VIKING PASSENGERS - were you cruising on The Danube on 2 June 2013?

[remydiva]

At last a voice of reason. Thank you for posting that. There is no way the river cruise lines could have predicted what Mother Nature was going to throw at them and each cruise line had their problems. River cruising even when everything is normal still has its problems. You will still be double berthed and therefore have no privacy at several of the ports. It is a fact of river cruising. If one cannot accept that fact, then river cruising is not for you.:)

 

You are right. On our Danube cruise where we piggy backed the entire trip with sister ship Idun, every second nite we had no view because they alternated which side they doubled berthed to. ..unless you count looking into the next ship. Wont bother springing for a balcony next time.

 

And it will only get worse as more and more ships are launched...Viking has 10 new ones alone so i cant image how many boats will be strapped together. There is a real possibility that you would have a ship on BOTH sides so no light coming in.

[CruisinGert]

Viking is not handling this correctly. Should have canceled and refunded our money. At the very least... A new cruise with airfare provided at no charge. A class action may be necessary? Any attorneys on the cruises? Anyone interested in uniting?

 

I'm not an attorney, & I'm not interested in a lawsuit, either. I'd take the 75% before I'd press a suit.

 

I just realized, after several readings of the contract, that Viking's venue is in Basel, Switzerland. Not good. Plus, "Any attorneys' fees and/or costs incurred in successfully transferring an action brought in any venue other than Basel, Switzerland shall be awarded to the party procuring the transfer and shall become due and payable at the time of the transfer." Even if you could get the venue changed, & that would be pretty iffy, the costs would be born by you. I have a suspicion that Viking could afford a lawsuit a whole more than I can.

 

I really don't think it's worth pursuing. Just my opinion, of course.

[Viking Cruises]

Hi Cruisercool50,

 

We apologize for the delay in getting your voucher to you. 7-10 days is our standard amount of time for our Customer Relations team to deliver vouchers, but in this instance we have been delayed slightly due to the high volume of communications that they have been handling over the past few weeks. Your voucher should indeed arrive within the next week.

 

If you’d like to contact us directly about your voucher or anything else, we’d be happy to hear from you at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

 

 

Amtico,

I was also on the Danube Waltz trip on the Legend that began on June 2, and would like to be added to the email group of other passengers. I tried to email you privately, but was unable to figure out how to do that. Perhaps you can contact me.

On June 10, I received an email from Viking offering me a 75% discount on a future cruise. The email said that I would receive voucher for the discount by email within 7-10 days. It has now been 11 days. I wonder if everyone who was on that cruise received the same offer.

[Mark_T]

I just realized, after several readings of the contract, that Viking's venue is in Basel, Switzerland.

 

Just for clarity, that is not true for all Viking contracts so people should take the time to read the one that applies to their own booking if contemplating anything of this sort ...

 

Personally I'd still be happy with the 75% offer in the circumstances described, but if not then take the time to check what the situation is for your own specific case.

[Viking Cruises]

Dear Cruise Critic members,

 

We recently posted this information on another thread, so we apologize for being a bit repetitive, but there are a lot of conversations happening simultaneously. We’ve been watching and listening to the many differing points of view shared here recently—and we’d like to offer some input to this conversation, for your consideration…

 

Timing and Making Assessments

Our Swiss nautical and operational teams rely on an extensive, established network of local authorities and port operators—along with decades of experience with past high and low water situations—to make assessments on navigability of all rivers on which we sail. Weather, soil conditions and water levels are routinely monitored and evaluated. This is particularly crucial under circumstances where a few hours or a few centimeters of difference can have an enormous impact on a ship’s sailing schedule.

 

Cancellations

Where conditions precluded us from being able to provide a modified itinerary that we believed would be worthwhile—we canceled those particular cruises. For these cancellations, we provided a refund plus a credit for a future cruise so that these disappointed guests may book another journey with Viking.

 

Modified Itineraries

If we believed that we would be able to continue operating an itinerary with some modifications, we did. Each of these modified sailings was considered individually. Partial compensation in the form of a voucher was provided. In most cases we contacted guests ahead of departure to let them know the ways in which we anticipated their itinerary would proceed based on current conditions. In some cases the rapidly changing navigational conditions prompted additional modifications to the itinerary and as a result we have re-evaluated the compensation provided for these.

 

Looking Back

Not all of our assessments were perfect and as conditions quickly changed, not all of our contingency plans always occurred exactly as we had planned them. But a good many of them did.

 

Hindsight, as they say, is 20/20. At the time we made decisions whether to cancel cruises or proceed with modifications, we always had the interests and safety of our guests and crew in mind. We have received many emails and phone calls from guests whose cruise did not go perfectly, but who still enjoyed themselves.

 

Departures in the First Week of June

We get the sense that many of the posts in which returning guests are voicing their disappointment, feedback and point of view, are from departures that occurred in the first few days of June. We understand that when these guests arrived they were taken by surprise at the conditions of the rivers; we were taken by surprise, too. Our Switzerland-based teams worked diligently and in good faith trying to make arrangements as needed and keep their guests informed. We’ve heard frustration over instances where a crew could not provide answers on contingency plans that were beyond the next day, and we apologize for this, to both our guests and our crew, as it was surely frustrating for both parties. With conditions changing quickly, we did the best we could to provide each crew with complete information as it became available. Again, a few hours or a few centimeters of difference can have an enormous impact on a ship’s sailing schedule.

 

Compensation for Impacted Sailings

We have extended compensation in the form of a credit voucher of varying percentages of the cruise fare paid for the impacted 2013 sailings. These sailings were provided alternative travel arrangements, dining, lodging, and excursions to destinations on the original itinerary (where possible) and substituted places of interest. However, based on sentiments expressed here and elsewhere online, as well as with our Customer Relations department, it is clear that some of those affected guests are unsatisfied with our attempts to make amends for a difficult and challenging situation. So, please do contact us directly if you would like to discuss your experience. Our Customer Relations team is starting to return to normal levels of incoming calls and emails after a few weeks of very high volume, and they would be happy to continue the conversation with any of our guests. We can be reached at TellUs@vikingcruises.com and will be pleased to put guests in touch with a member of our Customer Relations team.

 

Safety

The safety of our guests and crew is always our top priority; in every deliberation we had it was our primary focus. We are happy and grateful to report that no Viking guests were injured as a result of the flooding. However, we recognize that some of our guests have voiced concerns about their safety and we take those concerns very seriously; please contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so we can further discuss your particular experience.

 

Updated Information

For guests on upcoming sailings, we continue to update our website: http://www.vrc.com/weatherupdate. We began providing updates on June 3rd when the situation became apparent—including email updates to all affected guests and their travel agents—and we will continue to provide updates until sailing on the affected rivers no longer requires modifications that are known ahead of departure. Please note (though we’re sure most Cruise Critic members who are actively engaged with this forum are already aware) current modifications are no longer a result of water levels, but of the recently announced extended closure of the Altenwörth Lock in Austria.

 

Contact Us

Even if you have already done so previously we ask that you contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. We are re-doubling our efforts to address concerns with guests who may feel that they have not been adequately heard. We understand that there are members in this community who remain disappointed and we hope that each of you will contact us again so we may discuss your particular situation.

 

Thank you, as always, for reading and allowing us to have a voice within this community. We appreciate your time, patience and understanding.

 

Sincerely,

Viking Cruises

[Cruisercool50]

Amtico,

 

Since Private Messaging does not work on this board, please have the email group contact me at an alias I setup on gmail: cruisercool50 (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks.

[Amtico]

I have done this. :)

 

(Sorry, this is the first forum I have come across that doesn't have a private messaging facility amongst friends.)

 

 

Amtico,

 

Since Private Messaging does not work on this board, please have the email group contact me at an alias I setup on gmail: cruisercool50 (at) gmail (dot) com. Thanks.

[CruisinGert]

People, what has happened over the past couple of weeks took everyone by surprise with the magnitude of the flooding and the lasting damage. The early days around the end of May through all lines into a panic trying to manage the tours that were already in progress, those just starting where their guests were already in transit, and those that were upcoming.

 

You certainly make valid points here, but, for me anyway, you seem to miss the main mark of the complaint. It is not the so much the itinerary changes, the ships location, the floating hotels, the bus routes ... although all of that was totally unacceptable. The main gist of my complaint was the intentional deceit.

 

I was on Viking's Grand European, June 2nd, Amsterdam to Budapest, scheduled on the Viking Skadi. The Skadi was stranded in Bamberg on approximately 30 May. I know this because I asked several crew members when I boarded her on June 5th.

 

On 31 May I received an email from Viking:

 

"We would like to inform you that as a result of a scheduling issue, your cruise will take place on the Viking Tor instead of the Viking Skadi. They are sister ships built in the same year, offering identical staterooms and amenities.

 

The docking location remains the same, however if you experience a delay in your arrive time, below is the contact information for Viking Tor.

 

Phone: +49 152 225 38 037

E-mail: viking.tor@vikingrivercruises.com

 

Should you have any questions or concerns, you may contact our Customer Relations department at 1.877.668.4546, extension 4525, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific.

 

We look forward to welcoming you aboard, and we wish you an unforgettable journey.

 

Cordially,

 

Stephanie Maldonado

Manager Customer Relations"

No mention of WHY there was a scheduling issue. No mention of flooding, strong possibility/probability of itinerary changes, bus tours, hotel stays, etc. In short, no hint of what was to come. And therefore, no choice.

 

And when the proverbial sh** began to hit the fan, and people started calling Customer Relations from the ship (June 4th, 2 days into our cruise), they were given more of the same customer relations double-speak & told they could leave at their own expense. No refunds, no credits.

 

Yes, Viking is now coming around & making offers of future credits. And it's appreciated. But it may also be a bit late. It's kind of the closing of the barn door after the cow's gone. Deceit is hard to wash away.

[remydiva]

 

On 31 May I received an email from Viking:

 

"We would like to inform you that as a result of a scheduling issue, your cruise will take place on the Viking Tor instead of the Viking Skadi. They are sister ships built in the same year, offering identical staterooms and amenities.

 

The docking location remains the same, however if you experience a delay in your arrive time, below is the contact information for Viking Tor.

 

Phone: +49 152 225 38 037

E-mail: viking.tor@vikingrivercruises.com

 

Should you have any questions or concerns, you may contact our Customer Relations department at 1.877.668.4546, extension 4525, Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Pacific.

 

We look forward to welcoming you aboard, and we wish you an unforgettable journey.

 

Cordially,

 

Stephanie Maldonado

Manager Customer Relations"

Deceit is hard to wash away.

 

Well they got one thing right...your trip was UNFORGETABLE. :o

[CruisinGert]

Well they got one thing right...your trip was UNFORGETABLE. :o

 

You're so right, Diva, & I can finally smile about that now! Let's hope I never have another unforgettable cruise!;)

[Mark_T]

The main gist of my complaint was the intentional deceit.

 

I don't think you did encounter intentional deceit, I think you just ran into standard operating procedures for a high water event.

 

They probably didn't more from their SOP fast enough for those already on their 'cruise' after it became clear just how big the problem was, but I don't think the initial approach was deceitful in its intent, just too slow to switch from 'normal high water issue' to '500 year disaster' mode.

[newfirsttimer]

The main gist of my complaint was the intentional deceit.

I did pick up on the main gist of your complaint, my point was, these were extraordinary times for all cruise lines and they did what they thought was best in a very bad situation. For you to go on about intentional deceit which is quite slanderous and litigious, is way out of line. Sounds like given some time, Viking has come through with a satisfactory outcome for you. Beats having a law suit against you.

[Cary Cruiser]

I thought the Viking post from last night was very open and sincere, and it sounds like they might be open to increasing the compensation for those who were really, really unsatisfied. They asked that you contact them again even if you had contacted them already. Sounds like an opening for further negotiations on an individual basis to me.

 

I had a feeling it was going to head in that direction.

[remydiva]

I thought the Viking post from last night was very open and sincere, and it sounds like they might be open to increasing the compensation for those who were really, really unsatisfied. They asked that you contact them again even if you had contacted them already. Sounds like an opening for further negotiations on an individual basis to me.

 

I had a feeling it was going to head in that direction.

 

I wasnt there so dont know what the passengers endured. The stories sound awful.

 

BUT I agree with you Cary...you contact them over and over until you are satisfied. Complete satisfaction is never going to happen...you will never get your time back, your holiday back or your trust back. But there is room to improve the initial offer of compensation.

 

My experience when dealing with companies is you express your concern/ dissatifaction and see what they offer you in compensation. That has happened according to these posts.

 

Then if you are not satisfied, make a counter offer...perhaps you have done this. What would be absolute best compensation in a perfect world?

 

Then as in all negotiations, you meet hopefully somewhere in the middle.

 

I have found that if you play softball rather than hardball and say something to Viking Customer service rep like" look..put yourself in MY place. A the end of your work day, you go home and you become a consumer just like me. You too would expect stellar customer service from a stellar company like Viking whom YOU work for. Would YOU be satisfied with XYZ% after enduring XYZ? probably not and neither would I"

 

Somehow when you place the person at the end of the phone into the scenerio they are more empathetic....sometimes.

 

Contact them again and ask to speak to their " manager" go as high up as you need to to feel you have been heard. Good luck.

[Cruisercool50]

I have done this. :)

 

(Sorry, this is the first forum I have come across that doesn't have a private messaging facility amongst friends.)[/quote

 

Amtico, I still haven't heard from the email group that was on the Viking Legend Danube Waltz trip that left Budapest on June 2. I am very interested in connecting with that group. My email address is cruisercool50(at)gmail(dotcom).

 

And FYI to others, we received our vouchers yesterday from Viking for 75% of what we paid toward a future cruise that is booked before June 25, 2014.

[Amtico]

Hi there - I emailed it on to the group (I'm not in charge of it) and asked for you to be added, but they do seem to have gone very quiet of late.

 

I think more and more people have come to 'amicable agreements' with Viking, reading in between the lines, so that may be the reason why things seem to have calmed down.

 

There were two others from the group on here but they only made a couple of posts, I'm the one who is used to forums/social media, so I posted more. :)

 

It is well worth emailing the tellus email address supplied by Viking on this thread if you have any further queries or points to make though - it actually worked very well (whether you are in the USA, UK or elsewhere) for me and others.

 

 

 

 

 

I have done this. :)

 

(Sorry, this is the first forum I have come across that doesn't have a private messaging facility amongst friends.)[/quote

 

Amtico, I still haven't heard from the email group that was on the Viking Legend Danube Waltz trip that left Budapest on June 2. I am very interested in connecting with that group. My email address is cruisercool50(at)gmail(dotcom).

 

And FYI to others, we received our vouchers yesterday from Viking for 75% of what we paid toward a future cruise that is booked before June 25, 2014.

[Mark_T]

And FYI to others, we received our vouchers yesterday from Viking for 75% of what we paid toward a future cruise that is booked before June 25, 2014.

 

Good to hear they have arrived.

 

In the light of comments elsewhere about restricted availability, I take it the June 25th date is purely for the booking and that the actual cruise could be 2015 for example?

[Korkeyq]

Angsue, are you in our email thread? Viking treated us with no respect. They lied to us each day. Example they said we would be leaving the MS Vienna for one night in Vienna, then getting onto the Legend. When they said that it could not have been possible. The ships were already stranded somewhere. It did not happen!

After over nine hours on a bus, with lunch as at highway rest area, we're were left in Budapest at the Artotel, on the river. There were sandbags in front of the hotel. The next day we had to be evacuated to yet another hotel. Viking should neve have left guests in a hotel with sand bags, our room was smoking, non air conditioned. When the power was shut off, guests could not get into rooms without crowbars, and had to endure flights of steps. This is not appropriate for Viking normal guests.

Viking has offered NO refund.

We are not settling this easily. I have contacted AARP for an attorney, the BBB, and the LA Times.

Viking acted irresponsibly and with negligence having guest boad that ship. We asked if they were going to cancel as other ships did while we were in Prague, but we're told directly, multiple times that our trip was not affected.

Please help make us that Viking is held responsible.

Jeanne Q

[remydiva]

Angsue, are you in our email thread? Viking treated us with no respect. They lied to us each day. Example they said we would be leaving the MS Vienna for one night in Vienna, then getting onto the Legend. When they said that it could not have been possible. The ships were already stranded somewhere. It did not happen!

After over nine hours on a bus, with lunch as at highway rest area, we're were left in Budapest at the Artotel, on the river. There were sandbags in front of the hotel. The next day we had to be evacuated to yet another hotel. Viking should neve have left guests in a hotel with sand bags, our room was smoking, non air conditioned. When the power was shut off, guests could not get into rooms without crowbars, and had to endure flights of steps. This is not appropriate for Viking normal guests.

Viking has offered NO refund.

We are not settling this easily. I have contacted AARP for an attorney, the BBB, and the LA Times.

Viking acted irresponsibly and with negligence having guest boad that ship. We asked if they were going to cancel as other ships did while we were in Prague, but we're told directly, multiple times that our trip was not affected.

Please help make us that Viking is held responsible.

Jeanne Q

 

You have posted on two different threads what an awful time you had on your June 2 MS Vienna.

 

Viking has posted their request for all dissatisified passengers to contact them at tellus@vikingcruises.com by posting comments on numerous different threads so no doubt they have missed some. I strongly urge you to contact them via email and leave your full name and home and cell ph number so they can contact you.

 

"However, we recognize that some of our guests have voiced concerns about their safety and we take those concerns very seriously; please contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so we can further discuss your particular experience. "

 

And I also hope that Viking would try and reach you via your screen name...Viking, how many 'Jeanne Q's from Ohio were on the MS Vienna on June 2? One? Maybe you can find out through your records who this person is and contact them.

[Korkeyq]

Angsue, are you in our email thread? Viking treated us with no respect. They lied to us each day. Example they said we would be leaving the MS Vienna for one night in Vienna, then getting onto the Legend. When they said that it could not have been possible. The ships were already stranded somewhere. It did not happen!

After over nine hours on a bus, with lunch as at highway rest area, we're were left in Budapest at the Artotel, on the river. There were sandbags in front of the hotel. The next day we had to be evacuated to yet another hotel. Viking should neve have left guests in a hotel with sand bags, our room was smoking, non air conditioned. When the power was shut off, guests could not get into rooms without crowbars, and had to endure flights of steps. This is not appropriate for Viking normal guests.

Viking has offered NO refund.

We are not settling this easily. I have contacted AARP for an attorney, the BBB, and the LA Times.

Viking acted irresponsibly and with negligence having guest boad that ship. We asked if they were going to cancel as other ships did while we were in Prague, but we're told directly, multiple times that our trip was not affected.

Please help make us that Viking is held responsible.

Jeanne Q

[Korkeyq]

Does hard copy mail to two people in Switzerland,and hardcore one in California **** as contacting them. Does email reply that I didn't accept their voucher count as trying to contact them.

Viking if you are reading, how hard IS IT to find Jeanne Q on the MS Vienna?

Joost, Stepanie and Torstein, you have heard from me, I have not heard a thing back.

As for guest safety, multiple flights of unmarked exits NOT safe, nine plus hour bus ride with almost no break accept for roadside lunch NOT dining option, two hour plus bus ride in Munich being told by 'tour' guide that if we came to

Munich we. Old see these things NOT alternative venue, not anything while just hoping for a bathroom break after the two hour ride to get to NOT Munich.

I am to frustrated to continue the NOTS,as I have already expressed them directly to Viking!

Jeanne Q

[remydiva]

Does hard copy mail to two people in Switzerland,and hardcore one in California **** as contacting them. Does email reply that I didn't accept their voucher count as trying to contact them.

Viking if you are reading, how hard IS IT to find Jeanne Q on the MS Vienna?

Joost, Stepanie and Torstein, you have heard from me, I have not heard a thing back.

 

Jeanne Q

 

Ouch! :eek:

 

Torstein never wrote me back either so don't hold your breath. But if you read CruisnGert's posts on another thread, you will read that she persevered and contacted Viking via email MANY TIMES before she finally got compensation that has now made her a 'satisfied' customer. So satisfied she immediately booked ANOTHER VIKING CRUISE.:)

 

Rather than just vent here :mad: , although that is good too,...you need to hang in there and try try again. Email them again and again until they PHONE YOU as they phoned 'Gert'. She is now satisfied. Read her story:

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1866825&page=2

 

Viking - Be warned of Poor Customer Service

It's a Done Deal

 

There have been so many threads & posts on Viking & flooding, & I've been all-too caught up in it ... my own angst, of course ... my apologies to all for my re-postings et al.

 

So thought I'd post my final outcome on this thread, as it seems the most recent, & it's in context w/ the thread title.

 

Viking Customer Service called me after I had sent them emails. We had a long & thoughtful discussion. She said she would call me back & she did. We have now come to an agreement which I consider fair. As we also agreed, I cannot discuss amounts.

 

I would have preferred a refund, but I am satisfied with credits. I forget who it was, but someone in all the postings I've been reading pointed out that Viking likely wants to give only credits because it gives them a chance to win back confidence. That was a very good point & helped me in my decision. Thank you to everyone.

 

She's satisfied because she kept on trying.. Maybe you can be too.

[Viking Cruises]

Dear Korkeyq (Dear Jeanne),

 

We understand that you are disappointed and frustrated. We wanted to let you know that yes, we are reading, and yes, we did find Jeanne Q on the MS Vienna sailing—thank you for providing details to assist us in locating your booking, it is helpful and appreciated. According to our records Customer Relations has spoken with you multiple times, but you state that you haven’t heard anything back from Viking, which is concerning to us. We’ve asked Customer Relations to reach out to you again (believe they are on the phone with your currently, in fact), but please also know that you can reach us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

 

 

 

Does hard copy mail to two people in Switzerland,and hardcore one in California **** as contacting them. Does email reply that I didn't accept their voucher count as trying to contact them.

Viking if you are reading, how hard IS IT to find Jeanne Q on the MS Vienna?

Joost, Stepanie and Torstein, you have heard from me, I have not heard a thing back.

As for guest safety, multiple flights of unmarked exits NOT safe, nine plus hour bus ride with almost no break accept for roadside lunch NOT dining option, two hour plus bus ride in Munich being told by 'tour' guide that if we came to

Munich we. Old see these things NOT alternative venue, not anything while just hoping for a bathroom break after the two hour ride to get to NOT Munich.

I am to frustrated to continue the NOTS,as I have already expressed them directly to Viking!

Jeanne Q

[Amtico]

Deleted.

[Korkeyq]

Because of viking's post I did call them, and spoke to Meredith. She was clicking away to make sure that next Viking post happened. They did contact me two times giving me their bottom line. It is the emails following they did not reply to. Didn't their post say things were back to almost normal? I asked why they had not contacted me or replied, and she said they were still overwehlmed. Which is it?

She has promised a contact by week's end..

By the way, I should not have had to learn about Viking wanting me to contact them again through this site, that information should have been sent to each and every guest. This was the first time we ever heard of tellus link. I am a retired business owner, and know that this is not the way to do business.

Thanks for listening,

I am done!

Jeanne Q