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. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority," a Viking representative told Travel Market Report. On February 1, the shore excursion booking system opened up for the ocean segment of my trip. Cruise lines scrap Russian, Ukrainian ports from 2022 itineraries We paid for the trip and had trip insurance. 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. 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.. Viking collects 3 fares for a 2 person room. All I got was 'you must pay in full for your trip before booking extras'. Find out how we combat fake reviews. European Cruise River Levels Are Falling To Critical Levels - Travel Codex ************************************* Cruises that was set to sail in April 2020. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. Thanks for reaching out, Itom, although we regret to learn of your experience with booking excursions. 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. We had not received any response from Viking about 10 days. I ask if I could have the number to her managers boss she said no. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. It turns out that during the second half of the cruise, we were in a heat wave, experiencing very hot temperatures. In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. Because of the positive test result as well as his need for further dr evaluation, we had no choice but to cancel the trip. The good news is that there are not the mass cancellations we saw in 2020. My only hope now is for someone to cancel what I want.About time to give my loyalty to another cruise line. Thats because the weight of the cargo such vessels carry affects their draft (the distance between the ships bottom and the water line). About 20 poeple's bag on the flight didn't make it. 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. How is this hard? return trip Munich to EWR It will take a lot for us to travel with you again. This river begins in the Alps near the Italy-French border and is fed by snowmelt. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. Wouldnt that booking choice make it clear to Viking that pre and post excursion bookings would also require separate beds? Posted May 4, 2021. . Viking Cruise recommends that their customers insure their travel & trip with Trip Mate Travel Insurance. Royal Caribbean International | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. Simply make the simple changes to the hotel reservations so that one of the rooms includes two beds. Learn more. This made it impossible to catch the next flight from ***** to buenos Aries. Viking Cruises. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . After contacting viking to inform the situation, Viking booked another flight for us. More details in attachment. Viking cancels all Russian river cruise itineraries - TTG Winston Folkers. Premium Air. 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. Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises, has canceled all 2022 departures from its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary . Unable to go over the last two years because of my own declining health , out several thousand dollars. Some years, low water levels caused disruptions as early as June and some years as late as October. 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. Under our flexible deposit policy, qualified guests can cancel their booking before final payment due date and receive deposit back in the form of a future cruise voucher. Viking River Cruises is probably the best known European river cruising company, and has a wide range of river cruise options in Europe. A river level that is too high or too low can affect an otherwise great cruising experience. 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. A Vaccinated Passenger Tested Positive for COVID-19 on My Icelandic Viking has cancelled all 2022 departures of its Russian river cruise itineraries and ceased all operations in the country for the remainder of the year. It's a human right to have access to fresh water and clean sanitation. This meant I was unable to book any excursions or drinks package, despite trying as soon as they were released. On the other end, river boats are built with a shallow draft of about six feet deep to avoid hitting the river bottom. We missed 2 ports of call and 1/3 of our sites to see the auroras. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Viking Cruises - Ships and Itineraries 2023, 2024, 2025 - CruiseMapper If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. Viking Cruises ceases operations in Russia for 2022 Scenic. Because there was no time for a further delay, we paid the tickets to the airline. If the water issues are closer to the beginning or end of an itinerary, cruisers may have to spend a few days in hotels or bussing to destinations rather than sailing there. In 2020 we were contacted via email and told that this cruise was also cancelled and we could book another cruise and receive a 125% credit toward a future cruise with a risk free guarantee and it said we could change our plans up to 24 hours before departure. Subscribe to RSS Thank you. Taking over the Hilton in Taupo NZ, they were obnoxious. Voyages offering the excursion to Floriade 2022 operate between July 16 and August 27, 2022 aboard River Empress. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. View all of our Luxury Cruise sailings and offers. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Had a planned eastern European river cruise starting mid-October for over a year. We rebooked our trip but Viking canceled it again and another voucher was issued. 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 line said it was also evaluating 2022 itineraries that call in Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. The problem with river cruises is that they are affected by both high and low water levels. Photos: Major Cruise Lines Are Postponing Sailings Amid Covid They have a working relationship with Lufthansa but insist the flight has nothing to do with them, That is a strong cop out. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. The key dimensions of the Avalon Vista are: River boats are built in such a way that for bridge clearance, the mast, pilot house, and sun shades can be lowered. I encourage all Americans to do the same. Editorial Disclosure: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, hotel, airline, or other entity mentioned herein. 1. The photo is from my first premium, international award flight in 2012. I believe this policy and practice is clearly unfair and rather reckless. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. I was aware that cruise lines' cash flow issues and accepted the voucher. 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. We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. We would appreciate any help you can provide in helping us to get the rest of our money back. We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. On July 10th, 2022 my husband called Viking to inquire when the schedule becomes available. This will surely increase the credibility of your complaint. This also had the water turned off and was unable to flush. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. We hope that the flexibility provided by this guarantee truly puts your mind at ease when it comes to the decision of whether or not to travel. 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. The two most popular are the Rhine and the Danube. 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. The vaccinations mean nothing anyway. In November ******************************************* She had major surgery December 12th. If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles. In addition to requiring all guests and crew be fully vaccinated before setting foot on board the 930-passenger Viking Sky, the cruise line implemented a robust contact tracing system, daily PCR. 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. Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Viking Cruises' New Safety Protocols Include Daily COVID-19 Testing However, the most important part of any cruise, for me is the excursion choice. This is our third time to book a trip, and in 2023, the medical requirement is still in place. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . Pharaohs & Pyramids. As a consequence all water amenities, main pool, infinity pool, jacuzzi and spa were closed for the whole of the cruise! Why all other passages under the same situation had no such problem were not explained by Viking. Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. He made the commissions, we will not sail and lose 14,000 dollars. 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 Fraud and deception! We were given the option of a voucher or cash It also stated that if we were unable to use the voucher we could be refunded the original amount we paid to Viking. Planning a cruise? RHINE GETAWAY. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. Check with your cruise line on current cruising conditions and what you can expect from them. 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. They may run multiple ships back-to-back where you would transfer to another ship where the river is having navigational issues. Do your homework and always make informed decisions. This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals. At Viking, your experience means the world to us. Viking Cruises Reviews | Read Customer Service Reviews of Viking's treatment of it's customers makes no sense.they combined two of my trips (without asking) into one "butterfly trip" which meant when I had to cancel the first, it cancelled the 2nd. There are critical points, like the one on the Rhine River, right in the Rhine Gorge, Schreiner explained. 2023-2025 OCEAN CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from March 1-31, 2023. My experience with Viking River Cruises is that if they cancel, they will either refund your money or . Obviously, we cannot go on the trip. If have a river cruise planned for the end of the summer or the fall, should you be concerned? service we should have received at least a partial refund . We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. Articles are of a general nature and should not be relied upon for individual circumstances. The bottom line is, we have ********* at VRC. We will not be booking with Viking again. Viking booked the hotels for these excursions. These two rivers are the most popular routes in European river cruising. 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. River flows are never static and are subject to fluctuations that are unpredictable. (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business. Guests and travel agents on impacted departures are in the process of being notified. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. Viking Cruise Reviews (2023 UPDATED): Ratings of Viking River Cruises 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. Special fares plus Free airfare valid on select 2023 departures of Eastern Seaboard Explorer and Canada & New England Scenic Shores. Information provided by various external sources. Desired outcome: At no point when we rebooked using our vouchers, were we told the vouchers were not covered under the insurance plan. Now I see all this advertisement that waives ar fares , deposits and other things we paid for Horrible company in terms of customer service. As compensation we have been offered a derisory 200 voucher towards a future cruise. I am going to seek legal advice to, but this ridiculous policy has added hugely to my grieving. Ocean cruise ships usually have at least 25 feet or more or more of draft which would preclude them from river cruising. However, I believe the policy is rather onerous. Viking River Cruises: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French, said Schreiner. You dont know a week or 10 days in advance what will happen with the water levels. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Also lost out on the cruise vouchers. Poulsbo, Washington. Viking Mississippi - As of January 23, 2023 Due to damage from substantial river debris to the Viking Mississippi 's propulsion system, the ship will undergo repairs requiring the cancellation of upcoming departures. 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. 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. He will call us immediately - he said. Viking has refused. 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. I hope this is something you can help with. But this is one American that will never sail with this awful company ever again. It was not a condition of completing this trip. Courtesy Sheila Davies. More Cruises Canceled as Omicron Spreads - The New York Times Viking changed our flight schedule at very short notice. Viking Ocean Cruises. The cruise line announced the return of select itineraries in Portugal, France and . Subscribe to Apple News. Just return on our river cruise . Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. Viking Cruises | Cruise Ship List - Delta Skymiles Cruises 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. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. Viking's move follows announcements from other cruise operators saying they are . But our plea was denied. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. You could tear down the house and build a dam there, but that is not what is going to happen.. Bad cruise experience, shore excursions, bad weather bad handling, cold food, etc. Share. This was our second cruise, I would have to say our first one was wonderful, this one was not bad. 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. The US gov has basically declared the "plandemic" over and all other mandates have been drop but Viking still won't change their policy. Viking European River Cruises - 6 Key Must-Knows Before You Go 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. 2. It's also a classic cruise itinerary. We rebooked yet again and we're told that we had to have the vaccine before we would be able to take our trip. The line confirmed the steps to TTG on Wednesday (2 March) and said it was "deeply opposed" to the . Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews. International Association of Better Business Bureaus. Heres what you need to know about water levels on Europe rivers and what to expect if youre booked on a river cruise or considering booking one. Thanks for reaching out, M Mulmech., although we regret to learn of your disappointment with your hotel arrangements.
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