New Payment in Full due date policy

[Paulchili]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Agreed. The best you are going to get is 12 months out but only if you ask for it.

No thanks.

Too many other options out there - they are not the only game in town without comparable products in either river or ocean cruising.

[Cyber Kat]

13 hours ago, Paulchili said:

No thanks.

Too many other options out there - they are not the only game in town without comparable products in either river or ocean cruising.

 

Depends on how you feel about Viking I guess. We don’t like the policy but we really love the Viking experience enough to put up with it. We just spent our Azamara cruise - which we thoroughly enjoyed, BTW - saying, “but it’s not Viking.”  When we set foot on the ship for our Fall Viking cruise, it will feel like coming home. 

 

I don’t think we’re alone. 

[Homosassa]

14 hours ago, Paulchili said:

No thanks.

Too many other options out there - they are not the only game in town without comparable products in either river or ocean cruising.

So at this point, as someone who has never cruised Viking and never plans to cruise on Viking, I guess we can expect to see you gracefully bow out of this thread and any other Viking thread for which you have no helpful or accurate information.

[Squawkman]

4 minutes ago, Cyber Kat said:

 

I don’t think we’re alone. 

You’re not.

[Paulchili]

41 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

So at this point, as someone who has never cruised Viking and never plans to cruise on Viking, I guess we can expect to see you gracefully bow out of this thread and any other Viking thread for which you have no helpful or accurate information.

I am currently on Orion.

There is nothing particularly wrong about the experience but also nothing overwhelmingly compelling me to switch from Oceania 

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, Cyber Kat said:

When we set foot on the ship for our Fall Viking cruise, it will feel like coming home. 

 

I don’t think we’re alone. 

 

You are not alone and that is exactly what we said when we boarded the Sky this past December, "We're home again."

 

 

[Paulchili]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:31 AM, Homosassa said:

So at this point, as someone who has never cruised Viking and never plans to cruise on Viking, I guess we can expect to see you gracefully bow out of this thread and any other Viking thread for which you have no helpful or accurate information.

I am still waiting for your “graceful” apology (or at least an acknowledgement of mistaken assumptions) for all your incorrect accusations (see my post above).

That would be the honorable thing to do IMO.

[lackcreativity]

On 5/8/2019 at 10:53 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

You are not alone and that is exactly what we said when we boarded the Sky this past December, "We're home again."

 

 

We just returned from our third Viking ocean cruise, on three different ships, and they all feel wonderfully the same. I expect no less when we sail on a fourth Viking ship next year.

[Twitchly]

Here’s another take on the subject: We loved our experience last year on Viking Sky. We’re seriously considering another Viking cruise. We’d like to book one for next year, and the ones we’re interested in are already selling out.

 

I found this thread while checking to see what Viking’s current payment policies are.  Sadly, it looks like we can’t book a cruise for next year because we won’t have saved up enough money in time to pay a year in advance. If we go with Viking, we’ll have to wait until 2021 or later.

 

If Viking had a more delayed payment policy, this would be a no-brainer decision. We’d be on a Viking ship next year! But now we’re going to look at other options and see what else is out there. Maybe we’ll decide it’s worth waiting an extra year to stick with Viking, or maybe we’ll have a different and hopefully equally lovely experience somewhere else in 2020.

 

 

 

 

[MrRandal]

On 5/6/2019 at 12:34 PM, Cyber Kat said:

The policy is 12 months.  I don't know who is telling you 15 months.  Viking doesn't have to do it.  They do it because they can, and I imagine they will continue to do until they can't.

I don't see anyone twisting your arm to book with Viking.  Since you have all those other lines to choose from, enjoy a cruise with them.  I don't see what the issue is.

I thought the policy was 12 months, however we just received notice from Viking that our October 2020 Cruise final payment is due June 30, 2019, that's 15 months. I could live with the 12 months, I suppose I'll have to live with the 15 months. 

[Homosassa]

On 5/10/2019 at 5:35 AM, Paulchili said:

I am still waiting for your “graceful” apology (or at least an acknowledgement of mistaken assumptions) for all your incorrect accusations (see my post above).

That would be the honorable thing to do IMO.

As I was off line from May 9 - May 16 and this thread had probably had slipped off page one of the  forum when I returned, I just saw this post.

 

I apologize.

[Paulchili]

1 hour ago, Homosassa said:

As I was off line from May 9 - May 16 and this thread had probably had slipped off page one of the  forum when I returned, I just saw this post.

 

I apologize.

No problem - understood.

I appreciate you getting back to me.

Cheers.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, MrRandal said:

I thought the policy was 12 months, however we just received notice from Viking that our October 2020 Cruise final payment is due June 30, 2019, that's 15 months. I could live with the 12 months, I suppose I'll have to live with the 15 months. 

 

The policy is whatever is printed in the Booking Terms and Conditions at the time you are booking. However, you can negotiate to have the pay in full date changed before you put down your deposit. The best you will be able to do is 12 months prior to sailing (unless you already have another future cruise on the books) and you must request the change before you pay your deposit. Once you have paid the deposit, you have entered into a contract and other than cancel under the terms of the contract, there is nothing you can do to change it.

 

Make sure that your Viking agent or your TA sends you a copy of the offer from Viking and make sure to read it in its entirety. It will show what you are paying, the discounts you are being given, when you must make your deposit and how much and by when you must pay in full. If there are mistakes, if you want to request a different pay in full date, you need to take care of it before you pay your deposit. This is a contract and Viking treats it like a contract and they will not make changes once you have paid your deposit.

 

 Booking Terms & Conditions > (at the bottom of the dates & pricing page) spells out the payment terms in effect at the time of booking. For example, among other things, the terms this months say: Additional restrictions may apply. 2019: Book and pay in full by June 30, 2019. 2020: Book by June 30, 2019; pay in full by July 31, 2019. 2021: Book by June 30, 2019; pay in full by December 31, 2019. Offer expires June 30, 2019.

 

 

[sstrev]

When did this go into effect?  I just ask because we have been on one Viking River Cruise and have booked an Ocean cruise for next year.  We have never used a travel agent--just booked directly with Viking. We booked our Sept 2018 cruise in August of 2017.  They asked for a deposit and to have the balance paid by the end of the following month. we asked if the final payment could be extended to Dec 2017  and they did so.  So we only paid 9 months ahead.  We booked our May 2020 ocean cruise directly with them in Jan of this year.  Again, they wanted a deposit with the balance paid by the end of the next month (Feb 2019) We asked them if we could move the final payment date to Jan of 2020.  They said yes.  So we will only be making that final payment 4 months ahead.  We have found them to be very accommodating.  I wonder if this policy changed very recently?  And we are in the US.

[Peregrina651]

26 minutes ago, sstrev said:

When did this go into effect?  I just ask because we have been on one Viking River Cruise and have booked an Ocean cruise for next year.  We have never used a travel agent--just booked directly with Viking. We booked our Sept 2018 cruise in August of 2017.  They asked for a deposit and to have the balance paid by the end of the following month. we asked if the final payment could be extended to Dec 2017  and they did so.  So we only paid 9 months ahead.  We booked our May 2020 ocean cruise directly with them in Jan of this year.  Again, they wanted a deposit with the balance paid by the end of the next month (Feb 2019) We asked them if we could move the final payment date to Jan of 2020.  They said yes.  So we will only be making that final payment 4 months ahead.  We have found them to be very accommodating.  I wonder if this policy changed very recently?  And we are in the US.

 

The policy as you see written above is similar to what the written policy has always been for Viking cruises. There was a short period of time where for the asking one could get the pay in full date moved back to 6 months prior to sailing (which is what was in effect when you booked in 2017). As of this past November (2018), the verbal policy reverted to a strict 12 months except for those who already have a future on the books. Most of the reports of late, back up this verbal policy, along with my own experience in making our most recent bookings.

 

How or why you were given 9 months or even 4 months, I have no idea and will not speculate.  All I can say is that you were lucky.

[MrRandal]

On 6/16/2019 at 2:00 PM, Peregrina651 said:

This is a contract and Viking treats it like a contract and they will not make changes once you have paid your deposit.

 

Actually, they will, or they did. I called yesterday and spoke directly with Viking and they were happy to change the full balance due to 12 months, from the 15 months that was indeed on my contract.

[Islandbc]

We just booked a cruise for May 2021 and I requested the full payment to be 6 months prior to the departure date.  This was granted immediately. 

[tvmovielover]

We never paid more than 6 months in advance for any of our 4 river cruises and 2 ocean cruises from 2007 until last year.  I liked the river ships and love their ocean ships but have hated reading since the ocean cruises started of the inconsistent payment terms that new customers were given and accepted unless someone on these boards told them to ask for more time for final payment.  I hate reading here that after the stated in print final payment policy was changed that there are still inconsistent terms being given (even if there is some compelling reason).  Come on Viking-this is out of line with your otherwise excellent service.

[theduffys]

This is interesting. We got an offer in May for the November sailing on the Jupiter, Barcelona to Bueneus Aries, for a DV1 cabin for the price of a veranda plus free air. We jumped on it and were given a payment in full due date of June 30. Then last week we got an email stating that the payment date had been extended to July 9. Not sure why.

[CCWineLover]

2 hours ago, theduffys said:

This is interesting. We got an offer in May for the November sailing on the Jupiter, Barcelona to Bueneus Aries, for a DV1 cabin for the price of a veranda plus free air. We jumped on it and were given a payment in full due date of June 30. Then last week we got an email stating that the payment date had been extended to July 9. Not sure why.

 

Wow - that's great deal!  May I ask you - how do you hear about these offers?  We've been on 3 VOC's and never got anything from Viking on any offers of any kind.   Was it your Travel Agent?  Or Viking Cruises?   Are you on a special list of some kind?

Thanks for any tips!

[What was that?]

My experience with a Viking River cruise that I booked about the time the 12-month policy was becoming known is that my CC/TA worked with Viking to obtain a final payment deadline that was 6-months in advance of departure. Our traveling companions were not so lucky - they had to pay 12 months in advance (they used "their" CC/TA).

Recently we decided to book a Viking Ocean cruise, and I asked my CC/TA to work her magic with Viking again. She was again able to get the 6-month in advance final payment deadline.

I do not know if this applies in places other than the USA, where we live.

Of course I will not violate forum rules and reveal her name, but I think if you shop around and ask some pointed questions, you will find someone who can and will do this for you.

Happy cruising!

[Peregrina651]

If you have future cruise on the books when you book another cruise, 6 months is automatic. E.g., I booked a cruise in April. Pay in full 12 months prior. Booked a cruise in May; pay in full 6 months prior. 

 

I still haven't figured out how some TAs can get dispensations and others can't. 

[Vineyard View]

We have a cruise booked for October. Love Viking. Really looking forward to sailing again. We are not happy about Vikings return to long payment out dates. We have done this before, then when 6 months became available felt more comfortable  

 

We have been Looking at cruises for May next year to celebrate a special anniversary. The Viking one we wanted has been sold out for a long while. With some reluctance we booked on a different line - the itinerary is driving the decision plus the promotion being offered, plus not paying until Feb for a May cruise. When we are on board Viking in October we will visit the future cruise desk to discuss options for another date. So while we remain big Viking fans, we are itinerary driven as well so open to others. 

[theduffys]

On 6/29/2019 at 6:24 PM, CCWineLover said:

 

Wow - that's great deal!  May I ask you - how do you hear about these offers?  We've been on 3 VOC's and never got anything from Viking on any offers of any kind.   Was it your Travel Agent?  Or Viking Cruises?   Are you on a special list of some kind?

Thanks for any tips!

The email came from Viking. No special list that I know of. Maybe because we took our first Ocean cruise in Nov. or maybe the trip is not filling up.

[Brad1185]

We booked on board last summer and part of the deal was final payment 6 months out. 

 

We have also booked through Viking on the phone and both times the agent asked when did we want to do the final payment.  One cruise I think he set the final payment date 9 months out and another was 10 months. They seemed very accommodating on when the final payment would be due.