He was willing to take the trip alone. Select South America and Antarctica itineraries have been canceled through February 2022. She said that there was a 5:00pm flight from Amsterdam to Atlanta that we could try to take, but we would have to make that reservation ourselves. CA. One thing that isn't clear to me is if you must use all of the voucher on a single cruise. I have had international flights cancelled last minute a few times, have had to overnight at the airport, buy other arrangements last minute, encountered unhelpful staff, had my luggage rerouted, etc. As you feel entitled to compensation for your emotionally destructive experience here is some free advice off the hourly rate, Both parties must be reasonable and act in good faith, both the driver and (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? The trips include stops in Norway, Iceland, Greenland and Canada. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. The lines most popular route in the region, Viking Homelands, is a two-week-long, one-way trip between Bergen and Stockholm that combines several days of exploring the fjord region of Norways west coast with more-typical Baltic cruise destinations such as St. Petersburg, Russia, and Helsinki. 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. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. Drought and abnormal dryness continue to develop and intensify from the Plains through the Mississippi River Basin, and have now extended further into the Midwest and Southeast. They did not breach your contract, you need to read it all. Card Rating is based on the opinion of TPGs editors and is not influenced by the card issuer. The ship was docked in an area just north of Greenville, which is about 150 miles south of Memphis, Tennessee. Guests and travel agents on impacted departures are in the process of being notified. 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. Seldom travelers may not get enough value to warrant the cost. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Similarly, Viking Cruises canceled all 2022 departures on its Kyiv, Black Sea, and Bucharest itinerary. Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, The best places to see cherry blossoms around the US this spring, Looking back: How my points and miles strategy has changed over the years, The best increased card offers to sign up for this March. The second ship in the series, Viking Polaris, has just joined its sister in Antarctica this year. Sometimes it's worth a large investment to reap the benefits of a great credit card. Top image: The Viking Mississippi cruise ship docks in Dubuque, Iowa, on September 6, 2022, when the river was still passable for the ship. 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. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. Thus your argument is not reasonable and any compensation would be a gesture. Claire and Stanley Keyles planned a dream vacation for June 2020. Enrollment required. 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. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113581235', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airline are third parties and you as the client are also responsible for due diligence in the contract. Learning experience. 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 . Low water levels are impacting barge traffic on the Mississippi River during the harvest, a crucial time, NOAAs site said. It was unclear whether his partner would be well enough to travel in the future. The cruise line said it was evaluating 2022 itineraries that visit Russia with the view to modifying them where necessary. 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. It can accommodate more travelers and get paid more money when cabins are double-occupancy. (Dave Kettering/Telegraph Herald via AP). 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." Viking For bookings made through Jan. 31, 2022, for cruises departing any time in 2022, Viking is permitting its ocean and river customers to cancel within 14 days of sailing and. 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. 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. We should have been in the Sky Priority line with Premium seat assignments. 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. What should you order for the best food on board? Some of Vikings most interesting itineraries are around Scandinavia and the Baltic Sea, with many beginning or ending in Norway the homeland of the companys founder and chairman, Torstein Hagen. 3 Did you encounter any technical issues? Following day 3 hours 'Q' at check in, 2 hour 'Q' at security and our flight back to Edinburgh took off 4 hours late and again put in economy because of a change of aircraft, but was I bothered? Guests and their travel agents on impacted departures have been notified directly by Viking Guest Services. We do not have any cruise cancellations because of the Omicron variant," Carnival spokesperson Roger Frizzell told USA TODAY on Wednesday. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Can I skip that expense? 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Coronavirus: Updated Cruise Ship Policies and Cancellations Because of COVID-19 (2021), Foreign Office Eases Travel Exemption for 67 Countries, Paving Way for European Cruises, Rolling Out the Deals: Why Now Might Be a Great Time to Book a Cruise, Galveston Port Director Says Disney Cruise Line to Limit Capacity, Enforce Embarkation Arrival Times, Costa Cruises Becomes First Carnival Corp. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113577858', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise or something similar if they don't want to be bothered with paperwork, but you also sound like very naive travelers who expect everything to be perfect and have too much trust in the "system.". Almost 250 cruises were set to sail throughout the first month of 2022, but this ongoing rise in COVID-19 cases could continue to cause further cancellations. Celebrity Silhouette is due into St. Petersburg on May 20. The text appears: #1 on the oceans, A Viking Expedition ship sails in Antarctica. For instance, a merciless heat wave baked Europe this past summer, and the continents fabled waterways fell to shockingly low levels. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged another $10,000. 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. Note that, in the wake of Russias invasion of Ukraine, Viking has pulled the St. Petersburg stop, as well as stops in Finland and Estonia from the Viking Homelands itinerary for 2022; the trips instead feature extra stops in Norway and Denmark. Ill bet my next (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? Applies primarily to to bookings with the following content. Itscruise that was scheduled to visit Vladivostok, Russia, will instead visit Busan, South Korea. Also lost out on the cruise vouchers. Perhaps in the future try booking you own flights, even if it costs a bit more (we did for our trip last month). The Rhine River is one of Europes most crucial trade routes and a wildly popular cruise itinerary replete with fairytale castles and stunning views. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. 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. Do I have to follow them to get in the dining room? Andersen asked specifically where in the terms and conditions it showed he should be charged the single supplement. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. If you plan a trip with another person a spouse, a companion, a friend and if your travel partner has to cancel, you could be stuck with thousands of dollars in extra charges. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit. He sent Viking a certified letter on April 10 asking for a cash refund of the extra $9,898 payment and questioning whether his partners vouchers could be transferred to another person. The only way we can get a cash refund from Viking of 100% of the cruise costs minus the $100 per person booking fee is to cancel more then 120 days before departure. You may have well received the cancellation notice directly and been able to work out an alternate flight before you even reached the airport. Call us at 800-454-0927 to speak to a Cruise Concierge today. We had pre booked Premier Inn for an overnight stop as if the flight had been on time it would have been a bit tight and we were so glad. By. 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. (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? In Northern Europe, Viking ships mostly sail out of Bergen, Amsterdam, Stockholm, Copenhagen and London as well as Reykjavik. We reviewed Andersens letters and emails to Viking, and we asked the company to review his complaint. Then there is Viking, which is a black hole for any money given them. We were in Schiphol about a month ago and it was extremely busy and I have read that it has gotten much worse, largely due to a strike by the baggage handlers and KLM in particular (who does the check-in for DL flights in MAS) have been short-staffed. More-focused Mediterranean itineraries include the lines nine-night Empires of the Mediterranean voyages between Venice and Athens, which mostly concentrate on stops along the eastern side of the Adriatic Sea in Slovenia, Croatia and Montenegro. "We are notifying our guests and travel partners of this decision and our new plans to visit additional Scandinavian ports in its place. Atlas Ocean Voyages will skip St. Petersburg for alternative ports in Finland and Estonia this summer. Many people find its better to manage their own pre & after (ta && ta.queueForLoad ? A short time later, passengers were informed that the cruise was canceled, Trovato said. Much of the West is in some state of drought. Cruise Reviews and Reports for cruise lines operating from Australia / New Zealand, Australia / South Pacific - things I wish I knew before I cruised including port info. What should I know about the cruise contract? The cruise lines terms and conditions raised some red flags, he said. We dont mean losing the money paid for the person who cant take the trip. How much are alcoholic drinks? The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The Mississippi River situation has played out in other parts of the world this year. 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. Since we paid extra for Premium Class when we booked our flights with Viking Air, we are requesting a refund of Premium versus Economy Class seating. Fast-growing Viking has one of the most diverse arrays of itineraries of any cruise line. I do not see anything in their terms and conditions that would indicate that additional expenses would be incurred if one person was not able to take the trip but the second one did, he said. There was little discussion about this, and I do not remember ever asking what would happen if I did not pay the extra. 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. Our thoughts are with all who are impacted by this conflict.". Princess Cruises has the first big ship in to St Petersburg on April 29, .css-hghiur{transition-property:var(--chakra-transition-property-common);transition-duration:var(--chakra-transition-duration-fast);transition-timing-function:var(--chakra-transition-easing-ease-out);-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;outline:2px solid transparent;outline-offset:2px;font-weight:var(--chakra-fontWeights-medium);border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;cursor:pointer;color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);border-color:var(--chakra-colors-blue-base);}.css-hghiur:focus-visible,.css-hghiur[data-focus-visible]{box-shadow:var(--chakra-shadows-outline);}.css-hghiur:hover,.css-hghiur[data-hover]{-webkit-text-decoration:none;text-decoration:none;border-bottom-width:1px;border-bottom-style:solid;}Enchanted Princess. 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. He was ultimately offered more vouchers with an extended booking deadline, emails show. Winner of Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2022, Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2021, and Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2022. Celebrity Cruises has yet to announce changes to any itineraries calling on St. Petersburg. NEW! 2 Viking River Cruises canceled all Russian river cruises and its planned Kyiv, Black Sea & Bucharest routes this year due to the events. 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. Given recent events and the developing conflict in Ukraine, we have made the difficult decision to cancel all 2022 departures of our Kiev, Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary. The Viking agent said that I would have to pay an extra $9,898. There is also a general discussion about the wellbeing of crewmembers, many who hail from Ukraine and Russia. Not every river cruise line takes the same stance. "We are in a unique position to accommodate the immediate need for food and housing, so we felt it was very important to work with the City of Rotterdam and charter this ship," said Gus Antorcha, president of Holland America Line. The text appears: #1 on the rivers. Viking Cruises announced that it will resume limited voyages in the UK in May. Dubbed Viking Octantis, the first of these vessels began sailings to Antarctica in February 2022. Can I remove the auto- gratuity? At least you now have some experience dealing with travel problems--perhaps you can wake-up a bit from the nightmare. We couldnt find anything either. Not only does the California-based company offer ocean cruises in almost every corner of the world, it also offers river cruises on many of the worlds major rivers. The text appears: #1 on the rivers, A Viking Ocean ship sails in Croatia. 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.

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