Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. 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. At this point we feel it's discrimination and want our money refunded. These levels can swing widely both up and down. If the water issues are closer to the beginning or end of an itinerary, cruisers may have to spend a few days in hotels or bussing to destinations rather than sailing there. We asked to transfer the trip to my son and grandson, but transferring the tickets is not allowed. If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles. 2022. The departure flight from ******* was delayed due to the storm. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. 1. I contacted Viking and was told the vouchers were not refundable because we had not cancelled at least 2 weeks prior to departure. But our plea was denied. Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus Vikings entire river fleet of over 75 ships is also actively sailing. 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. This they We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. 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. 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. . called Business since the middle seats were left vacant. This site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. This complaint has been resolved automatically due to user's inactivity. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. The cruise lines plan their itineraries to mitigate this risk. It was not a condition of completing this trip. It's a human right to have access to fresh water and clean sanitation. These conditions include: Lately, Europe has seen temperatures exceeding 40 degrees Celsius (104 degrees Fahrenheit). I have three times tried to contact Viking, by phone, email, and chat. This river begins in the Alps near the Italy-French border and is fed by snowmelt. 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. Posted May 4, 2021. My only hope now is for someone to cancel what I want.About time to give my loyalty to another cruise line. Virgin Voyages. 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. 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. Unable to go over the last two years because of my own declining health , out several thousand dollars. Learn to how to find the cheapest awards. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. However, as everyone knows, predicting the weather is not an exact science. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. I also called the insurance company and was told that to get a refund we had to notify them two weeks before the trip start date. 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. The plane returned to the gate and he was transported to the local hospital. We booked a 14 day cruise with extra days upon arrival in ****** and departure in **** in ****. We have taken note of your feedback. Scenic. Scheduled and rescheduled elder family care and pet sitting services. 05 Aug 2022. It will take of the expiring vouchers and the booking can be changed with no problem whatsoever once a schedule for 2024 becomes available. Check here before booking an award fare. You will, however, still get a vacation in Europe, even if its not the one you expected. On July 10th, 2022 my husband called Viking to inquire when the schedule becomes available. Companies will need more ships to carry the same amount of cargo, increasing transportation costs all of which have a negative impact on the European economy. Why? Cruises beginning in 2009, this is not the first error and being loyal However, the most important part of any cruise, for me is the excursion choice. River flows are never static and are subject to fluctuations that are unpredictable. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. SPRING SALE Special Fares Reduced Airfare Dates: Availability: This made it impossible to catch the next flight from ***** to buenos Aries. 1. How is this hard? Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers are transferable, so that you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one. See details. This will surely increase the credibility of your complaint. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. I paid my travel agent in full for my cruise well before the due date, but was unable to access online booking as Viking claim the payment wasn't made. 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. On the last day, all running water was turned off until we left the ship. Pharaohs & Pyramids. Heres what you need to know. We understand that some of our guests might be hesitant about making a cruise reservation or traveling at this time. They said they did. There is rock on the bottom; theres also this little house in the middle of the river. Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. Maximum capacities of 164 passengers and 47 crew. Viking changed their policy after they took all our money, lured us into taking now worthless vouchers. Find the right card for you. Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled . The line said it was also evaluating 2022 itineraries that call in Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. An insult! Simply make the simple changes to the hotel reservations so that one of the rooms includes two beds. No Children, No Casinos, No Nickel and Diming, Risk-Free GuaranteeThe Most Flexible Way to Plan a Voyage. Please Note: 1) Terms & Conditions for Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers can be found here. Cruise delayed because of COVID. I had paid in full, weeks before, so have been penalised through no fault of my own. I contacted Trip Mate and was told the vouchers were not covered and that I needed to contact Viking because they handled vouchers. On December 9, 2019 we booked********************************* and paid ********* March 11, 2020 that cruise canceled by Viking due to COVID. He was assertive and very confident, pushy and eager to make the booking. It's been three years now that Viking has held my family's money hostage because we don't wish to take the jab. Get up to $300 back per calendar year on the Equinox+ digital fitness app, or eligible Equinox club memberships when you pay with your Platinum Card. Since the ships are nearly identical, if you do transfer to another ship, you should be in a similar stateroom as the original ship. We called Viking and there is nothing that they will do to be able to use the over $7,000 paid for the trip. Cancellation conditions 2. 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. The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French, said Schreiner. At the time we did we also asked that trip insurance be added. We used these to book on cruise OJUXXXXXX Booking Number XXXXXXX. She is scheduled to start ************ this week. Another factor that should be considered is trip insurance. Enrollment required. 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. We also carry about 500 tons of water, that is ballast and fresh water for the guests.. 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. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. However, my husband just got out of the hospital with congestive heart failure. Jan. 17, 2022. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. This was our second cruise, I would have to say our first one was wonderful, this one was not bad. As a matter of policy, BBB does not endorse any product, service or business. 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 have one ship starting in Amsterdam and one ship starting in BaselIf they cannot pass Kaub [the critically low water point on the Rhine], then [the passengers] all disembark on either side," he explained. In 2020 we were contacted via email and told that this cruise was also cancelled and we could book another cruise and receive a 125% credit toward a future cruise with a risk free guarantee and it said we could change our plans up to 24 hours before departure. This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. Taking over the Hilton in Taupo NZ, they were obnoxious. The food was excellent. Had a planned eastern European river cruise starting mid-October for over a year. Key West was on the itinerary but Viking told us 5 months before they would not be docking. Weve taken note of your feedback and if you'd like discuss your trip further and welcome you to email TellUs@vikingcruises.com with your booking information. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. Not impressed and wi never book another trip with this company. I have always liked Viking cruises and have been on 13, counting the one I am currently on. Most river cruise lines do not allow guests to cancel pre-cruise without penalty except for in the most extreme circumstances. We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Viking River Cruises Viking Rolf (Photo: Viking River Cruises) This was told to me by two separate employees. By Alyssa Lukpat and Ceylan Yeginsu. Unfortunately, my husband unexpectedly passed away last month. Learn more. There are no uniform river flows and water levels are unpredictable. We could not get a negative covid test in time for Just returned from Classis Panama Canal Cruise (11-21 February 2023) on the last day, running water for the shower, hand basins and toilets had been turned off from 5am to when we left the ship at 10.30am. On 12/20/20 Viking cancelled this cruise. This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Viking collects 3 fares for a 2 person room. We were issued the vouchers that had an expiration date October 2022. TPG values it at $1,600. 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. We Vikings inability to resolve an issue with, Withholding of monies and shore excursion, Refusal to honor its cancellation policy, My bag is still missing and I will request. Booking your first river cruise? In fact, everything we have come to expect from Viking exceptthere were apparently a few cases of a GI infection . ***. Viking Neptune is a new ship that will join the fleet in 2022. Viking Cruises. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. Viking is not a good company to work with. It closely resembles one of Viking's highest rated world cruises in the past, Chairman Torstein Hagen said in a live webinar Sunday when passengers were notified of the change. 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. By the time I could ring Viking, the excursion was sold out and the drinks package price had increased. Desired outcome: 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. In the same cabin. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Confirmation attached. US. That's our policy. 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). River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems. A longtime editor at Cruise Critic, Erica has also written for The Washington Post, Fodors and Lets Go travel guides, and numerous print and online cruise publications. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. Obviously, we cannot go on the trip. Don't sail Viking unless you are guaranteed of going on the trip. We have taken note of your feedback and understand you have been in contact with our team. From now through March 31, 2022, Viking is offering special rates starting at $599 (not including airfare) on all 2022 and 2023 departures. All Mekong River cruises through Vietnam and Cambodia have been suspended until November 30. . But due to a serious health issue we along with our Drs said that it was not feasible for us to go. Passes which had been canceled since BA flight had been late. $155 Walmart+ Credit: Cover the cost of a $12.95 monthly Walmart+ membership with a statement credit after you pay for Walmart+ each month with your Platinum Card. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. On 10/14, we filed a claim with Trip Mate. After contacting viking to inform the situation, Viking booked another flight for us. 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. Viking has responded to his passing by cancelling the nearly $9,000 I paid for my husbands share of the trip. (I doubt theyll get that right). BBB asks third parties who publish complaints, reviews and/or responses on this website to affirm that the information provided is accurate. Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary. An apology is not good enough. He made the commissions, we will not sail and lose 14,000 dollars. This allowed Viking to retain the majority of our payment since We booked a cruise in 2019 to sail early in 2020. coach. Our trip was canceled and a voucher was issued. Customers should not be treated this way. I am going to seek legal advice to, but this ridiculous policy has added hugely to my grieving. I am extremely disappointed that a once in a lifetime trip I have been looking forward to for two years is now marred before we even get on the ship. We booked a cruise, paid the full booking amount. Verification can help ensure real people write reviews about real companies. The Amex Platinum comes with access to a premium concierge service that can help you with everything from booking hard-to-get reservations to finding destination guides to help you plan out your next getaway. View all of our Luxury Cruise sailings and offers. Call a Viking Expert at 0800 319 66 60 or see your Travel Advisor. I also booked this trip years ago when there was . People who write reviews have ownership to edit or delete them at any time, and theyll be displayed as long as an account is active. This content has not been approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. In May, Viking canceled that cruise. A place on the excursion I tried to book. In the case of low water, the crew can dump the ballast water and reduce the freshwater to 60 tons (two days worth), and just refill as needed. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. The confirmation email said cancellation for any reason loss of deposit. Thank you. 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. 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. 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. He lied. By. We paid for Travel Protection We rebooked our trip but Viking canceled it again and another voucher was issued. This is our third time to book a trip, and in 2023, the medical requirement is still in place. 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. That trip was cancelled do to covid, and we were assured by Viking that everything was fine and we rebooked for Jan 2022. Ive asked that one room in the hotels have two separate beds for our two adult children who do not want to share a bed. We also ensure all reviews are published without moderation. January 27, 2018. He will call us immediately - he said. I appreciate the time. Any help to resolve this matter will be greatly appreciated. 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! 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. Viking's move follows announcements from other cruise operators saying they are . AMA Waterways | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. At best, youll do a ship swap mid-cruise, a slight inconvenience that will allow you to follow your planned itinerary. We paid some #10,000 for premium air. Editor in Chief Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. This happened 52 days before sailing. Most all other cruise lines have dropped this mandate. 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. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. Winston Folkers. They may run multiple ships back-to-back where you would transfer to another ship where the river is having navigational issues. 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. The dream vacation I have waited for 8 years has gone down the drain. I thought that Viking was reputable, so I put too much faith in them. They offered us a voucher for 125% or a cash refund. Other than the hassle of packing up in the middle of the cruise, travelers still get the full Rhine experience they paid for. River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water. In a statement issued to the Star Tribune, Viking confirmed that some of the ship's first scheduled departures were canceled this summer, and that the luxury vessel is temporarily operating. In June, there were places along the Po that completely dried up. Fraud and deception! We booked the *********** cruise with Viking prior to COVID *****************. I am writing about booking number 7045921 sailed Jan.12 2023. Rather than focusing on the number of complaints, BBB considers how frequently and effectively those complaints are resolved. It will take a lot for us to travel with you again. Water levels on the Rhine River are set to fall close to the point where the river cannot hold ships anymore. "But its clear that river cruising is not going away anytime soon.". It is a basic human right to be able to have access to flushing toilets and handwasting facilities. We appreciate you sharing your experience, Marie, although we regret to hear of your disappointment. Desired outcome: We will never try Viking again! In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. They refuse to accept the fact that they changed the terms of the contract. 2023-2025 OCEAN CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from March 1-31, 2023. By March 2020 Viking announced cancellations due to covid, with an additional 25% for a future booking. London was on an older plane with 3 seats on the left and right. The booking # is *******. Not a problem for him at all. We booked a January 2021 cruise. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. Enrollment required. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. Water levels are unpredictable and can vary day by day, depending on what the weather brings. 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. This is insulting and is clearly bait and switch type behavior. 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. Sandi. Thanks for reaching out, M Mulmech., although we regret to learn of your disappointment with your hotel arrangements. Viking allows those who book the most expensive rooms to book first. The bottom line is, we have ********* at VRC. . In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. Many passengers were still on board at this time and were unable to flush toilets or wash their hands. Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. I hope this is something you can help with. Europe is experiencing unprecedented drought and heat conditions. 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? I told a member of staff about this and was directed to use a toilet on the top deck. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. If water levels are low, cargo ships cannot carry their normal loads of freight. Courtesy Sheila Davies. Thu 13 Jan 2022 01.00 EST Last modified on Thu 13 Jan 2022 18.22 EST. Viking's treatment of it's customers makes no sense.they combined two of my trips (without asking) into one "butterfly trip" which meant when I had to cancel the first, it cancelled the 2nd. Heres what you need to know. , I am out the $3500 no matter what) and a friend who will take my place must pay her full share of the room as well! 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. There are critical points, like the one on the Rhine River, right in the Rhine Gorge, Schreiner explained. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. Europe has many rivers where cruise lines operate. It turns out that during the second half of the cruise, we were in a heat wave, experiencing very hot temperatures. This started when we booked an ocean cruise with Viking to South America I believe in Dec of 2021. Our ships have a very low draftabout five feet, he explained. Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher Not one thing but some flowers in the rain and unsafe steps and more Booking number 7141933 Due to Covid pandemic our cruise got cancelled. Cannot go on a cruise if not jabbed even to countries which have no covid requirements any more. This 'placeholder booking' means nothing he assured us. This card is also incredibly rewarding for travel purchases, helping you rack up a ton of Membership Rewards points for your next award trip. By. I was told Viking doesnt own the hotel and the hotel will not let me make a change since Viking handled the booking. 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. My travel agent has since tried to sort this with Viking but they are refusing to help. My husband surprised me with the explorer suite,the room was beautiful,the balcony was amazing. I have contacted Watcdog BBC who are interested.
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