In the end, you will have a fantastic vacation and you will get a future cruise credit according to what you miss., He added: Its better than canceling and sitting at home and not doing anything.. This is why most lines are not offering flexible cancellation policies or waiving penalties for canceling a river cruise because theyre worried their itinerary will get disrupted due to low water levels. We accepted and paid an additional insurance premium. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Refund on premium air payments that we did not receive in premiumservice. we went to our connecting American Airlines flight with our Boarding "You might see some cities you might not have expected to see and you might miss some you wanted to see. For Further Assistance 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. Viking refused to admit to us that we were misinformed, and did not apologize, but their policy will not change. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. Business Section was crowded 8 units wide while first class just in front My experience with Viking River Cruises is that if they cancel, they will either refund your money or give you a voucher in excess of the cruise value for you to rebook. Weve taken note of your feedback and while we understand you have already been in contact with our team, if you'd like discuss this matter further we welcome you to email TellUs@vikingcruises.com with your booking information. But due to a serious health issue we along with our Drs said that it was not feasible for us to go. On February 1, the shore excursion booking system opened up for the ocean segment of my trip. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Viking, please give an explanation. Viking has responded to his passing by cancelling the nearly $9,000 I paid for my husbands share of the trip. 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. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. Cannot go on a cruise if not jabbed even to countries which have no covid requirements any more. Then they said (under the Risk Free Guarantee) we could have a voucher, but it would be a combined voucher which could only be used for one future trip. 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. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. This requirement was enacted after we booked this trip . The couple shore excursions we went on were lame and horrible. It was not a condition of completing this trip. They have a working relationship with Lufthansa but insist the flight has nothing to do with them, That is a strong cop out. Not impressed and wi never book another trip with this company. I ask if I could have the number to her managers boss she said no. That trip was cancelled do to covid, and we were assured by Viking that everything was fine and we rebooked for Jan 2022. Just got order from Doctor to cancel due to sudden onset of autoimmune kidney disease. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Here's our experience with the Viking cancellation policy. A place on the excursion I tried to book. Tauck says it deals with compensation on a case-by-case basis. We are told now that change is not possible at all because vouchers have expired. We will not be booking with Viking again. Refund on premium air payments that we did not receive in premiumservice. Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. We opted for the voucher. We were never verbally informed when booking that the actual voucher would expire even if we rebooked again. Why didn't Viking pay to dock? Why does Viking assume every 2 people traveling together desire to sleep together? In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. Why? If you book a river cruise, you acknowledge that you might not get the exact itinerary you signed up for. They will charge you a lot of money but would not care for you at the end of the day.The places I saw needed much to be desiredI was told that at the airport someone will help us until we boarded our plane. #6339759. Why all other passages under the same situation had no such problem were not explained by Viking. I have had the cruise booked for probably a year but only now would the allow me the opportunity to purchase the spoils. This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals. Not enough for the money hungry cruise line. 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. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. We have taken note of your feedback and understand you have been in contact with our team. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. In the same cabin. ST PAUL, Minn. There's been a lot of fanfare surrounding America's Great River cruise operated by Viking Cruises. Then in Philadelphia Find the right card for you. We have since then tried to book a trip two times, and the required medical of a vaccine status made us cancel again. Thats because the weight of the cargo such vessels carry affects their draft (the distance between the ships bottom and the water line). Booking 6819824. And rebooked the following summer My travel partner , my sister, died 6 months before our trip that next summer die to COVID. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. SA. Norwegian Cruise Line | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. Ships might be able to pass through a tricky spot, like Kaub, today but not tomorrow, or cant this week but can next week. This met the 11/30 deadline for a "risk free guarantee" enabling change of plans up to 24 hours before sailing. Other viking customers from ******* on the same cruise were also booked the same flight. 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". Desired outcome: That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. One of the most popular rivers, the Rhine has river levels falling fast. The low draft and the adjustability of the ballast allow the ships to navigate through sections of the river where the water levels are not very deep. We paid for trip insurance assuming that it would cover this situation but buying trip insurance through Viking seems to cover much less than most trip insurance policies. Desired outcome: Guests and travel advisors with affected departures have been notified. The river flows are falling so if you are booked for a cruise this year, check with your cruise line and obtain their current assessment of operating conditions. We booked a 14 day cruise with extra days upon arrival in ****** and departure in **** in ****. Viking collects 3 fares for a 2 person room. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. 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. . Passengers wait to board the luxury cruise ship Viking Mississippi, berthed at Lambert's Landing in St. Paul, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. They refuse. **** called finally, apologized and said that he 'misread the rules', misunderstood the rules and this isn't a big deal (his attitude). The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. It is February 1st today and I went online to book excursions for a trip almost 3 months from now. Enrollment required. An apology is not good enough. Service representative escalated our complaint that we were misinformed, tricked, lied to, defrauded - because we cannot sail on that date, we are not healthy and can't sail in the fall or 2023! Planning a cruise? Sheila Davies is a retired gas industry professional based in Northumberland, England. I have contacted Watcdog BBC who are interested. 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. Viking Celebrates Start Of Inaugural Season In North America's Great Lakes Read More May 17, 2022 Newest Ocean Ship In Viking's Award-Winning Fleet Named By The Countess Of Carnarvon Of Highclere Castle Read More May 12, 2022 Viking Takes Delivery of Newest Ocean Ship Read More April 25, 2022 In order to catch the next flight from ************ to ******* to get to the cruise on time we had to pay the tickets ourselves. I want Viking to honour its Guest Cancellation Schedule and reimburse the $15,640.19 (Canadian) my husband and I paid for the Italian Sojourn cruise scheduled for May 15, 2023. the Lufthansa person told me I need to fill out the form required for returning Americans to USA and she was not helpful .I missed my flight and had to stay overnight to a dingy hotel in tears in a French country who doesn't really want to help you . Applies primarily to to bookings with the following content. Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises, has canceled all 2022 departures from its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary . 1. The plane returned to the gate and he was transported to the local hospital. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. These levels can swing widely both up and down. We have been waiting patiently for two years for a refund, relying on the We had planned a trip in 2021 and when Viking changed their requirements we chose to cancel our trip. The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customers satisfaction. In May, Viking canceled that cruise. For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. River flows are never static and are subject to fluctuations that are unpredictable. Should your cruise be canceled, the cruise line will also offer compensation. But all was not lost. BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Thu 13 Jan 2022 01.00 EST Last modified on Thu 13 Jan 2022 18.22 EST. After checking cancellation conditions online which indicates $200 up to a certain date I booked a river cruise for 2024 the deposit was $2000pp. Cruise delayed because of COVID. We are not asking for anything other than our money back. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. We paid for the trip and had trip insurance. Should you have any lingering questions ahead of your voyage, we welcome you to call our Service Specialists at [protected] where we would be happy to assist where possible. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring, Looking back: How my points and miles strategy has changed over the years, The best increased card offers to sign up for this March. Unlike ocean cruising, river cruising has a lot of fluctuations in water levels. However, the most important part of any cruise, for me is the excursion choice. Any time theres 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 Europe. If you voluntarily cancel your cruise you may only get a partial or no refund depending on how close to departure you cancel your cruise. 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. #VikingVictims. Not your fault but took 5 flights, 1 whole day in airport, 1 whole night and 2 hotels to get to the ship 3 1/2 days late. We were treated like animals. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. We have spent $25,000.00 including air far which we are also going to lose if not used by 12/31/2023. Viking has lost four loyal customers with 10 past cruises between us. Then before the departure, Viking cancelled operations and offered us vouchers for future cruises. All I got was 'you must pay in full for your trip before booking extras'. Bad cruise experience, shore excursions, bad weather bad handling, cold food, etc. 2022. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Because there was no time for a further delay, we paid the tickets to the airline. I explain ship swapping in the section: What Happens If Your Cruise Is Affected By Water Level? AMA Waterways | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. This account has been claimed by Viking River Cruises customer service / representatives through our verification process. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. . River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water. 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. Winston Folkers. We rebooked the trip for 10/12-10/23/22. They said they did not think we could get a refund as our money had been converted to a voucher and vouchers were not refundable with our insurance. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. service we should have received at least a partial refund . took the call and told us that schedule wouldn't be available most likely till January 2023. It was too windy and not safe so decided not to try to use their tender. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. They said they did. My husband and I booked with Viking in December 2019 for the Rhine Getaway Cruise for December 2020. How is this hard? The whole experience was a disaster. Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. scott@travelcodex.com, For updates: This was really We purchased Travel Protection Insurance. Cailey Rizzo. Its infuriating and disrespectful. Editor in Chief 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. I paid my travel agent in full for my cruise well before the due date, but was unable to access online booking as Viking claim the payment wasn't made. How could we?? Call a Viking Expert at 0800 319 66 60 or see your Travel Advisor. Thanks for reaching out, Itom, although we regret to learn of your experience with booking excursions. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. We rebooked yet again and we're told that we had to have the vaccine before we would be able to take our trip. Schreiner does not hold with that assertion because river cruise lines simply adjust their schedules year after year for optimal weather conditions. River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems. Viking Ocean Cruises has sailings listed for June, 2021. After an This is insulting and is clearly bait and switch type behavior. 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. By. Viking is not a good company to work with. 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. Anybody got any idea what do I do? Fraud and deception! They offered us a voucher for 125% or a cash refund. Viking River Cruises has left an official reply on this complaint. Read full review of Viking River Cruises NEW! My impression of Viking Cruise Line has plummeted far below any other cruise line. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. I have three times tried to contact Viking, by phone, email, and chat. It will take a lot for us to travel with you again. Why? Cruises beginning in 2009, this is not the first error and being loyal On the next British Airways flight from London to Philadelphia, The I appreciate the time. But there is nothing we can do, your vouchers have expired'. 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. Obviously, we cannot go on the trip. The departure flight from ******* was delayed due to the storm. #1. I have always liked Viking cruises and have been on 13, counting the one I am currently on. Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. As a result, river levels are falling to critical levels. Coach would have been better. 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. They are just taking the thousands of dollars we gave them from us and we are getting nothing in return. Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled . I want Viking to honour its Guest Cancellation Schedule and reimburse the $15,640.19 (Canadian) my husband and I paid for the We appreciate you sharing your experience, Sandy JJ, although we regret to hear of the events you've described here. They just decided to keep our hard earning money. I checked with many countries and all their restrictions have been dropped. 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. airfare $2198 We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. Heres what you need to know. For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube. You will be cruising, you will be enjoying," he said. I even requested they review the phone call and they refused. These two rivers are the most popular routes in European river cruising. Holland America Cruise Line | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. 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. On 12/20/20 Viking cancelled this cruise. Poulsbo, Washington. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. Disembark on May 1 2023 they required us to pay us in full in August 2022 which we did. However, as everyone knows, predicting the weather is not an exact science. Enrollment required. Weve canceled one cruise on the Danube and have made a few mostly minor alterations to a small handful of cruises on the Rhine, a Tauck spokesman told TPG when asked about this years cruises. Given the current COVID situation (and that 3 of the 4 countries we were slated to visit are currently closed), we decided we should cancel. Simply make the simple changes to the hotel reservations so that one of the rooms includes two beds. Confirmation attached. Booking # XXXXXXX
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. This is known as ship swapping. It's been three years now that Viking has held my family's money hostage because we don't wish to take the jab. I believe this policy and practice is clearly unfair and rather reckless. Vikings' policy allows no refund under the circumstances (i.e. We are not asking for a refund for the vouchers but to simply have them reissued to be used toward another cruise. 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. Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. This meant I was unable to book any excursions or drinks package, despite trying as soon as they were released. I asked to speak to a manager and was told by the person I talked to I could not but she would speak with one. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. Jim. The next indicator of river flow problems is the Thames River in England. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. 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. 2022 is now cancelled and will be replaced with new roundtrip voyages from Southampton to the Caribbean via the Canary Islands and New York. 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. The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends. Guests have the option to transfer their reservation to 2022; receive a 100% future cruise credit . Our ships have a very low draftabout five feet, he explained. 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. 2023-2025 OCEAN CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from March 1-31, 2023. Rather than focusing on the number of complaints, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are resolved. $240 Digital Entertainment Credit: Get up to $20 back each month on eligible purchases made with your Platinum Card on one or more of the following: Audible, Disney+, The Disney Bundle, ESPN+, Hulu, Peacock, SiriusXM, and The New York Times. This site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Royal Caribbean International | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. Related: Booking your first river cruise? Received most monies back but they held $1400 back which had to be used by 4/22.Just booked a $25000 trip with them and ask them to extend $1400 to July which they refused. 12 reviews. It closely resembles one of Viking's highest rated world cruises in the past, Chairman Torstein Hagen said in a live webinar Sunday when passengers were notified of the change. Not for the voucher amount. Well guide you through the process. We booked a Viking cruise from Venice to Athens in late 2020 for September 2021. Now I see all this advertisement that waives ar fares , deposits and other things we paid for Horrible company in terms of customer service. 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. For the cabin on the cruise, we indicated separate beds for their cabin. This would mean that river cruise lines could face severe disruptions . They also issued non refundable vouchers for our port excursions. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. coach. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. I'm with Robin (see below). That is all it took, I was hooked. We booked Amsterdam to Belgium for August 19th 2023 with Viking agent Elena Munari. My bag is still missing and I will request (!) International Association of Better Business Bureaus. If you are concerned about the water level on your upcoming river cruise, do your due diligence before you take any action. We would appreciate any help you can provide in helping us to get the rest of our money back. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business. Due to Covid pandemic our cruise got cancelled. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. We appreciate you sharing your experience, Marie, although we regret to hear of your disappointment. Other than the hassle of packing up in the middle of the cruise, travelers still get the full Rhine experience they paid for. Voyages offering the excursion to Floriade 2022 operate between July 16 and August 27, 2022 aboard River Empress. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. It's a human right to have access to fresh water and clean sanitation. Scenic. 05 Aug 2022. 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. This years summer drought in Europe could affect your upcoming river cruise, but its highly unlikely your cruise will be canceled outright. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . We paid some #10,000 for premium air. Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. Subscribe to RSS Viking's river cruises are aboard Viking Longships and have a maximum of 190 guests. Story Update (September 5, 2022) Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. Risk-Free Guarantee: How it Works Not at all, according to Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder AmaWaterways as long as youre willing to be a little bit flexible. We were running between the airlines at ***** to find out what was going on, very frustrating. 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. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called . It turns out that during the second half of the cruise, we were in a heat wave, experiencing very hot temperatures. BBB Business Profiles may not be reproduced for sales or promotional purposes. Very disappointing. 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. If you are booked on a river cruise for later this year, do not make any snap decisions. . In November 2020, we rebooked, the Cities of Antiquity and Holy Land Cruise, scheduled for Nov-Dec 2022, paying the additional fare. *In Canada, trademark(s) of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus, used under License.
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