Cannot recommend whatsoever - there are better cruise lines who deliver & care about providing a decent level of customer experience - avoid them if you can. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. 1. Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary. In fact, we specifically asked their travel consultant if the vouchers would be reissued if we had to cancel again and we were told they would. "The safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority," a Viking representative told Travel Market Report. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. Viking changed our flight schedule at very short notice. We didn't get to see Honduras as Viking tried to use their own tender to get to shore. 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 used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. 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. They also issued non refundable vouchers for our port excursions. 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. We would much rather be able to post how considerate Viking has been (as well as how much we enjoyed the cruise!) Booking number: *******. If you want to cancel a cruise right now in October because of low water, I will tell you, Sorry, we dont know if theres low water in October, said Schreiner. scott@travelcodex.com, For updates: 23. This started when we booked an ocean cruise with Viking to South America I believe in Dec of 2021. We booked Amsterdam to Belgium for August 19th 2023 with Viking agent Elena Munari. I could sail on another cruise line for a lot less money. In the same cabin. 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. **** said he would monitor the schedule and will alert us the very day it comes out. This account has been claimed by Viking River Cruises customer service / representatives through our verification process. ***. We only wanted our money to be applied to another cruise in 2023. We have taken note of your feedback. Airfares vary on other gateways & departures. Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. Viking has responded to his passing by cancelling the nearly $9,000 I paid for my husbands share of the trip. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called . The even occurred in February of 2023. 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. However, you wont be entirely out of luck if your itinerary changes once you arrive at your ship. He replied "absolutely no way both medically and because ************ weakens her immune system!" Viking Cruises' New Safety Protocols Include Daily COVID-19 Testing Four excursions that I wanted are already sold out. Viking Neptune is a new ship that will join the fleet in 2022. To date we have sent a certified *** ****** ***** letter to VRC and had no response. 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. As a result, river levels are falling to critical levels. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. 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 . On April 7, Virgin Voyages updated its advisory that all regular Scarlet Lady cruises are canceled through September 17, 2021. We were never verbally informed when booking that the actual voucher would expire even if we rebooked again. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. If the level is too low, the vessel may run aground or need an alternative docking arrangement. Here is a message that appears on the Viking River Cruise webpage: The cruise line may elect to cancel your cruise. I thought that Viking was reputable, so I put too much faith in them. If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles. Part refund, at least 25%. You will be cruising, you will be enjoying," he said. Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% We asked to transfer the trip to my son and grandson, but transferring the tickets is not allowed. Refund on premium air payments that we did not receive in premiumservice. By the time I could ring Viking, the excursion was sold out and the drinks package price had increased. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. We called our AAA travel agent and she notified Viking on September 17,2022, we were scheduled to leave on September 22,2022. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. 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. 488 total complaints in the last 3 years. coach. Europe is now seeing the same kind of climate change conditions that are affecting the Western United States. #6339759. 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. After contacting viking to inform the situation, Viking booked another flight for us. The two most popular are the Rhine and the Danube. Viking Mississippi cruise passengers hit by cancellations Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. 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 rebooked for 2022 on 11/30/2020. Viking's 2022 World Cruise Sold Out so Quickly, It's Offering - Leisure We will not be booking with Viking again. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. Viking River Cruises The line is canceling all 2022 departures of its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary. Having trip insurance may pay you in full depending on your coverage. We also carry about 500 tons of water, that is ballast and fresh water for the guests.. The only problem was it WAS VERY NOISY, couldnt get a full night sleep due the engine and the bed shaking.We will go back to the other suites.The staff was great! How is this hard? Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. 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. Taking over the Hilton in Taupo NZ, they were obnoxious. The whole point of purchasing trip insurance, especially in this time of Covid, was to protect ourselves in the event of a last minute emergency. Viking Venus : cruise round Med and on to Israel.This was a wonderful itinerary , a beautiful ship , excellent food and service. Viking Cruises, and Other Lines, Changes Plans Because of Ukraine News However, I believe the policy is rather onerous. Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. If water levels are low, cargo ships cannot carry their normal loads of freight. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. It is February 1st today and I went online to book excursions for a trip almost 3 months from now. River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Subscribe to RSS At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. This site is for entertainment purposes only. We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. My Trip - Updates on Current Sailings - Viking River Cruises In November ******************************************* She had major surgery December 12th. Special fares plus Free airfare valid on select 2023 departures of Eastern Seaboard Explorer and Canada & New England Scenic Shores. You will, however, still get a vacation in Europe, even if its not the one you expected. SA. 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 On July 10th, 2022 my husband called Viking to inquire when the schedule 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. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! By. Enrollment required. Desired outcome: Plus Ups are excluded. . Desired outcome: A place on the excursion I tried to book. 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. 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. Cruise Canceled Due to Low Water Levels 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. 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. We booked a Viking cruise from Venice to Athens in late 2020 for September 2021. Unfortunately, my husband unexpectedly passed away last month. This complaint has been resolved automatically due to user's inactivity. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. Viking Mississippi cancels some cruise passengers four days ahead of Coach would have been better. I was never informed that the vaccine would be required to sail and that our money would not be eligible for a refund. NEW! 4. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. 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. Sandi. Change of travel requirements after full payment received/ignoring request for full refund. 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. 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.. Verification can help ensure real people write reviews about real companies. AMA Waterways | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. If you choose to do business with this business, please let the business know that you contacted BBB for a BBB Business Profile. Pharaohs & Pyramids. During our Antarctica cruise, as suggested by the on board customer services, we submitted our request for the reimbursement with receipts. A sales representative ******. On 10/14, we filed a claim with Trip Mate. 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. Scheduled and rescheduled elder family care and pet sitting services. Just got order from Doctor to cancel due to sudden onset of autoimmune kidney disease. The climate in Europe is changing and not for the better. Reservation changes under the Risk-Free Guarantee will be reimbursed in the form of a Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher in the amount of 100% of all monies paid to Viking. If water levels fall, riverboats can have trouble sailing all the way to Budapest. This was a question that I asked myself before booking my Rhine River cruise. The area is protected and thats where you have the low water issues. them to clean my clothes again and every night I am on the cruise, Read full review of Viking River Cruises and 1 comment, 16 years' experience in successful complaint resolution, Each complaint is handled individually by highly qualified experts, Last but not least, all our services are absolutely free. We paid some #10,000 for premium air. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. Weve been cruising since March with no issues until August, said Schreiner. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. I explain ship swapping in the section: What Happens If Your Cruise Is Affected By Water Level? Withholding of monies and shore excursion booking system failure. Viking River Cruises Viking Rolf (Photo: Viking River Cruises) Had a planned eastern European river cruise starting mid-October for over a year. This was told to me by two separate employees. Booking your first river cruise? If have a river cruise planned for the end of the summer or the fall, should you be concerned? Thu 13 Jan 2022 01.00 EST Last modified on Thu 13 Jan 2022 18.22 EST. 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. 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.