Just curious if anyone's canceled

[marmom18]

I am scheduled to take a Viking Ocean cruise in Europe in a couple of weeks.  I am just curious if anyone's cancelled their cruise and if they canceled through their travel agent or called Viking directly.  How was your experience canceling?

[Jack E Dawson]

marmom18,

We are on a VO Med. cruise in a few weeks and have been following cancellations and concerns on our roll-call discussion. This gives us very specific information.

 

Jack

[molymoo]

While our cruise isn't scheduled until summer and isn't going to involve a significantly affected region we are watching the situation closely.  We will "wait and see" as things have been and likely will continue to change day by day.  Fortunately Viking has afforded their passengers the luxury of playing "wait and see" with their very generous cancellation policy.  It will likely work well for them as it may negate some pre-emptive cancellations by passengers worried that they might lose too much if they wait.

 

[Dark Avenger]

Viking Homelands 8/13 seriously considering canceling - Mid April.  Prepaid Business Class airline tickets, no insurance (my situation).  While an extended offer to cancel for credit is a step in the right direction - a two year, non-transferable credit, coupled with a one year airline credit is just too risky.  Too many "life related" things can happen and get into the way to discount the true value of that credit.    I am not as worried about the ship related health risk, as I am about canceled ports and excursions.  For example - what if Viking is forced to cancel St. Petersburg?   Certain key ports make, or break a good experience.  Been planning this trip for 2 years - that's what I get for booking early!    I understand Viking's plight - but we each need to make the best personal economic decision with the best information at hand.   The have had the use of my full cruise fare since last summer.  My other option is to convert the vacation into a Northern European land trip.  When I have asked the "what-if" questions regarding possible port cancellations - I get the "we don't know" answer - but as you all know - Viking can cancel, or amend the itinerary at will and at any time.   I have communicated, in witting, to the highest level in VO's management - response pending.    I generally don't think this way - but you could even re-book later and use the cash (not the credit) - might even make up for the change fee in a lower fare and I bet cabins will be available.   You have the Italy issue with your cruise (we loved it, by the way), but that's pretty real right now.   Nothing beats optionality,  and that what cash always gives you.   No more booking way early for me.  

[dreamdoc]

My next cruise is a year out but I have thoughts about cancellation that I will share. I am a retired RN and worked closely with my county health officials because I ran a hospital unit with psych pts and yearly had to quarentine pts for influenza outbreaks as well as H1N1 pandemic. We were a microcosm of community spread and Infectious Disease followed us closely to see how well we could follow their recommendations in a setting where people didn't always want to follow our directions for isolation, hand washing, not sharing items, etc. We were pretty successful.

That being said here are my thoughts:

1  If you have serious health issues--immune compromised, serious issues with your heart, asthma/chronic respiratory problems brittle diabetes,etc follow your doctor's recommendation which will probably be to avoid the cruise at this time.

2  If you are healthy and really want to go on this trip now then you just take your chances. The chance of acquiring Covid19 are increased in this setting and, hopefully if you get it, it will be a mild case. You may be isolated to your cabin and will miss alot of excursions.

3 Download CDC guidelines on how to avoid contracting the virus.

4  Most  important, wash your hands often and always carry hand sanitizer in your pocket and use it often too.

5  Check with your health insurance co about coverage while travelling.

 

I am 67 and in relatively good health. If I were travelling to areas with no known cases (yet) I would probably take my chances (but keep in mind I'm very familiar with guidelines on avoiding infections and know what to do to stay healthy). If you have any fears, check with your physician and follow her guidelines.  Better safe than sorry. Being stuck in your cabin for the whole trip would be a total drag.  Also, you are much more likely to contract nuorovirus on a cruise and hand sanitizers do not kill that virus only handwashing does.

 

I'm sure other healthcare providers who are passengers may disagree with taking the risk at this time.  That is why it is best to talk with your healthcare provider in order to make a decision.

 

 

 

 

. 

[cruiser02]

Wait & See   Booked for an Eastern Europe river cruise  April / May  

Happy that this time we did air & insurance with Viking 

Question:  Does the insurance transfer too ? 

 

Guess I just don't want to think about it 🙄

[Clay Clayton]

We leave tomorrow on our transatlantic aboard Sky. While not a scientific analysis, based on the number of folks from our roll call who have canceled it appears at least 20% have elected to take Viking’s very generous offer.  it will be interesting to see just how empty the ship actually is.  Prior to the Corona concerns, there were only a few Explorer and Penthouse Jr Suites available.   Last night there were cabins in every category (Except Owner’s Suite) showing on the website.  
 

[CILCIANRQTS]

3 hours ago, cruiser02 said:

Wait & See   Booked for an Eastern Europe river cruise  April / May  

Happy that this time we did air & insurance with Viking 

Question:  Does the insurance transfer too ? 

 

Guess I just don't want to think about it 🙄

 

Our TA indicates full amount we paid to Viking, including insurance, will be in our voucher. We had considered cancelling Monday under CFAR before the announcement. If we had, we would have forfeited the insurance premium. 

I’ll be the first to admit, our outcome was pure luck.

[SuSuTrav]

Sailing in June, immune comprised, with multiple lung issues. Thinking seriously of canceling what would have been our first large ship cruise. But, not rushing to cancel as the Viking offer allows us to wait. Luckily, we took out insurance on our flights which was offered by the airline. 

[14thmed]

WE have 2 river cruises scheduled mid April for the first. First of May for the second separated by a week in Amsterdam. We haven't decided what we will do yet,but if I had to choose today we would cancel given the Viking offer. Its going and then not being able to come back to the U.S. for a while that worries me 

[frenchhorn]

We had a river cruise (Cities of Light} scheduled to begin June 24.  We had just scheduled it with a good deal and were looking forward to it.  However, the more information we gathered, the more worried we became.  My husband is a retired physician age almost 84, and I am 78.  We decided that we would cancel and get a refund per the terms of the contract, because we don't know if and when we'll be able to travel to Europe in the future.  We are both healthy, but we are "old" and therefore at increased risk of serious complications from COVID-19.  We have GeoBlue insurance that would cover us in Europe, but we decided that we would rather have more control of our healthcare in the US and easier access to family.  We worried about being quarantined in Europe or having difficulty getting home.  Our ages are to us the most important factor in making this decision, and we might not have made the same decision 15 years ago.  I guess being old is an underlying health condition!  

[Johnymcc45]

Hi 

Here in the Uk Viking are mails hotting previous cruisers to offer Alaska 11 day cruise on Viking Orion, at a price of from £2790pp 

the dates are from 26th April to 26 May 4 trips. these dates are dates when they would not usually have a ship in the region. I think Viking Orion  was moved from Asia early 

[terrydtx]

We are a group of 6 on the Viking Sea in September Venice to Athens cruise. One couple is considering cancelling because of health issues that could put him at risk with Corvid19 but the other 4 of us are not at tis time. All of us have private travel insurance that would cover us if VO cancels the cruise for air and cruise costs. If the travel advisory for northern Italy stays in place over the summer I see no way the cruise could leave from Venice. We have hotels and tours booked for pre and post stays but our insurance would cover them too. For now it is a wait and see situation for us. Our bigger fear is only getting a FCC if the cruise is cancelled after the 120 day refund window would only be valid if we can book another VO cruise and if the cruise line stays solvent for the next 24 months. The huge losses that VO could face with the  mass cancelations of booked cruises could reach a point where the company runs out of money. We have paid for our cruise and as we get closer to the 120 day 100% refund date we will have to make some serious decisions. We have been looking forward to this cruise for 2 years and really want to go. We are all between 65 and 74 in age and in the higher risk for Corvid19 exposure, but only one of us has any underlying health issues that puts him at a higher risk.

Edited March 6, 2020 by terrydtx

[cruisetimeusa]

We made the decision this week to cancel our Viking Sky TA that was leaving today.  With my husband having diabetes and  I have heart related issues, we felt that this was the right decision for us.  Our biggest fear was the long flight home from Barcelona and possibly being quarantined for 2 weeks.

 

 

 

[JerryInIL]

May 20 Viking Sea, so we are in the wait and see category.  Maybe we can get an upgrade if there are many cancellations?  Possibly add a back to back?  

[cruisebug722]

6 hours ago, terrydtx said:

We are a group of 6 on the Viking Sea in September Venice to Athens cruise. One couple is considering cancelling because of health issues that could put him at risk with Corvid19 but the other 4 of us are not at tis time. All of us have private travel insurance that would cover us if VO cancels the cruise for air and cruise costs. If the travel advisory for northern Italy stays in place over the summer I see no way the cruise could leave from Venice. We have hotels and tours booked for pre and post stays but our insurance would cover them too. For now it is a wait and see situation for us. Our bigger fear is only getting a FCC if the cruise is cancelled after the 120 day refund window would only be valid if we can book another VO cruise and if the cruise line stays solvent for the next 24 months. The huge losses that VO could face with the  mass cancelations of booked cruises could reach a point where the company runs out of money. We have paid for our cruise and as we get closer to the 120 day 100% refund date we will have to make some serious decisions. We have been looking forward to this cruise for 2 years and really want to go. We are all between 65 and 74 in age and in the higher risk for Corvid19 exposure, but only one of us has any underlying health issues that puts him at a higher risk.

We are booked to depart the 29th for a cruise out of Venice April 1.  To date we have not heard anything other than the general cancellation voucher posting.  We also have a cruise booked for July and that cruise line is not as forthcoming as Viking.  We also have private insurance and have found out that almost no insurance company is covering cost related to an Epidemic which this has been classified as, so I hope you have Epidemic coverage.   I trust most of us are at the mercy of the travel companies being honorable and then staying in business.  All the best in making the hard decision.  

[terrydtx]

8 minutes ago, cruisebug722 said:

We are booked to depart the 29th for a cruise out of Venice April 1.  To date we have not heard anything other than the general cancellation voucher posting.  We also have a cruise booked for July and that cruise line is not as forthcoming as Viking.  We also have private insurance and have found out that almost no insurance company is covering cost related to an Epidemic which this has been classified as, so I hope you have Epidemic coverage.   I trust most of us are at the mercy of the travel companies being honorable and then staying in business.  All the best in making the hard decision.  

From what I have found with our insurance, you are correct in the case of a pandemic, we would not be covered if VO does not cancel the cruise and we cancel on our own. We would be covered if VO cancels the cruise for any non reimbursed expenses from VO. We are also covered if any of us come down with the Corvid19 virus and can not take the cruise. Of course we have to hope the insurance company stays solvent with all of the claims they will be paying out. But this is still one big crap shoot and for the next couple of months we will have to ride this out. Our other big expense is the airfare but American Airlines will let us postpone or move our flights to another date and locations, so we could use the AA vouchers from this year to our Celebrity cruise next year from Barcelona to Lisbon. 

[Clay Clayton]

Just got the official word on the number of passengers aboard our Viking Sky transatlantic-525 guests or about 56%. Given all but 10-12 cabins were sold out prior to the virus outbreak, it appears 40% or so have taken advantage of Viking’s generous cancelation offer.