VikingReviews of viking.com

I haven’t even been on my cruise yet even after asking them to stop sending me a pack of brochures at least twice a week they still keep coming. I politely explained the environment needs this to stop but they don’t seem to care. I don’t expect much on the cruise as they have spent all my money on postage and printing rubbish.

Viking moved forward with a cruise and would not allow us to reschedule without losing 65% of our investment offering 35% credit toward a future cruise if we rescheduled. They put us in hotels, busses and parked ships for the 8 days on the cruise. The ship moved 25 miles and back... that's it in 8 days. Balcony was worthless as we were tied to other boats day and night with 6 feet between our windows. Drapes drawn for privacy. It was a horrible theft of our money. Just Say NO!

Due to Covid and Viking’s requirement for its passengers to be fully vaccinated, my husband and I have not been permitted to cruise for the past three years.  We had hoped that Viking’s vaccine mandate would be lifted and believe more than a reasonable amount of time has passed.   At the time of the original booking, there was NO COVID AND NO MANDATE FOR VACCINATIONS. Had there been one, we would not have booked. And, had Covid not hit, we would not have cancelled. We paid $7154 on January 24, 2020 and another for $198 on May 30, 2021 for a river cruise. Unlike our last four rebookings that were made risk-free, penalties would now be incurred for future rebookings, as Viking’s stance with regards to their vaccine mandate remains unchanged. How is this fair when it is they who prevents us from cruising? Why should we be penalized for their policy?   History will show exhaustive exchanges with Guest Services/Customer Relations in attempts to resolve this matter with a reasonable and satisfactory outcome. Unfortunately, however, an equitable resolution has been unattainable. There are NUMEROUS reviews with identical complaints posted on this and other sites. Some of the stories are horrible where one spouse was forced to travel alone. Like others, I am also in contact with a party interested in pursuing a class action lawsuit and hope that Viking will take action to resolve this matter favorably, once and for all. Contact: Vikingvictims yahoo com. How much longer will Viking keep our monies hostage for “services not rendered?”

BEWARE OF VIKING CRUISES. A TOTAL "SCAM". A "RIP OFF"...BUYER BEWARE!!! No wonder Viking gets only "two-stars" after 400 Yelp and Trust Pilot reviews. In December 2022 we booked...almost two years in advance...a "Pharaohs & Pyramids" Luxor-to-Luxor Nile River cruise for October of 2024. At Viking's recommendation, we purchased travel insurance protection. The total down payment was $2,428 ($1,000 plus the full $1,428. insurance premium). In April 2023 (eighteen months before the cruise) we decided to cancel. Our refund? A meager $800...and that's if we ever see it after reading about others who have waited for years. So why the massive $1,638 penalty? According to Viking's "fine print" (that nobody ever reads), after just twenty days Viking and its cozy insurance company gets to keep the entire $1,428. insurance premium in addition to the $200 trip cancellation fee. Yep. You're reading this right. Viking keeps a whopping $1,638 for a cruise and travel insurance they'll never have to provide. Said another way, Viking makes money whether or not you cruise. In fact? It can be argued that Viking's profit margin is higher if you book but never take the cruise. What's that? You want to respectfully complain to a Viking rep or people higher up? Good luck. You'll do better by spitting into a gale-force wind. The bottom line? Viking is an unethical enterprise that preys on customers, and vulnerable seniors. SHAME ON YOU VIKING! SHAME, SHAME, SHAME!

We booked a cruise 125 days out. After a week we read the fine print regarding requiring COVID vaccinations (our mistake in not reading closely before sending in full payment of almost $10000). Canceling 120 days out or more, $100 per person cancellation fee. Very reasonable. We were at 118 days, and so they charged us almost $2000 to cancel!! We explained that we had reasons why we could not be vaccinated, and if they could be a little more reasonable. They claimed that their cancellation schedule was gradual and fair. Going from $200 to $2000 in one week (4 months out), does that seem fair or reasonable to you? In my opinion they are simply exploiting an opportunity to make money from COVID. This is despicable!! We made the mistake in not reading the fine print more closely. But their response was much worse!! We even suggested a middle ground of $500, nope! They are keeping their $2000!! Shameful!! We will never go on one of their cruises, and will do everything we can to let people know about this.

We were so looking forward to a wonderful Rhone River cruise on the Viking Hermod until we received an email two days ago that Viking would be significantly altering our itinerary due to labor strikes in France. As with other reviews you'll read, Viking's model is to retain your money at any risk to customer satisfaction. Their position - You signed up for granting them total control of your $10,000 spend when you booked the trip. The trip we booked encompassed a 7-night cruise from Avignon to Lyon. The trip they are now offering is a three-day voyage from Avignon to Avignon with one stop on the second day. The balance of the trip will be spent on buses (for several hours at a time) and in hotels from two nights. There is no commitment on school bus vs luxury coach or Motel 6 vs 4/5 star hotel. Viking touts a luxury experience, but we will not have the opportunity to enjoy the amenities promised offered on the Hermod for four out of the seven days booked. We are hoping for a functioning toilet on the bus and not to have to share a bathroom with other guests in the hotel. When we requested a refund in advance of boarding the answer was a flat-out NO. This sleazy approach has put such a bad taste in our mouth that we have canceled a fall cruise and will now focus our travel spending on land-based trips. It is amazing what you can get for $500-1000/day vs the coin toss you should expect from Viking. Very unfortunate given Viking promotes their brand as best in the cruise industry. Don't buy the hype. Viking needs to do the right thing - refund money when unable to deliver the product they committed.

Viking Grand European river desaster absolute mess, we paid top $ for a suite with balcony on a river cruise that ended in sitting on full busses for days, trying to get to tours of which some got canceled. The picure of a romantic rivier cruise with beutifull scenic views that Viking painted became a concrete wall in a dirty doc, not even in the river, with debris and dead fish floating around the boat. Do not book the Grand Eurpean cruise with Viking early season, they know the locks are not working and rivers to full this time of the year but still go ahead with the cruises. Last but not least we are being bussed to hotels for the remainder of the trip and as it is Easter do not even know what we will get. Do not waste thousands of dollars a day on this cruise, there's way better things to do with your money.

Viking is the worst Company in the Travel industry, Don't be fooled by their commercials on Public Television. I booked a River cruise on Viking for August 2022. Viking booked my flight and unfortunately due to mechanical problems, the flight was cancelled. The rebooked flight was 2 days later, which meant we would miss 2 days and had to find a way to get from Amsterdam to Cologne on our own. We spoke to 10 different people being transferred between Customer Service and Customer relations, After hours on the phone, I received an email stating my flight and trip was cancelled without my consent. When I finally spoke to a VP in their Main office in California, I was told that I cancelled the trip. Clearly a case of gaslighting. Vikings Contract of Carriage clearly states that all cancellations have to be in writing. I did not cancel. They don't care. I even asked to be rebooked on another trip instead of refunding my money. No, that did not happen. They were happy to steal my $10,000. Even my travel agent, Affordable Tours, tried to intervene, and they said in disgust, "Viking is the Worst". Do not get SCAMMED. Never use Viking.