cruise line offered her future cruise vouchers worth 125 percent of her fare. Poulsbo, Washington. I had to cancel due to ill health and provided over five months notice. Schreiner gives an example of two identical sister ships, AmaLucia and AmaSiena, that both sail the Rhine. Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews. Just as with ocean sailings, theres always a risk that weather and river/sea conditions can impact that itinerary, and cruisers must accept that itineraries cannot be set in stone. It would seem to be a reasonable and simple request. Desired outcome: But there is nothing we can do, your vouchers have expired'. We booked a river cruise with Viking which we cancelled due to Covid and received travel vouchers from Viking for the amount of the trip. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. They offered us a 150 dollar non refundable credit to be used onboard. The Viking Ocean Cruises 2022 Grand Polynesia Voyage has come to a triumphant completion in Los Angeles. Not one thing but some flowers in the rain and unsafe steps and more Booking number 7141933 Viking's move follows announcements from other cruise operators saying they are . The difference between what they gave us as a credit for a 2023 cruise (which we booked so we didn't lose all of our money) and what we originally paid is $3,494 dollars. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. Viking have done this every year since 2012, knowing they are unable to dock there but still taking Port Tax from every passenger. That's our policy. Because these problem spots are well known, river cruise lines can find ways to mitigate the issues with savvy itinerary planning. On 12/20/20 Viking cancelled this cruise. One thing Amawaterways and many other river lines do is run two ships simultaneously on the same one-way itinerary, with one ship starting at one end and the other on the opposite end.
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