This post contains references to products from one or more of our advertisers. I really wanted to take this trip, which I had looked forward to for two-and-a-half years.. Viking Ocean Cruises has cancelled all river and ocean cruises through May 31, 2021. 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. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russias conflict with Ukraine. Our points-obsessed staff uses a plethora of credit cards on a daily basis. Stay current with special offers, news and destination-focused content. Fist leg of the flight I was not in Business class because it was a different aircraft, but I felt privileged to be on a flight because people had been stuck for 24 hours. What kind of insurance do I need? ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113573780', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');flight #LH1003 leaving at 8:05 am. At this time, we expect the ship will resume its scheduled operations on February 18, 2023. What should you order for the best food on board? They are for UK residents only. She verified that Viking had been notified that our 8:05am flight to Frankfurt had been cancelled. There are even more places your Platinum Card can get you complimentary entry and exclusive perks. Another issue we have with Viking Air's service is that they scheduled a 3-legged flight for us to Atlanta when there are direct flights from Amsterdam to Atlanta every day. "Black Sea Sights & Turkish Delights" calls in at Odessa, Ukraine, and Sochi, Russia in May and September; both these cruises will be replaced with Greece and Turkey port calls. At 104 days out before final payment was due, we had to either lose our entire deposit of $2K+ or get a voucher. 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. Unfortunately, there are still cruises being cancelled in 2022 due to Covid-19 and the uncertainty surrounding it. 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. Viking has grown into a major player in Mediterranean sailings, with more than 30 distinct itineraries that include stops in the region. "We are receiving messages from guests asking about our crew who come from Ukraine," wrote Royal Caribbean International CEO Michael Bayley on his Facebook page. For information about your specific voyage, please log onto MyVikingJourney.com. Viking got its start in 1997 when founder Torstein Hagen bought four pre-owned Russian river ships and started up sailings in the country, and in normal years, at least the line is the major player in Russian river cruises aimed at North Americans. Its most current report said almost 53% of the lower 48 US states are in a drought. Celebrity Cruises has yet to announce changes to any itineraries calling on St. Petersburg. Demand direct, non-stop flights that depart from the closest airport to your home if possible. Check-in was chaos mostly because of USA citizens not having filled up the correct forms for their own government, security was just as bad because of people not knowing what was not allowed as hand luggage and lack of security personnel because of illness. Vikings Scandinavia and Northern Europe trips range widely in length from just seven nights to a whopping 28 nights. Passengers disembarked in groups on Friday and then were placed on a two-hour bus ride to Memphis to catch their flights home, he said. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113594443', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');airlines or transfer companies. The 13-day trips focus heavily on the two gateway cities, with four days allotted for touring Moscow and four days reserved for visiting St. Petersburg. We couldnt find anything either. The line confirmed the steps to TTG on Wednesday (2 March) and said it was "deeply opposed" to the . Return flight from Cairo was running 3 hours late and when we got into London Heathrow we found people who had been waiting for days. As Sunny has said, that's why many people will book their own flights instead of dong their air thru the tour company or cruise line. On April 1, Holland America Line announced it would use the 1999-built Volendam to house refugees fleeing the 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. At least you now have some experience dealing with travel problems--perhaps you can wake-up a bit from the nightmare. The company also operates river trips on the Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia, and it just began river trips on the Mississippi River. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. You may have well received the cancellation notice directly and been able to work out an alternate flight before you even reached the airport. It makes sense that the company would charge more for a single traveler. Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. Instead, in the most extreme cases, AmaWaterways will create a new itinerary. Learn more. We mean extra charges, just for traveling as a single. In addition to requiring all guests and crew be fully vaccinated before setting foot on board the 930-passenger Viking Sky, the cruise line implemented a robust contact tracing system, daily PCR. 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.". The half hour airport transfer delay less the fifteen minutes later flight is a resultant fifteen minute overall timeline delay, frankly, big deal. What are cruise dress codes? Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus Please view our advertising policy page for more information. 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. Viking Cruises cancelled all 2022 departures on its Kiev (Kyiv, Ukraine), Black Sea & Bucharest itinerary in response to Russia's conflict with Ukraine. Air travel deserves its own expert attention. Schiphol and KLM both issue requirements that passengers arrive 3 to 4 hours before flight time. While we waited for a response, we did a little looking around. A Viking Ocean ship sails in Croatia. Together, the two ships are already making waves in the market for Antarctica cruises, in part because they have several new and unusual features. Posted May 6, 2021. 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. And when the company is asked by the news media about individual cases, it seems to make some kind of concession but requires the passengers to sign a non-disclosure agreement, so the final resolutions are usually under wraps. There are 80 river ships in Viking's fleet an astounding number. If you are concerned about the water level on your upcoming river cruise, do your due diligence before you take any action. In the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Viking has canceled all Russia river sailings in 2022 and 2023. Viking Cruises has ceased all operations in Russia this year in response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. I can't help but feel that 'Carol H' is rather inexperienced in flights when the world is in turmoil [Wait till the French Air Traffic controllers have their annual strikes] and we are still under the control of 'Covid'. Viking is, quite simply, the giant of river cruising in Europe at least among lines that cater to English speakers. You were never going to make that flight as booked and if you did it would have been dumb luck. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged. The cruise passed under the bridge in Greenville, Mississippi, that crosses into Arkansas on Thursday. However, youll find Vikings seven ocean ships everywhere from North America to Asia and Australia. Viking offers several Antarctic itineraries, with the typical trip starting with a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, before a flight to Ushuaia, Argentina, to board one of the two expedition ships for an 11-night cruise to Antarctica and back. She and her husband Ed recently took an 8-day cruise on the Viking Venus off the . Overview River and small ship ocean cruises. St. Louis is forecast to get light showers next Wednesday and Thursday. Yes, you are angry with Viking about the air and transfers, but how was the cruise? Though part of the United Kingdom, these archipelagos have ties to Norwegian and Viking history. Our thoughts are with all who are impacted by this conflict.". By. The latter adds travel on the Main and Danube rivers to days on the Rhine. General information will be listed below, with details of any affected departures. Planning a cruise? 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. A Warner Bros. Do not accept a cheap flight if the connections are tight. ta.queueForLoad : function(f, g){document.addEventListener('DOMContentLoaded', f);})(function(){ta.trackEventOnPage('postLinkInline', 'impression', 'postLinks-113575969', '');}, 'log_autolink_impression');cruise travel for all the reasons you have just experienced. Thursday wasnt the first time the Viking ship ran into low-water trouble on this voyage. Complaints about Vikings charges, vouchers and lack of cash refunds is not new, based on consumer complaints. $200 Airline Fee Credit: Get up to $200 in statement credits per calendar year in baggage fees and more at one select qualifying airline. Viking is a newcomer to cruises to Antarctica, but the destination is a big growth area for . Carnival Corp. includes includes Carnival, Seabourn, Holland America Line, Princess, P&O Cruises, Cunard, P&O Cruises Australia, AIDA and Costa. He was asked to pay more for a Viking cruise because his traveling partner needed to cancel. Even when cruise lines advertise "Free Air", there is a cost involved that they have figured into the price of the cruise and if the flights you have requested come in above that amount, you won't necessarily be given those flights. The current welcome offer on this card is quite lucrative. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. Nightmare experience returning home from Viking Cruise, Re: Nightmare experience returning home from Viking Cruise. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that call. Some river cruise ships were able to lighten the load and carry on. The text appears: #1 Rivers & Oceansagain. Also lost out on the cruise vouchers. Winner of Travel + Leisure World's Best Awards 2022, Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2021, and Cond Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards 2022. "We are currently evaluating itineraries that. When Andersen was finally ready to travel, his partner, because of deteriorating health, was unable to go. The company's Black Sea river voyages will not resume until the spring but are so far unaffected. 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. 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. Jan 26, 2023 01:33pm. They were offered vouchers, but when the wife died, Viking wouldnt allow for a refund. "We will continue to monitor the situation and if necessary make further alterations to our itineraries whilst still ensuring the best experience for our guests.". Brand to Restart Cruising, Marella Cruises Reveals New 2021/22 Itineraries to the US, Caribbean and Asia, Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas Cruise Ship to be Based in Southampton in 2021, Popular Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship To Homeport From Barbados For First Time, MSC Cruises Extends Seasons of MSC Virtuosa Cruise Ship in the UK, MSC Bellissima in Dubai, The 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season is Here: What Cruisers Need to Know, Church of the Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg (Photo: Shutterstock).