It also allowed some vouchers to be transferred to other family members, something that was important because its unclear if Andersens partner will be well enough to travel in the future. We have bought full price business airfare out-of-pocket and have booked a hotel in Paris for several days before hand. 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. Asked for a supervisor but she told me the same thing - 2 more weeks. Then there is Viking, which is a black hole for any money given them. There are mice in my vacation rental! Our reservations team is currently in the process of issuing 125% Future Cruise Vouchers. Our award-winning daily newsletters keep you posted on our random acts of consumer advocacy. Booking number 7141933 Yazmin Hope and Libby Gallagher 1. 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. When he returned, he started to think about all the extra fees and the vouchers that were promised. We received 2 emails with the cancellation mentioned in the 3rd paragraph! My Samsung tablet wont hold a charge. Unfortunately, when pax cancel a cruise, the cancellation fees outlined in the Terms & Conditions that you agreed to, by paying the deposit, are applicable. There is no law that requires a merchant to refund money. Still, something about your case is not sitting right with me. Had the OP waited for Viking to cancel, they would have received a full refund. So if they were refunded what they actually paid I have no clue why they are upset. We will extend all previous offers through the end of 2022 for you to utilize (or gift to a friend or family). Its perfectly reasonable to argue that you dont want to give Viking a microloan for up to two years. 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. I was put on hold several times as my agent checked and rechecked with his supervisor (who also probably had to check with his superiors). Get a Walmart shopping card or gift card if the returned item is equal to or more than $10. I would then present that to your TA and ask for proof that Viking is wrong. But Robert M. Lawless, a law professor at the University of Illinois . Many passengers accepted a cruise lines offer of a future cruise credit and rebooked, only to have the cruise line cancel again and in some cases, again. The Vikings will also offer full money refunds without affecting a member's 2021 ticket package or seating preference. It just seems unfair even though technically Viking is allowed to do it. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. It is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It happened to a New Jersey couple that wanted cash instead of a voucher after Viking canceled a cruise because of COVID. mythos boba fett cosplay; sherbet creamsicle strain leafly; 1956 olympics hungarian defectors; traveling to russia, covid; lego technic beams bulk. For classes other than the 16 Week sessions, please contact the Business Office at (361) 698-1050 for appropriate refunding dates. he was given 60 days to accept or decline the offer. Review: Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle by Griffin Theatre asks, how do relationships happen? Vienna and Krems are also off the itinerary. But it left the door open for an eventual cruise credit refund. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. Did we mention it's free? The orginal cruise was paid by cash. My cruise was cancelled by Viking in early March due to Covid. They just dont want to part with the cash, Andersen said. Or you would like the money back because you nee d it somewhere else? I'm afraid your post is very unclear and inconsistent. Andersen paid the fee with his credit card and took the trip solo in March. 100% of total price - No refund. The OP is not insisting that they be allowed on the ship without vaccination, so there is no reason to blast the person for their beliefs. I called them the next day to request a refund instead of the voucher. 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. Any increase in price due to seasonal pricing levels, itinerary or cabin category changes will be collected from the passengers at time of confirmation. You pulled off a minor miracle, he says. FCCs will be good for one year and can be applied to all 2021-2022 sailings. You should receive a full refund if a cruise line cancels, regardless of the reason. Andersen did some research. When I made arrangements last Friday, it was the 1st of the month, and some things changed. On March 11, we were the first cruise line to announce a temporary suspension of operations through April 30, 2020. All rights reserved (About Us). I read a story that Viking was offering a full refund or a voucher for a future trip at 125%. West had declined travel insurance. 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). To do this, the business must give the consumer a reasonable estimate of these costs before collecting the product. It just seems unfair even though technically Viking is allowed to do it. That didn't seem. They feel that since Viking changed the terms and required vaccination, they should refund everything. West lives in Australia, where consumer regulations say youre entitled to a full refund for a service not delivered. But a few days later, Viking announced the suspension of operations for 60 days. Op said clearly they paid 14000$ for the cruise fare plus insurance. 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. Im interested to hear other peoples experiences. nr. They have another 14 days to return the goods once they've told you . (Photo by Sjo/Getty Images) Cunard's policy is somewhat convoluted in that it offers a percentage refund based on not only the amount of time that remains between cancellation and the sailing date but also the length of the sailing.Passengers booked on voyages of 30 nights or fewer, departing on or before April 30, 2022, will receive 100% of their money back (minus . Viking has been holding our money for 4 years now. Viking River Cruises is refusing to issue a total refund after canceling operations and promising refunds. You chose door No. If you don't have the required documentation, the cruise line has the right to refuse boarding, as per the Terms & Conditions. If youve been affected by two or more suspensions. CC Help Jenn If you havent redeemed your certificate by December 2022, you may request a refund at that time. You can also go here on the Viking site for that and any future updates. Powered by Invision Community. Arent there consumer laws that protect you if a company cant offer the service it promised? I have a real problem with this. West appealed and a few months later received an update from a manager. Those policies cover only specific events. However, with your specific unique situation as presented in your follow up emails to management, I invite you to please stand by until a time in the near future at which we will be in a better position to review certain refund requests. It's always best to comb. Can a cruise line really turn your cash into expiring credits? 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 . Then COVID hit. I hope companies look on this favourably. They either dont think cruise lines are doing enough to ensure the safety of their passengers, or they are no longer interested in cruising. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. The Viking agent said that I would have to pay an extra $9,898. Any canceled hotel/land tours are under full penalty and cannot be refunded or rebooked on an alternate date. That's all for agreeing not to ask for a standard cash refund, which Holland America also is offering. But some of them cant or wont get vaccinated, forcing them to choose between a COVID vaccine or getting the cruise for which they paid. Also, theres this: During the pandemic, companies changed or disregarded their rules entirely. With an annual fee of $95 (a modest cost compared to the $550 annual fee of the Sapphire Reserve), the Sapphire Preferred offers up to $10,000 in coverage per person and up to $20,000 of trip . Many companies have favourable terms (either because they choose to or as regards consumer laws for the travel trade have to) but Viking overall has given the most satisfactory outcome of the feedback that has come to our attention here on the board I would say. Now it wont refund my $3,606. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. CC Help Jenn Alas, quite likely too much work for the ever busy editors and hosts. Our teammates are making their way through the backlog more quickly now and have completed nearly 60% of refunds so far. It gives you time and room to manuever should the environment change. Viking Line Abp, org. I found them to be very reasonable in our case. 2. Delaying our trip even to next year isnt an option for us, he says. 1A once-in-a-lifetime cruise canceledThey canceled his vacation. Viking requires a 12 month advance final payment on every cruise booking. Started June 21, 2021, By OPs issue is they are entitled to this $4,000 as a cash refund because they cant cruise with Viking as they refuse to be vaccinated. Please help. Started June 21, 2021, By I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. I cant make Viking refund your cruise because, as I already mentioned, its allowed to keep your money. When you cancelled, you had a choice of the cancellation terms or the RFG. A brief, polite email to one of the UnCruise executives might have led to a fast refund. LauraS Shame on them. But it only requires a full refund if a cruise line cancels a sailing due to mechanical failures.. Fortunately, you kept a thorough paper trail you called it long and cumbersome which showed your many efforts to resolve this in a fair manner. 3. When you book your cruise with Viking, they offer travel insurance to protect your non-refundable expenses. US government now rates Hungary and Germany as Zone 4, " do not travel". that would have required UnCruise to offer a full refund. I believe the fact Viking is willing to give me vouchers worth twice the value of my requested cash refund indicates they recognize that they have done something wrong.. Over the next several months, he tried numerous ways to contact the company so someone could address his requests, without luck. He he tried to take the trip solo, he was charged another $10,000. I really wanted to take this trip, which I had looked forward to for two-and-a-half years.. Just realized that the cruise booked was from Antwerp to Amsterdam. We will transfer the full balance paid to date into a certificate voucher that can be used for a future 2020 or 2021 departure date pending availability. Started August 27, 2021, By Viking is holding my money ransom and shows utter disregard for keeping its word and corporate decency. It included the trip insurance. infinite painter brushes. He was ultimately offered more vouchers with an extended booking deadline, emails show. (Courtesy Richard Andersen). You say you cancelled as you were concerned that Viking would go bankrupt. these second cruise was cancelled because eat Viking Sun was sold. Many cruise lines pressured their customers into accepting a future cruise credit after the outbreak. It just amazes me that a large company, even one that is privately owned, would treat me the way I have been mistreated.. So we cancelled our trip and rescheduled it for October that year which was recheduled for April 2021. Your bank promptly returned your money. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. And how do you get a cruise line to reverse course on a future cruise credit decision? I think he might have been able to appeal his case to UnCruise. Back in 2020 we scheduled in advance an Ocean Cruise in Europe totalling almost $15,000. And many travel service providers seem to be working to address concerns about upcoming trips. Get a cash refund if the returned item is less than $10. Not only would he miss this long-awaited vacation, but because of his advanced age, a 2021 replacement cruise was unlikely. Instant refunds are either refunded to your credit card or issued as an Amazon.com Gift Card balance. 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. I am writing to you today from my home, rather than the Viking office. Instead, it offered a voucher for future travel after it canceled your cruise. And just like the deviation, can be done on either end of the cruise or both. West received the money and is grateful for the help. It turns out its that way for many passengers. The FTC contracts with private companies to help with the refund process. I doubt the OP will come back after the response they got. I won't ever do this again. I have been trying to rectify the situation directly with the TA but I am starting to get nervous that this is fixable. 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. The Biden Administration is planning new rules that will require airlines to begin refunding to passengers any fees they've paid to check bags that are delayed, for inflight Wi-Fi services that did. Consumer Alert: No more automatic refunds for skipped ports? If you need help with a coronavirus-related refund, please contact me. But a named perils policy wouldnt have covered him. 50% of total price. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. Your situation sounds similarto mine, where Viking is blaming the TA. Ours did not. By You cant negotiate them (theyre called adhesion contracts), so when you book a ticket, you automatically agree to the terms set by UnCruise and its lawyers. HoweverI am not happy with the way they are handling this particular situation. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? 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. We publish the names and emails of customer service managers. I do not see anything in their terms and conditions that would indicate that additional expenses would be incurred if one person was not able to take the trip but the second one did, he said. Wheres my airline ticket refund from GotoGate? I would have to look up the cruise portion cancellation terms. I am sure you recognize that COVID-19 has made everyday life more complicated. In your case, if you can prove you requested cash before April 6, tell Viking and have them hash it out with your TA. Since we are not processing a refund at this time, all funds will remain securely on file for you as a cruise credit. Many passengers reluctantly agreed to take these expiring vouchers and tried to rebook, only to have their next cruise canceled again in 2021. Best Buy notes that the method of refund will be in the same method the payment was originally made, in most cases. Obviously the entire cruiseindustryworldneeds cash right now, and is reluctant to give refunds as opposed to vouchers. Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site. Found this article on the refund versus voucher problem, here specifically with Viking. Tough old world. 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 . 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