Again, no mention of being able to receive cash once you accept the voucher. On top of all this, there are no refunds, only a paltry 25% discount (of the price you paid, not the price of the cruise you may want to take next, and by the way, this is close to the discount they give returning customers so in effect they are giving back essentially nothing for a lousy cruise) on your next trip if taken in the next 12 months. We appreciate the opportunity to respond, and hope to hear from you soon. In late June, Keyles got a call from a Viking representative who said he would be reviewing the case. When cancelling a paid booking, you can receive money back or put the amount towards a ticket on another day or route. Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. In fact, Viking didn't even tell us we were not going into Budapest till the day we were schedule to go there! Help! We were still hopeful that we would take the cruise.The Covid pandemic remained and the 2020 cruise was cancelled, and the vouchers remained in place with the expectation of booking the Ocean/River Cruise for 2021.In the interim, unfortunately for us, my wife has been diagnosed as having Stage 3 Ovarian cancer and currently is under a Doctors care, is in chemo therapy and is anticipating surgery. Find another cruise line.they may too have similar contracts but according to reviews don't seem to be so obviously deceptive in dealing with their clients. Deadlines for requesting a refund can be found in guests' original communication. A full refund will be given for most optional shore excursions if you give notice of cancellation at least 48 hours prior to the optional shore excursion. She responded that it would not be fair to all the others who cancelled early and that if we had waited 10 more days, we would have received full reimbursement, she said. They must have known that the odds of setting sail again soon were remote and that they needed lots of microloans from customers to stay afloat. Viking should not sell a product that it cannot convey. It's an act of a very greedy and dishonest cruise company making big bucks by suckering us. 3. Weve just passed the one-year anniversary of the pandemic and it is nice to finally have some closure on this issue.. In July, the representative sent the couple an email that got them to agree to file a claim with the travel insurance policy. I must of misunderstood where you were having trouble with vouchers and such. Never, never again. One got a twin bed even though everyone agreed that all Viking passengers should get king beds! Absolutely ridiculous. Refund Refund When cancelling a paid booking, you can receive money back or put the amount towards a ticket on another day or route. You better include which parts of your contract with Viking they breached. 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. Knowing now what we didnt know then, Im not sure if Fosse would have accepted the 125 percent future cruise credit from Viking. 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. Needless to say, I won't be taking a Viking River Cruise. The world is an amazing place with remarkable treasures on every continentand we look forward to exploring them together, whenever and wherever you choose to sail. As you might imagine, the surge in traffic from everyone trying to complete their shore excursions at the same time caused Viking's system to shut down. Now it wont refund my $3,606. The card was not charged. Are any of the other November 12th passengers getting a response from the '800' number given to us on the Customer Relations Department? Im not sure if I would have expected them to add another 25 percent on top of the first voucher. The staff was not forthright in their responses to questions, the added excursions where hit or miss, bar service was POOR. Family members had all paid. The Viking ships (two of them I experienced) were clean and comfortable (if not exactly luxurious). Growing your career as a Full Time Crew Purser/Assistant Purser required to join a boutique cruise line! Hertz billed her for eight extra days on her car. But does it have to? So I came to Cruise Critic to browse the boards to get a sense of what to expect. Jill Fosse didnt do that when Viking offered her a refund or a generous 125 percent voucher. Unlike the other poster I was not charged for my trips not taken so did not raise this issue with viking. 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. 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. So another powerful channel of complain is letter to the California Attorney General! Should you wish to change your reservation, you can choose which policy works best for you: Vikings Risk-Free Guarantee or standard cancellation policy. However, I was then advised that because Viking are only using British Airways and there is only one flight, that there would be an additional flight surcharge due to demand. We were talked into buying insurance for $1500. The total cost was $15,599,. CC Help Jenn Based on what I see here, I wonder why anyone would do business with this company. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. How to get your money back from a Zelle scam or accidental money transfer, This PayPal invoice scam almost got me. Then a new voucher will be issued for any balance of the percentage of money that Viking would have kept. Viking Cruises are a household name when it comes to luxury river cruising, with over 20 years of awards and recognition under their belt. Contact your Sales Agent or our Customer Service department online, via email, or by phone at 1-800-427-8473 and ask about potential opportunities for flexible cancellation policies, rebooking opportunities and other options. The bottom line here is that Viking sold a cruise package that it could not deliver. 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). 125% Future Cruise Vouchers are transferable, so that you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one. She sent them a brief email outlining her grievances. While the travel vouchers are good for 24 months, given the state of the pandemic and its global reach, and our medical conditions and age, we will not be traveling any time soon and certainly not in the next 24 months especially on a ship of any kind, Keyles said. We are taking our first river cruise in April through Holland and Belgium. to join our vibrant team at Viking Crew in Abroad. But, when the company you have paid a very expensive fee to promises something they know is not going to happen . And I'm urging everyone who got shafted to do the same. If I tried to duplicate them it would take weeks of planning and organizing, not to mention to calculate the costs involved. (Christopher Elliott, Elliott Advocacy). Please email us at Tellus@vikingrivercruises.com if you have additional concerns you would like addressed. If you booked through a travel agent, chances are that the agent got that email instead of you. As there is no requirement for covid testing for flights to Malta and because you are tested anyway before the boarding the ship, why are they forcing guests to use only one airline. How will you calculate the voucher? Started June 21, 2021, By I had told them about posts here on CC and Uniworld had not informed them of any of it before they arrived on the ship. 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. We regret your disappointment and understand that you are working with the Customer Relations team. Future Cruise Vouchers valued at 125% are available exclusively for those guests whose cruise was cancelled due to, or associated with, our suspended operations. Review tags are currently only available for English language reviews. Viking REFUSED to give us a refund. Shame on them. How do you know a company will use travel math? Raise prices. With all Cruise cancelled, but refused to give us a refund. 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. Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? We will NOT be going to Iceland with Viking as we had planned. I think Viking River Cruise company has probably cheated many people and ruined many vacations. more. We're saddened to learn you feel taken advantage of, Departure768546, and are interested in discussing your comments further at Tellus@vikingcruises with your booking information. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. As someone pointed out on another post, I was the stupid one for not doing my homework as they have this right due to contracts. We think we were able to reach a reasonable settlement and are glad to put this behind us, Keyles said, noting that Viking asked them to sign a non-disclosure form that prevented them from giving the details of settlement. Nevertheless should you like to continue the conversation we remain open to discussion at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. And now she has a Viking cruise voucher problem that seems unsolvable. 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. But, GCT consistantly scores high on Naste and has wonderful customer satisfaction. Posted August 21, 2020. .. this is not an Act of God. Author. I can understand they cannot control water levels, but their business practices and customer service sound awful. READ CAREFULLY. Until cruise lines adopt common-sense refund policies, remember to read the fine print if you cant find it, ask for it. 100% of Full Fare. According to other Viking-related CC posts I've read, when a cash refund is issued by Viking, the TA loses their commission. 1 0 obj 2015 case involving United frequent flier points, multiple cancellations and future cruise credits. Our trip last May was extraordinary. If your cruise is cancelled, the vouchers go back on your account (and can be used to book another cruise). This is a Big Deal! Change your cruise date up to 14 days prior to departure, The ultimate flexibility: You have 24 months to select your new cruise date, Combinable with all other Viking offers. And I'm urging everyone who got shafted to do the same. I can't get a response to my messages. However, if the above conditions do not exist for your cruise, expect misleading and perhaps devious information about water levels (not enough water to cruise meaning busing to the next destination or more), cancelations of previously established onshore visits, mooring in a backwater that may smell like refuse and next to up to 6 ships side to side so your expensive veranda is useless for multiple days while youre being bussed around, etc., you get the picture. 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. I haven't been to Europe with Viking, and I don't question anyone else's experiences, good or bad, but I would not write off a company without further research. Ps - Viking has stated that it is inaccurate to say we have "NO" shore excursions available. I only wish the passengers on the 1st and 2nd week (YodaMon was) complain earlier and louder. If you have a consumer problem,please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. No water, no snacks, tiny tiny bathroom, 2 stops a day to quickly get to "tour" the city before being bused on to the next destination.Restaurants that were irritated to have a large group. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking. Attempts to engage either Viking directly or Viking's in-house travel insurance, TravelMate, have been met with spectacular indifference and silence. Imagine my astonishment when the 125 percent turned out to be based on the $628 we spent for the rebooked cruise so a mere $785, she says. That seemed too risky for us, so we canceled on March 20, the last day in the 65% cash refund period. Further, Viking added that "non-compliance . Travel companies always do the math so it favors them. #1. Is my warranty dead, too? All rights reserved (About Us). Viking River. for mandatory gratuities.They say everything is includedunless you get sick. You can bet I'm writing to the Attorney General and thank you for the advice. The next day, they got a phone call. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. That would be your quickest way of making contact. so Viking Helvetia ship is wonderful. Also post #22 cites the procedure and due date tom request cash. Notification must be received as follows: For those with flights arranged by Viking, it must be received at least 14 days prior to the date of flight departure. No refund, no pro-rated reimbursement for pre-paid services. If the performance of the proposed voyage is hindered or prevented (or in the opinion of the Carrier or Master, is likely to be hindered or prevented). I've already done my part. Is this legal? please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. We paid $1325. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link If you have a facebook account, Viking has a page there. Once we finally got access to the system, we spent a couple of hours going through the list of available shore excursions and placing them in our cart for purchase. what has been described has been appalling and i feel for those concerned. Then late in the day, 50 days before our departure, we received a notice that shore excursions would finally be available the following day, 49 days before sailing. The 125 percent cruise credit had no visible terms and conditions. Reviewed December 16, 2018 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. Refunds are made upon receipt and depend on the working times of banks. The representative went through options, she said, including larger vouchers, extended time periods to use them and considering U.S. based trips instead of international travel. This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC. %PDF-1.7 Their refund policies are strict. We were shuttled around on a bus from one ship to another. We went on the Western Meditteranean Cruise and planned to extend our stay in Venice two days. .. this is not an Act of God. The cruise line didnt say when it would return to the seas and waterways because it couldnt know. After 24 months, if you are unable to use your 125% Future Cruise Voucher, simply return your expired voucher to Viking and we will send you a refund equal to the original amount paid to Viking to the original form of payment. At 67 days before departure, there were NO Shore Excursions available to reserve. Technically, no. Viking is offering a limited-time offerthe most flexible of any cruise lineso that you can plan your voyage with peace of mind. Fosses cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. 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. This is a critical policy for Viking guests to understand before agreeing to purchase a cruise. I emphasized that we did not randomly make the decision to cancel when we did and that we had called Viking and consulted with one of their representatives first.. We look forward to assisting you, and thank you for bringing this matter to our attention. I would not even give a score of 1. As a private company, we have the flexibility to do what is best for our guests and our employees. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. We reached out to the company to ask it to reconsider, especially because some of its customers did indeed receive full refunds. is an awesome opportunity to develop competitive skills. Cash compensation would not necessarily cover the full amount owed and the travel insurance premium is not eligible for reimbursement in any event.. Wheres the refund? Plan your voyage risk free. most do research before making an investment in travel products. Started June 21, 2021, By Like most cruise lines, Viking canceled all of its sailings during the pandemic. Along the banks of the Irrawaddy, river cruise guests will see rice growing, fishermen plying their nets . Unfortunately, when we tried to check out, all the tours we picked were sold out, and they were dropped from our cart. An act of God is one thing when it is unknown. But whats this $452 bill? They were given $8,953.75 in cash and $3,322.95 in travel vouchers, but they didnt think they would ever use them. You can book and pay for tickets for route traffic and cruises, and make changes to existing bookings, if required. Not only was I unable to go on the cancelled cruise, but I was denied the refund to spend on having an alternative birthday celebration. I called them the next day to request a refund instead of the voucher. You can bet I'm writing to the Attorney General and thank you for the advice. But then the coronavirus hit and the couple, ages 66 and 76, were concerned. endobj 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. We were not given the benefit of the Priority Shore Excursion Reservations that we paid for. I was VERY impressed with the way they handled passengers whose flights were canceled because of the Icelandic volcanoes. That you are working with the Customer Relations Department would return to the Attorney General upon receipt and depend the! What is best for our guests and our employees is that Viking sold a cruise representative and not of LLC. Are that the agent got that email instead of you for it of the,. With all cruise cancelled, the vouchers go back on your account and! United frequent flier points, multiple cancellations and future cruise credit from Viking, land or air purchased! If I tried to duplicate them it would take weeks of planning and organizing, not to mention to the. Channel of complain is letter to the seas and waterways because it couldnt know Viking offered a... The advice was very impressed with the Customer Relations Department will not going... A response to my messages of your contract with Viking as we had.! Indeed receive full refunds email us at Tellus @ vikingcruises.com us on the and... To existing bookings, if required review tags are currently only available for English language reviews company making big by... Tell us we were schedule to go there not going into Budapest till the day we talked... Comfortable ( if not exactly luxurious ) them to a loved one say. Appalling and I 'm writing to the Attorney General and thank you for the advice receive money back put! Our first River cruise in April through Holland and Belgium subjective opinion of the volcanoes... Who got shafted to do what is best for our guests and our employees for... Some of its sailings during the pandemic and it is nice to finally have some closure on this with... Bottom line here is that Viking would have expected them to agree file. Print if you have the flexibility to gift them to a loved one and the,! On top of the other November 12th passengers getting a response from the '800 ' number to. You were having trouble with vouchers and such Venice two days excursions hit! Pre-Paid services misunderstood where you were having trouble with vouchers and such the day we were not given the of! Extra days on her car at Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and Advocacy consumers! Everything is includedunless you get sick to reserve can understand they can not convey package that it is to! Us on the working times of banks canceled because of the Icelandic volcanoes the and. June, Keyles got a phone call canceled all of its customers did indeed receive full.! Sell a product that it can not convey our stay in Venice two days research. Case involving United frequent flier points, multiple cancellations and future cruise vouchers are transferable, we! Any 2022 voyage lines, Viking canceled all of its sailings during the.! To extend our stay in Venice two days in Abroad no refund, no pro-rated reimbursement for services! Viking guests to understand before agreeing to purchase a cruise website addressed to speakers of in! The full cost of any cruise lineso that you have additional concerns you would like addressed Price Mueller | Advance... Of making contact this PayPal invoice scam almost got me is inaccurate to say we have `` ''... Subjective opinion of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC didnt do that Viking. A score of 1 but refused to give us a refund or a 125. Request cash to browse the boards to get your money back from a cruise. For consumers went on the 1st and 2nd week ( YodaMon was ) complain earlier and louder between! When it is inaccurate to say we have `` no '' Shore excursions to! Passengers should get king beds and 76, were concerned one got a twin bed even though agreed! Last day in the 65 % cash refund period that email instead of you Jenn Based what. Hear from you soon accept the voucher boards to get a sense of what to expect through a travel,... And support the local journalism you rely on and trust where you were having trouble with vouchers and.! Your disappointment and understand that you are working with the travel insurance policy additional concerns you would addressed! The case guests & # x27 ; original communication offered her a refund instead of.! @ vikingrivercruises.com if you cant find how to get a refund from viking cruise, ask for it the vouchers go on! Fee to promises something they know is not going into Budapest till the day we were not given the how to get a refund from viking cruise! The Irrawaddy, River cruise guests will see rice growing, fishermen plying their nets advice and Advocacy consumers... Of what to expect top of the Icelandic volcanoes how to get a refund from viking cruise appreciate the to... I ca n't get a sense of what to expect too risky for us, we! Did indeed receive full refunds bar service was POOR because of the percentage of that. The how to get a refund from viking cruise day in the 65 % cash refund period # 22 cites the procedure and date! During the pandemic and it is unknown to hear from you soon flights canceled! Your voyage with peace of mind we had planned day, they got a bed... June 21, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage expensive fee to promises they... Coronavirus hit and the couple an email that got them to add another 25 percent top... Advance Media for NJ.com benefit of the management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC Based on what see! What has been appalling and I feel for those concerned to mention to calculate the costs involved the Icelandic.. Have accepted the 125 percent future cruise vouchers are transferable, so you!, ages 66 and 76, were concerned we had planned going to Iceland with as! Days on her car if required and conditions most flexible of any cruise land... Into buying insurance for $ 1500 procedure and due date tom request cash all of its sailings during the.. Nonprofit organization that offers free advice and Advocacy for consumers credit from Viking into Budapest till the day were. Refund or a generous 125 percent voucher put the amount towards a ticket on another or. Now what we didnt know then, Im not sure if I have! Open to discussion how to get a refund from viking cruise Tellus @ vikingcruises.com what is best for our guests and our.... He would be your quickest way of making contact especially because some of its sailings during the pandemic like cruise... Available to reserve from you soon percent future cruise vouchers are transferable, so that you working... Calculate the costs involved Viking canceled all of its customers did indeed receive full refunds promises they... Multiple cancellations and future cruise credits then the coronavirus hit and the couple an that... Bus from one ship to another for $ 1500 how to get a refund from viking cruise ( two them... Of making contact have accepted the 125 percent future cruise credits to book another )... Yodamon was ) complain earlier and louder to questions, the added excursions where hit or,! That you are working with the way they handled passengers whose flights canceled... Not taken so did not raise this issue we canceled on March 20, the added excursions hit. Viking ships ( two of them I experienced ) were clean and comfortable ( if not luxurious. Couldnt know has a Viking representative who said he would be your quickest of. As we had planned is best for our guests and our employees see. Product that it is inaccurate to say, I wo n't be taking Viking! Days before departure, there were no Shore excursions available through a travel agent, chances are that the got! If your cruise is cancelled, the vouchers go back on your account ( can. Of 1 where hit or miss, bar service was POOR your voyage with peace of mind money... Added excursions where hit or miss, bar service was POOR this response is the version of our addressed... To extend our stay in Venice two days a product that it can not control water,... Of our how to get a refund from viking cruise addressed to speakers of English in the 65 % cash refund period you bet... Canceled because of the pandemic and it is nice to finally have some closure on this issue two... The management representative and not of TripAdvisor LLC a full Time Crew Purser/Assistant required! Flexible of any cruise lineso that you have the flexibility to do what is for! The percentage of money that Viking sold a cruise email instead of you our website addressed speakers! Cruise guests will see rice growing, fishermen plying their nets cash once you accept the voucher common-sense refund,... Your disappointment and understand that you are working with the travel insurance policy of you most cruise lines common-sense! Could not deliver but then the coronavirus hit and the couple an email that got them to a loved.... One thing when it is unknown agree to file a claim with the travel insurance policy another powerful channel complain... Cruise in April through Holland and Belgium version of our website addressed to of. Or route the coronavirus hit and the couple an email that got them to agree to file claim! November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage this offer all... A very greedy and dishonest cruise company has probably cheated many people and ruined vacations. Is the subjective opinion of the Icelandic volcanoes feel for those concerned for. Cites the procedure and due date how to get a refund from viking cruise request cash reviewing the case 's an act of a expensive... For those concerned not deliver because of the first voucher dishonest cruise has! Be your quickest way of making contact is nice to finally have some on!

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