Viking Ocean Customer Servive Frustration

We heard so many good things about Viking River Cruises and our friends have done the ocean cruise. They loved it so we decided to try our first Viking Ocean cruise. We are doing B2B cruises in March 2018 starting in Athens (Empires of the Mediterranean) and continuing from Venice (Italian Sojourn) and ending in Rome. This will be our tenth cruise so we are not new to cruising. I like to plan/review (not book), well in advance, all the shore excursions that are available for each port. If a particular excursion is not available or of interest to us we hire a private guide. However, I'm learning early review/planning is not possible on Viking since the excursions are not showing up in "My Trip". I understand that excursion booking in advance is based on the cabin category you are in. For us it's 77 days prior to sailing. I contacted Viking CS to inquire about the excursions and was told they would be available for review 150 days prior to sailing. The 150 days prior came and still no excursions on the website. Contacted Viking CS again and was told it would be 120 days prior. The 120 date arrived and still no excursions available to review. Called Viking again and was told there was a "glitch" in the system and it would be fixed in 3 days. Apparently the glitch wasn't corrected as there are still no excursions listed. I then contacted my TA and she was told by a Viking supervisor they are loading excursions 110-100 days prior to sailing and they are working to solidify their process. I'm now inside my the 110-100 day window and still nothing. Hopefully, Dec 18 (day 100) all will be well. It is extremely frustrating to consistently get bad information from the agents representing Viking. Has anyone had similar experiences?

We sail March 20, 2018. We are 99 days out and no excursions posted.....

We heard so many good things about Viking River Cruises and our friends have done the ocean cruise. They loved it so we decided to try our first Viking Ocean cruise. We are doing B2B cruises in March 2018 starting in Athens (Empires of the Mediterranean) and continuing from Venice (Italian Sojourn) and ending in Rome. This will be our tenth cruise so we are not new to cruising. I like to plan/review (not book), well in advance, all the shore excursions that are available for each port. If a particular excursion is not available or of interest to us we hire a private guide. However, I'm learning early review/planning is not possible on Viking since the excursions are not showing up in "My Trip". I understand that excursion booking in advance is based on the cabin category you are in. For us it's 77 days prior to sailing. I contacted Viking CS to inquire about the excursions and was told they would be available for review 150 days prior to sailing. The 150 days prior came and still no excursions on the website. Contacted Viking CS again and was told it would be 120 days prior. The 120 date arrived and still no excursions available to review. Called Viking again and was told there was a "glitch" in the system and it would be fixed in 3 days. Apparently the glitch wasn't corrected as there are still no excursions listed. I then contacted my TA and she was told by a Viking supervisor they are loading excursions 110-100 days prior to sailing and they are working to solidify their process. I'm now inside my the 110-100 day window and still nothing. Hopefully, Dec 18 (day 100) all will be well. It is extremely frustrating to consistently get bad information from the agents representing Viking. Has anyone had similar experiences?

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

You can view shore excursion on the Viking web page for each of your sailings. They have done these two sailings before. You can get a feel for what type of included and optional tours have been available in the past. I did this for my March 2018 cruise. We have one port that will be a first time for Viking, so I will have to wait till they appear on MVJ page.

I fiigure out what I want to see in each port of call within the time frame given for each port.

Do go to your roll call for your sailings and see what others on cruise will be doing, and sign up for the Meet and Mingle.

As a veteran ocean cruiser, you know type of excursions you like: ship, roll call organized or private driver for two.

I will be doing every included excursion except at Cadiz. I want to do an optional tour to Seville. I know they will offer this from looking a the Viking Web site and seeing what excursions were offered in the past for Cadiz.

Also , Viking reviews by past cruisers are a good source of information about excursions.

I would share your comments and dissatisfaction directly with Viking at TellUs@vikingcruises.com, especially since the final offering of shorex is general available for all to see by the time booking open for the Suite passengers at 97 days out.

In the meantime, for planning purposes, it is possible to see what shore excursions may be on offer in each port on the Viking website. If you haven't already found this information, go to your chosen itinerary and scroll down the page to the section called Day by Day. Click on Day 1 which will open a new page. At the top of the page, where is says Day 1, you will see navigation arrow that will allow you to move from day to day without having to go back to the overview page each time. There are no tours on Day 1, so navigate to Day 2. Scroll down the page now to see what tours may be offered. The Included Tour is usually marked as such; the other tours are optional tours available for a fee.

I would share your comments and dissatisfaction directly with Viking at TellUs@vikingcruises.com, especially since the final offering of shorex is general available for all to see by the time booking open for the Suite passengers at 97 days out.

 

In the meantime, for planning purposes, it is possible to see what shore excursions may be on offer in each port on the Viking website. If you haven't already found this information, go to your chosen itinerary and scroll down the page to the section called Day by Day. Click on Day 1 which will open a new page. At the top of the page, where is says Day 1, you will see navigation arrow that will allow you to move from day to day without having to go back to the overview page each time. There are no tours on Day 1, so navigate to Day 2. Scroll down the page now to see what tours may be offered. The Included Tour is usually marked as such; the other tours are optional tours available for a fee.

I am on the March 29th Empire of the Mediterranean cruise out of Athens, and want to know the pricing of an excursion to Delphi, but Viking lists the excursions but no pricing. I would consider a private tour, we are 4traveling, if I knew what the cruise line was charging. Anyone know,the cost?

Canx

This is an update to my Dec 9 post re: Customer Service. I received a couple emails in response to me contacting Viking as was suggested. The CS response essentially reiterated what I wrote to Viking saying excursions would be available for viewing 110-100 days prior. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the answer. I received another email and was then told my concerns were being transferred to a "Seasoned Customer Relations Agent". I then received a phone call from the agent and he assured me all the shore excursions for my cruise were being loaded and they were holding to the Dec 18, 100 days prior time line. Sunday, the very next day, less than 24 hours from the first CS agent call, I get another CS call. She now tells me the excursions will be up and ready for viewing Dec, 28. (90 days prior). AMAZING! I'm not holding my breath waiting for Dec 28.

This is an update to my Dec 9 post re: Customer Service. I received a couple emails in response to me contacting Viking as was suggested. The CS response essentially reiterated what I wrote to Viking saying excursions would be available for viewing 110-100 days prior. I expressed my dissatisfaction with the answer. I received another email and was then told my concerns were being transferred to a "Seasoned Customer Relations Agent". I then received a phone call from the agent and he assured me all the shore excursions for my cruise were being loaded and they were holding to the Dec 18, 100 days prior time line. Sunday, the very next day, less than 24 hours from the first CS agent call, I get another CS call. She now tells me the excursions will be up and ready for viewing Dec, 28. (90 days prior). AMAZING! I'm not holding my breath waiting for Dec 28.

Looks like we are on the same cruise.. I’ve also been waiting for the excursions to be listed. May want to do a private tour but don’t know what Viking is offering, as people have stated that excursions may be added. Thanks for the Info.

Viking finally posted excursions on Dec 18 vs. the Dec 28 date I was told by CS. I love it when a plan comes together:)

Our excursions were posted on MVJ with the prices 99 days out. We cannot book these until 67 days out. We are sailing March 27 on Viking Sea !

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Looks like we are on the same cruise.. I’ve also been waiting for the excursions to be listed. May want to do a private tour but don’t know what Viking is offering, as people have stated that excursions may be added. Thanks for the Info.

Well , we got our excursions for the Viking World Cruise on July 8th . We had to pick excursions for 141 days and many people had less time . Not sure what your complaint is ? You will have plenty of time to get your excursions in , if they are showing that they are sold out , wait until you get aboard and they will solve any issues ! I have never been on a ship so eager to solve any issues that you may have . Slow down and enjoy everything Viking has to offer !

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We received an email from Viking last Thursday (Dec 21), informing us of changes to our itinerary, replacing the ports in Tunisia and Algeria.

In 2014, we booked the Grand Mediterranean Tour which sailed on February 20,2016. The ONLY reason we booked that cruise was that ports in Algeria and Tunisia were on the itinerary. However, we were very unhappy when Viking cancelled the ports in Tunisia & Algeria on that cruise and replaced those with Naples & Mallorca.

Therefore, when we booked our upcoming Viking cruise (sailing on Jan 11. 2018) MajesticMediterranean on September 5, 2017, the ONLY reason we selected to REPEAT this cruise is that Algeria & Tunisia were on the itinerary again. We were very angry to receive a notice from Viking to learn that they once again cancelled the ports in Algeria & Tunisia on the itinerary three weeks before our sailing date of January 11, 2018, and once again replaced those ports with Naples & Mallorca, after receiving our final documents with the ports of Tunisia & Algeria.

We researched the State Department’s website (travel.state.gov) and found that the last warning for Tunisia was issued on May 2, 2017 and Algeria on June 21,2017. If Viking was planning on cancelling these itineraries they should have done so sooner. We feel that Viking should let their cruise passengers know onboard the risks involved at these ports, and let their passengers decide if they wish to disembark at the ports of Tunisia and Algeria, not cancel this itinerary three weeks before sailing. When we cruised on the first sailing … many of the passengers told us that the only reason they also booked that sailing was the destination ports in Algeria & Tunisia.

We feel that we should be able to cancel this cruise penalty-free, or receive fair compensation to resolve this travesty. We now feel that Viking is only using these destinations to get bookings, and then drops them on their itinerary when it’s too late for passengers to cancel.

PS We heard back from our travel agent today (Dec 29), and Viking is unwilling to offer any compensation for cancelling these ports. This will probably be the last time we sail with Viking. We will be sure NOT to recommend Viking to anyone in the future.

Ok, these places are not the safest in the world and you should expect that they would be cancelled. Our stop in Argentina was also taken off the itinerary and st. Kitts was the replacement. I wasn’t thrilled with the change but knowing that they put our safety first means more to me then compensation. Enjoy the wonderful trip that you are about ready to venture to. See places that you didn’t see before. Safe travels

We received an email from Viking last Thursday (Dec 21), informing us of changes to our itinerary, replacing the ports in Tunisia and Algeria.

 

 

 

In 2014, we booked the Grand Mediterranean Tour which sailed on February 20,2016. The ONLY reason we booked that cruise was that ports in Algeria and Tunisia were on the itinerary. However, we were very unhappy when Viking cancelled the ports in Tunisia & Algeria on that cruise and replaced those with Naples & Mallorca.

 

 

 

Therefore, when we booked our upcoming Viking cruise (sailing on Jan 11. 2018) MajesticMediterranean on September 5, 2017, the ONLY reason we selected to REPEAT this cruise is that Algeria & Tunisia were on the itinerary again. We were very angry to receive a notice from Viking to learn that they once again cancelled the ports in Algeria & Tunisia on the itinerary three weeks before our sailing date of January 11, 2018, and once again replaced those ports with Naples & Mallorca, after receiving our final documents with the ports of Tunisia & Algeria.

 

 

 

We researched the State Department’s website (travel.state.gov) and found that the last warning for Tunisia was issued on May 2, 2017 and Algeria on June 21,2017. If Viking was planning on cancelling these itineraries they should have done so sooner. We feel that Viking should let their cruise passengers know onboard the risks involved at these ports, and let their passengers decide if they wish to disembark at the ports of Tunisia and Algeria, not cancel this itinerary three weeks before sailing. When we cruised on the first sailing … many of the passengers told us that the only reason they also booked that sailing was the destination ports in Algeria & Tunisia.

 

 

 

We feel that we should be able to cancel this cruise penalty-free, or receive fair compensation to resolve this travesty. We now feel that Viking is only using these destinations to get bookings, and then drops them on their itinerary when it’s too late for passengers to cancel.

 

 

 

PS We heard back from our travel agent today (Dec 29), and Viking is unwilling to offer any compensation for cancelling these ports. This will probably be the last time we sail with Viking. We will be sure NOT to recommend Viking to anyone in the future.

Really, your travel agent ( everyone should have an agent they can trust ) should have warned you of the travel restrictions or warnings prior to you booking this cruise for the second time. If you just pick up the phone and call a sales desk without doing your research, then it’s on you. Viking did offer a different ports . I feel for you , but Viking is not going to put their ship or crew and passengers into a situation that is questionable and dangerous.

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or read newspapers? Sadly the world is not just one big holiday destination!

Sailing4me.....itineraries change all the time. Sometimes weather, and sometimes for legitimate safety concerns. I would call these changes legitimate safety concerns.

You are entering this same exact post on multiple threads, and as others have responded, your argument does not even remotely make sense in believing that the Passengers should be in charge of the decision rather than the Captain and the Cruiseline.

Sorry. I get being disappointed......I have had itineraries altered for various reasons, but his one is what I would call being safe and smart on Viking’s part.