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Frustrated and Stressed with Viking's flight reservations


Compass Rose Monica
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I'm going on a Viking cruise in early April 2017. My husband and I, and a few other couples, booked our cruise along with the free airfare package (booked back in Dec 2015).

 

We all paid the $100 per person deviation fee so that we could extend our time post-cruise.

 

We were told that we would get our flight itinerary about 75 days out.

 

Two couples got their flights one month ago (112 days out), while my husband and I and the other couple are still waiting. The other two couples did not have the custom air/air plus.

 

How does Viking choose when to book the flights? I booked this cruise a few days after the other two couples.

 

Does the deviation fee only 'take care' of the fact of us flying home a different day/city?

 

The longer it takes to get our flight details, the better chance (not good for us) the flight prices will go up and we'll end up paying a lot more for the difference in the flight cost. The two couples, when they got their flight schedule one month ago, didn't have to pay anything extra.

 

This is very frustrating and upsetting and I'm not sure what options we have. Viking said in a phone conversation yesterday we have to just sit and wait.

 

I hate to incur any additional when Viking has already issued tickets a month ago.

 

Any suggestions on what can be done?

 

Thanks.

 

Monica

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Are you using a travel agent? We're on a booked-at-the-last-minute Viking Oceans cruise later this month and when our flight details didn't show up on our "My Viking" page, I called our agent and within 24 hours we knew what flights we were on.

 

We're also on a Viking river cruise in April and I've had flight details since the end of October. Again, the itinerary came via our travel agent. Like you, we have a deviation.

 

You really ought to have your flight info by now!

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Are you using a travel agent? We're on a booked-at-the-last-minute Viking Oceans cruise later this month and when our flight details didn't show up on our "My Viking" page, I called our agent and within 24 hours we knew what flights we were on.

 

We're also on a Viking river cruise in April and I've had flight details since the end of October. Again, the itinerary came via our travel agent. Like you, we have a deviation.

 

You really ought to have your flight info by now!

 

Yes, we all have a travel agent. We've emailed her several times and she gets the same answer from Viking.

 

Did you pay for the 'air plus' service?

 

Monica

Edited by Compass Rose Monica
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I always pay the $50 extra to pick my own flights. I like the control. Both times I've done this I got the flights I wanted. We even flew out of a different city other than the one we disembarked from. We had no problem.

 

Our friends didn't pay the $50 extra and got their flights a month ago. I'm wondering why we didn't get our flights a month ago.

 

Monica

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Our friends didn't pay the $50 extra and got their flights a month ago. I'm wondering why we didn't get our flights a month ago.

 

Are they flying from the same airport as you on the same dates?

 

If they didn't pay the extra fee, I assume they are not deviating from the scheduled dates?

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Yes, we all have a travel agent. We've emailed her several times and she gets the same answer from Viking.

 

Did you pay for the 'air plus' service?

 

Monica

 

Monica, no we did not pay anything more than the deviation fee. Our flight details are marked "tentative" and as such might change so I'm not paying them too much attention. We've had our flights changed before on other trips (not only with Viking--all the airlines seem to like altering the flight schedules on a whim).

 

You mentioned that you were initially told that your flight details would get to you about 75 days out. You're actually jumping the gun. You're still over 75 days away. I guess it's just luck of the draw if you get yours early. Who knows what factors into it. I'd only start to stress out if you're within the time frame that they promised with no news. I understand where you're coming from though. We purchased a cabin on Viking Sea that was on the waitlist. We understood it was a guarantee cabin and that our cabin could be assigned at any time. We're 20 days out and it still hasn't happened and the suspense is killing me! ;)

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I don't know how Viking does it, but when I've bought my airline ticket from a cruise line, the price is the price regardless of when they let me know the flights #s and dates/times or send me the actual tickets. Why do you think the price will go up if you don't get your tickets now? Just wondering.

 

Roz

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I learned today how Viking works.

I called my travel agent and she set up a conference call with Viking. We talked to a woman in the Air Department - really nice woman. This woman said flights are available 75 days out from the cruise.

What my friends had received (yes, they paid the deviation fee, as they are extending time in Munich post-cruise; and will be flying out the same airport as us) was a Viking system generated "air itinerary", not actual confirmed flights. The woman said that the Viking system can generate another itinerary as it continues to 'look' for the best prices/flight schedules.

Once 75 days hits, we should be getting our actual itineraries. At that time, we can choose to keep that schedule OR pay the the $50/pp Air Plus to book a better flight schedule.

We can also opt to pay the $50/pp now but the woman said, "Why pay for it now? You might end up with a good schedule, so no need to waste money."

Roz - I'm just assuming (maybe thinking worst case scenario) prices go up. I've seen that happen when looking at flights (but not for cruises).

 

Monica

Edited by Compass Rose Monica
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Roz - I'm just assuming (maybe thinking worst case scenario) prices go up. I've seen that happen when looking at flights (but not for cruises).

 

You've already booked your flight package with Viking though so even if the airfares go up, it would be Vikings loss, not yours...

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Sounds like it's all working out for you, Monica. I've never had it go up once I locked in the price and paid for the ticket, even though I didn't get the actual ticket until 60-75 days out. The cruise lines buy through ticket brokers.

 

Roz

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As a former Viking customer, I find it a little irritating that they demand full payment up front, yet they delay in buying the tickets you've already paid them for. :confused:

 

I understand the frustration, but on the other-hand, if they didn't have the freedom to take their time to negotiate the best price they could for the seats they sell, the price they were charging up front would have to be higher...

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We used Viking Air for our river cruise in the fall and received our flight itinerary over 100 days out, complete with confirmation number. We were able to log into the airline website and change our seats, upgrade if we wanted (we didn't), etc. My understanding is that they have agreements with a variety of airlines and leverage different options, based on various factors (number of passengers, itineraries, etc.), accounting, at least in-part, for the seemingly "random" order of flight assignment.

 

We paid the $50pp for Air Plus, but did not deviate (and thus did not have to pay the $100pp). Our TA gave us a couple of options that Viking suggested, we searched major airline websites for alternate flights, and asked if we could be booked on one of those. She called Viking and we were booked on our preferred flight within a few hours. Well worth the $50pp, in my mind. I agree with the logic, however, that you might as well wait and not pre-pay, in case you're happy with the route Viking gives you!

 

And just to confirm what others have suggested-- you will NOT be charged any more, even if flight prices increase.

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you will not be charged more if the price of the flight increases, but you might have to pay something if you suggest an alternative flight to Viking.

In my case, Viking suggested a Delta flight from JFk. I suggested Air France and was told it was $62 more. The flights were 10 minutes apart. No hardship .

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We are on a VRC in April 2017 and have received our flights over 6 weeks ago.

Delta from EWR to Paris.good times both ways,

I was to upgrade the seats.

Maybe because we have booked the extension? Live close to a hub airport?

Kathy

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Maybe because we have booked the extension? Live close to a hub airport?

 

It will have more to do with the availability on particular flights, number of people Viking need to put on those flights, contract terms with the airline and Viking projections on flight costs etc.

 

In other words, almost impossible to work out from our side of things :)

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When you have "free air" w/Viking, there are 2 different air options with Viking Air, and you can buy one or other, or both.

 

One is Air Deviation, this is $100pp and allows you to deviate from the city you were flying into or out of (or both, which is $100 twice), or you wanted to deviate to different days coming and going. For example, Viking was flying you into Paris, but you wanted to go into Luxembourg instead to tour around before meeting the ship. Or, you want to go in 4 days early to Paris. This can be ordered at any time by Viking up to 75 days prior.

 

The second option is Custom Air, this is $50pp and allows you to work with Viking to get the air routing of your preference. If this routing that you choose happens to cost more than the routing Viking would have put you on, then you pay the difference in the fare. This is booked once you work with them, pay your $50 and tell them to pull the trigger. If you want to ensure the most direct routing, and have your tickets now, then go ahead and do this. If you want to leave it up to see what you get, then wait.

 

Personally, I'd pay the $50 way early out, 9-10 months, and work with Viking to get the routing I want. This is not at open market prices, this is at contracted prices Viking has with the airlines, so unless you choose an airline/flight schedule they don't have a contract with (rare), you will be getting a fare with little to no upcharge.

 

So, you can deviate and customize the route, or one or the other. Travelers should also be working with a travel agent who is a river cruise specialist, as this information is known to them, as well as lots of other ins and outs of river cruising.

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When you have "free air" w/Viking, there are 2 different air options with Viking Air, and you can buy one or other, or both.

 

One is Air Deviation, this is $100pp and allows you to deviate from the city you were flying into or out of (or both, which is $100 twice), or you wanted to deviate to different days coming and going. For example, Viking was flying you into Paris, but you wanted to go into Luxembourg instead to tour around before meeting the ship. Or, you want to go in 4 days early to Paris. This can be ordered at any time by Viking up to 75 days prior.

 

The second option is Custom Air, this is $50pp and allows you to work with Viking to get the air routing of your preference. If this routing that you choose happens to cost more than the routing Viking would have put you on, then you pay the difference in the fare. This is booked once you work with them, pay your $50 and tell them to pull the trigger. If you want to ensure the most direct routing, and have your tickets now, then go ahead and do this. If you want to leave it up to see what you get, then wait.

 

THANK YOU for the simple, understandable description of the Viking air options. Our TA mentioned the fees, but I think I was simply overwhelmed with all the information she was giving me as this will be our first river cruise. Now I know that we need Air Deviation and we may want Choice Air.

 

Lynn

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Sounds like it's all working out for you, Monica. I've never had it go up once I locked in the price and paid for the ticket, even though I didn't get the actual ticket until 60-75 days out. The cruise lines buy through ticket brokers.

 

Roz

 

I meant to say ticket consolidators instead of ticket brokers.

 

Roz

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Thanks for everyone's comments. I went home last night and checked the My Viking Journey website and there they were - our flight schedules. We are on BA and I already changed one set of seats. We have only one stop each way. Everything, time-wise, is decent so no need for me to pay for any air plus.

 

The email from Viking (via my travel agent) with the itinerary says that our flight schedule has been finalized. It doesn't show the BA ticket number but I have it in my booking page on BA's web site.

 

Monica

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THANK YOU for the simple, understandable description of the Viking air options. Our TA mentioned the fees, but I think I was simply overwhelmed with all the information she was giving me as this will be our first river cruise. Now I know that we need Air Deviation and we may want Choice Air.

 

Lynn

 

We called our TA on Sat. and requested Choice Air for $50/pp. I had gone online to see which flights had only one stop and were shortest in duration and even made seat selections, which I gave to her. She called Mon. and everything was confirmed just as requested. I then went to the website and was able to enter our FF #s. We can also upgrade to Comfort Plus. What a deal for $50/pp.

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The answer to your question depends upon:

 

1. Which airline your flight was booked with;

2. Do you have any status with the airline you are booked on; and

3. Which fare category did you get booked on.

 

I can tell you from experience, that upgrading from the bulk ticket categories to either true PE ( read again true PE ,not the American carriers fake version thereof) or to BC can be unrealistically expensive. The question might be found in #2 above. However, I have seen Golds with regular economy tickets get upgrades before Platinums flying on bulk rate tickets. Ticket classifications matter!

 

There is no one size fits all answer to your question!

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