Which date are you going? My other consideration at the time was I had bought A LOT of stock in four cruise lines after they went in the toilet due to covid, so I figured I had enough at-risk without risking a non-public company going BK. 0000019511 00000 n Route trips outbound and homebound. For us, the airlines wound up canceling the flights, so we got the credit. 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. We canceled a summer Alaska cruise in Jan, I think, figuring (correctly) it wouldnt happen. Too much to expect I imagine. For the best possible time, youll want to be flexible. 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. 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. Just make sure to make an effort! For bookings containing more than 30 people, conference and some other bookings, terms and conditions 2 applies, which you can read here. Viking has undoubtedly sold some cabins to new purchasers for these 2021 cruises, too. That's the best approach. In Dubai, shopping was so experiential. In every other sense, though, its unmatched, especially when compared with cruises from other major companies. 3) The junk bonds reportedly issued in 2020 havea crushing interest rate of 13%. Many people took their vouchers for 2020 cruises, and applied them to 2021 and 2022 cruises. On the cruise, guests can attend various events and activities hosted by John Heald himself. 0000001981 00000 n When contacting Customer Service and Sales, please have your booking number and account number (including clearing number) available. Also - I LOVED the shopping in Dubai. We had special OBC's on it, and some good discounts. H\@>E-uH tCdV2DE~xBxD~>utxnlY__!:;YYGzy{41>gc0MnkSK5|.}%]1?/)SMU;\kt5]YY"RVfE~e~E^1[9 {K@Y90dyyc6dzzxzzzx &e!Wr\!Wr\!Wr\!Wr\!Wre1!7Ao {&M[`o+Y "Well, my mother told me to grab limes and tequila and make margaritas.". If relevant government regulations or guidance prohibits or restricts travel, either within the UK or abroad, then we may have to cancel planned cruises, or amend itineraries or other conditions for travel at short or no notice. Given the circumstances, using a knowledgeableagent is essential. Which date are you going? A simple place to start: Mamsens, a chic deli located on every Viking ocean cruise ship. Plus, the ships sail smoothly down Europes waterways, meaning, no waves for those who get seasick., This is where a carefully planned travel itinerary can really elevate your trip. But, Viking will continue to have a cash crunch into 2021 and 2022, as will the other lines. Started August 27, 2021, By "You know the old saying when life hands you lemons," Clancy announced. 0000016867 00000 n About a month before PIF, we decided the chance of the cruise taking place was very slim. Youll also want to check out Manfredis Italian Restaurant and The Chefs Table, the cruise lines premium restaurants. Remember, Viking cruises provide pretty much everything you need for a great vacation. During each port of call, guests can explore the destinations with a short walk from their ships dock. Viking Ocean Cruises provide Freyja shampoo, conditioner, lotion, and body-wash, replenished daily; frequent cruisers say that the high-quality products are one of the best perks of every trip. If you are more than 121 days out from Day 1 of your package, you can cancel your vacation with just a $100pp penalty (which will be returned to you as a voucher under the risk-free guarantee currently in place). 'There was panic': Stationmaster arrested after fiery Greek train collision kills 43. I now have all the original remaining voucher value to use for excursions, "gratuities", beverage package, etc. Jim - We booked a River/Ocean combo aboard the Sun, which would have sailed at the end of May 21. Cruise Hive was established back in 2008 and among the earliest blogs in the industry. 0000658714 00000 n Squakman - we'll hope to see you April 7 in Barcelona then! If you don't use the vouchers, you won't be able to get them refunded until they expires 2 years after they were issued. But, this whole game is heavily leveraged, and dependent on a resumption of cruising in early to mid-2021. Visiting in late December, she noted, "was so much better than being here with 40,000 of your closest friends and eight megaships anchored in the caldera," the sort of thing that happens every week in summer. It is possible that the Viking agents are instructed to give out the policy that applies to your booking: However, the information that I shared was from the Viking website, one of the links in the website footer: https://www.vikingcruises.com/risk-free-guarantee.html. While youll want to show your gratitude to the ships staff, youll want to know what youre paying, particularly if youre traveling on a ship that doesnt use your typical currency. The 'Viking Venus' at anchor in Santorini. 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. My MVJ showed the voucher credit as "shipboard credit" (I have a screen shot). In 2019, he visited Japan and Mexico, and hes become passionate about spreading a simple message: Traveling isn't necessarily expensive, and it's one of the best paths to self-improvement. Obviously, that didn't happen. Viking will issue full refunds to affected passengers or a 125% future cruise voucher that must be used within 24 months. The voucher offers states: What constitutes "unable to use"? Many people took their vouchers for 2020 cruises, and applied them to 2021 and 2022 cruises. Weve already got tickets with Delta for our cruise next January. We make sure cruisers are fully prepared for their cruise vacation with tips on ships and ports. Viking Cruises' Risk-Free Guarantee Policy NEW [Temporary] Policy: . tX/a(c`:'z}c l~&9p!Dfe9 If youve cruised before, you know that Viking cruises arewell, expensive. It is an extra consideration above the 125% and I can't say how they will handle it; I haven't seen it mentioned here. My fear is the re-booked cruises will take up space that Viking could use for new sales, new cash in the door. 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. "), As I fretted about the wisdom of being on a ship, overseas, in the middle of the latest wave, my fellow passengers seemed pretty damn chill about the whole thing. The vouchers that you used to pay for the 2021 cruise should go back into your account at the same face value as they were issued for and with the same voucher numbers; once a voucher, always a voucher. Viking Line advises the traveler to get a travel insurance that includes cancellation protection in the event of illness or accident. 0000014758 00000 n Upon cancellation of the original cruise we opted for the 125% voucher and immediately rebooked for a year hence. To get that value, youll have to use as many of the onboard services as possible, but it beats constantly taking out your wallet for things like internet access and port fees. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By if you have any 125% vouchers, they will be refunded less the 25% bonus. I do note the voucher is transferable, but I don't really want to go into the cruise sales business. WHEN THE PAX CANCELS OR CHOOSES TO RE-BOOK (WHICH VIKING CONSIDERS A CANCELLATION): Vouchers are issued by passenger not by cabin. Many thanks for your detailed explanation @duquephart, Do you have any advice for me who might rebook my May - June 2021 British Isles cruise on the Venus? Surely. Now they have my money and I have a useless piece of paper. Would our only option be another voucher? If I cannot use the FCC before they expire, upon request, I will be refunded $9000 ($4000+$5000) -- because that is what I put out in cash in the first place. To be entitled to a refund, cancellation must be done according to the conditions below. This is a point of great confusion for me. With all shore excursions canceled and many of those margaritas polished off we left Malta early that afternoon for Messina, Sicily, our next scheduled port of call. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, https://docs.vikingcruises.com/pdf/2-191004_BookingAndSaleTermsAndConditions_wMSP_v4.pdf, https://www.vikingcruises.com/risk-free-guarantee-through-april-2020.html?_ga=2.151639482.2037751566.1603814687-1589527027.1603064073, https://www.vikingcruises.com/risk-free-guarantee.html, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. When you are covered by the Risk-Free Guarantee you may change your cruise reservation with notification to Viking. 0000024349 00000 n 0000001296 00000 n 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. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Thats our date. 2023 USA TODAY, a division of Gannett Satellite Information Network, LLC. On the morning of Dec. 26, we arrived as scheduled in Valletta, Malta, docking within view of the gorgeous old city. Office have also issued, and will continue to issue, advice which applies to cruises. 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). 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. Viking. Are we enabling white nationalism by staying on Twitter? Our original Viking cruise was booked for July 2020. I can only speak to what just occurred for us the past days. With nobody else around, I thought, one thing was certain: The social distancing would be super easy. Expand. what happens with your (non-Viking) plane tickets? I think if the rebooking cancels it will be time to bail. Viking refund policy is the same for Oceans, River and Expeditions. (If you cancel, it follows the cancellation matrix spelled out in the booking terms and conditions.). I have my heart set on being at the Dubai World Fair in Dec 2021. Odyssey trip in Sept. 2022! We rebooked for July 2021. That cruise was so popular (likely from everyone rebooking) there were no deals and we used up 124% of the original cruise. Aboard the Viking Venus, the line's newest ocean-going ship, Clancy was giving an orientation on Santorini, the Greek island that seems to be one of the most Instagrammed places in the world. (Blame COVID-19 not the guy from "Footloose."). I think this also depends on when your reservation was made. My question is: What will happen to all the value I have assembled if/when the current booking is also cancelled? OBC over and above the 125% voucher, I can't say. We wanted to for that very reason, but for some reason the Viking fare (for economy) was more than double. Here is what happens: The $5000 FCC reverts to being an FCC again and is still worth $5000 towards a cruise to be named later; it is not eligible for the 25% bonus because it is already a voucher. The Viking River Cruises website contains gratuity recommendations for various cruises, along with currency recommendations. 0000019696 00000 n plus 125% of any further payments you have made to the second cruise? 0000658448 00000 n Good for us, though, was that the 2022 cruise was on sale, with specials, and discounts, so we were able to get all those! 0000653432 00000 n 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. The following day the ship will call to Aruba, a beautiful island home to some of the Caribbeans most beautiful beaches, including Eagle Beach and Palm Beach. 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. Our Viking Health & Safety Program is the same across our fleet of ocean and river vessels. Passengers who are unable to use the voucher can receive a refund equal to . We got a flight (economy class) eventually, but we had to do it ourselves. Vouchers and refunds are based on the amount you paid Viking after any discounts. 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.. I'm not predicting anything, and I don't have any inside info. Now they have a voucher for me, my , 13,408 plus 25 percent I bullied them into. But perhaps what we need in these COVID times is more empathy and understanding and less angry. Full Disclosure:I did not ask about earlier than Decemberbecause of our work schedules. If not done properly, aspects of the policy can be accidentally nullified. We decided to wait. Baggage & Personal Items Service or handling fee and cancellation insurance are not refunded. Long story short, I prevailed. Guests will notice that some package prices have been raised considerably, between 5-30% depending on the voyage length. But by then, the price increase had claimed the voucher plus an extra $628. Just by moving back one year. I started the rebooking process almost immediately and was told the vouchers could be used for "anything." With that said, some If you want to enjoy a cocktail outside of lunch or dinner service, youll have to pay for the privilege. 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%). 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. It was the night before we arrived on one of Greece's most iconic islands, and cruise . It serves little purpose in this crazy world. During our visit to Santorini which was as uncrowded as cruise director Clancy had predicted activities were naturally outdoors. 0000010527 00000 n The choice for this ship might be . Started June 21, 2021, By 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. 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 . Is that worth it? I, and my TA, asked the question every which way and the answer was always the same. 0000659010 00000 n Hence our Med. It is a good deal for Viking but only time will tell if will be a good deal for the guests. 0000057816 00000 n 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). Things are not great to be sure. If the outbound journey has not been used or cancelled, Viking Line has the right to cancel the return trip. Photo Courtesy: Nassau Cruise Port. 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. Travel + Leisure magazine may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. 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