For river cruises, tipping recommendations vary depending on your location. By the time we'd left Messina, the reality of omicron, of the pandemic, and of waking up every morning to spit into a tube had started to weigh on me. We'll send you a weekly newsletter to your inbox. That said, I still want to believe, with the help of a good insurance policy, that Viking will pull through. Given the circumstances, using a knowledgeableagent is essential. Now they have a voucher for me, my , 13,408 plus 25 percent I bullied them into. You wont have much of a view, but youll still get the 24/7 room service, and if youre feeling claustrophobic, you can always head to a different part of the ship. We decided to wait. Viking estimates that their amenities are worth about $200, per guest, per day. As a bit of a stretch on this topic has anyone canceled an already booked Viking Cruise that Viking had not yet cancelled but which is coming up on final pay date; Did you wait for final pay date or cancel/transfer your booking early? If youve got money to burn, you wont be disappointed by the premium suites on a Viking cruise. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Service or handling fee and cancellation insurance are not refunded. Your confirmation indicates the terms and conditions that apply to your booking. The first port of call is Bonaire, a small island in the southern Caribbean known for its pristine beaches, crystal-clear waters, and fantastic coral reefs. On a Viking cruise, diners can visit any restaurant without incurring any additional charge. The FFS#6 promises to be one of the most exciting cruises of 2024. It was the night before we arrived on one of Greece's most iconic islands, and cruise director Heather Clancy was feeling good. When I was in Dubaifor work and then a week of play, unexpectedly , I had so much fun! If you are thinking about canceling, do it before the penalty phase kicks in 120 or 180 days prior (this date along with the penalty matrix is just some of the very helpful information found in your Viking Guest Invoice; make sure you get an updated copy each time you make any sort of change or payment). WHEN THE PAX CANCELS OR CHOOSES TO RE-BOOK (WHICH VIKING CONSIDERS A CANCELLATION): If you are more than 121 days out from Day 1 of your package, you can cancel your vacation with just a $100pp. Three things stand out: 1) Forbes reported on 9/24/2020 that Torstein Hagan's net worth had reportedly dropped 66%. Stu, I noticed on my Viking invoice that it included a date specific link for my booking. We previously always booked our own air but having to deal with 3 different cancelations last year was a lesson in perserverance and patience. Right now, I'm with Dee. Viking Line advises the traveler to get a travel insurance that includes cancellation protection in the event of illness or accident. 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. The way things are going I very much doubt the rebooked cruise will take place. At least once during your sailing, the ship will offer behind-the-scenes tours of the bridge, where the captain and crew manage the direction and speed of the ship, and the galley, the kitchen, a Viking representative says. We got a flight (economy class) eventually, but we had to do it ourselves. Co-hosts address her absence. OxnPPYeC% I now have all the original remaining voucher value to use for excursions, "gratuities", beverage package, etc. John Heald, Brand Ambassador of Carnival Cruise Line, has announced the details for the next For Funs Sake (FFS) Cruise. And if you enjoy your experience at one of those premium restaurants, feel free to head back later in the trip at The Chefs Table, the menu changes every three days. We "lost" out the first rebook and got lots back the second rebook. Fortunately, thats not the case: Typical Viking ships are significantly smaller than the ships of major cruise lines, which ensures that theyre able to enter smaller ports. Started June 21, 2021, By The Viking Living Room aboard the 'Viking Venus,' decorated for Christmas 2021. Route trips outbound and homebound. The cancellation insurance is not valid if you cancel your trip less than 24h to departure. Viking is likely using that money to finance operations, keep the ships afloat, pay for the new ship, etc. It was always easy to find an uncrowded spot outdoors on deck and also in public spaces like the Viking Living Room, a center-of-the-ship lounge which became my favorite spot to people watch in the evenings, as guests roamed to and from dinner and entertainment venues like Torshavn, the late-night jazz club-slash-cabaret with triple-digit pours of Armagnac and a strict no-dancing policy. For example, you have to buy the cruise froma cruise travel agent. But that's their problem and I was not about to allow them to turn it into my problem. Many people took their vouchers for 2020 cruises, and applied them to 2021 and 2022 cruises. Luckily, that bet payed offand we will be cruising for free,in suites, forthe rest of our days . An easy approach is to sign up for the Viking Weekly, an online newsletter with recommendations, itinerary spotlights, videos, and more. Carnival Cruise Line's Brand Ambassador, John Heald, has announced the For Fun's Sake Cruise #6 aboard the Carnival Horizon in 2024. CRUISE HIVE LTD 2008-2023. LauraS I have a cruise booked for summer 2021 that is essentially a rebooking of the same cruise we had planned for summer 2020. Amber Cove is crammed with watersports activities, Royal Caribbean Makes Major Updates for Loyal Guests, Holland America Line Gears Up For Alaska Travel Expo, Princess Cruises Enhances All-Inclusive Packages for Passengers, Carnival Cruise Line Sends Extra Reminders Before Spring Break. Is that worth it? Jun 03, 2020 at 4:02 pm. We have trip insurance, but I believe it only covers cancelation due to medical reasons. This guarantee is combinable with all other Viking offers available. We held off canceling, paid off all three cruises as well as booked shore excursions and Silver Spirits in anticipation of Viking cancelling. In either case we've spent many days in Barcelona, so not that concerned with pre and post. ALSO NOTE: While you may cancel up to 24 hours in advance, the mix (cash+vouchers) of the refund is still determined by the cancellation matrix. 0000024349 00000 n Isnt it funny. If youre an active person (or if youre planning to adopt a slightly more active lifestyle during a two- or three-week cruise), a less expensive stateroom could save you a tremendous amount of money. 0000618755 00000 n duquephart, October 14, 2020 in Viking Ocean. Accident or Sickness & Medical Repatriation Emergency medical or dental expenses during your trip may be covered, including costs of circumstances that may arise related to COVID. While cruise deposits historically were refundable as long as they were canceled before final payment was due, more cruise lines have begun to offer nonrefundable deposit options. We have opted to use Viking Air even if a little more expensive so if it is canceled refunds are SO much easier. Maybe someone else will be able to shed some light. Does anyone know Vikings refund policy on river cruises? Find out whats happening, then plan your itinerary appropriately. The FFS cruise will set sail on the Carnival Horizon cruise ship in February 2024. AmaWaterways does include it [along, of course, with Keukenhof]. These events include cocktail parties, breakfasts, question-and-answer sessions, tea times, karaoke nights, and more. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Modified Date: Feb 28, 2023. If we had canceled, it would have been a $250 change fee. Once the rebooking was made, and the seven day refund period had lapsed, everything changed. Please forgive me if this is already covered elsewhere. The Viking Art Guide (available for free in the App Store and Google Play) offers a self-guided audio tour of the artwork throughout the public spaces of the [ocean] ships, with insightful commentary from your host, Vikings Senior Vice President Karine Hagen, as well as a variety of curators and experts, our source says. Viking refund policy is the same for Oceans, River and Expeditions. Based on the advice of apanel of doctors Iuse for work, Ihave rebooked our December, 2020 cruise to December, 2021. I'm glad, Dozens die daily waiting for donor organs. Our travel service can transfer the balance. I hope you get to go. %PDF-1.4 % Before I'd had the chance to get breakfast, Clancy made the disappointing announcement that "there is no clearance for guests to go ashore," attributing the decision to "local health authorities here in Malta" and the spread of the omicron variant on the island. `)Y We have a river cruise, Tulips and Windmills, on Viking in April. 0000005059 00000 n We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports. I believe many airlines are waiving change fees at this time. We are thinking of cancelling the trip. Another essential download is the Viking Voyager app, which lets you see daily events, plan your cruise program, and book shore excursions, spa appointments, and dinner reservations. Of course, the ships features might not matter if the routes were boring. How have you all dealt with plane tickets for canceled cruises? 0000005940 00000 n Over the years I have spent over 60,000 on viking for travel, and look what they do. No deductions are made of boats, those will be returned to your boat balance once you have made your refund application. If things go wonky better to let Viking Air deal with it. Would our only option be another voucher? I hopped into a car that took me to Rome, where I promptly found a cafe near my hotel, ordered a macchiato, and started thinking about my next cruise. Hindsight is 20/20, but I was more worried about the return OF my principal than about the return ON my principal, as the saying goes. The final port of call is Amber Cove. They and we are in uncharted waters. Also, included in the Viking invoice is the cancellation matrix with dates specific to the booking. Hard to bail if all you have is vouchers. If youre planning on drinking regularly no judgments here, were talking about a vacation there are a couple of ways to keep your budget in check. Unclear. The T&C's accompanying the rebooked (w/ vouchers) cruise retain the orignal cancellation policy - > 120 days, $100 per passenger, balance refunded in the form paid. Planning in advance should help you avoid a costly mistake (or embarrassing faux pas). Very easy to use. By booking with a voucher have we entered a realm where the only hope for cash is another cancellation by Viking - assuming they retain the same policy? By As a private resort destination for Carnival, Amber Cove is crammed with watersports activities, dining opportunities, shopping, shore excursions, and fun attractions. Given the luxurious nature of the Viking vessels, its easy to understand why a traveler would want to stay on the boat. During each port of call, guests can explore the destinations with a short walk from their ships dock. For instance, the Easy package now costs 273, or $322, for a cruise . Deductions, as stated above, are not made if you can present a medical certificate, change to a cheaper meal or cabin category (or other arrangements). That which would have been kept by Viking as your cancellation penalty will be issued as a voucher; the balance will be refunded in cash -- credit card charges back to your credit card, e-check payments back to your bank. Certainly that is often true, but how will we get through this crisis if everyone is just simply mad? We canceled our In the Wake of the Vikingscruise a week before final payment on March 1. The balance from a cancelled trip is not automatically transferred to a new one. Known initially as Bloggers Cruises, the FFS cruises were created to bring together John Healds blog followers and give them a chance to cruise together and have fun. Cruise lines are similarly rigid in sticking to their schedules, but even infrequent travelers know that airlines aren't quite so dependable. We are thinking of cancelling the trip. The deli, named in her honor, serves cuisine inspired by her kitchen, from sweet rolls with cloudberry jam, salmon gravlax, open-faced sandwiches to her heart-shaped waffles served with jam or gjetost and Norwegian brown goat cheese.. Viking River Cruises offer a 3.3 percent discount for travelers who pay via e-check, so if youre looking for a way to reduce your expenses, thats a great place to start. And not to hammer home the point, but Viking cruises are truly luxurious. That's the best approach. The Risk-Free Guarantee allows guests to change their cruise date up until 24 hours before their planned departureand Viking will waive any fees. A significant number of occupied cabins won't produce any new revenue. Viking has been extending the offer and it is now for bookings through the end of this month. Brian Thomas is a professional writer with over 15 years of experience. Upon arrival, the crew announced that Italian health authorities requested everyone aboard take a rapid antigen test before anyone could go ashore, according to the Viking crew. 0000019696 00000 n The realities of cruising amid sudden COVID-19 surges. If youre on an ocean cruise, you can actually take a tour of the bridge and galley, but youll need to act quickly in order to get a spot. (confession: I did not know what to expect - would I be kidnapped?). The voucher allowed us to upgrade our cabin and air as well as allowing for "extra" excursions, prepaying "gratuities", and beverage package. Thats our date. Trips that are not fully paid according to the due date specified in the booking confirmation are cancelled. Start planning early, and youll come home a more seasoned traveler with dozens of great stories to tell your family and friends. Europe's Danube River is a frequent route for Viking River Cruises. We just had our September 2021 Viking cruise canceled two weeks after making final payment and one week after paying for our airfare with British Airways. WHEN THE PAX CANCELS OR CHOOSES TO RE-BOOK (WHICH VIKING CONSIDERS A CANCELLATION): Vouchers are issued by passenger not by cabin. Best case is that Viking cancels all those SA cruises, but likely well after finalpayment. If youre taking a river cruise, do a bit of research on the cities youll be visiting. Prices vary depending on the length of the cruise, but for around $19.95 per night per guest, youll never have to worry about what youre spending. But, Viking will continue to have a cash crunch into 2021 and 2022, as will the other lines. On the cruise, guests can attend various events and activities hosted by John Heald himself. Remember, Viking cruises provide pretty much everything you need for a great vacation. The most obvious: Pay for the Silver Spirits beverage package, which offers unlimited beers, cocktails, premium wines, juices, espresso drinks, and mineral water for the entire cruise. Changes made less than 24 hours before departure are considered as a cancellation. Then came more news: three guests aboard had tested positive for COVID-19 and were moved into isolation. If that doesnt sound like a great value (or if youre not planning on paying for enough beverages to justify the surcharge), theres another option. 62 0 obj <> endobj xref These are limited capacity and can only be booked once onboard, so talk to the guest services team once you arrive and watch your Viking Daily newsletter to make sure you can secure your spot.. Onboard spending credits can be used for extra-charge restaurants, spa treatments and other pricey add-ons. 0000004508 00000 n I don't know if Viking is included it in their shore excursions. Veranda suites are smaller (275 square feet), but feature large private bathrooms, climate controls, 40-inch flat-panel TVs, and various other amenities. 0000585278 00000 n Hes traveled extensively during that time, frequently touring the American Southwest as both a musician and a tourist. I can assure you that if I opt for a full refund I will get one. The vessel will then sail to La Romana in the Dominican Republic. CC Help Jenn The FFS#6 is an eight-day cruise that will take guests to some of the most beautiful and exciting destinations in the Caribbean, including Bonaire, Aruba, La Romana, and Amber Cove. The FFS#6 promises to be one of the most exciting cruises of 2024. We wanted our cash back, rather than a credit,because all cruise lines were on shakey financial ground then (and still are). 100% of Full Fare. Twitchly, May 7, 2021 in Viking Ocean. My wife and I are booked on Jupiter for late next February. No. Ocean cruises have similar options, though exact room sizes and features will vary. I have my heart set on being at the Dubai World Fair in Dec 2021. The current invoice shows the amount paid as "voucher discount." That doesnt necessarily make them a great value. Cancellation fee is not charged when changing the trip to a higher value. Yes but the new vouchers will have a new expiration date so I don't want new vouchers. Drawing its name from the capital of the Faroe Islands, Torshavn is a lively music venue inspired by the romantic jazz lounges of 1940s Hollywood, and its an ideal spot for pre-dinner drinks and after-dinner entertainment, a Viking representative tells us. tX/a(c`:'z}c l~&9p!Dfe9 Nothing. Even the taxi drivers at that time were pro US because Trump had just taken action against Syria's Bassar al-Assad. .All funds were returned,except what we paid Viking for trip insurance. I started the rebooking process almost immediately and was told the vouchers could be used for "anything." @Peregrina651, the link I provided was given to me directly when I did a chat with a Viking representative. 0000585952 00000 n When the 23 WC was posted, we again moved from the B2B to the WC. Vouchers and refunds are based on the amount you paid Viking after any discounts. (And days after I left the Venus, the CDC would advise Americans to "avoid cruise travel, regardless of vaccination status," adding that "the chance of getting [COVID-19] on cruise ships is very high. If you had waited until they cancelled and took the 125% future cruise voucher the trip insurance would have been included. As a result, Viking Cruises offer incredible itineraries with unmatched onboard amenities. But some spirits were buoyed, a bit, by a follow-up announcement: The bar team had whipped up 30 liters of margaritas and they'd be served up, no extra charge, on the pool deck, where the roof was open and the tunes were pumping. In fact, it was originally issued as a 125% voucher; if I don't spend it on another cruise, I will only get $4000 cash back from Viking when I apply for a refund after it has expired two years from the date of issue (that is spelled out on the voucher). And a few days in Barcelona pre. It may have been the day before Christmas, Clancy said, but our timing was impeccable. Baggage & Personal Items BAwas very accommodating. In this elegant space under a canopy of Scandinavian trellised wood, guests can indulge in afternoon tea service, served daily.. CC Help Jenn The bedroom and walk-in closet of an Explorer Suite aboard the 'Viking Venus.'. Risk-Free Guarantee: How it Works. When booking your cruise, youll have an easier time finding staterooms during certain months of the year. It serves little purpose in this crazy world. However, Viking offers a few apps to make your cruise more enjoyable, and if you dont install them, youll miss out. Viking Cruises' Risk-Free Guarantee Policy NEW [Temporary] Policy: . Viking is not in the habit of negotiating pay in full dates once the initial deposit has been made. 0000659010 00000 n CC Help Jenn We had a final payment on a river cruise due in March. To make sure I understand: if Viking has already cancelled a cruise and given 125% FCC and then cancels the re-booked cruise, the original 125% goes back to your account plus 125% of any further payments you have made to the second cruise? Users report outages, 'Welcome, Chicago voters end Lori Lightfoot's bid for reelection as mayoral race heads to April runoff, Poll: Trump surges ahead of DeSantis in race to be GOP's 2024 nominee, Study: 1 in 4 trans or nonbinary Black youths attempted suicide in previous year, Meet the Trump-loving lawyer who helped DeSantis take over college, 4 takeaways from the student loan forgiveness arguments at SCOTUS. IF if is Viking doing the canceling and if you accept the 125% FCC voucher. 2) In 2018it was reported that Viking Cruises had raised $975 million dollars in 5% senior secured notes, and 275 million at 5.875%. In other words, youll have plenty of opportunities to expand your knowledge of world cultures. 0000562812 00000 n Maybe they'll just deploy her to the Caribbean or Med in the winter months. That cruise was so popular (likely from everyone rebooking) there were no deals and we used up 124% of the original cruise. (final payment date on Dec 2, 2020). We took the 125 % voucher and applied it to the same cruise in summer 2021. Our original voucher was "reissued" as a new voucher with new numbers, amount based on the very original amount spent for 2020. 0000003926 00000 n Updates. Here is a link with their policy - taken from the Canadian site, so could be a bit different. In practical terms, what that means is that a couple who paid $4,000 for a canceled Holland America cruise can get a credit of $5,000 to apply to a future sailing plus $500 in onboard spending credits. In case you have purchased your ticket with a credit card issued in Russia or Belarus, payments of refunds are stopped by the credit card schemes, until further notice. On the morning of Dec. 26, we arrived as scheduled in Valletta, Malta, docking within view of the gorgeous old city. I will be 72 by then and while I was planning a trip since september, 2018, my husband passed away, I changed the trip. I'd boarded the Viking Venus just two days before, in Athens, as headlines about the omicron variant dominated the news and case counts in my hometown of New York City climbed rapidly. booked the Med Odyssey for 9/28/22. 0000005975 00000 n Our Viking Health & Safety Program is the same across our fleet of ocean and river vessels. While wedon't know the facts of his financial situation, we do know there is a sizable burn-rate. The details depend on the country where you booked the cruise. What about re-booking for April 2022? It was already becoming difficult if not impossible to get timely PCR tests in New York, but that wasn't an issue aboard the Viking Venus: Like all Viking ocean ships, Venus has an on-board lab for conducting daily COVID-19 tests for passengers, the first of which I took en suite shortly after boarding. Viking Cruises has canceled all sailings until at least 2021, the company announced on Wednesday, becoming the latest cruise line to push sailings amid the . The cruise will start in Miami, Florida, where guests will embark on February 17, 2024. Located in the eastern Caribbean, this private 30-acre retreat is exclusively offered as a port of call to cruisers from Carnival and its sister companies. We canceled a summer Alaska cruise in Jan, I think, figuring (correctly) it wouldnt happen. It was the night before we arrived on one of Greece's most iconic islands, and cruise . Second, other markets --AU, NZ, UK, etc-- have different rules. Every single taxi driver talked about Expo 2020 with such pride. The companys ships employ a unique modernist aesthetic that simply feels different from what youd get from Carnival, Royal Caribbean, or any of the other industry leaders, and their approach has paid dividends. Have to wait it out. TRAVEL + LEISURE is a registered trademark of Travel + Leisure Co., registered in the United States and other countries. Are we enabling white nationalism by staying on Twitter? We all just have to be patient! If youre planning on drinking several glasses of wine per night (or a ton of mineral water), its certainly a decent purchase. Guests sailing the rivers in December can experience the traditional European Christmas markets and see the cities in a new way while enjoying local holiday treats and hot mulled wine, our source notes. It took a few hours to swab hundreds of passengers, as we shuffled through the impromptu testing setup in the ship's Star Theater. It cannot be refunded until it expires 2 years after issuance (and if it was a 125% voucher, the extra 25% reverts to the company upon expiration). Odyssey trip in Sept. 2022! 89-60. Which date are you going? Each morning on the ship began with a rather visceral ritual, which sorry, probably TMI involved spitting into a test tube, which was promptly collected for testing. By means of several inquiries to Viking Social (Tellus@VikingCruises.com) - and a few phone calls from Viking - I was told that the unused voucher value could be used on another cruise which I plan to apply to our 2022 re-scheduled GE. Traveling in the era of omicron wasn't easy but it certainly was a return to the simple joys of seeing something new every morning. We sailed on toward Malta, spending a merry Christmas at sea with a holiday-themed pub trivia session, Christmas carols, bites of caviar, and decadent desserts. Implied, I think. If youve cruised before, you know that Viking cruises arewell, expensive. 0000550588 00000 n Change of reservation means a change of date, route, number of passengers, car parking etc. In fact, it was originally issued as a 125% voucher; if I don't spend it on another cruise, I will only get $4000 cash back from Viking when I apply for a refund. We rebooked for July 2021. I expect that it will continue to be extended month by month for the next few months at least: That is why Viking is offering a limited-time offerthe most flexible of any cruise lineso that you can plan your voyage with peace of mind. Ocean cruisers wont want to miss out on Torshavn. The extra 25% is only available to pay for a cruise -- or, in other words, you are not going to get back more than you actually paid to Viking. You can try but it is a long shot. I'm not predicting anything, and I don't have any inside info. When inclement weather or other delays strand you in. 0000550657 00000 n Photo Courtesy: Nassau Cruise Port. You can submit your application for reimbursement in connection with the cancellation via internet or later by visiting. We had three cruises booked as pandemic was happening. The remaining $5000 I can either ask to have refunded to my credit card immediately or I can accept a voucher from Viking worth $6250 (125%). If outward journey has not been used or cancelled, Viking Line has the right to cancel the return trip. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. 0000014758 00000 n Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Photo: Courtesy of Paul Brady. Thank you Peregrina this is very clear and will be very helpful. 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. Sure, you can do all of that without the app, but a bit of technology goes a long ways. Sometimes you win and sometimes you lose. Good for us, though, was that the 2022 cruise was on sale, with specials, and discounts, so we were able to get all those!

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