Viking River Cruisers Beware

[ChristineY]

Viking River Cruisers beware. Can you spend more than planned on a Viking River Cruise (even with travel insurance)? Yes. We're sharing our experience so you don't make the same mistake. We were enjoying our Viking River Cruise that sailed from Lyon to Avignon last year...until the second last day. My husband and I came down with food poisoning we suspect was a result of a Viking sanctioned extension tour where we visited a French farm and ate lunch (unpasteurized goat cheese?). We heard that others at the same lunch became ill over 24 hours later, as we did. (Without getting too graphic: both ends). We hadn't been that sick for decades. Choosing NOT go to the hospital, we continued to force ourselves to drink water and eat dried peaches that I had packed in my carry-on. We missed our scheduled flight back home and had to spend thousands* to reschedule. Since we had Viking travel insurance, we filed a claim but were unsuccessful in getting compensated since we did not have an official doctor's diagnosis. (Viking river cruise ships do not have doctors on board or any available OTC pharmaceuticals.) Just thought we would share our story!

Chris Y.
Bay Village, Ohio

*(2) rescheduled airfares, transportation to Marseilles (origin of rescheduled flight) and hotel fee

 

[Woody14]

I am sorry to hear about the issue, question why did you miss the scheduled flight home? Were your flights purchased though Viking?

 

[ChristineY]

I am sorry to hear about the issue, question why did you miss the scheduled flight home? Were your flights purchased though Viking?

Thanks for asking. We did purchase our flights through Viking. Due to our illness we didn't make it onto the flight we had booked which was scheduled for the next morning (after the last day of the cruise). With Viking's assistance we did get another flight booked but at our expense.