Hawaii cruise concerns

[joeinsb]

I just read that Carnival and Princess have canceled their 2021 Hawaii cruises because, in their words, Hawaii won't be ready to handle passenger cruise traffic until 2022. We are booked on one of the December cruises to the islands, so we are concerned about this news. I talked to Viking and was told the company is still working with the Hawaii authorities, and if anything changes about our cruise, we will be notified by e-mail. I was curious if anyone has any further information on this subject.

[SIRSONIC]

 

Note below sent to Viking this morning. If I get and answer I will post.
 

 

 

My wife and I are booked on the DEC 20th Hawaii cruise from LA. We understand Hawaii ports are closed to cruise ships through the end of 2021. If its inevitable this cruise will be cancelled VIKING should cancel and offer refunds. This was suppose to be a holiday cruise celebration and we would like to seek alternatives as soon as possible.

 

We are long term active cruises and new to VIKING and have not been impressed.

 

- when we booked our cruise a few weeks ago MAUI was included as a port call, when we received our cruise documentation we found out Maui has been eliminated. Viking continues to list MAUI on the web site

 

- we are 38 days from sail and Viking has yet to post available tours.

 

 

Not impressed,

 

[broker1217]

According to the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors division, no cruise port calls scheduled through end of 2021. 

 

Website is hidot.hawaii.gov

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[zelker]

11 minutes ago, broker1217 said:

According to the Hawaii Department of Transportation Harbors division, no cruise port calls scheduled through end of 2021. 

 

Website is hidot.hawaii.gov

 

 

Here's the direct link to the HDOT cruise ship schedule for all of Hawaii ports and you're right, I see that everything through the end of 2021 is gone.  Wow!  

 

PortCall.com

 

Wonder if this will impact Orion's Hawaii/South Pacific cruise in January, too?  That one is Sold Out!

 

Edited November 12, 2021 by zelker

[lovemycruisetoo]

We are booked on Dec 4-20 and still haven’t heard anything. 

[LinnieRed]

16 minutes ago, zelker said:

 

Here's the direct link to the HDOT cruise ship schedule for all of Hawaii ports and you're right, I see that everything through the end of 2021 is gone.  Wow!  

 

PortCall.com

 

Wonder if this will impact Orion's Hawaii/South Pacific cruise in January, too?  That one is Sold Out!

 

We are booked on this trip and are awaiting news of what will happen with the December trips. This is to be our first Viking trip and so far the lack of transparency is pretty unsettling. Hoping for the best but making some contingency plans for a winter vacation.

 

As of yesterday, a few cabins on this trip popped up as available. 

[zelker]

18 minutes ago, LinnieRed said:

We are booked on this trip and are awaiting news of what will happen with the December trips. This is to be our first Viking trip and so far the lack of transparency is pretty unsettling. Hoping for the best but making some contingency plans for a winter vacation.

 

As of yesterday, a few cabins on this trip popped up as available. 

We're embarking our first-ever Viking cruise next Wednesday, also on Orion, to take her from Fort Lauderdale to LA where you're "supposed" to board her.  We've been less than enamored with how Viking has been handling some things for our cruise, the biggest issue being the lack of clarity regarding testing requirements. 🙄

 

Hope you find out sooner than later but I think your contingency planning is smart because if I was a betting person, I'd put money on both of the December cruises being cancelled.  Good luck!

[LinnieRed]

8 minutes ago, zelker said:

We're embarking our first-ever Viking cruise next Wednesday, also on Orion, to take her from Fort Lauderdale to LA where you're "supposed" to board her.  We've been less than enamored with how Viking has been handling some things for our cruise, the biggest issue being the lack of clarity regarding testing requirements. 🙄

 

Hope you find out sooner than later but I think your contingency planning is smart because if I was a betting person, I'd put money on both of the December cruises being cancelled.  Good luck!

Have a wonderful trip. My hope is that once you get aboard, Viking ocean becomes the cruise line that we thought it would be when we all booked.

We are booked for the January 5 departure, fingers crossed.

[zelker]

8 minutes ago, LinnieRed said:

Have a wonderful trip. My hope is that once you get aboard, Viking ocean becomes the cruise line that we thought it would be when we all booked.

We are booked for the January 5 departure, fingers crossed.

Thanks.  And agree, hope their onboard experience is handled much better (I think it will be).

 

So, you're on the Hawaii/South Pacific itinerary.  That one is certainly a bigger question, for sure.  Hopeful it sails.  We're doing a very similar cruise out of San Diego on Holland America at the end of February (35 days) and there are still questions about it, too.  Hopefully HAL will do the right thing and let us know before final payment is due at the end of December.  

[Shoalwater]

If cruise lines were i charge of deciding which ports will accept ships and when then it's fair to ask them about schedules.  It appears however that they are dependent on local authorities to reach landing decisions, but the authorities are waffling and unable to provide definitive answers, hence confusion.  Heck, look at the varying decisions made about COVID "safety" measures by CDC and the NIAID leadership.  I don't think its fair to expect the cruise lines to come up with answers when there are none.  The lines are probably scrambling overtime to come up with alternatives. 

[SIRSONIC]

It is the cruise lines responsibility to communicate. An email to the hundreds cruise pay per customers who have paid many, many thousands of dollars is not too much to ask. Great cruise experiences start with the shoreside customer service.

[SIRSONIC]

I sent an email to Viking regarding the 20th sailing. Response below;

 

 

Thank you for your recent online inquiry. Hope you and your loved ones are well and safe.

We understand your concern, however, the cruise is set to sail and we're currently in the process of finalizing the shore excursions.

If anything was to change, we would be sending you an email.

If we can be of any further assistance at this time, please reply to this email or contact us at 888-663-8454 and any service agent may assist you.

 

Best Regards,

[kjbacon]

My travel agent got a similar response as the message above. When he asked them why the other ships cancelled and why the dock schedules have just changed to reflect that no ships would be in the Hawaiian ports before January, they didn’t know. The lack of open and accurate communication from Viking is enough already.

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

My travel agent got a similar response as the message above. When he asked them why the other ships cancelled and why the dock schedules have just changed to reflect that no ships would be in the Hawaiian ports before January, they didn’t know. The lack of open and accurate communication from Viking is enough already.

Ok so Viking says it's a go.  Hawaii says no go.  One of them is obviously wrong.  Any bets?

[duquephart]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Ok so Viking says it's a go.  Hawaii says no go.  One of them is obviously wrong.  Any bets?

 

I'll take Hawaii. Straight up.

[SIRSONIC]

At one time Vikings were known to raid and plunder. Perhaps that’s the plan for Hawaii. My wife just told me she will be packing her shield. We will be well prepared.

Edited November 12, 2021 by SIRSONIC

[Jim Avery]

7 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

I'll take Hawaii. Straight up.

Haha, give that man a cigar..🥂

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Ok so Viking says it's a go.  Hawaii says no go.  One of them is obviously wrong.  Any bets?

 

Hey Jim - sound like it has the potential for another Magical Mystery Tour, but as we know, once on board, Viking more than make up for any lack of ports. The Hawaii cruises are only 17 days, not even enough time to get bored.😁😁

[Jim Avery]

Just now, Heidi13 said:

 

Hey Jim - sound like it has the potential for another Magical Mystery Tour, but as we know, once on board, Viking more than make up for any lack of ports. The Hawaii cruises are only 17 days, not even enough time to get bored.😁😁

Ports?  We don't need no steenkin' ports......🍺

[Jim Avery]

And back in my seagoing days when you had only 17 days left on your hitch you were a "short timer"...🍺

[Heidi13]

3 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

Ports?  We don't need no steenkin' ports......🍺

 

We were lucky, at least we did get into 3 ports - Colombo, Muscat & Dubai, just couldn't go ashore. Something to do with the armed soldier at the bottom of the gangway.😁

[Heidi13]

4 minutes ago, Jim Avery said:

And back in my seagoing days when you had only 17 days left on your hitch you were a "short timer"...🍺

 

Haha, I hear you. My longest was 9 months back when I was a cadet.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, maXEdison said:

Bummer.

 

But I know people who just got back from a land vacation in Maui and had no issues, going or coming home.

 

  Can't compare the two. Different rules for arriving by cruise ship vs airplane. 

[Jim Avery]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

  Can't compare the two. Different rules for arriving by cruise ship vs airplane. 

But why is that? Sick is sick.

[kjbacon]

15 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Ok so Viking says it's a go.  Hawaii says no go.  One of them is obviously wrong.  Any bets?

My bet? Only Hawaii has the authority whether or not to open their ports and anybody can say anything at anytime but Hawaii makes the decision.

 

Other questions include:

 

Would Viking actually board us and set sail stating we are going to Hawaii when Hawaii says their ports are closed?

 

Why doesn't Viking communicate honestly with us?