Viking River Cruises - Cancelation of cruises - ComplaintsBoard.com We are currently on this ship, wrote passenger Dean Siddons on the Facebook page, during a trip to St. Paul on Sept. 15. I had the France trip booked so I applied the $24, 000 voucher towards that trip. Speaking of lighting, the bathroom lighting was spectacular. Lake Garda water levels have plummeted in places like Sirmione. By. Atlas Ocean Voyages, a luxe expedition cruise line based in Florida, is adjusting two of its late-summer Baltic itineraries. "The ship build and experience of the captains is very important when the weather is like this," she says. Unless urgent action is taken on climate change, the reality is that extreme weather is going to have an impact on the destinations and communities we visit.". TheMahart Passnave Passenger Shipping Ltd., which runs river cruises, is still operating all the way along the Danube, although some stations are closed north of Budapest. If you were booked on any of the canceled Viking river or ocean cruises in 2020, you are entitled to a 125% Future Cruise Voucher for whatever amount you have paid. In mid-July 2020, Viking Ocean announced the companys Viking World Cruise 2021-2022 planned for MS Viking Star. Please feel encouraged to email us at tellus@vikingcruises.com with your booking number so we may follow up with you directly for added support. Travelers can also opt for a shorter, 121-day World Journeys cruise that will see them board in Los Angeles before sailing across the Pacific. The 386-passenger ship, custom-built for the river, departed St. Pauls Lamberts Landing as planned, but the Pletchers were not aboard it. Our Danube River cruises deliver you to culture-rich banks, from scenic vineyards to spectacular monasteries and elegant cities . For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. Viking, which had once planned to debut its new cruise ship in 2017, delayed the launch five years while it worked through federal regulatory challenges under the Jones Act, otherwise known as the Merchant Marine Act of 1920. The included perks were a $1,000 price discount, the Silver Spirits drink package and prepaid tips. If you are concerned about the water level on your upcoming river cruise, do your due diligence before you take any action. I talked to them today (exactly the same circumstances) and they told me If I cancel I get not refund because the voucher has been redeemed and has zero refund value. The ships will sail everywhere from Antarctica to the Great Lakes to Ireland and Norway. Viking cruise voucher problem: Don't forget to read the fine print! "Margaret Island looks bigger, because all the rocks at the bottom of the river are visible now. Italy's largest lake, Garda, isnearing its lowest ever levels, adding a stretch of land around the peninsula of Sirmione, which famously ends with some impressive Roman ruins -- or did, until now. Then in 2022, they expect the debut of two new expedition ships, Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris. In recent weeks,. For now, it's the locals who can tell the difference. For Further Assistance If you have any questions or need further information please contact Guest Services on 0800 298 97 00, Monday to Friday 9:00 AM - 5:30 PM, Saturday 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM and Sunday 10:00 am - 4pm (closed on bank holidays). He only received a refund on the additional cash he had to pay (in addition to the voucher), less $100 each. Today, 1/22/22 I contacted Viking Cruise lines about canceling a river cruise to France for this June, plenty of days before the cancellation date, and was told that I could not get ALL my money back. Is Viking sailing in 2021? | Dependable The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has determined that such a measure is no longer necessary, citing that the pandemic has shifted to a new phase because of the effectiveness of vaccines, therapeutics and high rates of immunity at the population level in the U.S. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. The itinerary was called Scenic British Isles. They also invited their good friends Deborah and Alvi Blankenship. For anyone who has China on their bucket list, Viking offers a great way to see many of the major sites in one trip. Passengers from across the country say theyve received letters from the cruise company informing them their reservation, paid for more than two years in advance, had been canceled just days ahead of departure. If you have any questions or need further information please contact your Travel Agent if you booked through one, or Reservations at 1300 384 696 (AU), 0800 447 913 (NZ) or email CustomerRelations.anz@vikingcruises.com, Monday - Friday, 9:00am - 5:00pm. Some 550 travelers were booked for the first leg of the trip on this 930-passenger ship. With many Christmas markets closed, river cruise lines cancel sailings Loved it! Given recent developments and the developing conflict in Ukraine, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all 2022 departures of our Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary. Little more than a week ago, just four days before the first trip of the Viking Mississippi from the Mississippi Rivers headwaters to its mouth, the company informed them by mail that their reservation had been canceled. Three St. Paul teachers among 33 semifinalists for MN teacher of the year. Impacted travelers will be contacted by the cruise line. Animals have been brought here to graze for around 2,000 years. And then there's Italy, where the Po River is at historic lows, and has close to disappeared in places. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. For 25 years, we have always had the highest standards for health and cleanliness, and our protocol enhancements make Viking even safer. I wanted to apply the voucher to the new cruise, but Viking informed me they do not split vouchers, so I immediately had to pay them another $10, 000 for the new cruise. Viking River Cruises, Inc. | Complaints | Better Business Bureau Profile Read Also: Which Cruise Line Is Best For Kids. 48 cases confirmed from a sailing Dec. 11 on. Viking Cancels All River and Ocean Cruises for 2020 The numbers of COVID-19 cases reported on cruise ships are stacking up again: At least 50 cases of COVID -19 on Royal Caribbean's Odyssey of the Seas. Unlike some other cruise line FCCs, these are fully transferable so if you decide not to use it yourself, you can give it to someone else. Crystal River Cruises has canceled its four remaining Crystal Ravel sailings this December. I called Viking again and was told firmly that my agent was correct and all my perks would be lost.I am very disappointed that Viking would penalize passengers after THEY cancelled a trip by removing promised perks. They certainly want their money a year in advance of the trip. Each thing requires "upgrading" i.e., pay them more money. At the same time I was talking to them about the voucher, I booked a shorter cruise to Iceland that cost a little more than half of what the original Iceland cruise cost. On your scheduled departure, we must operate at a reduced capacity as we continue to ramp up service. My Trip - Updates on Current Sailings - Viking River Cruises For Further Assistance. My third cruise was with my mom, Penny and we sailed on the 11 -day Passage to Eastern Europe Viking Danube Cruise. Fully refunded were also all prepurchased through Viking packages and services. Cruise lines are removing stops in Russia in response to the invasion However, we will continue to provide testing if a guest reports symptoms, requests a test, or if our Medical Team deems necessary. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. "Travelers flew to Budapest, from where they were taken to Komarno by bus, and they were bussed back to Budapest the next day for their city tour, only to return to the ship by bus after the tour.". It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. No materials from this website may be copied, reproduced, republished, uploaded, posted, transmitted, or distributed in any way. Our included visits to wineries and medieval towns were all well worth our time - particularly because all of the guides were so well-spoken and informative. WHAT HAPPENS TO YOUR BOOKINGS? Jan 26, 2023 01:33pm. Without consulting us for our preferences, Viking moved us to a date and room location that did not work for us.I called on 11/19 to discuss options and was told we could cancel and receive a full refund or take a future cruise voucher for the amount we paid or select a different sailing date. I was looking forward to it. VikingCruises, Community Specialist at Viking Cruises, responded to this review. When I inquired about how we go about rescheduling a trip in the future, if we even want to, the response was to check everyday and maybe there would be a cancellation, Richard Pletcher said. I read all the books of Mark Twain, said Frohnert, a former St. Paul resident who now lives in Rochester, Minn. Over the 56 years weve lived in America, mostly Minnesota, we have traveled to over 85 countries., The only thing left that we wanted to do was to sail up the Mississippi, she continued. Indulge in complimentary programming on a flat-screen LCD TV with an easy-to-use remote. Reports have circulated on social media of Viking canceling reservations on short notice (including . We paid for the trip and had trip insurance. While we can see that you have since been in contact with our Customer Relations team for assistance with the third-party insurance vendor, please know we remain available to continue the discussion should you wish to share more at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. Jan. 17, 2022 Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have canceled several trips as the Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc with the cruise industry. But, if youd rather have a refund for your canceled cruise, you need to request it from Viking before August 24, 2020. Danube River Cruises | Viking River Cruises The law requires vessels traveling between U.S. ports to carry U.S. crews and to be U.S.-owned, U.S.-registered and U.S.-built. Generous closets, plentiful USB ports and US/EU outlets, plush robes and slippers add to your comfort. The logistics of booking a trip that included an extensive itinerary that Viking covers would have been impossible to do on my own. Around63 percent of the land across the EUand UK had either drought warnings or alerts, according to the EU's European Drought Observatory last week -- and that figure was issued before theUK declared a droughtin eight out of 14 areas. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. Oceania officials said Russian and Ukrainian ports would be removed from 2022 itineraries, while Viking River Cruises canceled . Thu 13 Jan 2022 01.00 EST Last modified on Thu 13 Jan 2022 18.22 EST A surge in Covid infections on cruise ships is causing mayhem across the industry, leaving passengers stranded aboard. On September 12, 2023, departs Longitudinal World Cruise II . Viking River CruisesOf the lines that have so far made changes, Vikings have been the most extensive, canceling its entire season of Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary. "Two years ago the water levels were high in January and February, because when the snow fell on the Alps it immediately warmed and came down in levels that weren't normal," he says. Which Viking ship was in trouble? Details of cruise restart dates are below, along with each line's current regulations regarding vaccination, Covid-19 testing and the wearing of face masks. The river still "looks large and majestic -- it doesn't really give the image of a dried-up river," she says. Update: Windstar Cruises cancelled all sailings and cruise-tours in the Black Sea and will replace St. Petersburg on its five Baltic cruises with a non-Russian port. My Viking Cruise is canceled Now What? Guests will enjoy these unique and rarely visited destinations and immersive shore excursions to take in the rich cultures and breathtaking vistas of the Baltic.. :Crystal Cruises is reportedly shutting down US operations, With unrest in Eastern Europe, we have adjusted our voyages, President Alberto Aliberti said in a statement. Walking to my stateroom the first day, the corridor was so peaceful with the soft lighting and easy and attractive decor. 10 Best Alaska Cruises for 2022! 5.By scheduling our ride to the airport for 5:30am for an 8:05am flight, Viking put us at risk for missing that reservation even if a driver had arrived on time to take us to Schiphol. Current cruise: N/A Viking Ocean Tracker Itineraries Deck plans Viking Polaris Current cruise: 13 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso-Santiago Viking Expeditions Tracker Itineraries Deck plans Accidents Viking Neptune Current cruise: 137 days, one-way from Fort Lauderdale to London-Tilbury Viking Ocean Tracker Itineraries Deck plans Russia has banned UK airlines from its airspace in response to the UK doing the same for Russian carriers as part of a raft of sanctions slapped on Russia in response to its aggression in Ukraine. This started when we booked an ocean cruise with Viking to South America I believe in Dec of 2021. Viking traditionally operates voyages on a single itinerary between Moscow and St. Aug. 29, 2022; Mark Farmer's two-week river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest got off to a bad start. Regent Seven Seas Cruises was the cruise line forced to change the most stops planned for Russia, which included visits to the Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk, Murmansk and St. Petersburg, as well as Odessa, Ukraine. "The ship emptied the pool to lighten the load and we could actually feel the ship tapping the bottom of the river," she says. "You dock early, spend all day enjoying a city, then go back to the boat at the end of the day and sail on. However, due to ongoing travel restrictions in Europe and the USA, as well as Canadas and Australias ban on cruise shipping, Viking canceled the entire 2020 program in mid-August. This year, he hasn't been able to manage even a single outing. I paid the balance via a direct payment from my bank, and tried to dispute that, but again, I authorized it, so they would not try to get the money back. Viking revises world cruise itinerary on eve of departure | seatrade Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus The Blankenships have accepted an offer that allows an extended sail by date. Uefa moved footballs Champions League final from St Petersburg to Paris and Formula One cancelled the Russian grand prix, which is reportedly potentially set to move to Turkey. Ive done Viking cruises on the Danube, the Rhine, and this was my last wish for travel. There will be another and eighth ocean ship, Viking Mars. Several Cruise Lines Cancel Scheduled Stops in Russia, Ukraine When I called just to inquire about this, I was told the first available trip was actually in 2025, because everything earlier was fully booked., In other words, Viking wanted to keep our money for three more years, after already having it for almost two years, said Pletcher, who instead demanded a full refund. 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. And their customer service reps leave much to be desired. While Viking Neptune departs on December 23 , Viking Sky departs earlier , sailing in parallel with Neptune. ComplaintsBoard.com is a leading complaint resolution website on the Internet. Curiously, in August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a double world cruise 2023-2024 with two ships sailing on an identical itinerary from Florida to the UK. If there's a problem on one side of the river, guests can transfer to the other ship. For the first time ever, Viking will operate two world cruises within one year, due to increased demand for longer-term travel. 6 Russian stops on Viking's ocean itineraries will be modified, and impacted guests and travel advisors will be notified. New alerts are pouring in every day. So glad I was talked into that scam. Between Szentendre and Visegrd, around 15 miles north of the capital, the river takes a major loop. Viking River Cruises The line is canceling all 2022 departures of its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary. 05 Aug 2022. "I've been on the Po for 40 years, and this has never happened before," he says. In many cases, you can cancel on your own and get most, if not all, of your money back but with caveats. Apparently the trip insurance you MUST take is NOT refundable. to halt operationsSerenade of the SeasSymphony of the SeasJewel of the Seas Vision of the Seaslater added its Independence of the Seas, We regret having to cancel our guests long-awaited vacations and appreciate their loyalty and understanding. Worldcruises 2022, which are still on and which are cancelled? Things are already looking different in Budapest, perhaps the most beautiful city along the river. We signed up on 10/15/2019, and paid for the cruise in full on the required payment date 9/18/2020 (16 months before the cruise date).Forward to 11/18/2021, (less than 60 days to Jan 13, 2022 embarkation) we get an email telling us that Viking must cancel the first planned departure of the Antarctic Explorer itinerary. Second man charged with 2021 murder outside St. Paul Saloon 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. Royal Caribbean noted that cancelations were a result of the ongoing COVID-related circumstances around the world, and in an abundance of caution.. Weeden thinks that as Rhine tourism dries up, river cruising companies will look elsewhere. My Trip - Updates on Current Sailings - Viking Cruises And then to top it all off, they take another $100 per person off the money they give you back because you canceled. Booking number 7141933 Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher 1. ", This year, he says, "It started very early -- there was no rain and everything dried up.". Our top priority is always the well-being of our guests, our crew and the communities we visit, the company wrote in a statement earlier this month. So some of the rooms are unavailable for these reasons.. Whether Russia river cruises restart in 2024 will depend on how the situation in Ukraine unfolds over the coming months. Which cruises have been cancelled in 2022? | Cruise.Blog How did you get your money back on the voucher? I believe the company is the same one Viking uses. This cruise began in Budapest, Hungary and ended in Bucharest, Romania with visits to Veliko Tarnovo, Arbanasi, Vidin , Golubac, and Belgrade , Osijek , and Kalocsa . Some parts of the old Margaret Bridge destroyed in World War II are visible now, too.". "River cruising is becoming much more popular, particularly for active people," she says. But now some of those waterway dreams seem set to run aground. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. Local News | In 2019 the parent company created the brand Viking Expeditions, with a newbuild fleet of two small-sized expedition vessels Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris , plus 2 more same-designed units. Water levels on the Rhine River are set to fall close to the point where the river cannot hold ships anymore. Schiphol and KLM both issue requirements that passengers arrive 3 to 4 hours before flight time. The cruise line announced the return of select itineraries in Portugal, France and . Viking Cruises has cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. In America, two cruises have been nixed from Jacksonville, Florida as Carnival Spirit replaces Carnival Ecstasy from March 7 through April 9, 2022. "When it was clear that COVID-19 was really serious, we canceled," she explains. After four days my son and his wife worked around the clock to help me get back to the U.S. while I felt helpless in the Bulgarian hospital for 10 days.I had trip insurance from a very reputable company. While we strive for transparency during the booking process about options for cancellation and related terms and conditions, we regret to hear of your disappointment. 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. At the moment I don't see any cruise for P & O, Cunard has been cancelled, I also think that AIDA has been cancelled. And our award-winning bathrooms feature large glass-enclosed showers with easy-to-see controls, premium Freyja toiletries, anti-fog mirrors and heated floors. The ships turn back to their point of origin with their 'new' passengers who simply continue their journey without too much interruption.". 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. Viking cruise ship can't finish voyage: Mississippi River is too low | CNN Itineraries include voyages to the Antarctica, the Arctic and the Great Lakes in North America. Viking Ocean Cruises has itineraries customized a year before the actual cruise takes place so that the guests can have enough time to prepare themselves up for the cruise. Its unclear how many reservations have been terminated with days to spare, but a Facebook community page created by a ticket-holder on July 1 Viking Mississippi Cruise has drawn dozens of comments, many of them from worried or unhappy reservation-holders. There are numerous ship repair/maintenance people onboard and they are taking up rooms. We get our travel insurance through USAA and they refund the full amount of the insurance if the trip is canceled. (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP) A Viking river cruise ship heading . We hear your concerns and have arranged for a Customer Relations Agent to connect with you directly to discuss available options for your upcoming voyage. 4. Fosse and her husband had initially booked a cruise for April 2020. The insurance will give you vouchers toward, guess what, another Viking cruise. In March-April 2021, Viking OCEAN announced plans to restart operations with. Passengers have called the latter easier said than done as trips fill up years in advance.