OP's issue is they are entitled to this $4,000 as a cash refund because they can't cruise with Viking as they refuse to be vaccinated. Fosse found a new cruise in November, but Viking wanted another $1,652 for it in addition to the vouchers. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. Viking is holding my money ransom and shows utter disregard for keeping its word and corporate decency. We seek to provide the best adventure cruises and personalized service to each guest, that is one of the reasons we have so many repeat guests come onboard, a representative told me. Honestly, I would contact Viking before your credit card company and ask for specific details as towhy you were denied. Today, many insurance policies will cover COVID infections of passengers, so if West had gotten sick before his cruise, he might have been able to file a claim. All rights reserved (About Us). I will watch this summer to see what deals they have out.. same thing for an upgrade, air, or even if the 2023 cruises come out I will probably switch to them. Vrbo took my $1,270! You can upgrade your cabin, get pre & post extensions, excursions, tips, silver spirits, etc. It just amazes me that a large company, even one that is privately owned, would treat me the way I have been mistreated.. rep. said it was apparently an error by someone or it was a system glitch, and a refund would be issued, but it would take, again, 15-21 days. It's always best to comb. We cant use future cruise credit because of our health.. Viking should stand behind what their reps have promised. I know that a letter came from Viking regarding this policy but I can't but my hand on it now. I believe I was told what I was told in order to sell a booking. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. But a named perils policy wouldnt have covered him. I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. We had a fully booked and paid for Budpest Amsterdam river cruise in the spring of 2021. Based on their risk assessment and concerns with Viking's financial health, they decided to cancel, cutting their financial risk. Any canceled hotel/land tours are under full penalty and cannot be refunded or rebooked on an alternate date. Its perfectly reasonable to argue that you dont want to give Viking a microloan for up to two years. I'd be annoyed too! LauraS We are using this period of non-operation as a time for additional training and initiatives to ensure we have the safest and healthiest fleet in the industry. UnCruise will return to sail this season starting April 30. But Robert M. Lawless, a law professor at the University of Illinois . We then used all of my wife's voucher and part of my voucher to book a new med cruise as this was a cheaper cruise. Did we mention it's free? On 4/8 I receive emails to me and my husband that a credit, not a refund, was issued for a future cruise. By It happened to a New Jersey couple that wanted cash instead of a voucher after Viking canceled a cruise because of COVID. As it stands, Viking is no better than "Honest John" at the used car lot. It turns out its that way for many passengers. Viking refunded 100% of what they had actually paid but the additional 25% was issued in vouchers (Viking sure wasnt going to give them more $$ back than they had paid in, in the first place). Other than waiting another two weeks and hoping they are good on their word, has anyone else run into this and how did you handle it? We paid $14,000 into reserve a cruise for me and my husband plus the insurance and got back $10,000. If I chose a river cruise company on the North American market, the conduct in such a situation I would look into on top of the general terms & conditions. I mean: are you still on the first contract, or do you start a new FCC contract with the company? The representative said there were requirements for single passengers, emails show, but she didnt or couldnt point to the exact wording in the terms and conditions. West received the money and is grateful for the help. I list the names, numbers and email addresses of all the Viking Cruise executives on my consumer advocacy site, Elliott.org. But I had expected better from Viking. Europe's Danube River is a frequent route for Viking River Cruises. Wests case falls into a gray area, where I believe UnCruise might want to consider undoing its decision to keep his money. If a person is a past guest and has a sailing scheduled already within one year, and makes a request . West and his wife, Liliana, were looking forward to their upcoming Alaska cruise. Like you,we were stuck dealing with our plane tickets just 8 days out, as well as post cruise hotel and the car service booked to get us to the cruise from LHR. They have a right to require vaccinations . I called on 3/16 to request a refund, instead of a credit. Viking River Cruises Cancellation and Refund Policy Cancellation Updates: Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. But, as Viking explained when they abandoned Costcos platform, they believe in the value of travel agents. It promised refunds later, when it suspended operations but not to you. Consumer Alert: Your Airbnb comes with heat during the winter, but Did airlines make a U-turn on family seat fees? It is an adjustment for all of us and particularly for someone like me, who spends most of his time traveling. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. he was given 60 days to accept or decline the offer. Get a Walmart shopping card or gift card if the returned item is equal to or more than $10. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Pre-pandemic, most lines allowed changes and. 2 1/2 weeks later, refund is still "being processed." Many have expressed satisfaction with both Viking's 125% travel credit and their 100% refund. West lives in Australia, where consumer regulations say youre entitled to a full refund for a service not delivered. Best Buy notes that the method of refund will be in the same method the payment was originally made, in most cases. Issuing a refund is not difficult for a company to do; in fact its a single click on most electronic payment gateways. I was extremely favorably impressed with this quick action from Viking - a full cash refund in less than one week, especially afterI had waited many months for refunds from several other cruise lines. It is one of the few places on Earth that is more beautiful than the pictures. And thats saying a lot. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Is this really the end of junk fees in travel? But it left the door open for an eventual cruise credit refund. If available, send the item to the manufacturer for repair. Heres our complete guide to travel insurance. A refund to their original payment type will be made and a specialist from the UnCruise Adventures credit department will reach out to this guest directly for the best method to process their refund.. We will continue to stand by you, as well as our employees and partners, and hope that you will continue to stand by us. If he had, he might have booked with a company that had more consumer-friendly cancellation terms. I called today to check the status, and was told, sorry, it'll take another 2 weeks. Wilderness Explorer: April 18, 25; May 2. If you do not have a new travel date in mind, you will be provided with a certificate within the next couple weeks to move your funds over to a 2020 Alaska itinerary or even 2021. Please help. But what if he hadnt? I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of key UnCruise contacts on this site. We did not get paid the extra 25% and did not expect to. Due to this, our resources have been stretched. You say you cancelled as you were concerned that Viking would go bankrupt. A polite appeal which youve already tried is a reasonable first step. Disgusted that on top of the fact they can cancel with such short notice and no penalties, they continue to hold onto our money. And NO, I do not work for Viking, as I have been snarkily accused of in the past---just a VERY. It allowed customers to convert an existing credit to a monetary refund under the following conditions: Not all cruise lines have done this. Read (or re-read) post #24 above. Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (each updated 1/26/2023). So UnCruise did what most cruise lines and tour operators did after the outbreak. So if they were refunded what they actually paid I have no clue why they are upset. 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. Since day one, it has been our mission to create experiences for our guests that focus on the destination and allow them to explore the world in comfort. Powered by Invision Community. I called on 3/16 to request a refund, instead of a credit. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. Richard Andersen stands in front of the Saqqara pyramid in Egypt. So the company is giving itself a license to keep their money and reschedule over and over, while consumers dont have a right to a refund. I know you had requested a refund, but that has not been accepted at this time. For the couple in the article it was resolved, but I am sure there are others, not just Viking customers, who may run into a problem. Select "ok" to confirm refund. We asked Viking to point out the language that required the additional charge, but it didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. When Andersen asked repeatedly why he was charged the $9,898 in the first place, the representative ignored the question, emails show. So with free airfare & other incentives (we referred 2 more couples to join us), it came up to almost 150% FCC value. I come pick up and pay cash in person. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Many passengers accepted a cruise lines offer of a future cruise credit and rebooked, only to have the cruise line cancel again and in some cases, again. And now they are mad because they are not going to use those vouchers. Powered by Invision Community. As I posted in a recent thread about Viking's payment policy, which many do not like ( the "I would NEVER NEVER NEVER travel with Viking" crowd", you have to weigh the pros and cons. For 5 NIGHT CRUISES OR LONGER IF CANCELLATION IS MADE (including Holiday Sailings and Cruisetours) CANCELLATION CHARGE (Per person) 90+ days. Where's My Refund? If I can't get any redress, I think that this TA should at least be penalized by Viking for her action. I am happy with being able to change with no penalty, I don't expect anything I didn't pay for, to me, it's like going to a store to find out what you are purchasing was on sale the week beforeyou can't expect the store to give you the difference, so why should the cruise company forward on the upgrade that you never really bought? My Chase Sapphire Reserve travel insurance doesnt work. Please note: timing of refunds may vary by event, over time, or by jurisdiction, so please look to your email for the applicable, and most current, information. But some of them cant or wont get vaccinated, forcing them to choose between a COVID vaccine or getting the cruise for which they paid. However, the law would have only applied to future cruises. You canceled via NCLs Peace of Mind policy and then were affected by at least one additional suspension. When a . We also had a quick refund from Viking. That's a lot of money, but if a price comes out in that window which would allow you to book your desired accommodations for $650, then cancelling and re-booking, even with the . Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers resolve their problems. Thank you. However, if the company cancels, it should offer a full refund. He sent Viking a certified letter on April 10 asking for a cash refund of the extra $9,898 payment and questioning whether his partner's vouchers could be transferred to another person. Viking agents are not all the same, which is why I use only one. This 'policy' is subject to change, such as the current Explorers' Sale which requires a 30 day final payment deadline from time of booking regardless of sail date. They canceled my flight. 28 to 15 days. Crystal anecdotally is doing well, as well. When the coronavirus pandemic flared up, Viking informed me that it would allow postponement of our trip for up to two years. 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. @Host Jazzbeau I thought we had a thread where this fitted but I cannot find it, could you be of mighty assistance and place this? It gets worse. We are using this period of non-operation as a time for additional training and initiatives to ensure we have the safest and healthiest fleet in the industry. It doesnt matter if you havent read the agreement, either. 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