Does anyone know if Trip Mate customers have or are considering a class action suit against the company for fraud? By. 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. In November ******************************************* She had major surgery December 12th. After an I took into account the following factors and then made an educated guess: Taking all of these factors into account, we booked for mid-June. We feel we should get the $3,494 dollars refunded to us. The couple shore excursions we went on were lame and horrible. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. 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. Withholding of monies and shore excursion booking system failure. All I want if a refund for our primary payment so we can sail on a ship that does not require the vaccine since we can not get it. Received most monies back but they held $1400 back which had to be used by 4/22.Just booked a $25000 trip with them and ask them to extend $1400 to July which they refused. Later after giving our deposit (another $8,000) we found out that ******** become a requirement to sail.My husband and I, both for health reasons can not get the vaccines and Viking to this time has been holding our money ($11,367.50) for 3 years (going to the 4th) even when we have requested several times and even hired an attorney to get our money back.When we booked the 2nd cruise, no one told us that we will loose our chance to get a refund. Simply make the simple changes to the hotel reservations so that one of the rooms includes two beds. Like other river cruise lines, weve dealt successfully with low-water situations in the past, and we have a variety of strategies that we can deploy as necessary. A longtime editor at Cruise Critic, Erica has also written for The Washington Post, Fodors and Lets Go travel guides, and numerous print and online cruise publications. With this terrible If water levels are low, cargo ships cannot carry their normal loads of freight. We understand that some of our guests might be hesitant about making a cruise reservation or traveling at this time. Please Note: 1) Terms & Conditions for Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Vouchers can be found here. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. The even occurred in February of 2023. Having trip insurance may pay you in full depending on your coverage. Booking XXXXXXX. There is rock on the bottom; theres also this little house in the middle of the river. We also paid Port Tax for Honduras even though they chose not to book and pay to use the pier there. I used my airline mile and hotel points to travel well and cheap. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. It is a basic human right to be able to have access to flushing toilets and handwasting facilities. River cruise lines do have contingency plans for dealing with river flow problems. Originally booked in 2020, paid in full. If the water issues are closer to the beginning or end of an itinerary, cruisers may have to spend a few days in hotels or bussing to destinations rather than sailing there. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. We used these to book on cruise OJUXXXXXX Booking Number XXXXXXX. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Looks like our September cruise to the Fjords is in the process of being cancelled! My only hope now is for someone to cancel what I want.About time to give my loyalty to another cruise line. Jan. 17, 2022. Viking Chief Health Officer Dr. Raquel . Service representative escalated our complaint that we were misinformed, tricked, lied to, defrauded - because we cannot sail on that date, we are not healthy and can't sail in the fall or 2023! In fact, we specifically asked their travel consultant if the vouchers would be reissued if we had to cancel again and we were told they would. ), We booked a cruise in 2019 to sail early in 2020. On top of that, they are asking for me to pay additional same $ 9,000. amount for me to go on this journey alone! Subscribe to RSS This account has been claimed by Viking River Cruises customer service / representatives through our verification process. This requirement was enacted after we booked this trip . We had not received any response from Viking about 10 days. Thank you. Do not book with Viking Cruises ,they turned my cancelled trip into vouchers with expiration dates that I never knew about. Poulsbo, Washington. Desired outcome: But now some of those waterway dreams seem set to run aground. Viking Neptune is a new ship that will join the fleet in 2022. Viking Ocean Cruises has sailings listed for June, 2021. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. Jim. Not at all, according to Rudi Schreiner, president and co-founder AmaWaterways as long as youre willing to be a little bit flexible. NEW! They may run multiple ships back-to-back where you would transfer to another ship where the river is having navigational issues. We have since then tried to book a trip two times, and the required medical of a vaccine status made us cancel again. We rebooked for 2022 on 11/30/2020. This reimbursement is NOT a refund; but, a correction due to failure of the excursion booking system. Not your fault but took 5 flights, 1 whole day in airport, 1 whole night and 2 hotels to get to the ship 3 1/2 days late. They will charge you a lot of money but would not care for you at the end of the day.The places I saw needed much to be desiredI was told that at the airport someone will help us until we boarded our plane. Submit a complaint and get your issue resolved. We booked a Viking River Cruise with AAA travel in August of 2019 for $14,497 for two people which excludes the insurance cost. Desired outcome: is a travel editor for TPG, with a focus on cruise travel. Related: Booking your first river cruise? I have had the cruise booked for probably a year but only now would the allow me the opportunity to purchase the spoils. I also called the insurance company and was told that to get a refund we had to notify them two weeks before the trip start date. 2023, International Association of Better Business Bureaus, Inc., separately incorporated Better Business Bureau organizations in the US, Canada and Mexico and BBB Institute for Marketplace Trust, Inc. All rights reserved. At the other end of the Po, ocean water has flooded the last 12 miles of the river damaging crops and contaminating drinking water. . We opted for the voucher. Or, you might have a few port stops changed out for new ones, or spend more time than you prefer in busses or hotels, possibly with shorter visits to destinations that now require longer bus rides. Also lost out on the cruise vouchers. In exchange for the annual fee, you'll unlock access to the Amex Membership Rewards program that let you access airline and hotel transfer partners, along with new lifestyle and travel credits. When I called to cancel they said we did not purchase the insurance. If you book a river cruise, you acknowledge that you might not get the exact itinerary you signed up for. Most river cruise lines do not allow guests to cancel pre-cruise without penalty except for in the most extreme circumstances. Beware of Viking excursion policies. Other viking customers from ******* on the same cruise were also booked the same flight. River boats are unique because they can float in just five to six feet of water. Story Update (September 5, 2022) Viking river cruises have posted an advisory from Danube River cruises that ship swapping may occur. When we arrived ************* to get our boarding pass, we were told that viking booked our tickets but did not pay for the tickets. In November 2020, we rebooked, the Cities of Antiquity and Holy Land Cruise, scheduled for Nov-Dec 2022, paying the additional fare. I was never informed that the vaccine would be required to sail and that our money would not be eligible for a refund. On April 7, Virgin Voyages updated its advisory that all regular Scarlet Lady cruises are canceled through September 17, 2021. Crystal River Cruises has canceled its four remaining Crystal Ravel sailings this December. On the other end, river boats are built with a shallow draft of about six feet deep to avoid hitting the river bottom. Sure we were free but that's no excuse. 23. Just got order from Doctor to cancel due to sudden onset of autoimmune kidney disease. Telling us that a voucher has no cash value is a shoddy business practice at best. Business Section was crowded 8 units wide while first class just in front #1. . All other passages from ******* for the same Antarctica cruise with Viking Octantis got their boarding passes with no problem. Viking Celebrates Start Of Inaugural Season In North America's Great Lakes Read More May 17, 2022 Newest Ocean Ship In Viking's Award-Winning Fleet Named By The Countess Of Carnarvon Of Highclere Castle Read More May 12, 2022 Viking Takes Delivery of Newest Ocean Ship Read More April 25, 2022 This is an awful company to deal with. I contacted Viking and was told the vouchers were not refundable because we had not cancelled at least 2 weeks prior to departure. This was not the case. ST PAUL, Minn. There's been a lot of fanfare surrounding America's Great River cruise operated by Viking Cruises. We have one ship starting in Amsterdam and one ship starting in BaselIf they cannot pass Kaub [the critically low water point on the Rhine], then [the passengers] all disembark on either side," he explained. Why didn't Viking pay to dock? Just realized that the cruise booked was from Antwerp to Amsterdam. Viking Cruises has cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. Fraud and deception! We were issued the vouchers that had an expiration date October 2022. 488 total complaints in the last 3 years. These hotels are Marriott and hilton properties that have such rooms. It was not a condition of completing this trip. I specifically mentioned this scenario when I used the voucher and we were told as long as it was 120 days before departure we could rebook using our voucher. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. After many failed conversations with Viking Cruise customer service reps to obtain reassurance that we will automatically receive a refund when our cruise vouchers expire on 2/18/23, two years after the email from Viking dated 2/17/21 notifying us that our second cruise was cancelled. Cruises beginning in 2009, this is not the first error and being loyal They refuse. When Viking informed me that the alternative flight was booked, I was not told that I had to pay the tickets myself in order to obtain the boarding pass. Plus Ups are excluded. Sandi. Booking 6819824. The 766-mile Rhine is one of Europe's most important trade routes, with container ships plying their way around its looping bends. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. Mind you, my cruise cost over $27,000. This would mean that river cruise lines could face severe disruptions . We appreciate you sharing your experience, Trevor, although we regret to hear of your disappointment. Anyone can write a Trustpilot review. By doing investigation on this subject and timeline of events revealed that we are not alone in this situation. My husband surprised me with the explorer suite,the room was beautiful,the balcony was amazing. Due to Covid pandemic our cruise got cancelled. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. Because of COVID, we had to cancel the cruise, and received a voucher from Viking. By March 2020 Viking announced cancellations due to covid, with an additional 25% for a future booking. But this is one American that will never sail with this awful company ever again. passengers asked if ports on the new itinerary may close and if there's a chance the cruise could be canceled while underway. was 4 units wide . Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link, 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. It was too windy and not safe so decided not to try to use their tender. We paid some #10,000 for premium air. We were given misinformation by their employee, to which their supervisor stated that verbal statements do not count. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. It will take of the expiring vouchers and the booking can be changed with no problem whatsoever once a schedule for 2024 becomes available. In the end, you will have a fantastic vacation and you will get a future cruise credit according to what you miss., He added: Its better than canceling and sitting at home and not doing anything.. 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. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. 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. The first example of river distress is the Po River in Northern Italy. Information provided by various external sources. The ship can welcome up to 386 passengers, and. I was told I would have to pay full retail fare in addition to what had already Viking made an error and owes me reimbursement for charges made on February 1. Well guide you through the process. You can see why people are worried. Had a planned eastern European river cruise starting mid-October for over a year. Here's our experience with the Viking cancellation policy. The only problem was it WAS VERY NOISY, couldnt get a full night sleep due the engine and the bed shaking.We will go back to the other suites.The staff was great! Heres what you need to know about water levels on Europe rivers and what to expect if youre booked on a river cruise or considering booking one. On February 1, the shore excursion booking system opened up for the ocean segment of my trip. In this case, you will receive a full refund of your cruise fare. There are critical points, like the one on the Rhine River, right in the Rhine Gorge, Schreiner explained. I have contacted Watcdog BBC who are interested. After a further communication with Viking, the second answer was because the flights were on a promotion deal, any delay or cancellation was not covered by Viking. The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship, A beginners guide to picking a cruise line, The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship, A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines, 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly, 12 best cruises for people who never want to grow up, The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. He will call us immediately - he said. It was our first river cruise it was 23 days Bucharest to Amsterdam with Viking . These levels can swing widely both up and down. Cannot recommend whatsoever - there are better cruise lines who deliver & care about providing a decent level of customer experience - avoid them if you can. My bag didn't make it. The cruise was cancelled due the pandemic ($11,367.50) Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% We said yes. This allowed Viking to retain the majority of our payment since We booked a cruise in 2019 to sail early in 2020. Like most cruise lines, Viking canceled all of its sailings during the pandemic. It goes against our guidelines to offer incentives for reviews. We use dedicated people and clever technology to safeguard our platform. Applies primarily to to bookings with the following content. Submitting a response indicates a willingness to work with customers to make things right. Note that complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Feb 1, 2023. The sailings. We have spent $25,000.00 including air far which we are also going to lose if not used by 12/31/2023. We then Our Viking cruise embarkation was delayed by 2 days, shortening our trip from 12 to 10 days. service we should have received at least a partial refund . If the whole itinerary is changed, youll get to sail the new itinerary and receive a 100% future cruise credit to book another cruise. . We were given the option of a voucher or cash On 10/12 as our plane was taxiing for departure, my husband suffered a medical emergency. The problem with river cruises is that they are affected by both high and low water levels. Unfortunately, my husband unexpectedly passed away last month. I am writing about booking number 7045921 sailed Jan.12 2023. The pandemic has not ended, and some sailings have been cancelled due to too many Covid-19 cases onboard. Published on May 21, 2021. On 12/20/20 Viking cancelled this cruise. Royal Caribbean International | Travel Requirements & Safety Protocols. I asked to speak to a manager and was told by the person I talked to I could not but she would speak with one. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. Check with your cruise line on current cruising conditions and what you can expect from them. At no point when we rebooked using our vouchers, were we told the vouchers were not covered under the insurance plan. Part refund, at least 25%. In the same cabin. We again purchased Vikings trip insurance through Trip Mate to cover the cost of the trip. Spoke to several people today, including a supervisor My husband and I were scheduled to leave for our Viking cruise around Spain on Jan. 11. Viking offered us to support the company and not get a refund if we accepted a voucher of 125% #7. Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher MVJ is locked for this specific cruise , and if you try to book the cruise (UK website) the first available Fjords cruise in now April 2022. Multiple tests were run, including a Covid test, which came back positive. This insurance company is worthless and doesn't live up to the stated reimbursements as advertised in its' brochure. Weve taken note of your feedback and while we understand you have already been in contact with our team, if you'd like discuss this matter further we welcome you to email TellUs@vikingcruises.com with your booking information. A place on the excursion I tried to book. We were informed by the booking person at Viking that we could change the date as necessary for as long of period of time, even years down the road. Experts are saying that the current drought in Europe could be the worst in 500 years, with water levels dropping, especially along the Rhine River. 140 complaints closed in the last 12 months. Review for Viking Osiris to Middle East Swirling Kilt 2-5 Cruises Age 60s Read More Sail Date: December 2022 Cabin Type: Suite with Veranda Helpful Christmas on the Mississippi Review for. Outside of the current welcome bonus, youre only earning higher rewards on specific airfare and hotel purchases, so its not a great card for other spending categories. Viking already runs a number of river cruises. Not a problem for him at all. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called . Viking will not honor this request. They feature elegant Scandinavian design, spacious staterooms with large verandas, and both indoor and al . BBB is here to help. *Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business. Very disappointing. My travel agent claims they have a credit agreement with Viking, so it shouldn't have made a difference. We booked a river cruise (Danube) for March 2022. To go on the cruise people do not have to supply a negative covid test so you still go on the cruise in theory even if you have covid. They can go up, they can go down, rain can come in.. Its not an American company so they feel like they can treat Americans any way they want. Check here before booking an award fare. This is known as ship swapping. Viking has responded to his passing by cancelling the nearly $9,000 I paid for my husbands share of the trip. We were treated like animals. Viking, which operates both ocean and river cruises, has canceled all 2022 departures from its Kyiv, Black Sea and Bucharest itinerary . The US gov has basically declared the "plandemic" over and all other mandates have been drop but Viking still won't change their policy. Viking is probably the most unsympathetic/unprofessional company I have ever experienced. See details. Ocean cruise ships usually have at least 25 feet or more or more of draft which would preclude them from river cruising. I am extremely disappointed that a once in a lifetime trip I have been looking forward to for two years is now marred before we even get on the ship. Winston Folkers. What does Viking do Nothing. We have rescheduled 2x as we refuse to get the Covid vaccine and Viking will not allow boarding if you are not 100% vaccinated. For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPGs cruise newsletter. SA. In some cases, an itinerary may be adjusted with certain destinations dropped and new ones added. Then when operations started again, we decided to book a cruise to sail November 2021 At the time we booked, vaccines were not a requirement. The Rhine River is more sensitive in terms of river flow because it lacks the dams that are on the Danube River. We accepted and paid an additional insurance premium. At this point we feel it's discrimination and want our money refunded. That trip was cancelled do to covid, and we were assured by Viking that everything was fine and we rebooked for Jan 2022. In times of high water, river boats can reduce their height by: Another aspect of river cruising is how much water does the ship draft? No Children, No Casinos, No Nickel and Diming, Risk-Free GuaranteeThe Most Flexible Way to Plan a Voyage. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. As a result, river levels are falling to critical levels. We are cancelling our river cruise due to viking's heavy handed covid vaccine requirement. Their luggage has been moved over automatically so by the time they arrive on the ship they have their luggage, and then they sail on the other ship back to the destination.. Enrollment required. We are told now that change is not possible at all because vouchers have expired. After checking cancellation conditions online which indicates $200 up to a certain date I booked a river cruise for 2024 the deposit was $2000pp. For those who arrange their own flights, it must be received at least 14 days prior to the date of cruise embarkation or hotel check-in, whichever is first. Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the authors alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. We look forward to exploring the world with you, whenever and wherever you choose to sail with us. Due to my cancellations, Viking held onto $8,000 of my Funds for about two years. #6339759. For the cabin on the cruise, we indicated separate beds for their cabin. Global warming is indeed having an effect on European rivers. They have no intentions of giving my money back .Do I not have any rights? We booked a river cruise from Istanbul to Venice. Travel Codex is owned by Travel Codex, LLC. On the next British Airways flight from London to Philadelphia, The 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. We booked a 14 day cruise with extra days upon arrival in ****** and departure in **** in ****. A drinks package at the original cost, when I first tried to book it. Is it cheaper to stay out in the bay and use your own tender? Thanks for reaching out, M Mulmech., although we regret to learn of your disappointment with your hotel arrangements. I am truly an "out-of-the-box" traveler which has enriched my travel experiences. On November 26, 2021 when speaking with VRC representative we were informed that out ********* is in the form of a voucher and has no cash value and cannot be refunded. For more than 15 years we have helped nearly 50000 customers resolve their issues and will never stop striving to ensure further improvements on our platform for a better communication between companies and customers. The Rhine River is the main artery for German and Swiss transportation and also French, said Schreiner. One thing Amawaterways and many other river lines do is run two ships simultaneously on the same one-way itinerary, with one ship starting at one end and the other on the opposite end. My husband and I booked with Viking in December 2019 for the Rhine Getaway Cruise for December 2020. We were told that since we used vouchers we were not eligible for a refund per policy. 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. We later booked a future cruise and then learned of the medical requirement which we are advised may be harmful to us because of pre-existing heart conditions. I am going to seek legal advice to, but this ridiculous policy has added hugely to my grieving. The cruise lines plan their itineraries to mitigate this risk. 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. Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher A sales representative ******. Not impressed and wi never book another trip with this company. We paid for Travel Protection The first five miles of headwaters have completely dried up. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. One of the most popular rivers, the Rhine has river levels falling fast.

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