Open Letter to Viking President/CEO Hagen

The itinerary on your Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise has suddenly changed, dropping the ports of Tunis and Algiers and substituting Naples, Trapani, and Mallorca. I know I am not alone in viewing this change with frustration, anger, and disappointment.

What set your cruise line and this particular cruise apart from all the others were these two North African ports. It is the reason that we and, I expect, many others chose to book this cruise. With this change why should we not just sail with some other company?

I am aware there have been two terrible incidents in Tunis in the past year, but how many mass shootings have there been elsewhere in the same time period? On the news last night it was reported that the United States now averages 16 mass shootings a year; we've had two in just the past month. Are cruise lines going to stop sailing to the U.S.? There are continuing riots in Athens; will that port be removed as well? Far more people have been killed in Egypt and the Ukraine recently and yet Viking continues to provide river cruises in those countries.

Please President Hagen I am asking you to have more respect for your passengers who put their trust in you and your company by booking this cruise with those two ports as part of the itinerary. Respect our own individual judgment in deciding whether we want to visit a particular port. If an individual passenger feels uneasy about a port, they can simply choose not to disembark the ship that day or not even book that particular itinerary in the first place.

Please reinstate the original itinerary for the Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise.

Your letter is unreasonable in the extreme.

As a future Viking passenger , I am pleased that Viking has adopted "the safety of our passengers is paramount" approach that the vast majority of cruiselines follow.

I will be amazed if many people share the opinions you have expressed in your letter .

Rob

1 more agreeing with Viking.

I hope the OP comes back on and tells us which cruise line is still sailing to port Tunis, now and in the coming year?

Better yet, go on a land tour if you want to see Northern Africa.

Good call by Viking Ocean Cruise line in the name of safety of the passengers and crew.

Naples, Trapani and Mallorca are great ports with lots of fantastic excursion options, actually more interesting than Tunis and Algiers. Erice near Trapani and Soller on Mallorca are probably great surprises for many people.

I agree with the others - safety first! Unfortunately, itinerary changes happen, but usually they happen for a good reason. Besides, Naples is wonderful from what I've seen, Sicily is beautiful, and Mallorca was one of those places I didn't think I'd like much before going there, but ending up loving. In Palma, go out into the Mallorcan countryside - much better than staying in town. (Yes, Floridiana, it was a great surprise!)

Agree 100% with Viking's change in Venue.

Agree that Naples and Sicily have soooo much to choose from

Agree that safety comes first

I applaud Viking for this decision.

The itinerary on your Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise has suddenly changed, dropping the ports of Tunis and Algiers and substituting Naples, Trapani, and Mallorca. I know I am not alone in viewing this change with frustration, anger, and disappointment.

 

What set your cruise line and this particular cruise apart from all the others were these two North African ports. It is the reason that we and, I expect, many others chose to book this cruise. With this change why should we not just sail with some other company?

 

I am aware there have been two terrible incidents in Tunis in the past year, but how many mass shootings have there been elsewhere in the same time period? On the news last night it was reported that the United States now averages 16 mass shootings a year; we've had two in just the past month. Are cruise lines going to stop sailing to the U.S.? There are continuing riots in Athens; will that port be removed as well? Far more people have been killed in Egypt and the Ukraine recently and yet Viking continues to provide river cruises in those countries.

 

Please President Hagen I am asking you to have more respect for your passengers who put their trust in you and your company by booking this cruise with those two ports as part of the itinerary. Respect our own individual judgment in deciding whether we want to visit a particular port. If an individual passenger feels uneasy about a port, they can simply choose not to disembark the ship that day or not even book that particular itinerary in the first place.

 

Please reinstate the original itinerary for the Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise.

I think you are being totally unreasonable. I am so glad that I don't have to travel with you as all you care about is yourself and not the safety of others. Having been to Tunis it doesn't bother me that I won't ever go back. I was cabin crew for 39 years and have seen a lot of the world. Today there seems to be so many troubles and I have no wish to go to a troubled area.

Bet the OP would be the first screaming and shouting about Viking not caring about the safety of their passengers if something DID happen in one of these ports!

Viking have made the correct and most sensible decision. Thank goodness they are unlikely to be swayed by these absurd ramblings.

Bet the OP would be the first screaming and shouting about Viking not caring about the safety of their passengers if something DID happen in one of these ports!

 

Viking have made the correct and most sensible decision. Thank goodness they are unlikely to be swayed by these absurd ramblings.

Since you don't know me at all; it seems unreasonable to me that you would jump to the conclusion that I would be "the first screaming and shouting" in the event of an incident.

The point of my letter was that the decision to go to these ports should be one made by prospective passengers. If any traveler does not want to go to either of these ports, they have many options to book with other cruise lines or to even choose other itineraries with Viking if they wish. However, there are travelers who do wish to visit these ports and this one itinerary offered by Viking provided that chance. If one reads the current Roll Call for the 2016 Grand Mediterranean sailing, they will note that some passengers are choosing to cancel their bookings because these ports were dropped.

And others would probably cancel if they were not dropped. If I were on this cruise, I would be cancelling if the ship were still going to these two ports. Not sure just staying on the ship would even keep you safe - the ship itself sitting in the port in Tunis could be a target. I'm with Viking on this one!

I went over to the Grand Med Tour Roll Call and noted two cancellations. One of the two found the change sad but reasonable.

Frankly I find the fear to be irrational, but I accept that the fear is real nontheless. Certainly 50% of the shipboard conversation would have been about the fear. I'd rather not spend my time on board talking about it.

No question..that was really a no-brainer for Viking.

I think Viking made a business decision on this one. Whenever there's a mass tourist attack in any country in the world, most tourists will avoid it like the plague. Unfortunately, tourists have already been cancelling their planned trips to Tunisia in droves, and the same would have happened to the Viking Med cruise if Viking hadn't cancelled the stop in Tunis. OTOH, not nearly so many will cancel because of the itinerary change. So it's a no-brainer for Viking.

BTW, the claim in your letter that far more people have been killed in Egypt and Ukraine (both places being Viking destinations) in recent years is true only if you include Egyptian and Ukrainian nationals in the totals. About as many foreign tourists -- very few -- have been killed in Egypt in recent years as in the United States. In Ukraine, the only dangerous place is in the East, where a civil war is in progress, and Viking doesn't go there.

I was hoping to get these ports in, but events there this year convinced me that the cruise lines should drop them. Some crazy people there want to hurt you! I have gone through a coup attempt in Bahrain, been tear gassed in Istanbul when rioting erupted outside our hotel, and spent days hunkered down in Cairo during the overthrow of Mubarak and went through hell trying to get out. I don't look for trouble, but then again it sometimes shows up when not expecting it. Unfortunately the spread of ISIS or whatever they call themselves across North Africa is disappointing, but real and should not be discounted. We met people who were in Luxor during the Arab spring and the militants were searching for tourists and shooting at them. IMHO it would be foolish to ignore the threat for the sake of a port of call.

The itinerary on your Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise has suddenly changed, dropping the ports of Tunis and Algiers and substituting Naples, Trapani, and Mallorca. I know I am not alone in viewing this change with frustration, anger, and disappointment.

 

What set your cruise line and this particular cruise apart from all the others were these two North African ports. It is the reason that we and, I expect, many others chose to book this cruise. With this change why should we not just sail with some other company?

 

I am aware there have been two terrible incidents in Tunis in the past year, but how many mass shootings have there been elsewhere in the same time period? On the news last night it was reported that the United States now averages 16 mass shootings a year; we've had two in just the past month. Are cruise lines going to stop sailing to the U.S.? There are continuing riots in Athens; will that port be removed as well? Far more people have been killed in Egypt and the Ukraine recently and yet Viking continues to provide river cruises in those countries.

 

Please President Hagen I am asking you to have more respect for your passengers who put their trust in you and your company by booking this cruise with those two ports as part of the itinerary. Respect our own individual judgment in deciding whether we want to visit a particular port. If an individual passenger feels uneasy about a port, they can simply choose not to disembark the ship that day or not even book that particular itinerary in the first place.

 

Please reinstate the original itinerary for the Grand Mediterranean Tour cruise.

The major difference with Tunisia is that the attacks have been intentionally targeted at tourist groups, including cruise ship passengers on excursions.

That creates a much higher risk profile for tourists then just the crime rate in a country or area.

I am 100% in agreement with Viking's changes.

I think it is a good idea to leave out these ports. Special when one look at the security on Viking. It is so easy for one person to walk in with explosives and weapons. They hardly check you ID cards when you come back to ship.

Comcox, based on your rationale - you as a passenger has the option to cruise with a different line - if you can find one - that still goes into these ports. I think that the majority of people at this time would not vote for these ports.

Viking Cruises very probably have taken advice from a number of sources before taking this decision. I would imagine that the various governments have advised against docking in Tunis and if Viking were to go against this advice and then, heaven forbid, something terrible were to happen, Viking would be held solely responsible.

It is a very sensible decision by Viking, in my opinion. Yes, there is the argument that intending passengers should be able to decide for themselves but Viking Ocean Cruises are a business (and a new one at that) and so they cannot afford to have countless people cancelling their cruise as they do not wish to potentially put themselves in harm's way. Personally speaking, I would be happy to visit Tunis but I acknowledge that I am probably in the minority here and can fully understand Viking's decision.

Wobblybob74 has nailed it. Cool name too!

Viking is doing the right thing in cancelling the stop in Tunis.

Remember that at the present time:

1. There is a state of emergency in Tunisia

2. The U.S. Department of State has alerted its citizens to the risks of travel to Tunisia

3. The UK FCO advises UK citizens against all but essential travel to Tunisia

Viking would be mad to go against this advice and in many cases individual passenger's travel insurance would be invalidated if the ship went into Tunisian territory.

And my guess is Hagen has a few more urgent matters on his plate right now...

Perhaps OP was looking for some "consideration" in his original posting? Since every poster (including me) has totally understood (if not applauded) Viking's decision here, I cannot imagine OP will get much traction on this issue.

Viking is one hundred per cent correct to cancel Tunis, to me this is a no brainer. I have read these boards for fifteen years and taken quite a few cruises. Ports are never guaranteed and we've experienced last minute cancelations due to weather. Viking is giving passengers plenty of notice. I doubt there will be any cruise line calls to Tunis but there will be plenty of hotel space for a land trip. Tens of thousands of British travelers canceled package deals to Tunis after the recent incidents, you could probably pick up a hotel room for twenty bucks or so.

I was overjoyed when Princess removed the Tunis port on my upcoming Med trip next month. I wonder how many cruise ships are actually going to that port right now? Even if you didnt get off the ship you sure are a huge target sitting at that port. Maybe the OP should research other cruise lines who are still going to that port and book that one?