Awaiting our first communication about Hawaiian Sojourn from Viking

[kitty allen]

On 11/15/2021 at 11:57 AM, prunderw said:

Just remember that Hawaii is impacting your cruise and doesn't want your cruise dollars.  Viking is doing their best faced with Hawaii's 'waffle'.

This is Hawaii's last minute change, not Viking's

[lovemycruisetoo]

1 hour ago, kitty allen said:

1 hour ago, kitty allen said:

 

Edited November 17, 2021 by lovemycruisetoo
Deleted

[HHI Cruiser1]

On 11/15/2021 at 7:33 PM, Heidi13 said:

 

When I researched it back in August, Hawaii seems to be using the US CDC's conditional sailing order, which was extended again at the end of October.

Agreed.  With all the Delta Covid fear, I bet CDC will fold again and extend CSO.  Hope not.  Then Hawaii will continue to waffle for cruise ship travelers, but welcome travelers by the thousands each hour on planes - vaccinated or unvaccinated.  

[Brad1185]

 Very disappointing for sure. Can’t substitute Hawaii for Mexico with a straight face. I would however take the new cruise without hesitation as I would  just want to be on a Viking cruise. 
 

So anyone booked on the changed cruise I hope you go and have a fantastic time. 
 

Our governor is extremely ridiculous with dealing with Covid and like someone said full planes can land and bring in more people in a day that a cruise ship would and still cruises are banned. 

[mc_reeve]

10 hours ago, kitty allen said:

This is Hawaii's last minute change, not Viking's

I think what most are upset about isn’t so much the cancellation as Viking’s stonewalling communication style.  Other cruise lines cancelled Hawaii weeks ago if not months ago - so it was hardly a big secret that Viking was having issues with Hawaii.  So yes - the government of Hawaii is making arbitrary political decisions that have impacted cruisers and cruise lines.  But the communication issues with customers falls on Viking management.  This isn’t a “one-off” situation either - we were treated the same way on a cancelled Asia cruise earlier this year and others have posted similar experiences with Viking - including even their TA not being able to get a straight answer.  Viking’s most loyal customers may overlook this and see it as just a small inconvenience for being able to cruise with their beloved Viking crews - but new customers will not and neither will TA’s who have their own reputations and businesses to think about.  Viking spends millions on advertising then throws it all away with really first-class cr@ppy pre-cruise communications when things get tough.  It’s not a good look and Viking management should be doing something about it.

 

[slewis7]

27 minutes ago, mc_reeve said:

I think what most are upset about isn’t so much the cancellation as Viking’s stonewalling communication style. 

 

In general, I agree with you, but we don’t know what was happening behind the scenes.  Perhaps the negotiations with Viking went on longer then with other lines because of Viking’s onboard daily testing regimen.  
 

In the end, Viking has offered us an alternative itinerary with fairly generous additional onboard credit and an option for a cash refund.  I know this may not be satisfactory for everyone that was booked, but I am OK with it.  Hopefully, everyone that ends up onboard the altered cruises will have a great time and in my experience the Viking crew always work hard to make it so.

[lackcreativity]

2 hours ago, mc_reeve said:

 This isn’t a “one-off” situation either - we were treated the same way on a cancelled Asia cruise earlier this year and others have posted similar experiences with Viking - including even their TA not being able to get a straight answer.  Viking’s most loyal customers may overlook this and see it as just a small inconvenience for being able to cruise with their beloved Viking crews - but new customers will not and neither will TA’s who have their own reputations and businesses to think about.  

 

It is true that Viking tends to not publicly comment on a rapidly changing situation until they have a solution in place. I can understand that could be frustrating to the people involved. 

 

It is also true that most Viking customers are very brand loyal. I am not certain if you are being somewhat mocking in your comments about that. There is a reason for that loyalty, and it is based on a high level of satisfaction with the product. 

[HHI Cruiser1]

Viking works with local ports until a final decision is reach - good or bad.  Recent examples include Malta and Iceland.  Especially Malta - Viking was first cruise ship admitted due to their persistence.  As actual Hawaiian's have posted, Hawaii Gov't waffled and are allowing double standards with plane loads entering hourly.

[anaco_angler]

1 hour ago, prunderw said:

Viking works with local ports until a final decision is reach - good or bad.  Recent examples include Malta and Iceland.  Especially Malta - Viking was first cruise ship admitted due to their persistence.  As actual Hawaiian's have posted, Hawaii Gov't waffled and are allowing double standards with plane loads entering hourly.

And I would guess that the same situation is happening with regard to the Northern Lights cruises scheduled to begin Jan 12. 2022. Norway is still not allowing US or Canadian visitors and I am sure Viking is working with Norwegian health officials to see if there might be a change in that restriction which would allow the cruises to proceed. But for those of us waiting to hear, the uncertainty is a bit stressful. 

[mc_reeve]

5 hours ago, lackcreativity said:

It is also true that most Viking customers are very brand loyal. I am not certain if you are being somewhat mocking in your comments about that. There is a reason for that loyalty, and it is based on a high level of satisfaction with the product. 

Not mocking at all (sorry if you felt that way) - and I agree that the cancellation was not Viking's fault.  We don't like Viking's communication policies but obviously that doesn't bother some people - so we will do something about it in the future.  We are going on the Mexican Sojourn cruise and expect to have a good time.  What we won't do in the future is go through what we have with Viking this year booking two cruises - which would be our first with Viking.  We can be loyal customers - but only when that loyalty is returned with customer service, including communicating with us (and telling us the truth) when there are problems with the goods or services we have purchased.  I expect that after we complete the two Viking cruises we have booked we will move on - the poor communication (and outright misleading communication) feels like a lack of respect for customers.  Planning a vacation is supposed to be fun, and the added stress of working with Viking pre-cruise isn't worth it to us.  Obviously others don't feel that way which is fine.  

 

[duquephart]

9 minutes ago, mc_reeve said:

Not mocking at all (sorry if you felt that way) - and I agree that the cancellation was not Viking's fault.  We don't like Viking's communication policies but obviously that doesn't bother some people - so we will do something about it in the future.  We are going on the Mexican Sojourn cruise and expect to have a good time.  What we won't do in the future is go through what we have with Viking this year booking two cruises - which would be our first with Viking.  We can be loyal customers - but only when that loyalty is returned with customer service, including communicating with us (and telling us the truth) when there are problems with the goods or services we have purchased.  I expect that after we complete the two Viking cruises we have booked we will move on - the poor communication (and outright misleading communication) feels like a lack of respect for customers.  Planning a vacation is supposed to be fun, and the added stress of working with Viking pre-cruise isn't worth it to us.  Obviously others don't feel that way which is fine.  

 

 

It's the old "now that we have your money" game.

[HHI Cruiser1]

1 hour ago, mc_reeve said:

Not mocking at all (sorry if you felt that way) - and I agree that the cancellation was not Viking's fault.  We don't like Viking's communication policies but obviously that doesn't bother some people - so we will do something about it in the future.  We are going on the Mexican Sojourn cruise and expect to have a good time.  What we won't do in the future is go through what we have with Viking this year booking two cruises - which would be our first with Viking.  We can be loyal customers - but only when that loyalty is returned with customer service, including communicating with us (and telling us the truth) when there are problems with the goods or services we have purchased.  I expect that after we complete the two Viking cruises we have booked we will move on - the poor communication (and outright misleading communication) feels like a lack of respect for customers.  Planning a vacation is supposed to be fun, and the added stress of working with Viking pre-cruise isn't worth it to us.  Obviously others don't feel that way which is fine.  

 

I agree that communication could be better and currently is getting better.  I have several cruises with Viking and NCL on the books.  NCL has not communicated anything about known port closures for Athens, Dubai, and Africa cruises (see other roll calls for details).  Likewise, Carnival recently cancelled their Hawaiian cruises after much debate and missed communications.  Bottomline - timely communication is only apparent after it's been missed and no cruise line wants to give up revenue until it's final.  When you find a cruise line with better communication and overall experience, please let us know, we would appreciate it.

[mc_reeve]

2 hours ago, prunderw said:

I agree that communication could be better and currently is getting better.  I have several cruises with Viking and NCL on the books.  NCL has not communicated anything about known port closures for Athens, Dubai, and Africa cruises (see other roll calls for details).  Likewise, Carnival recently cancelled their Hawaiian cruises after much debate and missed communications.  Bottomline - timely communication is only apparent after it's been missed and no cruise line wants to give up revenue until it's final.  When you find a cruise line with better communication and overall experience, please let us know, we would appreciate it.

We could start one between your place and mine through Port Royal Sound and the Morgan River!!

[Azulann]

Cruising in the  time of COVID is not for the faint of heart. 

Sorry ,the Hawaiian cruises have been cancelled. I know I would be very disappointed. But each will decide to go on the alternative cruise or get your refund. 

If you look at the other cruise lines forum on CC,, they all have  issues due to  countries or states decided to change the protocal for entering   their ports. 

My friends are leaving tomorrow for Australia to see their children after two years of being  you want to go. under COVID restriction . 

 Travel is  not easy these days no matter where you want to go. 

 Hope you all can now move forward and cruise or not for the coming months. 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2021 by Azulann

[kjbacon]

I have to be fair after being very critical up to this point and give my thanks to viking for allowing cash refunds without resistance. Best to those of you staying with the cruise.