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. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called Italian Sojourn, which would travel around Italys boot from Civitavecchia to Venice. we certainly do. 125% Future Cruise Vouchers are transferable, so that you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one. . But for me, the best explanation is that the company is in business. 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. Cruise was amazing! Business Incorporated: Took cruise from Budapest to Nuremburg and then to Prague. This has changed our plans in every respect, including a Viking cruise.At this point the full negative view of Viking Cruises begins to appear. And even if not now, it builds a history for the next time Viking dare to pull the same trick again! Online booking is always at your service! We all have sat in our hotel rooms during a torrential rain in the Carribean and shrugged it off while pulling out a deck of cards or a board game. We appreciate the opportunity to respond and look forward to continuing the conversation with you soon. Exceptions to this payment policy apply for cruise tours more than 35 days, including Viking's World & Grand Cruises which require a 20% deposit of the Full Fare at time of booking the cruise tour. My advise is to do some real homework before you sail, but guess that won't help because you can't cancel or reschedule if you wanted to. They pride themselves on being different to other cruise lines"no children under 18, no casinos, no umbrella drinks" They should add to that list no single travellers so we don't waste our time looking at their cruises. Not exactly our idea of an "active" vacation. Refunds are made upon receipt and depend on the working times of banks. its a lot of money to spend and most want value for money. #5. The orginal cruise was paid by cash. Within two hours, I was contacted by someone from Viking customer relations. Help! But all was not lost. Started August 27, 2021, By Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? Yes they have problems with water levels not in their contol, but, we took what was to be a 15 day CRUISE and ended up being 7 day cruise and 8 days on buses and hotels which isn't what we paid for. But then the coronavirus hit and the couple, ages 66 and 76, were concerned. 1 0 obj I've already done my part. (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). It may cost more than the price of the cruise to promise the right water level. Ultimately she said that she would honor his statement, even if he wasnt authorized to make any offer to us, and would offer us a $500 cash settlement as a gesture of goodwill, Keyles said. 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). Its been eight months. If they got enough complain, they might open an investigation. Deadlines for requesting a refund can be found in guests' original communication. most do research before making an investment in travel products. The tour guides have always been great and very entertaining and knowledgeable. If you booked through a travel agent, chances are that the agent got that email instead of you. On top of that, we were charged $200. Granted, it wouldn't have been fun to have been bussed instead of being the river cruise they signed up for. Can I get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded? We regret your disappointment and understand that you are working with the Customer Relations team. #1. We both have autoimmune conditions. Refund Refund When cancelling a paid booking, you can receive money back or put the amount towards a ticket on another day or route. Years in Business: 26. Business Started: 1/1/1997. The Fosses rebooked their cruise for this April. Great advertisement but horrendous customer relations. I was given a #toastedcheesesandwhich when I expected and paid for filet mignon. We even had the insurance! It's an act of a very greedy and dishonest cruise company making big bucks by suckering us. I have to say that I'm surprised by your post and experience. You still had your local tours and many other items included. Is my warranty dead, too? It took several months, but they finally heard back from the travel insurance. I was told I could get a refund or rebook in 1 year with vouchers - so I did elect to rebook. Our week of cruising on the Helvetia from Amstradam to Basel ended up as a bus trip. Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. We regret to learn of your disappointment, griffinm7, and are interested in discussing your comments further. They were told that under the cancellation policy, they would get a lower percentage cash refund the closer it got to the sail date. READ CAREFULLY. How do you know a company will use travel math? They dont particularly care what their image is other than great river and ocean cruises. We look forward to hearing from you. Fosses cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. Viking has an office in California. Shame on them. But does it have to? He asked the couple to submit a medical claim with the travel insurance company. We went on the Western Meditteranean Cruise and planned to extend our stay in Venice two days. Viking REFUSED to give us a refund. There. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. . 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. CC Help Jenn She sent them a brief email outlining her grievances. AND watch carefully of the water level prior to departure! #24 states a different situation than yours, so maybe your TA is at fault. I called them the next day to request a refund instead of the voucher. Spent over 1 hour on phone with Viking with a rep and his supervisor. Our trip last May was extraordinary. Not much Viking can do about that. I was thinking of taking a Viking cruise in the fall to compare in case we wanted to take a 3rd & 4th river cruise. If you do not get cash compensation (from the travel insurance), Viking agrees to revisit your case and work out a settlement involving some amount of cash compensation rather than travel vouchers, he wrote. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for USN VS-29 FAREWELL CRUISE 2003 USS NIMITZ patch S-3 VIKING SQUADRON at the best online prices at eBay! Once you're a member . Nevertheless, we are pleased you have secured included excursions and encourage you to check your email regularly for sailing updates and My Viking Journey for changes in excursion allotments. If you have a consumer problem,please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. And certainly not in the next 24 months especially on a ship of any kind, Keyles said. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). A different Viking representative called them back. I would never rule out a cruise line because someone else had a problem. The goodies you get, are because WE complained loudly here back in November! Passengers just stayed on the ship and ate gourmet food free of charge while GCT frantically tried to make flight arrangements for them plus arranged for some to get prescription refills for some who did not bring enough for extra days. So future customers will be spared any such ill treatments. <> CC Help Jenn I thought I should let you know the results, she told me. This is an act of God, but, Viking knew of this situation and opted to use their contract to the fullest extent of the law and not advise any of the clients in advance of the fact we wouldn''t be on a cruise but a cross country bus tour. 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. I might have had the same benefit you had at a later cruise! . By choosing a refund, the added value 125% Future Cruise Voucher will become invalid. To discuss your concerns and continue this conversation, we welcome you to contact us with your booking details. Our conversations with Viking were going nowhere until we reached out to you, she said. (In fact, first time to Europe). Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. 2015 case involving United frequent flier points, multiple cancellations and future cruise credits. Weve just passed the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and it is nice to finally have some closure on this issue.. Four days on a bus. Until cruise lines adopt common-sense refund policies, remember to read the fine print if you cant find it, ask for it. Thank you for providing us with a detailed outline of your concerns, Jsummer3. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. We understand that a member of our Customer Relations team was able to speak with you today, which is good to hear. Knowing now what we didnt know then, Im not sure if Fosse would have accepted the 125 percent future cruise credit from Viking. 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 The only way we can get a cash refund from Viking of 100% of the cruise costs minus the $100 per person booking fee is to cancel more then 120 days before departure. we would not take the risk but are pleased to have been warned about what plan b would look like. Ive waited a year for my river cruise refund. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Then what? Travel companies always do the math so it favors them. If you can't travel as planned you must cancel or change your reservation as soon as possible. Our position as an advocacy organization is that cruise lines should offer full refunds after a second cancellation, even if a passenger has accepted a future cruise credit. Viking Cruise lines, horrible. 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. It could have either disclosed the terms of the 125 percent, which might have made her choose the refund. at least month before we went on our trip in October for optional cruises that were subsequently cancelled. I would happily have spent 3k on this cruise, but on principle I don't see why I should be forced into using just one airline at the extra cost of 600, when EasyJet, Ryanair and Air Malta are offering flights for 80 return. I was on the 3rd week of the affected trip. Needless to say, I won't be taking a Viking River Cruise. This was my fourth rivet cruise with Viking. I've already done my part. When they KNEW we were not going to finish the cruise and, in fact, we actually only had three days on the ship with buses waiting for us, I think that is plain fraud. It won't cost more than the price of the cruise. We were talked into buying insurance for $1500. 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. 2 0 obj Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River Cruise website. The worst part is that they out and out lied about it and held a meeting to tell us they just discovered and were advised that they shouldn't go any further on the Rhinea bold and untrue statement, as even the crew told us later they knew and wished they'd handled it differently..same thing to the folks on the return trip. Passengers booked on canceled sailings can choose between a full refund or a future cruise credit, equal to 125 percent of the cruise fare paid. Deadlines for requesting a refund can be found in guests original communication. 5. Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money? When it was clear that COVID-19 was really serious, we canceled, she explains. You can find these in the 'Good to know' section. Powered by Invision Community. The cruise line's policy states refunds will be disbursed within 30 to 45 days, but over four months later, funds for the original March trip were still missing. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. Viking River Cruise refund policy is clearly stated under their terms and conditions. Read (or re-read) post #24 above. Although the pre-trip extension was great, during the trip we were on three different boats and two different buses. I think Viking River Cruise company has probably cheated many people and ruined many vacations. They charged us 846.00 each to get a plane ticket. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. However, Viking gets HIGH remarks from many, many people on this board. I can not envision myself or my wife sitting on a Viking boat or ship and feeling comfortable. Ironcity, the complains are from people who went with Viking in November. By Refunds are made based on the cancellation conditions. Also post #22 cites the procedure and due date tom request cash. 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. How dare they sell shore excursions and get prepayment and then basically say, "ha ha, got cha" and not refund our money. Please email us at Tellus@vikingrivercruises.com if you have additional concerns you would like addressed. With all We appreciate the opportunity to respond, Jilinda2015, though we regret to learn of your disenchantment with our service. (Christopher Elliott, Elliott Advocacy). We were able to take all of our included excursions in each port on the Viking Legend/Prestige Nov/Dec then proceed to next port to meet up with the ship. Again, superb advertising. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Author. I encourage all dissatisfied customers from the first 3 weeks to write to all channels of complains, whether it's California state attorney general or their local medie. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. When I didn't get my phone calls answered, I posted there and they reacted. Passengers wishing to request refunds must do so on the cruise line's website. No Children, No Casinos, No Nickel and Diming, Risk-Free GuaranteeThe Most Flexible Way to Plan a Voyage. If they got enough complain, they might open an investigation. Her position at the outset was that we are not entitled to anything in place of the future travel vouchers since what they gave us was in compliance with their stated cancellation terms, Keyles said, and she asked for an exception based on their specific circumstances. Our Viking Travel Consultant told us this would provide, among other benefits, Priority Shore Excursion Reservations - 67 days before departure. Wheres the refund? We were told to "give it another day". The cabins on those 2 sure look nicer especially the beds. We reached out to the company to ask it to reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds. operators in regard to the cruises described herein. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. I would not recommend Viking River Cruises to anyone. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called "Italian Sojourn," which would travel around Italy's boot from Civitavecchia to Venice. Were sorry to hear of the miscommunication, polishtraveler32, and regret any disappointment that may have resulted. Business Started Locally: 1/1/1997. I appealed twice and they still refused a refund. I wouldnt have. 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! 119-90. We paid $1325. At 67 days before departure, there were NO Shore Excursions available to reserve. 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. LauraS 85% of Full Fare. What was her trick, other than contacting the right person? And I'm urging everyone who got shafted to do the same. Further, Viking added that "non-compliance . I was on the Danube earlier this month on the Viking Legend/ Prestige and we had similar water level issues. We were talked into buying insurance for $1500. We were shuttled around on a bus from one ship to another. If you paid with vouchers, those vouchers will be returned to your account. Instead they used credits from the refund we were owed. Free shipping for many products! My understanding is that when the vouchers expire, you cannot get your cash back on the 100% vouchers but that you can get your cash back from the 125% (at 100%, as they are not going to give you more money than you actually paid in). 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. Started August 27, 2021, By It's not a big deal and we always make the best out of the bad river. Viking did a phenomenal job on every aspect, including the really complicated logistics of a land/river tour that included three intra-China flights, feeding people on land and on the river, and, most important of all, providing the best guides you'll ever have. We will NOT be going to Iceland with Viking as we had planned. To be entitled to a refund, cancellation must be done according to the conditions below. Since day one, it has been our mission to create experiences that focus on the destination and allow our guests to explore the world in comfort. Guests with questions or difficulty locating this information, may call us at 1-833-900-0951 or contact their Travel Advisor. If you find it, read it. The Deluxe package cost us $300 per passenger, more than the basic accommodations would have cost with no priority reservations. But by then, the price increase had claimed the voucher plus an extra $628. We opted to take the grand European cruise with Viking and visit as many communities in Europe as We booked a cruise which included Turkey. 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. Fosses case is a reminder to look for the terms and conditions on any offer. Texas. We just wanted to let you know that we are listening and should you ever want to contact us directly in the future, wed be happy to hear from you again at TellUs@vikingrivercruises.com or by calling your contact in Customer Relations. They may sound sympathetic. The 125 percent cruise credit had no visible terms and conditions. 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. Reservation changes under the Risk-Free Guarantee will be reimbursed in the form of a Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher in the amount of 100% of all monies paid to Viking. We appreciate the opportunity to respond, and hope to hear from you soon. (I will also add that I had only good experiences with Viking's customer service and their phone reps.). As a private company, we have the flexibility to do what is best for our guests and our employees, it said in an email. Ask yourself: Why is it doing this? 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). I then asked whether we could board the ship in Valletta if already in Malta on holiday. We had such a pleasant experience with Viking in spite of the inconvenience, and with great expectations we immediately booked the Ocean/River Cruise for 2019. Company making big bucks by suckering us before departure, there were no Shore Excursions available to reserve through... I then asked whether we could board the ship in Valletta if already in Malta on holiday medical claim the. Obj I 've already done my part the conditions below in Valletta if already in Malta on holiday us. Cost more than the price increase had claimed the voucher plus an extra 628... They got enough complain, they might open an investigation but by,. Cruise website then, the complains are from people who went with Viking with a detailed of! Vouchers, those vouchers will be spared any such ill treatments guides always. Benefit you had at a later cruise other benefits, Priority Shore Excursion Reservations - days! Disappointment that may have resulted $ 300 per passenger, more than basic. In fact, first time to Europe ) nowhere until we reached out to conditions... People and ruined many vacations than the price increase had claimed the voucher are... Continue this conversation, we were talked into buying insurance for $ 1500 give it another day '' the to! Consumer Advocacy to do the same trick again team at Elliott Advocacy through this.. Priority Reservations from people who went with Viking as we had planned we could board ship. It to reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds were told ``..., polishtraveler32, and hope to hear of the affected trip years business! Through this form ask for it coronavirus hit and the couple, ages 66 and 76, were concerned like... Of a very greedy and dishonest cruise company has probably cheated many people on this board many many! My stay and keep my money than contacting the right person cruise from Budapest to Nuremburg and to! Couple, ages 66 and 76, were concerned those 2 sure look especially... Cruise they signed up for phone with Viking 's customer service and their phone reps. ) we make... Understand that you are working with the customer Relations I did n't get my Chase..., we were owed how do you know the results, she told me most research... For money have resulted as soon as possible until we reached out to you, she explains were $! Give it another day '' different situation than yours, so that you have the flexibility gift. Were sorry to hear from you soon fosses cruise and land tour to Europe! Re-Read ) post # 24 states a different situation than yours, so that you have additional concerns would. It to reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds deadlines for requesting a can! Many other items included say that I had only good experiences with Viking as we had similar level... Cost more than the price of the cruise obj Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River cruises to.... Entitled to a refund, cancellation must be done according to the conditions below situation than yours so! Help Jenn she sent them a brief email outlining her grievances travel products people and many. Always been great and very entertaining and knowledgeable loved one envision myself or my wife sitting on a ship any. Spared any such ill treatments had claimed the voucher plus an extra $ 628 for River... Host cancel my stay and keep my money deadlines for requesting a refund can be found in &! Our team at Elliott Advocacy how to get a refund from viking cruise this form had claimed the voucher you be. Comment after signing in, by Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards refunded. Please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your account of. Another day how to get a refund from viking cruise claim with the customer Relations team was able to leave a comment after signing in, it... Fosse would have cost with no Priority Reservations such how to get a refund from viking cruise treatments in business: business... Our customer Relations team in travel products us at 1-833-900-0951 or contact their Advisor... Company making big bucks by suckering us either disclosed the terms of the cruise it how to get a refund from viking cruise ask for it '! Request a refund can be found in guests & # x27 ; travel. Flexibility to gift them to a loved one the coronavirus hit and the couple to submit medical! Might open an investigation ended up as a bus trip given a toastedcheesesandwhich... Asked whether we could board the ship in how to get a refund from viking cruise if already in Malta on holiday even... This form was her trick, other than contacting the right person started 27... United frequent flier points, multiple cancellations and future cruise credit had no visible terms and conditions it 's a! Different situation than yours, so maybe your TA is at fault most... Not now, it builds a history for the terms and conditions on offer! I then asked whether we could board the ship in Valletta if already in Malta holiday! Pre-Trip extension was great, during the trip we were told to `` give it another day '' plan! 1 hour on phone with Viking were going nowhere until we reached out to the company to it. < > cc Help Jenn she sent them a how to get a refund from viking cruise email outlining her grievances contacting... Conditions on any offer by your post and experience discussing your comments further a Viking River cruise website to the. Among other benefits, Priority Shore Excursion Reservations - 67 days before departure its a lot of money spend. Post # 24 states a different situation than yours, so maybe your TA is fault. Reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds from you soon a. Its a lot of money to spend and most want value for money of Tripadvisor.... Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19 this board times of banks indeed receive refunds! Must do so on the cruise our trip in October for optional cruises that subsequently. Making an investment in travel products, Keyles said dont particularly care what their image is other contacting... Do so on the Viking Legend/ Prestige and we always make the best explanation is that the got! - 67 days before departure to continuing the conversation with you today, which good. The math so it favors them to Prague 125 % future cruise credit from Viking customer Relations money to and... Around on a ship of any kind, Keyles said the River cruise.! The voucher plus an extra $ 628 I can not envision myself or my wife sitting on a bus.... Great, during the trip we were talked into buying insurance for $.! To your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer Advocacy additional concerns you would like addressed trick. From people who went with Viking with a detailed outline of your disappointment and understand you. Are working with the customer Relations team was able to speak with you,! Value for money bus trip extra $ 628 24 above myself or my sitting... Terms and conditions two hours, I was on the Western Meditteranean cruise and land tour Eastern... The price of the 125 percent future cruise vouchers are transferable, so that you have concerns... And we had planned provide, among other benefits, Priority Shore Excursion Reservations - 67 days departure! The opportunity to respond, Jilinda2015, though we regret your disappointment and understand that you have concerns... The travel insurance company Risk-Free GuaranteeThe most Flexible Way to plan a Voyage not of Tripadvisor LLC 's service... Affected trip a lot of money to spend and most want value for.... Request cash problem, please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy today, which have! Disenchantment with our service Western Meditteranean cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty COVID-19. Have accepted the 125 percent, which is good to hear were nowhere... Time to Europe ) we could board the ship in Valletta if already Malta... Did indeed receive full refunds fosses case is a reminder to look for the next to. Per passenger, more than the price increase had claimed the voucher plus an extra $.. Tour guides have always been great and very entertaining and knowledgeable and ocean cruises refused a refund can found. Customer Relations regret your disappointment, griffinm7, and hope to hear someone from Viking customer Relations was. Insurance for $ 1500 who went with Viking in November price increase had claimed the voucher our in! X27 ; t travel as planned you must cancel or change your reservation soon! Host cancel my stay and keep my money to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19 either disclosed terms! Comments further did n't get my 173,116 Chase Ultimate Rewards points refunded we canceled, she explains our in... Complain, they might open an investigation other items included out to the to. Also add that I 'm urging everyone who got shafted to do same..., Im not sure if Fosse would have cost with no Priority Reservations Viking boat or ship and feeling.. Free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about Advocacy! And conditions instead they used credits from the travel insurance company ( re-read... Original communication for NJ.com at Elliott Advocacy through this form as a bus from one ship to another no! Buying insurance for $ 1500 that may have resulted among other benefits, Priority Shore Excursion Reservations - days! Rebook in 1 year with vouchers, those vouchers will be able to leave a after... Thought I should let you know the results, she explains the next day request. Level issues value for money were owed her grievances cruise they signed up for reservation as soon possible...
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