Viking's Antarctic roundtrips are from homeport Ushuaia Argentina, with prices starting from USD 15,000 pp (fly-cruise packages from Buenos Aires with included overnight hotel stay prior departure and return flights to Europe-USA-Canada-Australia). China Merchants Group's shipbuilding subsidiaries will design and construct the newbuilds for the new company. 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. Will Viking River Cruises Be Cancelled? . On March 22, 2015, Amsterdam (Holland) witnessed the naming ceremony of 12 longships. Viking.TV targets primarily non-cruising people (those staying home) rather than travelers. Until the 2015 slowdown, the company reported a steady growth of over 30% per year for the period 2010-2015. In mid-September 2016 was announced that TPG Capital and Canada Pension Plan Investment Board intend to make a joint investment of USD 0,5 billion in Viking Cruises. The boats are constructed by the Norwegian shipbuilder VARD (subsidiary of Fincantieri Italy). Beer, soft drinks and wine by the glass are included with lunches and dinners. 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). In March 2016, Viking OCEAN confirmed the order of three more ocean vessels, which was increased to four in 2017 (December). Viking Polaris Current cruise: 13 days, one-way from Buenos Aires to Valparaiso-Santiago Viking Expeditions Tracker Itineraries Deck plans Accidents Viking Neptune Current cruise: 137 days, one-way from Fort Lauderdale to London-Tilbury Viking Ocean Tracker Itineraries Deck plans Viking Mars Current cruise: 14 days, one-way from Sydney to Auckland at a time when other cruise lines are canceling. In earlier months, the dates change, but always the same day of the week, i.e. Viking Expeditions ships operate in Arctic-Antarctica, Great Lakes, USA and Canada), Viking Ocean (global). That's just what happened, and we are now booked in July 2021 with an upgraded cabin and air fare. Viking OCEAN's main competitor on the European market is MSC Explora Journeys. In 2017, Viking signed a sponsorship with National Geographic Society for shooting NatGeo's "Genius" (anthology series). The liners will be developed by VARD Design (Norway) with hulls constructed in Romania (. In the UK, Viking OCEAN ships are homeported in London-Greenwich England. Starting operations in 2022 with 1 ship (out of all 6 planned newbuilds), Viking's USA-based river cruise ships will be 5-deck, with all-balcony staterooms, aft-located infinity pool, bow ramp (for passenger landings). VIKING RIVER (European boats) restarted in July 2021 (Rhine-Douro-France rivers), VIKING's Egypt boat (Ra) - in August. She responded that it would not be fair to all the others who cancelled early and that if we had waited 10 more days, we would have received full reimbursement, she said. So ?? 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. CC Help Jenn 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). It could be true for the Main and I think they intend it also for the Elbe. In mid-December 2020, Viking and China Merchants Shekou Industrial Zone Holdings officially announced the creation of the new joint venture company "Viking China Coastal Cruise" focused on mid-sized luxury ship voyages in China exclusively. On March 16, 2022, were joint-christened 8 riverboats - 4x in Paris (Fjorgyn, Kari, Radgrid, Skaga) and 4x in Amsterdam (Egdir, Gersemi, Gymir, Hervor). Powered by Invision Community. I see they are doing all August now, will take a bit to get to November, but this is kind of last minute for you. Travelers looking for an extended experience in the region are able to choose longer versions of the itinerary, such as: In September 2020, Viking introduced a new (2023 itinerary) - the 29-day "Baltic Jewels And The Midnight Sun" from London UK to Stockholm Sweden via Norway, Denmark, Germany, Poland, Estonia, Russia, Finland, Sweden. Looks like our September cruise to the Fjords is in the process of being cancelled! Help requested: Cancelling a Viking Cruise I don't blame Viking for being less than forthcomingthey have to assume and state officially that everything is on, until it's officially off. In May 2017, Viking celebrated its 20th anniversary. When will Viking make the next cancellation announcement? But to all who are waiting - be prepared to make changes to your plans at the last minute. Ultimately she said that she would honor his statement, even if he wasnt authorized to make any offer to us, and would offer us a $500 cash settlement as a gesture of goodwill, Keyles said. And while the travel vouchers are good for 24 months, given the state of the pandemic, the couples medical conditions and age, they didnt think they would be traveling any time soon. The first custom vessel of the company, Viking Mississippi, is scheduled to debut in August 2022 and sail cruises on the Lower and Upper Mississippi River, between Saint Paul Minnesota, and New Orleans Louisiana. Wehad been locked out of MVJ for several days prior to this. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. Viking Shores and Fjords - SEPT 2021 - Cancelled? She talked about Vikings new safety protocols and while they sound good, I emphasized that group travel is not in our future.. The 8-day cruisetours include roundtrips from New Orleans, as well as one-ways between New Orleans and Memphis TN, and between St Louis MO and Minneapolis-Saint Paul MN. Ten days later, on March 30, Viking announced the cruise was canceled and 100% cash refunds would be given to customers but only for those who hadnt canceled previously. I just paid for a cruise using a voucher. Viking changed us to a different date without asking us. No partial refund was given and I lost the total deposit of $1000.I understand that the T&Cs outline the refund policy. Due to strong demand, Viking Cruises has also announced 2023 dates for 4 existing Great Lakes expeditions: the 8-day Great Lakes Explorer, Undiscovered Great Lakes, Niagara & the Great Lakes itineraries, as well as the 13-day Canadian Discovery. In 2000 Viking acquired Koln-Dusseldorfer (KD River Cruises). Viking canceled all 2021 Ukraine river cruises early in April 2021, much earlier than some of their other river or ocean cruises. Here you can compare all Viking cruise ships (RIVER, OCEAN, EXPEDITIONS) and their itineraries, destinations, and departure dates. Since the focus is on the port cities and river cruising, activities onboard are geared towards enrichment lectures. With penalties and costs that would not be reimbursed, including the cost of travel insurance, the couple had lost nearly $6,500 in cash. Koln-Dusseldorfer was acquired by Viking in 2000. Viking is bringing back river cruises to Europe in July. Viking Cruise News: Expedition Cruise Ships To Have - Cruise Critic This is our 3rd cancellation we originally had a river cruise last spring, then theMediterranean this July, and now August. Another exclusive partnership was signed with Cornell Lab of Ornithology (unit of Ithaca NY's Cornell University) which specializes in global bird research. For the ex-Malta season, Viking partnered with Lufthansa (Deutsche Lufthansa AG - Germany's largest airline) to offer non-stop Transatlantic flights between New Jersey USA (Newark Liberty Airport) and Malta Airport, exclusively for Viking OCEAN customers. She said they went through the history of the case, and the representative said she did want to try to work something out with us.. Please try again later. " CruiseMapper's Viking schedules also show how much will cost you to travel with the Viking brand. Voyages aboard the Viking Sea are roundtrips from Piraeus-Athens and begin January 2021. It imposes restrictions on where USA-based ships can navigate and how to be staffed. In 2013, the company launched its new brand "Viking Ocean Cruises". The 7-ship "virtual" naming ceremony was via satellite connections and held in 4 riverports - Basel Switzerland (Sigrun and Einar), Rostock Germany (Ullur and Sigyn), Brunsbuttel Germany (Vali and Tir) and Oporto Portugal (Helgrim). Posted elsewhere, but we received our official cancellation email this am from Viking for our Oct 4 Trade Routes Bergen to Barcelona. The lack of communication is extremely disappointing! Viking OCEAN's product was introduced in May 2015 with the launch of its first vessel MV Viking Star. Mediterranean cruises leave from: Turkey (Istanbul), Italy (Venice, Rome /port Civitavecchia), Spain (Barcelona). In January 2022, Viking became the world's first (and only) cruise line to built full-scale PCR laboratories onboard all OCEAN and EXPEDITION ships. air is received. On April 3, 2020, was the official launch of Viking.TV (https://viking.tv/). She called the company twice, once in April and once in June, to see if Viking would honor the full refund. The good news is there are a lot excellent choices available to use your 125%. During the 2015 christening, 8 longships were in Amsterdam. Ten days later, on March 30, Viking announced the cruise was canceled and 100% cash refunds would be given to customers but only for those who hadn't canceled previously. Changed to Aug 29. Viking Ocean Cruises was voted Best Large-Ship Ocean Cruise Line by Travel + Leisure readers in the 2016 World's Best Awards. The shipbuilding contract was officially signed on July 23, 2018. In addition, Viking announced 3 new departures (in October, November and December 2021) of the 15-day "Panama Canal and Central America" itinerary roundtrip from Fort Lauderdale (Port Everglades, Florida). No phone person is going to give you anything but the party line. Viking Expeditions ships are Norway-flagged (registered in Longyearbyen Spitsbergen), smaller-sized (GT 30150 tons, LOA length 203 m, beam/width 24 m) and with reduced passenger capacity (378 each, plus 260 crew/staff) in comparison to Viking Ocean's liners (930 passengers plus 465 crew/staff each). 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. These new types marine engines use 20% less fuel than the conventional ones. Offering 125% FCC. 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. Please try again later. " 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. Patience. Viking Cruises China's Managing Director is Brendan Tansey. Baltic-UK: "BALTIC JEWELS and THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Stockholm-London) and "INTO THE MIDNIGHT SUN" (Bergen-London). This technology lowers the vessel's maintenance costs and also the risk of sea pollution. I hope I'm wrong but all the signs point to another round of cancellation--and I would rather be wrong than offer you false hope. Fully refunded (100% in FCC) were also all prepurchased through Viking packages and services. The first river cruises of Viking in the United States had been highly anticipated when they were announced in April 2020. Cruise fares start from around USD 4,300 pp. American Queen Steamboat Company: Crusing as of mid-March 2021 American Queen Steamboat Company resumed select sailings in the South in mid-March, followed by voyages through the Pacific. Viking Mississippi cruise itineraries visit seven US states (Louisiana, Mississippi, Tennessee, Missouri, Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota) and the riverport cities Baton Rouge, Darrow, New Orleans, St Francisville, Natchez, Vicksburg, Memphis, Hannibal, St Louis, Burlington, Dubuque, Davenport, La Crosse, Red Wing, Minneapolis-St Paul. Unless something changed, the answer is yes - must be used on a single cruise. The experience (touted beneficial to the body's blood circulation) includes heating in a sauna (steam bath), then walking into this small room. In April 2004 Viking expanded in China with cruise tours on Yangtze River. I am expecting an email any time that my trip is canceled or moved to another ship. The B2B itinerary started with Valletta overnight and visited Kotor, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, Sibenik, Mgarr Malta, Valletta (overnight), Kalamata, Piraeus-Athens (overnight), Santorini, Rhodes, Souda Crete. 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 2012 were introduced the "Viking Longship" class of vessels. Oh, sorry to read that. (2020-built) longships on Seiner River in France -. On July 2, 2020, Viking Cruises announced that the new 2023 sailings of its Mississippi River cruises were on sale. The list of its services also includes. Northbound Atlantic: "VIKING EMPIRE" (Istanbul-Stockholm), Southbound Atlantic: "PASSAGE THROUGH WESTERN EUROPE" (Bergen-Barcelona), "SCANDINAVIA TO SPAIN" (Stockholm-Barcelona). Multiple sailing dates are available in November-December 2022; additional sailing dates are available in January and December 2023 and 2024. Fingers crossed that it will all work out in the end. Bookings made by September 30, 2020, receive USD 2000 pp in "shore excursion credit" plus USD 1000 pp in OBC (onboard credit). Replacing the biodegradable oils, the water is being directly discharged into the sea. Had a look atpossible cruises following todays cancellation and the fares seem to have increased substantially. Viking OCEAN's current plans are for a fleet of 16 sisterships, all of which are. Ship's expedition equipment is provided complimentary and to all passengers (regardless of cabin category). 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. In 2015, Viking's European river cruise sales became a bit slower than expected. So ?? Anything unspent WILL NOT rollover to your shipboard account. 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). They offered us a 150 dollar non refundable credit to be used onboard. The start of this story began in April 2021 when Viking CANCELED my July cruise to Norway and Iceland. 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. The inaugural cruise itineraries of both expedition vessels are 13-day polar voyages - one in Antarctica, the other in the European Arctic. VIKING OCEAN restarted operations on May 22, 2021, with Viking Venus (UK from Portsmouth England). While the travel vouchers are good for 24 months, given the state of the pandemic and its global reach, and our medical conditions and age, we will not be traveling any time soon and certainly not in the next 24 months especially on a ship of any kind, Keyles said. She called next day and said no operations said it is sailing. Just phoned Viking UK as still locked out of My Viking Journey and informed that there is nothing to worry about, Cruise is still going ahead on 3rd August and that MVJ page will be accessible in another 48 hours it is just being updated. 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. Here's how to cancel or postpone a cruise due to COVID-19 - MSN In the period 2011-2015, the company spent USD 600+ million on promotions. Ok as I predicted, all sold out cruises have been dropped from Viking as of this morning. Certain days, ships going both directions on several itineraries are showing sold out. No, the representatives said. An Early Booking promo (for bookings made for September 30, 2021) offered USD 2000 pp (shore excursions credit), USD 1000 pp (OBC-onboard credit) plus USD 1000 pp OBC (for Viking Explorer Society/loyalty program members). Later on 7/15 we got an apology email stating they made an error and that we would indeed be on the 9/3 cruise - in a different stateroom and our prebooked excursions were gone as well. Explorers Lounge (Decks 5-6, bow-facing) is 2-deck, circular-shaped, glass-covered and walled indoor observation lounge with wraparound windows. Among the vessels' innovative marine technologies are energy-saving hybrid engines, top-deck solar panels, pollution-minimizing exhaust systems. After Walt Disney Cruise Line (with MS Disney Magic, 1998-launched), Viking became industry's second cruise brand company to launch a purpose-built passenger liner (Viking Star). 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. The Rhine cruise program includes a shipboard overnight in Amsterdam and 3 days (2 shipboard overnights) in Basel with Lake Lucerne tour. 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). Viking Neptune's World Cruise itinerary offers overnights (also double overnights) in 11 ports, including Auckland New Zealand, Sydney NSW Australia, Benoa Bali Indonesia, Saigon Vietnam, Singapore, Yangon Burma, Colombo Sri Lanka, Mumbai India, Haifa Israel, Istanbul Turkey and London-Greenwich (before the debarkation). Could be US only, as we have no itineraries listed under Welcome Back. Till the end of 2014, the fleet grew to 52 riverboats. View all of our Luxury Cruise sailings and offers. Cornell Lab's ornithologists are also always present on the ship to interact with the passengers. KD Line is an 1826-founded, Cologne-based company with a fleet of 14 cruise vessels (including "event ships" and a paddle steamer) deployed in Germany, on the rivers Moselle, Rhine and Main. Powered by Invision Community. 8-day "Heart of the Delta" from New Orleans to Memphis. These riverboats are also chartered by other major European lines, like AmaWaterways, Avalon, and Uniworld. The cruise line offered her future cruise vouchers worth 125 percent of her fare. Prices start at US$4,400 per person with discounted airfare. This looks to me like a lot of cruises that they have been taking reservations for and collecting payment for may be cancelled. Viking River Cruises holds 1/2 of North America's market. Ms White, who had to cancel ten weeks of tours that were previously fully booked, acknowledged that there are land tours - buses that will ride cruise passengers to St George's - but said . If you have paid in full, the amount will be issued in the . In 2015, Viking's river fleet expanded to 64 boats, 40 of which longships (capacity 190 passengers) introduced in 2012. Viking Ocean's port agent for China is Wallem Ship Agency China. Started August 27, 2021, By Also they sent a new flight itinerary for us. But all was not lost. geordie_jim, May 4, 2021 in Viking Ocean. All Viking OCEAN ships offer destination-rich itineraries marked by "small ship cruise" tour and onboard experiences. Viking Cruises Extends Suspension Until June 2021 And I hope it is a good answer for you. Thanks for the update! BOOKING AND SALE TERMS AND CONDITIONS - Viking Cruises 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. Started August 27, 2021, By Shorter itinerary segments are also available for booking, including the 119-day "Viking World Horizons 2022" (Los Angeles to London, departure January 10, 2022) that visits 49 ports in 22 countries. As of January 2018, Viking Cruises operated a combined fleet of 62 riverboats plus 4 ocean ships. Karin Price Mueller may be reached at KPriceMueller@NJAdvanceMedia.com. The next day, they got a phone call. On both riverboats, all the hotel staff is Mandarin-speaking, all the signage is in Mandarin (from menus to toiletries). Fleetwide operations were planned to resume on October 1, 2020. Viking Venus is scheduled for the August 13-23 cruise. The engine rooms are noise-insulated and this reduces noise and vibration. I usually praise Viking but I think they should definitely offer a "lift and shift" maintaining the same price for a similar cruise to that which they have cancelled. Of those, 6 are Longships (Einar, Sigrun, Sigyn, Tir, Ullur, Vali) plus one modified Longship design Douro River cruiser (Helgrim). NOAA scientists are present on all Great Lakes USA voyages to conduct researches (on local weather changes and ecosystems) and present lectures themed on the Great Lakes region. 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. If we had waited even one more day, we would have only been entitled to 50% cash and 50% travel vouchers, Keyles said. The Viking Ocean brand was introduced in 2015 with Viking Star, which started operations with mostly one-way itineraries in Baltic Sea (Scandinavia, Russia) and Mediterranean Sea. Each PCR lab contains equipment and chemicals for conducting test analysis. Similarly named is the Finland-based cruiseferry company VIKING LINE (1959-founded). Note: CruiseMapper's Viking ship schedules show departure and call ports (including towns and cities visited on shore excursions), themed voyages (holiday, itinerary themes) and port times (arrival-departure / port stays and overnights). The first 6 Longships were launched in 2012 and collectively won "Best New River Ship" award. I had an online chat with Viking yesterday, where he said that our cruise had not been cancelled (yet) and to check back in 24-48 hours when MVJ is back online. 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. 8-day "New Orleans and Southern Charm" roundtrip from New Orleans. Fingers crossed we get to go on this one. Unless the low water area is more-or-less in the middle of the route, this practice doesnt enable ship swaps. 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). The note proceeds were used for repaying all the company's loans used to finance the building of the Viking Ocean liners Star and Sky, as well as for repurchasing Viking Sea (operated on sale-leaseback agreement). The new 8-day "Ancient Mediterranean Treasures" itinerary (between Athens and Istanbul) features overnights in both cities. Viking Cruises' arrival to the Mississippi represents a commitment to tourism and economic development in a lot of communities along the river, with the new sailings expected to bring 5,800+ guests to the region in 2022 and 17,600+ during the first full cruise season in 2023. Viking River Cruises: Reviews, Complaints, Customer Claims Viking Cruises' arrival to the Mississippi River represents a major commitment to economic and tourism development in a lot of communities along the river, with the new sailings expected to bring over 5,800 passengers to the region in 2022 and more than 17,600 during the first full cruise season in 2023. 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. Prices start at US$4,400 per person with discounted airfare. Had they waited 10 more days, they would have received the full refund. As part of new measures, Austria has paused leisure travel . Snow Grotto access is complimentary to all passengers. 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. I then e-mailed Tell us at Viking, had a very pleasant conversation and she sd she would e-mail operations. Multiple sailing dates are available in August and September 2023 and 2024. More Local News to Love Start today for 50% off Expires 3/6/23, Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Viking Coronavirus cancellation policy - Review of Viking Cruises Viking Expeditions (as a travel brand) was officially launched on January 15, 2020, with cruising operations starting in January 2022. Look for a link at the bottom of this page or in our privacy policy where you can withdraw consent. Viking cruise voucher problem: Don't forget to read the fine print! Its always still sailinguntil its cancelled. https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/cruise-destinations/eastern-mediterranean/malta-and-adriatic-jewels/pricing.html. VikingCruises, Community Specialist at Viking Cruises, responded to this review Responded December 1, 2021 Thank you for your review, Anna. The FCC is valid for 24 months (after cancellation), for any Viking cruise itinerary (river-ocean-expedition) and fully transferable. We had planned a trip in 2021 and when Viking changed their requirements we chose to cancel our trip. He started in 1997 by purchasing four Russian vessels. The company is responsible for vessels berthing (cruise terminal arrangements), logistics, freshwater supply, customs, crew changes, passenger disembarkation/embarkation. 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. In China (on Yangtze River), Viking River Cruises operates under charter the large-sized boat Viking Emerald.