Woodland hills, CA 91367. We rebooked the trip for 10/12-10/23/22. We booked a river cruise with Viking which we cancelled due to Covid and received travel vouchers from Viking for the amount of the trip. Note, though, that both executives said that even when cruise ships start to come back, they would come back slowly. A refund request form will be made available on the company's website on March 23. Cancellation Policy Due to COVID-19 (those who had already booked for 2021 and now the flood of those who want to transfer bookings from all the cancelled 2020 cruises). Here's what you need to know if you're on a cruise, planning a cruise or trying to rebook a cruise. All countries are closed to tourism, like any of us would want to go, we cant fly out so whats the hold up, I dont get it. Video: Margaritaville at Sea Paradise: A Blast or a Bust? That's the downside. In many cases, lines are offering a 25% bonus credit as an incentive to get you to choose a future cruise credit instead of a refund. Some credit cards benefits include travel insurance and the coverage is effective automatically when you use the card to pay for the trip. In that spirit, we have made the decision to extend our temporary suspension of operations through June 30, 2020. Maybe flights will resume to Asia before Europe, or vice versa. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in progress, it is important to understand that future changes, including cancellations and itinerary alterations, are always possible. Royal Caribbeanand Celebrity Cruises will resume sailing on April 11. On April 4, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said cruise passengers no longer could fly on commercial aircraft when returning home from cruise ships docking at U.S. ports. In these circumstances I'm sure there is going to be some accommodations madethat are not the standard operation procedures. Learn more. Cruise lines that market to North Americans may initially focus their efforts on relatively short sailings out of U.S. ports such as Miami and New York, to such places as the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Bermuda. Most unfortunate that they didn't protect their investment with travel insurance. I think they are waiting until they know what is going to happen and I really don't think anyone has that crystal ball. Plus, your own feed of TPG content. On March 11, we were the first cruise line to announce a temporary suspension of operations through April 30, 2020. The Viking cancellation email states 'we are offering a Future Cruise Voucher valued at 125% of all monies paid to Viking. In addition to COVID, there was the issue of Russian military buildup along the Ukraine border which I feel was a major factor in Viking canceling the 2021 Ukraine river cruises. Apply and select your preferred metal Card design: classic Platinum Card, Platinum x Kehinde Wiley, or Platinum x Julie Mehretu. This is what Im thinking as well, that the trip may be cancelled altogether by Viking and in which case they may be entitled to a refund. I think tensions are even worse now so I guess there could be another possibility of the Ukraine river cruises being canceled. Viking has a business model that it believes will make it money and you determine if some of that money will be from you. For additional flexibility, if you are unable to use your voucher, we will automatically send you a refund equal to the original amount paid to Viking after the voucher expires. Powered by Invision Community. Passengers who are unable to use the voucher can receive a refund equal to the original cruise value after the voucher expires. $200 Uber Cash: Enjoy Uber VIP status and up to $200 in Uber savings on rides or eats orders in the US annually. I feel we have become one large Viking family of 500,000 guests each year and 10,000 employees. My wife and I paid $10,096 for a cruise and tour on the Viking Idi for April.. How long does it take to file a claim? Best card for premium perks while traveling, Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card, The Business Platinum Card from American Express, Get more from your points with these transfer bonuses, Credit card showdown: Capital One Venture vs. Capital One Venture X, JetBlue adds 3 new NYC-area routes as Northeast Alliance hangs in the balance, It's back: Best-ever bonus of 70,000 miles on the Alaska Airlines Business card. B. Who wouldn't want the chance to pick up free money? Why the travel companies have been maintaining they would start up again at the beginning of May is beyond me). 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 continuing battle against the coronavirus pandemic. Two of its ships, the Diamond Princess and the Grand Princess, have experienced outbreaks of coronavirus in recent weeks in Japan and California, respectively. As of now, the 30-day moratorium on cruises ends on April 10. Holland America, for instance, is giving passengers on canceled sailings a future cruise credit in the amount of 125% of the fare they paid for the canceled trip plus an onboard spending credit of $250 per person. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your device and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. No change fees will be assessed, and passengers who opt to cancel will have 24 months to book a new voyage using their credits. Onboard spending credits can be used for extra-charge restaurants, spa treatments and other pricey add-ons. Since we started Viking nearly 23 years ago, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our employees. In this full review of the maiden voyage of Margaritaville at Sea Paradise we share read more. Its prior guidance focused primarily on seniors and people with chronic health conditions. We've seen this before. In most cases, when you . 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. The good news for those worried about such rules is that they now appear to be off the table. Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings is the parent company of Norwegian Cruise Line, Oceania Cruises and Regent Seven Seas Cruises. This offer covers all Viking reservations made between Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021, on any 2021 or 2022 voyage. As a private company with strong finances, we do not have to worry about quarterly profit expectations and that flexibility allows us the ability to do what is best for our guests and our employees, as we have always done. For those guests whose cruise falls within this window of suspended operations, we are offering the choice of a Future Cruise Voucher valued at 125% of all monies paid to Viking or a refund equal to the amount paid. What You Need to Know, Viking Explorer Society Cruise Loyalty Program, Why You Should Buy 'Cancel for Any Reason' Insurance for Your Cruise. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Further to @TayanaLorna's thoughts, if your parents did not have travel insurance or did not use a TA, you might want to email Viking attellus@vikingcruises.com,let them know of your circumstances and offer to provide the appropriate medical evidence. We will stand by our guests, employees and partners in these challenging times and hope that they in turn will stand by us. So far Viking, in every dealing that I have had with them, has either met or exceed my expectations for receiving value from my money. Refundable cruise deposits mean that should you wish to cancel or switch your cruise, you can get your money back to the original form of payment, as long as you cancel before the final payment date. These New Viking Expedition Ships Will Sail Longitudinal World Cruises and to the Great Lakes Submarine Excursions Included, This Brand-new River Cruise Ship Just Set Sail on the Nile Here's What It's Like on Board, Virgin Voyages Cancels Sailings on 'Resilient Lady,' Delaying Ship's Launch Until Next Year, Crystal Cruises Temporarily Suspends Operations What to Know, Hawaii Extends Ban on Cruise Ships Until at Least January 2022, Officials Announce, CDC Extends 'No Sail Order' Until End of September, What Will It Take to Get Cruises Sailing Again? We also have a future Alaskan cruise for June 2021 and we received the same email regarding the same scenario. We opted for a refund since we already had FCVs from our April 2019 Viking cruise being canceled. We kept hoping theyd offer a refund like they did for the Hawaii cruise that turned into a Mexican cruise, and they still might. Here's how long it will take, Good news for cruisers worried about strict new boarding rules, Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed, Stream these 13 movies and shows to get your cruise ship fix, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. So who knows. Cruise Lines Modify Cancellation Policies For Better Flexibility, Coronavirus: Updated Cruise Ship Policies and Cancellations. Started June 21, 2021, By We have a Viking cruise departing in September and the lack of communication from Viking is surprising. Therefore, we have made the difficult decision to temporarily suspend operations of our river and ocean vessels embarking from March 12 to April 30, 2020 at which time we believe Viking will be in a better place to provide the experiences our guests expect and deserve. We are now on the same cruise one week later than previous and on a different ship. Just got the email cancelling our Jun 27 Majestic Fjords sailing. Carnival said in a letter to passengers Friday that all ships currently at sea will continue their voyages and return to their home ports as scheduled. Our reservations team is currently in the process of issuing 125% Future Cruise Vouchers. MVJ is displaying an error message. But the Holy Land cruise starts in about 10 days, and (incredibly) theyre still selling it on their website. Most of the time, you can change from a refundable deposit to a nonrefundable version if you want to take advantage of a lower fare. We will continue to stand by you, as well as our employees and partners, and hope that you will continue to stand by us. March 20, 2020 While cruise company-initiated cancellations were once relatively rare (owed to few-and-far-between culprits like severe weather, ship mechanical failures, or company. Copyright 2022 Travel + Leisure Co. All Rights Reserved. Viking Mississippi - As of January 23, 2023. the CDC warned everyone to avoid cruise ships, Cruise Lines International Association, a trade group, announced Friday, Princess Cruises said Thursday that it would suspend its operations for 60 days, Carnival said in a letter to passengers Friday, Norwegian is offering passengers a full refund for cruises, Royal Caribbean is offering passengers a full refund, Carnival is offering either a full refund or a 100% future cruise credit, which has been most affected by the coronavirus pandemic, Refunds come with future cruise credits of 25% to 100%, delay contacting the company until later in the month, Viking will issue full refunds to affected passengers, Disney Cruises will offer full refunds or credits, Viking will resume its operations on May 1, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Find the right card for you. My stance is that since the money is already paid for (either purchased insurance or through credit card benefits), file a claim and let the insurance company make the determination. KEY FACTS. They did not purchase travel insurance. For bookings made through April 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 receive a credit for a future sailing. Norwegian is offering passengers a full refund for cruises during the 30-day shutdownor a future cruise credit of as much as150% of the value of the canceled cruisethat can be used through Dec. 31, 2022. Passengers booked on a canceled Viking cruise can either opt for a 125 percent Future Cruise Voucher or request a refund before Aug. 24. Maybe other places as well, I'm not sure. They are on a fixed income, and could really use the $6000 they've paid returned. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By In fact, at least one major cruise company already has said it doesn't plan to do major discounting when cruising resumes. I got through but my friends who were traveling with us did not so Wayne got us all conferenced in together. Otherships currently at sea will operate their itineraries as planned. 2) Viking's business model to make money is to provide a safe, high quality, superior service cruise experience to adults that allows them to explore the world in comfort. Don't -- Chances are, your voyage will be one of dozens that are canceled at the same time. About 4 - 6 weeks after disembarkation and returning home we received a cheque from Viking. No real reason to plan a vacation if you can't get off the ship. 4) If the demand for their product allows them to get payment a year in advance for their product so they can use these funds to expand their fleet instead of borrowing it for banks - again, they wouldn't be very good business people if they didn't do that. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. The price for next year is a little lower. In 2019, airlines canceled nearly 135,000 flights. Vikings decision to push its restart comes as recent events have shown us that the recovery from this pandemic will be sporadic, and the ability to travel freely across borders remains some time away, the companys chairman, Torstein Hagen, said in a statement. That puts it as the first cruise after their cancellations. Israel is closed, and we didnt want to take the chance that Viking would just substitute something else since Israel was the main draw for us. 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. These are questions many are asking after the US CDC announced today that they're eliminating their COVID-19 Program for Cruise Ships, effective immediately read more, Find out what we really thought about Margaritaville at Sea Paradise. If we cancel we would get a voucher for future credit that could be used up to two years out. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. IMPORTANT NOTICE: THE FOLLOWING TERMS AND CONDITIONS GOVERN THE BOOKING AND SALE OF YOUR CRUISE TOUR THROUGH VIKING RIVER CRUISES, INC., D/B/A VIKING CRUISES, VIKING OCEAN CRUISES AND . If it makes you feel any better, know that you won't be alone in choosing cash over credit. As keen as we may be to get back to exploring, for now, international travel must wait, Hagen added. Started August 27, 2021, By 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. Today Viking Cruises announced that they will be suspending operations of their ocean and river cruises due to COVID-19/coronavirus. i know we can cancel nowand get a FCC but that isnt a perfect solution for everyone. The major complain was that they were using us to help finance their expansion. Pricey add-ons in that spirit, we have made the decision to extend our suspension. Of their ocean and river Cruises due to COVID-19/coronavirus the chance to pick free! Suspension of operations through June 30 what happens if viking cancels my cruise 2020 they did n't protect their investment with travel insurance that! Same scenario why the travel companies have been maintaining they would start up at... 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