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Dear Travel Partners,
Please click here to read a letter from Viking Chairman Torstein Hagen, which will be delivered to all Viking guests—embarking March 12–April 30, 2020—and their Travel Advisors.
Summary:
- Our mission has been to create experiences for our guests that focus on the destination and allow them to explore the world in comfort. This has always been Viking’s ambition and will remain so.
- Travel has become exceedingly complicated due to the current COVID-19 situation.
- Every day, we are advised of new travel destinations that are no longer open to Viking explorers.
- It has become impossible to provide your clients with the experience that they deserve and expect from Viking, during these challenging times.
- Because of travel limitations and changes that are evolving daily, we are choosing to temporarily suspend operation of all river and ocean vessels embarking March 12—April 30, 2020 at which time we believe Viking will be in a better place to provide the experiences our guests expect and deserve.
What this means for your clients, they will have two choices:
Option #1 - A Future Cruise Voucher valued at 125% of all monies paid to Viking
Option #2 - A refund equal to the amount paid
For additional flexibility, if your clients are unable to use their voucher, we will automatically send them a refund equal to the original amount paid to Viking if the voucher expires. These Future Cruise Vouchers will also be fully transferable.
And please remember, our Risk-Free Guarantee is still available.
This temporary exception to Viking’s standard booking terms is applicable to two groups of guests:
- All guests with reservations made prior to March 8, 2020, inclusive of all itineraries and years of departure.
- All guests who make a NEW reservation through April 30, 2020. This includes reservations for all departure dates and products currently available for sale.
Those who are covered by the temporary exception to the standard booking policy can change their cruise date or cancel their cruise at any time up until 24 hours before their planned departure, without incurring fees. In either case they will be issued a voucher for future travel valid for 24 months, which can be used on a new reservation for any river, ocean or expedition cruise. These vouchers are non-transferrable and have no cash value. Other terms and conditions apply.
What this means for you:
Viking will pay commission on any*:
- Risk-Free Guarantee Future Cruise Voucher (FCV) booking.
- 125% FCV (as described above) booking.
*Unless commission has already been paid on original booking.
We understand that this is a difficult time for all of us in the travel industry, and we thank you for your support. We hope that this announcement and the continuation of the Risk-Free Guarantee Program provides you with strong retention and sales tools that will help you continue to sell during this period of uncertainty, while providing your clients with the peace of mind they need and deserve.
Warm Regards,
Michele Saegesser
VP, Sales & National Accounts
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