Posted elsewhere, but we received our official cancellation email this am from Viking for our Oct 4 Trade Routes Bergen to Barcelona. Alright, I did mean to be precise, but you prefer to very precise, so of course you are correct . In 2016-Q3, Viking Flusskreuzfahrten AG terminated the charter deals with Pericon AG (shipowner) and stopped to operate the riverboats Viking Spirit (now Seine Comtesse), Viking Sun (now Rhein Melodie), Viking Helvetia (now Rhein Symphonie), Viking Pride (now Bijou du Rhone) and Viking Danube (now Filia Rheni 2). However, the process is slowed due to issues regarding the so-called "Jones Act" (Merchant Marine Act from 1920). Viking Mediterranean itineraries are themed as: In November 2018, Viking announced an 11-day itinerary named "Greek Odyssey". No, the representatives said. CC Help Jenn The bright return of holiday river cruising in 2021, heralded as the year the European Christmas markets would return, has dimmed even further as the German states of Bavaria and Saxony have also. Viking refusing to refund given COVID risks! - Review of Viking Cruises Viking Cruise News: Expedition Cruise Ships To Have - Cruise Critic Each PCR lab contains equipment and chemicals for conducting test analysis. Great service, great listening to concerns, we couldn't be happier. They offered a $250 per person onboard credit for the inconvenience. Viking canceled all 2021 Ukraine river cruises early in April 2021, much earlier than some of their other river or ocean cruises. That didnt seem fair, Keyles said. 3 additional expedition cruises in North & South America are also due to debut in summer 2023. CruiseMapper's Viking schedules also show how much will cost you to travel with the Viking brand. In 2023, celebrating the company's 25th anniversary, Viking EXPEDITIONS offers "Longitudinal World Cruise I". Prices start at US$11,000 per person with discounted airfare. 2022-2024 Viking Mississippi Voyages feature: 15-day "America's Great River" from New Orleans to Saint Paul. On January 11, Norwegian Cruise Line informed passengers that near-term sailings on additional ships would be canceled, primarily for departures over the next two weeks (details below). On both riverboats, all the hotel staff is Mandarin-speaking, all the signage is in Mandarin (from menus to toiletries). MV Viking Star became world's ever-first ocean ship with a "snow room". But a pattern is there that is certainly deliberate. Finse Terrace is an outdoor lounge (adjacent to Aula Auditorium) with comfortable seating (padded sofas) and heated by firepits (heated lava rocks). By the year 2027, the company's 16-ship ocean fleet will have a combined capacity of 16,930 berths, ranking Viking OCEAN the world's largest cruise company with ship capacity under 1000 passengers. The 7-day American itineraries include roundtrips from NOLA/New Orleans, as well as one-ways between New Orleans and Memphis TN, and between St Louis MO and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN. Changed to Aug 29. Aft-located (at the stern) indoor-outdoor pool deck lounge (Aquavit Terrace) with 3 infinity pools - positioned side by side and covered by a retractable glass roof. Oh, sorry to read that. . @rcaruso, sorry your cruise is cancelled. Viking OCEAN's fleet consists of all 10 liners - Viking Star (2015), Viking Sea (2016), Viking Sky (2017), Viking Sun (2017), Viking Orion (2018), Viking Jupiter (2019), Venus (2021), Mars and Neptune (2022), Viking Saturn (2023). 10 more were launched in 2013, and additional 18 launched in 2014 (including 2 smaller ships purpose-built for Douro River in Portugal). Viking ships are nonsmoking (interior) with a dedicated smoking area on Sundeck. The onboard cuisine is traditional Chinese (dishes prepared by Szechuan and Cantonese chefs) plus European dishes by Michelin-star chefs. Viking Cruises' ocean liners made the company world's largest "small ship cruise" brand with a dominant share on the luxury travel market (23,9 % by year 2020). When more than one cruise is booked, deposit and payment policies apply per Cruise Fare. This morning, we got the email that Italian Sojourn (Aug 1) has been cancelled, 125% voucher, yada yada. Till the end of 2014, the fleet grew to 52 riverboats. But to all who are waiting - be prepared to make changes to your plans at the last minute. No idea about other rivers. Certain days, ships going both directions on several itineraries are showing sold out. In the mid-1990s, the company's founder, Torstein Hagen enjoyed a river cruise in Russia and was so excited that decided to create his own river cruising company. Journey with the world's #1 river cruise line. Finse Terrace also provides alfresco dining and drinking when weather permits. Fourteen new sailings for Iceland have been added as of this morning. Fleetwide operations were planned to resume on October 1, 2020. We'll try for something in 2022. The lounge has floor-ceiling and wall-to-wall windows (providing 270-degree unobstructed views) and an outdoor deck seating (Finse Terrace). Note: "Longship" is a new patented ship design. The "Malta and Adriatic Jewels" itinerary started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Montenegro (, The "Malta and Greek Isles Discovery" itinerary also started with an overnight in Valletta and visited ports in Greece (, The "Malta and the Western Mediterranean" itinerary started with Valletta overnight and visited ports in Sicily (. Viking emailed Mar 2 2020 offering a voucher for the 75% cancellation fee those on cruises in Apr. Just looked it is still showing on the UK site but looking again at My Viking Journey I now get " Your booking is currently locked for updates. Cash compensation would not necessarily cover the full amount owed and the travel insurance premium is not eligible for reimbursement in any event.. Viking EXPEDITIONS summer 2023 season includes a new 2-week itinerary in the Great Lakes along with additional offers in North & South America. The engine rooms are noise-insulated and this reduces noise and vibration. On May 17, 2013, the company announced the launch of its "Viking Ocean" division. Celebrity is allowing travelers with bookings made by Jan. 31, 2022, to cancel as little as 48 hours before sailing for a full refund. Could all be perfectly benign, may not be. A 121-day segment (Viking World Journeys) allows travelers to join the cruise ship in Los Angeles CA, from where the itinerary continues to Hawaii, Australia and New Zealand, Asia and the Middle East, Europe (Mediterranean and Atlantic Coastal) ending in London-Greenwich, England UK. Offering 125% FCC. Our Viking cruise embarkation was delayed by 2 days, shortening our trip from 12 to 10 days. Mediterranean cruises leave from: Turkey (Istanbul), Italy (Venice, Rome /port Civitavecchia), Spain (Barcelona). As a result of newbuilds and acquisitions, in 2014 the company had a river fleet of 52 vessels with a total of 9200 berths. In the period 2011-2015, the company spent USD 600+ million on promotions. I am sure I will get the dreaded e-mail today or tomorrow. Aula Auditorium provides direct access to Finse Terrace, which makes it an indoor-outdoor observation lounge. Passengers can experience the exciting scenery of Meteora, with its medieval monasteries, or explore the religious center of Dion, situated on the foothills of Mt Olympus. I just pulled my Viking folder and on 6-25 (a month ago I was rudely dismissed by a Viking rep). BOOKING AND SALE TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Viking Cruises Viking Shores and Fjords - SEPT 2021 - Cruise Critic Community Due to the Coronavirus crisis, Viking Cruises suspended passenger shipping operations fleetwide by canceling all voyages with pre-scheduled departures in the period March 12, 2020, through July 2021. The representative went through options, she said, including larger vouchers, extended time periods to use them and considering U.S. based trips instead of international travel. Explorers Bar is on Deck 5. Followers 7. Unless the low water area is more-or-less in the middle of the route, this practice doesnt enable ship swaps. In China (on Yangtze River), Viking River Cruises operates under charter the large-sized boat Viking Emerald. I just pulled my Viking folder and on 6-25 (a month ago I was rudely dismissed by a Viking rep). On July 2, 2020, Viking Cruises announced that the new 2023 sailings of its Mississippi River cruises were on sale. They would fly to Italy and take an 8-day Viking River Cruise called Italian Sojourn, which would travel around Italys boot from Civitavecchia to Venice. Viking OCEAN's current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are. 8-day "America's Heartland" from Saint Louis to Saint Paul. The funding helped the company's growth, particularly on the ocean cruising market, and also strengthened its balance sheet as it branched into China (since 2016). I think you are correct - check this post: Viking Ocean - Combined Cruise Schedule - Page 5 - Viking Ocean - Cruise Critic Community, .Im sharing this bad feeling as our Trade Routes itinerary is no longer available to view or book for 2021 and I am also locked out ofMVJ. Keyles said she expected it would not be approved because they were not sick at the time of the planned travel. And it all started in the not-so-distant 1997 with the establishment of the modest Viking River brand founded by a consortium of Scandinavian and Dutch investors, with only 4 second-hand riverboats bought in Russia. Will Viking River Cruises Be Cancelled? - River Cruising - Cruise Had a look atpossible cruises following todays cancellation and the fares seem to have increased substantially. On March 16, 2022, were joint-christened 8 riverboats - 4x in Paris (Fjorgyn, Kari, Radgrid, Skaga) and 4x in Amsterdam (Egdir, Gersemi, Gymir, Hervor). 44-day "From the Arctic to Antarctica" (from Tromso to Ushuaia), 19-day "Antarctic and South America Discovery" (from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro), 18-day "South America and Antarctic Discovery" (from Rio de Janeiro to Ushuaia), 15-day and 13-day "Antarctic Adventure" (from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia), 15-day "Atlantic and Equator Sojourn" (from Cork to Rio de Janeiro), 13-day "Arctic Adventure" (roundtrip from Tromso Norway), 13-day "Viking's Northern Isles" (from Tromso to Cork), 13-day "Canadian Discovery"(from NYC New York City to Toronto), 10-day "Caribbean Connections" (from Bridgetown to NYC New York), 8-day "Niagara and the Great Lakes" (from Toronto to Milwaukee), 8-day "Undiscovered Great Lakes" (from Thunder Bay to Milwaukee), 8-day "Great Lakes Explorer" (from Milwaukee to Thunder Bay). Their claim was denied and the couple let Viking know. Feels like it is time to brace for another round of cancellations. VIKING OCEAN operates a 10-ship fleet of newbuilds (identically designed vessels). Each of the swimming pools is at a different temperature. The ship design features several spacious open-deck areas, including Promenade Deck and bow-located Observation Deck (forward on Lounge Deck). Multiple sailing dates are available in June, July, September, and October 2023 and 2024. Repositioning cruises are officially themed as: Viking Baltic itineraries are operated in the summer, themed as "Viking Homelands" (14 nights in length). Will Viking River Cruises Be Cancelled? 2021 Mediterranean cruises start in September while any river cruise I checked still starts in July. In 2013, Viking operated a 37 river ships fleet. Risk-Free Guarantee - Viking River Cruises Cruisetour itineraries range from 7 to 23 days and include as regions the European rivers Rhine, Main, Danube, Saone, Rhone, Seine, Elbe and Douro, also Ukraine's Dnieper, Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, Burma's Irrawaddy and Cambodia-Vietnam's Mekong. Viking River Cruises holds 1/2 of North America's market. Viking Neptune itinerary program was announced by VIKING OCEAN in late-December 2020. Just got the official email from Viking saying our cruise has been canceled with the details of the 125% future cruise voucher which must be used on a 2021 or 2022 cruise. Owned & operated fleet, with the best docking locations in Europe. The shipbuilding contract was officially signed on July 23, 2018. Viking's Nile River cruisetour is themed "Pharaohs and Pyramids". Viking Ocean's port agent for China is Wallem Ship Agency China. My TA had called them two days prior to the rescheduling to ask why we were locked out of our MVJ acct & she was told they were just "doing maintenance" on their systems and everything was fine!! It worked out for us. Fleetwide operations were planned to resume on October 1, 2020. Your booking is currently locked for updates. Asian rivers - Ukraine's Dnieper, Russia's Volga, China's Yangtze, Myanmar-Burma's Irrawaddy and Vietnam's Mekong. Viking cruises add more dates but gloom as St George's misses out Its always still sailinguntil its cancelled. Only says "Additional 2021 Voyages Coming Soon". Share. 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). We are fortunate that we can accept the date change, but it has cost quite a bit more to change hotel ressies - and our TA is still struggling to get thru to their air dept to get us acceptable flights - she has been trying for a week! Disappointed with Viking Cruises cancellation policy. Disney Cruise Line . air is received. Email also stated ", Because we have cancelled itineraries that were not possible to operate given current circumstances, including your sailing, we have redeployed our ocean fleet to the new. Debuting in June 2023, the 15-day Great Lakes Collection itinerary is due to sail between Toronto (Ontario Canada) - Duluth MN (Minnesota USA), providing passengers with a complete view of the region and call ports in all 5 Great Lakes. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. "Viking World Cruise 2019" prices started from USD 90,000 per person (with double occupancy). It is good to have several ships running also for flooding, but the idea of meet in the middle is less likely to work. Had they waited 10 more days, they would have received the full refund. Fosse's cruise and land tour to Eastern Europe became a casualty of COVID-19. Claire and Stanley Keyles planned a dream vacation for June 2020. Highlights of the Greek Odyssey itinerary include: The cruise fare includes balcony cabins for all passengers, complimentary shore excursions in all ports, all onboard meals, complimentary wifi, wine and beer with lunch and dinner, access to spa's Thermal Suite, and 24-hour room service. The contract's potential value is approx NOK 5 billion (USD 611 million = EUR 525 m) for both ships, and also includes optional two more vessels of the same series. Starting in 2018, Viking River Cruises is the first non-domestic company licensed to operate cruise ships on the Nile River in Egypt. CC Help Jenn He advised us that if we were thinking about rebooking in 2021, we should wait to see if Viking cancelled our 2020 cruise making us eligible for a 125% voucher. As of 2020, Viking fully owned and operated a fleet of 6 ocean liners plus 76 riverboats (almost all of which are of the patented Longship-Class). In early 2018 was announced, that the Viking Cruises company raised USD 975 million through a private placement of USD 275 million (5,875% secured notes due in 2027) plus USD 675 million (5% secured notes due in 2028). Thanks. In March 2021 were delivered Egdir and Gymir - the last longships on order with Neptun Werft. Since we knew with our health concerns and our ages we would likely not take any other cruises, we did not want to risk losing any more money by waiting.. The inaugural cruise itineraries of both expedition vessels are 13-day polar voyages - one in Antarctica, the other in the European Arctic. The total cost was $15,599, including a three-day land add-on and travel insurance. CC Help Jenn the same ship. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Offering 125% FCC. And certainly not in the next 24 months especially on a ship of any kind, Keyles said. One thing that isn't clear to me is if you must use all of the voucher on a single cruise. VIKING OCEAN restarted operations on May 22, 2021, with Viking Venus (UK from Portsmouth England). In earlier months, the dates change, but always the same day of the week, i.e. Viking Cruises has announced that its river and ocean operations will remain on hold through May 31, 2021, which means cruises won't resume until June at the very earliest. at a time when other cruise lines are canceling. Optional (exclusive) deals include private jet travel (to any airport in Europe) for 1 day at the price of USD 30,000 pp. The launch platform features a 26 m (85 ft) wide rollers-covered slipway (boat ramp) that allows safe and sheltered embarkation on the RIBs inside the cruise ship. MS Amarco Antares (Nile River, Egypt) is an Amarco-owned hotelship operated by Viking under a charter. Previously, Viking Egypt operated the Nile River and Lake Nasser itineraries with two chartered ships (Steigenberger Omar El Khayam and Mayfair). The newbuilds were launched in 2019 and christened together on March 19. https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/welcome-back.html. On March 20, 2013, the newly renamed company "Viking Cruises" launched 10 ships at one time, thus entering Guinness Book of World Records. Im going to be nit-picky about this. As you consider your travel plans, we invite you to explore our expandedWelcome Backofferings as an alternative.". Viking's Longitudinal World Cruises include chartered domestic flights in Argentina (between Ushuaia and Buenos Aires). The longer/71-day itinerary visits 33 ports (10 countries, 3 continents). The snow on the floor is kept at sub-freezing temperatures. Curiously, in August 2021, Viking OCEAN announced a "double world cruise 2023-2024" with two ships (Neptune and Sky) sailing on an identical itinerary from Florida to the UK. Viking's USA-based riverboats will be newbuilds (vessel building cost ~USD 90-100 million per unit), each with 5 decks, passenger capacity 386, all-balcony staterooms (193 cabins total), an aft-located infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings). While in port, passengers can walk the waterfront promenade with its many restaurants and cafes, or head outside the port city to the remains of the Macedonian kingdom of Alexander the Great. He started in 1997 by purchasing four Russian vessels. We both have autoimmune conditions. These are the liners Viking Star (2015), Viking Sea (2016), Viking Sky (2017), Viking Orion (2018), Viking Jupiter (2019), Viking Venus (2021), and Viking Neptune and Viking Mars (2022), Viking Saturn (2023). Viking's Arctic cruises (to Svalbard Islands and Arctic Russia) are roundtrips from homeport Tromso Norway and priced from USD 14,000 per person (double-occupancy balcony cabin). Stanley Keyles looks at the Viking River Cruise website. Company's Net revenues for FY2017 were estimated at about USD 1 billion. VikingCruises, Community Specialist at Viking Cruises, responded to this review Responded December 1, 2021 Thank you for your review, Anna. Started August 27, 2021, By Today, 1/22/22 I contacted Viking Cruise lines about canceling a river cruise to France for this June, plenty of days before the cancellation date, and was told that I could not get ALL my money back. Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey is among the world's best-preserved cities of antiquity. The latest: When cruise lines will reopen in 2021: Travel Weekly Viking Ocean Ships Currently Sailing: Viking Jupiter Viking Orion Viking Mars Viking Neptune Viking Saturn Viking Sea Viking Sky Viking Star Viking Venus Viking river cruise itineraries range from 7 to 23 days. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Beer, soft drinks and wine by the glass are included with lunches and dinners. Viking Mississippi - As of January 23, 2023 Due to damage from substantial river debris to the Viking Mississippi 's propulsion system, the ship will undergo repairs requiring the cancellation of upcoming departures. This was the reason for modifying the parent company's name to "Viking Cruises". Viking is the only cruise line to have a full PCR testing labratory onboard. Viking Cruises. A visit to a Nubian village is also included. Viking River Cruises: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims It was to be on the Alruna from Basel to Amst. All Viking Ocean ships are from one series - same-designed, with same layouts, interiors and amenities, featuring spacious lounges, multiple dining options (several al-fresco / outdoor deck venues), 3-story Atrium, premium theater/show lounge, Sun Deck (with 2 swimming pools), Nordic-design Spa, Gym and sports area, Snow Room, duty-free boutique shops. Paid for a cruise in Nov 2021 for an Oct 2022 cruise . Poor Customer Service, Refund Policy due to Covid-19 - Review of Viking Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By On Apr 4, 2018, Viking and VARD (Norwegian subsidiary of the Italian shipbuilding company Fincantieri) signed LoI (Letter of Intent) for designing and building 2 new-class ocean liners. Please try again later. " 2/3s of Longship's cabins are with French balconies, verandas, or both. Other features include the indoor-outdoor "Aquavit Terrace" (designed for outdoor relaxation and also suitable for alfresco dining), large "Explorer Suites" with wraparound balconies (aft / stern location), an organic herb garden and solar panels (on the Sun Deck). Travelers can explore its Byzantine churches and Venetian homes, take a drive to the imposing fortress towering over the city, Palamidi, or travel to the Peloponnese peninsula. Viking Ocean and River is currently operating all upcoming scheduled itineraries. Since the focus is on the port cities and river cruising, activities onboard are geared towards enrichment lectures. Via this exclusive partnership, on every voyage scientists from the Institute undertake on the ship and also share with the cruisers their expertise. . Viking Announces Return of European River Cruises in July - Travel It is of course for low water scenarios, I did not say that explicitly. Of course, this is the US website. This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. MVJ is locked for this specific cruise , and if you try to book the cruise (UK website) the first available Fjords cruise in now April 2022. "Modified" longships are smaller in size. That is what Azamara have done despite the the 2022 advertised fare being more. Viking River Cruises Cancellation and Refund Policy Worldwide, Viking Cruises hires over 2,500 staff and crew. Prices start at US$4,400 per person with discounted airfare. By. Viking OCEAN's main competitor on the European market is MSC Explora Journeys. The voyage starts from Port Everglades (Fort Lauderdale, Florida USA) on December 24, 2021, and ends in London City England. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Viking Shores and Fjords - SEPT 2021 - Cancelled? Anything unspent WILL NOT rollover to your shipboard account. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. Most passenger staterooms (189 total) are with French balconies, excluding only Deck 6's Suites (OS-Owner, ES-Explorer). See below the list of main Viking OCEAN itineraries as themes and ports of call: All voyages include overnight stays in both ports (of departure and final disembarkation). Fingers crossed that it will all work out in the end. The next day, they got a phone call. They try to make it better by giving us $250 PP OBC, but after the cancellation of prepaid excursions, we had a pile of OBC and NOTHING to spend it on. As we watched the COVID pandemic expand and followed the news about the cruise ship outbreaks, we knew we would not be going on our upcoming trip, Claire Keyles said. No phone person is going to give you anything but the party line. Two of them could not be rebooked at this late date. They include both the river cruising portion and hotel stays. I said on the Rhine (where it is in the middle) and meant to imply with other itineraries some on the Danube (where a section is almost in the middle). Itineraries include "In Search of the Northern Lights", "Into the Midnight Sun", "British Isles Explorer" and "Viking Homelands". Plus the refunds went on as a voucher which had to be used before we boarded!! Our August 9th British isles Explorer cruise (which was supposed to be on the Venus) has obviously been canceled. The Viking riverboats Ra-Osiris-Aton cruise only on the Nile portion (roundtrip from Luxor). In Australia, P&O Australia has suspended sailings until at least March 4, 2021, with Pacific Explorer cancelled until March 4 and Pacific Adventure up until April 30, 2021. When Will Cruises Resume? - US News & World Report That is one scenario and pure speculation. All the 6 ships will be built and owned by ECO Shipyards (subsidiary of Edison Chouest Offshore) and operated under charter. The Rhine cruise program includes a shipboard overnight in Amsterdam and 3 days (2 shipboard overnights) in Basel with Lake Lucerne tour. No one expects to have to cancel a cruise. They are environmentally friendly, with a patented interior design creating 2-room suites, numerous French Balcony staterooms, full-size rooms, and verandas. By Funky Fusion FoodsJ, November 19, 2021 in River Cruising.