does viking give cash refunds

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). Powered by Invision Community. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. Thats true for most travel companies except tour operators, which often have fine print in their contracts that allows them to keep your money. The OP . I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. During the 16 th through 20 th class days (February 7 - 13, 2023): 25%. However, the law would have only applied to future cruises. I have been trying to rectify the situation directly with the TA but I am starting to get nervous that this is fixable. But why cant I get a refund? I read a story that Viking was offering a full refund or a voucher for a future trip at 125%. Are Viking Ocean cruise deposits refundable? Hope this helps. Was it made before the deadline? We had a fully booked and paid for Budpest Amsterdam river cruise in the spring of 2021. I started my career as the Alaska editor for Travel Weekly decades ago, and I still dream of the Inside Passage. 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. OVER $39 Worldwide Free Shipping. It just seems unfair even though technically Viking is allowed to do it. As a private company 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. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Now what?Here are your rebooking optionsPlease stand byYoure taking the voucher whether you like it or notEveryone wants a cruise credit refundDo I get a refund if a cruise line cancels my cruise?What about travel insurance?Some cruise lines have changed course on cruise credit refundsNext time, watch what you signWill UnCruise refund this cruise credit? 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. I had heard that there was one on the planet. Since you only paid $14K, I'll assume you were on a short cruise of under 35-days, so the cancellation terms were: - Prior to 120-days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of $100 pp, - 120 days to 90 days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of 15%, - 89 days to 60 days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of 35%, - 59 days to 30 days: refund of fare, less cancellation fee of 50%. The second cruise was on the Viking Sun which was sold. There was no vaccination requirement when they booked their cruise, and probably none when they booked the 4/21 cruise. Can a cruise line really turn your cash into expiring credits? Emerging with some cash and some vouchers is inconsistent with most pax experience during Covid. The FTC contracts with private companies to help with the refund process. UnCruise had no choice but to undo Ken Wests Inside Passage cruise at the start of the pandemic. The cost of a stopover is usually between $100 and $300. Viking is holding my money ransom and shows utter disregard for keeping its word and corporate decency. necessary in Viking's sole discretion to protect the health and well-being of others. 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. Vrbo took my $1,270! Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/as-cruise-ships-remain-docked-passengers-say-their-vacation-money-is-tied-up/2445625/, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. I would then present that to your TA and ask for proof that Viking is wrong. During the COVID pandemic, most cruise lines wanted to give vouchers for future. Need a tour refund? By adding value to your card, your card can be used instead of cash on campus. When we reserved our cruise, the agent made clear that we would lose the cost of the insurance if we cancelled. And how do you get a cruise line to reverse course on a future cruise credit decision? 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. Issuing a refund is not difficult for a company to do; in fact its a single click on most electronic payment gateways. By If you want to use your refund without waiting for us to process your return, you can select the Instant Refund option, if it's available. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. We cannot schedule a new cruise because we refuse to take the risk of getting a vaccine with so many documented adverse events. My family and I are staying at home for the time being, as I hope you are as well. Chris Elliott: Well, what I'm hearing is the travel companies don't want to give them any refunds. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Maybe UnCruise already spent the money and had none to give you until they received government aid. Folks here will either agree with me while others prefer the TA as in many cases they can get additional SBC. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? Select refund. Viking has been holding our money for 4 years now. This is a common problem during the pandemic. 59 or less. Hertz billed her for eight extra days on her car. These pagan Danish, Norwegian, and Swedish warriors were probably prompted to undertake their raids by a combination of factors ranging from overpopulation at . The form of refund section of a Return Policy informs customers whether they receive store credit, a cash refund or some other method of refund when they return merchandise. Use down arrow key to expand the menu and up arrow key to collapse the menu and hit enter to select the link Shame on them. Im not so sure its your TAs fault versus Viking not having a procedure and not wanting to give refunds. I have to add that I use the sameViking agent rather than a TA. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of key UnCruise contacts on this site. It would have been interesting to know the details. Does Viking? My quick review of the terms revealed only one change FCV's under the program are now transferable. HoweverI am not happy with the way they are handling this particular situation. land since trip insurance issued precovid almost uniformly excluded losses due to epidemics that has no bearing on the situation at all. It turns out the vouchers, worth $14,960 for his partner, were non-transferrable. Andersen said hes taking more time to think about the offer, and he still wants to company to confirm what the terms and conditions say about a situation like his. I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. Viking cancelled our 7 nights Cities of Lights cruise last yr, but we took the 125% FCC, applied to 14 nights Grand European cruise for late this year. I think you would find them willing to discuss options. You pulled off a minor miracle, he says. Covid broke out and was raging in the area and around the world. In early March, I asked Viking if the trip had been canceled, and it said no. While we waited for a response, we did a little looking around. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Our help is free. But I had expected better from Viking. Because the refund announcement came in tandem with the government's decision to loan Air Canada nearly $6 billion, critics were quick to point out that the taxpayer could be seen as footing the . Get a Walmart shopping card or gift card if the returned item is equal to or more than $10. It doesnt matter if you havent read the agreement, either. We did not get paid the extra 25% and did not expect to. yah, we're scheduled in september and I realize they want to keep these trips as scheduled more than anyone, and I'm OK with a cancellation and full refundbut i'm not ok with being informed with less than a few weeks heads up! However, if you prefer the alternative, you may choose a refund equal to the amount paid, by calling Viking at 1-833-900-0951 by April 6, 2020. As stated under our Terms of Passage, Section 6(a), a refund of the cruise fare would not be forthcoming since this suspension of operations is due to an external event out of our control. Its been eight months. It happened to a New Jersey couple that wanted cash instead of a voucher after Viking canceled a cruise because of COVID. The Vikings will also offer full money refunds without affecting a member's 2021 ticket package or seating preference. Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? They have another 14 days to return the goods once they've told you . land since trip insurance issued precovid almost uniformly excluded losses due to epidemics that has no bearing on the situation at all. When Viking cancels your cruise, you are entitled to a full cash refund. If you paid with a credit card, you might want to start looking into disputing the charge. She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. 50% of total price. Returns>> Fast refund 100% Money Back Guarantee. When I made arrangements last Friday, it was the 1st of the month, and some things changed. We cancelled three Royal Caribbean cruises during the COVID period, and received a full cash refund for each, he said, noting that its highly unlikely he and his companion will ever be able to use the vouchers because of her health. (Courtesy Richard Andersen). Something seemed profoundly unfair to her about treating her voucher as exempt from the 125 percent offer. Wondering if anyone else has had this experience with Viking. Youre taking the voucher whether you like it or not. Dear Viking Guests, Your bank promptly returned your money. Im interested to hear other peoples experiences. 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. And it goes way beyond Alaska. CC Help Jenn For additional flexibility, if you are unable to use your voucher, we will automatically send you a refund equal to the original amount paid to Viking after the voucher expires. 1A once-in-a-lifetime cruise canceledThey canceled his vacation. Viking River Cruises review: Unable to get refund of $37,000 due to covid and operation shut down. And now they are mad because they are not going to use those vouchers. D Dr. Linda Lewis of US Jun 25, 2020 5:02 pm EDT Review updated: Dec 23, 2021 Resolved Replied Featured review We paid $14,000 into reserve a cruise for me and my husband plus the insurance and got back $10,000. Still, something about your case is not sitting right with me. But we are truly living in an unprecedented time. He wanted his money back. Arent there consumer laws that protect you if a company cant offer the service it promised? 28 to 15 days. If his cruise line had to cancel, not so much. Spent over 1 hour on phone with Viking with a rep and his supervisor. But a named perils policy wouldnt have covered him. Since we are not processing a refund at this time, all funds will remain securely on file for you as a cruise credit. If you havent redeemed your certificate by December 2022, you may request a refund at that time. Alaskas Inside Passage is more beautiful than the photos. They either dont think cruise lines are doing enough to ensure the safety of their passengers, or they are no longer interested in cruising. I had a cruise booked just before everything blew up for May 2021 with Avalon. It makes sense that the company would charge more for a single traveler. What is the Viking cancellation policy? will not be refunded to the passengers. Sen. Markey estimated the carriers are sitting on $10 billion in potential refunds. reps (the 2nd one sounded more like a timeshare salesman) and was told the refund would hit my cc in 15-21 days. It's always best to comb. LauraS 1.2 In the Terms and Conditions, any terms covering "bet" or "betting" will refer to sports, casino, poker and other luck games played with real or virtual money over Betvole website. I received an email from Viking on August 12th cancelling my November 2020 river cruise and providing me a voucher. Even if you had the risk free guarantee, those cancellations were always refunded entirely with vouchers. Started June 21, 2021, By Viking has not changed their policy on their vaccine policy. 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. Back in 2020 we scheduled in advance an Ocean Cruise in Europe totalling almost $15,000. Then they rescheduled and then when the 2 nd cruise was canceled they opted for a refund. Wheres my $15,194? KyOh, April 6, 2020 in Viking Ocean. But what if he hadnt? Here are the terms of UnCruises cruise credit: To West, it was simple. Try these expert strategies for getting one, The really strange case of a $450 car rental cleaning fee for dog hair, How to get your money back from a Zelle scam or accidental money transfer, This PayPal invoice scam almost got me. I feel we have become one large Viking family of 500,000 guests each year and 10,000 employees. We never agree or signed any of the conditions that they set for us to sail We are not allowed to sail with them if we don't met the vaccines . Stay Safe Stay HealthySent from my iPad using Forums. But the entire cruise industry shutting down due to a pandemic vs one ship having an accident is an entirely different scale. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. Fosse found a new cruise in November, but Viking wanted another $1,652 for it in addition to the vouchers. And many travel service providers seem to be working to address concerns about upcoming trips. 100% of Full Fare. But I had only been offered a future voucher at 100%. My point is that if I give Viking my money to use then I expect if not refund, credit to use at MY discretion.6. By I mostly agree with duquephart. Theirs or yours? Foremost in navigating these course changes are guest and crew safety. This can be added on the pre-trip, post-trip or both.". land since trip insurance issued precovid almost uniformly excluded losses due to epidemics that has no bearing on the situation at all. Many thanks. Indeed, more than 25,000 complaints and inquiriesmany concerning refundswere filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) in March and April, up from an average of 1,500 per month . Time to hire a lawyer. Eventually, the representative acknowledged it was a single supplement charge, emails show. (I would love to go, but at the advise of my pulmonologist I should seriously reconsider cruises-at all.) Medial Marijuana Recommendations. I believe I was told what I was told in order to sell a booking. Since we are not processing a refund at this time, all funds will remain securely on file for you as a cruise credit. Wilderness Adventurer. I think that's fair. Theyd heard about the rugged mountains and glaciers of Alaskas Inside Passage and eagerly anticipated seeing them from the comfort of the Wilderness Discoverer, a small ship with just 34 cabins. In cases like this, you can always reach out to an executive at Viking. No way to hurry it up. Let's say you paid $1000 for a cruise, and the cruise line will charge 25% if you cancel between 90 and 75 days prior to your sail date, returning $750 back to you. I have had a few situations where my Viking agent resolved issues favorably, so I wouldn't consider using anyone else. #24 states a different situation than yours, so maybe your TA is at fault. 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. 24 hours after e-filing a tax year 2022 return. Vouchers will be automatically applied to your purchases for this journey, including cruise fare, air, hotel extensions, excursions, beverage package, and prepaid gratuities, Wondering if anyone else has had this experience with Viking. Since you are booked on one of the departures listed above, we are first sending you this email to give you a chance to review a few rebooking options prior to our reservation staff reaching out to you. Read (or re-read) post #24 above. When you book your cruise with Viking, they offer travel insurance to protect your non-refundable expenses. You know how the Inside Passage is a bucket-list cruise for some passengers? 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. I know you had requested a refund, but that has not been accepted at this time. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. Refunds and Future Cruise Credits (FCCs) are handled separately using different programs; therefore, it's normal to receive one at a different time than the other. I believe the letter from our CEO Dan Blanchard explained this. Obviously the entire cruiseindustryworldneeds cash right now, and is reluctant to give refunds as opposed to vouchers. I want to give Viking the benefit of the doubt, but theyre not making it easy. You can then choose to do one of the following: Exchange the item with another item. In 2021, NCL finally revised some of its refund rules. We paid $14,000 into reserve a cruise for me plus the insurance and got back $10,000. 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. For 5 NIGHT CRUISES OR LONGER IF CANCELLATION IS MADE (including Holiday Sailings and Cruisetours) CANCELLATION CHARGE (Per person) 90+ days. Refund Times Can a vacation rental host cancel my stay and keep my money? Hed booked an UnCruise Inside Passage cruise. Thank you. Under its terms, UnCruise doesnt have to give West a refund. Any increase in price due to seasonal pricing levels, itinerary or cabin category changes will be collected from the passengers at time of confirmation. But does it have to? 3. No decision will be made in your case until mid- to late September. A payment or claim form sent as part of an FTC settlement will include an explanation of and details about the case. But the fact that youre retired has no bearing on this case. We understand you would like the decision on your refund to be reviewed. Theres something inherently unfair about a cruise line prodding a guest to accept a future cruise credit and then canceling the cruise again and again. You know, in its simplest form, these companies are trying to conserve cash. Started August 27, 2021, By Would be nice if one could read something about it on cruisecritic. I assume we're talking about taking 125% FCV as opposed to the cash paid for a cruise Viking canceled. Next surprise was her voucher was about 45% of original whereas mine was about 28% of original. We dont mean losing the money paid for the person who cant take the trip. The Elliott Report is supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. We were 3 weeks from sailing on another line in Mar2020. Delaying our trip even to next year isnt an option for us, he says. Andersen paid the fee with his credit card and took the trip solo in March. Richard Andersen stands in front of the Saqqara pyramid in Egypt. 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. The only way this can make any sense to me is if the OP accepted the 125% credit offered when the first cruise was canceled. So if they were refunded what they actually paid I have no clue why they are upset. I spoke to 2 Viking cust. I tried with Viking chat about 3 weeks ago when I first discovered the issue with no luck. Even if your scheduled travel is months away, you might be weighing your options. has a tracker that displays progress through 3 stages: (1) Return Received, (2) Refund Approved and (3) Refund Sent. Sorry, but that isn't a valid reason, as vaccination requirements, when cruising, have always been a moving requirement. Im retired. 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. I found them to be very reasonable in our case. Heres our complete guide to travel insurance. Please subscribe now and support the local journalism YOU rely on and trust. 19952023, The Independent Traveler, Inc. 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. Or take the cash back. A polite appeal which youve already tried is a reasonable first step. Princess Cruises The cruise lines terms and conditions raised some red flags, he said. I think Viking is ignoring refund requests. Follow her on Twitter at @KPMueller. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. (Look for that story soon.). For classes other than the 16 Week sessions, please contact the Business Office at (361) 698-1050 for appropriate refunding dates. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. Not happy about floating cash for Viking. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. 119-90. Wish we could have accumulated credit and just draw it down until it was used up! Two days later, Fedex Ex knocks on the door with separate letters for me and my wife containing checks for SBC connected with the cancelled cruise. I cant make Viking refund your cruise because, as I already mentioned, its allowed to keep your money. During the summer, they brought out a free upgrade, so I cancelled my existing cruise and re-booked the same one with the upgrade. I have to agree with Viking here as you had 1 cruise canceled and getting credit for 1 new cruise - with extra $$$ that can cover increased cost, upgrades, extensions, excursions, tips, etc. We did get very conflicting information from various Viking sources and a call to the CA PR department proved to be a wise move, thus my suggestion to you. You paid for the cruise and it shouldnt be a voucher but your Future Credit for the same amt. Finland-Suomeksi . Your travel certificate is good through December 2022. The case will be listed at ftc.gov/refunds, along with the name of the company issuing payments and a phone number for questions. Wheres the refund? Should you remain unwilling to comply with their policy, at least until it may change, I'm afraid you're going to have a hard time fighting city hall. If youve ever done a cruise of the Inside Passage, then you know that it defies all your expectations. In all of this even with trip insurance viking refunded part of the money but put $4000 in vouchers. There are mice in my vacation rental! 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. 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2021 or 2020 return. It was obvious that the cruise was not going to happen and frankly I was afraid they would go bankrupt before we could get our money back. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. 14 days or less. It also lists some . That's the letter I couldn't find. That didn't seem. Returns are refunded to your original method of payment. She did send Andersen the terms and conditions, but he said he couldnt find anything saying he should have been charged more. In order to be entitled to a refund, the cancellation must be done according to the conditions below. You could use it for new cruise, upgrades, drink package, excursions, etc. Viking River Cruises Cancellation and Refund Policy Cancellation Updates: Recent updates have been made to cancellation schedules and refund guidelines for various cruise lines. . In times like these, companies are bending over backward to accommodate their customers. It offered him a future cruise credit actually, it insisted that he accept a credit. In that spirit, we have made the decision to extend our temporary suspension of operations through June 30, 2020. 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. I want my money back now. While specifics vary by cruise line, in general, the possibility of a refund shrinks (or disappears) the closer one gets to the departure date. you see that you are correct. No way to hurry it up. I called them the next day to request a refund instead of the voucher. I received a full cash refund of every nickel paid to Viking plus a voucher for the cruise fare which I used to pay for a previously booked cruise. Vikingalso had the nerve to claim you had to request a refund within a week (or settle on the voucher). As a guest whose cruise falls within this window of suspended operations, we are offering a Future Cruise Voucher valued at 125% of all monies paid to Viking. I would try to get an extension for that 4K voucher. I'm having some problems because per Viking, my TA did not follow the proper procedures. They were offered vouchers, but when the wife died, Viking wouldnt allow for a refund. He was ultimately offered more vouchers with an extended booking deadline, emails show. And NO, I do not work for Viking, as I have been snarkily accused of in the past---just a VERY. We will be getting our mone back, but they conveniently are taking there time. It gets worse. (Courtesy Richard Andersen). Column: Creed III is right on time, says stars Michael B. Jordan and Jonathan Majors. If you would like a full cash refund, in lieu of the voucher option, you should contact our customer service team as soon as possible so that we can process your request. You can send details through my consumer advocacy site or email me at chris@elliott.org. I'd be annoyed too! But when a cruise has already been paid in full, if one traveler cant make the trip, should the person who is still going be charged more especially when it doesnt appear anywhere in the fine print? We knew if we cancelled, we would be out a decent amount of money. And thats saying a lot. Risk-Free Guarantee: How it Works However, if you prefer the alternative, you may choose a refund equal to the amount paid, by calling. They canceled my flight. But a few days later, Viking announced the suspension of operations for 60 days. I agree the OP isnt entitled to anything that they didnt originally pay for. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking. When asked what this was for, the reply was that I would get vouchers for future Viking cruises that were worth more than the extra payment, Andersen said.

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