Next Announcement of Cancellations?

[PasadenaDave]

Viking announced in early December of cancellations through March 31, 2021.  Italy is closed until April 30 as of this moment.  I suspect that Viking has not yet announced an extension of cancellations as they want to provide a realistic date for resumption of cruises.  I am certain that our Venice to Istanbul cruise for April 18 will be cancelled and at this point we are waiting for the cancellation and 125% voucher versus just rescheduling.

 

What do your tea leaves say of when Viking will make another announcement?

[Peregrina651]

8 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

Viking announced in early December of cancellations through March 31, 2021.  Italy is closed until April 30 as of this moment.  I suspect that Viking has not yet announced an extension of cancellations as they want to provide a realistic date for resumption of cruises.  I am certain that our Venice to Istanbul cruise for April 18 will be cancelled and at this point we are waiting for the cancellation and 125% voucher versus just rescheduling.

 

What do your tea leaves say of when Viking will make another announcement?

 

My tea leaves say mid-February for those sailings that have not yet been cancelled for April.

[molymoo]

Peregrina is probably right (she usually is, by the way!).  Seems as though cancellations have been coming approximately two months ahead of the earliest cancellation date.  We're watching and waiting as we have a summer river cruise scheduled.  We're assuming at this point that we will cancel and reschedule as even if it goes at this point we're not sure we want to go with the restrictions that will most assuredly be in place.  We're watching the trips for summer 2022 and considering moving our FCC's to an ocean trip.  Waiting and watching and hoping for better days ahead!  

[pineapple1176]

We are booked on an early April Trade Routes of the Middle Ages ocean cruise with pre/post extensions. This is a rebook of a 2020 cancellation. The 125% rebook funds afforded us some upgrades and a nice balance of on-board vouchers. We do not want to use the insurance and just cancel. Would like to see what will be offered this time because there is no way we will be allowed to sail. Patiently waiting to hear!

[Lvwindstar007]

We are set to sail on the Sun, 24 May from London on its first now scheduled departure.  Awaiting news.

We have the 125% voucher applied.  My BA air voucher is supposed to be competed by 22 April 2022.  Don't know if I can extend that further. Lots of new snow at Lake Tahoe and ski areas.

 

[uktog]

So if you were cancelled in 2020 by Viking and moved to 2021 taking advantage of the benefit of the +25% to upgrade your room and they cancel you again in 2021 do you get an additional benefit if you move to 2022 for the fact you’ve paid in 2019?
Different cruise lines seem to have different thoughts some day one benefit only others say if we cancel twice you benefit twice. 
Where might Viking be on this? 

Edited January 30, 2021 by uktog

[duquephart]

4 hours ago, uktog said:

So if you were cancelled in 2020 by Viking and moved to 2021 taking advantage of the benefit of the +25% to upgrade your room and they cancel you again in 2021 do you get an additional benefit if you move to 2022 for the fact you’ve paid in 2019?
Different cruise lines seem to have different thoughts some day one benefit only others say if we cancel twice you benefit twice. 
Where might Viking be on this? 

 

I doubt you will benefit twice.

[Cienfuegos]

Are any cruise lines allowing the 125% to compound with multiple cancels?  That would be an enormous benefit, but it could create a huge liability on their balance sheets and supply of "better" rooms.

 

$100 to start

$125 with first cancel

$156 with second cancel

$195 with third cancel

 

Folks could game this one pretty quickly!

[uktog]

19 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

I doubt you will benefit twice.

That was my thought but travel agents seem to tell booked guests differently.  I have to admit it seemed wrong to me for the reasons Cienfuegos gave otherwise you could have booked for April 2020, rebooked on cancellation for September 2020, rebooked again for December, rebooked for March 2021 and almost doubled your money in a year......

[Jim Avery]

3 minutes ago, uktog said:

That was my thought but travel agents seem to tell booked guests differently.  I have to admit it seemed wrong to me for the reasons Cienfuegos gave otherwise you could have booked for April 2020, rebooked on cancellation for September 2020, rebooked again for December, rebooked for March 2021 and almost doubled your money in a year......

Right, with enough cancellations we could all be in the Owner's Suite for free!  🍺

[Heidi13]

I believe when they cancel and you used a FCV, Viking return the voucher to your account at the original value. If you paid cash for any part of the fare you can take 100% refund or an additional 125% FCV.

[Squawkman]

7 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

I believe when they cancel and you used a FCV, Viking return the voucher to your account at the original value. If you paid cash for any part of the fare you can take 100% refund or an additional 125% FCV.

That is my understanding and exactly what happened when I had a second cancellation.

[Peregrina651]

14 hours ago, uktog said:

of the +25% to upgrade your room

 

Just to make it clear for future readers, this not what Viking is offering and nowhere in their materials do they ever make such a promise. 

 

As Heidi13 explained, when Viking cancels, any vouchers are returned to your account at their face value and any cash payments are either returned to the guest at 100% or given as a future cruise voucher at 125%, guests' choice. Once a voucher, always a voucher. 

 

In figuring refunds, Viking only looks at the cash that guests have paid out of pocket. They do not take into account any fare discounts that were given on the booking or any promises of on-board credits. If you got the 3.3% savings for paying by "e-check," you only get back the amount that was actually paid to Viking. (In other words, if your balance at final payment was $10,000 but you only handed over $9670, you only get back $9670.)

 

 

[rbslos18]

Don’t forget to add Trip Cancellation insurance to the equation. To the best of my knowledge, vouchers can not be insured. Consult an agent.

RB

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Don’t forget to add Trip Cancellation insurance to the equation. To the best of my knowledge, vouchers can not be insured. Consult an agent.

RB

 

Even when they represent money that Viking owes me?

[SempreMare]

I believe Steve Dasseos covered this topic in his Q&A in the Travel Insurance forum. His username is @iamtrustworthy

 

In addition to being trustworthy he provides great customer service.  He gave me a reminder call in time to meet the deadline to cover pre-existing conditions for a trip we had discussed 2 weeks earlier.

 

 

[rbslos18]

10 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Even when they represent money that Viking owes me?

If money is owed it can be insured. I do not believe the value of vouchers is insurable. 
RB

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, rbslos18 said:

If money is owed it can be insured. I do not believe the value of vouchers is insurable. 
RB

 

The voucher is money that Viking owes me so why isn't it insurable?

[rbslos18]

32 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The voucher is money that Viking owes me so why isn't it insurable?

 

32 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The voucher is money that Viking owes me so why isn't it insurable?

I have spoken with two agents who told me vouchers aren’t regarded as cash. It is discussed on the CC Insurance Board. Previously I assumed as you.

[iamtrustworthy]

Thanks to the Coronavirus, this has become a much more complicated answer. For all the plans I know, but not all plans out there:

• If you have a trip that was cancelled due to the Coronavirus and you were issued a Future Cruise or Travel Credit that is equal to the amount of money you had prepaid for the cancelled trip; and
• You already have a trip cancellation policy for the cancelled trip that you are changing the dates on; and
• The Future Cruise or Travel Credit is not for any additional bonus value (i.e. – the 100% not the 125% or 150% of the credit).

 

Should you later have a claim you will need to document that the source of the Future Cruise or Travel Credit was equal to the amount of money you had previously prepaid.

 

In addition, if you did not have a trip cancellation policy for the cancelled trip, there are a few companies that will allow you to insure these credits.

 

And, credits issued for other reasons may or may not be insurable.

 

This came up a lot on this Q & A I did:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2484-qa-cruise-insurance-w-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2020/

 

And related topics are on this one:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-january-2021/

 

I hope this helps,

 

Steve Dasseos

Edited February 1, 2021 by iamtrustworthy
typo

[Peregrina651]

14 minutes ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Thanks to the Coronavirus, this has become a much more complicated answer. For all the plans I know, but not all plans out there:

• If you have a trip that was cancelled due to the Coronavirus and you were issued a Future Cruise or Travel Credit that is equal to the amount of money you had prepaid for the cancelled trip; and
• You already have a trip cancellation policy for the cancelled trip that you are changing the dates on; and
• The Future Cruise or Travel Credit is not for any additional bonus value (i.e. – the 100% not the 125% or 150% of the credit).

 

Should you later have a claim you will need to document that the source of the Future Cruise or Travel Credit was equal to the amount of money you had previously prepaid.

 

In addition, if you did not have a trip cancellation policy for the cancelled trip, there are a few companies that will allow you to insure these credits.

 

And, credits issued for other reasons may or may not be insurable.

 

This came up a lot on this Q & A I did:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2484-qa-cruise-insurance-w-steve-dasseos-of-the-tripinsurancestorecom-june-2020/

 

And related topics are on this one:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/2500-qa-cruise-insurance-with-the-tripinsurancestorecom-january-2021/

 

I hope this helps,

 

Steve Dasseos

 

Thanks Steve. I will have my TA clarify with the insurance carrier what is covered and what isn't.

[iamtrustworthy]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Thanks Steve. I will have my TA clarify with the insurance carrier what is covered and what isn't.

Hi Peregrina651,

 

Make sure your TA gets it in writing whatever they say. Since last February I have sent over 120 emails and subsequent followup questions to my companies asking very specific questions about many different coverages in relation to the Coronavirus.

 

There have been lots of questions I've asked that they had to take to their underwriters for the final answers. Some are still unresolved.

 

Steve Dasseos

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, iamtrustworthy said:

Hi Peregrina651,

 

Make sure your TA gets it in writing whatever they say. Since last February I have sent over 120 emails and subsequent followup questions to my companies asking very specific questions about many different coverages in relation to the Coronavirus.

 

There have been lots of questions I've asked that they had to take to their underwriters for the final answers. Some are still unresolved.

 

Steve Dasseos

 

Will do! Thanks.

[Homerody]

On 1/25/2021 at 11:39 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

My tea leaves say mid-February for those sailings that have not yet been cancelled for April.

 

Peregrina651"s tea leaves are correct. I believe the leaves will show that Viking's next wave (sorry for bad pun) of cancellations will be announced imminently.

 

Another disappointing day in our travel lives.  

 

Stay safe everyone.

[cmaasfamily]

As of this morning (15 Feb) April and May are gone and June and July appear to be signifcantly scaled back. Haven't seen an announcement yet.