Viking Mississippi June-mid August sailings

[ropomo]

I notice that all sailings for the Viking Mississippi for June through mid-August have disappeared from the Viking website. Also, My Viking Journey for our booked July Mississippi cruise is "locked for updates". Has anyone heard if these cruises have been cancelled?

[MarkTapley]

Since your question is regarding a Viking River cruise, you may want to review this thread and post your question there:

 

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2779932-all-viking-mississippi-2022-cruises/?do=getNewComment

 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, ropomo said:

I notice that all sailings for the Viking Mississippi for June through mid-August have disappeared from the Viking website. Also, My Viking Journey for our booked July Mississippi cruise is "locked for updates". Has anyone heard if these cruises have been cancelled?

 

 

Even though this is a river question, let me say that  in the past, dates disappearing from the website along with a locked MVJ were the pre-cursor to cancellation e-mails. This all tends to happen in a 24-48 hour period.

 

If you are cancelled, do read the e-mail carefully and completely. If a voucher is included read the terms and restrictions of the voucher carefully before accepting it.

 

[DebraLeeW]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Even though this is a river question, let me say that  in the past, dates disappearing from the website along with a locked MVJ were the pre-cursor to cancellation e-mails. This all tends to happen in a 24-48 hour period.

 

If you are cancelled, do read the e-mail carefully and completely. If a voucher is included read the terms and restrictions of the voucher carefully before accepting it.

 

 

[DebraLeeW]

Wow! First I have seen this anywhere. We are on the 8-27 sailing from Saint Louis. I can still access my Viking journey info but did not really want to be on the very first cruise. Now I know maybe why I could not find anything new about the ship.

[Jim Avery]

I saw a news release from Edison Chouest (the builder/operator) referring to sailings "beginning in August, 2022".  That would seem to imply July sailings are not happening. 

[ropomo]

Jim,

Did you notice the date on that news release. I have seen several from them with the August 2022 sale date, but they were released in 2020 and 2021

Thanks,

Richard

[Jim Avery]

I want to say it was April, 22.  I don't usually pay attention to old stuff.  I am hopeful all goes well with this venture as we just don't have any interest in going on the fake old paddle boats full of kiddies.  Love the Viking style.  

[ropomo]

It's official, we just got email notification of the cancellation of our July 9 cruise.

[Peregrina651]

 

Wow, that was cutting it close.  But sometimes it happens that way. Viking is trying so hard not to cancel cruises that they wait until the very last minute, hoping that the luck will fall their way and they won't have to cancel. Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.

 

I hope you are able to reschedule.

[Twitchly]

In the site that must not be named, there’s a discussion going on about this. The word there is that supply-chain issues prevented the ship from being ready. 

[cmaasfamily]

I know first hand how disappointing a cancellation can be so I empathize. On the other hand, any July day I don't have spend in Louisiana is like a vacation. I love gumbo, I just don't like stepping out into air as hot, thick, and wet as a cauldren of the stuff. 

[GroupAlaska]

They are still canceling Mississippi cruises.  Just had our August 27 cruise canceled 7 days before we were to fly for our pre tour.  Very disappointed, especially since they lied to our travel agent a week prior telling her everything was ready to go on the 27th.  

[Geosez]

« we just don't have any interest in going on the fake old paddle boats full of kiddies. « 

 

Jim:  We’ve been on the American Queen twice.  She’s a legit paddle wheeler as opposed to some of the younger boats.  No kiddies.  But by no means « Viking style « .  

[tophols]

Cancellations continue…..

 

Had notification on Wednesday that 2nd September sailing has some cabins being cancelled as they are not ready. Does that mean sailing is taking place with limited capacity? 
 

If so, do those joining know that some areas are still a building site in which case expect noise etc?

 

Do Viking actually know what is going on? Only had a message from them (along with subsequent conversation) on Tuesday advising us what COVID testing is necessary. No mention of any issues then.

 

Not impressed!

[Jim Avery]

5 hours ago, tophols said:

Cancellations continue…..

 

Had notification on Wednesday that 2nd September sailing has some cabins being cancelled as they are not ready. Does that mean sailing is taking place with limited capacity? 
 

If so, do those joining know that some areas are still a building site in which case expect noise etc?

 

Do Viking actually know what is going on? Only had a message from them (along with subsequent conversation) on Tuesday advising us what COVID testing is necessary. No mention of any issues then.

 

Not impressed!

It means construction is going on.  I have had such "pleasure" on Cunard once and it is really frustrating.  Noise, dust, hallways full of power cords and stacks of material.  Not to mention that the workers are housed in some of the rooms and have some off time of their own.  It is not right for any cruise line to take money from passengers while subjecting them to construction.  If the cruise was free and you had the option to go or not that might make a difference but this is just not right.  Edison Chouest Offshore builds workboats so this is probably normal for them to finish construction while underway to the departure port.  As I have said in other places these cruises will be very different from normal Viking standards and service.

Edited August 25, 2022 by Jim Avery

[Heidi13]

6 hours ago, tophols said:

Cancellations continue…..

 

Had notification on Wednesday that 2nd September sailing has some cabins being cancelled as they are not ready. Does that mean sailing is taking place with limited capacity? 
 

If so, do those joining know that some areas are still a building site in which case expect noise etc?

 

Do Viking actually know what is going on? Only had a message from them (along with subsequent conversation) on Tuesday advising us what COVID testing is necessary. No mention of any issues then.

 

Not impressed!

 

Further to Jim's comment. Viking are only the sale's agent for these cruises, as due to US Cabotage Laws, they cannot own or operate the vessel. The vessel must be built by a US shipyard, crewed by US citizens and operated by a US company.

 

I'm surprised by some cabins not being ready, as modern shipbuilding has cabins assembled ashore by a contracted service, then they are craned onto the ship, positioned and connected to services. Surely the US yard didn't build the cabins onsite???

 

Viking are provided information by the shipyard or ship manager and only receive information when they deem it necessary.

[chengkp75]

34 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

I'm surprised by some cabins not being ready, as modern shipbuilding has cabins assembled ashore by a contracted service, then they are craned onto the ship, positioned and connected to services. Surely the US yard didn't build the cabins onsite???

Given that there has not been a cruise ship built in the US since long before pre-fab cabins were invented, and that for cargo ships, the cabins are built on site (only the bathrooms come pre-fab), and that the US does not have the manufacturers of the pre-fab cabins like Europe, it would not surprise me.

[Heidi13]

32 minutes ago, chengkp75 said:

Given that there has not been a cruise ship built in the US since long before pre-fab cabins were invented, and that for cargo ships, the cabins are built on site (only the bathrooms come pre-fab), and that the US does not have the manufacturers of the pre-fab cabins like Europe, it would not surprise me.

 

Chief - Am I correct in assuming that everything must be US built and that they can't import cabins from European manufacturers.

 

Must admit, our local shipyards are the same in that they have no local supplier.

[chengkp75]

35 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Chief - Am I correct in assuming that everything must be US built and that they can't import cabins from European manufacturers.

 

Must admit, our local shipyards are the same in that they have no local supplier.

A certain percentage must be US built, I'm not sure of the exact number, which is why things like the engines and the like can be from overseas.  If it fit the percentage, then they could import cabins, but most of those in Europe are built far from the shipyard and trucked/railed to the yard for installation, they are assembled at the manufacturer plant.  Not sure how cost effective shipping completed cabins (essentially empty boxes) from overseas would be.

 

My last ship was a Jones Act tanker, which means, like the PVSA, that it must have a certain amount of US built in it.  Basically, the hull steel was US made (though the bulbous bow and stern tube casting came from Korea (we just don't have that capability here), everything else came from Korea.  The engine, the switchboard (assembled), most machinery flats (all assembled), the catwalks and ladders on the well deck were all pre-fab.  It was more like building a model ship.