For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube. 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. It is the standard architecture that gives the river boat some leeway with rising and falling river levels. I never come across a big bunch of ignorant, geriatric, moronic a$$holes as this group I had came across today! The vaccinations mean nothing anyway. The other typical plan is to put the passengers on buses to get around the affected areas. 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. Viking collects 3 fares for a 2 person room. For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. There are no uniform river flows and water levels are unpredictable. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points for flights booked directly with airlines or with American Express Travel up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Booked a trip just before covid hit which had to be canceled for obvious reasons. Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers are transferable, so that you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one. Thank you. Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . Unfortunately, my husband unexpectedly passed away last month. Service representative escalated our complaint that we were misinformed, tricked, lied to, defrauded - because we cannot sail on that date, we are not healthy and can't sail in the fall or 2023! 05 Aug 2022. Sure we were free but that's no excuse. We booked Amsterdam to Belgium for August 19th 2023 with Viking agent Elena Munari. ***. Review for Viking Osiris to Middle East Swirling Kilt 2-5 Cruises Age 60s Read More Sail Date: December 2022 Cabin Type: Suite with Veranda Helpful Christmas on the Mississippi Review for. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. Passengers wait to board the luxury cruise ship Viking Mississippi, berthed at Lambert's Landing in St. Paul, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. Do your homework and always make informed decisions. 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. took the call and told us that schedule wouldn't be available most likely till January 2023. Because we were given a voucher, we can not get out money back. Viking refusing to refund given COVID risks! - Review of Viking Cruises Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. Viking is not a good company to work with. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). But now some of those waterway dreams seem set to run aground. All other passages from ******* for the same Antarctica cruise with Viking Octantis got their boarding passes with no problem. We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. On April 7, Virgin Voyages updated its advisory that all regular Scarlet Lady cruises are canceled through September 17, 2021. I was sailing aboard the Avalon Vista two months ago on a cruise from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland along the Rhine River. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. These hotels are Marriott and hilton properties that have such rooms. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. I specifically mentioned this scenario when I used the voucher and we were told as long as it was 120 days before departure we could rebook using our voucher. Photos: Major Cruise Lines Are Postponing Sailings Amid Covid Cruise lines cancel Ukraine and Russia calls - Travel Weekly "We will not cancel any cruises," said Shreiner. When we got this schedule yesterday, we asked her ********** if she could rearrange things to take this cruise. The US gov has basically declared the "plandemic" over and all other mandates have been drop but Viking still won't change their policy. Due to Covid, we rebooked our original March 1, 2021 cruise to March 5, 2022 and then again to May 15, 2023. Check with your cruise line on current cruising conditions and what you can expect from them. 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. In the same cabin. Beware of Viking excursion policies. Cruise Canceled Due to Low Water Levels Viking Cruises chairman: 'COVID is really behind us' - Fortune More Cruises Canceled as Omicron Spreads - The New York Times Really, what is a big deal here? The photo is from my first premium, international award flight in 2012. January 27, 2018. Norwegian Cruise Line | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. 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. Learn to how to find the cheapest awards. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Viking revises world cruise itinerary on eve of departure | seatrade Viking Cruises' New Safety Protocols Include Daily COVID-19 Testing "Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine,. Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. All Mekong River cruises through Vietnam and Cambodia have been suspended until November 30. . 23. When I asked to speak with a supervisor the "customer service" representative said "I am not allowed to transfer you - the supervisor will give you the same answer." 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 South America & the Chilean Fjords - Viking Cruises What? All I want if a refund for our primary payment so we can sail on a ship that does not require the vaccine since we can not get it. This cruise has been sold out for weeks so if Viking reinstates the voucher, the cabin could be resold. Refund or partial credit. Call to book now: 1-800-207-7286. We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. By the time I could ring Viking, the excursion was sold out and the drinks package price had increased. This review was chosen algorithmically as the most valued customer feedback. We would much rather be able to post how considerate Viking has been (as well as how much we enjoyed the cruise!) 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. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. It will take of the expiring vouchers and the booking can be changed with no problem whatsoever once a schedule for 2024 becomes available. . The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French, said Schreiner. Water levels are unpredictable and can vary day by day, depending on what the weather brings. The draft is the amount of vessel that is below the water line. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. Think 3 times before booking with Viking!!! Booking # XXXXXXX 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. Guests have the option to transfer their reservation to 2022; receive a 100% future cruise credit . The trip was more expensive so we paid with our vouchers as well as cash. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. Special Cruise Savings | Viking Ocean Cruises Bookings with more than 30 persons Conference bookings made by Customers Service and Sales Department Bookings paid by invoice by companies Companies with annual agreements Bookings with more than 5 hotel rooms The specific conditions that apply to your booking can be found in your . This is due to the cruise line planning on new summer UK domestic cruises for UK vaccinated residents only. Viking changed their policy after they took all our money, lured us into taking now worthless vouchers. I ask if I could have the number to her managers boss she said no. It is obvious to the casual observer that VRC is not in financial distress as they have added ships to their fleet and the CEO is listed a a billionaire. After many failed conversations with Viking Cruise customer service reps to obtain reassurance that we will automatically receive Booking number 7141933 I have always liked Viking cruises and have been on 13, counting the one I am currently on. (I doubt theyll get that right). This would mean that river cruise lines could face severe disruptions . Viking Cruise recommends that their customers insure their travel & trip with Trip Mate Travel Insurance. We booked a January 2021 cruise. 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. We will never try Viking again! Feb 1, 2023. The confirmation email said cancellation for any reason loss of deposit. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. This insurance company is worthless and doesn't live up to the stated reimbursements as advertised in its' brochure. They refuse. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. Not for the voucher amount. Our trip was canceled and a voucher was issued. This is known as ship swapping. This content has not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. In times of high water, river boats can reduce their height by: Another aspect of river cruising is how much water does the ship draft? Published: Aug. 08, 2022, 9:30 a.m. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. I hope this is something you can help with. 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. Viking Announces Return of European River Cruises in July - Travel My impression of Viking Cruise Line has plummeted far below any other cruise line. However, I believe the policy is rather onerous. The first five miles of headwaters have completely dried up. 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. Viking Ocean Cruises. Plus Ups are excluded. This meant I was unable to book any excursions or drinks package, despite trying as soon as they were released. 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. 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. 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. 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. We have taken note of your feedback. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. See details. ComplaintsBoard.com is a leading complaint resolution website on the Internet. We were running between the airlines at ***** to find out what was going on, very frustrating. 1. Later after giving our deposit (another $8,000) we found out that ******** become a requirement to sail.My husband and I, both for health reasons can not get the vaccines and Viking to this time has been holding our money ($11,367.50) for 3 years (going to the 4th) even when we have requested several times and even hired an attorney to get our money back.When we booked the 2nd cruise, no one told us that we will loose our chance to get a refund. Bad cruise experience, shore excursions, bad weather bad handling, cold food, etc. Only Viking can make the appropriate reservation. The problem with river cruises is that they are affected by both high and low water levels. The cruise line announced the return of select itineraries in Portugal, France and . If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. 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. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. Guests and travel agents on impacted departures are in the process of being notified. I advised Viking that my wife and I could not get the vaccine ever and asked for a refund of our primary payment. the Lufthansa person told me I need to fill out the form required for returning Americans to USA and she was not helpful .I missed my flight and had to stay overnight to a dingy hotel in tears in a French country who doesn't really want to help you . The river cruise lines will tell you that low water levels are rare, and that few sailings are altered due to water levels but the truth is the risk is always present. At best, youll do a ship swap mid-cruise, a slight inconvenience that will allow you to follow your planned itinerary. ST PAUL, Minn. There's been a lot of fanfare surrounding America's Great River cruise operated by Viking Cruises. Disappointed with Viking Cruises cancellation policy. Winston Folkers. An apology is not good enough. Verification can help ensure real people write reviews about real companies. 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. Which cruises have been cancelled in 2022? | Cruise.Blog I appreciate the time. 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. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary. I purchased a cruise for my wife and myself then Covid hit. It's a human right to have access to fresh water and clean sanitation. **** said he would monitor the schedule and will alert us the very day it comes out. Is it cheaper to stay out in the bay and use your own tender? It turns out that for the most part, if the ship sank, we would be high and dry standing on the sun deck. Please DO NOT add attachments that contain your or other peoples personal information, if you dont want it to be visible to the public. My husband and I booked with Viking in December 2019 for the Rhine Getaway Cruise for December 2020. 1. We used these to book on cruise OJUXXXXXX Booking Number XXXXXXX. If the whole itinerary is changed, youll get to sail the new itinerary and receive a 100% future cruise credit to book another cruise. What does Viking do Nothing. 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. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . However, as everyone knows, predicting the weather is not an exact science. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. Vikings' policy allows no refund under the circumstances (i.e. The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends. 2022 is now cancelled and will be replaced with new roundtrip voyages from Southampton to the Caribbean via the Canary Islands and New York. A place on the excursion I tried to book. "Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine,. It was not a condition of completing this trip. We were never verbally informed when booking that the actual voucher would expire even if we rebooked again. We were routed to resolution manager who was extremely obnoxious, rude, disrespectful, wasn't listening to the issue, saying 'yes, ok, sales rep make a mistake, mistakes do happen. 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. We also carry about 500 tons of water, that is ballast and fresh water for the guests.. Global warming is indeed having an effect on European rivers. Booking number: *******. You dont cruise in Egypt in June/July because its too hot. We used our voucher prior to the expiration of the voucher, to book a cruise for March of 2023. Coach would have been better. This requirement was enacted after we booked this trip . On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. River cruise cancellation fears loom as Rhine threatens closure The line confirmed the steps to TTG on Wednesday (2 March) and said it was "deeply opposed" to the . Had a planned eastern European river cruise starting mid-October for over a year. How could we?? We booked a river cruise (Danube) for March 2022. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. 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. 2. By. This complaint has been resolved automatically due to user's inactivity. As compensation we have been offered a derisory 200 voucher towards a future cruise. We were being reimbursed for the cash amount paid but not the amount of the vouchers. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. More details in attachment. A river level that is too high or too low can affect an otherwise great cruising experience. Scheduled and rescheduled elder family care and pet sitting services. This they Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus 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. Desired outcome: One of the most popular rivers, the Rhine has river levels falling fast. Editor in Chief These conditions include: Lately, Europe has seen temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). Because of the positive test result as well as his need for further dr evaluation, we had no choice but to cancel the trip. 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. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. 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. I was aware that cruise lines' cash flow issues and accepted the voucher. Check here before booking an award fare. Because Viking issued a voucher , insurance denied the claim as the voucher was considered a refund We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. 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. Europe is now seeing the same kind of climate change conditions that are affecting the Western United States. We paid 529+40 USD purchasing fees each for the tickets. Other ships were docked at the pier. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. 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. Related: Booking your first river cruise? We never sign or agree to sail with vaccines passport as requirement.No one respond our emails or our attorney except a woman name ******************************* that behaves like an iron wall to talk to anyone else. Viking's river cruises are aboard Viking Longships and have a maximum of 190 guests. With this terrible Viking will not honor this request. Utter and total joke. Jim. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. 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. Claim your profile to access Trustpilots free business tools and connect with customers. Viking Cruise Reviews (2023 UPDATED): Ratings of Viking River Cruises Not at all, according to Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder AmaWaterways as long as youre willing to be a little bit flexible. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. I purchased two of each of the following through ACH: European Cruise River Levels Are Falling To Critical Levels - Travel Codex This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals. Cruise was not very happy because this was a Christmas Market cruise and many of the markets were closed or food only due to the dates. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring, Looking back: How my points and miles strategy has changed over the years, The best increased card offers to sign up for this March. I encourage all Americans to do the same. This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% I checked with many countries and all their restrictions have been dropped. scott@travelcodex.com, For updates: 2022. About 20 poeple's bag on the flight didn't make it. However, BBB does not verify the accuracy of information provided by third parties, and does not guarantee the accuracy of any information in Business Profiles. called Business since the middle seats were left vacant. Viking Mississippi is one of Viking's largest river ships, measuring 450 feet (137 meters) long and weighing approximately 5,000 gross tons. Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. The plane returned to the gate and he was transported to the local hospital.