Viking also offers a 14-night itinerary that includes several stops in the northernmost part of the country above the Arctic Circle. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. "England's Scenic Shores" itinerary will set sail from Portsmouth on May 22, May 29, and . There are 80 river ships in Viking's fleet an astounding number. Related: The complete guide to Viking cabins and suites. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. 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. he was given 60 days to accept or decline the offer. On March 23, Costa Cruises announced it would utlize the laid-up Costa Magica (soon to transfer to Carnival Cruise Line) to house those fleeing the conflict, while AmaWaterways has made an out-of-service river cruise ship docked in Amsterdam available to refugees arriving into the Netherlands from Ukraine. The Centers for Disease Control Prevention Vessel Sanitation Program (CDC-VSP) reported that 118 passengers and crew on a recent voyage of the Viking Cruises . A first for an expedition ship, its something that is significantly improving the experience for passengers heading out on Antarctica exploration. Viking recently added two new, 378-passenger expedition cruise vessels specifically built to travel to the White Continent. This photo was taken by passenger Tom Travato outside the windows of the Viking Mississippi cruise ship on October 4. Do I have to follow them to get in the dining room? Similarly, Viking Cruises canceled all 2022 departures on its Kyiv, Black Sea, and Bucharest itinerary. How do I even get started picking a cruise? 'Cruising The Italian Lakes' we are training it from Edinburgh to Lake Como to avoid the chaos in the sky's. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. NEW! It's also a classic cruise itinerary. Carnival Corp. includes includes Carnival, Seabourn, Holland America Line, Princess, P&O Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises Australia, AIDA and Costa. However, youll find Vikings seven ocean ships everywhere from North America to Asia and Australia. Right now there are flights being cancelled daily (read some of the posts on the Air Travel forum) , largely due to staff shortages. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. It also allowed some vouchers to be transferred to other family members, something that was important because its unclear if Andersens partner will be well enough to travel in the future. Scenic. Meanwhile, Scenic Group, the parent company of Scenic Luxury Cruises & Tours and Emerald Cruises, confirmed it had cancelled all 2022 Russia river cruises. Published on March 17, 2021. In another first for polar expedition cruise vessels, every cabin on both Viking Octantis and Viking Polaris has floor-to-ceiling glass walls that slide partially open from the top to create a balcony-like feel. 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 March 15, Norwegian Cruise Line canceled the majority of Baltic cruises scheduled aboard Norwegian Getaway, affecting sailings from June 14 to October 9, 2022. Bookings with more than 30 persons Conference bookings made by Customers Service and Sales Department Bookings paid by invoice by companies Companies with annual agreements Bookings with more than 5 hotel rooms The specific conditions that apply to your booking can be found in your . This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. All rights reserved (About Us). He was willing to take the trip alone. We wasted 1/2 hour of valuable time waiting in line for a cancelled flight. The Viking Mississippi can hold up to 386 guests and was built in 2022, according to the companys website. The cruise lines terms and conditions raised some red flags, he said. Sorry to hear - hopefully you are now recovering at home?? Though part of the United Kingdom, these archipelagos have ties to Norwegian and Viking history. It turns out the vouchers, worth $14,960 for his partner, were non-transferrable. Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for . Passengers wait to board the luxury cruise ship Viking Mississippi, berthed at Lambert's Landing in St. Paul, on Saturday, Sept. 17, 2022. These are all the cruise vessels. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Trovato said about 300 passengers were on board and those that he talked to all had a good attitude about the situation. Guests and their travel agents on impacted departures have been notified directly by Viking Guest Services. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113577067', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise lines, the flights they include for free or at a reduced price will likely not be the most convenient or with the fewest legs. MSC said it has been in touch with alternative ports such as Stockholm, Helsinki and Tallinn, and will communicate itinerary changes to travel advisors and customers as soon as possible. 3 The line shared the . 2. We were both assigned Economy Class seats. 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. When no one came for us, I asked a driver who arrived at 6:00 to please take us so we didn't miss our flight. Viking Air should have arranged our transfer to the airport for no later than 4:00am since we are international passengers. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. All sailings booked by January 31, 2022, scheduled to depart by April 30, 2022, are included in the Cruise With Confidence program. Then there is Viking, which is a black hole for any money given them. They are for UK residents only. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. Thats been pointed out to you above and despite the resultant stress your actual delay was thirty minutes (oh, dear, God) for a flight which was cancelled, and although you were not notified the rebooked flight was fifteen minutes later. Memphis has morning showers expected for one day. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. Buy some very good travel insurance to submit claims. The sailings. If you have any questions or need further information please contact Reservations at 1-877-523-0579 or email customerrelations@vikingcruises.com, Monday Friday, 6:00 AM 6:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM 4:00 PM, PT. According to the latest annual list produced by Norwegian financial magazine Kapital, Hagen has seen his personal wealth drop from $6.28 billion down to an estimated $2.1 billion in the space of a . We reviewed Andersens letters and emails to Viking, and we asked the company to review his complaint. 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. "We have over 500 Ukrainian crew onboard our ships today and understandably they are extremely concerned and anxious about their loved ones at home.". Viking Oceans Cancellation and Refund Policy. I am very surprised that you were not aware of this, as it is usually included in your flight info or when you receive a flight reminder the day before the flight. We should have been in the Sky Priority line with Premium seat assignments. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called . Viking has a particularly large footprint when it comes to European river itineraries, with a wide range of sailings on nearly every European river of any note, from the Douro in Portugal to (until recently) the Volga in Russia. over 30 years I have traveled most European Rivers and you always find the various company's will get you to your destination by the cheapest route be that making multiple transfers when you now you can get a direct flight and that is what I regularly do, be it costs me more money and more often than not a nights hotel both ways as well. Itineraries that will take you from Bergen to Iceland or even as far away as France, Portugal and Spain also are available. We mean extra charges, just for traveling as a single. (The company was founded by a Norwegian family.) Hurtigruten Expeditions: The line has one itinerary scheduled on MS Spitsbergen, which is due to call in at Murmansk, Arkhangelsk and the archipelago of Solovki in the White Sea. They book the one that are cheapest for them. Of course, it is up to a court to decide in the end, and as noted Viking might choose to settle rather than fight it out, but nothing can ever be guaranteed when it comes to legal action. What are the noisy locations to avoid on a cruise ship? Look at the flights to your destination online and see what you like BEFORE anything is booked. You may have well received the cancellation notice directly and been able to work out an alternate flight before you even reached the airport. Viking has cancelled all 2022 departures of its Russian river cruise itineraries and ceased all operations in the country for the remainder of the year. As a frequent traveller and Platinum Medallion client of SkyTeam (Delta, KLM etc.) Together, the two ships are already making waves in the market for Antarctica cruises, in part because they have several new and unusual features. Ill bet my next (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call in Russia in 2022, which will require modifications," according to a Viking statement. The company's Black Sea river voyages will not resume until the spring but are so far unaffected. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113594443', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airlines or transfer companies. Animals have been brought here to graze for around 2,000 years. Guests and travel agents on impacted departures are in the process of being notified. Published: Aug. 08, 2022, 9:30 a.m. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. What do you wish someone told you before your 1st cruise? 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. Viking River Cruises Confirms Itinerary Changes Viking River Cruises has canceled all 2022 departures from Kyiv and Bucharest, Romania. I was grateful I was arriving at my destination at least on the day promised. 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 ? 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. Our opinions are our own, and have not been reviewed, approved, or endorsed by our advertising partners. I don't think the suit is going to be as clear cut as the OP thinks. Explore six continents during 136. Viking River Cruises has canceled all 2022 departures from Kyiv and Bucharest, Romania. 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. 2023 Cable News Network. Guests and travel advisors with affected departures have been notified. First, tell us WHERE YOU LIVE if that info isn't in your profile! The high annual fee is only worth it if youre taking full advantage of the cards benefits. Vikings Scandinavia and Northern Europe trips range widely in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. None of its main competitors among river lines catering to North Americans, which include Avalon Waterways, Uniworld and AmaWaterways, have anywhere near that number of vessels. We booked a river cruise (Danube) for March 2022. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. It later came to an undisclosed agreement with the husband. 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. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. "Guests will enjoy these unique and rarely visited destinations and immersive shore excursions to take in the rich cultures and breathtaking vistas of the Baltic.". In the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Viking has canceled all Russia river sailings in 2022 and 2023. Know the flight rules--nowadays I arrive three hours in advance for domestic and four for international--if all goes well, great, I can sit in the airport and read, but if not, I have ample time to make adjustments. Over in Southeast Asia, a new river ship, Viking Saigon, will cruise the Mekong. Whilst Air Viking should have held your hand they are also not responsible for wiping your backside, you should have raised concerns rather than walking blindly into a situation which was easily avoidable. Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. For instance, a merciless heat wave baked Europe this past summer, and the continents fabled waterways fell to shockingly low levels. Richard Andersen stands in front of the Saqqara pyramid in Egypt. CA. The Rhine River is one of Europes most crucial trade routes and a wildly popular cruise itinerary replete with fairytale castles and stunning views. In addition to requiring all guests and crew be fully vaccinated before setting foot on board the 930-passenger Viking Sky, the cruise line implemented a robust contact tracing system, daily PCR. 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. The cruise line continues to operate its seven- and 10-night Rhine River sailings onboard Crystal Debussy through the end of the year. While we waited for a response, we did a little looking around. Much of the West is in some state of drought. "With the safety of our guests and crew always our top priority, we are removing St. Petersburg, Russia from upcoming itineraries, due to the current situation in Ukraine," a statement read. Earn 80,000 Membership Rewards points after you spend $6,000 on purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Whether Russia river cruises restart in 2024 will depend on how the situation in Ukraine unfolds over the coming months. Its most current report said almost 53% of the lower 48 US states are in a drought. Packages, even expensive ones, are not guaranteed anything, really. Among the lines voyages, there's everything from eight-day cruises in the Mediterranean to 138-day around-the-world voyages. A short time later, passengers were informed that the cruise was canceled, Trovato said. The company operates around 70 river ships on a broad swath of the continents rivers far more than any other river line catering to North Americans. Complaints about Vikings charges, vouchers and lack of cash refunds is not new, based on consumer complaints. Among ocean cruise destinations, Viking has a major presence in Scandinavia and Northern Europe, which it considers its home turf. 6. The cruise line said guests have been notified of the issue, though they did not provide details on how many passengers have been affected. 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. Sister-brand Regent Seven Seas Cruises will remove all its planned stops in Russia, which include the Solovetsky Islands, Arkhangelsk,Murmansk andSt. Petersburg, as well as Odessa, Ukraine. Schiphol and KLM both issue requirements that passengers arrive 3 to 4 hours before flight time. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. A few weeks ago I flew Scotland to Cairo via London. Overview River and small ship ocean cruises. As for my next trip in a few weeks? He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. NEVER BUY A VIKING CRUISE VOUCHER We will be sailing with a different cruise line and will not be back to Viking. The line confirmed the steps to TTG on Wednesday (2 March) and said it was "deeply opposed" to the . In 2021, the cruise line plans to launch their seventh ocean ship, Viking Venus. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. Enrollment required. We will be advising our guests and travel partners shortly as plans become finalized.". Atlas Ocean Voyages will skip St. Petersburg for alternative ports in Finland and Estonia this summer. 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. "We will not cancel any cruises," said Shreiner. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. Viking was advertising a 15-day trip in October from St. Paul to New Orleans starting . That allows for unusual variations on the typical Baltic Sea or Norwegian fjords cruise. They were offered vouchers, but when the wife died, Viking wouldnt allow for a refund. CNN Travel emailed Viking for confirmation of the ships location and other details, but Viking said Friday afternoon that it was still unable to provide further comment at this time. 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. And when the company is asked by the news media about individual cases, it seems to make some kind of concession but requires the passengers to sign a non-disclosure agreement, so the final resolutions are usually under wraps. Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line. It's a tough time to be flying, as anything can and may go wrong. (Enrollment required for select benefits.). We dont mean losing the money paid for the person who cant take the trip. General information will be listed below, with details of any affected departures. The Viking Mississippi isnt the only vessel facing problems on the United States premier river. Extreme weather has taken lives and messed up travel plans across the United State this summer and fall: Wildfires threatened Yosemite National Park; flash flooding crippled normally bone-dry Death Valley National Park; and Hurricane Ian impacted tourist sites in hard-hit Florida and the Carolinas. The latter adds travel on the Main and Danube rivers to days on the Rhine. Your personal data will be processed and information from your device (cookies, unique identifiers, and other device data) may be stored by, accessed by and shared with third party vendors, or used specifically by this site or app. "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. Today, 1/22/22 I contacted Viking Cruise lines about canceling a river cruise to France for this June, plenty of days before the cancellation date, and was told that I could not get ALL my money back. Discovery Company. The trips include voyages focused specifically on the Western Mediterranean or Eastern Mediterranean and some that include stops across both areas. Then COVID hit and the trip had to be delayed. Viking is, quite simply, the giant of river cruising in Europe at least among lines that cater to English speakers. 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. Improve earnings, maximize rewards and track progress toward dream trips. CNN Weather forecasts on Friday afternoon dont point to much relief in sight either in key cities along the river through October 15: No rain is expected in Minneapolis. Read full review of Viking River Cruises We are cancelling our river cruise due to viking's heavy handed covid vaccine requirement. Make sure your cell phone will work in different countries if you need to make calls. Our thoughts are with all who are impacted by this conflict.". Low water levels are impacting barge traffic on the Mississippi River during the harvest, a crucial time, NOAAs site said. Learn more. 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. 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. Final Thoughts Royal Caribbean International and Celebrity Cruises have canceled several trips as the Omicron variant continues to wreak havoc with the cruise . Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Your effort and contribution in providing this feedback is much On nearly all of the rivers, the line offers multiple itineraries with lengths ranging from seven nights to as many as 22 nights. The stops will vary, the company said, with five sailings that would have visited St. Petersburg instead calling on Baltic ports such as Riga, Latvia; Klaipeda, Lithuania; and Visby, Sweden. In Northern Europe, Viking ships mostly sail out of Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik. One thing that isn't clear to me is if you must use all of the voucher on a single cruise. #16. The line has canceled all 2022 departures for both its Ukraine and Russian river cruises. This page contains the most up to date information on conditions that may affect your itinerary. 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. As Sunny has said, that's why many people will book their own flights instead of dong their air thru the tour company or cruise line. Having previously booked air thru a (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. When necessary changes are made, Viking Guest Services will notify all impacted guests and their travel agents.. 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. We couldnt find anything either. A Viking River ship sails in Budapest. And an overnight stay will be added in Stockholm. Viking Ra and Osiris are scheduled to resume service in Egypt in August. American Express has expanded The Centurion Network to include 40+ Centurion Lounge and Studio locations worldwide. 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. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that. . In the Mediterranean, the lines main hubs are Barcelona; Civitavecchia (the port for Rome) and Venice, Italy; Piraeus (the port for Athens), Greece; and Istanbul. 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. We asked Viking to point out the language that required the additional charge, but it didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. Claire and Stanley Keyles planned a dream vacation for June 2020. Contact your Sales Agent or our Customer Service department online, via email, or by phone at 1-800-543-1915 and ask about potential opportunities for flexible cancellation policies, rebooking . We were given a schedule issued by Viking for "Transfers from the Hague Hotel to Amsterdam Airport" before departing the riverboat. Remember, you chose Viking for the high quality cruise, not the air. Viking has lost four loyal customers with 10 past cruises between us. Among the rivers in Europe where Viking has a major presence are the Rhine, Main and Danube in Central Europe; the Seine, Rhone, Dordogne, Garonne and Gironde in France; the Douro in Portugal; the Moselle and Elbe in Germany; and the Dnieper in Ukraine. Date of experience: February 18, 2023 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. Celebrity Silhouette is due into St. Petersburg on May 20. CNN Sans & 2016 Cable News Network. 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. 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." The company also operates river trips on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, and it just began river trips on the Mississippi River. "When necessary changes are made, Viking Customer Relations will notify all impacted guests and their travel advisers.". A Viking Ocean ship sails in Croatia. If anyone on our team wouldnt recommend it to a friend or a family member, we wouldnt recommend it on The Points Guy either. During summers, in particular, Viking devotes an unusually large number of its ships to itineraries around Scandinavia, the Baltic Sea and other Northern Europe destinations such as Iceland. The ship -- which will dock in Rotterdam for three months -- will house up to 1,500 refugees as part of a larger committment from the Dutch govermnet to house 50,000 people fleeing their homeland. Celebrity Cruises has yet to announce changes to any itineraries calling on St. Petersburg. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. For Further Assistance If you have any questions or need further information please contact Reservations at 1-877-523-0579 or email customerrelations@vikingcruises.com, Monday - Friday, 6:00 AM - 6:00 PM; Saturday and Sunday, 7:30 AM - 4:00 PM, PT. 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. (Courtesy Richard Andersen). Thus, Viking breached its contract to provide a flight home. Just got the official email from Viking saying our cruise has been canceled with the details of the 125% future cruise voucher which must be used on a 2021 or 2022 cruise. Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for the line. Even when cruise lines advertise "Free Air", there is a cost involved that they have figured into the price of the cruise and if the flights you have requested come in above that amount, you won't necessarily be given those flights. Courtesy Sheila Davies. "We are notifying our guests and travel partners of this decision and our new plans to visit additional Scandinavian ports in its place. Start with these stories: The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. If you are flying right now or anytime in the foreseeable future, you will need to pack a lot of patience, understanding, flexibility, and maybe even some extra money to cover any unexpected expenses, like extra meals or even a hotel stay. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. The ship was docked in an area just north of Greenville, which is about 150 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Cruise lines have begun to offer up their out-of-service cruise ships for refugees seeking shelter from the ongoing conflict. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.