Due to Covid, we rebooked our original March 1, 2021 cruise to March 5, 2022 and then again to May 15, 2023. Photos: Major Cruise Lines Are Postponing Sailings Amid Covid See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Schreiner says that the last time Europe experienced extremely low water levels, in 2018, the economic impact was around 5.4 million euros ($5.4 million). Language and Region - sales.vikingline.com This will surely increase the credibility of your complaint. "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. we went to our connecting American Airlines flight with our Boarding We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. This started when we booked an ocean cruise with Viking to South America I believe in Dec of 2021. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority," a Viking representative told Travel Market Report. Not a problem for him at all. Viking is not a good company to work with. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. The sailings. Refund on premium air payments that we did not receive in premiumservice. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. Sure we were free but that's no excuse. 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. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. Part refund, at least 25%. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. Well guide you through the process. The guest services lady said well you can complain at the Share your photos and videos with others to prove the truth of your words. Planning a cruise? #6339759. Our ships have a very low draftabout five feet, he explained. You dont know a week or 10 days in advance what will happen with the water levels. We also carry about 500 tons of water, that is ballast and fresh water for the guests.. If the whole itinerary is changed, youll get to sail the new itinerary and receive a 100% future cruise credit to book another cruise. There is rock on the bottom; theres also this little house in the middle of the river. My only hope now is for someone to cancel what I want.About time to give my loyalty to another cruise line. I took into account the following factors and then made an educated guess: Taking all of these factors into account, we booked for mid-June. 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. Due to Covid pandemic our cruise got cancelled. "We will not cancel any cruises," said Shreiner. But it is for us. If ships have to lighten their loads to cross shallow water, fewer goods can be transported at once. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. Viking River Cruises 548 complaints 314 resolved 234 unresolved File a complaint to Viking River Cruises Viking River Cruises contacts (added by reviewer) Phone number +1 800 304 9616 Address 5700 Canoga Ave, California United States Website www.vikingrivercruises.com Category Cruise Lines View full information Most discussed complaints We paid for Travel Protection The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. This requirement was enacted after we booked this trip . Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. This content has not been 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. My husband and I were excited about our long awaited cruise next May. What? Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . The plane returned to the gate and he was transported to the local hospital. We will not be booking with Viking again. In order to catch the next flight from ************ to ******* to get to the cruise on time we had to pay the tickets ourselves. It was too windy and not safe so decided not to try to use their tender. This site is for entertainment purposes only. Viking Cruises. They can go up, they can go down, rain can come in.. Customers should not be treated this way. I am writing about booking number 7045921 sailed Jan.12 2023. Disembark on May 1 2023 they required us to pay us in full in August 2022 which we did. Very disappointed with Viking River Cruises - Fodor's About 20 poeple's bag on the flight didn't make it. They said they did. I am truly an "out-of-the-box" traveler which has enriched my travel experiences. 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. 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. We appreciate you sharing your experience, Trevor, although we regret to hear of your disappointment. Thank you. 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. Thank you. We used these to book on cruise OJUXXXXXX Booking Number XXXXXXX. We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. The other typical plan is to put the passengers on buses to get around the affected areas. In November 2020, we rebooked, the Cities of Antiquity and Holy Land Cruise, scheduled for Nov-Dec 2022, paying the additional fare. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. Viking Cruises - Ships and Itineraries 2023, 2024, 2025 - CruiseMapper American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Story Update (September 5, 2022) Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. #1. 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. River Cruises Respond to Austrian Lockdown, Impact on Sailings Viking Mississippi cancels Oct. 15 cruise due to low river levels 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. The draft is the amount of vessel that is below the water line. What does Viking do Nothing. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). ComplaintsBoard.com is a leading complaint resolution website on the Internet. Schreiner gives an example of two identical sister ships, AmaLucia and AmaSiena, that both sail the Rhine. After an Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary. River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems. The first five miles of headwaters have completely dried up. Here are 8 tips for writing great reviews. The vaccinations mean nothing anyway. By March 2020 Viking announced cancellations due to covid, with an additional 25% for a future booking. My bag is still missing and I will request (!) 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. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. These two rivers are the most popular routes in European river cruising. It's also a classic cruise itinerary. 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. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. We will never try Viking again! Water levels on the Rhine River are set to fall close to the point where the river cannot hold ships anymore. We are cancelling our river cruise due to viking's heavy handed covid vaccine requirement. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. Viking Cruises cancels 2022 Kiev and Black Sea sailings Find out how we combat fake reviews. Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have canceled several trips as the Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc with the cruise . Posted September 18, 2021. 4. In fact, how a business responds to customer complaints is one of the most significant components of the BBB Business Rating. 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. We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. This is our third time to book a trip, and in 2023, the medical requirement is still in place. We'll run a soft credit check to find special offers, but it wont affect your credit score. On December 9, 2019 we booked********************************* and paid ********* March 11, 2020 that cruise canceled by Viking due to COVID. In the same cabin. 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. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. On February 1, the shore excursion booking system opened up for the ocean segment of my trip. 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. I'm with Robin (see below). 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. Obviously, we cannot go on the trip. Very disappointing. Viking Ocean Cruises has sailings listed for June, 2021. 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. 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 . 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. 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. Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. BBB Business Profiles are provided solely to assist you in exercising your own best judgment. This was told to me by two separate employees. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Cancellation conditions 2. This insurance company is worthless and doesn't live up to the stated reimbursements as advertised in its' brochure. Viking Cruises is a cruise line providing river and ocean cruises, with operations based in Basel, Switzerland. See details. We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. BBB Business Profiles generally cover a three-year reporting period. With this terrible Unable to go over the last two years because of my own declining health , out several thousand dollars. 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. Our trip was canceled and a voucher was issued. But there is nothing we can do, your vouchers have expired'. We were given the option of a voucher or cash Because of the positive test result as well as his need for further dr evaluation, we had no choice but to cancel the trip. 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. 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. Expected weather conditions during the cruise. Viking Cruise Reviews (2023 UPDATED): Ratings of Viking River Cruises Refund or partial credit. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. It will take of the expiring vouchers and the booking can be changed with no problem whatsoever once a schedule for 2024 becomes available. 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. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Water levels are unpredictable and can vary day by day, depending on what the weather brings. Companies can ask for reviews via automatic invitations. He will call us immediately - he said. Key West was on the itinerary but Viking told us 5 months before they would not be docking. Sheila Davies is a retired gas industry professional based in Northumberland, England. We had not received any response from Viking about 10 days. The flight from Amman Jordan to We said yes. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. How is this hard? 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. Claim your profile to access Trustpilots free business tools and connect with customers. 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. Uber Cash and Uber VIP status is available to Basic Card Member only. This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. South America & the Chilean Fjords - Ocean Cruise Dates & Pricing South America & the Chilean Fjords From $5,999 | 18 Days | 8 Guided Tours | 4 Countries Itinerary Dates & Pricing Resources For current fares, please call a Viking Expert: 1-866-984-5464 or Request a Quote today. Another section of river that can be negatively affected by low water levels is the Danube, past the last lock in Slovakia heading downriver toward Hungary. 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. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. All Mekong River cruises through Vietnam and Cambodia have been suspended until November 30. . This meant I was unable to book any excursions or drinks package, despite trying as soon as they were released. On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! Here is a message that appears on the Viking River Cruise webpage: The cruise line may elect to cancel your cruise. Learn more. The line said it was also evaluating 2022 itineraries that call in Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. By. took the call and told us that schedule wouldn't be available most likely till January 2023. The cruise was cancelled due the pandemic ($11,367.50) But this is one American that will never sail with this awful company ever again. Really, what is a big deal here? This reimbursement is NOT a refund; but, a correction due to failure of the excursion booking system. airfare $2198 My impression of Viking Cruise Line has plummeted far below any other cruise line. Call a Viking Expert at 0800 319 66 60 or see your Travel Advisor. We rebooked for 2022 on 11/30/2020. Princess Cruises | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. called Business since the middle seats were left vacant. Other ships were docked at the pier. This made it impossible to catch the next flight from ***** to buenos Aries. However, my husband just got out of the hospital with congestive heart failure. 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. Viking River Cruises Viking Rolf (Photo: Viking River Cruises) This years summer drought in Europe could affect your upcoming river cruise, but its highly unlikely your cruise will be canceled outright. I purchased a cruise for my wife and myself then Covid hit. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. I explain ship swapping in the section: . 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. The whole experience was a disaster. I was told Viking doesnt own the hotel and the hotel will not let me make a change since Viking handled the booking. Check here before booking an award fare. This was not the case. 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. Other than the hassle of packing up in the middle of the cruise, travelers still get the full Rhine experience they paid for. $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. Cruise restart dates: when do cruise lines start again? Telling us that a voucher has no cash value is a shoddy business practice at best. The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends. 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. 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. 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. Viking Cruises cancels 2022 Black Sea and Kiev (Ukraine) sailings Viking River Cruises: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims Because we were given a voucher, we can not get out money back. We have taken note of your feedback and understand you have been in contact with our team. Unlike other river cruise lines, however, were very fortunate that we also operate numerous land tours throughout the region, so we have a fantastic network of local supplier-partners that we can leverage as necessary should alternate arrangements become necessary.. We missed 2 ports of call and 1/3 of our sites to see the auroras. ), We booked a cruise in 2019 to sail early in 2020. Because of COVID, we had to cancel the cruise, and received a voucher from Viking. Not enough for the money hungry cruise line. However, the most important part of any cruise, for me is the excursion choice. This was really Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Plus Ups are excluded. Their luggage has been moved over automatically so by the time they arrive on the ship they have their luggage, and then they sail on the other ship back to the destination.. Posted May 4, 2021. After 5 Viking It was not a condition of completing this trip. Before you decide to. 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. Steve is a life-long avgeek and a points and miles player. In May, Viking canceled that cruise. I never come across a big bunch of ignorant, geriatric, moronic a$$holes as this group I had came across today! That' our policy,. 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. 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. 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. This would mean that river cruise lines could face severe disruptions . After many failed conversations with Viking Cruise customer service reps to obtain reassurance that we will automatically receive a refund when our cruise vouchers expire on 2/18/23, two years after the email from Viking dated 2/17/21 notifying us that our second cruise was cancelled. Withholding of monies and shore excursion booking system failure. I contact Viking customer relations, and was first told that the flight tickets were paid by Viking already. There are no uniform river flows and water levels are unpredictable. The climate in Europe is changing and not for the better. In fact, everything we have come to expect from Viking exceptthere were apparently a few cases of a GI infection . 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. Viking changed our flight schedule at very short notice. Thats because the weight of the cargo such vessels carry affects their draft (the distance between the ships bottom and the water line). Applies primarily to to bookings with the following content. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. Find the right card for you. Floriade River Cruise Guide 2022 | Cruise Critic It also stated that if we were unable to use the voucher we could be refunded the original amount we paid to Viking. 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. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. We only wanted our money to be applied to another cruise in 2023. View all of our Luxury Cruise sailings and offers. River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water. We booked a 14 day cruise with extra days upon arrival in ****** and departure in **** in ****. You could tear down the house and build a dam there, but that is not what is going to happen.. 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. If have a river cruise planned for the end of the summer or the fall, should you be concerned? That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. Several Cruise Lines Cancel Scheduled Stops in Russia, Ukraine This river begins in the Alps near the Italy-French border and is fed by snowmelt. I have contacted Watcdog BBC who are interested. Passengers from across the country say they've. NEVER BUY A VIKING CRUISE VOUCHERWe will be sailing with a different cruise line and will not be back to Viking. *Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. Then before the departure, Viking cancelled operations and offered us vouchers for future cruises. 05 Aug 2022. The trip was for 2021 but was also cancelled and moved to September 22, 2022.On September 16,2022 *********************** and shattered his knee-cap and needed surgery. For every day that is altered, AmaWaterways guests will get 50% of the daily rate they paid as a future cruise credit. Their ad is wonderful but after all is said and done it is all crap. She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . 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. Viking have done this every year since 2012, knowing they are unable to dock there but still taking Port Tax from every passenger. 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. Experts are saying that the current drought in Europe could be the worst in 500 years, with water levels dropping, especially along the Rhine River. We paid for the trip and had trip insurance. Viking Cruises | Cruise Ship List - Cruises Only Labeled Verified, theyre about genuine experiences.Learn more about other kinds of reviews. They have no intentions of giving my money back .Do I not have any rights?
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