RZW'sYaYA

Carolyn,

I called VRC on Friday September 4. I tried to wait for them to contact us and let us know if the trip was a go or not but I was too nervous since we were leaving for the airport on Sunday and flying on Monday. I called them at 1 p.m. PST and spoke to a very nice young lady who told me that the person who is in contact with the river experts is away from her desk and the she herself had not seen anything saying that the trip was to be canceled. She told me that she would call me back before she left at 5 p.m. I said thank you and told my husband that I would wait until 4:30 and no later. About an hour later (2ish) she called and told me that the cruise would be operated as a motor coach trip and that I could cancel with a full refund. At which time I said yes, cancel us please. I am told I will get a full refund in about 10 business days.

I hope those who choice to go have a wonderful time...me...I've done enough bus tours in my life...

Thank you Gone2C for your report of Day 2. We will find out on Friday what our options are so your reports help us mentally get ready. Take care and enjoy your non-cruise...

O! Please let me/us know what things you enjoyed seeing and what items you came across that are worthy of souvenir purchases... : )

Thanks for again for your reports!!!

Yes JVilleGal,

I removed my name and the agent's name but everything else is all them...

Our "sailing" is on the 11th but we fly out on the 7th arriving in Prague on the 8th. And due to where we live we will be heading to a hotel on the 6th because we don't live close. We hope to hear on the 4th...we will see...

Carolyn,

My husband and I both separately called VRC today (Monday August 31). He asked them to follow up his conversation with an email stated what they had explained on the phone. Below is that email.

Dear Mr. _________:

This email is in follow-up to our conversation earlier today.

As I advised, unfortunately we are still awaiting updates as to the possibility of itinerary changes for this particular sailing. As such, I am unable to confirm what options will be available. The extent of changes to an itinerary will dictate the options that are made available.

During past sailings of this same itinerary, when we communicated that sailing was highly unlikely and motor coaching would be involved, we did in fact provide our passengers with the opportunity to cancel for a full refund.

As soon as we receive any further information regarding your sailing, we will be in touch via email to communicate updates. I would suggest closely monitoring your email for our possible correspondence.

Have a lovely evening.

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises I Customer Relations Agent I (t) 877.668.4546, ext. 8191 I (f) 818.594.8463

Bottom line for us we will know about 2-3 days prior to flying out since we will going in early to Prague.

Hi Gone2C!

So your ship is not going to sail at all???Well..Thanks for your update! Keep them coming if you can!

Wish we were on the new ships... : / Probably would help with the lack of sailing...Hope your trip is a good one...

Thanks again for the post!

Jeff from Torrance,

I am glad to hear VRC is treating you well...

Below is what I saw on VRC Alerts website. Is this what is going on with your trip??? Please keep us up to date of what your are experiencing...thanks again Jeff and good luck!

September 3rd Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Fontane – This cruise will have an itinerary adjusted to the low water conditions. Following the hotel stay in Berlin, guests will transfer to Wittenberg to embark Viking Fontane. Mid-way through the cruise, guests will transfer to Dresden to embark identical sister ship Viking Schumann for the remainder of the itinerary. The ships are not expected to sail but all included excursions will operate by motorcoach from the ships. Details will be communicated to you by the Program Director on board.

•September 3rd Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Schumann – This cruise will have an itinerary adjusted to the low water conditions. Following the hotel stay in Prague, guests will transfer to Dresden to embark Viking Schumann. Mid-way through the cruise, guests will transfer to Wittenberg to embark identical sister ship Viking Fontane for the remainder of the itinerary. The ships are not expected to sail but all included excursions will operate by motorcoach from the ships. Details will be communicated to you by the Program Director on board.

SteamBoats,

Thanks again! for keeping us up to date on the water levels of the Elbe!

Hi JVilleGal,

I can't seem to read your post from FB??? Could you tell me what they say...sorry!

YaYa

SteamBoats,

Thank you for keeping us up to date on the weather! It seems one day I'm packing for a heat wave the next for rain...Please keep up the post! I won't close and zip up my luggage until the morning of the 7th!

YaYa

Thank you SteamBoats for the Link!

And if there's too much water that's not good either! Catch 22...

LOL...isn't that the truth...O well...I'm not saying anything that isn't true! Plus, I have contact them...I got the same line as the one posted...very frustrating!

Thank you Steamboats for the update on the river levels...so sad!

Please keep us posts...very concerned not just for our trip but for drought problems too!

YaYa from Northern California

Hi NotAMermaid,

Thank you for the update on the water levels...It doesn't look good...We here in California are suffering major drought...5 years running now. We tend to forget other countries may be experiencing the same thing.

Again thank you,

YaYa from California

Jeff from Torrance,

Thank you for the information! I wish you much luck on your trip! I truly hope you can experience a RIVER cruise and NOT a floating in place hotel and bus tour.

My husband and I are not impressed with the VRC token “gesture of goodwill”. Goodwill would be to allow the customer to either cancel the trip (WITHOUT penalties) or move the funds to another. We have been on (too) many bus tours and don’t want to another, this was the main reason we thought we would try a river cruise…but we are afraid it’s going to turn out to be another bus tour! UGH!

If you could post to your travel experiences for us who are following you on this adventure. I know my husband and I would be grateful as well I am sure others.

We were so looking forward to the river cruise experience…now not so much…and I am afraid all of this has turned is off to the experience and may never try another. So, again please let us know how it goes for you.

We will be sailing (?) on the Fontane September 11 but arriving in Prague on the 8th.

Again…Thank you!

YaYa

From Northern California

DGHand,

Have you heard anything regarding your sailing??? I have been checking the link provided by Jeff in Torrance (see above) but I can not access our own trip via VRC. Can you???

Thanks for any info you can provide...

YaYa

I understand your point about the weather and having a crystal ball but at least be upfront with your 'guests' and allow them to make informed decisions.

 

Something doesn't pass the smell test.

I agree with you GentlemanCruiser...yes...no one has a crystal ball regarding the weather. But they do have a weather forecast and it is not going to rain enough to fill the river enough to float the ships through out the cruise. They should allow the passengers to make an informed decision based on what VRC know at the time and then give the passengers the opportunity to change or cancel the trip without penalties'. Many of us have traveled before and we booked a river cruise not a bus tour. :mad:

I have been watch the Alerts on VRC and they are canceling the cruises with a window of less the week. That is wrong. The weather shows no sign of significant rain in the next 30 days so why o why wait until 7 days out???

I love the last link you provided...didn't understand a word she said but I didn't need to! It reminds me of the ALL the lakes and rivers in my state of California...Thanks for sharing!

Oh and this is the response I got from VRC when I sent their customer relations department an email asking them when we will get notice of our for sure cancelation. Thought I might share...

Hello,

This is acknowledgement that we are in receipt of your email.

We are experiencing a large influx of emails and phone calls; therefore, we kindly ask for your patience while we try to work with each of you.

If you do not hear from us within ten business days, please call us at 1-877-668-4546, extension 4525, Monday through Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., PDT.

Kind regards,

Customer Relations I Viking Cruises I (t) 877.668.4546, ext. 4525 I (f) 818.594.8463 I customerrelations@vikingcruises.comI vikingcruises.com

I must agree with you JVilleGal....NEVER again!

Again...really...people would rather do a BUS tour then a River cruise...I can believe this!?! They just don't want to loose the money. Instead they are going to loose customers! LIKE ME! I've done the Bus tour thing! That is why I booked a RIVER cruise!

UGH!

Hello GentlemanCruiser,

Thank you for your post...Question, when you say your family was notified only 24 hours prior to the "sailing", VRC did not give them the option to go or cancel with a full refund, since it was going to be a BUS tour not a River cruise??? If this is true I am very disappointed in a company that manages things this way. Very poor customer service I must say!

We sail on the Fontane September 10. I saw that they did cancel a few of the Fontane's sailings already but you would think they know that they are going to continue so why not cancel and refund the customer's funds to promote better relations then to hold on to their money and give them bus tours instead of a river cruise.

Again thank you for your information!

I used your link several times now, thank you. When were to sail? Did they cancel your sailing or have not heard anything from them yet?

I still can not access my trip via VRC website. I sent them an email and they said they are experiencing a large volume of email so if I don't hear back in 10 days to write again. We sail on September 10.

Thanks for your help!

We are to be on the Fontane September 10 sailing. I would think by now VRC knows they are going to cancel our sailing...so why don't they just let us know and give our money back?

I can see Alerts through the link provide by Jeff (see above) but I can not even access my trip via VRC webpage...wierd!

Trying to find out more information on what VRCs is doing regarding cruising on the Elbe. I hear the water is so low that the are using buses...

If anyone has any information...please post so I and others may know!

Thank you!