Breeze through security with CLEAR lanes available at 100+ airports, stadiums, and entertainment venues and get up to $189 back per calendar year on your membership when you use your Card. If that happens, it will require cruise lines to recalibrate their finances, as this would drop many operational costs - but plenty of others would remain. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. We have a Viking river cruise embarking May 1 but our tripofficially begins April 29 upon arrival in Prague. Viking will resume its operations on May 1. Email [email protected]. Hes sailed on more than 150 ships. Right now I feel fairly confident that the upcoming cruise from Denmark to Bergen will be cancelled . 5) We as consumers set the price of Viking product and I, for one, am very pleased with Viking's cost to value ratiofor their product. I'm waiting until we see what is going to shake down with this virusthing so I will know when I can go back to work as I deal in a service business that requires personal contact so I can't social distance in that or do the work from home or on the phone. 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. I am sure you recognize that COVID-19 has made travel exceedingly complicated. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Before you accept a future cruise credit, ask yourself this: If your cruise line significantly changes its routings, would you be OK with that? Cancellation Policy Due to COVID-19 Guests can change their cruise date up until 14 days before their planned departure and Viking will waive any fees. The list of covered reasons is pretty short compared to comprehensive travel policies. Some of these offers, like Carnival's Early Saver program, offer cruisers price protection -- meaning if they find a better rate in their cabin category on their sailing, they're eligible to receive onboard credit or a free cabin category upgrade worth the difference in price. About 4 - 6 weeks after disembarkation and returning home we received a cheque from. At the time, other Viking cruises were canceled about three months ahead of sailing. Carnival Fascination and Carnival Imagination were also sent to long-term storage with no timeline for their return. By 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. We opted for a refund since we already had FCVs from our April 2019 Viking cruise being canceled. I would not anticipate getting a refund, but Viking might choose to make an exception in your case and offer something like a new future cruise voucher, which, if it was transferable, could be sold to recoup at least some of the costs. CLIA cruise line members are voluntarily and temporarily suspending operations from the U.S. as we work to address this public health crisis, said Kelly Craighead, CLIA president and CEO in a statement. If you're looking to support CruiseHabit.com, check out the CruiseHabit.com shop for cruise accessories and shirts. 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 [email protected],let them know of your circumstances and offer to provide the appropriate medical evidence. 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. They site the risk of quarantine, the spread of disease, as well as the challenges they're having providing excellent guest experiences as many ports and popular attractions are closed to visitors. Indeed. petrous, March 26, 2020 in Viking Ocean, any additional cancellations from May moving forward. If the cruise is cancelled after you have embarked, all Shore-ex are refunded to your ship account. We just canceled, so I havent seen our voucher contract yet. My wife and I paid $10,096 for a cruise and tour on the Viking Idi for April.. You'll want to be able to pounce at the very best offers. It's also possible cruises won't be among the best deals around. In recent years though, some lines have changed this up and chose individuals representing more noble causes. No. Best of luck in receiving your refund, I think you made the best decision. If you are comfortable taking the risk, these rewards can pay off once onboard. About 4 - 6 weeks after disembarkation and returning home we received a cheque from Viking. In recent days we have had an experience where a river cruise guest in Southeast Asia was exposed to COVID-19 while in transit on an international airline. 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. If it makes you feel any better, know that you won't be alone in choosing cash over credit. This offer covers all Viking reservations made between Dec. 1, 2021 and Dec. 31, 2021, on any 2021 or 2022 voyage. A significant cruise fare discount is the main reason to book a fare with a nonrefundable deposit; sometimes you can save hundreds of dollars per person on cruise costs. Guests on affected departures . So I am fine with 6 months - especially after doing one Princess cruise with friends. 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. . The good news for those worried about such rules is that they now appear to be off the table. As a private company 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. 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 . Below find changes and/or cancellations to sailings related to 2022 Atlantic hurricanes as well as current port statuses. After final payment, you will lose your deposit or the deposit and a portion of your cruise fare, depending on when you cancel in relation to your sail date. Disney Cruises suspended its operations Friday. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. 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. You may be getting an offer from the cruise line that seems almost too good to be true: If you agree not to ask for an immediate refund, the company will give you a "future cruise credit" worth significantly more than what you originally paid for the trip. In these circumstances I'm sure there is going to be some accommodations madethat are not the standard operation procedures. We are very pleased. If you take a future cruise credit from your cruise line, you're assuming you'll be able to find an itinerary at the line you will like. Happy campers. Refunds will be credited within 90 days, the company said. Thanks Viking! 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. Viking River Cruises is refusing to issue a total refund after canceling operations and promising refunds. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. We've heard a range of possibilities when it comes to future itineraries from cruise executives in recent weeks. At one stage there were risk free guarantees with some reebookings, get all your parents booking paperwork out and see if there's anything useful in the small print. jtslattery, August 30, 2021 in Viking Ocean. This claim would have nothing to do with Viking. The nickel and diming, screaming kids, rudeness of 3,500 cruisers, etc. In the time since that announcement, many of you have expressed concern for our crew, and I want to reassure you that we are taking good care of them. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. With nothing getting better world wide can you see any cruise going before 2021. Just a matter of time before official announcement. In fact, at least one major cruise company already has said it doesn't plan to do major discounting when cruising resumes. What was a bust? You can see their letter to guests below: Since we started Viking nearly 23 years ago, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our employees. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. What happens to paid excursions when Viking cancels a cruise. Refunds come with future cruise credits of 25% to 100% of the original cruise value depending on when the refunded cruise was to depart. With the COVID-19 pandemic still in progress, it is important to understand that future changes, including cancellations and itinerary alterations, are always possible. Just got off the phone with my Viking rep..we're taking the 100% refund but we will be back. The Grand Princess, which disembarked its passengers last week in California, had 28 cases of COVID-19. There are generally two types of cruise deposits: refundable and nonrefundable. Our money was refunded by Tuesday. But please dont take my word for it. 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. In most cases, cruise lines are still awaiting guidance from local governing bodies about how to proceed. Some lines may even require passengers to wear face masks on vessels -- at least for a time. 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. Passengers who are unable to use the voucher can receive a refund equal to the original cruise value after the voucher expires. Maximum flexibility in this situation is critical, as there's no way of knowing now what trips will be available when travel begins to resume and at what price. That's the new plan at Carnival, Some cruise ships could be laid up for months, research report sent to investors last month, Why you shouldn't expect bargain-basement cruise deals anytime soon, How to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus, Expecting a refund for a canceled cruise? They did not purchase travel insurance. 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. No cruises with more than 500 people will visit Canadian ports from April 2 until July 1. Your contract incorporates these Booking Conditions and by making a booking with us you confirm your acceptance of these Booking Conditions. By proceeding, you agree to Cruise Critics. The booking website is no longershowing any sailings for May or June 2020. The CDC has been pressing cruise lines to make some major changes to the way they operate to ensure there are no more major breakouts of the new coronavirus on ships. Just got the email cancelling our Jun 27 Majestic Fjords sailing. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendsthatall people avoid traveling on cruise ships, not just the most at-risk for the coronavirus. 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. May 1, 2020 Update: Please see our tracker for the latest dates that cruise lines will start sailing again. Like another poster mentioned, its not about low numbers so much as the risk of warat what point does Viking decide travel to a region is unsafe for its passengers? Do they have any cancellation coverage with their household insurance or connected to a bank account? We are not interested in finding out how things go on those huge ships. Also, after all is clear here, you still don't know if all will be clear at your destination. Don't -- Chances are, your voyage will be one of dozens that are canceled at the same time. A few relevant articles that are updated regularly: The coronavirus pandemic is also having a knock-on effect on new ships under construction, and those slated to go through major refits in the coming months. By This has always been Vikings ambition and will remain so. We would also lose our non-refundable air cost if we cancel. U.S. ships currently at sea will continue on schedule.