I've already done my part. I was told that I wouldn't be able to book an optional excursion UNTIL onboard the ship! And when travel is less complicated, we are ready to resume operations and explore the world in comfort, again. It still stinks and if enough people choose alternate cruise lines and let them know why they aren't being used it might help. Ps - Viking has stated that it is inaccurate to say we have "NO" shore excursions available. The representative promised to get back to Keyles. (Sounds like something we would really enjoy.) And I'm urging everyone who got shafted to do the same. Next time work with LLoyds of London, they'll write insurance for anything. Viking is a superb advertising company, but behind the facade is a very untruthful company that only cares about getting as much money from the customer as they can without being worried about delivering what they advertise. In late June, Keyles got a call from a Viking representative who said he would be reviewing the case. Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. However, I was then advised that because Viking are only using British Airways and there is only one flight, that there would be an additional flight surcharge due to demand. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for SUPERSTAR GEMINI STAR CRUISES X CROWN JEWEL BROCHURE 1998 INCL DECK PLANS at the best online prices at eBay! CC Help Jenn But then, for the first time, Viking informed us that this "policy" is found in a minor footnote at the bottom of their web page called COVID 19 Policies and Procedures. The total cost was $15,599,. Help! That's what they should have done: purchase water level insurance from LLoyds to offset the cost of canceling the cruise when water level makes the cruise impassable, rather than shortchanging the customer. .. this is not an Act of God. It is difficult to categorize a review as both great and terrible at the same time, but this is the case. x}[S\G#aVef|tZ1YO~Y^5no?Gg~? A discussion ensued. 60% of Full Fare. Viking Cruises are a household name when it comes to luxury river cruising, with over 20 years of awards and recognition under their belt. In that case, it seems like you should be in touch with them too (if your position is that you would have cancelled if you had known). Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/pdfs/2011%20PAX%20Ticket%20Contract_EU.RU.UK.pdf, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Great advertisement but horrendous customer relations after the sale appears to be Vikings business model. Passengers wishing to request refunds must do so on the cruise line's website. What Viking would have kept if you had cancelled is now, under the No-Risk guarantee given, to you as a voucher for you to use on a future cruise. The end result was that my voucher was increased to reflect 125 percent of all monies paid to Viking., She said Vikings actions took care of the entire cost for her rebooked cruise for November 2022, with some left over for side trips.. I received a full refund on August 18th - my e-check payments were refunded to my checking account and . Consumer Alert: No more automatic refunds for skipped ports? But Keyles wasnt ready to accept such an offer. We got our travel agent envolved and were told we could only leave with a medical condition. Find another cruise line.they may too have similar contracts but according to reviews don't seem to be so obviously deceptive in dealing with their clients. *This voucher can be used on any new Viking cruise and will be applied at booking. I called them the next day to request a refund instead of the voucher. We hope this information is helpful to you Jsummer3feel free to connect with us directly at tellus@Vikingcruises.com should you have any additional questions or concerns. You can find these in the 'Good to know' section. 5700 Canoga Ave #200, Woodland Hills, CA 91367-6569. This was my fourth rivet cruise with Viking. Refund will be given as Returns shipping; 14 days: Money Back: Buyer pays for return shipping: Offer Expires June 30, 2022. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. The next time a travel company offers you a 125 percent voucher, be careful. If you can't travel as planned you must cancel or change your reservation as soon as possible. (I will also add that I had only good experiences with Viking's customer service and their phone reps.). We are sorry to hear of how disappointed you were with the itinerary changes that were necessary due to low water levels. Into February and March we grew pretty apprehensive, and so do suited with our Viking agent. - 120 days to 90 days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of 15%. The 125 percent cruise credit had no visible terms and conditions. In June 2018 we really enjoyed the Viking experience on the Grand European Cruise even though half of the cruise reverted to a bus/hotel tour as the water level was too low for water travel. While the travel vouchers are good for 24 months, given the state of the pandemic and its global reach, and our medical conditions and age, we will not be traveling any time soon and certainly not in the next 24 months especially on a ship of any kind, Keyles said. This tour was our first and last river cruise at least with viking. read more. its a lot of money to spend and most want value for money. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. I received the refund 02/21/2023. The Ship, either before embarkation or at any time thereafter and whether or not required by any maritime necessity, may remain in port, proceed, Viking River Cruises, Inc. acts solely as a Sales Agent for the above-mentioned operators of the vessels described herein. Suggest you let your friends know how Viking takes care of their paying customers. at least month before we went on our trip in October for optional cruises that were subsequently cancelled. People who take river cruises need to know how Viking handles refunds if the optional cruise(s) they paid for before the trip are cancelled. Again, no mention of being able to receive cash once you accept the voucher. You have to fly in via the UK only'. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. Since you only paid $14K, I'll assume you were on a short cruise of under 35-days, so the cancellation terms were: - Prior to 120-days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of $100 pp. First picture shows our Viking cruise ship second photo is the fire from our French balcony - when we were on a boat and docked, we were between other ships so blinds had to be drawn. We reached out to the company to ask it to reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds. You still had your local tours and many other items included. (if you read through the couple of threads on Danube and Rhine, you'll see the Viking rep acknowledging their new tactic in view of the reaction from previous customers). 305 resolved 231 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 Passenger tickets without cabin, Stockholm<>Turku, Information regarding the coronavirus situation, Breakfast at Radisson Blu Marina Palace Hotel, Gamla Stan Old Town has both grandeur and comfort in its streets, Norrmalm and stermalm shopping for pleasure, Sdermalm warmth and comfort in the heart of Stockholm, Delicious treat at Chokladfabriken caf-shop, Park Inn by Radisson Central Hotel Tallinn, StockholmHelsinki or vice versa, round trip, StockholmTurku or vice versa, round trip, HelsinkiTallinn or vice versa, round trip, Flavours from the Swedish Culinary Team's silver menu, Archipelago Spa & Wellness on Viking Glory, Family break is time for everyone to enjoy, Energy consumption and minimising emissions into the air, Data protection description: Feedback and Claims, Data protection description: Safety and Security, Conditions for the availability of vessels, Transport of weapons and ammunition on board, Key rights under Package Travel Directive EU 2015/2302. . That would be your quickest way of making contact. Instead they used credits from the refund we were owed. With all Raise prices. Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River Cruise website. Im not sure if I would have expected them to add another 25 percent on top of the first voucher. Texas. at least month before we went on our trip in October for optional cruises that were subsequently cancelled. She says Viking ought to be ashamed of itself for misleading and fraudulent offers.. It was cancaled by Viking. Cruise was amazing! to join our vibrant team at Viking Crew in Abroad. Started August 27, 2021, By 100% of Full Fare. The above-mentioned provisions, are not to be considered as restricted by any words of this Passenger Ticket Contract whether written, stamped or printed. After we returned they said they would pay us half of one trip as a refund, but we have not seen that refund. 1. We paid $1325. On 9/18/2021 at 12:41 PM, CCWineLover said: 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. No, the representatives said. Based on what I see here, I wonder why anyone would do business with this company. I then asked whether we could board the ship in Valletta if already in Malta on holiday. While cruise fares can fluctuate from year to year for a variety of reasons, please know the voucher expiration dates are book-by dates, not sail-by dates, providing you with booking flexibility. Cool Cruiser, if you are still considering Viking don't! #24 states a different situation than yours, so maybe your TA is at fault. In her view, shed given Viking an interest-free microloan for a year. I can't get a response to my messages. Viking has an office in California. The Ship may adjust compass, drydock or go, on ways before or after commencement of the voyage and may sail without pilots, tow or be towed, and assist vessels in all situations and deviate for the purposes of, saving life or property. Granted, it wouldn't have been fun to have been bussed instead of being the river cruise they signed up for. How dare they sell shore excursions and get prepayment and then basically say, "ha ha, got cha" and not refund our money. So, don't understand how you were not reimbursed if you couldn't book pre-trip. If you find it, read it. Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers are transferable, so that you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one. We opted to take the grand European cruise with Viking and visit as many communities in Europe as The Covid pandemic arrived and the 2019 cruise was cancelled, vouchers were issued and a subsequent Ocean/River Cruise was booked for 2020. READ CAREFULLY. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions, 120 days or more - voucher reissued - $100 cancellation fee, 120 or less they reissue voucherwith less money. Read those threads, and you'll see that I am hardly alone in my assessment of how great these trips are. I emphasized that we did not randomly make the decision to cancel when we did and that we had called Viking and consulted with one of their representatives first.. What was her trick, other than contacting the right person? Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? Is my warranty dead, too? I would never rule out a cruise line because someone else had a problem. This covid crisis has shown companies for what they truely are. Fosse and her husband had initially booked a cruise for April 2020. %PDF-1.7 (In fact, first time to Europe). Had they waited 10 more days, they would have received the full refund. Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money? This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. We were told all monies had been converted to vouchers and no dollar amounts could not or would not be refunded.Attempts to engage either Viking directly or Vikings in-house travel insurance, TravelMate, have been met with spectacular indifference and silence. If you would like to discuss your concerns in more detail, please email your contact information to us at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com. We both have autoimmune conditions. Once you're a member . Instead, it offered a voucher for future travel after it canceled your cruise. Viking River, Cruises, Inc. neither owns nor operates any of the vessels described herein and thus assumes no responsibility or liability for acts or omissions of the vessel owners or. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. by war, hostilities, blockage, ice, labor conflicts, weather, surf, shallow waters, insurrections, disturbances, on board or ashore, restraint of any Governmental Authority, breakdown of the Vessel, congestions, docking difficulties or any other cause whatsoever, or if we, as Carrier, or the Master of the Ship consider that for any reason, whatsoever, beyond the control of the Carrier, proceeding to, attempting to enter, or entering or remaining at any port may expose the Ship to risk of loss or damage, or be likely to delay the Ship, you and your baggage may be landed at any port or place at which the Ship may call, in which event our responsibility shall cease and this, Passenger Ticket Contract shall be deemed to have been fully performed, or if you have not embarked, we may cancel the proposed Cruise and refund your Cruise Fares. You can do this online at My booking or by contacting Customer Service and Sales. July 27, 2011. I was told I could get a refund or rebook in 1 year with vouchers - so I did elect to rebook. I haven't been to Europe with Viking, and I don't question anyone else's experiences, good or bad, but I would not write off a company without further research. 89-60. Viking was threatening to leave us in Iceland. I would not recommend Viking River Cruises to anyone. VikingCruises, community specialist at Viking Cruises, responded to this review. When I didn't get my phone calls answered, I posted there and they reacted. 4 0 obj As there is no requirement for covid testing for flights to Malta and because you are tested anyway before the boarding the ship, why are they forcing guests to use only one airline. So we were back to having NO shore excursions. Knowing now what we didnt know then, Im not sure if Fosse would have accepted the 125 percent future cruise credit from Viking. A: Viking should fully refund your cruise. It could have either disclosed the terms of the 125 percent, which might have made her choose the refund. Spent over 1 hour on phone with Viking with a rep and his supervisor. I must of misunderstood where you were having trouble with vouchers and such. If they got enough complain, they might open an investigation. So future customers will be spared any such ill treatments. I was on the 3rd week of the affected trip. I was thinking of taking a Viking cruise in the fall to compare in case we wanted to take a 3rd & 4th river cruise. <> I booked a trip of a lifetime to celebrate my 60th Birthday. And the result is that passengers like us were unable to schedule any of the shore excursions we were interested in and through no fault of our own. I would be very surprised if the contract does not allow this. Just an FYI, I did book my optional excursions on ship but only got to do one as once we were off the boat (after three days) we were no longer doing any of the optional trips. We think we were able to reach a reasonable settlement and are glad to put this behind us, Keyles said, noting that Viking asked them to sign a non-disclosure form that prevented them from giving the details of settlement. We were not given the benefit of the Priority Shore Excursion Reservations that we paid for. By The Ship, either before embarkation or at any time thereafter and whether or not required by any maritime necessity, may remain in port, proceed, by any route and deviate from or change the advertised or intended route at any stage of the voyage and may proceed to and stay at any places whatsoever, although in. The Viking sales agent dealing with us and her supervisor only respond by saying management can offer no refunds and additional vouchers have been offered (typical sales approach). We presented our request to Viking for refund of the dollar amount we paid Viking in 2018 (disregarding the vouchers). However our travel agent recommended Viking & Avalon. Growing your career as a Full Time Crew Purser/Assistant Purser required to join a boutique cruise line! Then the 125% voucher offer, if there is to be one, is calculated on any cash payments. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. so Viking Helvetia ship is wonderful. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. OK, you didn't get your river cruise. Ten days later, on March 30, Viking announced the cruise was canceled and 100% cash refunds would be given to customers but only for those who hadnt canceled previously. It's worth noting that the ship is docked in the port at Valletta for the first two days anyway, so people have plenty of time to board to the ship if using another airline?They're loss. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Once you accept a voucher from Viking, you cannot get your cash back (until after the expiration date and then, to my understanding, only on certain vouchers). It won't cost more than the price of the cruise. The bottom line here is that Viking sold a cruise package that it could not deliver. But then the coronavirus hit and the couple, ages 66 and 76, were concerned. MonFri 08.0017.00SatSun 09.0015.00Finnish time. Viking REFUSED to give us a refund. There are historically low water levels this year. 119-90. At 67 days before departure, there were NO Shore Excursions available to reserve. I would not even give a score of 1. Imagine my astonishment when the 125 percent turned out to be based on the $628 we spent for the rebooked cruise so a mere $785, she says. Since we knew with our health concerns and our ages we would likely not take any other cruises, we did not want to risk losing any more money by waiting.. Cash compensation would not necessarily cover the full amount owed and the travel insurance premium is not eligible for reimbursement in any event.. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. The same thing happened to the group getting on as we got off..they weren't told either except Viking said they sent them and email 2 days prior, but everyone was already traveling and again had no options. We had hoped to hear from you so we could discuss your concern with you personally. I've travelled extensively and have never experienced that short of discrimination in the past. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. She talked about Vikings new safety protocols and while they sound good, I emphasized that group travel is not in our future.. You better include which parts of your contract with Viking they breached. They essentially had a bus trip in Europe. You'll find it cost considerably less. Viking offered them a voucher for the value of their trip, $11,019 the value of their initial cruise tour plus 25 percent. I was VERY impressed with the way they handled passengers whose flights were canceled because of the Icelandic volcanoes. If we had waited even one more day, we would have only been entitled to 50% cash and 50% travel vouchers, Keyles said. If you dont see it, ask for it. Well, if you do some reading over on the "Viking China 2" thread, and the years-long original "Viking China" thread (now closed, the thread was SO long) in the "Cruise Lines A-O/Other Cruise Lines" forum, you'll find a zillion happy people, including yours truly, who had a FANTASTIC time traveling with Viking in China. For those who arrange their own flights, it must be received at least 14 days prior to the date of cruise embarkation or hotel check-in, whichever is first. If its taking your money, its always going to use math that favors it.
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