Israel traveling

[Mitten5]

Thanks for the encouraging words.  

[cbenton]

4 hours ago, curly sue said:

Hi All,

Booked to travel on October 29 for pre cruise stay in Athens with a cruise starting November 3 on Viking Sky. We are waiting to see if escalations occur before deciding whether or not to cancel. We are retired military and Very Concerned with the Navy build up, it is massive. Does anyone experienced have any thoughts on Athens population reactions if this does escalate? Viking has not changed anything and are waiting to make changes. It’s a little maddening since most cruise lines have changed itenaries.

We are on this cruise as well.  Have mostly packed but checking the news constantly.  A little nervous as well

[Mitten5]

What’s did they do about your air.  We spent $3599 each.  I have never had to cancel a trip in 55 years.  I understand the voucher, but what about the air?

[Alison48]

 

Was the air with Viking?  If it were, they would count that amount into your voucher.

[Avidtravelersx2]

@mitten5 and @allison48

We booked late June ‘23 when Viking included free air for this cruise. They reimbursed us for every dollar spent including $400 for pre purchased cruise vouchers from a previous Viking cruise. 

[Reaniel]

41 minutes ago, Avidtravelersx2 said:

@mitten5 and @allison48

We booked late June ‘23 when Viking included free air for this cruise. They reimbursed us for every dollar spent including $400 for pre purchased cruise vouchers from a previous Viking cruise. 

 

You've gotten a even better offer than me.  When Viking called back on my inquiry on our sailing, I was only offered the option of no-penalty transfer to another sailing that's set to begin in 90 days.  The offer of full conversion of what you've spent into future voucher is a significantly better one.

[leishirsute]

5 minutes ago, Reaniel said:

 

You've gotten a even better offer than me.  When Viking called back on my inquiry on our sailing, I was only offered the option of no-penalty transfer to another sailing that's set to begin in 90 days.  The offer of full conversion of what you've spent into future voucher is a significantly better one.

I've noticed that Viking changes refund offerings as well as posting credits on MVJ among different passengers.  I wonder if passengers who take more Viking cruises get preferential refund offerings.

[Alison48]

7 minutes ago, Reaniel said:

 

You've gotten a even better offer than me.  When Viking called back on my inquiry on our sailing, I was only offered the option of no-penalty transfer to another sailing that's set to begin in 90 days.  The offer of full conversion of what you've spent into future voucher is a significantly better one.

Call them back and tell them about full voucher offer others have gotten.

[Alison48]

Just now, leishirsute said:

I've noticed that Viking changes refund offerings as well as posting credits on MVJ among different passengers.  I wonder if passengers who take more Viking cruises get preferential refund offerings.

We have never cruised with them before

 

[PNW2]

1 minute ago, Alison48 said:

We have never cruised with them before

 

Interesting we are on the Nov 22nd sailing and when I called today reading about others getting a replacement cruise, they said no. So not sure how they decide who gets the offer and who doesn't. We have never been on Viking before either, so I thought that might be it. Also we have a 3rd party insurer so who knows. 

[Avidtravelersx2]

For reference, this would be our third Viking cruise and we also invited a friend to join us…. Not sure if that made a difference or not.

[Reaniel]

12 minutes ago, Alison48 said:

Call them back and tell them about full voucher offer others have gotten.

 

We're keeping our trip since we've done both air deviations and planning/booking for our own land trip on top of our sailing. 😉

 

The reason I contacted Viking is that I wanted to ask them to convert the OBC into future vouchers because we don't even know how to spend all that.  We still have $262 per person in OBC before the $250 compensation for crying out loud.

 

The agent who called back for my email made that offer as another possible option that we can take.

[Alison48]

37 minutes ago, PNW2 said:

Interesting we are on the Nov 22nd sailing and when I called today reading about others getting a replacement cruise, they said no. So not sure how they decide who gets the offer and who doesn't. We have never been on Viking before either, so I thought that might be it. Also we have a 3rd party insurer so who knows. 

Have a third party insurer. As I understand it, they had only up till Friday last to revise booking and it had to be taken within 90 days. Getting vouchers could be good for more than a year. Either way, it's a bummer if whole purpose of this cruise was for Israel. But at least we can now pick something else

 

[Mitten5]

This would have been our third cruise with Viking this year.  Amazon in January, 15 day Great Lakes in July and Holy Land November.

We are old and wanted to see the Holy Land and visit Rome one last time.  So when we asked for a voucher answer no, $4000 to reposition cruise answer no.  I just felt like giving up, but with this new information I’m  ready to ask again!😬👍

[PNW2]

53 minutes ago, Mitten5 said:

This would have been our third cruise with Viking this year.  Amazon in January, 15 day Great Lakes in July and Holy Land November.

We are old and wanted to see the Holy Land and visit Rome one last time.  So when we asked for a voucher answer no, $4000 to reposition cruise answer no.  I just felt like giving up, but with this new information I’m  ready to ask again!😬👍

Good for you! I hope they respond positively to your request. 

[Mrs Miggins]

In the UK Viking have sent out emails offering excellent deals on sailings on the 12th(Athens -Athens) and 20th December (Athens - Rome)and 17th January. (Athens to Istanbul)

i would have no hesitation in taking any of the offered itineraries (not available on website - phone for details).

[Mike07]

Sheesh, if timing worked out, I would be happy to take some of y'all's state rooms if Viking is offering a deep discount on said rooms. The itineraries still look interesting. I also would never have done the Holy Land by Sea because there are many land tour operators.

 

Be advised, the Russians likely have nuclear armed subs operating in that region well before this current Hamas Israeli war. There is a lot of scary stuff in this world beyond some homemade rockets in Gaza.

 

The United States has two carrier groups operating in that region, and POTUS just visited Israel. If you talk to actual Israelis, some of them wonder why anybody would ever travel to LA because of all of the gang violence and shootings.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Mike07

[leishirsute]

1 minute ago, Mike07 said:

Sheesh, if timing worked out, I would be happy to take some of y'all's state rooms if Viking is offering a deep discount on said rooms. The itineraries still look interesting. I also would never have done the Holy Land by Sea because there are many land tour operators.

 

Be advised, the Russians likely have nuclear armed subs operating in that region well this current Hamas Israeli war. There is a lot of scary stuff in this world beyond some homemade rockets in Gaza.

I would think the Russians are putting everything into the Ukraine war and can't afford to start anything else in another part of the world.

[Mike07]

2 minutes ago, leishirsute said:

I would think the Russians are putting everything into the Ukraine war and can't afford to start anything else in another part of the world.

 

The point of my post was more the clear and present danger that exists everywhere in the world.

 

Russian periscopes have been spotted in the Norwegian fjords.

 

Ben Gurion has been operating this whole time. I haven't even heard of a ground stop, but I haven't been paying that close attention.

Edited October 26, 2023 by Mike07

[Berlin Bear]

4 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

In the UK Viking have sent out emails offering excellent deals on sailings on the 12th(Athens -Athens) and 20th December (Athens - Rome)and 17th January. (Athens to Istanbul)

i would have no hesitation in taking any of the offered itineraries (not available on website - phone for details).

Interesting - we never receive promotional emails from Viking despite having booked several times through the UK office. And we don’t have access to the UK website either. Would you mind letting me know what prices are being quoted for the Athens to Rome trip on 20 December?

Many thanks!

[PhilRSchultz]

1 hour ago, Mike07 said:

Sheesh, if timing worked out, I would be happy to take some of y'all's state rooms if Viking is offering a deep discount on said rooms. The itineraries still look interesting. I also would never have done the Holy Land by Sea because there are many land tour operators.

 

Be advised, the Russians likely have nuclear armed subs operating in that region well before this current Hamas Israeli war. There is a lot of scary stuff in this world beyond some homemade rockets in Gaza.

 

The United States has two carrier groups operating in that region, and POTUS just visited Israel. If you talk to actual Israelis, some of them wonder why anybody would ever travel to LA because of all of the gang violence and shootings.

People like to go to “I’m just as, or more, worried about violent crime in American cities so why are you worried about traveling abroad”.  I find this to be too simple of a take.  When an American is visiting, living in an American city they are surrounded by millions of fellow Americans and melt as just one another American citizen into the background.  When traveling abroad to varying degrees and depending on the destination, one becomes one of a “few” Americans traveling and standing out from the surrounding population while visiting predictable places.  Does that mean you should be terrified/suspicious of every citizen of this foreign destination?  Of course not.  But it does mean that those that want to seek out and harm Americans have a much smaller pool to choose you from and knows exactly where an American tourist might likely to be.  A very different situation than driving through L.A.

[PasadenaDave]

1 hour ago, PhilRSchultz said:

People like to go to “I’m just as, or more, worried about violent crime in American cities so why are you worried about traveling abroad”.  I find this to be too simple of a take.  When an American is visiting, living in an American city they are surrounded by millions of fellow Americans and melt as just one another American citizen into the background.  When traveling abroad to varying degrees and depending on the destination, one becomes one of a “few” Americans traveling and standing out from the surrounding population while visiting predictable places.  Does that mean you should be terrified/suspicious of every citizen of this foreign destination?  Of course not.  But it does mean that those that want to seek out and harm Americans have a much smaller pool to choose you from and knows exactly where an American tourist might likely to be.  A very different situation than driving through L.A.

I’m not certain where you live, but here in Los Angeles County there is no such thing as a “similar looking American “.  Recently I flew LAX to Newark during the High Holy Days and noted that there were more visibly observant Jews at both airports as a percentage of the population than I saw in Israel during Passover.  My point is that we are already a melted pot in large metropolitan cities.  Diversity is good 

 

 I felt safer last April in Israel, Egypt and Jordan than many days here in Pasadena.  I also note that in most of the rest of the world there are consequences for bad behavior thus unlike here, people are good to “the other” and “they welcome the stranger.”

[Jim Avery]

3 hours ago, Mike07 said:

Sheesh, if timing worked out, I would be happy to take some of y'all's state rooms if Viking is offering a deep discount on said rooms. The itineraries still look interesting. I also would never have done the Holy Land by Sea because there are many land tour operators.

 

Be advised, the Russians likely have nuclear armed subs operating in that region well before this current Hamas Israeli war. There is a lot of scary stuff in this world beyond some homemade rockets in Gaza.

 

The United States has two carrier groups operating in that region, and POTUS just visited Israel. If you talk to actual Israelis, some of them wonder why anybody would ever travel to LA because of all of the gang violence and shootings.

A carrier group can be 20 vessels or more including a nuclear submarine. Two carrier groups is a fleet indeed.  Getting crowded in the Eastern Med.

[Mrs Miggins]

3 hours ago, Berlin Bear said:

Interesting - we never receive promotional emails from Viking despite having booked several times through the UK office. And we don’t have access to the UK website either. Would you mind letting me know what prices are being quoted for the Athens to Rome trip on 20 December?

Many thanks!

No details except it says from £1799.  Lots of those on the other UK Viking site have jumped to book at these rates but only available on the phone apparently. They also say free upgrade and drinks package.

[Mike07]

One more thing, and I'm not going to bring up previous points I've made because I don't want to drag this group into a debate.... I think it would be cool to be on a Viking ship where half the passengers cancelled.

 

One of my favorite cruises was when a ship was brought back into service post-COVID, and was running at 25% capacity --- with 750 passengers. It was wonderful!