WANTED! a LIVE posts from ANY Europe River Cruise on ANY Company

[remydiva]

Viking Budapest to Copenhagen July 3

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1872381

 

Be sure to subscribe to the linked thread if you want to follow updates from Rockwall99

[remydiva]

Just returned from Avalon Seine cruise

 

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1873212

 

 

Today, 04:53 PM

hcross888

Cool Cruiser

 

Join Date: Jun 2007

Location: South Carolina, USA

Posts: 216

Just returned from Avalon Seine cruise

[remydiva]

David is back and not a happy camper. check out this thread

Viking Cruises: Update on Central Europe Flood Impact

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?p=39012209&posted=1#post39012209

Today, 05:47 AM

DavidF1940

Cool Cruiser

 

Join Date: Apr 2006

Posts: 15

Viking offer for no-cruise cruise on Elbe

I said (above) that I would report on any Viking offer of recompense. They have now offered a 50% of paid fare discount on any further cruise booked before end of 2015.

 

I am not happy with this. I am not at all sure I want to go with Viking again, and want a cash rebate. If they can afford to sponsor so much ITV "drama", they can afford something better than "buy one, and if it is not good, get second at half price".

[BarbaraM]

We are currently on the Scenic Jewel in Durnstein after being on the Diamond since Monday. We were bussed from Vienna this morning to a Melk tour and then bussed to the Diamond. There is half of the lock open, but much traffic. We heard that cruise boats were being given priority over commercial traffic (initially). I believe we are on the last "catch up" disruptive cruise on the Danube. Melk had flood damage, but seemed back to full operations ( construction though in the town)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

[remydiva]

We are currently on the Scenic Jewel in Durnstein after being on the Diamond since Monday. We were bussed from Vienna this morning to a Melk tour and then bussed to the Diamond. There is half of the lock open, but much traffic. We heard that cruise boats were being given priority over commercial traffic (initially). I believe we are on the last "catch up" disruptive cruise on the Danube. Melk had flood damage, but seemed back to full operations ( construction though in the town)

 

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

Thanks for the post.

 

Now that we well into july, the may 29 floods seem to have disappeared from most cruisers radar and yet, as David found out cruising the elbe and now you, there are still problems, delays and disruptions.

 

And of course the residents will be rebuilding and cleaning for many months still to come.

[remydiva]

I copied and pasted this from:

Viking Cruises: Update on Central Europe Flood Impact

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1856202&page=7

 

Today, 09:18 AM

SALAD MUNCHER

Cool Cruiser Join Date: Jun 2008

Location: CUMBRIA ENGLAND

 

Hi everyone, just arrived back from our Berlin / Prague cruise and the good news is the whole trip went ahead as per the stated sailing itineary, with no problems! The Elbe, although looking a bit 'full' seems to be flowing well, with little problems. We did see signs of debris which had been washed up, but this was mainly branches and grasses trapped around chains and moorings and therefore no problem whatsoever. The Swiss Ruby was a fantastic ship and I can highly recommend her. As we left this morning she was waiting for her next group and was going to sail Berlin to the Keil Canal in Hamburg. Hopefully everything can now get back to normal and all trips can be enjoyed without worry.

[bobandjo]

We just returned home last night from Avalon's Amsterdam - Budapest cruise on the Vista and had no interuptions at all. Eveything went as planned although we were told there was waiting time in some of the locks. Couple nights in the wee hours looked out the window when I knew we were in a lock and saw the Viking Thor right next to us.

[remydiva]

We just returned home last night from Avalon's Amsterdam - Budapest cruise on the Vista and had no interuptions at all. Eveything went as planned although we were told there was waiting time in some of the locks. Couple nights in the wee hours looked out the window when I knew we were in a lock and saw the Viking Thor right next to us.

 

Thanks for the thumbs up report:).

 

And you came back to nice HOT weather here in BC.:eek:

[bobandjo]

Thanks for the thumbs up report:).

 

And you came back to nice HOT weather here in BC.:eek:

Believe we missed it by about a day. Only 20C here. It was really hot from about Vienna to Budapest, last day at least 36C.

[DavidF1940]

The following is something I have just posted on the "update central Europe flood impact" thread:

 

This thread is now a bit of history, and I don't know if any of you are still linked into it. However, I thought I should complete the story about our Elbe-non-cruise cruise.

 

As I left it, I had been offered a 50% rebate of my fare against any other Viking cruise before end of 2015, and that I was seeking a cash rebate instead as I was not sure when I might go Viking again. Well, Viking responded saying they would consider the matter. meanwhile, wifey and I decided we would go to China in 2014; being in our 70s we were not too keen on some of the more busy trips with a handful of internal flights and yes, decided that something with a river (ie Yanste) cruise would be good. There a many trips offered which include such a 3 or 5 day cruise, but most still have a lot of internal flights (and therefore some hoursspent at airports). One trip that caught our eye was a 16-day oliday which included 10 or 11 days on the river, run by...yes...Viking. It wasn't cheap (about £4,500 per head discounted by £1,000 each for 'early booking') but with our promised rebate from Viking it seemed a good deal. We booked and Viking had us noted down for the rebate, and so we settled there and then pleased that we had been able to take Viking's offer after all. End of story?...not quite.

A week or so later we got a letter from Viking saying that, after consideration of my original letter, they were going to retain the 50% rebate offer PLUS a cash back of some £1,100 (cheque enclosed). As you can imagine, we are very content with this and wish to say that we believe that Viking has certainly done well in the end! All we need now is good sailing in China in November.

 

Regards to all

 

DavidF

[remydiva]

Yes David, i still was subscribed to this thread ( under thread tools top right you can set an email notification) so got an email after you posted in both threads.

 

That is great news for you and " wifey" .

 

It should also be a positive message for others who were impacted by the "flood of the milennium" that , given an opportunity to consider the facts, Viking ( and hopefully others) will strive to do better and make things right.

 

It was good of you to post a positive response here as many seem to pop in, complain and are "one post wonders" so we never hear if there is a resolution. And yes sometimes, as you found out, it takes time and several attempts to communicate before there is satisfaction.

 

Well done and enjoy your China trip.

[bobalink]

The following is something I have just posted on the "update central Europe flood impact" thread:

 

This thread is now a bit of history, and I don't know if any of you are still linked into it. However, I thought I should complete the story about our Elbe-non-cruise cruise.

 

As I left it, I had been offered a 50% rebate of my fare against any other Viking cruise before end of 2015, and that I was seeking a cash rebate instead as I was not sure when I might go Viking again. Well, Viking responded saying they would consider the matter. meanwhile, wifey and I decided we would go to China in 2014; being in our 70s we were not too keen on some of the more busy trips with a handful of internal flights and yes, decided that something with a river (ie Yanste) cruise would be good. There a many trips offered which include such a 3 or 5 day cruise, but most still have a lot of internal flights (and therefore some hoursspent at airports). One trip that caught our eye was a 16-day oliday which included 10 or 11 days on the river, run by...yes...Viking. It wasn't cheap (about £4,500 per head discounted by £1,000 each for 'early booking') but with our promised rebate from Viking it seemed a good deal. We booked and Viking had us noted down for the rebate, and so we settled there and then pleased that we had been able to take Viking's offer after all. End of story?...not quite.

A week or so later we got a letter from Viking saying that, after consideration of my original letter, they were going to retain the 50% rebate offer PLUS a cash back of some £1,100 (cheque enclosed). As you can imagine, we are very content with this and wish to say that we believe that Viking has certainly done well in the end! All we need now is good sailing in China in November.

 

Regards to all

 

DavidF

 

Wow! This is awesome, and such a great follow-up to your story. Thanks for posting this.

ENJOY your next cruise!

[franski]

Wow! This is awesome, and such a great follow-up to your story. Thanks for posting this.

ENJOY your next cruise!

 

I agree....

 

Thanks so much for posting.

 

Wishing you a wonderful New Year - and a wonderful cruise1!!

 

Fran

[DavidF1940]

I'm so pleased that so many of you kept in touch. Thanks for your good wishes and kind words.

 

David

[Marty156]

As this thread is still active, anyone that was with Scenic Tours or Evergreen Tours during the 2013 floods and were basically ignored by the company after returning home, be advised that there will be a Class Action in Australia against this company in early 2014.

 

For more information regarding the abysmal performance of Scenic Tours during the floods in Europe, please message me directly to find out about the Class Action to be held against them.

 

It does NOT matter if you have actually received the offered pittance of the $500 refund, as it will cost you nothing to be included!