And you cant file on insurance since its not officially cancelled. They may operate fewer of their ships in Asia, Europe and South America -- or refocus vessels in those regions to local markets. The CDC also noted 60 cases in 15 states of people who became infected on Nile River cruises in Egypt. What's Next Now that the CDC Is Out of the Cruise Regulation Game? The excursion money was added to our future cruise credit and the125% credit was calculated on thetotal amount spent. I am sure you recognize that COVID-19 has made travel exceedingly complicated. Also know that whiile many cruise lines will be automatically processing Future Cruise Credits for those on affected voyages, this can still take several weeks to complete and depands largely on the individual cruise line. Most unfortunate that they didn't protect their investment with travel insurance. If you used a travel adviser, have them handle the details on your behalf -- though be aware that many agents are as overwhelmed as the cruise lines are at this moment, and rebooking, refunds or future cruise credits may take some time to be issued. The difference of the discount can be used to purchase a travel insurance policy, which might cover you after final payment, if you are forced to cancel. Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. Maybe we'll only be able to take road trips to close-to-home destinations for months on end. Maybe Viking has some special deal with Israel. Just got off the phone with my Viking rep..we're taking the 100% refund but we will be back. You each determine what your own personal price to value ratio is and probably act accordingly. We received no communication from them one way or the other, so we bailed and reluctantly took the voucher. Refunds are made upon receipt and depend on the working times of banks. 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. How Reassuring are New Cruise Cancellation Policies Really? Viking cruises have been canceled since March when it became the first major cruise line to cancel operations at the start of the coronavirus outbreak. I am writing today because the situation has now become such that operating as a travel company involves significant risks of quarantines or medical detentions, which could diminish the travel experiences for which our guests have been planning. That's $1,500 in extra value -- a 37.5% return on the original payment of $4,000 -- just for letting the cruise company hold onto the original payment for another year or two. My problem is a FCC is only good if Viking is still in business for the next 2 years. 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. True, but we should look into all possibilities and let them tell us "no.". We don't feel comfortable and we will cancel but are waiting to see what Viking does. I have said before that we will only sail again when it is safe to do so. Everything. Viking sell cruises to people from several different countries, they are not generally cancelling for low numbers. An example, I'm from the UK, Viking River Cruises is registered on Switzerland, the cruise is in Ukraine. We just got done re-booking for our cancelled mid June cruise. As a private company with strong finances, 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, as we have always done. Refunded to your credit card. Just a matter of time before official announcement. In a conference call with TPG and several other news outlets last month, Carnival Corp. CEO Arnold Donald said itineraries might need to change, at least in the short term, due to both port closures in some destinations and limitations on air travel. Viking is our go to cruise line now. We still have $$$ "left over" for excursions. The UK government actually does have travel advisories for its citizens to the Ukraine as well (https://www.gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/ukraine). What are the pros and cons of a refundable cruise deposit? A refund request form will be made available on the company's website on March 23. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. Visit TPGs guide to all coronavirus news and updates. Eight Diamond Princess passengers have died. Would you be willing to be flexible on where you sailed with the line? With the majority of the world's cruise lines .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;}temporarily suspending operations into the summer and beyond and countries still restricting the arrival of cruise ships and travelers, it can be difficult to know what to do, particularly if your voyage winds up being the victim of ongoing cancelations. See what a point or mile is worth with our appraisals of a loyalty programs currency, based on redemption values. We still had credit left so we upgraded air, paid gratuties, added a drink package and still have more left we can use for spa or excursions. 1) Viking like every other cruise line is in business to make money. Started June 21, 2021, By Refunds are made based on the cancellation conditions. We'll make an effort to keep this current, but if you learn something we don't yet have posted please leave a comment below and let us know so we can keep things current. Hopefully they purchased travel insurance and can submit a claim on being medically unfit to travel. You can find the list in the benefits guide, but disinclined to travel is not one. Viking has everyone's full payment 6 to 12 months out and they do not want to refund any of the cash they have from it's customers. 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. 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. Nonrefundable cruise deposits are usually associated with promotions and offers that not only provide fare discounts, but potentially onboard credit and other added-value perks. 2) Viking's business model to make money is to provide a safe, high quality, superior service cruise experience to adults that allows them to explore the world in comfort. Cost includes $12.95 plus applicable local sales tax. Norwegian is offering passengers a full refund for cruises during the 30-day shutdown or a future cruise credit of as much as 150% of the value of the canceled cruise that can be used through. "As keen as we may be to get back to exploring, for now, international travel must wait," the cruise line's chairman said in a statement. Deposits are refundable unless otherwise indicated. 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. 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. Coronavirus: Which Cruise Ports Are Closed? Related: Heres how to cancel or postpone a cruise due to coronavirus. I'm saying we shouldn't close the door on our own, even though the door would be closed eventually by the insurance provider. 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. I feel we have become one large Viking family of 500,000 guests each year and 10,000 employees. Further to the previous response. Started August 27, 2021, By Compare the cost in points or miles to cash, and see which option is best. I am writing to you today from my home, rather than the Viking office. If you are comfortable taking the risk, these rewards can pay off once onboard. I don't think it's false hope when we need an official confirmation. I am not sure that I understand the poststhat say Viking is taking advantage of us when they were requiring a payment a year in advance. That is a question that I would ask Tellus@Vikingcruises.com. When you visit this site, it may store or retrieve information on your browser, mostly in the form of cookies. Here's how long it will take, Good news for cruisers worried about strict new boarding rules, Some of the year's hottest new ships could be delayed, Stream these 13 movies and shows to get your cruise ship fix, Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information. But that might not be the case. 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. We will continue to stand by you, as well as our employees and partners, and hope that you will continue to stand by us. Royal Caribbean said it would conclude its sailings as scheduled. By Cruise lines that market to North Americans may initially focus their efforts on relatively short sailings out of U.S. ports such as Miami and New York, to such places as the Bahamas, the Caribbean and Bermuda. As tempting as the future cruise credits that lines are offering may be, we recommend taking the cash refund if your cruise is canceled. Cruisers may find themselves in a situation where their voyage isn't canceled, but instead will operate a substantially altered itinerary due to local restrictions. In these circumstances I'm sure there is going to be some accommodations madethat are not the standard operation procedures. The annual airline fee statement credit can be complicated to take advantage of compared to the broader travel credits offered by competing premium cards. By This has always been Viking's ambition and will remain so. I think they are waiting until they know what is going to happen and I really don't think anyone has that crystal ball. This will typically be spelled out clearly on the cruise line's website at time of booking, or by your travel advisor. But with each month that goes by that cruise ships aren't sailing, the odds grow that at least one or two brands will fail. MVJ is displaying an error message. Earn 5X Membership Rewards Points on prepaid hotels booked with American Express Travel. Get expert advice, insider tips and more. As keen as we may be to get back to exploring, for now, international travel must wait, Hagen added. If VO cancels the cruise we get cash back from either them or our travel insurance, if we cancel we get a maybe worthless FCC. We hope they can make it through this. In 2019, airlines canceled nearly 135,000 flights.
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