The two most popular are the Rhine and the Danube. It is getting harder and harder to book excursions on Viking cruises, so I would advise anyone planning a cruise with them to think twice, if excursions are important to them. Also lost out on the cruise vouchers. Viking Cruises will test all guests and crew for COVID-19 with daily PCR testing when sailings resume, as part of the company's new Viking Health & Safety Program, the cruise line recently announced. Very disappointed with Viking River Cruises - Fodor's Its not an American company so they feel like they can treat Americans any way they want. Risk-Free Guarantee - Viking River Cruises River cruise cancellation fears loom as Rhine threatens closure airfare $2198 However, I believe the policy is rather onerous. Booking number: *******. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. Vikings' policy allows no refund under the circumstances (i.e. We booked a cruise, paid the full booking amount. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. 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. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. We have rescheduled 2x as we refuse to get the Covid vaccine and Viking will not allow boarding if you are not 100% vaccinated. Will the drought in Europe affect your river cruise vacation? We missed 2 ports of call and 1/3 of our sites to see the auroras. We appreciate you sharing your experience, Trevor, although we regret to hear of your disappointment. But all was not lost. 2023-2025 OCEAN CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from March 1-31, 2023. Viking have done this every year since 2012, knowing they are unable to dock there but still taking Port Tax from every passenger. If you search Viking the risk free still pops up you have to read the fine print to realise its all over so be aware. Viking Ocean Cruises. Then when operations started again, we decided to book a cruise to sail November 2021 At the time we booked, vaccines were not a requirement. Applies primarily to to bookings with the following content. I purchased a cruise for my wife and myself then Covid hit. Our longtime Cruise Specialists Voyage Host, Tom Mullen, shares his thoughts from the last few days of the voyage, which took place January 5 to February 6, 2022. For Further Assistance If you have any questions or need further information please contact Reservations at 1-877-523-0579 or email [email protected], Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM, PT. We later booked a future cruise and then learned of the medical requirement which we are advised may be harmful to us because of pre-existing heart conditions. I have three times tried to contact Viking, by phone, email, and chat. Because Viking issued a voucher , insurance denied the claim as the voucher was considered a refund I complained initially that I was not given a direct flight. Just got order from Doctor to cancel due to sudden onset of autoimmune kidney disease. 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. Scenic. Verification can help ensure real people write reviews about real companies. Royal Caribbean International | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. It turns out that for the most part, if the ship sank, we would be high and dry standing on the sun deck. The US gov has basically declared the "plandemic" over and all other mandates have been drop but Viking still won't change their policy. The dream vacation I have waited for 8 years has gone down the drain. I was never informed that the vaccine would be required to sail and that our money would not be eligible for a refund. Guests and travel advisors with affected departures have been notified. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. "Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine,. I encourage all Americans to do the same. Viking Cruises, and Other Lines, Changes Plans Because of Ukraine News It is obvious to the casual observer that VRC is not in financial distress as they have added ships to their fleet and the CEO is listed a a billionaire. Maximum capacities of 164 passengers and 47 crew. This content has not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Refund or partial credit. Only Viking can make the appropriate reservation. [email protected], For updates: A recent CNN article proclaimed that summer droughts like the current one, plus global warming, could signal a death knell for river cruises in the near future. A sales representative ******. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. Jan. 17, 2022. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. 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. Companies will need more ships to carry the same amount of cargo, increasing transportation costs all of which have a negative impact on the European economy. Later after giving our deposit (another $8,000) we found out that ******** become a requirement to sail.My husband and I, both for health reasons can not get the vaccines and Viking to this time has been holding our money ($11,367.50) for 3 years (going to the 4th) even when we have requested several times and even hired an attorney to get our money back.When we booked the 2nd cruise, no one told us that we will loose our chance to get a refund. 1. Credit ranges are a variation of FICO Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application. We again purchased Vikings trip insurance through Trip Mate to cover the cost of the trip. 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. I also called the insurance company and was told that to get a refund we had to notify them two weeks before the trip start date. Other ships were docked at the pier. Viking Cruises has cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. 488 total complaints in the last 3 years. We will not cancel any cruises, said Shreiner. Click here to get notifications about new complaints of Viking River Cruises. Holland America Cruise Line | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. We have taken note of your feedback. Booking your first river cruise? We said yes. A longtime editor at Cruise Critic, Erica has also written for The Washington Post, Fodors and Lets Go travel guides, and numerous print and online cruise publications. . They said they did. An apology is not good enough. I also booked this trip years ago when there was not a vaccine mandate.They will not return my money of around $22000.00 They told me I did not need vaccinations for 2022 ,now I found out we do .We do not believe in the vaccinations and I told them that right out front. Viking Cruise Offers We could not wash, shower, not wash our hands and NOT able to flush toilets! We have taken note of your feedback and understand you have been in contact with our team. Photos: Major Cruise Lines Are Postponing Sailings Amid Covid I explain ship swapping in the section: . I had to cancel due to ill health and provided over five months notice. Viking cruise voucher problem: Don't forget to read the fine print! During our Antarctica cruise, as suggested by the on board customer services, we submitted our request for the reimbursement with receipts. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. The bottom line is, we have ********* at VRC. Trip value now ********** On 12 November 2020 we booked another cruise and added an additional ******** to bring our out of pocket total to ********** All transactions took place before before the rollout of a "vaccine", vaccine cards, a Presidential and CDC mandates. Unlike ocean cruising, river cruising has a lot of fluctuations in water levels. Customers should not be treated this way. When I asked to speak with a supervisor the "customer service" representative said "I am not allowed to transfer you - the supervisor will give you the same answer." At Viking, your experience means the world to us. Please view our privacy policy for details about the information we share with our partners. The area is protected and thats where you have the low water issues. The sailings. Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus We paid some #10,000 for premium air. Viking refused to admit to us that we were misinformed, and did not apologize, but their policy will not change. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. He made the commissions, we will not sail and lose 14,000 dollars. Then when operations started again, we decided to book a cruise to sail November 2021 At the time we booked, vaccines were not a requirement. We only wanted our money to be applied to another cruise in 2023. 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. By Alyssa Lukpat and Ceylan Yeginsu. 2022. Viking Cruises | Cruise Ship List - Delta Skymiles Cruises 2023 Trustpilot, Inc. All rights reserved. They offered us a 150 dollar non refundable credit to be used onboard. I booked the flight through Viking to a Christmas market river cruise. I was told to claim on my travel insurance if I had any.I had to send three emails to receive a response and cancellation certificate from Viking Cruises. Poulsbo, Washington. The first example of river distress is the Po River in Northern Italy. 140 complaints closed in the last 12 months. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. He will call us immediately - he said. Viking has refused. Desired outcome: 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. over night stay we got back to Cincinnati the next day. Part refund, at least 25%. We were being reimbursed for the cash amount paid but not the amount of the vouchers. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The draft is the amount of vessel that is below the water line. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. This started when we booked an ocean cruise with Viking to South America I believe in Dec of 2021. Many passengers were distressed by the lack of fresh water. We were given the option of a voucher or cash Many passengers were still on board at this time and were unable to flush toilets or wash their hands. Steve is a life-long avgeek and a points and miles player. Schreiners advice is simple: Just go. 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. Booking XXXXXXX. 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. On 9/12/21 we realized the 2022 sailing impractical and cancelled for cruise credits (#s XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXX, XXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXX) Viking Ocean Cruises has sailings listed for June, 2021. 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. My Trip - Updates on Current Sailings - Viking River Cruises Most river cruise lines do not allow guests to cancel pre-cruise without penalty except for in the most extreme circumstances. Ocean cruise ships usually have at least 25 feet or more or more of draft which would preclude them from river cruising. . return trip Munich to EWR My husband and I booked with Viking in December 2019 for the Rhine Getaway Cruise for December 2020. Then in Philadelphia Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. What does Viking do Nothing. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Four excursions that I wanted are already sold out. We were treated like animals. The whole experience was a disaster. Bad cruise experience, shore excursions, bad weather bad handling, cold food, etc. Tauck says it deals with compensation on a case-by-case basis. You dont know a week or 10 days in advance what will happen with the water levels. Articles are of a general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Weve taken note of your feedback and if you'd like discuss your trip further and welcome you to email [email protected] with your booking information. It is February 1st today and I went online to book excursions for a trip almost 3 months from now. The food was awful , the service bad some waiters were very rude we were forced to do a lot of included tours or couldnt leave the ship . A river level that is too high or too low can affect an otherwise great cruising experience. After 5 minutes she came back and said the manager said nothing they could do but charge a 50 percent fee for canceling. Well guide you through the process. 1. We purchased Travel Protection Insurance. These hotels are Marriott and hilton properties that have such rooms. Viking Venus : cruise round Med and on to Israel.This was a wonderful itinerary , a beautiful ship , excellent food and service. Like most cruise lines, Viking canceled all of its sailings during the pandemic. Viking Cruise Reviews (2023 UPDATED): Ratings of Viking River Cruises I was told I would have to pay full retail fare in addition to what had already Viking made an error and owes me reimbursement for charges made on February 1. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority," a Viking representative told Travel Market Report. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. Viking Cruises - Ships and Itineraries 2023, 2024, 2025 - CruiseMapper Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year. Cruise Line Travel Requirements - Cruises.com We booked a river cruise from Istanbul to Venice. "You might see some cities you might not have expected to see and you might miss some you wanted to see. Simply make the simple changes to the hotel reservations so that one of the rooms includes two beds. The dire news youre reading about low water levels in Europe now, especially along the Rhine River, mostly concerns the cargo shipping industry in Europe. In the case of low water, the crew can dump the ballast water and reduce the freshwater to 60 tons (two days worth), and just refill as needed. A *** incentive ********** was offered and accepted by us to use toward future booking. A place on the excursion I tried to book. Viking Cruises cancels 2022 Black Sea and Kiev (Ukraine) sailings Then before the departure, Viking cancelled operations and offered us vouchers for future cruises. Dozens of cruises have been cancelled and some ports in the Caribbean and South America are turning ships away from making . (Enrollment required for select benefits.). 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. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. Cruises - Very disappointed with Viking River Cruises - Reservation # 2672768 We were supposed to do a river cruise and ended up doing a motor coach tour due to low river levels. Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. By March 2020 Viking announced cancellations due to covid, with an additional 25% for a future booking. It's a human right to have access to fresh water and clean sanitation. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. Cruise Lines Planned Reopenings: The Complete List My husband and I were excited about our long awaited cruise next May. On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! With many Christmas markets closed, river cruise lines cancel sailings In November ******************************************* She had major surgery December 12th. The 13-city cruise was supposed to take passengers between St. Paul and New . She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . I never come across a big bunch of ignorant, geriatric, moronic a$$holes as this group I had came across today! Norse Atlantic Airways to Launch NY-Rome Flights. Expires March 31, 2023. Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled . Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Thanks for reaching out, Itom, although we regret to learn of your experience with booking excursions. Each time I received a pro forma answer saying "it is company policy that future cruise credits have no cash value and cannot be refunded or exchanged once booked." #6339759. **** said he would monitor the schedule and will alert us the very day it comes out. You can see why people are worried. We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. For more than 15 years we have helped nearly 50000 customers resolve their issues and will never stop striving to ensure further improvements on our platform for a better communication between companies and customers. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . At no point when we rebooked using our vouchers, were we told the vouchers were not covered under the insurance plan. On 10/14, we filed a claim with Trip Mate. To date we have sent a certified *** ****** ***** letter to VRC and had no response. That is all it took, I was hooked. Vikings inability to resolve an issue with their on line booking. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. Cancellation conditions 2. 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. After 5 Viking NEVER BUY A VIKING CRUISE VOUCHERWe will be sailing with a different cruise line and will not be back to Viking. Special Cruise Savings | Viking Ocean Cruises We understand that some of our guests might be hesitant about making a cruise reservation or traveling at this time. 2. This is known as ship swapping. Viking European River Cruises - 6 Key Must-Knows Before You Go If you happen to be in the same position there is a group forming to file a class action law suit against Viking. I was sailing aboard the Avalon Vista two months ago on a cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland along the Rhine River. They refuse to accept the fact that they changed the terms of the contract. We would appreciate any help you can provide in helping us to get the rest of our money back. Viking Mississippi is one of Viking's largest river ships, measuring 450 feet (137 meters) long and weighing approximately 5,000 gross tons.
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