BEWARE OF VIKING SOJOURN CRUISE

[Jonhp]

We went on our 3rd Viking cruise the end of Sept to beginning of Oct With the pre cruise extension in Rome which was great . Did lots of shopping , cafes , exploring on our own !! BUT then , on our first stop to Naples things went downhill fast !! An announcement stating there would be NO going out on your own , No free time , NO shopping , No stopping to use a bathroom , That's why we do these cruises !! They're reasoning ?? Italy said so about cruise ships !! But if you came on your own , it's all open !! We are going to save a lot of money and do it different next time . Get our own flights and find a nice VRBO and do day trips . We DID have a wonderful post cruise experience with a fantastic host Laura that made us almost forgot how disappointed we all were with the cruise!! Most of the passengers felt the same way ! Very disappointed. If Viking had been a little more honest about this and not hid the fact they probably would have had more cancelations BUT the way they handled it they're going to lose a lot more permanently!! As for me NEVER AGAIN !! Also on the Viking web page where the description of the excursions you can plainly see that along with the sites you'll see it also states shopping and free time !!
 

[angela miller]

Sorry to hear you did not realize there has been a Covid Epidemic and that Viking  has no control over what countries dictate to them what to do. How blessed you  were to be on a wonderful trip. I suggest you do exactly like you said… Save a lot of money and do it on your own. I have also been on River cruise to Paris  in the last couple of months and absolutely knew that Viking would go with whatever that country told them  to do. I enjoyed the trip immensely as Viking was accommodating and kind. I leave in November for a Greek isle cruise and also know I will need to be vaccinated before I get on their ship and respect whatever the country‘s rules are.. The best thing to do is be educated before you leave and know all the rules are fluid.

[philw1776]

I think the OP's point was if they had done a land tour instead of a cruise, they could have shopped and walked around and eaten at restaurants. My brother just returned from a Rome land tour this week.
But Viking cannot control a country's cruise ship regulations for passengers.

[Peregrina651]

27 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

I think the OP's point was if they had done a land tour instead of a cruise, they could have shopped and walked around and eaten at restaurants. My brother just returned from a Rome land tour this week.
But Viking cannot control a country's cruise ship regulations for passengers.

 

Phil, I have to disagree with you on this one. I think that OP is trying to tell us not to travel with Viking.

 

I think the take-away from this thread is that now more than ever, it is very important to do your homework,  keep up with the social media chatter so that we are fully aware of what is happening on board the ships and are ready for the disappoints that will be part of cruising for the foreseeable future.  The cruise industry is a long way from returning to anything near the pre-Covid "normal."

[CCWineLover]

28 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Phil, I have to disagree with you on this one. I think that OP is trying to tell us not to travel with Viking.

 

I think the take-away from this thread is that now more than ever, it is very important to do your homework,  keep up with the social media chatter so that we are fully aware of what is happening on board the ships and are ready for the disappoints that will be part of cruising for the foreseeable future.  The cruise industry is a long way from returning to anything near the pre-Covid "normal."

I agree with you.  However, I do get tired of people going on and posting comments like the OP's - makes them sound entitled and selfish (and quite frankly, not that smart).  The dead giveaway if the all caps angry tone - the OP needs to back to the book of faces where all caps seems to be the rule for venting.

 

If you have any sense of the world these days and know that COVID still exists and that countries control things about seeing their sights and touring, you wouldn't go around blaming companies like VIKING, but instead you should own up to the fact that you didn't do your homework.

In any case, with you not doing Viking anymore, that is one more cabin opened up on future cruises for the rest of us who appreciate all the issues Viking has to deal with.

Edited October 17, 2021 by CCWineLover

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, Jonhp said:

We went on our 3rd Viking cruise the end of Sept to beginning of Oct With the pre cruise extension in Rome which was great . Did lots of shopping , cafes , exploring on our own !! BUT then , on our first stop to Naples things went downhill fast !! An announcement stating there would be NO going out on your own , No free time , NO shopping , No stopping to use a bathroom , That's why we do these cruises !! They're reasoning ?? Italy said so about cruise ships !! But if you came on your own , it's all open !! We are going to save a lot of money and do it different next time . Get our own flights and find a nice VRBO and do day trips . We DID have a wonderful post cruise experience with a fantastic host Laura that made us almost forgot how disappointed we all were with the cruise!! Most of the passengers felt the same way ! Very disappointed. If Viking had been a little more honest about this and not hid the fact they probably would have had more cancelations BUT the way they handled it they're going to lose a lot more permanently!! As for me NEVER AGAIN !! Also on the Viking web page where the description of the excursions you can plainly see that along with the sites you'll see it also states shopping and free time !!
 

 

Welcome to cruising in a post-COVID World.

 

Since Viking resumed operations, the Shore-ex "Bubble" has to be one of the top subjects discussed in multiple threads. If you were not aware of this potential, you did not aqeduately research your upcoming cruise. I note the Shore-ex "Bubbles" has been used at varying times for over a year, in fact it started with other cruise lines for their initial Meddy cruises in summer/fall 2020.

 

Cruise Critic is an excellent research tool, so rather than posting the same complaint twice, after the cruise, you would have been better using Cruise Critic pre-cruise and being an informed consumer. If you determined the cruise didn't meet your needs, you could have cancelled, at no cost, with the Viking RFG.

 

Personally, I research all our travels extensively and am very comfortable with keeping Viking Ocean as our preferred cruise line. If you are doing independent travel, hopefully you learned from this experience and will thoroughly research your future travels.

 

I note that Viking do advise pax on the website regarding the potential for shore-ex "Bubbles

 

Select My Trip/Health & Safety Program, then review the Health & Safety FAQ

 

Can I explore the cities/towns we will visit independently while on my cruise?

At this time, guests are able to explore on shore independently while following the requirements in the country they are visiting. However, conditions and restrictions continue to change and vary by country. The ability to explore ashore independently may change at the time of your visit.

Edited October 17, 2021 by Heidi13

[Mrs Miggins]

Whilst I agree that the OP should have known about the restrictions in Italy and research is key I do have some sympathy.  Of course all other cruise companies also had to abide by these rules in Italy.

 

We are on Venus from Rome to Barcelona on Dec 29th and I am having some disquiet about the first few days in Italy.  OK day one we arrive early and I have walked around Civitavecchia many times so we will just settle in and enjoy the wonderful ship.  Day 2 and 3 we are in Livorno.  The included excursion is Pisa, and whilst we have done that several times, will just go along for the ride.  Other excursions so far are minimal and whilst one says 'sold out' there is a banner on MVJ saying that Viking are not available to book as they are working to finalise the program so I hope more will be added.

 We would normally do our own thing, wander around the market, get on a local bus etc as we have done in the past.  However the Italian authorities have mandated that at the moment we cannot do that as cruise passengers.  I fully understand that Viking must abide by the rules, but sometimes they go by their own rules.  For example in the round England Welcome Back cruises there was no such government mandate but only bubbles were allowed by Viking. Like many things in this new Covid world some things appear contrary to common sense.

If I was a fan of sea days then it would not matter a jot but I am a restless soul and  just love to 'get off' often leaving my DH asleep in the cabin.

Nevertheless we go on to France and Spain so I am trusting that we will be able to wander off at will according to current rules.

Despite the above I am looking forward to getting back onboard and really welcoming 2022 at the Viking party in the hope that it will be better for everyone.

 

[anaco_angler]

It is unfair to Viking to start a thread with "BEWARE" as the lede. We just completed the Iconic W. Med cruise from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Barcelona. As the op noted, in Italy we were not allowed to get off the ship and tour independently. We had two days in Livorno. On the first day we took a paid tour to San Gimignano in Tuscany (fantastic!) and on the second we opted for the included walking tour of Pisa. Yes, we were in the Viking "bubble" but on each tour we were given some limited free time to shop, get a coffee or pastry, find a restroom or ATM etc. We were pointed toward specific establishments that had been vetted by Viking and had as much as an hour, in San Gimignano for example, to enjoy the surroundings. While not total freedom, it didn't feel restrictive and all of us on the tour understood the rules.

For the remainder of the cruise, with ports in Monaco (Villefranche-Sur-Mer), Toulon, Sète, and Barcelona we were able to wander freely.  Travel during this unusual time demands thorough research before departure and a willingness to be flexible in adapting to changing national regulations once on board. Viking is doing its best to provide a memorable cruise experience under difficult circumstances.

[lackcreativity]

Lots of good advice offered so far in this thread to the original poster. Italy, rather than Viking, seems to be responsible for for his disappointment, but I will offer support for the Italians too. If you recall, Italy was hit really hard at the very beginning of Covid, and I certainly find it understandable that they are trying to keep things in check as we continue to navigate the ongoing pandemic.

 

Two years in, there is no clear playbook for managing all the moving pieces of covid variants, national and local economies, vaccine availability and vaccine resistance, mask mandates and mask protests, and so forth. 

 

We are scheduled for our first Viking cruise in three years next April, and half of it is in Italy. I am hoping things may be more settled by then, but if not, we will enjoy whatever Viking excursions are available in whatever format they take. 

[Twitchly]

I’ll be curious to see if the pre-cruise extension we’ve booked in Italy will have to have a bubble or not. We won’t have been on the ship yet, so we’ll in effect be doing a land tour with Viking. Hopefully Italy will allow us to roam a bit. If not, I guess we’ll be sitting around in a hotel.

[anaco_angler]

We did the Umbrian pre-cruise extension earlier this month prior to our Iconic W. Med cruise on Jupiter. I would describe the situation as a loose bubble. We stayed in a hotel a few miles from Perugia, in a fairly isolated area, so there was really nothing nearby that you could walk to. All breakfasts and two dinners were in the hotel. A third dinner was at a winery. There were only 12 of us in the group and we traveled on a large tour bus that could probably accommodate 40 or more. And we had a Viking contract tour guide with us from the beginning. Each day there was an organized tour and we were met by a local guide so in effect we had two guides for each shore excursion. Two of the days we had lunch organized at a local restaurant but on our day in Assisi we were free to find our own lunch arrangements. That day we also had time for shopping on our own. The other two days there was a limited amount of time for shopping or enjoying a coffee or dessert.

Masks were worn in the hotel, on the bus, and when touring interior spaces such as churches or museums. The guides would tell us what the local requirements were for mask wearing and social distancing. I would say that mask wearing outdoors was a bit more than 50-50 among the locals. There were no spit tests taken on the extension but we all had a PCR test at the port in Civitavecchia before we were allowed to board.

So yes, there was a bubble but it was not as restrictive as you might find on board in certain locations. And it did not detract from the overall experience, which was fantastic thanks to our outstanding Viking contract guide and the local guides in each town we toured.

[Twitchly]

37 minutes ago, anaco_angler said:

We did the Umbrian pre-cruise extension earlier this month prior to our Iconic W. Med cruise on Jupiter. I would describe the situation as a loose bubble. We stayed in a hotel a few miles from Perugia, in a fairly isolated area, so there was really nothing nearby that you could walk to. All breakfasts and two dinners were in the hotel. A third dinner was at a winery. There were only 12 of us in the group and we traveled on a large tour bus that could probably accommodate 40 or more. And we had a Viking contract tour guide with us from the beginning. Each day there was an organized tour and we were met by a local guide so in effect we had two guides for each shore excursion. Two of the days we had lunch organized at a local restaurant but on our day in Assisi we were free to find our own lunch arrangements. That day we also had time for shopping on our own. The other two days there was a limited amount of time for shopping or enjoying a coffee or dessert.

Masks were worn in the hotel, on the bus, and when touring interior spaces such as churches or museums. The guides would tell us what the local requirements were for mask wearing and social distancing. I would say that mask wearing outdoors was a bit more than 50-50 among the locals. There were no spit tests taken on the extension but we all had a PCR test at the port in Civitavecchia before we were allowed to board.

So yes, there was a bubble but it was not as restrictive as you might find on board in certain locations. And it did not detract from the overall experience, which was fantastic thanks to our outstanding Viking contract guide and the local guides in each town we toured.

Very helpful info. Thanks!

[les37b]

Italy has only just recently reopened without needing to quarantine for 5 days on entry.

[jsam949]

On the Viking website the descriptions for the cruises and daily excursions don't reflect the current Covid protocols.. so I can see where you might have gotten confused initially.. but surely you were aware that it would be a different experience with strict Covid restrictions in place? Keep in mind that Viking started cruising again this summer, for the first time since the start of the pandemic. In addition, the E.U. just began welcoming American tourists back over the summer - each country with their own set of rules in place. 

 

I did my research before going on the Malta and Greek Isles cruise in July/August. There was a small chunk of guests onboard my cruise whom, like you, did not take the time to read. Viking doesn't hide the fact that no independent exploration would be allowed. Sorry it is not plastered across their site in bold capital letters. It doesn't require a whole lot of digging to find out what you are getting yourself into though. All you have to do is read the emails and documents that Viking sends you in regards to your booking. It's stated in the US Terms and Conditions document that was attached to the email you received when you booked the cruise - same email that includes your initial invoice. 

After the NOTICE OF BOOKING CONFIRMATION, DISCLAIMERS AND LIMITATIONS OF LIABILITY (2 pages) is 19 pages titled Passenger Ticket Contract - see page 6 of 19.

 

There's a paragraph on the preceding page that also directs you to www.viking.com/healthandsafetyprogram .

Clicking on that link brings you to a 3 page document (this ones easier to read if flipping through 19 pages isn't your cup of tea).

 

See attachments. I highlighted the important parts. Also a screenshot of an email from Viking regarding shore excursions being open for booking -- they mention it here too.

 

I am sure you don't care to see this info now if you didn't bother to look before your cruise..but I just wanted to point it out because I think the way you described Viking is a bit unfair. Perhaps you could have expressed your discontent with a tiny bit more tact.

Anyway, hopefully this info will be helpful to someone else who stumbles upon this thread.

 

 

I will be boarding the Viking Star in mid November to cruise the Panama Canal! Yay!

 

 

 

14-210511_COVID-19PoliciesAndProcedures-US.pdf US_Terms_and_Conditions.pdf

Edited October 24, 2021 by jsam949

[CCWineLover]

Excellent - and well summarized.  And now, let's all stop responding to this thread, so that the all Caps venting title doesn't keep popping up to the top!!  and gets pushed down where it belongs.

[Marykatesmom]

I'm on the Sky Sojourner in March.  I am just now doing my research. Sorry, CCWineLover but I'm going to post so I can follow along

 

[donaldsc]

Question to OP - did you do your pre-cruise research?

 

DON

[Blackduck59]

4 hours ago, Marykatesmom said:

I'm on the Sky Sojourner in March.  I am just now doing my research. Sorry, CCWineLover but I'm going to post so I can follow along

 

Follow what? The thread was dead. If you have questions start a new thread and ask away, there seem to be many people who are happy to help, without the sour grapes attitude of the OP.

[Jaime-usa]

Thank you for your post. I WISH Viking WOULD plaster that information on their website. 

Since Viking encourages people to book directly with them, Viking should be more helpful in providing information about their cruises - especially at this time.

I talked to our cruise representative this morning about our options and he was INCREDIBLY unhelpful. It sounded like talking to a person reading a set script. "If you look at page four of correspondence titled..." When he later mentioned the information was on the website, I asked him to direct me where on the Viking website I can find this information and other information, and he couldn't answer that question. 

I guess that leaves us being dependent on the kindness of strangers, so again, thank you for your posts.

Jim

 

(FYI, have been on a cruise before, at least 10, with 2 on Viking.)

[Peregrina651]

On 11/17/2021 at 6:26 PM, Marykatesmom said:

I'm on the Sky Sojourner in March.  I am just now doing my research. Sorry, CCWineLover but I'm going to post so I can follow along

 

 

@Marykatesmom  and other readers.   Not scolding. Just pointing out an available feature. It is possible to follow a thread/topic without having to post in. From a desktop,  just click on at the top of the page. From a mobile device, I believe the "follow" option is below the thread. You can even choose to follow a thread anonymously.

[phillipahain]

I understand it was Italy who suddenly caused problems for cruise lines around that time because several cruise lines had to change their itineries and avoid Italy 

 

However i totally concur with the comments about Viking hiding information and being difficult

 

We have had months of problems with them 

[kkapaldo]

on our Antiquities cruise in late October we were supposed to stop in Epheseus Turkey - which Viking had to cancel since if we went to Turkey then Italy wouldn't have let us in so we went to Santorini instead.  And then we couldn't stop in Sicily since they had epic flooding so we got an extra half day in Naples.  

 

Was I disappointed, YES - but that's they way it is - out of my control - but so very happy to do that cruise

 

[rbslos18]

1 hour ago, kkapaldo said:

on our Antiquities cruise in late October we were supposed to stop in Epheseus Turkey - which Viking had to cancel since if we went to Turkey then Italy wouldn't have let us in so we went to Santorini instead.  And then we couldn't stop in Sicily since they had epic flooding so we got an extra half day in Naples.  

 

Was I disappointed, YES - but that's they way it is - out of my control - but so very happy to do that cruise

 

This is the attitude required to enjoy cruising during these trying times.

 

I have had, I believe, 14 air itinerary changes involving 7 airlines. Arranging the PCR test on a weekend has not been easy. It has been a hassle but it is being required to protect me. I would not be willing to cruise without Viking’s safety protocol. My approach is to cut Viking and the countries we hope to visit a lot of slack and hope for the best. 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

This is the attitude required to enjoy cruising during these trying times.

 

AGREED!!

 

And these trying times aren't going away anytime soon. Travel at this time, especially cruising which is under even tighter restrictions than travel by air or land, is not for the faint-hearted or those who aren't ready to roll with the punches -- and there will be plenty of them.

[Mich3554]

8 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

AGREED!!

 

And these trying times aren't going away anytime soon. Travel at this time, especially cruising which is under even tighter restrictions than travel by air or land, is not for the faint-hearted or those who aren't ready to roll with the punches -- and there will be plenty of them.

All of this!

Right now, everything is in flux.  Countries change their admission requirements on a dime and if you can’t handle frequent changes, it might be best if you wait to travel.

We have had 5 major changes in the  cruises (so far, third just starting) and while we have been disappointed we missed these opportunities, we got other/different opportunities instead.  As mentioned above, we lost Ephesus to Santorini.  I’ve been to Ephesus, but while I’ve been to the Greek islands, I didn’t go to Santorini.  We got notified of this before we left home.  While we were waiting to board, we received word that Brazil and Morocco were out.   Several days later, so was Senegal.  Viking scrambled and we picked up a port in Spain (Valencia, I think), Madeira and Cape Verde.  Being in Cape Verde meant we could not get into Argentina, so we hovered off of Uruguay’s coast for 3 days until we had quarantined long enough.  In the meantime, we got to see Punta del Este…..quite possibly a winter vacation spot for us.  Never would have known about it other than Argentine closing its borders to us temporarily.  The second day in Montevideo allowed us to pick up an excursion that wasn’t even on my radar…..Colonia.  Long day, but very much worth it.  
We will get back to the places we missed sometime.  But I am incredibly glad I got to see some places that never flitted through my brain.  I call that a win.