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VIKING SUN joins new Chinese company in 2021

Cruise Wonderland

By Cruise Wonderland,
in Viking Ocean

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Heidi13

Heidi13

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, philbarb87 said:

Unfortunately I wasn't on Cruise Critic to see and hear about the Viking Sun being handed over to China. We  were also scheduled for the August 22nd, British Isles Cruise. This was to be our second Viking cruise, but our first a Danube river cruise  for August of 2021 was canceled due to COVID. we were so looking forward to the upcoming Ocean cruise on the Viking Sun. We made our final $5000.00 payment on February 11 and just seven days later we received the letter for Viking stating that the cruise was canceled. I'm furious with Viking for accepting a final payment, when it had to be known that they wouldn't be sailing. We still have a voucher left over from the river cruise cancelation, which we will attempt to use since many of the choice cruises for 2022 are already booked. Whatever cruise we schedule will be our last on VIKING due to how we have been treated! 

 

While the Chinese JV was announced a number of months ago, the potential of Alaska 21 happening was very remote at that time. Therefore, Viking most likely had the Orion available to assume the Sun's schedule, as Orion is currently in Italy.

 

Therefore, just because the Sun is joining a JV didn't mean that Viking has no intention of completing those cruises.

 

Since they are now cancelled, you have the option of requesting all cash back, plus the return of any vouchers. Unless their is additional details, I'm having difficulty understanding how Viking has treated you badly.

 

To provide some perspective, many Crystal pax are still waiting for refunds from March 2020 and most cruise lines are still accepting new bookings for Alaska 21.

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T&jw

T&jw

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Posted

We were booked for the Sep. 5, 2021 British Isle Explorer. 

Viking canceled our trip. We do not think they should have done that. They should have met their obligations and started with China after all current cruises were completed. This trip was a rebooking for us from May 2, 2020, canceled due to covid. We thought Viking stepped up at that time. But the decision to cancel the Sep.5, 2021 trip must have been a money-maker for Viking. They need to do better. Nor impressed. 

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Heidi13

Heidi13

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Posted
17 hours ago, T&jw said:

We were booked for the Sep. 5, 2021 British Isle Explorer. 

Viking canceled our trip. We do not think they should have done that. They should have met their obligations and started with China after all current cruises were completed. This trip was a rebooking for us from May 2, 2020, canceled due to covid. We thought Viking stepped up at that time. But the decision to cancel the Sep.5, 2021 trip must have been a money-maker for Viking. They need to do better. Nor impressed. 

 

Viking's actions were permitted in the Terms & Conditions you accepted by paying your deposit.

 

Having cruises cancelled for reasons other than mechanical, weather or COVID, is not an isolated incident in the industry. Most of the main stream Lines have cancelled cruises when they receive a better offer to charter the ship, or decide to sell a ship.

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Jim Avery

Jim Avery

Posted
Posted
18 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Viking's actions were permitted in the Terms & Conditions you accepted by paying your deposit.

 

Having cruises cancelled for reasons other than mechanical, weather or COVID, is not an isolated incident in the industry. Most of the main stream Lines have cancelled cruises when they receive a better offer to charter the ship, or decide to sell a ship.

Right you are Andy.  We were booked on one of the HAL ships that Carnival sold last year.  Got notice in a letter from HAL and we chose refund over voucher.  Took over 4 months and then we contested with our credit card in order to get the refund.  Viking handles the issue waaaaayy better than HAL.  As Cruise Director Vicki famously says: "Ship Happens!".😎

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CharTrav

CharTrav

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7 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Right you are Andy.  We were booked on one of the HAL ships that Carnival sold last year.  Got notice in a letter from HAL and we chose refund over voucher.  Took over 4 months and then we contested with our credit card in order to get the refund.  Viking handles the issue waaaaayy better than HAL.  As Cruise Director Vicki famously says: "Ship Happens!".😎

Yup - email comes with voucher, and as I've read here, if requested -- instead of a voucher -- refund shortly afterwards. 

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Heidi13

Heidi13

Posted
Posted
7 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Right you are Andy.  We were booked on one of the HAL ships that Carnival sold last year.  Got notice in a letter from HAL and we chose refund over voucher.  Took over 4 months and then we contested with our credit card in order to get the refund.  Viking handles the issue waaaaayy better than HAL.  As Cruise Director Vicki famously says: "Ship Happens!".😎

 

So true Jim. In 40+ yrs, I never worked for a shipowner that really considered the needs, or truly respected the Masters, officers, crew and customers. However, after almost 4 months with Viking, our experience shows that Viking are the best that shipowner I have seen.

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Squawkman

Squawkman

Posted
Posted
18 hours ago, T&jw said:

We were booked for the Sep. 5, 2021 British Isle Explorer. 

Viking canceled our trip. We do not think they should have done that. They should have met their obligations and started with China after all current cruises were completed. This trip was a rebooking for us from May 2, 2020, canceled due to covid. We thought Viking stepped up at that time. But the decision to cancel the Sep.5, 2021 trip must have been a money-maker for Viking. They need to do better. Nor impressed. 

Did Viking offer 125% as they do for cruises cancelled due to covid?

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T&jw

T&jw

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Yes and no.

We have rebooked for Aug2022.

They give the 125% on money you paid for this trip. As this trip was a rebooking from a trip canceled due to covid, we used voucher from first cancelation. That means you end up having the same amount of money to use . Any increases, you lose out.

We got the 125% from first cancelation, used it on second trip that Viking decided to give to Chinese, but nothing in addition for the third.

So, for the August 2022 booking, the third time trying to do the British Isle Explorer,  we feel we did not get the 125%.

We talked about leaving Viking for good, taking the refund. But there is not a similar cruise line that one could use to replace Viking. We decided that we will continue with them, but another business decision by Viking that throws us under the bus, we'll go elsewhere. 

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Cruise Wonderland

Cruise Wonderland

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  • Author
Posted (edited)

Below is a piece of news from a Chinese website. You may use Google translation to read it.

 

In the first part, it describes the recruitment of Chinese crew members.

 

If you are concerned about the addition of many casinos on the ship... The article also mentions that since the vessel will be re-flagged in China, it cannot have an onboard casino due to the Chinese law.

 

https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/352284611

Edited by Cruise Wonderland
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OceanPatter

OceanPatter

Posted
Posted

Wow, thanks for the informative ‘finds,’ Cruise Wonderland. Great scoops! 
 

I loved our cruise on the Viking Sun and I love traveling in China. When flights open up again, I may consider going over and getting Chinese friends to join me on the Viking Sun ... that is, assuming I can actually purchase a cruise for myself, given that there may restrictions.

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Heidi13

Heidi13

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29 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Think you would have enjoyed this Andy?  Wonder if the Viking Sun refit will incorporate these.  Might help free up more room for the casino....🍺

 

https://crew-center.com/sleeping-pods-instead-crew-cabins-new-concept-crew-accommodation

 

Jim,

 

Great that they are using them in other environments, but fortunately ships have IMO/ILO Conventions, which are enacted by Flag State Regulations, for standards of Crew & Officer accommodations. Not sure if they would be deemed acceptable.

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OceanPatter

OceanPatter

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Jim and Andy - the irreplaceable, dynamic duo! Thank you for continuing to enliven this board.

 

For those who didn't google-translate the article shared by Cruise Wonderland, here's a small extract (written from the perspective of a Chinese employment agency):

 

"First, I will show the results of the recent Viking Cruises interview with everyone. Congratulations to the 13 students of our school for successfully passing the Viking Cruises interview. It is expected to board the ship in March. In January 2021, Viking Cruises began to recruit in China. 13 students from our school signed up to participate in the video trial in early January.

In early February, the trainees successively accepted video retests from Viking Germany at their homes."

 

What's interesting is Viking's apparent involvement in the selection/training of the staff. I wonder if Viking's role in the joint venture is more than just its contribution of the Sun. Anyone know?

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Heidi13

Heidi13

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With the Hotel side, at least in the beginning, I'm not surprised that Viking is involved assisting local management in the recruitment of local crews.

 

However, for Deck & Enginerring, I have no idea, as on the Viking ships, the hiring and management of Deck/Engineering is sub-contracted to Wilhelmsen Ship Management. Just checked their website and at present they do not show a manning office in China. Whether they find a local ship management company, or whether Wilhelmsen forms a JV with a Chinese company. At present, Wilhelmsen is hiring for Viking Venus & Octantis. No mention of Viking Sun JV.

 

 

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Heidi13

Heidi13

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2 hours ago, OceanPatter said:

Thanks for checking, Andy. To mitigate the language barrier, it may stand to reason that the staff will be predominantly Chinese. 

 

As she will operate in Chinese coastal trades, under their Cabotage Laws, the entire crew must be Chinese. This is similar to the crewing requirements of the US PVSA.

 

Initially, you may find some traditional Viking Officers, but they would be for training the local crews.

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