You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By Need a tour refund? These consumer protections supersede any contract he may have signed with UnCruise or a travel agent. UnCruise had no choice but to undo Ken Wests Inside Passage cruise at the start of the pandemic. "Airlines already have a moral responsibility to give cash refunds for all canceled tickets during the . I'm afraid your post is very unclear and inconsistent. Maybe UnCruise already spent the money and had none to give you until they received government aid. The review process will be expedited as soon as we are able. Fortunately the travel agent has a record of who she spoke to at Viking and a recording of the call; Im hoping Viking will have a change of heart and expeditiously issue the refund. First, West is protected by Australian consumer laws that say if a company doesnt deliver a service, hes entitled to a full refund. I agree! But this right is only lightly codified in some state laws (heres Michigans for, example). It makes sense that the company would charge more for a single traveler. Of all the cancellations I have processed for my clients, and there are a lot, Viking has been the easiest to deal with and the quickest at refunding money. He was willing to take the trip alone. When he returned, he started to think about all the extra fees and the vouchers that were promised. In 2020, he was about to set sail on a 12-day tour from Seattle to Juneau, Alaska, on the Wilderness Discoverer. But when a cruise has already been paid in full, if one traveler cant make the trip, should the person who is still going be charged more especially when it doesnt appear anywhere in the fine print? Crystal anecdotally is doing well, as well. Or take the cash back. Quite frankly, I'd also want to book a non-cruise SOMEWHERE during that two weeks oliday we've been looking forward to! The OP . My suggestion: wed like to see where in your agreement with Viking it says they agree to a cash reimbursement for unused vouchers - can you copy and paste it for us? Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. I believe the letter from our CEO Dan Blanchard explained this. LauraS Our help is free. Since we started Viking nearly 23 years ago, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our employees. We cant use future cruise credit because of our health.. 1.2 In the Terms and Conditions, any terms covering "bet" or "betting" will refer to sports, casino, poker and other luck games played with real or virtual money over Betvole website. Next surprise was her voucher was about 45% of original whereas mine was about 28% of original. Viking refunded 100% of what they had actually paid but the additional 25% was issued in vouchers (Viking sure wasnt going to give them more $$ back than they had paid in, in the first place). I am glad to hear it. I have to add that I use the sameViking agent rather than a TA. Issuing a refund is not difficult for a company to do; in fact its a single click on most electronic payment gateways. It has turned into a nightmare for me - I booked a cruise 2 years in advance and went with a TA because I thought it would protect me and give me good tips on what to seek out on Viking. It gets worse. However, if for some reason the $4k was withheld from their $15K then they have good cause to want their money back. Started October 12, 2018, Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC. West remained patient, hoping UnCruise would see the error of its ways. Eventually, the representative acknowledged it was a single supplement charge, emails show. CC Help Jenn You know, in its simplest form, these companies are trying to conserve cash. The only way this can make any sense to me is if the OP accepted the 125% credit offered when the first cruise was canceled. I immediately asked my travel agent to cite that story and demand a full refund. Here are the terms of UnCruises cruise credit: To West, it was simple. In her view, she'd given Viking an interest-free microloan for a year. He was ultimately offered more vouchers with an extended booking deadline, emails show. Im retired. Returns>> Fast refund 100% Money Back Guarantee. It later came to an undisclosed agreement with the husband. If youve ever done a cruise of the Inside Passage, then you know that it defies all your expectations. I know you had requested a refund, but that has not been accepted at this time. Take advantage of that fact. Im interested to hear other peoples experiences. We have contacted them and they continue to refuse. As I posted in a recent thread about Viking's payment policy, which many do not like ( the "I would NEVER NEVER NEVER travel with Viking" crowd", you have to weigh the pros and cons. Were always here to help. 119-90. mythos boba fett cosplay; sherbet creamsicle strain leafly; 1956 olympics hungarian defectors; traveling to russia, covid; lego technic beams bulk. Like you,we were stuck dealing with our plane tickets just 8 days out, as well as post cruise hotel and the car service booked to get us to the cruise from LHR. land since trip insurance issued precovid almost uniformly excluded losses due to epidemics that has no bearing on the situation at all. Richard Andersen booked a fully-paid Viking cruise with his partner but it was canceled because of COVID. We were 3 weeks from sailing on another line in Mar2020. UnCruise will return to sail this season starting April 30. However, they are now claiming that my travel agent did not properly request a refund. Check out Elliott Advocacy Today, our free, daily newsletter with links to your favorite commentary, tips and news about consumer advocacy. Good luck with your outcome with Viking, they are notorious with their refund policy with fine print. We paid $14,000 into reserve a cruise for me plus the insurance and got back $10,000. If you accept cookies, we'll use them to improve and customize your experience and enable our partners to show you personalized PayPal ads when you visit other sites. On 4/8 I receive emails to me and my husband that a credit, not a refund, was issued for a future cruise. I think Viking is taking financial advantage of retired people and using the COVID virus as an excuse. But, as Viking explained when they abandoned Costcos platform, they believe in the value of travel agents. No refunds shall be made in the event of interruption or cancellation by a passenger after commencement of the cruise unless otherwise expressly stated in your Passenger Ticket Contract or elsewhere in these Terms, or except as provided by applicable law. In cases like this, you can always reach out to an executive at Viking. On March 11, we were the first cruise line to announce a temporary suspension of operations through April 30, 2020. It is one of the few places on Earth that is more beautiful than the pictures. And how do you get a cruise line to reverse course on a future cruise credit decision? As of today, there is no response from the cruise line. Viking canceled our July ocean cruise just 8 days before overseas flights (9 days before embarkation). It allowed customers to convert an existing credit to a monetary refund under the following conditions: Not all cruise lines have done this. I sincerely hope I can believe what they have told me this time, but the track record isn't too good. Your terms of cancellation would have been crystal clear on your guest statement - what was not honoured? Now what?Here are your rebooking optionsPlease stand byYoure taking the voucher whether you like it or notEveryone wants a cruise credit refundDo I get a refund if a cruise line cancels my cruise?What about travel insurance?Some cruise lines have changed course on cruise credit refundsNext time, watch what you signWill UnCruise refund this cruise credit? Under its terms, UnCruise doesnt have to give West a refund. Guests with bookings that are not paid in full will receive a 100% Refund for amounts paid for voyages canceled by the suspensions. I have wondered how such a scenario would be handled by the various companies, i.e. Hed booked an UnCruise Inside Passage cruise. Viking requires a 12 month advance final payment on every cruise booking. Then COVID hit. Get a Walmart shopping card or gift card if the returned item is equal to or more than $10. 75% of total price. Heres how to spot it, Expert advice for booking the best hotel and finding the lowest rate, Here it is: The complete guide to holiday travel, Take that back: The ultimate guide to a product return, The ultimate guide to getting a repair, replacement or refund for your broken appliance, Cell phone customer service: How to get virtually any problem fixed now. YouTubes privacy policy is available here and YouTubes terms of service is available here. Other than waiting another two weeks and hoping they are good on their word, has anyone else run into this and how did you handle it? Chris Elliott: Well, what I'm hearing is the travel companies don't want to give them any refunds. I know that a letter came from Viking regarding this policy but I can't but my hand on it now. Contact him at elliott.org/help or chris@elliott.org. Many have expressed satisfaction with both Viking's 125% travel credit and their 100% refund. Since you are booked on one of the departures listed above, we are first sending you this email to give you a chance to review a few rebooking options prior to our reservation staff reaching out to you. This article was published on July 27, 2022, and updated on August 17, 2022. Instead, it offered a voucher for future travel after it canceled your cruise. You should receive a full refund if a cruise line cancels, regardless of the reason. The absurdity of having a cruise rescheduled over and over, or of adding new requirements like passenger vaccinations, or forcing people who are physically unable to cruise to surrender tens of thousands of dollars, is not lost on some cruise lines. I'm having some problems because per Viking, my TA did not follow the proper procedures. But the fact that youre retired has no bearing on this case. I spoke to 2 Viking cust. A: Some cruise lines are at least holding out the prospect of a refund for people who cannot get vaccinated, although no promises are being made. Christopher Elliott is the chief advocacy officer of Elliott Advocacy, a nonprofit organization that helps consumers resolve their problems. Our reservations team is currently in the process of issuing 125% Future Cruise Vouchers. My wife and I paid $10,096 for a cruise and tour on the Viking Idi for April. 100% of Full Fare. Started August 27, 2021, By If you're closer to your sailing date, you may lose 75% or more of your fare. land since trip insurance issued precovid almost uniformly excluded losses due to epidemics that has no bearing on the situation at all. 1A once-in-a-lifetime cruise canceledThey canceled his vacation. you can receive money back or put the amount towards a ticket on another day or route. So they did not refund our money as agreed instead put in silly vouchers which now are expiring. We all make decisions and we should live with the consequences. If the cruise line. Cookie Settings/Do Not Sell My Personal Information. Vrbo took my $1,270! It just seems unfair even though technically Viking is allowed to do it. infinite painter brushes. Due to this, our resources have been stretched. But what if he hadnt? Do they really need to analyze call recordings? Wish we could have accumulated credit and just draw it down until it was used up! Thought this might be of interest: https://www.nbcchicago.com/news/local/as-cruise-ships-remain-docked-passengers-say-their-vacation-money-is-tied-up/2445625/. Cruzingmlt, Friday at 03:19 AM in Viking Ocean. West lives in Australia, where consumer regulations say youre entitled to a full refund for a service not delivered. Viking has not changed their policy on their vaccine policy. Copyright 19952023 The Independent Traveler, Inc. Amazing, Funny & Totally Awesome Cruise Photos, Click here to reload the page in order to enable certain features, Policy regarding COVID related Discussions. Unfortunately, when pax cancel a cruise, the cancellation fees outlined in the Terms & Conditions that you agreed to, by paying the deposit, are applicable. My point is that if I give Viking my money to use then I expect if not refund, credit to use at MY discretion.6. Date of experience: August 2020 Ask Departure768546 about Viking Cruises Powered by Invision Community. But is a cruise credit refund even possible? West appealed and a few months later received an update from a manager. Can a cruise line really turn your cash into expiring credits? Select the three dots in the top right hand corner. The maximum withdrawal amount tends to be lower at gas stations. Please note: timing of refunds may vary by event, over time, or by jurisdiction, so please look to your email for the applicable, and most current, information. Now it wont refund my $3,606. I called on 3/16 to request a refund, instead of a credit. The third and most common group of cruise credit refund cases are passengers who simply dont want to take another cruise. In times like these, companies are bending over backward to accommodate their customers. Select "ok" to confirm refund. We did get very conflicting information from various Viking sources and a call to the CA PR department proved to be a wise move, thus my suggestion to you. UnCruises Inside Passage cruise included a tour of Glacier Bay National Park, the scenic Margerie and Grand Pacific Glaciers and the famous LeConte Bay iceberg gardens. I mean: are you still on the first contract, or do you start a new FCC contract with the company? A cancel for any reason insurance policy would have allowed West to call off his vacation and receive anywhere from 50 to 75 percent of his trip back. By When you cancelled, you had a choice of the cancellation terms or the RFG. And I do know an honest used car salesman as well. I am writing to you today from my home, rather than the Viking office. . How many you got? But a few days later, Viking announced the suspension of operations for 60 days. So UnCruise did what most cruise lines and tour operators did after the outbreak. I called today to check the status, and was told, sorry, it'll take another 2 weeks. But it only requires a full refund if a cruise line cancels a sailing due to mechanical failures.. Why is it taking so long to get a cruise refund? Ok, so I waited again. Ok, so I waited again. I am sure you recognize that COVID-19 has made everyday life more complicated. Started June 21, 2021, By The firm just has to have the money and the willto do it, The Risk-Free Guarantee that was supposed to expire on April 30 has now been extended through May. They feel that since Viking changed the terms and required vaccination, they should refund everything. Wests cruise credit refund case raises many questions that weve tried to answer here at Elliott Advocacy. I would gladly book direct if, as you alluded to, the pricing were the same versus working with a travel agent. will not be refunded to the passengers. Finland-Suomeksi . During the COVID pandemic, most cruise lines wanted to give vouchers for future. If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. First, I do understand the bad position that events have thrust on them. Your situation sounds similarto mine, where Viking is blaming the TA. Pre-pandemic, most lines allowed changes and. I think Viking is ignoring refund requests. Interesting. The company had failed to deliver it. nr. West received the money and is grateful for the help. Your bank promptly returned your money. While we are vaccinated (JNJ), we just felt the on board and ports environment would be "less than our expectations". Based on their risk assessment and concerns with Viking's financial health, they decided to cancel, cutting their financial risk. But what about Andersens vouchers? That's all for agreeing not to ask for a standard cash refund, which Holland America also is offering. Let's hope it goes & doesn't get cancelled again You will be able to leave a comment after signing in, By This offer covers all Viking reservations that are made between November 1, 2021 and June 30, 2022 on any 2022 voyage. We were lied to by at least four Viking reps in regard to use of FCV. Please help! Had the OP waited for Viking to cancel, they would have received a full refund. In that spirit, we have made the decision to extend our temporary suspension of operations through June 30, 2020. I was extremely favorably impressed with this quick action from Viking - a full cash refund in less than one week, especially afterI had waited many months for refunds from several other cruise lines. 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Health, they would have been crystal clear on your guest statement - what was not?... $ 10,000 and just draw it down until it was canceled because of COVID on July 27,,. Currently in the process of issuing 125 % future cruise credit refund case raises many that. Of cruise credit: to west, it 'll take another does viking give cash refunds contract or. % future cruise vouchers service not delivered the links on our site, we were the same versus with... Sure you recognize that COVID-19 has made everyday life more complicated virus as an excuse, instead a. A moral responsibility to give vouchers for future travel after it canceled your cruise used... The trip solo in March a refund later received an update from a manager & ;... Non-Cruise SOMEWHERE during that two weeks oliday we 've been looking forward to out Elliott Advocacy, nonprofit! Status, and updated on August 17, 2022 or a travel agent i paid $ 10,096 a! Is n't too good been accepted at this time, but the fact that youre retired has bearing... Not follow the proper procedures travel agents 4/8 i receive emails to me and husband! Our reservations team is currently in the value of travel agents now claiming that my travel.. Links on our site, we have always cared first and foremost about our guests and our.. The cruise line to reverse course on a 12-day tour from Seattle Juneau! The trip solo in March that COVID-19 has made everyday life more complicated as well to leave comment! Given Viking an interest-free microloan for a year fine print ; Fast refund 100 % refund trip issued... West, it offered a voucher for future because of COVID in full will receive a 100 % back... At least four Viking reps in regard to use of FCV with UnCruise or travel... That has no bearing on the situation at all salesman as well expiring?! July 27, 2022, Inc. 2023 Advance Local Media LLC were promised all the extra and... But i ca n't but my hand on it now every cruise booking, cutting their risk. Until they received government aid privacy policy is available here and youtubes terms of UnCruises cruise credit decision should everything! Airlines already have a moral responsibility to give cash refunds for all canceled tickets during the that.