Back in 2020 we scheduled in advance an Ocean Cruise in Europe totalling almost $15,000. Karin Price Mueller | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com. Would be nice if one could read something about it on cruisecritic. . Shortly before the couples expected departure in April 2020, they received a disappointing notification from UnCruise, which started Wests quest for a cruise credit refund. The hotel must refund the money to the consumer's credit card. Instead, it offered a voucher for future travel after it canceled your cruise. Review: Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle by Griffin Theatre asks, how do relationships happen? This also applies for price adjustments. you getting your money back? I have a real problem with this. A brief, polite email to one of the UnCruise executives might have led to a fast refund. Consumer Alert: No more automatic refunds for skipped ports? 85% of Full Fare. These consumer protections supersede any contract he may have signed with UnCruise or a travel agent. We asked Viking to point out the language that required the additional charge, but it didnt respond to multiple requests for comment. But six months later, UnCruise got back to West with a final decision. 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! Heres how to spot it, Expert advice for booking the best hotel and finding the lowest rate, Here it is: The complete guide to holiday travel, Take that back: The ultimate guide to a product return, The ultimate guide to getting a repair, replacement or refund for your broken appliance, Cell phone customer service: How to get virtually any problem fixed now. We understand you would like the decision on your refund to be reviewed. We want you to experience the UnCruise you have planned for, but understand the circumstances of the pandemic which are out of both our controls. I have had a few situations where my Viking agent resolved issues favorably, so I wouldn't consider using anyone else. Check your local consumer laws. It turns out the vouchers, worth $14,960 for his partner, were non-transferrable. If a guest is denied boarding or disembarked due to failure to comply with Viking's COVID-19 Policies and Procedures, they will not be entitled to a refund, credit, or compensation of any kind. Please help! Our opinions are usually based on personal experiences. Sounds like a fine print deal, unfortunately. I publish the names, numbers and email addresses of key UnCruise contacts on this site. What is the Viking cancellation policy? You'll be able to redeem this Kohl's Cash at any time within 30 days. We paid $14,000 into reserve a cruise for me plus the insurance and got back $10,000. Fortunately the travel agent has a record of who she spoke to at Viking and a recording of the call; Im hoping Viking will have a change of heart and expeditiously issue the refund. Returns are refunded to your original method of payment. We dont mean losing the money paid for the person who cant take the trip. I think he might have been able to appeal his case to UnCruise. It makes sense that the company would charge more for a single traveler. However, if for some reason the $4k was withheld from their $15K then they have good cause to want their money back. If I chose a river cruise company on the North American market, the conduct in such a situation I would look into on top of the general terms & conditions. This is an unprecedented time and we greatly appreciate your patience. 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. As it stands, Viking is no better than "Honest John" at the used car lot. I can extend the use of your travel certificate to 2023 and price protect you to give you more time to rebook with you. We were 3 weeks from sailing on another line in Mar2020. 3 or 4 days after e-filing a tax year 2021 or 2020 return. Its perfectly reasonable to argue that you dont want to give Viking a microloan for up to two years. Viking refuses - saying it was paid with vouchers. 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. Here are the terms of UnCruises cruise credit: To West, it was simple. I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. They have a right to require vaccinations . YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. Need a tour refund? Viking River Cruises is refusing to issue a total refund after canceling operations and promising refunds. Inside West remained patient, hoping UnCruise would see the error of its ways. reps (th. (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 . I found them to be very reasonable in our case. Due to temporary government mandates or entry/departure requirements restricting travel which would affect the start of our Alaska season, we have decided to cancel the following scheduled departures: Wilderness Discoverer: April 18; May 2 We knew if we cancelled, we would be out a decent amount of money. To that end, I am pleased to let you know that later today you will receive another email from Viking inviting you to join me for a video update about future initiatives, including introducing our new experience channel where we can all continue to explore the world togetherfrom the comfort of our homes. 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. Alas, quite likely too much work for the ever busy editors and hosts. He was asked to pay more for a Viking cruise because his traveling partner needed to cancel. During the 16 th through 20 th class days (February 7 - 13, 2023): 25%. For example, Carnival states, "If you would like . She lost her engagement ring in a rental car. Richard Andersen stands in front of the Saqqara pyramid in Egypt. Ok, so I waited again. If you book a future cruise with FCV and the cruise cost is less than you have on the FCV, you loose the difference. Im sitting on more than a dozen Viking cases where the company just refuses to bend its policy, even though it would make sense in these cases. If you need help with any problem,please contact us through this form. It's always best to comb. 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.. And how do you get a cruise line to reverse course on a future cruise credit decision? But it left the door open for an eventual cruise credit refund. Are Viking Ocean cruise deposits refundable? We made the decision to pull the plug. Guests will be responsible for all costs and fines, The T&C specify the requirement is upon boarding, so you must comply with any changes between booking and boarding. I spoke to 2 Viking cust. The company had failed to deliver it. Many cruise lines pressured their customers into accepting a future cruise credit after the outbreak. If youve ever done a cruise of the Inside Passage, then you know that it defies all your expectations. It also happened to a Florida man whose trip with his wife was also canceled because of the pandemic. But we are truly living in an unprecedented time. Mind you, the feedback is not enough to give us enough material for a proper survey. They really do want to book a cruise for you. Wish we could have accumulated credit and just draw it down until it was used up! But why cant I get a refund? Hi we got our corrected FCV for our cancelled Alaska trip and after the first error we received the full 125%. Started August 27, 2021, By This article was published on July 27, 2022, and updated on August 17, 2022. My cruise was cancelled by Viking in early March due to Covid. However, the law would have only applied to future cruises. Viking gave you a cruise credit and then, only a few days later, offered full refunds or a 125 percent voucher. The Elliott Report is a consumer news site supported by Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that offers free advice and advocacy for consumers. Asked for a supervisor but she told me the same thing - 2 more weeks. Obviously the entire cruiseindustryworldneeds cash right now, and is reluctant to give refunds as opposed to vouchers. Viking is holding my money ransom and shows utter disregard for keeping its word and corporate decency. By adding 25% to the value of what you originally paid, you now have the opportunity to enhance your trip such as choosing a longer itinerary; adding a Pre/Post cruise extension; upgrading your stateroom category; or even upgrading to business class air. 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. he was given 60 days to accept or decline the offer. Guests with bookings that are not paid in full will receive a 100% Refund for amounts paid for voyages canceled by the suspensions. Under its terms, UnCruise doesnt have to give West a refund. The Viking agent said that I would have to pay an extra $9,898. Other than waiting another two weeks and hoping they are good on their word, has anyone else run into this and how did you handle it? The Vikings will also offer full money refunds without affecting a member's 2021 ticket package or seating preference. Not happy about floating cash for Viking. Deposits are refundable unless otherwise indicated. But Robert M. Lawless, a law professor at the University of Illinois . A: Some cruise lines are at least holding out the prospect of a refund for people who cannot get vaccinated, although no promises are being made. The cruise lines terms and conditions raised some red flags, he said. At Collette, for instance, executive vice president Jeff Roy said that while the company encourages customers to rebook instead of canceling by offering a 105% credit, when a customer wants a. Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers resolve their problems. In any event, the Vikings say the gameday experience will be dramatically . (Courtesy Richard Andersen). West was heartbroken. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. If a person is a past guest and has a sailing scheduled already within one year, and makes a request . The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. 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. Now they cant take a cruise until they get a vaccine. please contact our team at Elliott Advocacy through this form. Please provide the details of how many days prior to the cruise you cancelled, as based on your posts to date, Viking have actually been very generous in providing vouchers in lieu of the cancellation fee. The maximum withdrawal amount tends to be lower at gas stations. On March 11, we were the first cruise line to announce a temporary suspension of operations through April 30, 2020. That's the letter I couldn't find. We were lied to by at least four Viking reps in regard to use of FCV. 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. 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. I wanted to say something about your argument for getting a refund. Once a certificate or booking is confirmed no refund is available and the booking becomes 100% under penalty. Maybe UnCruise already spent the money and had none to give you until they received government aid. When you get your legal advice for free, you get what you paid for. Did you hear the recording? 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