The area is protected and thats where you have the low water issues. This 'placeholder booking' means nothing he assured us. Other than the hassle of packing up in the middle of the cruise, travelers still get the full Rhine experience they paid for. Maybe 10 years from now we cruise the Danube and Rhine in January/February/March and we stop in the summertime because August is too hot and there are low water areas., We dont know what the future will bring, he continued. At Viking, your experience means the world to us. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. After 5 minutes she came back and said the manager said nothing they could do but charge a 50 percent fee for canceling. Don't sail Viking unless you are guaranteed of going on the trip. Then in Philadelphia At the other end of the Po, ocean water has flooded the last 12 miles of the river damaging crops and contaminating drinking water. After 5 Viking No materials from this website may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way. Related: Booking your first river cruise? They offered us a 150 dollar non refundable credit to be used onboard. My husband and I booked with Viking in December 2019 for the Rhine Getaway Cruise for December 2020. My bag is still missing and I will request (!) I am going to seek legal advice to, but this ridiculous policy has added hugely to my grieving. 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. , 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! This may involve the cruise line putting you up in one or more hotels and paying for restaurant meals. For Further Assistance 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. Share. - Refusal to honor its cancellation policy, Viking trip shortened due to weather, no refund. 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. Here is a message that appears on the Viking River Cruise webpage: The cruise line may elect to cancel your cruise. ***. 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. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. Weve canceled one cruise on the Danube and have made a few mostly minor alterations to a small handful of cruises on the Rhine, a Tauck spokesman told TPG when asked about this years cruises. 2023-2025 OCEAN CRUISE AND AIR SAVINGS: Offer applies to bookings made from March 1-31, 2023. They have no intentions of giving my money back .Do I not have any rights? See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus The line confirmed the steps to TTG on Wednesday (2 March) and said it was "deeply opposed" to the . Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. Not impressed and wi never book another trip with this company. Then they said (under the Risk Free Guarantee) we could have a voucher, but it would be a combined voucher which could only be used for one future trip. Since the ships are nearly identical, if you do transfer to another ship, you should be in a similar stateroom as the original ship. A recent CNN article proclaimed that summer droughts like the current one, plus global warming, could signal a death knell for river cruises in the near future. Many passengers were distressed by the lack of fresh water. This is due to the cruise line planning on new summer UK domestic cruises for UK vaccinated residents only. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. In November 2020, we rebooked, the Cities of Antiquity and Holy Land Cruise, scheduled for Nov-Dec 2022, paying the additional fare. Desired outcome: Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. Viking River Cruises The line is canceling all 2022 departures of its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary. A river level that is too high or too low can affect an otherwise great cruising experience. Global warming is indeed having an effect on European rivers. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. Just realized that the cruise booked was from Antwerp to Amsterdam. I'm now wondering what the cozy deal is between Viking and Trip Mate, considering the vast number of Trip Mate complaints from Viking Cruise customers. I booked the flight through Viking to a Christmas market river cruise. NEW! Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. Four excursions that I wanted are already sold out. Withholding of monies and shore excursion booking system failure. ******************************************************************************************************************************** We were looking for the same cruise we originally booked but for 2024. Posted September 18, 2021. Enrollment required. It is a basic human right to be able to have access to flushing toilets and handwasting facilities. I also booked this trip years ago when there was . RHINE GETAWAY. 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. This complaint has been resolved automatically due to user's inactivity. Virgin Voyages. On December 9, 2019 we booked********************************* and paid ********* March 11, 2020 that cruise canceled by Viking due to COVID. If water levels fall, riverboats can have trouble sailing all the way to Budapest. 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. In May, Viking canceled that cruise. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. The next indicator of river flow problems is the Thames River in England. What? $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. Bad cruise experience, shore excursions, bad weather bad handling, cold food, etc. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. Viking Mississippi - As of January 23, 2023 Due to damage from substantial river debris to the Viking Mississippi 's propulsion system, the ship will undergo repairs requiring the cancellation of upcoming departures. We will not be booking with Viking again. 140 complaints closed in the last 12 months. 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. If you book a river cruise, you acknowledge that you might not get the exact itinerary you signed up for. I asked to speak to a manager and was told by the person I talked to I could not but she would speak with one. Europe is experiencing unprecedented drought and heat conditions. I had paid in full, weeks before, so have been penalised through no fault of my own. BBB is here to help. The Rhine River is more sensitive in terms of river flow because it lacks the dams that are on the Danube River. Viking changed our flight schedule at very short notice. over night stay we got back to Cincinnati the next day. Steve is a life-long avgeek and a points and miles player. London was on an older plane with 3 seats on the left and right. Call a Viking Expert at 0800 319 66 60 or see your Travel Advisor. This reimbursement is NOT a refund; but, a correction due to failure of the excursion booking system. Seems the generous cancellation risk free ended 30 June and despite booking direct with Viking no mention of the changes was made. Viking Cruise recommends that their customers insure their travel & trip with Trip Mate Travel Insurance. Why didn't Viking pay to dock? At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. January 27, 2018. Not enough for the money hungry cruise line. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. For every day that is altered, AmaWaterways guests will get 50% of the daily rate they paid as a future cruise credit. My only hope now is for someone to cancel what I want.About time to give my loyalty to another cruise line. At best, youll do a ship swap mid-cruise, a slight inconvenience that will allow you to follow your planned itinerary. They can go up, they can go down, rain can come in.. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . I appreciate the time. It is time for Viking to do the same and act like a cruise line instead of a medical facility. River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water. Viking is not a good company to work with. They refuse to accept the fact that they changed the terms of the contract. On 10/14, we filed a claim with Trip Mate. How could we?? Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Viking allows those who book the most expensive rooms to book first. Special fares plus Free airfare valid on select 2023 departures of Eastern Seaboard Explorer and Canada & New England Scenic Shores. More details in attachment. We are not asking for a refund for the vouchers but to simply have them reissued to be used toward another cruise. Customers should not be treated this way. This also had the water turned off and was unable to flush. Sheila Davies is a retired gas industry professional based in Northumberland, England. 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 paid 529+40 USD purchasing fees each for the tickets. And rebooked the following summer My travel partner , my sister, died 6 months before our trip that next summer die to COVID. Jan. 17, 2022. Viking refused to admit to us that we were misinformed, and did not apologize, but their policy will not change. From now through March 31, 2022, Viking is offering special rates starting at $599 (not including airfare) on all 2022 and 2023 departures. Europe is now seeing the same kind of climate change conditions that are affecting the Western United States. I believe this policy and practice is clearly unfair and rather reckless. This site does not include all card companies or credit card offers available in the marketplace. Only in very rare circumstances are the sailings canceled outright. Heres what you need to know. Wouldnt that booking choice make it clear to Viking that pre and post excursion bookings would also require separate beds? In June, there were places along the Po that completely dried up. Guests and travel agents on impacted departures are in the process of being notified. We booked a river cruise (Danube) for March 2022. You dont cruise in Egypt in June/July because its too hot. Advertiser Disclosure: Some links to credit cards and other products on this website will earn an affiliate commission. 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. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. We were treated like animals. 488 total complaints in the last 3 years. I purchased a cruise for my wife and myself then Covid hit. Cancellation conditions 2. We also paid Port Tax for Honduras even though they chose not to book and pay to use the pier there. As a consequence all water amenities, main pool, infinity pool, jacuzzi and spa were closed for the whole of the cruise! On the last day, all running water was turned off until we left the ship. One of the most popular rivers, the Rhine has river levels falling fast. Subscribe to RSS Desired outcome: 3. "But this is not a problem at all" - he said, because all we need is to make a booking for any date, just as a placeholder. We used these to book on cruise OJUXXXXXX Booking Number XXXXXXX. was 4 units wide . ), We booked a cruise in 2019 to sail early in 2020. Submit a complaint and get your issue resolved. TPG values it at $1,600. He will call us immediately - he said. Story Update (September 5, 2022) Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. SA. I am truly an "out-of-the-box" traveler which has enriched my travel experiences. Premium Air. Claire and Stanley Keyles planned a dream vacation for June 2020. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). This cruise has been sold out for weeks so if Viking reinstates the voucher, the cabin could be resold. 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. Jan 26, 2023 01:33pm. The climate in Europe is changing and not for the better. Obviously a 2 week notice was impossible in our situation. 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. That is all it took, I was hooked. Last week, the cruise line cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary and said it was evaluating 2022 sailing that call in Russia. 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. Desired outcome: For that reason, the Rhine River is feeling greater effects of river flow and sooner than compared with the Danube. Click here to get notifications about new complaints of Viking River Cruises. Thank you. The food was excellent. Posted May 4, 2021. Thanks for reaching out, M Mulmech., although we regret to learn of your disappointment with your hotel arrangements. I checked with many countries and all their restrictions have been dropped. Guests have the option to transfer their reservation to 2022; receive a 100% future cruise credit . Due to my cancellations, Viking held onto $8,000 of my Funds for about two years. 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. We were never verbally informed when booking that the actual voucher would expire even if we rebooked again. No one expects to have to cancel a cruise. My bag didn't make it. Do your homework and always make informed decisions. Please Note: 1) Terms & Conditions for Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers can be found here. Looks like our September cruise to the Fjords is in the process of being cancelled! We paid for the trip and had trip insurance. In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. This met the 11/30 deadline for a "risk free guarantee" enabling change of plans up to 24 hours before sailing. They said they did not think we could get a refund as our money had been converted to a voucher and vouchers were not refundable with our insurance. If you have a question or would like to make a press inquiry, please contact: Scott Mackenzie We rebooked our trip but Viking canceled it again and another voucher was issued. Why all other passages under the same situation had no such problem were not explained by Viking. A *** incentive ********** was offered and accepted by us to use toward future booking. They said they did. 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. Other viking customers from ******* on the same cruise were also booked the same flight. This is insulting and is clearly bait and switch type behavior. 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. In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. There is rock on the bottom; theres also this little house in the middle of the river. We used our voucher prior to the expiration of the voucher, to book a cruise for March of 2023. 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. The trip was for September 2020 but was cancelled due to the pandemic. If the region has had an excess of rain, raising the river greatly, the river ship may have problems clearing bridges and other obstacles. Viking booked the hotels for these excursions. In order to catch the next flight from ************ to ******* to get to the cruise on time we had to pay the tickets ourselves. On 11/22 we received an email from Trip Mate regarding the resolution of our claim. Having trip insurance may pay you in full depending on your coverage. Where the European rivers have locks and dams to control water levels, ships can still sail problem-free. 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. Royal Caribbean International | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. By doing investigation on this subject and timeline of events revealed that we are not alone in this situation. 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. This card comes with a long list of benefits, including access to Centurion Lounges, complimentary elite status with Hilton and Marriott, at least $500 in assorted annual statement credits and so much more. We booked a Viking cruise from Venice to Athens in late 2020 for September 2021. We will never try Viking again! "Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine,. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. Poulsbo, Washington. Fraud and deception! We want our money back since we will never met the requirements to sail and we never agree to those requirements, Our booking number is XXXXXXX and is associated with ********************* ********. I won't be booking any future cruise with them. We rebooked the trip for 10/12-10/23/22. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. We have rescheduled 2x as we refuse to get the Covid vaccine and Viking will not allow boarding if you are not 100% vaccinated. The even occurred in February of 2023. Each time I received a pro forma answer saying "it is company policy that future cruise credits have no cash value and cannot be refunded or exchanged once booked." On November 26, 2021 when speaking with VRC representative we were informed that out ********* is in the form of a voucher and has no cash value and cannot be refunded. I was told Viking doesnt own the hotel and the hotel will not let me make a change since Viking handled the booking. Weve taken note of your feedback and while we understand you have already been in contact with our team, if you'd like discuss this matter further we welcome you to email TellUs@vikingcruises.com with your booking information. We called Viking and there is nothing that they will do to be able to use the over $7,000 paid for the trip. Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. Viking Mississippi is one of Viking's largest river ships, measuring 450 feet (137 meters) long and weighing approximately 5,000 gross tons. For more than 15 years we have helped nearly 50000 customers resolve their issues and will never stop striving to ensure further improvements on our platform for a better communication between companies and customers. They refuse to let us rebook with the voucher and actually suggested if we want to rebook we would have to pay them all over again. When I called to cancel they said we did not purchase the insurance. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. We were informed by the booking person at Viking that we could change the date as necessary for as long of period of time, even years down the road. By. The bottom line is, we have ********* at VRC. Any comments Viking? Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. The difference between what they gave us as a credit for a 2023 cruise (which we booked so we didn't lose all of our money) and what we originally paid is $3,494 dollars. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. On the next British Airways flight from London to Philadelphia, The 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 . $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. Just got order from Doctor to cancel due to sudden onset of autoimmune kidney disease. (I doubt theyll get that right). All I got was 'you must pay in full for your trip before booking extras'. We have had to cancel our river cruise because of their ludicrous covid policy. Just as with ocean sailings, theres always a risk that weather and river/sea conditions can impact that itinerary, and cruisers must accept that itineraries cannot be set in stone. 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. What? 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). The draft is the amount of vessel that is below the water line. We were given the option of a voucher or cash 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 . That's exactly the case with the Amex Platinum card. This river begins in the Alps near the Italy-French border and is fed by snowmelt. Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . I contact Viking customer relations, and was first told that the flight tickets were paid by Viking already. 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They offered us a voucher for 125% or a cash refund. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees.