Viking Sea returning to Barcelona?

[stretchcruz]

Soo...let's break this down since some people didn't answer questions. What I have come up with is that you got a 100% refund for your cruise. You were able to stay onboard with free meals and drinks and free tours for the entire time of your original cruise (however all of the tours are obviously from Barcelona)....the tours are to other cities but Viking is paying for them. You also got an additional 50% discount on an additional Viking cruise...am I close? If I am, I would not be unhappy with this....it would not be what I had planned but I think I could have made the best of it for sure! And I would be HAPPY with what they offered.

[Peregrina651]

Soo...let's break this down since some people didn't answer questions. What I have come up with is that you got a 100% refund for your cruise. You were able to stay onboard with free meals and drinks and free tours for the entire time of your original cruise (however all of the tours are obviously from Barcelona)....the tours are to other cities but Viking is paying for them. You also got an additional 50% discount on an additional Viking cruise...am I close? If I am, I would not be unhappy with this....it would not be what I had planned but I think I could have made the best of it for sure! And I would be HAPPY with what they offered.

 

Except for day trips to Tarragona and Girona, the shorex have been to sites in Barcelona. Most of the tours have been at least 4 hours long.

 

It is not a 50% discount on our next cruise. It is a future credit on our next booking worth 50% of our cruise fare for this cruise. So, we are being compensated 100% of the cruise fare that we paid (not airfare) in cash plus another 50% of our cruise fare as a future credit toward our next booking.

 

Drinks: I can't confirm because I'm not much of a drinker but I do not believe that it is open bar for the duration.

[stretchcruz]

Sounds good to me!!

[Krisval]

We have been working with our travel agent to book our next cruise using the credit from the Sea cancellation. We have had no trouble getting our credit applied on the next cruise, Homelands. Ironically, the cruise is on the Viking Sea; I'm going to take it personally if there's another "issue" during the cruise! The refund does not include air, of course, or, from what I can see, paid excursions through Viking. We are in the process of filing claims with our insurance for the cost of seat upgrades, special private tours we arranged (some had only partial refunds), and additional expenses incurred. I'm finding that our credit card company's insurance will probably cover almost everything and the cruise insurance we purchased will likely be irrelevant as it is the secondary payee. Good lesson for me to do advance research on the credit card coverage.

[mort&fran]

We have been working with our travel agent to book our next cruise using the credit from the Sea cancellation. We have had no trouble getting our credit applied on the next cruise, Homelands. Ironically, the cruise is on the Viking Sea; I'm going to take it personally if there's another "issue" during the cruise! The refund does not include air, of course, or, from what I can see, paid excursions through Viking. We are in the process of filing claims with our insurance for the cost of seat upgrades, special private tours we arranged (some had only partial refunds), and additional expenses incurred. I'm finding that our credit card company's insurance will probably cover almost everything and the cruise insurance we purchased will likely be irrelevant as it is the secondary payee. Good lesson for me to do advance research on the credit card coverage.

 

Good point about checking the credit card coverage; that applies to whatever you buy, especially insurance.

 

However travel insurance affords more than unrefundable expenditures. I had a heart attack cruising off southern Argentina. The treatment on board was $5,000+, the surgery in Buenos Aires was $16,000+ [my US insurance covered some of the medical]; plus my wife's hotel bill in Puerto Madryn while I was hospitalized, our hotel bill for the week after surgery in Buenos Aires before the doctors permitted me to fly home, and the business class (per doctors' orders) air for both of us from Puerto Madryn to B A and from BA home; etc.

[Peregrina651]

We have been working with our travel agent to book our next cruise using the credit from the Sea cancellation. We have had no trouble getting our credit applied on the next cruise, Homelands. Ironically, the cruise is on the Viking Sea; I'm going to take it personally if there's another "issue" during the cruise! The refund does not include air, of course, or, from what I can see, paid excursions through Viking. We are in the process of filing claims with our insurance for the cost of seat upgrades, special private tours we arranged (some had only partial refunds), and additional expenses incurred. I'm finding that our credit card company's insurance will probably cover almost everything and the cruise insurance we purchased will likely be irrelevant as it is the secondary payee. Good lesson for me to do advance research on the credit card coverage.

 

I checked our ship board account and see that our shorex were refunded to our ship board account, which is SOP when shorex are cancelled after you have arrived on board. Look for the refund on you credit card once they close out the accounts for this cruise (after we all disembark on Sunday). Contact Viking and have them send you a final copy of your itemized on board account.

[Krisval]

Thanks, Peregrina! We are home (two of the few who decided not to stay), but I will check with our Viking rep and get the scoop.

I'm sure you are having a wonderful time! Wish you'd consider the Homelands cruise Sept. 3!

 

 

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[Krisval]

Just checked- all refunded before we left the ship. I didn't pay close attention to the statement as we were leaving, too distracted.

 

 

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[stretchcruz]

Krisval, why did you leave? If I had traveled all the way from AZ and had a free hotelship and meals and drinks for the duration I'm sure I would have stayed..after all I wouldn't be working!

[Krisval]

Well, it was an emotional decision. I had been planning this trip for a fair amount of time and invested hours (hundreds, rather compulsive nature) researching tours and activities for our group of 6 travelers. We had arranged for the private dining rooms on the ship for special celebrations(33rd wedding anniversary and birthdays). We arrived in Barcelona several days in advance and had enjoyed the time. When the cancellation of the cruise was announced I could only think that I did not want to invest any more money in a "failed" trip. I told you, rather emotional! In thinking about it later, I think we might have stayed a few days longer and gone to some other cities, but it just wasn't the trip I had envisioned.

We have already booked the Viking Homelands cruise in September and I am trying to moderate my compulsive planning, but must confess I've been looking through a few CC posts about activities in the various ports. So, that's my story. I don't regret leaving and continue to be sorry we didn't get to continue the cruise as planned.

[stretchcruz]

I understand the disappointment. I'm like you, an overplanner. The older I get, though, the more likely I am to try to go with the flow and make the best of things. I'm sure it was a very difficult emotional decision. I hope your next cruise goes as you've planned!

[Host Jazzbeau]

I tend to plan down to the most minute detail too, but I try to keep in mind the great quote from General Eisenhower, who said that in his experience all the plans were useless, but the planning was invaluable.

[stretchcruz]

Exactly. I can't tell you how many of our trips have not gone as planned, since we've been on over 45 cruises. One of our most memorable was one where we were supposed to go from LA to Mazatlan, Cabo San Lucas, and Mazatlan, and instead went to San Francisco (hurricane) We called it Cabo San Francisco...had to go out and buy long pants and jackets since we didn't have any!! We've been in the Caribbean where we've only made one port due to a hurricane, we've been on several river cruises where we didn't get where we were supposed to go (missed Cologne, engine down..ended in Breisach, river too high for Basel)..we just make the most of whatever we are given, and as I have said, the older I get and I see friends and family dying or being incapacitated, I just am going to make the best of it all!!

[photopro2]

I tend to plan down to the most minute detail too, but I try to keep in mind the great quote from General Eisenhower, who said that in his experience all the plans were useless, but the planning was invaluable.

 

Great quote!

 

Many of us on the CC message boards are "enthusiastic" planners which is a kind word for obsessive ;)

 

The only reason I started this thread was because I was looking to see exactly where the ship had birthed in Toulon when I discovered it had turned around and was heading back and wanted to know what was going on.

 

I am so glad Viking seems to have stood by its clients and that it has worked out reasonably well for most people. I think we can all take a lesson from Peregrina in making the best of whatever is thrown at us.

 

All the best to everyone leaving the ship this weekend - safe journeys and enjoy your rebooked cruises.

[Krisval]

Just to add one more observation to the wise comments on being flexible: take time to breathe before taking action. That's advice to myself which I think I'll be better able to follow when the need arises in the future. I've already started my obsessive/compulsive planning for the Homelands cruise, but I am backing off a bit and dialing down expectations. It won't be an anniversary or birthday or anything quite so emotionally charged, more like a reunion of our group. I'll keep it in mind that as much as I think I can plan for the best experiences, someone else is ultimately in charge!

[1stimecruiser]

I tend to plan down to the most minute detail too, but I try to keep in mind the great quote from General Eisenhower, who said that in his experience all the plans were useless, but the planning was invaluable.

 

As a project manager what a great quote!

[Squigmond]

Could someone from this ill fated cruise speak about any incentives offered by Viking for booking a future cruise while on board this cruise. (big run on sentence). Will be doing Cities of Antiquity in March and would like a heads up. Thanks in advance.

[Peregrina651]

Thanks, Peregrina! We are home (two of the few who decided not to stay), but I will check with our Viking rep and get the scoop.

I'm sure you are having a wonderful time! Wish you'd consider the Homelands cruise Sept. 3!

 

 

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It would be nice but sadly not in the cards. We are looking at something for 2018 at this point, maybe one of the new Asia-Pacific itineraries that have just been announced.

 

For St. P'burg check out Alla tours; we used her 10 years ago, so more current reviews are needed.

[Krisval]

During the cruise, before the "interruption," the banner at the "future cruise" desk said up to $500per couple incentive. When the cruise was cancelled, all were given 100%refund on that cruise fare and 50% of fare towards your next cruise. We have booked our next cruise and our TA did get the onboard offer applied to our new cruise.

[Squigmond]

During the cruise, before the "interruption," the banner at the "future cruise" desk said up to $500per couple incentive. When the cruise was cancelled, all were given 100%refund on that cruise fare and 50% of fare towards your next cruise. We have booked our next cruise and our TA did get the onboard offer applied to our new cruise.

 

 

Thank you for the information.