Viking - Be warned of Poor Customer Service

[antipodean99]

.

 

it would be like giving consent and paying for elective surgery, but being told an hour before, the surgeon will now be his student, the hospital will now be the 3rd rate one somewhere, not sure yet we will tell you later.

plus the procedure will now be not the 1 you signed for but 1 of our choosing, but do not worry compo will follow, maybe.

 

 

not quite.

if the doctor gave you a contract before you signed up for this operation and DID specify, that he may do all these things and you did agree to go ahead with the operation knowing well, that in the course of the year the doctor will be replaced by a student etc etc then you have no leg to stand on.

everyone here who's arguing for refunds, compensations and the like forgets, that the cruise line has all its conditions listed in the brochure.

yes, it is a very small print but legally they are covered.

unlike most other travel river cruising by its very nature is 100% dependent on weather.

[pully8]

it needs to be said that any terms and conditions can be tested but of course usually these things get sorted, out of court.

 

most reasonable people would be appalled and saddened by the treatment dished out to some of the passengers. it is well below expectations.

 

many would have refused to put up with it. consumers do have rights and that is important. buyer beware.

[Coastalrap]

I've been reading all these posts on various threads all about the same problems encountered with Viking. I wasn't there but unlike some who also weren't there I believe the accounts of those who felt aggrieved. Many posters seemed to get away from the initial reason for the complaints and offered advice like "make lemonade out of your lemons" or take the 75% it's a great deal without seemly understanding the root of the problem.

 

It appeared to me that Viking, who took the money from their customers 12 months in advance, either don't have access to the same data that many here on CC do (weather reports, access to news stories about flooding, lock closures etc). For a reason never explained in any of the tens and tens of postings by Viking they decided that the information that they had showed cruising the rivers was fine - the complete opposite of what we were all reading or seeing on our TV's. How can allowing customers to board a boat that was never going to go anywhere be the informed and correct decision?

 

As someone who lives on the other side of the world with around a 30+hr flight time to Europe I would consider the offer of a 75% voucher, to be taken in a specified time, to be an insult but as a significant number of past clients are unlikely to take up the offer for whatever personal reason I don't see how this offer will effect Viking's bottom line in any substantial way. As I said earlier they have had the money for 12 months in their bank earning interest or paying for something else in their organisation so giving substantial amounts of cash back to their clients was always unlikely to happen. Full cash refunds plus vouchers for future cruises were offered by other river cruise companies when they correctly assessed the situation and cancelled cruises.

 

I recognise that there were some who didn't think Viking did anything wrong and others who were happy with the style and amount of compensation offered and I applaud your calm nature. BUT if you take the time to ask before your cruise about the conditions that you can read about online and are told "everything's fine", get there and find that your cruise has turned into a bus trip then I can understand why there was so much written with so much feeling about Vikings recent efforts.

 

 

+1

I agree that cruise lines can not control the weather conditions. But they can control what they do about it. Intentionally deceiving passengers, putting them in unsafe conditions and then negotiating individual compensation deals doesn’t make my list of a company I would want to do business with.

[CruisinGert]

Thank you, Fran & Cary, I'm ever hopeful that I'll have a marvelous time in Burma! I've travelled a fair amount in that part of the world, but never Burma, so I'm pretty excited. And Remydiva, I believe you & I are of the same mind ... it all happens for a reason.

 

I hope that all of us who were so poorly treated & deceived find a way to satisfaction. Yes, some companies provided full refunds AND cruise vouchers. I could see that Viking was not about to go there, & I didn't want to agonize over it any longer.

 

I had 2 fine cruises w/ Viking in the past & knew I could find a future cruise I would also enjoy. Yes, I'm still out money. It was the most expensive trip to Amsterdam I'll ever have, that's for sure. I never would have intentionally done that. BUT, I had a marvelous time in Amsterdam. And I am indeed very fortunate to be retired & in a place where I can afford to lose that money without undo suffering.

 

I think it was Marc_T who talked about not knowing how much others have suffered, & I couldn't agree more. I have no doubt that many others lost far more than I ... & I feel they are entitled to increased compensation. That is for them to decide & work w/ Viking to reach an agreement. I truly hope all are able to do that. Once you feel satisfied, you can move on.

 

I hope Viking makes vast changes in their customer service area. I think they have been surprised by the grievances & anger that their customers have expressed. I think they sincerely hoped that passengers would be satisfied w/ buses & I find it ironic that in doing so, they undervalued their own product. I hope they won't make that mistake again. I would much rather be told the full truth & given options, from the very start. I don't want facts left out or sugar coated.

 

I think Viking lost WAY more money than they anticipated. All passengers on my 15 day cruise were offered a 75% credit, whether they completed the bus tour or not. I haven't heard that other companies did this. Tauck offered full refunds for those deciding to leave. As far as I know, they offered nothing to those who opted to stay. This I'm not sure of.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

[

"I think Viking lost WAY more money than they anticipated. All passengers on my 15 day cruise were offered a 75% credit, whether they completed the bus tour or not. I haven't heard that other companies did this. Tauck offered full refunds for those deciding to leave. As far as I know, they offered nothing to those who opted to stay. This I'm not sure of."

 

Tauck cancelled these cuises

• June 21 – The Black Sea to Budapest
  
• June 14 – Budapest to the Black Sea
  
• June 6 – The Blue Danube
  
• June 2 – Grand European Cruise
  
• June 2 – Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat
  
• May 30 – The Blue Danube
  

and offered full refunds to all their passengers, even those who had already started their trips. For trips sailing with an altered itinerary, Tauck offered their clients a choice of sailing the altered itinerary, or a full refund. No faux 75% credit. That's class. :D:D

[commodoredave]

[

"I think Viking lost WAY more money than they anticipated. All passengers on my 15 day cruise were offered a 75% credit, whether they completed the bus tour or not. I haven't heard that other companies did this. Tauck offered full refunds for those deciding to leave. As far as I know, they offered nothing to those who opted to stay. This I'm not sure of."

 

 

Tauck cancelled these cuises

• June 21 – The Black Sea to Budapest
  
• June 14 – Budapest to the Black Sea
  
• June 6 – The Blue Danube
  
• June 2 – Grand European Cruise
  
• June 2 – Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat
  
• May 30 – The Blue Danube
  

and offered full refunds to all their passengers, even those who had already started their trips. For trips sailing with an altered itinerary, Tauck offered their clients a choice of sailing the altered itinerary, or a full refund. No faux 75% credit. That's class. :D:D

 

Now that sounds like a cruise company with the right attitude and service. I will definitely consider sailing with Tauck before Viking.

[NCCatbert]

There is a difference between fair treatment and stellar treatment of customers (in this case passengers). While the boilerplate disclaimers that are published outlines policies, including what refunds are offered, great customer service, designed to ensure many happy returns, dictate going over and above what is legally required. Viking knowingly flew passengers into a situation where completion of the cruise was increasingly improbable.

 

Viking prides itself as a operator with a great record of returning passengers, and I'd bet they have that great record. All that good will can be lost with very few instances of situation such as the one discussed here. If they want to fill up all those big new ugly boats they have just launched, they had better retain their good reputation and returning customers. Sorry about the crack about the new boats, but they are...........inelegant at best.

 

I'm a multi-cruise Viking customer booked for an Oct. sailing, so I have some "skin in the game."

[Mark_T]

 

Tauck cancelled these cuises

• June 21 – The Black Sea to Budapest
  
• June 14 – Budapest to the Black Sea
  
• June 6 – The Blue Danube
  
• June 2 – Grand European Cruise
  
• June 2 – Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat
  
• May 30 – The Blue Danube

 

 

... and Viking cancelled these:

 

 

• June 2nd Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Prestige
  
• June 8th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Schumann
  
• June 8th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Fontane
  
• June 8th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Njord
  
• June 8th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Idun
  
• June 9th Grand European Tour (Budapest to Amsterdam) aboard Viking Tor
  
• June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremburg) aboard Viking Prestige
  
• June 9th Danube Waltz (Passau to Budapest) aboard Viking Legend
  
• June 9th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard MS Vienna
  
• June 12th Romantic Danube (Nuremberg to Budapest) aboard Viking Odin
  
• June 12th Romantic Danube (Budapest to Nuremberg) aboard Viking Freya
  
• June 15th Elegant Elbe (Berlin to Prague) aboard Viking Fontane
  
• June 15th Elegant Elbe (Prague to Berlin) aboard Viking Schumann
  

This isn't about who cancelled the most cruises, if it was Viking wins hands-down.

 

The worst you can accuse viking of is being too optimistic about how soon they could return to service.

 

If they had been right people would be praising them for saving their vacations and not rushing to cancel unnecessarily.

 

Sadly this turned into a 500 year event and they got that part wrong.

 

They offered a settlement to all concerned and doubtless many have accepted that as it has been reported here by those on the affected cruises that not everyone felt as badly about it others clearly do.

 

For those who are still unhappy Viking has reached out and invited then to re-engage and seem to be settling at levels that are in balance with the individual circumstances of those affected.

 

Right now there isn't a lot more to be gained by continuing to demonize the company and in some cases, the staff.

 

They are all human, some undoubtedly made mistakes or exhibited poor judgement and Viking are settling accordingly for that, god forbid I ever get faced with the sort of decisions they had to cope with and if I am I trust I too will do my best, but in doing that I know that whatever I do it will never be the 'right' choice for everyone.

 

So now, if you are still unhappy, re-engage with Viking, they are waiting to hear from you.

 

Posting here will not help with that, nor will waiting for them to come to you, reach out and get this sorted once and for all ...

[remydiva]

For those who are still unhappy Viking has reached out and invited then to re-engage and seem to be settling at levels that are in balance with the individual circumstances of those affected.

 

Right now there isn't a lot more to be gained by continuing to demonize the company and in some cases, the staff.

 

So now, if you are still unhappy, re-engage with Viking, they are waiting to hear from you.

Posting here will not help with that, nor will waiting for them to come to you, reach out and get this sorted once and for all ...

 

Cases in point...the three CCers named here by Viking in one of their recent posts have not reposted here to let us know IF they re contacted Viking and if so, what happened.

 

Viking does not know who you three are so it is up to you to contact them ...hope you do as truly you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

( having said that Viking figured out who i was from one of my posts probably because i was the only passenger from BC so when they phd me the first question they asked was " are YOU Remydiva?")

 

Originally Posted by Viking Cruises

Dear engoil, Badgerhunter3, & Bus Rider Hater,

 

Even if you have already done so previously we ask that you contact us directly at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

 

We sincerely hope to hear from you soon.

 

Kindest regards,

Viking Cruises

I hope all three CCers named here do re contact Viking as offered. Please keep us all informed what the outcomes are for you all...I'm guessing Viking is re examing their earlier decisions in light of the sheer numbers and scope of the problems.

[Forseti Cruiser]

My sister and I were unfortunate enough to also be passengers on the Rhine River cruise that was affected by the floods. I explained to two different customer service reps that a voucher for another cruise was unacceptable to us because this trip was on my sister's "Bucket List." She has cancer and this was going to be her last big vacation. I went along just to please my sister and to be able to spend a week one on one with her. Imagine our disappointment when the trip turned out to be a disaster. The last rep I spoke with said to have my sister mail in documentation from her doctor re: her situation. My sister called me today and read the letter she received from her doctor, stating that she has late stage metatastic renal cell carcinoma and her prognosis is terminal. Needless to say, this was very hard to hear, although in our hearts we knew her situation is dire. But it was heartbreaking to hear it and see it in black and white. Viking has made this situation so much more difficult for us by demanding proof of her illness. I think they've handled this situation very poorly from start to finish.:mad:

[Doug6388]

My sister and I were unfortunate enough to also be passengers on the Rhine River cruise that was affected by the floods. I explained to two different customer service reps that a voucher for another cruise was unacceptable to us because this trip was on my sister's "Bucket List." She has cancer and this was going to be her last big vacation. I went along just to please my sister and to be able to spend a week one on one with her. Imagine our disappointment when the trip turned out to be a disaster. The last rep I spoke with said to have my sister mail in documentation from her doctor re: her situation. My sister called me today and read the letter she received from her doctor, stating that she has late stage metatastic renal cell carcinoma and her prognosis is terminal. Needless to say, this was very hard to hear, although in our hearts we knew her situation is dire. But it was heartbreaking to hear it and see it in black and white. Viking has made this situation so much more difficult for us by demanding proof of her illness. I think they've handled this situation very poorly from start to finish.:mad:

 

Having been through something similar, I feel for you and your sister. :(

 

To have Viking actually demand a letter to verify your story is inexcusable. Your painful personal situation has been exposed to the Viking' customer service' department and that feels like an invasion of privacy to me. I'm sure some will say your doctor provided more info than was necessary but no doubt your doctor thought being clear and concise would help you recoup your financial losses.

 

Agreed that this was handled very poorly...I am so sorry for you and your sister to have suffered this indignity at what is already a difficult painful time.

[franski]

Having been through something similar, I feel for you and your sister. :(

 

To have Viking actually demand a letter to verify your story is inexcusable. Your painful personal situation has been exposed to the Viking' customer service' department and that feels like an invasion of privacy to me. I'm sure some will say your doctor provided more info than was necessary but no doubt your doctor thought being clear and concise would help you recoup your financial losses.

 

Agreed that this was handled very poorly...I am so sorry for you and your sister to have suffered this indignity at what is already a difficult painful time.

 

I do feel that the situation is tragic - but actually don't blame Viking for asking for something more concrete than a statement of health over the phone.

 

If you bought trip insurance - and cancelled due to a health crisis - the insurance company would insist on a letter from your attending practitioner. No one would think this is unreasonable.

 

Viking is asking for something in writing, when they are being asked for a monetary refund instead of a voucher. Every one else is getting a voucher - so why is it not acceptable for Viking to ask for something in writing if they are going to change their corporate policy? And - Forseti Cruiser has asked for her money back as well, when she is not the one who is ill. It seems as if Viking may honour that request....and it is very generous if they do.

 

What is tragic to me is that this woman is undergoing treatment, and did not seem to understand the extent of her illness. It is unforgiveable if she learned of the "terminal stage" of her disease through a letter to the cruise line.

 

Fran

Edited July 18, 2013 by franski

[jiminyC_fan]

I'm so sorry about your sister. It's hard when you lose a sister to cancer. I just did. I have to agree that I think Viking had a right to ask for something in writing. I don't see that as a bad business practice. I believe there are some that will make up a story just to receive what they feel is fair compensation. This is not your case, however.

[Mark_T]

It is indeed a sad situation, but I have to agree that Viking had to ask for some sort of documentation.

 

You can blame the people who quite unbelievably will actually lie about this sort of thing to get exceptions from companies.

 

I regret to say that in a previous company I had first-hand experience of the remarkable degree to which people will bend and break the truth just to get even a small monetary advantage.

 

Sad to say it is those people who make it impossible for companies to take things at face-value so sorry that you and your sister had to take the extra step of obtaining the documentation, I can understand how upsetting it must have been.

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Originally Posted by Cary Cruiser

I think if Viking offers a complete 100% replacement cruise that would be the best thing for all involved. If they were my client (based on my 30+ years of marketing experience) that is would I would recommend to them.

 

If you give them a full refund, the company may not get a second chance to make them into a "satisfied Viking customer". If you give a replacement cruise (2 year limit to redeem), I think 99% of them will redeem it and the company gets a second shot to make them happy..

 

I totally agree with your solution!

[cashmeremypuppydog]

So it sounds like Viking is not going to give an across the board compensation to all cruisers. If they were, they would publish the compensation and not pledge customers to secrecy on individual behind the scenes deals. Not only does this instill distrust but it is also a lot more work for their customer service people.

They are sounding more like a used car lot than a luxury cruise provider.

 

Well said!!!

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Why do you think the mega-cruiselines openly published their customer settlements after the recent mishaps (Carnival and Royal Caribbean)? They were completely transparent in their customer settlements, which were equitable for all passengers. Seems completely unfair and arbitrary to be secretive and selective. This implies that some cruisers' unhappiness is more valuable than those who may not be savy enough to speak up. Shame on Viking for discriminating in such a manner. I believe giving credits rather than refunds has little to do with creating customer satisfaction. It is the most cost effective way to settle, keep the ships full and shut people up.

 

I couldn't agree more!

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Originally Posted by CruisingAlong4Now

[

"I think Viking lost WAY more money than they anticipated. All passengers on my 15 day cruise were offered a 75% credit, whether they completed the bus tour or not. I haven't heard that other companies did this. Tauck offered full refunds for those deciding to leave. As far as I know, they offered nothing to those who opted to stay. This I'm not sure of."

 

 

Tauck cancelled these cuises

June 21 – The Black Sea to Budapest

June 14 – Budapest to the Black Sea

June 6 – The Blue Danube

June 2 – Grand European Cruise

June 2 – Amsterdam to Budapest by Riverboat

May 30 – The Blue Danube

and offered full refunds to all their passengers, even those who had already started their trips. For trips sailing with an altered itinerary, Tauck offered their clients a choice of sailing the altered itinerary, or a full refund. No faux 75% credit. That's class.

Now that sounds like a cruise company with the right attitude and service. I will definitely consider sailing with Tauck before Viking.

 

Now that sounds like a cruise company with the right attitude and service. I will definitely consider sailing with Tauck before Viking.

 

Again, I totally with you:)

[Leperello]

Viking Buri River Cruise Saone-Rhone May 25th 2014.

Evaluation

A. Excellent

1. All staff on board. Mainly eastern European. Captain Swiss. All spoke excellent English and nothing was too much trouble.

2. Programme Director Mark Poisson, a Channel Islander. Worked very hard intellectually and physically for us.

3. Tour guides to Beaune (+ wine tasting), Lyon, Vienne, Tain L'Hermitage ( + wine tasting + chocolate tasting at Valrhona's boutique), Viviers, Arles and Avignon, also paid 49 euros per person for Pont du Gard. We love history, architecture and French wine. It was our 3rd visit to the Pont du Gard in 45 years, and apart from the the tourist infrastructure thankfully it has not changed.

B. Good

1. Quantity, quality and variety of food.

2. On board activities, talks about cheese and life in France, musical evening, visit to the Bridge etc.

C. Adequate

Cabin cramped, I am only 5 feet 7 inches (1.7 metres) and my wife 5 feet (1.52 metres) and neither of us is over weight. My head would switch on the room lights if I moved it, unless my feet stuck out below the quilt. The safe was useful but standard in most decent hotels. Internet worked well in the lobby, erratic in the cabins. Bathroom modern, functional and cramped. An average hotel room would have been more comfortable and quite a bit cheaper, and this proved the main function of this cabin.

Poor

1. Balcony which was not cheap.

We spent 3 days and 3 nights moored up in Lyons alongside and level with a noisy, crowded public quay below the main hospital. No privacy or security so we couldn't leave window open.

We spent 2 days and 1 night parked against another ship in Avignon. It was dark, and we thought initially we were in a lock, no privacy, terrible smell of raw sewage. Couldn't use balcony or open window.

2. Sun decks closed for 2 or 3 days because of low bridges, when the weather was sunny with refreshing breeze. Closure probably inevitable on this route. Be aware.

3. Much cruising was replaced by bus trips.

Chalon-sur-Saone to Lyon (whole of Saone Cruise one third of total) was omitted.

1st Sunday. Chalon-sur-Saone to Lyon by bus. 1 hour and 40 minutes including stop to pick up another group.

Monday. Lyon to Beaune 1 hour and 40 minutes each way instead of Chalon-sur-Saone to Beaune 20 minutes each way.This loss of cruising was attributed to high water levels preventing the ship from getting under the Saone Bridges. But many other ships seemed to be functioning normally, and after 55 years travelling as an adult in France, the water levels did not seem unusual at the time of the spring thaw. The adjacent Loire and Allier rivers appeared lower than average for the time of year.

The Saone and Rhone were obviously level at the Confluence.

This was the first season of a new larger ship which was not in active service when we booked. It will probably get under the bridges in late summer and early Autumn when river levels are lower, as well as before the thawing of the Alpine snow.

Friday morning. Avignon to Arles, (40 minutes by bus) instead of Tarascon to Arles (20 minutes by bus). We were given no explanation for this change.

Terrible.

Lack of communication from head office.

We had driven to Chalons sur Saone and stayed the night prior to the cruise at a hotel overlooking the docking site for the ships as indicated by the Viking Web site at the time of our booking. When our final paper work arrived 2 weeks before we left home, it indicated a docking site about 1000 metres from the hotel, across the river, a short taxi ride with baggage, but no problem. The lady owner of the hotel also told us the night before of this new arrangement, caused by the new ship being too large to use the dock in front.

By chance on the Sunday morning we met at breakfast at about 9.30 a.m. an Australian couple staying at the hotel for the same reason as us. They had received an Email on the Friday evening saying that the cruise would start in Lyon. They were given a phone number functioning office hours Monday to Friday.

We received no such Email during or after our travels, but continued to receive advertising EMails. I was in due course able with my French cell phone to contact a +49 (Swiss) phone number and was told that a bus would collect us in less than an hour with our bags about 500 metres away across a busy dual carriageway from the hotel.

We did not have long to check out of the hotel, find somewhere secure to park our car for 8 days and get ourselves and our bags to the rendezvous, and take a sequence of auto route (motorway) bus drives rather than "Enjoy the scenery along the Saone River as you cruise. Enjoy cruising through lovely Burgundy and Beaujolais landscapes, passing lush vineyards, farms and quaint villages" as spelled out in the brochure. We were told on board than Chalon-sur-Saone is a boring industrial town, which is clearly untrue and there was very little to see on the riverside between Chalon and Lyon. Again this is quite untrue and contradicted their brochure.

Conclusions

1. Be careful about reserving and paying for a balcony on this trip unless you like lack of privacy and the smell of raw sewage and looking straight into someone else's cabin.

2. Don't book this trip between mid April and mid June unless you like the risk of long bus trips rather than cruising.

3. Phone the Swiss company number at least every 24 hours 3 or 4 days before embarkation. Viking must have known by the Thursday night that this ship was not going to get under the bridges, yet a number of independent, international travellers were not notified in time.

4. A decent hotel would have been much more comfortable and considerably cheaper (we spent 4 nights out of 7 in 2 unsuitable locations) and the organised coach tours we did much cheaper. These could have been supplemented by boat rides in boats suitable for the rivers and bridges. A great saving and much more enjoyable.

Passengers appeared approximately 48% US, 40% UK, 5% Canadian, 5% Australian, 2% Dutch.

Age 40 to 80, average late 60s. All good English speakers. Upper-middle income and education.

When we returned home we received a letter of apology and an offer of 20% off one of Viking Cruises for 2015. This makes the false assumption that we would wish to repeat the disappointing and sometimes atrociously mismanaged experience, and ignores the fact that many international travellers have made their travel arrangements for 2015. In consequence the offer was derisory.

[remydiva]

Leperello..a well written thorough account of your 'bus/cruise' tour of the region.

 

Welcome to the growing numbers who over the past few years, flocked to Viking perhaps lured by their misleading '2/1 sales', or new bigger, shinier ships (that don't fit under many bridges much of the time) and umpteen sailing dates.

 

You hit the nail on the head about not wasting your money on a 'balcony' as if you are not stuck by a dock, you are piggybacked to another boat.

 

Viking has flooded (pun intended) the River cruise market to the point of saturation (another pun intended). I fear that river cruising has gone from being the wonderful leisurely float down a river enjoying a glass of wine while sitting up top on the sun deck that I enjoyed on my first river cruise in 2001 to the 'unpack once then travel by bus' type of 'river cruise' reports that have appeared more and more here on CC.

 

I note this was your 2nd post on CC....given your extensive travel history, I wonder if this was your first river cruise, first Viking cruise or you just never had a bad experience before thus no need to visit CC. :confused:

 

The problems you encountered and the lousy compensation have been detailed here on CC ad nauseam. Just seems to me that more and more people seek out CC to share, vent, question AFTER the fact...just saying. :eek:

 

in any case, welcome to CC...always a wealth of knowledge from a wide range of travellers. :)

[donaldsc]

My sister and I were unfortunate enough to also be passengers on the Rhine River cruise that was affected by the floods. I explained to two different customer service reps that a voucher for another cruise was unacceptable to us because this trip was on my sister's "Bucket List." She has cancer and this was going to be her last big vacation. I went along just to please my sister and to be able to spend a week one on one with her. Imagine our disappointment when the trip turned out to be a disaster. The last rep I spoke with said to have my sister mail in documentation from her doctor re: her situation. My sister called me today and read the letter she received from her doctor, stating that she has late stage metatastic renal cell carcinoma and her prognosis is terminal. Needless to say, this was very hard to hear, although in our hearts we knew her situation is dire. But it was heartbreaking to hear it and see it in black and white. Viking has made this situation so much more difficult for us by demanding proof of her illness. I think they've handled this situation very poorly from start to finish.:mad:

 

There is obviously nothing that can be said to make your situation better and it is tragic that your sister's last trip was ruined.

 

However, you do need to look at it from Viking's viewpoint. I am sure that you are a good person. However, you must also admit that there are many sleazebags out there who would lie through their teeth of get their money back on a cruise or if they cancelled before the cruise without insurance. This is probably why they want some sort of proof.

 

DON

[wannabedonna]

So glad I never booked with them. I never got further than my first telephone enquiry with them which was appalling. Asked girl for quote with air and with eurostar. She said it would take her at least an hour and that she was in the office on her own and her manager would not be pleased with her. Said goodbye and thought ' well you just lost a potential customer who was about to spend 5k with you! '. It didn't end there though. 2 days later she rang asking to speak to a Mr (I am a Ms) about a quote she did for him (the one she was too busy to do) and was HE ready to book! I pretended to take her number and put the phone down!

[Stratheden]

Just my observation from reading CC - Viking appears to have built larger ships to carry a huge number of passengers without thought of the river logistics. I would be a bit concerned about the amount of debt they are carrying.

 

So far this year they have had problems in Burgundy, on the Danube and now in the South of France.

 

I have never considered Viking - you never hear of them here in Australia - but I do feel sorry for first time cruisers who don't know about CC and have not done their homework.