Perks for booking onboard? Perks for B2B?

Does Viking offer any incentives for booking a future cruise while onboard? Do they offer any perks for booking a back to back cruise?

Thank you

Does Viking offer any incentives for booking a future cruise while onboard? Do they offer any perks for booking a back to back cruise?

Thank you

Our b/b cruises were just the price doubled plus a referral credit. You can however find a TA who will give you a good loyalty rebate (discount.)

Would also be interested in onboard discounts if there are any.

I am working a major pricing issue from my booking onboard with Viking last June. I will let you know how Viking addresses this, hopefully in a few days.

Hi. We're just waking up to our first full day aboard Viking Sun. Last evening we had a fortuitous opportunity to talk with our Cruise Coordinator. She told us that booking onboard for a future cruise carried with it a $200 -$500 discount on the future cruise as well as a $100 shipboard credit on the cruise we're currently on. We'll be looking into this and I'll clarify more details. And, I'll share her name as she's been very helpful (embarrassed but it's after 3am, I'm in bed, and jet lag has overtaken my brain). We are so enjoying our first Ocean cruise after many wonderful river cruises with Viking.

So glad you're enjoying the Sun. We board her December 15. This will be our first trip with Viking, but already I feel it will be my favorite line. Thanks for getting 'the scoop' on booking while on board. Sounds like they offer some perks. How about the ability to transfer the booking to our own agency once we return home? And can it be an 'open booking' or must we book a set cruise? Reduced deposit?

Get some rest and enjoy the cruise. And thank you again!

Caroline

We booked a specific cruise while on our trans-Atlantic trip last February. We transferred that to our travel agent when we returned home and got additional credit from her. I think that we saved $500 for booking onboard.

Hi. We're just waking up to our first full day aboard Viking Sun. Last evening we had a fortuitous opportunity to talk with our Cruise Coordinator. She told us that booking onboard for a future cruise carried with it a $200 -$500 discount on the future cruise as well as a $100 shipboard credit on the cruise we're currently on. We'll be looking into this and I'll clarify more details. And, I'll share her name as she's been very helpful (embarrassed but it's after 3am, I'm in bed, and jet lag has overtaken my brain). We are so enjoying our first Ocean cruise after many wonderful river cruises with Viking.

I booked a 11-day sailing to Russia and the Baltic Sea while on Viking Sun earlier this month. Like you said, total discount per person was $500 ($300 onboard booking discount and $200 past guest discount.) Also got a $100 OBC for the cruise we were on.

Does Viking offer any incentives for booking a future cruise while onboard? Do they offer any perks for booking a back to back cruise?

Thank you

I found that when our TA booked Hong Kong to Tokyo and then Tokyo to Vancouver we did not receive a BB credit. Then when you look in the brochure you notice that it is $1000 cheaper to book Hong kong to Vancouver. I brought it to the TA's attention. She had also booked us to change rooms in Tokyo! She must be new but, I am keeping my eye on her mistakes and may change to another agent in her office who helped me in getting the same room for the entire trip.

We just got home last night from our Venice to Rome cruise and an extension of two days in Rome on the Viking Sun. We booked an 11 day cruise for 2018 for a DV4 cabinwhile on board and got a $200 post guest discount, a $300 management adjustment and $100 shipboard credit that could be used for anything including gratuities. The amount of discount depends on the cabin level and length of cruise i.e. money spent on the cruise

Be careful booking onboard.

While on Viking Homelands in June, I booked onboard for the Med Odyssey cruise October 2018. The cruise was just released so it was not listed on the Viking website at the time. So we asked the Viking sales rep onboard if our deal (round #s) for our same PV3 cabin which we liked at $6800 per person was going to be the June standard price. With a $400 onboard discount we paid $6400 each. I know that booking with a TA I might get onboard credit almost as much but felt secure booking eye to eye with Viking and we were happy at $400 off list.

Turns out that the PV3 list price posted online throughout the summer June-Sept (before Oct price increase when almost fully booked) was $6250. So, pretty much everyone else going on the cruise paid less than we did. We paid more than PV1 guests.

I contacted Viking and after weeks back & forth and all they'll do is give us a $200 (per person) onboard credit. They offered a cabin upgrade but it does not interest us as we like our PV3 cabin as is.

I am NOT happy about their on board pricing game. I've booked half a dozen cruises with Viking and this was not satisfactory.

My complaint is with Viking corporate, not the people onboard Viking Ocean who were excellent.

Be careful booking onboard.

While on Viking Homelands in June, I booked onboard for the Med Odyssey cruise October 2018. The cruise was just released so it was not listed on the Viking website at the time. So we asked the Viking sales rep onboard if our deal (round #s) for our same PV3 cabin which we liked at $6800 per person was going to be the June standard price. With a $400 onboard discount we paid $6400 each. I know that booking with a TA I might get onboard credit almost as much but felt secure booking eye to eye with Viking and we were happy at $400 off list.

Turns out that the PV3 list price posted online throughout the summer June-Sept (before Oct price increase when almost fully booked) was $6250. So, pretty much everyone else going on the cruise paid less than we did. We paid more than PV1 guests.

I contacted Viking and after weeks back & forth and all they'll do is give us a $200 (per person) onboard credit. They offered a cabin upgrade but it does not interest us as we like our PV3 cabin as is.

I am NOT happy about their on board pricing game. I've booked half a dozen cruises with Viking and this was not satisfactory.

My complaint is with Viking corporate, not the people onboard Viking Ocean who were excellent.

I booked Russia and the Baltic Seas in April 2019 while onboard. I asked the cruise consultant what happens if the cruise price drops. She said I could cancel and rebook. But she said cruise price usually goes up, not down.

The V1 on the sailing I was on (Venice, the Adriatic and Athens) increased to $3,174 in Oct 2018 from $2,699 in October 2017.

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This wasn't a price drop. It was THE price Viking quoted. When I booked onboard in June seeking the $400 discount incentive there were no prices yet posted online, but I was assured when I asked the Viking representative that my price was THE price, at least for a month or so. Instead, a much lower June price was posted online and was the price all summer until fall.

Had they said no, the to be posted price was going to be over $500 less I obviously would have not booked onboard and would have booked with a TA who would also have given me $200 - $300 on board credit.

This wasn't a price drop. It was THE price Viking quoted. When I booked onboard in June seeking the $400 discount incentive there were no prices yet posted online, but I was assured when I asked the Viking representative that my price was THE price, at least for a month or so. Instead, a much lower June price was posted online and was the price all summer until fall.

 

Had they said no, the to be posted price was going to be over $500 less I obviously would have not booked onboard and would have booked with a TA who would also have given me $200 - $300 on board credit.

Did you go to your TA and change? I would have and also complained to Viking and had them respect the lower price. Never just settle for their pricing and even booking on board you can change to your TA when you get home. Going through the cruise company seems to always get you the brochure price. Be very careful with any company.

I booked Russia and the Baltic Seas in April 2019 while onboard. I asked the cruise consultant what happens if the cruise price drops. She said I could cancel and rebook. But she said cruise price usually goes up, not down.

 

The V1 on the sailing I was on (Venice, the Adriatic and Athens) increased to $3,174 in Oct 2018 from $2,699 in October 2017.

 

 

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Be careful, I had a cabin booked and had to cancel the last half of a B2B. They IMMEDIATELY took my reserved cabin for the trip away from me. We were still going to be on part one of the B2B. I had some good service with changing back to a portside cabin but, it is farther forward and it did taking some complaining on my part, and waiting a few weeks for them to find another cabin for me. I am a little leery of Viking at this point. We are sailing with them for the first time later this month. I am hoping we love them so we do not have to cancel the 2019 cruise.

Heed Travelingnonni's warning. Her story is not the first of these nightmares that have been shared here on CC. If you make any of the changes listed below it is a cancellation and your cabin is no longer yours. Viking is intransigent in this regard. Check out the fine print in the terms of carriage (my formatting; their text):

• 
  
  • changes to departure date;
    
    
  • substitutions of itinerary;
    
    
  • substitution of another person for original booked guest(s);
    
    
  • or changing to a promotional fare.
    
    

Did you go to your TA and change? I would have and also complained to Viking and had them respect the lower price. Never just settle for their pricing and even booking on board you can change to your TA when you get home. Going through the cruise company seems to always get you the brochure price. Be very careful with any company.

Viking will not respect the lower (posted) price. I've been in contact with both Viking & TA numerous times. TA can get nowhere. Very disappointed in Viking as a long time customer.

Heed Travelingnonni's warning. Her story is not the first of these nightmares that have been shared here on CC. If you make any of the changes listed below it is a cancellation and your cabin is no longer yours. Viking is intransigent in this regard. Check out the fine print in the terms of carriage (my formatting; their text):

Cancellation Policy

For any cruise/land booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full and air-inclusive packages paid in full,

the following travel agent or guest-requested situations are

considered cancellations and fees will apply as noted below:

• 
  
  • changes to departure date;
    
    
  • substitutions of itinerary;
    
    
  • substitution of another person for original booked guest(s);
    
    
  • or changing to a promotional fare.
    
    

All cancellations must be in writing.. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure.

Cancellation received | Following charges will apply: (Broken out by days before departure) 121 days or more is $100 per person | 120-90 days is 15% of full fare | 89-60 days is 35% of full fare | 59-30 days is 50% of full fare | 29-0 days is 100% of full fare. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking. (Exceptions to the Cancellation Policy apply for Viking’s World Cruise. Contact your travel agent or Viking for details.)

Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking.

Revisions/Changes

Once a cruise/land booking has a deposit or air is paid in full, all changes are subject to a $30 charge per change. See prior section under Cancellation Policy for additional details on situations which are classified as cancellations rather than changes.

Excellent warning. I will add however that Viking's book on board offer in writing allows you to change your selected cruise up until you pay for your cruise in total which is deferred until 6 months before sailing. Again this applied to bookings made onboard.

Viking will not respect the lower (posted) price. I've been in contact with both Viking & TA numerous times. TA can get nowhere. Very disappointed in Viking as a long time customer.

I would be disappointed as well. Again I am questioning if we will want to continue business with Viking after this Cuba cruise. Windstar honored a sale price for us several years ago when they lowered the price after we had booked at a higher price. This does not sound like an honorable way to do business with repeat customers and never book on board!

I've seen several indications that the business end of the Viking Corporation has less customer friendly policies than most high end ocean cruise lines. Viking is a big organization. Getting the culture right in all divisions can be a challenge. When we communicate with Viking by telephone or email, we are getting a customer service employee who reports to middle management, who reports to higher management in that particular office. Other senior management may have no idea of the specific policies that are being implemented in the business office. One can hope that someone high up takes a very careful look at this end of their operation.

The written information that I have from when we booked our next cruise onboard says that we can change our reservation up to 4 months in advance of our sailing for no cost or penalty.

Heed Travelingnonni's warning. Her story is not the first of these nightmares that have been shared here on CC. If you make any of the changes listed below it is a cancellation and your cabin is no longer yours. Viking is intransigent in this regard. Check out the fine print in the terms of carriage (my formatting; their text):

 

Cancellation Policy

For any cruise/land booking, whether under deposit, partially paid, or paid in full and air-inclusive packages paid in full,

the following travel agent or guest-requested situations are

considered cancellations and fees will apply as noted below:

 

• 
  
   
  
  
  • 
    
     
    
    
  • changes to departure date;
    
    
     
    
    
  • substitutions of itinerary;
    
    
     
    
    
  • substitution of another person for original booked guest(s);
    
    
     
    
    
  • or changing to a promotional fare.
    
    
     
    
    

 

All cancellations must be in writing.. The following cancellation charges will be assessed for all written cancellations received prior to departure up to the scheduled time of departure.

Cancellation received | Following charges will apply: (Broken out by days before departure) 121 days or more is $100 per person | 120-90 days is 15% of full fare | 89-60 days is 35% of full fare | 59-30 days is 50% of full fare | 29-0 days is 100% of full fare. Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking. (Exceptions to the Cancellation Policy apply for Viking’s World Cruise. Contact your travel agent or Viking for details.)

Full Fare is defined as the full cost of any cruise, land or air component purchased from Viking.

Revisions/Changes

Once a cruise/land booking has a deposit or air is paid in full, all changes are subject to a $30 charge per change. See prior section under Cancellation Policy for additional details on situations which are classified as cancellations rather than changes.

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The written information that I have from when we booked our next cruise onboard says that we can change our reservation up to 4 months in advance of our sailing for no cost or penalty.

You are completely correct. It is 4 months, not 6 as I'd posted previously.

My booking on board paper reads, "Flexibility to change any itinerary or date up to 4 months before departure."

You are completely correct. It is 4 months, not 6 as I'd posted previously.

 

My booking on board paper reads, "Flexibility to change any itinerary or date up to 4 months before departure."

It seems Viking’s onboard booking policy is quite inconsistent. On my booking doc, it’s said a change fee of $100 per person would be charged before 120 days prior to departure.

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It seems Viking’s onboard booking policy is quite inconsistent. On my booking doc, it’s said a change fee of $100 per person would be charged before 120 days prior to departure.

 

 

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Yes, seems inconsistent as I just read mine & posted the exact words which are different.

I don't have problems with them evolving their policies.

I DO have a problem when I'm charged at onboard booking over $1,000 more for a newly announced but not yet posted on the internet cruise than the actual price when it's finally posted on the internet later that month. Unconscionable.

Yes, seems inconsistent as I just read mine & posted the exact words which are different.

I don't have problems with them evolving their policies.

I DO have a problem when I'm charged at onboard booking over $1,000 more for a newly announced but not yet posted on the internet cruise than the actual price when it's finally posted on the internet later that month. Unconscionable.

I agree with you. It’s not fair business practice to charge people more for a not-yet-posted itinerary. In your case, you really should get compensated with the price difference.

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