Complaints about Vikings charges, vouchers and lack of cash refunds is not new, based on consumer complaints. Trovato said about 300 passengers were on board and those that he talked to all had a good attitude about the situation. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics, Cruise Lines Alter Russia Itineraries, Provide Aid Due to Ukraine Conflict, a general discussion about the wellbeing of crewmembers. Crystal Ravel will resume service in March 2022 for a spring. "Our company was founded in Rotterdam around the mission of helping immigrants find a better life. A Warner Bros. Select sailings will resume operation with sailings on May 22, May 29 and June 5, 2021 from Portsmouth, England. 3 . Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. The cruise line said guests have been notified of the issue, though they did not provide details on how many passengers have been affected. We are cancelling our river cruise due to viking's heavy handed covid vaccine requirement. The Viking Mississippi isnt the only vessel facing problems on the United States premier river. As for my next trip in a few weeks? He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. Some river cruise ships were able to lighten the load and carry on. Learn more. The line has canceled all 2022 departures for both its Ukraine and Russian river cruises. The text appears: #1 on the oceans, A Viking Expedition ship sails in Antarctica. On April 1, Holland America Line announced it would use the 1999-built Volendam to house refugees fleeing the conflict. I believe the fact Viking is willing to give me vouchers worth twice the value of my requested cash refund indicates they recognize that they have done something wrong.. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. Viking has grown into a major player in Mediterranean sailings, with more than 30 distinct itineraries that include stops in the region. 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. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. Then COVID hit and the trip had to be delayed. The ship was docked in an area just north of Greenville, which is about 150 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. The 13-day trips focus heavily on the two gateway cities, with four days allotted for touring Moscow and four days reserved for visiting St. Petersburg. This photo was taken by passenger Tom Travato outside the windows of the Viking Mississippi cruise ship on October 4. Our flight to Frankfurt, LH1003 had been cancelled, but no one informed us. It was unclear whether his partner would be well enough to travel in the future. We asked Viking to point out the language that required the additional charge, but it didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. Not only does the California-based company offer ocean cruises in almost every corner of the world, it also offers river cruises on many of the worlds major rivers. Enrollment required. Whether Russia river cruises restart in 2024 will depend on how the situation in Ukraine unfolds over the coming months. Among ocean cruise destinations, Viking has a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which it considers its home turf. We lost too much time due to Viking errors to make Delta0071 scheduled for 8:20am. In all, the line accounts for about half of all river cruises taken by North Americans in the region. Almost 250 cruises were set to sail throughout the first month of 2022, but this ongoing rise in COVID-19 cases could continue to cause further cancellations. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring, Looking back: How my points and miles strategy has changed over the years, The best increased card offers to sign up for this March. You can then suggest your flights by paying the Custom Air fee and perhaps next time you will get better flights, but there is never a guarantee. We do not have any cruise cancellations because of the Omicron variant," Carnival spokesperson Roger Frizzell told USA TODAY on Wednesday. "When necessary changes are made, Viking Customer Relations will notify all impacted guests and their travel advisers.". Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises in the region, has made modifications to its 2022 itineraries in light of the situation. Just think what it will be like when the summer travel months of June, July, and August are upon us if the staffing shortages continue, which they are expected to. Viking has lost four loyal customers with 10 past cruises between us. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call in Russia in 2022, which will require modifications," according to a Viking statement. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintains a drought information website. 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. Viking also offers a 14-night itinerary that includes several stops in the northernmost part of the country above the Arctic Circle. She said that there was a 5:00pm flight from Amsterdam to Atlanta that we could try to take, but we would have to make that reservation ourselves. Many, notably, use the relatively small but famously scenic Norwegian city of Bergen (population 286,000) as a gateway, something no other line is doing. I don't think the flights she has are ones she would have necessarily booked herself, but they are the ones Viking is willing to provide w/o paying the Custom Air fee. They did not breach your contract, you need to read it all. "Given recent events and the developing conflict in Ukraine, we have made the. 'Cruising The Italian Lakes' we are training it from Edinburgh to Lake Como to avoid the chaos in the sky's. 2 Viking River Cruises canceled all Russian river cruises and its planned Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest routes this year due to the events. Atlas Ocean Voyages will skip St. Petersburg for alternative ports in Finland and Estonia this summer. We got a flight (economy class) eventually, but we had to do it ourselves. Winner of Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2022, Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2021, and Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2022. There was little discussion about this, and I do not remember ever asking what would happen if I did not pay the extra. I do not see anything in their terms and conditions that would indicate that additional expenses would be incurred if one person was not able to take the trip but the second one did, he said. That way you have control over your reservation and can work directly with the airline when issues occur and not have to deal with a third-party, in this case Viking Air. Many people find its better to manage their own pre & after (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. A friend is sailing with Viking next month and while she has had her initial flights for months, they have also been changed several time already. We will be advising our guests and travel partners shortly as plans become finalized.". Viking Cruises announced that it will resume limited voyages in the UK in May. Guests and travel advisors with affected departures have been notified. A Viking spokesperson said that the safety and security of their guests and crew was always their top priority. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. He was ultimately offered more vouchers with an extended booking deadline, emails show. Viking is, quite simply, the giant of river cruising in Europe at least among lines that cater to English speakers. The luxury river cruise line, Scenic, scrapped all of its 2022 Russia cruises. Your contact Ts&Cs says when things go sideways, they will reschedule you. Canceled and amended itineraries are as follows: Celebrity Cruises confirmed it would remove St Petersburg from all Summer 2022 itineraries and seek alternative ports in Sweden. As a frequent traveller and Platinum Medallion client of SkyTeam (Delta, KLM etc.) She verified that Viking had been notified that our 8:05am flight to Frankfurt had been cancelled. The closures have caused delays that will prevent the Viking Mississippi from completing the sailing underway and from reaching St. Paul [Minnesota] for her next scheduled departure on October 15, the statement said. On February 28, the line announced it would no longer visit the city on any of its upcoming itineraries. At least you now have some experience dealing with travel problems--perhaps you can wake-up a bit from the nightmare. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113588594', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flight with Viking was a nightmare, as Mike has pointed out, it paled in comparison to what others have ben experiencing. When necessary changes are made, Viking Guest Services will notify all impacted guests and their travel agents.. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. For instance, a merciless heat wave baked Europe this past summer, and the continents fabled waterways fell to shockingly low levels. While we waited for a response, we did a little looking around. Among 10 different itineraries on the Rhine River alone, offerings range from a seven-night Rhine Getaway from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland, to a 22-night European Sojourn from Amsterdam to Bucharest, Romania. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. The text appears: onwards, Destination-focused journeys on all seven continents, Click this link to navigate to the Find A Cruise page, Call a Viking Expert, or see your Travel Agent, Call a Viking Expert, or see your Travel Agent 138 747. A few weeks ago I flew Scotland to Cairo via London. The start of this story began in April 2021 when Viking CANCELED my July cruise to Norway and Iceland. CA. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. (Courtesy Richard Andersen). Viking offers several Antarctic itineraries, with the typical trip starting with a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board one of the two expedition ships for an 11-night cruise to Antarctica and back. Learning experience. Note that the lines Ukraine voyages have been canceled for 2022 due to the war in the country. On March 15, Norwegian Cruise Line canceled the majority of Baltic cruises scheduled aboard Norwegian Getaway, affecting sailings from June 14 to October 9, 2022. The good news is that there are not the mass cancellations we saw in 2020. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that. Related: The ultimate guide to Viking's loyalty program. 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. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. Viking River Cruises has canceled all 2022 departures from Kyiv and Bucharest, Romania. We cancelled three Royal Caribbean cruises during the COVID period, and received a full cash refund for each, he said, noting that its highly unlikely he and his companion will ever be able to use the vouchers because of her health. Viking officials indicated some ports don't want passengers exploring independently so an array of bubble excursions is being developed for those destinations. They were offered vouchers, but when the wife died, Viking wouldnt allow for a refund. It, along with the Viking Sky, is classified as a small ship, with 465 staterooms, capable of carrying 930 guests. Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent. Perhaps in the future try booking you own flights, even if it costs a bit more (we did for our trip last month). (Updated 11:49 a..m. EDT) -- The Russia-Ukraine war has prompted a growing number of cruise lines to cancel itineraries that include stops in and around Russian ports of call, and to provide aid to Ukrainian refugees in the form of shelter aboard out-of-service cruise ships. Get $200 back in statement credits each year on prepaid Fine Hotels + Resorts or The Hotel Collection bookings, which requires a minimum two-night stay, through American Express Travel when you pay with your Platinum Card. When Andersen was finally ready to travel, his partner, because of deteriorating health, was unable to go. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. A longer version of the trip features 13 nights on board one of the ships and extra days in Antarctica. He sent Viking a certified letter on April 10 asking for a cash refund of the extra $9,898 payment and questioning whether his partners vouchers could be transferred to another person. The Viking Mississippi can hold up to 386 guests and was built in 2022, according to the companys website. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. "England's Scenic Shores" itinerary will set sail from Portsmouth on May 22, May 29, and . The text appears: #1 on the rivers. Note that, in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Viking has pulled the St. Petersburg stop, as well as stops in Finland and Estonia from the Viking Homelands itinerary for 2022; the trips instead feature extra stops in Norway and Denmark. VIKING CRUISES. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Be prepared to encounter some chaos, and try not to let emotions dominate over cool, calm action. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises, has canceled all 2022 departures from its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary . Meanwhile, Atlas Ocean Voyages has replaced stops in St. Petersburg with stops in Kotka and Mariehamn in Finland and Saaremaa in Estonia, the cruise line announced in a press release. A Viking Expedition ship sails in . (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP). Like Viking ocean ships, Octantis has an onboard lab that processes over 500 COVID-19 tests daily. 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. 3:55 PM EDT, Fri October 7, 2022, In this Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, photo, the Viking Mississippi cruise ship docks at the Port of Dubuque in Dubuque, Iowa. 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 and earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. 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. At the moment, every day starts with guests leaving a test tube of saliva outside their door for . 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. I don't think the suit is going to be as clear cut as the OP thinks. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113578769', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise line, my recollection is that you can request certain flights by paying extra for Custom Air (or a similar name), but I hardly think you can " demand direct, non-stop flights that depart from the closest airport to your home if possible." Given the current COVID situation (and that 3 of the 4 countries we were slated to visit are currently closed), we decided we should cancel. Tom Trovato and his wife, Trish, were among those on the cruise when the ship came to a halt in the middle of the Mississippi River. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113588373', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');Flights all over the world at present are in turmoil, partly still being haunted by Covid with staff not being allowed to fly, Ground staff like check-in and security not allowed to report for work because of possible Covid .symptoms, Aircraft & flight crew in the wrong continent never mind country. $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. It's a tough time to be flying, as anything can and may go wrong. MSC Cruises had four ships due to call in at St. Petersburg this year, with the first -- MSC Preziosa (May 7) and MSC Grandiosa -- occuring as early as May 7. I explained to her that we were going to miss our rebooked flight Delta0071 because of the long wait in the KLM Economy Class line. Vikings Scandinavia and Northern Europe trips range widely in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights. 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). After our inquiry, Andersen was contacted by someone in the companys customer relations department, but he spent several weeks playing phone and email tag before he could plead his case. Fist leg of the flight I was not in Business class because it was a different aircraft, but I felt privileged to be on a flight because people had been stuck for 24 hours. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113596118', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise Carol has not even read her contract. Viking Air should have arranged our transfer to the airport for no later than 4:00am since we are international passengers. Viking was advertising a 15-day trip in October from St. Paul to New Orleans starting . The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends. This is an outrageous amount and shows Viking's poor customer treatment. Its most current report said almost 53% of the lower 48 US states are in a drought. Animals have been brought here to graze for around 2,000 years. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. 10 more were launched in 2013, and additional 18 launched in 2014 (including 2 smaller ships purpose-built for Douro River in Portugal). Get expert advice, insider tips and more. Follow her on Twitter at @KPMueller. Check here before booking an award fare. 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. Some cruise lines will charge extra for flights not originating from a select number of airports on their list, which may mean either using an alternate airport or paying yet an additional fee over and above the Custom Air fee. It also happened to a Florida man whose trip with his wife was also canceled because of the pandemic. On nearly all of the rivers, the line offers multiple itineraries with lengths ranging from seven nights to as many as 22 nights. 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 have a covered. Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line. What's the best way to see the ports on my cruise? That gives them a smaller range of itineraries. When he returned, he started to think about all the extra fees and the vouchers that were promised. Another issue we have with Viking Air's service is that they scheduled a 3-legged flight for us to Atlanta when there are direct flights from Amsterdam to Atlanta every day. Low water levels are impacting barge traffic on the Mississippi River during the harvest, a crucial time, NOAAs site said. They are for UK residents only. Per Vikings terms and conditions, his partner would be refunded half the cost of her trip in voucher form. There are 80 river ships in Viking's fleet an astounding number. But when a cruise has already been paid in full, if one traveler cant make the trip, should the person who is still going be charged more especially when it doesnt appear anywhere in the fine print? Demand direct, non-stop flights that depart from the closest airport to your home if possible. While Carol feels her return (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? A Viking river cruise ship heading north up the Mississippi River cant finish its voyage because of low water levels, according to a statement from the company on Thursday. Many cruisers are also understandably worried about crewmembers. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. June 2, 2017. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. The statement confirmed the line had made "all communication channels" open to crew so they can get hold of their families as well as allowing to leave the ships if they need to get home. It's also a classic cruise itinerary. A Viking River ship sails in Budapest. As for not getting your Premium seats, since it is a small cabin it is entirely possibly it was fully booked so you were given what seats were still available. Unusually low water levels along the Mississippi River have caused sections of the river to be closed, impacting all northbound and southbound shipping traffic, the statement said. "We are receiving messages from guests asking about our crew who come from Ukraine," wrote Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley on his Facebook page. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. "To. Have to agree that when booking thru tour companies or (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Discovery Company. Some vendors may process your personal data on the basis of legitimate interest, which you can object to by managing your options below. You can certainly file your suit and Viking will probably do a nice thing and perhaps give you a future free or discounted (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Though part of the United Kingdom, these archipelagos have ties to Norwegian and Viking history. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Coronavirus: Updated Cruise Ship Policies and Cancellations Because of COVID-19 (2021), Foreign Office Eases Travel Exemption for 67 Countries, Paving Way for European Cruises, Rolling Out the Deals: Why Now Might Be a Great Time to Book a Cruise, Galveston Port Director Says Disney Cruise Line to Limit Capacity, Enforce Embarkation Arrival Times, Costa Cruises Becomes First Carnival Corp. With Russia's invasion of Ukraine creating an active war zone in the Baltic, Viking River Cruises, Atlas Ocean Voyages, Regent Seven Seas Cruises, and Oceania Cruises all canceled port stops or .