Viking has responded to his passing by cancelling the nearly $9,000 I paid for my husbands share of the trip. We were issued the vouchers that had an expiration date October 2022. Viking Cruise recommends that their customers insure their travel & trip with Trip Mate Travel Insurance. They refuse to let us rebook with the voucher and actually suggested if we want to rebook we would have to pay them all over again. If water levels are low, cargo ships cannot carry their normal loads of freight. After checking cancellation conditions online which indicates $200 up to a certain date I booked a river cruise for 2024 the deposit was $2000pp. 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. 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. She is scheduled to start ************ this week. I never come across a big bunch of ignorant, geriatric, moronic a$$holes as this group I had came across today! They offered us a voucher for 125% or a cash refund. I checked with many countries and all their restrictions have been dropped. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. "But this is not a problem at all" - he said, because all we need is to make a booking for any date, just as a placeholder. An insult! 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 confirmation email said cancellation for any reason loss of deposit. 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 was not the case. 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. In order to catch the next flight from ************ to ******* to get to the cruise on time we had to pay the tickets ourselves. This site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. We missed 2 ports of call and 1/3 of our sites to see the auroras. 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. They just decided to keep our hard earning money. As a consequence all water amenities, main pool, infinity pool, jacuzzi and spa were closed for the whole of the cruise! Its infuriating and disrespectful. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. Very disappointing. 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. 2023 Trustpilot, Inc. All rights reserved. Regent Seven Seas Cruises was the cruise line forced to change the most stops planned for Russia, which included visits to the Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and St. Petersburg, as well as Odessa, Ukraine. Information provided by various external sources. I told a member of staff about this and was directed to use a toilet on the top deck. This happened 52 days before sailing. From now through March 31, 2022, Viking is offering special rates starting at $599 (not including airfare) on all 2022 and 2023 departures. Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. The typical characteristics of river boats regardless of cruise line are about the same. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. An apology is not good enough. Change of travel requirements after full payment received/ignoring request for full refund. This 'placeholder booking' means nothing he assured us. Fraud and deception! Disappointed with Viking Cruises cancellation policy. 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." I booked the flight through Viking to a Christmas market river cruise. Unfortunately, my husband unexpectedly passed away last month. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. Tauck says it deals with compensation on a case-by-case basis. 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 They can go up, they can go down, rain can come in.. This is known as ship swapping. AMA Waterways | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Like other river cruise lines, weve dealt successfully with low-water situations in the past, and we have a variety of strategies that we can deploy as necessary. Think 3 times before booking with Viking!!! #6339759. Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. "You might see some cities you might not have expected to see and you might miss some you wanted to see. Passengers wait to board the luxury cruise ship Viking Mississippi, berthed at Lambert's Landing in St. Paul, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. 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. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. Jan 26, 2023 01:33pm. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. 1. Europe has many rivers where cruise lines operate. They offered us a 150 dollar non refundable credit to be used onboard. . International Association of Better Business Bureaus. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. We booked a cruise, paid the full booking amount. Beware of Viking excursion policies. 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. The next indicator of river flow problems is the Thames River in England. By. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I was never informed that the vaccine would be required to sail and that our money would not be eligible for a refund. Viking's move follows announcements from other cruise operators saying they are . 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. This insurance company is worthless and doesn't live up to the stated reimbursements as advertised in its' brochure. In the same cabin. Cailey Rizzo. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. The Po River flows 400 miles across the top of Italy from the Alps to the Adriatic Sea. It's been three years now that Viking has held my family's money hostage because we don't wish to take the jab. They refuse. 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. Cannot recommend whatsoever - there are better cruise lines who deliver & care about providing a decent level of customer experience - avoid them if you can. 1. Special fares plus Free airfare valid on select 2023 departures of Eastern Seaboard Explorer and Canada & New England Scenic Shores. The Viking Ocean Cruises 2022 Grand Polynesia Voyage has come to a triumphant completion in Los Angeles. You will, however, still get a vacation in Europe, even if its not the one you expected. Because of the positive test result as well as his need for further dr evaluation, we had no choice but to cancel the trip. we went to our connecting American Airlines flight with our Boarding These hotels are Marriott and hilton properties that have such rooms. 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. It is a basic human right to be able to have access to flushing toilets and handwasting facilities. 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 . Disembark on May 1 2023 they required us to pay us in full in August 2022 which we did. On July 10th, 2022 my husband called Viking to inquire when the schedule becomes available. This meant I was unable to book any excursions or drinks package, despite trying as soon as they were released. When I called to cancel they said we did not purchase the insurance. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. 12 reviews. I was aware that cruise lines' cash flow issues and accepted the voucher. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. How is this hard? The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, A beginners guide to picking a cruise line, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Sure we were free but that's no excuse. Booking 6819824. Desired outcome: 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. 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. Not impressed and wi never book another trip with this company. Cannot go on a cruise if not jabbed even to countries which have no covid requirements any more. It is time for Viking to do the same and act like a cruise line instead of a medical facility. Call us at 800-454-0927 to speak to a Cruise Concierge today. I complained initially that I was not given a direct flight. Here is a message that appears on the Viking River Cruise webpage: The cruise line may elect to cancel your cruise. 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. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. If water levels fall, riverboats can have trouble sailing all the way to Budapest. It's also a classic cruise itinerary. 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. We are older and don't want to keep rescheduling this with the hopes of one day being permitted to board their ship. This cruise has been sold out for weeks so if Viking reinstates the voucher, the cabin could be resold.