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Viking Air Rant


twototravel
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I am so done with booking Viking river cruises. Even though we have paid in full our trip, unless we pay $50 a person extra, we can't get our air reservations until between 75-100 days and ticketing 45-60 days prior to departure. Granted in the grand scheme $100 is not that big a deal; it is more on principle that I refuse to pay extra.

 

We also have trips booked with Grand Circle and Vantage and their air departments operate so different. Both made our reservations early...Vantage made them 10 months in advance and ticketed them (yes, we pay a penalty if we change the reservation) so we could reserve our seats, and Grand Circle made reservations many months in advance as well. Both Vantage and GCT air departments were willing to adjust air itinerary to our preferences without an extra fees.

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Dear twototravel,

 

We are truly sorry to learn of your disappointment. While Viking Air Plus does allow more flexibility than Viking Air, your dissatisfaction is understandable. We encourage you to provide your booking information to us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so that we can connect you with a specialist to discuss a resolution.

 

Twototravel, we appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your concern. Please feel free to reach out to us with any further questions or comments.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

 

I am so done with booking Viking river cruises. Even though we have paid in full our trip, unless we pay $50 a person extra, we can't get our air reservations until between 75-100 days and ticketing 45-60 days prior to departure. Granted in the grand scheme $100 is not that big a deal; it is more on principle that I refuse to pay extra.

 

We also have trips booked with Grand Circle and Vantage and their air departments operate so different. Both made our reservations early...Vantage made them 10 months in advance and ticketed them (yes, we pay a penalty if we change the reservation) so we could reserve our seats, and Grand Circle made reservations many months in advance as well. Both Vantage and GCT air departments were willing to adjust air itinerary to our preferences without an extra fees.

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I'm dealing with a TA who then deals with Viking Air department. I paid the extra $50/person. My understanding was that I could book tickets now (almost 6 months before), but then any changes would be my problem. I've chosen to wait and let Viking Air book the tickets closer to our trip. This is my second trip with Viking.

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Our TA told us up front about the extra charge. It does seem like we are being nickled and dimed. Last year on HAL we were able to go in and select our flights on-line as soon as we paid for the air. However, we did know about the charge here. Biggest problem was that my TA got disconnected a half dozen times (last night) while trying to make the reservations.

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Our TA told us up front about the extra charge. It does seem like we are being nickled and dimed. Last year on HAL we were able to go in and select our flights on-line as soon as we paid for the air. However, we did know about the charge here. Biggest problem was that my TA got disconnected a half dozen times (last night) while trying to make the reservations.

 

Is your TA making a reservation or issuing the ticket?

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Viking: I appreciate that you responded to my post here, however I've called the air department twice asking for our air reservations and each time I'm told unless I pay $50 each, we have to wait until the 100-75 day mark for air reservations. When a customer pays in full at time of booking (which we did), and as long as the airline is taking reservations for the travel days, I think the tour company should make the reservations and if requested, go ahead and issue tickets. I fully understand that any changes after ticketing will cost a fee, and as long as I am willing to accept that responsibility, I think my request should be granted. It doesn't appear that your air department is willing to do that.

 

Dear twototravel,

 

We are truly sorry to learn of your disappointment. While Viking Air Plus does allow more flexibility than Viking Air, your dissatisfaction is understandable. We encourage you to provide your booking information to us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com so that we can connect you with a specialist to discuss a resolution.

 

Twototravel, we appreciate the opportunity to assist you with your concern. Please feel free to reach out to us with any further questions or comments.

 

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

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Well Viking Air no complaints from us we are flying to Amsterdam on the 5th of April for our 23 day cruise to Bucharest we are flying business class round trip on Delta it's costing us $1995 each with Viking Air it would be $11,800 each if we booked with Delta directly!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

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Viking: I appreciate that you responded to my post here, however I've called the air department twice asking for our air reservations and each time I'm told unless I pay $50 each, we have to wait until the 100-75 day mark for air reservations. When a customer pays in full at time of booking (which we did), and as long as the airline is taking reservations for the travel days, I think the tour company should make the reservations and if requested, go ahead and issue tickets. I fully understand that any changes after ticketing will cost a fee, and as long as I am willing to accept that responsibility, I think my request should be granted. It doesn't appear that your air department is willing to do that.

 

If you have an issue that needs resolution then you really need to use the tellus@viking link they provided. Calling the air dept will not do you any good. They can only tell you what the policy is.

 

FWIW Vikings air policy is very clear and I'm not exactly sure why it comes as a surprise to you. Each cruise line has different air policies and Viking is not alone in waiting to ticket flights until closer to departure. There have been several threads on this board in recent months about similar issues with other lines (Avalon was the last one I remember reading about). You pay a bargain price for air, you have to accept the strings. Personally I don't mind paying the $50 to pick my flights and have them ticketed well in advance so we can pick seats, pay for upgrades etc. But that's a decision everyone has to make. We recently booked with another river line and they do not offer the option to pick your flights.... If you use their air at the promotional rate then you take what you get and they ticket the flights anywhere from 120-45 days prior to the flight. I would have CHEERFULLY paid the $50 to pick alternate flights and get them ticketed.... But it wasn't an option...

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mhb1757

 

Agreed! From our experience with Viking Air - the bargain price is well worth the minor issues that you might need to deal with. Well worth the price, and it's easy to be flexible with the airfare deals that make the trip possible.

 

Jeff

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Viking called me last night. They went ahead and provided our air reservations without an additional fee.

 

That's good. Thanks for providing an update. I too have a concern with Viking's air and will start a new thread to share it with others.

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This air problem or should I say challenge seems a bit strange to me we booked with Scenic early August last year and got our air bookings with our return details from which we could have upgraded or chosen our seats if we wished. I really don't think I would be happy going through the travails that Viking customers seem to encounter. I'm not knocking Viking they were so exceptional with my very good friend when her husband was extremely ill, although I would not travel with them myself for this instance they went above and beyond. Happy cruising whoever you travel with CA

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I'm not really sure why you feel that you deserved something that everyone else pays for. It is clear when you purchase the cruise that this is their policy. Allowing an exception for you because you complained on Cruise Critic is not a great idea as it will only lead to more complaining.

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This air problem or should I say challenge seems a bit strange to me we booked with Scenic early August last year and got our air bookings with our return details from which we could have upgraded or chosen our seats if we wished. I really don't think I would be happy going through the travails that Viking customers seem to encounter. I'm not knocking Viking they were so exceptional with my very good friend when her husband was extremely ill, although I would not travel with them myself for this instance they went above and beyond. Happy cruising whoever you travel with CA

 

This will be our 3rd river cruise with Viking. The first two were quite a few years ago. Once on the boats, Viking is outstanding in their service, and the hotels they put you up in are usually 5*, at least they were in Asia on our trips. Now that I'm older and retired, I have become more focused on the booking and pre-trip aspects of tour companies. I do have one company I am now a regular with but they do not do the Duoro River, hence the Viking booking. I'm sure this trip will be fantastic once we land in Portugal.

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  • 3 months later...
Viking: I appreciate that you responded to my post here, however I've called the air department twice asking for our air reservations and each time I'm told unless I pay $50 each, we have to wait until the 100-75 day mark for air reservations. When a customer pays in full at time of booking (which we did), and as long as the airline is taking reservations for the travel days, I think the tour company should make the reservations and if requested, go ahead and issue tickets.

I fully understand that any changes after ticketing will cost a fee, and as long as I am willing to accept that responsibility, I think my request should be granted. It doesn't appear that your air department is willing to do that.

My travel agent recently told me, the reason Viking waits til the 75-100 day mark to "ticket"(pay for) flights,

is because afterwords, if changes are made, there is a penalty to pay.

I understand; like Viking is doing you a favor..

However, our Viking flight to Europe(80 days away and not yet ticketed) now only 4 seats remain with extra leg room, and I really want 2 of them...for an additional charge, direct to the airline, of $100 pp.

I asked TA to get us two of those seats.

Her response,"I do not have control of your air reservation...or seat assignments.":mad:

Waiting for Viking to pay.

Edited by $hip$hape
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Viking is up front about the extra cost for not waiting until about 100 days out to get your air line tickets. By paying the $50/person you get to choose your flights and then you have control over the seats, up grades, etc. You also get to tell them which air lines and flights you want--as long as the air line has released these flights to them. You would think that Viking would give you a discount for doing the leg worth for them.

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I really don't get the OP's complaint. When you accept free or discounted air from Viking, there are restrictions that come with it. You can either pay the extremely reasonable custom air fee of $50 pp to select your routing and have your seats ticketed, or you can wait until Viking does it closer to the sailing. Another option is to buy your air on your own.

I find the Viking Air program to be one of the best in river cruising, and I use it to deviate by day or arrival or departure, into/out of other cities, and of course to select my preferred routing. I wish that other lines offered such a flexible program.

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The point of my post was that if you pay in full at time of booking that should get you some benefits. Other cruise companies differ than the way Viking handles their air (at least in our instance) and I like them better. Plus, I found other company's Air Depts. easier to work with without paying extra money. Many people express their opinions on these boards and I was just doing the same. I'm sorry if people are upset that Viking helped me out, but really, that is what most (good) businesses do if you are not happy with their services.

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The point of my post was that if you pay in full at time of booking that should get you some benefits. Other cruise companies differ than the way Viking handles their air (at least in our instance) and I like them better. Plus, I found other company's Air Depts. easier to work with without paying extra money. Many people express their opinions on these boards and I was just doing the same. I'm sorry if people are upset that Viking helped me out, but really, that is what most (good) businesses do if you are not happy with their services.

I disagree. Good businesses make things right when they err. What Viking did here was to offer you something above the norm to quiet you down because you went on a public site and posted an "it's not fair" rant about their standard everyday business practices.

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