viking river cruises cancelled

It would be real interesting to see a movement by their customers against refusing to make full payment 1 and 2 years in advance. Uefa moved footballs Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris and Formula One cancelled the Russian grand prix, which is reportedly potentially set to move to Turkey. The interest or growth potential of them requiring full payment that far in advance is financiallyimmoral. Are there computers, or should I bring my laptop? Has anyone cancelled their Viking River cruise? However, we will continue to provide testing if a guest reports symptoms, requests a test, or if our Medical Team deems necessary. What common spaces are there on the Viking Mississippi? To start the list, here are my favorite things about sailing with Viking which will be followed by top things my friends, family, and fellow travel writers love about a Viking Cruise. I believe the 125% FCC is for bookings through the end of April. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos. Yesterday 8 countys in Bavaria were over 1,000, today its 10 - which means the stricter lockdown with closed hotels and restaurants. Sounds bad, here is one report: https://www.euronews.com/2021/11/24/slovakia-becomes-the-second-european-country-to-go-into-lockdown-as-covid-cases-surge. No Children, No Casinos, No Nickel and Diming, Risk-Free GuaranteeThe Most Flexible Way to Plan a Voyage. Three weeks ago, we did request refunds on all our extra excursions and these refunds have yet to show up on the credit card. But did cancel some optional excursions and pre paid gratuities just to get a head start in case we do cancel the entire cruise. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. 775 0 obj <>stream Both packages are priced from USD 50000 per person . Is Viking still going to put you on a "no Christmas markets, sorry folks, Austria scenic sailing only, oops, skipping Bratislava, covid emergency in Hungary, disembark in Budapest, hope you have had a great time with Viking, no refund"-cruise? Aaron, so far its only Bavaria and Saxonia. I wonder if they are seeing mass cancellations and they are sweetening the deal to maintain bookings. @CincyAL, Viking "acts more like a bank" because some travelers LET THEM. As the conflict in Ukraine continues, cruise line after cruise line has altered itineraries with stops in Russian ports or canceled voyages entirely. "Cruise Lines Alter Russia Itineraries, Cancel Ports Due to Ukraine Conflict." Viking River CruisesOf the lines that have so far made changes, Vikings have been the most extensive, canceling its entire season of Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary. We were all set to fly to Prague in a few days to begin our trip from there to Berlin then London. Read Also: Which Cruise Line Is Best For Kids. Our cruise is not until November 2020 and the current FCC/cancel for full refund policy does not apply to us. If you go on Facebook, there are many people who were dumped. When I inquired about how we go about rescheduling a trip in the future, if we even want to, the response was to check everyday and maybe there would be a cancellation, Richard Pletcher said. Of course there are unexpected circumstances that may necessitate setting aside policy. I had the same experience as you, and personally, I don't feel like playing "agent roulette". Future Cruise Vouchers valued at 125% are available exclusively for those guests whose cruise was cancelled due to, or associated with, our suspended operations. Again, we were going to ask the TA to ask for a later final payment date, but it was offered to the TA before we had a chance to ask. Even after appeasing the U.S. Maritime Administration by leasing a charter from Louisiana-based Edison Chouest, Viking had to deal with federal appeals filed by competing cruise companies. At Viking, your experience means the world to us. Cancellation conditions 1. It's been mentioned on these boards that there was a period that Viking tried to hold the line on payment within 30 days of booking but the pushback was fierce. We were three couples booking at once and they held firm to the payment in full 30 days past initial deposit. Funky Fusion FoodsJ, November 19, 2021 in River Cruising. Due to the current virus the company Viking River . (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP) A Viking river cruise ship heading . TripSavvy uses only high-quality, trusted sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. We need twin beds; is this possible? I think that was the air plus? that we paid for to have a say in our flights. Ward 1 convention ends in walk-out, no endorsement after grueling 9 1/2 hours The first Viking River Cruise I took was the Rhine Christmas Market Cruise with my sister. Cruise itself starts 11/25I just sent chat to Viking re: Austria in lockdown for ALL starting 22nd no activities or businesses will be open. Walking to my stateroom the first day, the corridor was so peaceful with the soft lighting and easy and attractive decor. We are still waiting for Viking to "refund" OUR money to our credit card. We can always rebook. Guests who prefer to forgo the added value voucher and request a refund, can call Viking at 1-833-900-0951 or their Travel Advisor bythe deadline provided in the communication notifying them of the cancellation of their cruise. Guests will have 24 months to select their new date and use their Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher to make a new reservation on any river, ocean or expedition cruise. The Pletchers arent the only couple who have been bumped from Vikings new Mississippi River cruises at the last minute. Shorter itinerary segments are also available for booking, including the 119-day Viking World Horizons 2022 that visits 49 ports in 22 countries. Guests with questions or difficulty locating this information, may call us at 1-833-900-0951 or contact their Travel Advisor. Brutal but true, as much as it hurts me to say that. In the same post, the cruise line's holding company, Carnival Corporation, stood by Ukraine in light of the attacks, declaring, "We stand for peace.". He Tweets with manic intensity at @FrederickMelo. At this time, our Mississippi River itineraries are operating as scheduled. Meanwhile, sporting events were moved from Russia. The very first cruise that Arleen and I did together was through the Panama Canal, Wasserman said. Closer to home, Viking plans to build and launch their first ship to cruise the Mississippi river, Viking Mississippi. In March-April 2021, Viking OCEAN announced plans to restart operations with. We traveled last October, and our TA was told, without even having to ask for it, that final payment was due in May, 5 months from departure. oIK=?d4E_%sn_R)=&[h@1'{[']q[0G/PIAG| D0Y1 0S.fv G2 L In 2023, celebrating the companys 25th anniversary, Viking EXPEDITIONS offers Longitudinal World Cruise I. Germany is locking down for unvaccinated but stores etc. So some of the rooms are unavailable for these reasons.. Fortunately for us we booked last November and can cancel up to 24 hours before the cruise and get 100% FCC. Unlike some other cruise line FCCs, these are fully transferable so if you decide not to use it yourself, you can give it to someone else. Question is, will we (Germany) be next? Viking is still trying to figure out what they will do about rescheduling cruises for that year. I feel no loyalty to them. The line said it was also evaluating 2022 itineraries that call in Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. The company cancelled the trip the very next day because the countries closed their borders. An additional four Arctic sailings have new itineraries. They applied the refund to my balance but said I would still get it back on my Credit Card in the 21 Business Days. @garlinnin view of the fact that the Rhine River and the Danube River are lowandthe situation on the Rhine and Main are uncertain as regards Christmas markets, it would be more sensible for Viking to call off the Grand European. Viking River Cruises : does not do the right thing when things go wron. ", "Norwegian Cruise Cancels Sailings to Russia, Ukraine Ports. 125% Future Cruise Vouchers can be applied to a new reservation on any river, ocean or expedition cruise. Travel Weekly. Additionally, the August 26 voyage will include a transit of the Kiel Canal, while the September 7 sailing will add a stop in Saaremaa, Estonia. Catherine Frohnert and her husband, both in their 80s, booked their Viking trip on the Mississippi River in 2019 and paid for it in early 2020, only to learn this month that their reservation from New Orleans to St. Paul had been canceled. Here is a sample of what you will see on one of our European river cruises: Visits to Germany's charming wine-producing villages. Viking is still trying to figure out what they will do about rescheduling cruises for that year. Poseidon Expeditions is the latest addition, canceling seven itineraries. Christmas Markets seem to be falling away, I wonder what the chance is Viking will cancel cruise entirely? | 1 We did the Basel, Switzerland to Amsterdam, Netherlands route with stops in Breisach, Heidelberg, Koblenz, Cologne , Strasbourg and Kinderdijk . The price has shot up quite a bit from what we paid. Payments can be made in My Viking Journey. | 5 Oceania Cruises, another Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings brand, said it too would remove Russian and Ukrainian ports from its 2022 sailings, according to an emailed statement. Viking acts more like a bank taking FULL deposit as much as 2 years out. Journey with the world's #1 river cruise line. When more than one cruise is booked, deposit and payment policies apply per Cruise Fare. Since we started Viking 23 years ago, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our employees. Read Also: What Does The Average Cruise Cost, Norwegian Cruise Line is removing planned stops in St. Petersburg from its 2022 sailings due to the escalated situation between Russia and Ukraine.. We are still awaiting a decision by Tauck on our Brussels to Amsterdam cruise December 13-20. She clarified that we did indeed get that as FCC also. To be covered by this guarantee, you must make a reservation on a 2022 voyage between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called "Italian Sojourn," which would travel around Italy's . What really makes me angry about this is if I had just purchased the excursions they would show up on the credit card immediately. This and the fact that the Christmas Markets have been cancelled for all 5 stops in Bavaria has made us decide to cancel the cruise. All except $100 future cruise credit each. I didnt want to ante up that large amount of cash knowing that it could not happen as planned. For anyone who has China on their bucket list, Viking offers a great way to see many of the major sites in one trip. You will receive a 3.3% discount and there is no fee for this service. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings also announced that they would remove Russian and Ukrainian ports from 2022 itineraries across their brands, including Norwegian, Oceania Cruises, and Regent Seven Seas. Slovakia as well?! Entire boat trips planned from St. Paul in July and August were canceled this summer, and interior work aboard the ship has apparently continued right through the first departure from St. Paul toward St. Louis, Mo., on Sept. 3. Im just not sure what will happen to Viking if this hold on river cruises is prolonged. Viking continues to reinvent cruises and next year will be no different. It may be that you folks unfortunately booked during that period. On February 24, Viking River Cruises cancelled all its 2022 departures with Ukraine river itineraries, and on 1 March, it also ceased all operations in Russia. I would not bet on any river cruise line giving up that business "just" because the Covid infection rate is high. When you look up the UK website you will notice the difference in setup but also in the small print. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. Not yet, I am trying to get in touch with my Agent right now. Every dollar paid for cruise, air, taxes, fees or surcharges can be paid by echeck, including regular-priced itineraries and airfare, any special offers or Viking Air Plus services. "Updates on Current Sailings." Just wanted to add the Cruise Critic editorial team is working hard to try to get answers from all the major river cruise operators now that Austria has gone into lockdown and Germany may follow. Therefore, as of today, we have canceled all 2022 tours that include a stop in Russia.". If you have any questions regarding these Terms or the Passenger Ticket Contract, please advise us in writing at Viking River Cruises, Inc., 5700 Canoga Avenue, Suite 200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367. Viking Cruises has cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russias invasion of Ukraine. Viking OCEANs product was introduced in May 2015 with the launch of its first vessel MV Viking Star. Just my humble opinion. INTRODUCTION Your contract is with Viking River Cruises UK Limited, a company registered in England and Wales (Co. No.01283655) whose Theyll refund the vouched amount to you. Special savings plus Free airfare valid on select 2024 departures. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. That mountain hut in the Vosges mountains is getting more attractive by the day, though. Even though the service is great on the ships as many thousand past cruisers can attest. Note: For the itinerarys all call ports see at the ships Wiki section here. Signature destinations include Central America, Panama Canal transit, USA West Coast, Hawaii, Transpacific crossing to New Zealand and Australia, Asia, Middle East, Suez Canal transit to Europe and the UK. Viking has had OUR money for over a year, and still hanging on to it. Russia has banned UK airlines from its airspace in response to the UK doing the same for Russian carriers as part of a raft of sanctions slapped on Russia in response to its aggression in Ukraine. Applies primarily to bookings containing 1-30 persons and bookings with conference made online and where none. 3. ", "Cruise Lines Cancel Scheduled Stops in Russia, Ukraine. Have not cancelled the Cruise yet. http://staging.seatrade-cruise.com/news/news-headlines/china-merchants-closes-500m-financing-deal-for-two-viking-newbuilds.html, You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. The testing requirement lifted on June 12, 2022. Better to cancel what you have and do it next year. 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. Simply click on the name of your cruise line below to get the details. The luxury river cruise line, Scenic, scrapped all of its 2022 Russia cruises. The final balance is due based on offer at How long did they tell you it would be before you actually received your refund? If you continue to see this message, please call 138 747 (AU) OR 0800 447 913 (NZ). This inconsistency of when full payment is due,as illustrated by theabove posts, is exasperatingto me. Our top priority is always the well-being of our guests, our crew and the communities we visit, the company wrote in a statement earlier this month. SwissMrs, March 25, 2020 in River Cruising. Helen Prochilo of cruise specialist Promal Vacations calls European river cruising "the hottest thing we are selling this year." A little too hot: Although none of her clients have been affected yet, she says that among her fellow agents, one had a client's cruise canceled this week, and another had their itinerary adjusted. Rescheduling a trip three years from now sounds unlikely to her. Much like borrowing from Peter to pay Paul. I was looking forward to it. Main downstream from Wrzburg, Rhine and especially Moselle are better places to be. TA's have no problem getting better terms. It might just push us to get a cash refund now and look for someone else. He spent nearly six years covering crime in the Dakota County courts before switching focus to the St. Paul mayor's office, city council, and all things neighborhood-related, from the city's churches to its parks and light rail. Most cruise lines have enacted extremely fair and lenient refund policies for the time being. I hope not. Wasserman originally wanted to transfer the cruise to his step-daughter, but the company would not allow it, he said. Additionally, Viking highly recommends, but no longer requires, a pre-departure COVID-19 testunless one is required by the destination. They then said it is 21 Business days. With shutdown, 21 Cruise ship company's business days will go to the Summer We and two other couples travelling with us cancelled last Friday. In 2019 the parent company created the brand Viking Expeditions, with a newbuild fleet of two small-sized expedition vessels Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris , plus 2 more same-designed units. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. Also Check: How Much Is The Alaskan Cruise. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. We were kind of excited about going with them because were close friends, Alvie Blankenship said. "Poseidon Expeditions Cancels 2022 Russia, North Pole Programs." Despite the canceled 2020 cruise season, Viking has high hopes for 2021 and beyond. Medieval Prague, "City of a Thousand Spires". The voyage starts from Port Everglades on December 24, 2021, and ends in London City England. Passengers have called the latter easier said than done as trips fill up years in advance. Royal Caribbean Group released a statement canceling stops in St. Petersburg for summer 2022 sailings for all its brands, including Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, and Silver Sea. I am glad I don't have anything booked but do know some who do and wish the cruise lines would just cancel. We have a cruise in Oct, and like you, they have held our money for a year already. Viking has made an official announcement on there Web Site Itineraries Affected by Temporary Suspension of OperationsUpdated April 6, 2021 On March 11, 2020, Viking was the first cruise line to suspend operations of our river and ocean cruises. . Generous closets, plentiful USB ports and US/EU outlets, plush robes and slippers add to your comfort. But thoseshould be the rare exception rather than the rule. We are currently on this ship, wrote passenger Dean Siddons on the Facebook page, during a trip to St. Paul on Sept. 15. Review of Viking Cruises. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. This policy in itself is really really pushing me away from Viking, and we had really been eyeing them up for an Australian cruise. Any positive case adds to our count, anyone who needs medical attention takes the personnel away from the locals, be it river cruiser or mountaineer. Some media outlets along the river corridor have pointed to likely supply chain challenges. You may also contact us by phone at 1-877-668-4546. Sharkster, I believethat you were able to delay your full payment,but our experience was entirely different. We saw all of the major sites, including the Great Wall, the Terra Cotta Warriors and a sail on the Yangtze to the Three Gorges Dam. The Travel Protection Plan includes a non-insurance . Another record in daily infections reported today by Reuters. We will see. Frohnert, a world traveler who is Irish by birth but has lived in the U.S. most of her life, had planned to fly to New Orleans and travel back to Minnesota by water for what she assumed would be her final voyage. Our money was refunded by Tuesday. The language barriers are real and the country is vast. I only hope that Viking has not overextended themselves and alreadyspentthe paymentson other expenses with the expectation that bookings would continue perpetually. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that such a measure is no longer necessary, citing that the pandemic has shifted to a new phase because of the effectiveness of vaccines, therapeutics and high rates of immunity at the population level in the U.S. Great to hear Viking allowed you to cancel via telephone; the booking contract stated they required it to be in writing. Call to book now: 1-800-304-9616. 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. And Hungary? 15 days of eating, testing, visiting Christmas markets that are a regulated event with signs and barriers - when they are actually on - and not knowing if you will make it to Budapest on the ship you started in Amsterdam with, is not fun. I think that Crystal canceled all remaining cruises - smart move as there isn't "enough" to see with VIE out of the game. Theres a 24 month window to apply it to any river, ocean or expedition cruise. The cancellations add to the ripple effect Russia's invasion of Ukraine has caused throughout the travel industry. The Blankenships have accepted an offer that allows an extended sail by date. On 11/19/2021 at 4:29 PM, Funky Fusion FoodsJ said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Special Event: Q&A with Rudi Schreiner, President, Co-Founder & Co-Owner - AmaWaterways River Cruises, Q&A with Avoya Travel: Learn How to Turn Your Passion into Success by Becoming an Independent Travel Advisor. Please note that Viking is in the process of notifying guests about these changes to the Viking Health & Safety Program, as well as updating specific requirements for all voyages across documents channels, including on MyVikingJourney.com. I am falling behind with the news. Little more than a week ago, just four days before the first trip of the Viking Mississippi from the Mississippi Rivers headwaters to its mouth, the company informed them by mail that their reservation had been canceled.

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