Viking Cruises suspends all worldwide operations until May
Cruise line Viking is suspending all worldwide operations for the next six weeks due to the ‘exceedingly complicated’ coronavirus outbreak.
It is halting all river and ocean cruise operations until May 1.
Chairman Torstein Hagen announced the drastic move in a message to booked guests and travel partners.
Travelers impacted by the suspended operations will get a future cruise voucher valued at 125% of total cost or a full refund.
The future cruise voucher can be used to book any river, ocean or expedition cruise within the next two years.
Hagen said the increasing number of ports blocking cruise ships and major attractions and museums closing is having an adverse effect on the cruise experience.
"We believe Viking will be in a better place to provide the experiences our guests expect and deserve after this time."
"In recent days we had an experience where a river cruise guest in Southeast Asia was exposed to cobvid-19 while in transit on an international airline," he said.
That Viking river ship is currently quarantined on the Mekong in Cambodia.
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