VikingReviews of viking.com

My mother and I booked the River tour of the capitals of Eastern Europe which was supposed to be a safe and comfortable way to travel together. We received a few confusing emails in advance of the trip about seasonal weather and a reminder that their policy is no cancellations. When we arrived, it was not simply seasonal weather patterns- there was full-scale flooding on the Danube: people had died, ships were stranded, city walls had crumbled. And Viking simply loaded us onto the ship and pretended everything was okay. After 4 days of being on the docked boat that was unable to move, they started planning to bus us from port to port, turning the trip into a bus tour rather than a luxury cruise and missing more than half our ports. Feeling unsafe and uncomfortable with being bussed to areas of the world in continued flood patterns, my mother and I elected to return home and flee the flooding area. We had to pay to fly ourselves home; there was no discussion whatsoever about crediting us for the trip and we were home for over a week before I finally reached out to Viking- not a single customer service person checked in or made sure we were okay. Now that we are trying to get a trip credit and travel reimbursement, I am getting the full runaround- being tossed from person to person and made to wait for days before they phone me out of the blue with no consideration of my time. I would not recommend anyone to cruise with Viking. They put us in an unsafe area of the world, completely refused to admit the issues and now provide no customer service to fix the problem.

Romantic Daube Cruise in Viking September 12-20, 2024. Danube river closed due to flooding. Boat has not moved from port. Long bus rides to see anything. Started on this Var and transferred to the Tor boat. They keep us hanging on that we might sail but other ships lines have cancelled their cruises through the 24th. This is like staying at a $20,000 a week motel without a car. Paid for a cruise and am not going to get one. Worst vacation of all time. Viking should have cancelled as soon as the Danube closed. Terrible, terrible experience.

Of the 5 flights included in the package only one went smoothly. They couldn’t find my wife ticket to Europe despite a confirmation number and seat assignments. Then at airport we were told that even though we had a boarding pass and seat assignment that they ticket had not been paid for. Next flight: stood in line to checkin and told we could not because no baggage fee had been paid for one bag. Was sent to other side of airport to pay and then get back in line That’s one bag per person. Next flight: we told Viking there was an issue on online check in but they assured us it was ok. Not. Would not let family member board because he had 2 tickets and wife had none. Vikings answer was to buy a ticket on another flight and use travel insurance. Other issues also Do not use viking flight if you go on one there cruises. They are incompetent and don’t care.

I recently completed a Viking river cruise from Constanta, Romania to Vienna, Austria, and it was an experience with both notable highlights and significant concerns. Positives: Exceptional Staff: One standout feature of this cruise was the exceptional service provided by Michal Grnja. His dedication to guest satisfaction was truly remarkable—he went above and beyond to ensure that every guest was happy and well cared for. His friendly demeanor and attention to detail made a significant positive impact on our experience. Good Service and Excursions: Overall, the service on the ship was commendable, and the excursions were well-organized and enjoyable. The tours offered a great opportunity to explore the rich history and culture of the regions we visited. Negatives: Cabin Issues: Unfortunately, our cabin had a persistent and unpleasant odor emanating from the shower area throughout the trip. This was quite bothersome and detracted from the overall comfort of our accommodations. This odor was very unpleasant, and despite the crew’s attempts to mask it with chemicals, the smell only worsened, making it difficult for us to relax in our own cabin. Insects in the Restaurant: Another significant issue was the presence of flies in the dining area. This was not only off-putting but also raised concerns about the cleanliness and hygiene standards on board. During breakfast, lunch, and dinner hours, we witnessed a rather disturbing situation where a fellow passenger, a Chinese man, went from table to table wielding a fly swatter in an attempt to kill flies. This was not only unappetizing but also quite distressing for the other passengers, including us, as we tried to enjoy our meals in peace. Meal Portions: The meal portions were rather small, which left many of us feeling unsatisfied. While quality can be appreciated, the quantity did not meet expectations, especially for the price of the cruise. Problematic Guides: A major concern was the conduct of some local guides, particularly in Bulgaria. It was troubling to hear them express negative views about neighboring countries and to promote historical inaccuracies. For example, guides in Bulgarian cities made disparaging remarks about Turks and inaccurately downplayed their historical involvement in World War II. We also encountered a guide who misrepresented the status of a mosque in Vidin, which was directly contradicted by a local resident. It was disheartening to learn that these guides were perpetuating harmful stereotypes and misinformation. This kind of bias not only marred the experience but also highlighted a broader issue of historical and cultural sensitivity that needs to be addressed. Recommendations for Improvement: Address Cabin Issues: The company should ensure that cabin maintenance issues are promptly addressed to enhance guest comfort. Improve Hygiene Standards: Increased attention to cleanliness in dining areas is essential to avoid such unpleasant experiences. Reevaluate Excursion Guides: Viking might consider reviewing the training and selection process for local guides to ensure that they provide balanced, factual, and respectful information. Guides should be instructed to avoid promoting negativity or biases against neighboring countries.

FALSE PROMISES BY VIKING AIR PLUS. Viking Air Plus does NOT honor its promises. It FALSELY asserts "We will continue to monitor all schedule changes" and "You will be promptly notified of any such change." Both statements are FALSE. It does nothing to monitor schedule changes and does NOT advise you of any changes. My wife and I paid Viking Air Plus in Dec. 2023 to book Business Class seats next to one another in Row 2. However, in June 2024, two days before our departure, we learned from the Airline that Viking Air Plus had NOT reserved our seats. Thus, instead of Row 2, we were stuck in the row next to the galley. Several hours on the phone with Viking Air Plus as well as Viking's so-called "Customer Service" were a complete waste of time. As a result, we got zero sleep and were exhausted when we reached our destination. Then the exact same thing happened on our latest cruise. My seat, which Viking Air Plus promised me it has reserved suddenly "disappeared". Immediately, we started complaining to Viking Air ten days before our departure but Viking Air did NOTHING to fix the problem. When we return from our upcoming Viking trip (leaving in 2 days) we will cancel all of our future bookings with Viking.

Very very very expensive for what you get.

I called to opt out of their catalogs - they would not assist me unless I provided my phone number, which the customer service person said they already had but needed to verify. I told him I wasn't going to provide him my phone number since I'm already bombarded with unwanted telemarketing phone calls, and the customer service agent refused to take me off the catalog mailing list. What does giving them my phone number do with asking them to stop mailing me catalogs? My house burned down in a forest fire so I'm already irritable but Viking's unhelpful customer service has really annoyed me.

DON'T BOOK YOUR FLIGHTS WITH VIKING. We arrived a day late. The flight took 26 hours, no one met us at the airport, although we paid for transport to the hotel. They misclassified my wife (she's handicapped) and we sat on an empty plane for an hour because she couldn't navigate the steps. When we called "Customer Relations" They had an excuse for everything -- it was all the traveler's fault. If you go with Viking, book your own flights. Everything they do is by algorithm with no concern for the customer. Our flight should have taken less than half the time. a direct flight would have taken 6 or 7 hours rather than 26. The woman at "Customer Relations" blamed us for every mistake. We should have paid $100 per person for a program we didn't know about to have a person arrange our flights. We didn't read the fine print. We should have contacted the airlines ourselves about handicapped classification. We should have called Viking at 1 am when no one picked us up at the airport. (We tried, but no one answered). The cruise was OK, but the flights were a disaster. Book your own flights if you go on a Viking cruise.