Beware of Viking Cruise Lines - More Than Disappointed

[Mark_T]

I'm still stuck at why your TA isn't dealing with all this for you?

 

It does sound like the Viking Agent involved in this is making some basic errors as if you really are back on the original flights then there is no possible justification for the additional charge.

 

Beyond that there is a lot of room for misunderstanding on all sides in some of the language being used. For example when Viking say the flight is 'full' they almost certainly mean there are no seats available at their contracted rate.

 

When the airline says the flight is not full they mean that they have seats left but only in higher priced fare buckets which is where the $7,000 fare cost comes in...

 

All of this though is something I'd expect a good experienced TA to shield you from and deal with directly with Viking without involving you...

[robert lockwood]

Thanks for the suggestion about posting on Facebook to get their attention. I just did that using a friends Facebook account.

 

Our TA is "big box" Travel - I get a different agent each time I talk with them. They are nice and all but have not been an real hard charging advocate for me...they just tell me what Viking tells them.

 

Someone mentioned that when they say the flight is full that it might be their block of seats full. That is probably true. But I changed the flights and paid for them in January and they didn't try to book them until April....my TA was told that is their procedure - doesn't feel like I should suffer because of their stupid practice. They should have booked my flight in January and not waited until April.

 

Thanks again for everyone's help.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[JVilleGal]

Log on to the airlines website and see what fares ARE available on the flights you wanted.

I do agree with the earlier poster that all the cruiseline "Cruise air" works this way and you are many times saving very little to use them but often end up with huge issues. Hope you are flying in a minimum of one day early and the date of departure!

Good luck!

 

PS as this is a holiday week end it may take a while in FB and you may need to repost. Too bad you did not do it under your own name so they would know to help you??

[roberts2005]

I have never used Viking Air, but this sounds like the op requested and paid for an air deviation. I have done air deviation with Oceania. You pay the deviation, they propose flights if you agree, you pay the additional cost.

 

Tickets however are not paid for until final payment at which time you can select seats

[Coral]

 

Our TA is "big box" Travel - I get a different agent each time I talk with them. They are nice and all but have not been an real hard charging advocate for me...they just tell me what Viking tells them.

 

 

First, I wish you luck. This should not have happened.

 

I do think booking with "big box" Travel is similar to just booking with an order taker. You may consider a real TA who does more than repeats what the cruise/river line tells you. There are ones out there who give competitive pricing and provide real service and will be an advocate for you. Too late for this trip but something to consider in the future. One really doesn't need a great TA when everything is going well, but when something goes wrong, they are worth their weight in gold!

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[caviargal]

First, I wish you luck. This should not have happened.

 

I do think booking with "big box" Travel is similar to just booking with an order taker. You may consider a real TA who does more than repeats what the cruise/river line tells you. There are ones out there who give competitive pricing and provide real service and will be an advocate for you. Too late for this trip but something to consider in the future. One really doesn't need a great TA when everything is going well, but when something goes wrong, they are worth their weight in gold!

 

I agree with you, Coral, 100%.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[Francis M]

The OP's problem, and I don't doubt that there is one, really confuses me. If you book a Viking cruise including air, and do nothing else, you find out the air itinerary about 75 days prior to your departure. When Viking sends your itinerary they offer the option of selecting different flights. To do this you use Viking's special air facility. The cost is $50pp, so I assume that the OP is booking a cruise for 8 people?

I'm sure Viking has a disclaimer about not being able to guarantee certain flights. The OP would likely not have heard about this since it sounds as if everything was handled by the "big box" TA.

Viking is able to offer discounted air by buying blocks of seats at a discounted price. The fact that the airline still has seats available does not mean that they still have discounted seats available.

I used Viking Air for our upcoming trip. I selected the flights at the time of booking and have had no issues (knock wood).

The culprit here, as it often seems to be is the TA intermediary.

I hope this resolves for you, and think you should probably get some satisfaction from Viking based on how I've seen them work in the past. But- doesn't really seem to be Vikings fault.

Frank

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[Mark_T]

But- doesn't really seem to be Vikings fault.

Frank

 

The bit that is Viking's fault if everything is as described is that they don't get to charge for an air deviation and then not deliver an air deviation.

 

If they couldn't actually get him on to the alternative flights then they do owe him a refund...

[JVilleGal]

OP's flights are in 3 days! He has waited too long to be able to do anything at all. I agree with a poster on FB, why oh why didn't you fix this weeks ago when you could?

[Mark_T]

OP's flights are in 3 days! He has waited too long to be able to do anything at all. I agree with a poster on FB, why oh why didn't you fix this weeks ago when you could?

 

I hadn't noticed that bit :)

 

Seriously? 3 days ... ?

 

Way too late now to be trying to fix anything, this should have been resolved months ago.

 

Still think he should get his refund for the deviation fees though if all is as described.

[JVilleGal]

He added that crucial piece of info to the story on the Viking FB Wall. Yes should have fixed this as soon as flights came out.

I use "big box" on occasion but they are worthless if there are issues as the OP is finding out.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[CPT Trips]

The OP's problem, and I don't doubt that there is one, really confuses me. If you book a Viking cruise including air, and do nothing else, you find out the air itinerary about 75 days prior to your departure. When Viking sends your itinerary they offer the option of selecting different flights. To do this you use Viking's special air facility. The cost is $50pp, so I assume that the OP is booking a cruise for 8 people?

I'm sure Viking has a disclaimer about not being able to guarantee certain flights. The OP would likely not have heard about this since it sounds as if everything was handled by the "big box" TA.

Viking is able to offer discounted air by buying blocks of seats at a discounted price. The fact that the airline still has seats available does not mean that they still have discounted seats available.

I used Viking Air for our upcoming trip. I selected the flights at the time of booking and have had no issues (knock wood).

The culprit here, as it often seems to be is the TA intermediary.

I hope this resolves for you, and think you should probably get some satisfaction from Viking based on how I've seen them work in the past. But- doesn't really seem to be Vikings fault.

Frank

 

When I looked into "air deviation" some time ago the deal was a bit different than you describe. Yes, there is a modest, in the scope of things, fee for the cruise line to work with you. But, they also charge you for the difference in cost between the flights they would book and the flights you want.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[robert lockwood]

Well, I have been out of town the last 3 weeks and just noticed that they had changed the flights.

 

When I scanned the flights in the booking package they seemed correct. The flights over are correct and the return flight gets in about the same time.....it just leaves earlier and has a long layover....I didn't notice it until Tuesday of this week when I got back home.

 

So I should have noticed it but they never alerted me that they changed the flights like commercial airlines do. I travel a lot, and when I fly on this airline and they have a change - even a 1 minute change - I get an email from them with a great big ALERT message saying my flight has been changed. Nothing like that with Viking.

[CantanaLobo]

I thought if you used a TA, everything, including deviation (Viking Custom Air?) requests had to go through TA. Is it possible the TA dropped the ball?

[klfrodo]

This is an old thread, but still filled with valuable information.

The thread discusses a topic I've seen on this thread about when you paid for your airfare and when you THOUGHT the cruise company should have made the purchase.

Enjoy reading

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=530322

[Hydrokitty]

Did I miss something? Is that the Women's soccer team that is playing in the Final on Sunday? [OP = Robert Lockwood; location Winston-Salem] Or were you rooting for Germany or England? :(

 

Imagine my surprise when I opened the News this morning! :o For some reason when I was watching News last night I thought the US had lost to Japan....but it was Great Britain that kicked the goal into their own net. So GO US Women!!! :D

 

As for OP's problem, I still would pursue it with my credit card company. Most of the time I purchase my air from Vantage and I've never had a problem with them. I do request that they book me on Lufthansa but I also have the benefit of flying from JFK which gives me many more options.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Hydrokitty

[Mark_T]

I travel a lot, and when I fly on this airline and they have a change - even a 1 minute change - I get an email from them with a great big ALERT message saying my flight has been changed. Nothing like that with Viking.

 

There is a very good chance that such an email was sent, but it would have gone to "big box" as they are your TA.

 

This is one of the risks of using a TA that really isn't a full service TA.

 

It is still possible that Viking got something wrong in all this as well, but with a 'booking agent' rather than a proper TA in the mix it is going to be hard to get to the truth.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[davesgirl51]

Well let's see....the Mets played this afternoon......the Yankees are off tonight....the Women's soccer team got eliminated....could be we ARE the most entertaining thing available on screen tonight. :D

 

Perhaps. However, unless you are from Germany or England, the Women's Soccer team won and will be playing against Japan on Sunday at 7pm. ;):D

[Hydrokitty]

There is a very good chance that such an email was sent, but it would have gone to "big box" as they are your TA.

 

This is one of the risks of using a TA that really isn't a full service TA.

 

It is still possible that Viking got something wrong in all this as well, but with a 'booking agent' rather than a proper TA in the mix it is going to be hard to get to the truth.

 

I totally agree, Mark....I have a "big box" membership and I love it, BUT I would never use them to book travel for me. They are not in the travel business and I think that is probably the root of OP's problem. One of the main reasons I like Vantage so much is that they do not use TA's at all, which means I deal with them directly, so if something happens I don't like, I can call them directly and work it out.....very important for a control freak.

Edited July 3, 2015 by Host Jazzbeau
edited at poster's request

[Host Jazzbeau]

Seems like not all of the sharks in a feeding frenzy are off the coast of the Carolinas--some are on this site!---ouch!

 

If you mean me, here in NY we have so little left to root for in the sports world that the USWNT is a big deal. They could probably beat our Cosmos!

[Coral]

One of the main reasons I like Vantage so much is that they do not use TA's at all, which means I deal with them directly, so if something happens I don't like, I can call them directly and work it out.....very important for a control freak.

 

I actually think the opposite. I prefer to use a Travel Agent, cruise expert, as she and her company (which is huge as they specialize in cruising) have a lot more pull in getting issues resolved than a passenger is. For example, if a cruise line ticks off a passenger, they may lose the one passenger. The cruise line is more likely to "resolve issues" with an agent or agency who does millions of dollars with them and who has already established relationships with top brass there.

 

To each their own.

[Host Jazzbeau]

OK folks, you have put me in a tough situation. This thread is full of very valuable advice about the pitfalls of using "big box" TAs -- the first time I've noticed people documenting the downsides after so many who tout their huge savings -- but you keep saying the TA's name! Since OP is going to be flying soon, I'm going to have to remove this thread [since I can't edit it unless each poster asks me to change the dreaded C word to "big box"].

[Hydrokitty]

If you mean me, here in NY we have so little left to root for in the sports world that the USWNT is a big deal. They could probably beat our Cosmos!

 

Maybe even the Mets.:(

[Hydrokitty]

I actually think the opposite. I prefer to use a Travel Agent, cruise expert, as she and her company (which is huge as they specialize in cruising) have a lot more pull in getting issues resolved than a passenger is. For example, if a cruise line ticks off a passenger, they may lose the one passenger. The cruise line is more likely to "resolve issues" with an agent or agency who does millions of dollars with them and who has already established relationships with top brass there.

 

To each their own.

 

Makes sense but then there's the whole control thing....there's no right or wrong here, just what works best for each of us....plenty of room for all of us!!:D

[Hydrokitty]

OK folks, you have put me in a tough situation. This thread is full of very valuable advice about the pitfalls of using "big box" TAs -- the first time I've noticed people documenting the downsides after so many who tout their huge savings -- but you keep saying the TA's name! Since OP is going to be flying soon, I'm going to have to remove this thread [since I can't edit it unless each poster asks me to change the dreaded C word to "big box"].

 

You have my permission to remove/change the dreaded "C" word. :D