Refunds- July 25 sailing...Next step

[AggiePilot]

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Edited August 10, 2015 by AggiePilot

[AggiePilot]

Since we had booked the post cruise rail journey to Oslo, we had asked to go to Bergen. Instead, we were kicked off the ship on short notice and flown home from Tallinn via Air Baltic on a small regional jet to Paris. Four of the ten or so couples were not given food or drink because Viking forgot to tell the airline that we were all on Air France flights to the USA. The flight attendant called her HQ, but came back with a negative.

 

They split up a group of four couples who were traveling together. Two were on the flight with us, one went to Bergen and the others flew somewhere else. These people had marked their paperwork requesting to stay together as one women was in a wheelchair and need lots of care. Another couple was told after getting to the airport, on two different days, that they had no tickets! The second day they had no place to go as the ship was shut down. They asked about hotel arrangements, but the Viking people there was clueless. Four Viking reps got us on the bus and to the ticket counter at the airport. That was it; they could not answer any questions for us.

 

Viking "Customer Service" and "Travel Specialist" are the worst that I've ever seen. We have yet to be contacted by a Viking representative regarding reimbursements. I'm not sure if they are all completely inept or just don't care. The right hand does not seem to know what the left hand is doing. When we were told something it was almost always the opposite of what we had just been told!

 

The ship visited slightly more than a third of the scheduled ports; only four out of eleven! We are still waiting to hear from Viking regarding a refund for the cruise and expenses incurred during the trip home. The "50% in cash and 50% in voucher" may be fine for those sent on to Bergen, but I don't believe that it is equitable for those set home from Tallin.

 

Norman,

I would like to invite you to go to the thread "Abandoning Ship" and read the 4 part story of our experience and let me know what you think. I agree totally with your last paragraph as do many other here. If you have not already contacted your trip insurance company you need to do that also. Stay in touch.

[buggins0402]

the only way I know to contact other cc members is to ask for their email here ..not ideal

I have my email in my profile other will put a message system i.d like yahoo, skype or ICQ in their profile settings

 

That is the only options I am aware of

 

Lyn

 

I think there is a cruise board somewhere on TripAdvisor. If you post there, you can say that you will accept email questions to your post. The connection will be done through the TA site, so you don't post your email address for the world to see. Perhaps, someone could try a test.

 

I just tried it, the cruise forum now comes back here to CC. But, perhaps you could decide a on a forum to "meet" on the TA site.

Edited August 10, 2015 by buggins0402

[LHT28]

I just tried it, the cruise forum now comes back here to CC. But, perhaps you could decide a on a forum to "meet" on the TA site.

it is a trick :D

 

You need to have the link

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1-i10703-Cruises.html

You can PM members via their profile

[buggins0402]

it is a trick :D

 

You need to have the link

http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1-i10703-Cruises.html

You can PM members via their profile

 

That would work perfectly.

[Norman T. Stormsewer]

That would work perfectly.

 

Please elaborate, I'm not sure I understand how to find the "thread". Thanks!:confused:

Edited August 11, 2015 by Norman T. Stormsewer

[Norman T. Stormsewer]

Norman,

I would like to invite you to go to the thread "Abandoning Ship" and read the 4 part story of our experience and let me know what you think. I agree totally with your last paragraph as do many other here. If you have not already contacted your trip insurance company you need to do that also. Stay in touch.

 

 

Very interesting. Pretty much the same story when I talked to the "Customer Service" people on board. Still not a single contact from Viking regarding this fiasco. :mad::mad:

[AggiePilot]

Very interesting. Pretty much the same story when I talked to the "Customer Service" people on board. Still not a single contact from Viking regarding this fiasco. :mad::mad:

So much for being contacted as soon as we get home. :(

 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[buggins0402]

Please elaborate, I'm not sure I understand how to find the "thread". Thanks!:confused:

 

We were just brainstorming a way that your group could link up without exchanging emails. If someone starts a thread (post) on TripAdvisor about the cruise you can " find" each other. On that site you have the ability to message, unlike CC. They are, however, sister companies.

[BSU Fan]

Well, we receive our refund. It is not 50%. Not sure how they arrived at their total but we are $700 short of that. Not sure how taxes and fees play into that but we only got half a cruise and missed more than half the ports (the ones we wanted to see cruising). They should Pay 50% of what we paid, as implied in the letter.

 

We are having our TA check on this. No news yet on the voucher. We did get our money back on missed excursions.

 

Did anyone actually get a true 50% after any discounts?

Edited August 11, 2015 by BSU Fan

[JVilleGal]

Is the difference your Travel Insurance premium?

[BSU Fan]

Is the difference your Travel Insurance premium?

 

No, we purchased insurance independent from Viking.

 

Our agent was on hold over an hour and give up. Will try later.

[HMforcruise]

Well, we receive our refund. It is not 50%. Not sure how they arrived at their total but we are $700 short of that. Not sure how taxes and fees play into that but we only got half a cruise and missed more than half the ports (the ones we wanted to see cruising). They should Pay 50% of what we paid, as implied in the letter.

 

We are having our TA check on this. No news yet on the voucher. We did get our money back on missed excursions.

 

Did anyone actually get a true 50% after any discounts?

 

Thanks for alerting us. Did you get a call or email or just a credit to your cc. I just checked, nothing yet.

 

May I ask you when you got home......either the early group from Tallinn or the Bergen flight on Sat. aug. 8?

[BSU Fan]

Thanks for alerting us. Did you get a call or email or just a credit to your cc. I just checked, nothing yet.

 

May I ask you when you got home......either the early group from Tallinn or the Bergen flight on Sat. aug. 8?

 

I saw the amount in my checking account as we payed by check for the e-discount.

 

We went on to Bergen as we were very afraid of the flights home they would arrange at the last minute. We wanted to stay with our original flights.

 

Others did not want to cruise to Bergen (original letter) and stay on the ship. We were fine with that. The flight to Bergen and hotel were fine, but certainly not up to cruising standards and not what we signed up for. I think it was worth it for Viking to do that than arrange 900 flights. So, in essence a freebie. I know people are upset that didn't go to Bergen and I can understand, however most decided not to cruise on. A difficult issue for sure. I think if they said take me to Bergen in letter one and then were flown home, that would really be a legitimate gripe for more money.

 

Anyway, an ugly situation.

[HMforcruise]

We received an email late this afternoon from Sr. manager, customer relations essentially apologizing for the unfortunate turn of events and saying they have re evaluated compensation for those who returned home immediately from Tallinn.

 

65% cash refund on cruise fare, in order to better reflect the unused itinerary days and 50% future cruise voucher.

 

Will speak to our travel agent tomorrow.

[BSU Fan]

Glad they are helping out. My main question is what is cruise fare. We are $700 short of 50%. Not happy with this at all. Travel agent can't even get through to Viking.

 

We are on the Sea next September. We will cancel if they don't provide the real 50%. Good company, so why play games with words. 50% should be half of what you paid.

[HMforcruise]

Glad they are helping out. My main question is what is cruise fare. We are $700 short of 50%. Not happy with this at all. Travel agent can't even get through to Viking.

 

We are on the Sea next September. We will cancel if they don't provide the real 50%. Good company, so why play games with words. 50% should be half of what you paid.

 

I have emailed viking customer relations asking :

1. What is 65% of the cruise fare so I can compare it to my calculation. ( have not seen the refund yet as it likely went to our CAA travel agent)

2. Are there any restrictions regarding a timeline or certain ships not included for the voucher.

[BSU Fan]

I have emailed viking customer relations asking :

1. What is 65% of the cruise fare so I can compare it to my calculation. ( have not seen the refund yet as it likely went to our CAA travel agent)

2. Are there any restrictions regarding a timeline or certain ships not included for the voucher.

 

Keep us informed as to their answer.

[juliesaddiction]

In the past we had a problem with Viking where their scheduled flights got us there late (we had complained in advance but they wouldnt change them) so we missed the whole first day. ONce home we again complained and then I posted to facebook about our experience. they called me after that post and they took the cost of the cruise (without all the extra fees and such) and divided it by the number of days and gave us a credit for a future cruise in that amount. At the time we had just booked the Star (May 2015) so it was ok to have the credit and it was applied. So maybe thats what they are doing? Taking the cost listed in the brochure and dividing it by 2 (50%) and thats how they are coming up with a number?

 

In the case of your cruise you should get all cash back for the entire thing period. None of the vouchers....I mean who wants to cruise with them again? I wasnt on your cruise but how Viking handled it sealed the deal for me....never cruising Viking again.

[FLtimes]

We received the email last night saying we would get a 65% refund, and that a refund of 50% had already been processed. I can't find it in any of my accounts, so I don't know if they mailed me a check or what. They still haven't addressed the change fee that the airline charged to change our flights from Tallinn. On board the Viking rep said that if we allowed Viking to make our reservations, they would send us home by coach, even though we had business class reservations (not made through Viking Air). She told me to keep the receipts for the change fee for "possible" reimbursement. Still haven't heard anything from Viking on that note. Viking Air changed the flight reservations they made for our traveling companions, who had requested to stay and go to Bergen. Instead they were given reservations to Boston on Aug 4, even though they had several weeks of travel in Europe planned following the ill-fated cruise. Viking even cancelled their return flight to Boston from London in September. Their return from London has since been reinstated, albeit at a less convenient time.

[Turtles06]

We received the email last night saying we would get a 65% refund, and that a refund of 50% had already been processed. I can't find it in any of my accounts, so I don't know if they mailed me a check or what. They still haven't addressed the change fee that the airline charged to change our flights from Tallinn. ...

 

I'm a "bystander" here who has been following this mess. My sympathies to all of you who were affected. Viking should be giving everyone (or at least everyone who was sent home and did not have that time in Bergen) a full refund of what you paid, in cash (not as a credit for a future trip), and they should have done so up front, and not put people through the wringer as they have been doing.

 

No one would pay for a 50% vacation, or a 35% vacation. This is not about the percentage of ports the Star managed to visit. This is about a major trip that people book well in advance and that requires a good bit of planning. (Not to mention Viking's policy of requiring full payment up front.) A partial refund doesn't begin to compensate for all of that loss (nor the mess that some folks had flying home, overseas, on the hastily arranged flights).

 

I have only traveled with Viking once, on their land/river cruise in China. It was awesome, one of the best trips we've ever taken, and I've said so repeatedly and for years on the Viking China thread in the River cruise forum. My spouse and I have mostly been ocean cruisers, but we are looking very seriously now at river cruising in Europe, and have been considering Viking there. I am dismayed, however, by how Viking has handled this mess on the Star, and it is giving me pause about traveling with them in the future.

 

Again, I'm sorry for everyone affected here, and I hope Viking makes it right.

[Norman T. Stormsewer]

We received an email late this afternoon from Sr. manager, customer relations essentially apologizing for the unfortunate turn of events and saying they have re evaluated compensation for those who returned home immediately from Tallinn.

 

65% cash refund on cruise fare, in order to better reflect the unused itinerary days and 50% future cruise voucher.

 

Will speak to our travel agent tomorrow.

 

 

We just received an e-mail with the same offer. I sent the following to to their Customer Relations people; still awaiting an answer:

 

We still have some questions regarding this offer:

• For how long will the Future Cruise Voucher be valid? As with this cruise, we usually plan and book our trips at least two years in advance. An expiration date of less than two years is worthless to us.
  
• We incurred $506.20 in baggage, hotel and missed connections due to the early and untimely return. How are these expenses to be handled?
  
• We purchased two $500 vouchers (10001707 &10001708) on 11/26/2013, while cruising on the Viking Sky, which were applied to this cruise. That $1,000 was erroneously shown as a "Management Discount" on the 12/10/2013 invoice for this cruise and evidently not used in calculating the 50% refund. We would like to have those vouchers refunded to us for use in a future cruise.
  
• The 65% seems to be mathematically correct with regards to ports missed, but it is not equitable with regards to the treatment of those returned home from Tallinn as compared to the "Bergen 500". Our discussions with others reveal a deep disappointment with Viking's handling of our situation. People with many, many cruises on very high end ships told us of much, much better treatment in a lot more timely manner. Complete refunds or/or 100% vouchers were not uncommon. We booked and paid for this cruise over two years ago and have eagerly awaited the moment with great anticipation. As an Electrical Engineer, I completely understand that "things break" and can readily accept that. But I can not accept the cavalier and meagerly attitude that Viking has shown towards those of us sent home from Tallinn. Is this really the best your company has to offer?
  

My wife and I would love to take another Viking cruise. Hopefully, with some better incentives from Viking, we will.

[FLtimes]

Viking called me today, and refunds are trickling in. They agreed to pay my airline change fee (which they previously didn't commit to). But I ask myself, would I pay $6700 for flights and $4700 for a cruise from Stockholm to Tallinn with stops in Helsinki and St. Petersburg? That's essentially what Viking is having us pay for this experience after the 65% refund is credited.

[OBX Cruisers]

Finally arrived home late Monday and have had a chance to look at our credit cards in detail. We've been credited with 50% of the cost we paid for the cruise and also in full for the 2 ship's excursions we paid for but weren't able to take. I was also glad to see the refund from our private "Friends of Dave Tour" in Warnemunde.

Will soon be contacting our insurance company (Travelguard) for refund of the Flam and Stavenger excursions we'd paid for on our own. What are you all hearing from your insurance companies? Any chance they might compensate us for the other 50% or am I just dreaming?

Haven't seen the 50% voucher yet, but this may have been sent to our TA to forward to us. Agree this will be useless if we don't have at least 2 years to use it . . . and I'm not sure at this point whether I want to sail Viking oceans or river again. Even though we were among those lucky enough to go on to Bergen and see the fjords by bus, it was just too stressful with the little information they provided in Tallinn changing by the hour.

[BSU Fan]

Well, we receive our refund. It is not 50%. Not sure how they arrived at their total but we are $700 short of that. Not sure how taxes and fees play into that but we only got half a cruise and missed more than half the ports (the ones we wanted to see cruising). They should Pay 50% of what we paid, as implied in the letter.

 

We are having our TA check on this. No news yet on the voucher. We did get our money back on missed excursions.

 

Did anyone actually get a true 50% after any discounts?

 

We found our additional money. Viking sent some money to a closed out account. Why they wouldn't just put it all in one place is odd. It always goes back to the account originally used. Anyway we are at the 50% now. Still feel it is not enough considering we were not provided what we paid for. Hope they reconsider.