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Viking Cruises: Update on Central Europe Flood Impact


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Dear Viking Guests,

 

We understand that you are concerned and have questions about your upcoming travels to Europe. Please know that we’ve been working throughout the weekend and today — in constant contact with our Swiss operations team — managing the schedules of those guests currently in Europe and planning for upcoming departures. In many instances, due to having the largest fleet in river cruising combined with our in-house nautical and operations team in Switzerland, we are able to continue operating our itineraries through careful planning and switching of sister ships. In every decision we make, the safety of our guests and crew remains our top priority.

 

Due to the unprecedented and severe flooding throughout areas of central Europe, we have decided to make the necessary itinerary alterations below:

 

Canceled Sailings

 

1. June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Prestige

2. June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend

 

Guests (and their travel agents) of these canceled sailings are receiving an email notification from Viking. We would like to provide you with the option of rebooking another cruise at a later date. We will also extend an additional credit of $500.00 per person towards that or any other future river cruise with Viking, in acknowledgement of the inconvenience. You may also choose instead to receive a full refund of the amount you paid Viking Cruises, along with a $500.00 per person future cruise credit.

 

Over the next few days a Customer Relations representative will contact you to discuss your concerns, questions, and which option will work best for you: to rebook or to receive a full refund. You can also contact us about this matter by calling Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific. Please try to understand that we are currently experiencing an unusually high volume of calls and therefore we may not be able to return your message with our standard speed, but all calls will be handled as quickly as we can. A temporary phone number has been set-up for calls outside of normal working hours: 1.818.216.2453.

 

Itinerary Modifications

 

1. June 5th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Odin — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Freya (Longship, built 2012). Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed with some minor alterations—the most notable of which is that we do not anticipate it will be possible to visit Passau.

 

2. June 5th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Freya — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Odin (Longship, built 2012). Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship will be located in Regensburg. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation in Nuremberg, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed with some minor alterations—the most notable of which is that we do not anticipate it will be possible to visit Passau.

 

3. June 8th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Njord — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Idun (Longship, built 2012). Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship will be located in Riedenburg. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation in Nuremberg, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed with some minor alterations. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

4. June 8th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Idun — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Njord (Longship, built 2012). Due to water levels, the ship will not be able to reach Budapest, but will be waiting for guests in Bratislava. Viking will arrange for one hotel night in Budapest for the evening of June 8th. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to the hotel. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation in Budapest, along with transportation to the hotel. On June 9th guests will travel by motorcoach to meet the ship in Bratislava. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

5. June 8th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Embla — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

6. June 8th Passage to Eastern Europe (Bucharest to Budapest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

7. June 8th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Forseti — This cruise will begin with 1-2 hotel nights in Amsterdam, as Viking Forseti will be unable to arrive in the port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to the hotel. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation in Amsterdam, along with transportation to the hotel. Guests will then travel by motorcoach to meet the ship in the middle Rhine area. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

8. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Helvetia. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

9. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Sun. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

10. June 9th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Schumann — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Fontane. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

11. June 9th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Fontane — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Schumann. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

12. June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard MS Vienna — This cruise will begin on Viking Legend. Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. When Viking Legend meets up with the MS Vienna along the Danube River, guests will be transferred to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

13. June 9th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Tor — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Bragi (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

14. June 9th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Var — This cruise will begin on Viking Prestige, where guests will board in Amsterdam, as originally scheduled. When Viking Prestige meets up with the Viking Var along the river, guests will transfer to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

15. June 12th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sky — This cruise will begin on Viking Legend. Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. When Viking Legend meets up with the Viking Sky along the Danube River, guests will be transferred to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

16. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Tor (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

For questions about the above departures, guests can email TravelCrisis@vikingcruises.com or call Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific. Please try to understand that we are currently experiencing an unusually high volume of calls and emails and therefore we may not be able to return your message with our standard speed, but all communications will be returned as quickly as we can.

 

 

Up-to-Date Information

 

Other guests scheduled to sail in Europe during the month of June should assume that their cruise is still scheduled for departure. If there is a need to alter or cancel any sailings due to the current areas of flooding, guests will be notified by Viking via email as soon as we are aware of any necessary changes.

 

This level of flooding is extremely unusual and we will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation closely. For the most up-to-date information regarding the floods, please visit our website.

 

http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

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Please correspond to our ship with transparency, so we (the guests) know what to expect. We are getting sugar coated answers for staff, and then next day nothing changes. What are Viking plans for the rest of our week. Not knowing is very frustrating and has lead to quite a few folks leaving.

 

Thanks.

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Thank you for the post. The folks in Europe are really going though a tragedy.

 

This is an unfortunate situation and an obvious logistical nightmare as well. I am suppose to be on the Tor on June 23 and that is obviously going to change based on the post above.

 

Those on cruises should be the priority, but what are your plans to contact those of us that will also be affected?

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Please correspond to our ship with transparency, so we (the guests) know what to expect. We are getting sugar coated answers for staff, and then next day nothing changes. What are Viking plans for the rest of our week. Not knowing is very frustrating and has lead to quite a few folks leaving.

 

If you have not already done so do please email Viking directly - TellUs@vikingcruises.com

 

Posting in multiple threads here is not going to be much help as only Viking can give the answers you need.

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Negma, My husband and I are also booked on the Tor out of Amsterdam on June 23. I noticed that the Tor is being replaced by the Bragi on June 16 and contacted Viking. The agent could not confirm but suggested that the Tor would be replaced by the Bragi for our cruise. Of course, he said we should wait to hear if there will be changes for our June 23 cruise because it is still early. I am still looking forward to my first river cruise. Too bad...I feel for the folks in Central Europe.

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Please note this update regarding our river cruises in Europe.

 

Dear Viking Guests,

 

Due to the unprecedented and severe flooding throughout areas of central Europe, we have made necessary itinerary alterations and cancelations, which are listed below. We are happy to keep members of the Cruise Critic community updated on the current situation, but please know that you should also continue to check our website for information that is being updated on a regular and frequent basis. http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

For those guests that need to speak with a Viking representative, please understand that we are currently experiencing an unusually high volume of calls and therefore we may not be able to return your message with our standard speed, but all calls will be handled as quickly as we can. And we thank you for your patience and understanding, of course.

 

Below is a complete list of affected sailings as of June 6, 2013

  • If you do not see your cruise embarkation below, we anticipate that your cruise will operate as scheduled.
  • Should new embarkation dates require itinerary modifications or cancelations, those guests will be notified by Viking.

 

 

The following sailings have been canceled:

  • June 8th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Schumann
  • June 8th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Fontane
  • June 8th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Njord
  • June 8th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Idun
  • June 9th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Tor
  • June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Prestige
  • June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend
  • June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard MS Vienna
  • June 12th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Odin
  • June 12th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Freya

 

Unfortunately conditions to these specific sailings prevented us from being able to provide a modified itinerary. Guests (and their travel agents) have been contacted directly by Viking Cruises via email. Additionally a Customer Relations representative will contact you over the next few days to discuss your booking—in almost all instances listed above this should have already occurred. You can also contact Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT.

 

Guests of these canceled sailings will be provided with the option of rebooking another cruise at a later date. We will also extend an additional credit of $500.00 per person towards that or any other future river cruise with Viking, in acknowledgement of the inconvenience. You may also choose instead to receive a full refund of the amount you paid Viking Cruises, along with a $500.00 per person future cruise credit.

 

 

The following itineraries have been modified:

 

Note: For questions about the following altered departures, guests can call Viking Customer Service at 1.800.706.1483.

 

1. June 8th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Embla — Due to river closures we anticipate that this cruise will experience substantial alterations during approximately half of the trip. Guests are currently being contacted by Viking and provided with an option to cancel, if they wish.

 

2. June 8th Passage to Eastern Europe (Bucharest to Budapest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

3. June 8th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Forseti — This cruise will begin with 1-2 hotel nights in Amsterdam, as Viking Forseti will be unable to arrive in the port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to the hotel. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation in Amsterdam, along with transportation to the hotel. Guests will then travel by motorcoach to meet the ship in the middle Rhine area. After embarkation, the itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

4. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Helvetia. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

5. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Sun. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

6. June 9th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Var — This cruise will begin on Viking Prestige, where guests will board in Amsterdam, as originally scheduled. When Viking Prestige meets up with the Viking Var along the river, guests will transfer to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

7. June 12th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sky — This cruise will begin on Viking Legend. Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. When Viking Legend meets up with the Viking Sky along the Danube River, guests will be transferred to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary.

 

8. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Tor (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary.

 

 

Sailing with Viking later this summer?

Other guests scheduled to sail in Europe during the month of June, or thereafter, should assume that their cruise is still scheduled for departure. If there is a need to alter or cancel additional sailings due to the flooding, guests will be notified by Viking via email as soon as we are aware of any necessary changes.

 

Best regards,

Viking Cruises

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Just noticed the update dated today June 8 on Viking website...they have yet to update the info here so I am doing it. They are doing a good job of keeping the information well explained...good and bad news....iMHO.

 

 

 

http://www.vikingrivercruises.com/about/vikingnews_v2.aspx

 

CENTRAL EUROPE WEATHER UPDATE - JUNE 8, 2013

 

Dear Viking Guests,

 

We understand that you are concerned and have questions about your upcoming travels to Europe. Please know that we are in constant contact with our Swiss operations team – managing the schedules of those guests currently in Europe and planning for upcoming departures. In many instances, due to having the largest fleet in river cruising combined with our in-house nautical and operations team in Switzerland, we are able to continue operating our itineraries through careful planning and switching of sister ships. In every decision we make, the safety of our guests and crew remains our top priority.

 

Due to the unprecedented and severe flooding throughout areas of central Europe, we have decided to make the necessary itinerary alterations below.

 

For questions about the following altered departures, guests can call Customer Service at 1.800.706.1483. Please understand that we are experiencing high call volumes and your wait time to speak to a customer service consultant may be longer than usual.

 

Please note: Below is a complete list of affected sailings as of June 8, 2013.

 

Water levels have now begun to recede on the upper Danube, Rhine and Main Rivers; Viking has a large number of vessels in the affected areas and is therefore able to use sister ships to substitute for the originally assigned vessels where needed and to operate cruises with minor modifications. For example, we will substitute a visit to the Bavarian capital of Munich for the scheduled walking tour of Passau as long as that city is dealing with the cleanup. If you do not see your cruise listed below, it means that we plan to operate these as scheduled, possibly with modifications as those described above. We expect cruises after June 21 to operate normally again.

 

Itinerary Modifications

 

1. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Helvetia. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

2. June 9th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise will now take place on sister ship, Viking Sun. Aside from the different ship, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with only minor (if any) additional alterations necessary.

 

3. June 9th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Var — This cruise will begin on Viking Prestige, where guests will board in Amsterdam, as originally scheduled. When Viking Prestige meets up with the Viking Var along the river, guests will transfer to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary. We do not currently anticipate being able to visit the city of Passau.

 

4. June 12th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sky — This cruise will begin on Viking Legend. Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. There will also be a representative at the normal port of embarkation near the Chain Bridge in Budapest, along with transportation to the ship’s current docking location. When Viking Legend meets up with the Viking Sky along the Danube River, guests will be transferred to their original ship and the itinerary will then proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations necessary.

 

5. June 14th Cities of Light (Prague to Paris) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

6. June 15th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Njord — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

7. June 15th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Idun — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

8. June 15th Passage to Eastern Europe (Budapest to Bucharest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

9. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

10. June 16th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Skadi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

11. June 16th Danube Waltz (Budapest to Passau) aboard Viking Legend — This itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

12. June 16th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard MS Vienna — Depending on river conditions and the ability of the ship to reach its port of embarkation in time for departure, this cruise may experience alterations. We will continue to monitor the situation closely in the coming weeks and if necessary, we will contact guests ahead of departure to alert them of possible changes.

 

13. June 16th Vineyards & Vistas (Nuremberg to Trier) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

14. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

15. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

16. June 19th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Odin — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

17. June 19th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Freya — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

The following sailings have been canceled:

 

June 8th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Schumann

June 8th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Fontane

June 8th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Njord

June 8th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Idun

June 9th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Tor

June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Prestige

June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend

June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard MS Vienna

June 12th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Odin

June 12th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Freya

Unfortunately conditions to these specific sailings prevented us from being able to provide a modified itinerary. Guests (and their travel agents) will be contacted directly by Viking Cruises via email. Additionally a Customer Relations representative will contact you over the next few days to discuss your booking. You can also contact Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT. For after hours and weekends you can email us at customerrelations@vikingrivercruises.com.

 

Up-to-Date Information

 

Other guests scheduled to sail in Europe during the summer should assume that their cruise is still scheduled for departure and anticipated to operate the planned itinerary. If there is a need to alter or cancel any sailings, guests will be notified by Viking via email as soon as we are aware of any necessary changes.

 

This level of flooding is extremely unusual and we will continue to monitor and evaluate the situation closely. The most up-to-date information regarding the floods will continue to be posted here on the website.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

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Thanks, remydiva! We were just about to post that here--but you took care of it for us. Given the length of the update, we'll refrain from re-posting it ourselves. The website continues to be updated regularly: http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

Very best,

Viking Cruises

 

 

Just noticed the update dated today June 8 on Viking website...they have yet to update the info here so I am doing it. They are doing a good job of keeping the information well explained...good and bad news....iMHO.
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Continuing to be very impressed with Viking. I am sure it is a pain in the --- to need to deal with The constant demand for info while trying to take care of guests on the rivers in Europe during this difficult time.

 

IMO they have done an outstanding job getting info out from almost the first day, while others were silent and non responsive.

 

I have, for reasons that I can not figure out (now) said many times I will not sail with Viking?? Well after this flood disaster we have seen who is really looking at the whole picture and who does not (seem) to be.

 

Viking, you have gained a customer and likely more than one!

 

Thank you for the timely updates.

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Continuing to be very impressed with Viking. I am sure it is a pain in the --- to need to deal with The constant demand for info while trying to take care of guests on the rivers in Europe during this difficult time.

 

IMO they have done an outstanding job getting info out from almost the first day, while others were silent and non responsive.

 

I have, for reasons that I can not figure out (now) said many times I will not sail with Viking?? Well after this flood disaster we have seen who is really looking at the whole picture and who does not (seem) to be.

 

Viking, you have gained a customer and likely more than one!

 

Thank you for the timely updates.

 

 

I agree that Viking has been VERY forthcoming with info. Glad that I have booked with them for my upcoming July, 2013 Paris to Normandy River Cruise.

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Thanks, remydiva! We were just about to post that here--but you took care of it for us. Given the length of the update, we'll refrain from re-posting it ourselves. The website continues to be updated regularly: http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

Very best,

Viking Cruises

 

Is it just me ?

Every time I click on that link I get "page not available"

 

John

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Is it just me ?

Every time I click on that link I get "page not available"

John

 

Viking does some "geolocation" stuff: if you are not from the US, they redirect you to the national site. E.g. I usually end on Viking-Flußkreuzfahrten.DE . I think this is more annoying than helpful, please Viking, turn if off :)

 

Solution / Workaround: You'll access the website through a US webproxy like: http://www.usawebproxy.com

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Dear Viking Guests & members of Cruise Critic,

 

At the risk of sounding repetitive, we want to keep you informed of how the current situation in central Europe is expected to—or not expected to, in some cases—alter our upcoming itineraries. There is a list of affected upcoming sailings below, but we’d also like to point out a few key things that we hope are not getting lost in the process of communicating with our guests. These include:

 


  • The safety of our guests and crew have always been, and will always be, our top priority. We commend the many crews of our fleet in central Europe for the ways in which they have gone above and beyond for our guests during this unprecedented situation. We are incredibly proud of these members of our Viking family.
    *
  • We understand that it can be difficult to imagine how a cruise might proceed with minor alterations when there are reports of such high water levels throughout certain areas of central Europe. We have an in-house nautical and operations team in Switzerland who are experts in everything from shore excursions to navigating the rivers of Europe. We also have the largest fleet of vessels and through careful planning—and operating sister ships on the same itinerary in opposite directions—we are able to continue operating our itineraries. In our updates we continue to provide as much detail as possible about individual itineraries, including if we think that a sister ship may be used for a particular cruise.
    *
  • Even with our advantages of fleet size and the expertise of our Swiss team, this flood has presented a number of instances where conditions specific to a sailing prevented us from being able to provide a modified itinerary that we believed would be worthwhile. We have canceled those cruises.
    *
  • We expect cruises after June 21 to operate as they were originally designed. We’ve seen concern over whether or not some of the affected cities will be ready for visitors. Again, we rely on our Swiss operations team to plan shore excursions and ports of call, and when a city was hit particularly hard, as Passau was, we will substitute a visit to the Bavarian capital of Munich as long as Passau is dealing with the cleanup. We are encouraged by on-the-ground reports from other Cruise Critic members, like G.M.T. who has posted photos and updates of Passau’s remarkably quick turnaround, and H2Otstr who during the peak of the water levels in Budapest, reported “We had a wonderful, relaxing day just walking, shopping and eating a nice lunch. Tomorrow we will have a city tour and explore both Pest and Buda.” Our hope is that these encouraging reports combined with our consistent updates will help to alleviate some of your concerns.
    *
  • If an upcoming departure has been modified—and not canceled—it is because we anticipate being able to provide a worthwhile experience. In some instances we anticipate the possibility of a few modifications, such as the substitution of Munich for Passau, or sailing on a sister ship, as mentioned above. In some instances we don’t anticipate that modifications will be necessary. Please believe that what we know is what we are sharing with you—and that the only caveat that our communications come with is this: Mother Nature is never 100% predictable (but we try).

 

Please note: Below is a complete list of affected upcoming sailings as of June 10, 2013

 

Itinerary Modifications

 

1. June 12th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Sky — This cruise will begin on Viking Embla (Longship, built 2012). Due to water levels, the ship will not be in the normal port of embarkation. Viking representatives will meet all guests at the airport—regardless of whether or not air/transfers were purchased from Viking—and transport guests to where the ship is. Sightseeing in Budapest will take place as planned after which we will bring guests to Vienna via motorcoach where they will stay in a hotel for 2-3 nights before transferring to Viking Sky, as she is making her way down the Main-Danube Canal and the Danube. After embarking Viking Sky we expect more than half of the cruise to take place with very minor (if any) adjustments. In consideration of the adjustments to the first few days of the cruise itinerary, we are contacting guests with the option to rebook in 2014 or continue with their cruise.

 

2. June 14th Cities of Light (Prague to Paris) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

3. June 15th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Njord — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

4. June 15th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Idun — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

5. June 15th Passage to Eastern Europe (Budapest to Bucharest) aboard Viking Aegir — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

6. June 16th Grand European Tour (Amsterdam to Budapest) aboard Viking Bragi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

7. June 16th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Skadi — There is a possibility this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2013). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

8. June 16th Danube Waltz (Budapest to Passau) aboard Viking Legend — This itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

9. June 16th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard MS Vienna — Depending on river conditions and the ability of the ship to reach its port of embarkation in time for departure, this cruise may experience alterations. We will continue to monitor the situation closely in the coming weeks and if necessary, we will contact guests ahead of departure to alert them of possible changes.

 

10. June 16th Vineyards & Vistas (Nuremberg to Trier) aboard Viking Prestige — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

11. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Amsterdam to Basel) aboard Viking Sun — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

12. June 16th Rhine Getaway (Basel to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Helvetia — This cruise is expected to proceed as scheduled.

 

13. June 19th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Odin — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

14. June 19th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Freya — There is a possibility that this cruise will now take place on a sister ship (Longship, built 2012). Aside from the possible ship switch, this itinerary is expected to proceed as scheduled, with minor additional alterations if necessary.

 

 

The following sailings have been canceled

 

  • June 2nd Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Prestige
  • June 8th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Schumann
  • June 8th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Fontane
  • June 8th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Njord
  • June 8th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Idun
  • June 9th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Tor
  • June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Prestige
  • June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend
  • June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard MS Vienna
  • June 12th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Odin
  • June 12th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Freya
  • June 15th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Fontane
  • June 15th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Schumann

 

 

Contacting Us About a Sailing Listed Above

 

  • All guests (and their travel agents) on canceled sailings have been contacted by Viking. If you have questions or concerns about your canceled sailing, please contact Customer Relations at 1.877.523.0579, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT. For after hours and weekends you can email us at customerrelations@vikingrivercruises.com.
    *
  • For questions about the Modified Itineraries listed, guests can call our Customer Service team at 1.800.706.1483.
    *
  • Please understand that we are experiencing high call volumes and your wait time to speak to a Viking consultant may be longer than usual.

 

 

Up-to-Date Information

Other guests scheduled to sail in Europe during the summer should assume that their cruise is still scheduled for departure and anticipated to operate the planned itinerary. If there is a need to alter or cancel any sailings, guests will be notified by Viking via email as soon as we are aware of any necessary changes.

 

We will continue to update our website with information as it is available. Please visit http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

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I for one would like to see a little more details about the expected alterations. If not here at least to the folks who have reservations on upcoming cruises. I'm booked on The Legend, Budapest - Passau June 16 with 3 day extension to Prague. If someone could just tell me what the backup plans are I would than know what to expect before hand and not have to be surprised/disappointed when I get there.

 

Viking has not contacted us but we called about a week ago. We do plan to call today.

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Not a Viking customer, but kudos for its excellent, proactive approach to communicating and dealing with the effects of floods this year. I've also been impressed with how Avalon and Uniworld have communicated.

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Scheduled for the 16 June Romantic Danube from Nuremberg and I am furious at Viking's lack of communication. Sent them an email on 3 June and again this morning and Viking has never replied. Awful customer service.

 

The daily status is a good thing, but for this particular sailing the write up is ambiguous at best. As a novice cruiser I would paraphrase, "If we can get the boat upriver, expect to be bussed around. We'll let you know." I am a very easy customer to please, and Viking is seriously disappointing.

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Why don't you give them a call? Also, don't know what the content of your email or questions were, but understand the situation (for all of the cruise lines) seems to be changing on an almost hourly basis. What they tell you now may not be the same tomorrow or when you finally arrive at the boat.

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I agree CALL them.... They are too busy with today's emergency to know they overlooked an e-mail over a week ago. Did you book thru a TA, they are invaluable in getting answers in these types of situations.

 

Good look to you!

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Scheduled for the 16 June Romantic Danube from Nuremberg and I am furious at Viking's lack of communication. Sent them an email on 3 June and again this morning and Viking has never replied. Awful customer service.

 

The daily status is a good thing, but for this particular sailing the write up is ambiguous at best. As a novice cruiser I would paraphrase, "If we can get the boat upriver, expect to be bussed around. We'll let you know." I am a very easy customer to please, and Viking is seriously disappointing.

 

Dear brownant,

 

Please accept our apologies for not replying to your email on June 3rd. It’s difficult for us to provide an explanation as to why it was missed, but we’re certain it wasn’t intentional disregard for your concerns. We have been experiencing a very high volume of calls and emails over the past week and a half and it is therefore taking us more than our standard amount of time to return communications. The email you sent this morning will likely be replied to in the coming days—but still, we’d like to help (if possible) so we ask that you also forward that email to us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. As mentioned on the website and on the updates posted here, you can also call our Customer Service team with questions regarding your listed itinerary. They can be reached at 1.800.706.1483.

 

Thank you for your patience. And thank you for choosing Viking.

 

Very best,

Viking Cruises

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Viking.... We love your responses but in this case Brownant is scheduled on this Sundays sailing June 16!! I suspect he is leaving for Europe on Thur or Fri so to get back to him in a "Few Days" is likely not going to work!

 

Seems like both you and Brownant need to be a bit more proactive and reach out to each other!!

 

JMHO

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We are already in Europe for this cruise. Need to know by Friday whether we should cancel the train ride and hotel room in Nuremburg on Saturday. Sure, ok, I guess I will call the 800 number.

 

The status has not changed in days for this cruise and it is ambiguous at best. To a first time cruiser, it sounds like 'we don't know if we can get a boat there, and even if we do expect to be bussed around for a few days.'

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