Viking Coronavirus Update

[desert traveler]

3 hours ago, chirk said:

We are booked on May 1 Far East Horizons as well. We did not use Viking air, so have not received any info yet about changes.

 

Talked to customer service today and was told no changes yet on our cruise. Currently cancellation penalties would apply should we cancel, and we cannot transfer booking to another cruise. And, by the way, they told me, they could completely change their itinerary if they chose--it's on the website. And, since you declined the Viking trip insurance, aw, tough luck.

 

I appreciate the magnitude of logistics Viking is dealing with. But it does not sound like customers are their top priority. This was our first Viking cruise (we've done many others) and looks to be our last, if we go at all. 

We too are booked on this cruise and have our own air. My travel agent and I spoke with Viking and they said as of this am the cruise is still departing from Hong Kong but things could change and once they do they will inform us.  I asked about waiving cancellation fees if it does change and she said she didn't know but customer relations dept would handle that.  I think everything is in a state of flux and waiting to see what happens in next week or so-perhaps the virus is waning.  I think Viking has their hands full with logistics of all of this. So my attitude now is to wait.  I can get air from Hong Kong to Singapore on our own. 

[charliecheese]

2 hours ago, desert traveler said:

We too are booked on this cruise and have our own air. My travel agent and I spoke with Viking and they said as of this am the cruise is still departing from Hong Kong but things could change and once they do they will inform us.  I asked about waiving cancellation fees if it does change and she said she didn't know but customer relations dept would handle that.  I think everything is in a state of flux and waiting to see what happens in next week or so-perhaps the virus is waning.  I think Viking has their hands full with logistics of all of this. So my attitude now is to wait.  I can get air from Hong Kong to Singapore on our own. 

this was part of an email we received 8th Feb.

 

“Our records show you are travelling within the next 90 days. If your flights are schedueld to fly via Honk Kong, we strongly recommend you change your travel arrangements from or through Hong Kong. 

All guests who have booked travel through Viking Air will have their flights rerouted, and will be contacted with the updated flights shortly.”

 

Glad we took Viking Air can only assume from this we will not be sailing out of Hong Kong. Next best guess Singapore (but maybe not the full 2 days as would of been in Hong Kong docked, as a lot of distance to catch up on) or Taiwan for boarding ship.
 

We are still looking forward to this trip regardless, I always try to think make the best out of a situation. 

 

[Squawkman]

4 hours ago, chirk said:

 

If you're asking sincerely, I had some travel interactions in December related to the Sydney fires and the airline and hotel were very responsive and flexible. Currently, Delta is also bending over backwards to accommodate changes or refunds connected to the virus. 

 

Yes, I’m very sincere. You can’t compare flights and hotel rooms to cruises. I asked because I have heard a few horror stories with other cruise lines. 
 

When Viking had the mishap in the Norwegian Sea last March, our cruise was cancelled as we were to board that ship in a few days. We received cash reimbursement of all money paid to Viking (in our case, cruise fare, air fare and optional excursions- - had we bought Viking Insurance, we would have gotten that back too). Then we received a full credit for the cruise fare to be used on any Viking cruise - we used it on a previously booked cruise we owed the balance on. Two days later, FedEx was at the door with a check for each my wife and me to reimburse OBC given to us as a perk when we booked. And those on the cruise that experienced the mishap received all of that plus a free cruise on the maiden voyage of the new Viking Venus ship next January. Keep in mind that the cruise was over half over when the mishap occurred. No proration for that either.

 

For your own sake, give Viking some room to work this out. As you admit, they’re dealing with a lot now. Most of us here do believe Viking puts the customer first - give them a chance! 

 

 

 

[lonagarr]

On 2/8/2020 at 2:25 PM, gacruisefan said:

The advisory has changed again.  So, now we're changing from Hong Kong to Singapore - nowhere near each other.  This will make the cruise many more days at sea, which we do not want.  FYI.

 

Coronavirus Update, February 7

We are monitoring the Wuhan coronavirus situation closely and are aware of the travel advisories issued by the U.S. State Department on January 30, 2020, in addition to updates issued by the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

As the safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority, we have implemented enhanced health screening procedures for all guests boarding our vessels within the next 90 days. Please note, any guests who have traveled from or through mainland China within 14 days of beginning their trip with Viking, will not be permitted to embark the ship.

For sailings scheduled to visit the area within the next 90 days, we will be replacing Xiamen and Hong Kong with Singapore. Guests on impacted itineraries and their travel agents will be contacted directly within the next two weeks.

 

It appears that the virus has also been contracted in Singapore as well.....

https://www.cnn.com/2020/02/11/europe/steve-walsh-uk-coronavirus-patient-intl-gbr/index.html

[desert traveler]

This was on the Viking Website now-odd that I didn't see it yesterday (2/10).  I called Viking as we have our flight to Hong Kong.  The rep said that a major announcement will be made on Friday.  

 

February 10, 2020

---

As you may be aware, an outbreak of coronavirus, that causes respiratory illness, was detected in the city of Wuhan, Hubei Province, China. We are monitoring the situation closely and are heeding travel guidelines from the U.S. Department of State, the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization.

Please know the safety and security of our guests and crew is always our top priority. While your journey may not be in the general vicinity of the outbreak, as a precautionary measure, we have implemented enhanced health screenings (via a health care questionnaire) for all guests boarding our vessels within the next 90 days. The questionnaire will be provided for completion at the time of embarkation.

Additionally, any guests who have traveled from or through mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau within 14 days of the beginning of their trip with us, will not be permitted to embark the ship.

If you have any questions or concerns regarding your upcoming sailing, or have recently visited China within 14 days of your itinerary, please call us at one of the following:

• US and Canada: 1-855-300-3970, Monday through Friday, 4:00 AM to 9:00 PM, and Saturday to Sunday, 5:00 AM to 7:00 PM, PT.

Edited February 11, 2020 by desert traveler

[sugarside]

Desert traveler

Which sailing were you on in April 2018,Tulips and Windmills?

We were on Viking Mimir starting April 9th.

That trip was the start of my loyalty to Viking having used another company prior to that.

[desert traveler]

6 hours ago, sugarside said:

Desert traveler

Which sailing were you on in April 2018,Tulips and Windmills?

We were on Viking Mimir starting April 9th.

That trip was the start of my loyalty to Viking having used another company prior to that.

We were on the Skadi on 17th.

Have long been loyal to Viking but right now this is trying my patience.

I am not sure what we can do as most of the flights I look at go through Hong Kong.

[DaveSJ711]

40 minutes ago, desert traveler said:

We were on the Skadi on 17th.

Have long been loyal to Viking but right now this is trying my patience.

I am not sure what we can do as most of the flights I look at go through Hong Kong.

 

I get it that you're impatient.  But this is a fluid situation.  What do you want Viking to do that the company hasn't done?

[desert traveler]

1 hour ago, DaveSJ711 said:

 

I get it that you're impatient.  But this is a fluid situation.  What do you want Viking to do that the company hasn't done?

Yes I understand this is very fluid and changing by the day.  I would like to have enhanced communications from Viking.  When I call the reps aren't even aware of what is listed on their website as travel advisories. Fortunately that last one-essentially said that they would have a decision most likely by Friday.

[ElleEmDeeTA]

We have friends in Bergen just been told they have been denied boarding their Viking Star sailing Bergen to London due to depart 15 Feb because they transited via HKG 2 days ago. (Australian passport holders and residents) They were literally in HKG for 1 hour 50 mins. 

 

[bbtondo]

Elle:  I feel badly for your friends being denied boarding and missing their cruise. Did they do the right thing and tell the cruiseline that they transited via HKG 2 days ago?  Or, where they "caught"? Do they think they are above getting sick?  The rules are there for EVERYONE to follow.

 

 

[Squawkman]

12 hours ago, ElleEmDeeTA said:

We have friends in Bergen just been told they have been denied boarding their Viking Star sailing Bergen to London due to depart 15 Feb because they transited via HKG 2 days ago. (Australian passport holders and residents) They were literally in HKG for 1 hour 50 mins. 

 

Did they use Viking Air? If so, I would think Viking would be responsible. If not, in all due respect, warnings have been posted on Viking’s website for over a week.

[DaveSJ711]

30 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

Did they use Viking Air? If so, I would think Viking would be responsible. If not, in all due respect, warnings have been posted on Viking’s website for over a week.

 

Post #30 cites an advisory that Viking issued on February 10.  The advisory expanded the no-travel zone to include Hong Kong and Macau in addition to mainland China.  So Viking followed the advisory when it denied boarding to the Bergen travelers.

[Frenchberet]

2 hours ago, bbtondo said:

Elle:  I feel badly for your friends being denied boarding and missing their cruise. Did they do the right thing and tell the cruiseline that they transited via HKG 2 days ago?  Or, where they "caught"? Do they think they are above getting sick?  The rules are there for EVERYONE to follow.

 

 

Honestly, I’m glad to hear that Viking is taking this seriously and strictly enforcing the rules.  I don’t want to get sick on board, quarantined for 2 weeks after our cruise is over, or maybe even die.  

[Heidi13]

Viking have provided the World Cruisers with another update and revised itinerary. Based on the rapidly developing current conditions, to ensure the safety of pax and crew, Viking are now also bypassing Singapore, Thailand and Philippines. This necessitates another revision to the WC schedule

 

Date                 Itinerary #2                            New Itinerary

14-Feb             Brisbane                                Brisbane

15-Feb             At Sea                                    At Sea

16-Feb             Airlie Beach                          At Sea

17-Feb             Cairns                                    Noumea, New Caledonia

18-Feb             At Sea                                    Noumea, New Caledonia

19-Feb             Thursday Island                   At Sea

20-Feb              At Sea                                  At Sea

21-Feb              At Sea                                  Cairns, Queensland

22-Feb              Darwin                                 Cairns, Queensland

23-Feb              At Sea                                  Airlie Beach - Whitsundays

24-Feb              Komodo Is                          Townsville, Queensland

25-Feb              Bali                                        At Sea

26-Feb              At Sea                                   Thursday Island, Queensland

27-Feb              Samarang                            At Sea

28-Feb              At Sea                                   Darwin, Northern Territory

29-Feb              At Sea                                   Darwin, Northern Territory

1-Mar                Kota Kinabalu                     At Sea

2-Mar                Kota Kinabalu                     Komodo Island

3-Mar                At Sea                                   At Sea

4-Mar                Manila                                   At Sea

5-Mar                Manila                                   Semarang, Java

6-Mar                At Sea                                   Surabaya, Java

7-Mar                At Sea                                   At Sea

8-Mar                At Sea                                   Bali, Indonesia

9-Mar               Singapore                              Bali, Indonesia

[ElleEmDee]

Of course my friends don’t think they are above getting sick! What a silly statement. 
My post was merely to inform people what steps  Viking are now taking.
 

My friends actually spoke to Viking on Wednesday before they left Australia and were assured they would still be able to board but the situation changed between then and now. 
Luckily they are pretty seasoned travellers and are taking it in their stride. Their excellent TA has already found another option for them, Viking has refunded their cruise in full and offered a very large FCC. 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, ElleEmDee said:

Of course my friends don’t think they are above getting sick! What a silly statement. 
My post was merely to inform people what steps  Viking are now taking.
 

My friends actually spoke to Viking on Wednesday before they left Australia and were assured they would still be able to board but the situation changed between then and now. 
Luckily they are pretty seasoned travellers and are taking it in their stride. Their excellent TA has already found another option for them, Viking has refunded their cruise in full and offered a very large FCC. 

Yet again Viking Customer Service excels.

[chirk]

As a former journalist, I spent this morning reviewing the websites of the major cruise lines to see how they were communicating regarding the virus and itineraries. Here's a summary: (also posted in the roll call for May 1)

 

--These lines had a clear link at the top of their sites regarding the virus and their policies: Carnival, Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Silverseas, Azamara (the last four are one company).

--These had links at the very bottom of their sites: Regent; Norwegian; Oceania.

--Viking's virus update is found only after you click through "My Trips".

 

Celebrity wins for the most clear information although its update was not dated. It lists itinerary modifications, links to letters they have sent to guests for those cruises. It specifies it will help people with flight changes and provide up to $500 reimbursement per person help. However, if you cancel, penalties still apply. 

 

Princess is the next most specific about sailing modifications. Tokyo-related cruises are canceled through March 12 via Diamond Princess.

 

All the ships in the Royal Caribbean Cruises company state: "Regardless of nationality, we will deny boarding to any individual who has travelled from, to or through mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau in the past 15 days." Royal Caribbean specifically notes as of 2/14 "we have ended the temporary restrictions" on holders of passports from China, Hong Kong and Macau.

 

Norwegian as of 2/12 is still barring those passports. 

 

Viking's revised update as of 2/14:

Guests who have traveled from or through mainland China, Hong Kong or Macau within 14 days of beginning their trip with Viking, will not be permitted to embark the ship.

 

Viking currently has two ships in Australia/New Zealand, which will sail modified itineraries. Guests scheduled to embark/disembark on March 9, 2020 will now do so in Benoa, Bali – an update that supersedes any communication prior to February 14, 2020. We are currently evaluating options for future sailings; as those details are confirmed, Viking Customer Relations will communicate directly with those impacted guests and their travel agents on an ongoing basis.

[bbtondo]

17 hours ago, ElleEmDee said:

Of course my friends don’t think they are above getting sick! What a silly statement. 
My post was merely to inform people what steps  Viking are now taking.
 

My friends actually spoke to Viking on Wednesday before they left Australia and were assured they would still be able to board but the situation changed between then and now. 
Luckily they are pretty seasoned travellers and are taking it in their stride. Their excellent TA has already found another option for them, Viking has refunded their cruise in full and offered a very large FCC. 

I wasn't saying that your friends think they are above getting sick.   I don't think that's a silly statement as I've been seeing a lot of people who do think that way.  No offense to your friends and I'm glad it worked out for them.  I was simply asking a question.

[Squawkman]

Chirk:  See post #41. Has any of your research indicated how other cruise lines compensated affected travelers? My Viking cruise was cancelled 3 days before embarkation a year ago because of the mishap the ship experienced. For this inconvenience, we received 100% reimbursement plus FCC for the cruise fare - we were even Fedex’d checks for OBC we had for this cruise.

 

15 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Yet again Viking Customer Service excels.

Absolutely.

[SM77]

For what it is worth, I wanted to read up on how some other cruise lines were responding with regards to the coronavirus since we received the email from Viking about the travel restrictions with China and an enhanced health questionnaire for upcoming Viking European river cruises in April.   In addition to banning anyone who traveled through China within 30 days of embarkation, Oceania is taking the temperature of passengers and will refuse boarding anyone w/ a temperature of 100.4 degrees F.   I was looking at the Crystal boards(we sailed with them once and won't do another one unless we really really like the itinerary - found Crystal too formal) and Crystal cruisers were REALLY unhappy that Crystal will only offer credits for a future cruise that has to be taken within the next year for a cruise that a passenger wants to cancel out of or even if Crystal canceled the cruise.  Only after one person's TA wore down the Crystal rep, did that person get an actual refund.  So Crystal is trying to hang onto the $$$ by offering FCC first.  And unlike many other larger cruise lines, they only have two ocean cruise ships, several river and expedition ships, so there are very few available bookings in the next year(for the ocean cruises).

 

Based on #41 comments, Viking is handling this situation much better. 

 

 

[charliecheese]

Just received our email from Viking. May 1st Far East Horizons now cancelled and the May 15 one also. Next cruise will be in Alaska. Full refund and 2 vouchers one to use by 8 March on rebooking of another cruise ($650 pp) and another voucher for ($650pp to be used within 12 months). We are not going to rebook for Alaska will forgo the $650 offered and wait till something we want to do more comes up in the next 12 months and use the other voucher if we decide to go with Viking. Disappointed but better to be safe and alive. 
PS. Glad we had taken their air offer included in the fare !!!

[chirk]

After all my previous stressful grousing, I am very pleased with Viking's cancellation email last night! I think they are dealing with customers fairly and generously, and that will pay off for them in the long term (though I hope they will improve their communication systems online and on the phone). I will personally be happy to spend money with them in the future. 

[Paul73]

We were on the Grand Pacific Explorer, leaving Auckland on March 6.  We were notified yesterday our whole 90 day cruise has been cancelled and the ship is repositioning to Alaska for the spring season.  We're getting a full refund and vouchers totaling $1000 pp.  I think this is relatively paltry.  We're less than two weeks away from flying, a room full of vacation clothes waiting to be packed, and now no cruise.  We have sunk costs for several visas, private tours and an AIr NewZealand air upgrade that Viking isn't going to cover.  It would be interesting to compare notes once people start complaining.

Paul

[Hockeyump]

I always struggle to understand why people think they should receive additional compensation for something outside of, in this case, Viking' s control.  The company is refunding all that you paid them & I would imagine you could claim against your travel insurance for any third party payments.  They are already doing more than they have to.  

It may be because I am in the UK and we have different expectations in these circumstances.