Down-payment and Pricing, Any Haggle Room?

[Liz Masterson]

Thank you @cvgrammy!

[KBourgeois]

On 7/27/2019 at 11:29 AM, Peregrina651 said:

 

The price quoted on the Viking website for flights is for Economy and it is for the flights that they are offering at that price; if you want something that is not on that list it may cost more. If you upgrade, the prices go up. That is separate from the Air Plus fee which allows you to choose which of the flights Viking is offering you prefer and from the deviation fee which allows you to arrive early and/or leave late.

 

There is more general information about Air Services on the Viking website (too much to share here): https://www.vikingcruises.com/oceans/my-trip/air-services/index.html

 

This is also from the Viking website (can be found when you click the Booking Terms and Conditions link at the bottom of the list of sail dates under the Dates and Pricing tab of any itinerary):

 

AIR UPGRADE: Upgrade to Premium Economy air from $999 per person or Business Class air from $2,999 per person based on select gateways and dates. Additional airline-imposed baggage charges may apply; for more information visit Airline Luggage Restrictions. Air prices are per person based on cruise/cruisetour check-in date and include transfers plus all government taxes/fees of approximately $160 and air fuel surcharges. Air seats are limited; airfares are subject to change and are not guaranteed until full payment of air is received. For more information about customized air services and US gateways, visit the Viking Air Plus page.

 

Don't stop looking for your own flights. Be familiar with what is out there. Decide which flight plans are acceptable and which aren't (and hour and half connection time at CDG is NOT acceptable; you might not make it to the gate in time). **Know the prices of your preferred flights so you can decide if you are going to book your own flights because it is cheaper to get what you want on your own (especially since you are deviating which will add at least $200 pp to the cost of your flights -- $100 Air Plus fee + $100 deviation fee + any changes to the airfare imposed by the airlines).

 

**This might not be as important if you are arriving and departing on the first and last days of the cruise and want to fly with Viking because they will handle the transfers and you don't care so much what the cost is because you want the comfort and convenience of letting Viking handle those details. HOWEVER, if you are deviating  arrival and/or departure dates, remember that you lose transfers on the deviated arrival/departure days.

 

Also note that if you are doing pre-/post- with Viking, this counts as part of your cruise for determining your arrival and departure days for your package. Transfers are included if you land on Day 1 and depart on the last stated Day of your package. Arriving/departing before/after those days is a deviation. (Sorry, I hope this is clear; I haven't had enough coffee yet)

After our flights are issued, we then go directly to airline and purchase our upgrades....we have done this for the last 2 Viking cruises.

[cvgrammy]

Yes, we do the very same thing KBourgeois!  Actually, we have booked on our own twice (found cheaper air and routes) and this time, booked through Viking and then waited a few days to clear and booked and paid for our upgrade.  Hope that helps.

[CDNPolar]

On 7/25/2019 at 2:38 PM, mort&fran said:

 

The last couple times I contacted Viking they were willing to push back the payment date to 6 months prior to departure. (In one instance the agent supposedly had to get it approved by a supervisor.) 6 months out is not as good as some others, but it's better than 9.

We routinely get 6 months as a repeat guest, but you have to ask for it, they don't give it willingly which I think is miss for Viking.  We also managed to get 6 months for our travel companions that are both first time Viking guests.  Guess it is how you ask and who you talk to?

[Clay Clayton]

On 8/24/2019 at 3:45 AM, CDNPolar said:

We routinely get 6 months as a repeat guest, but you have to ask for it, they don't give it willingly which I think is miss for Viking.  We also managed to get 6 months for our travel companions that are both first time Viking guests.  Guess it is how you ask and who you talk to?

Which is sad.  I do wish Viking’s policies were more consistent. ...or that I had who you talked to! 😂

[sleepybobo]

I also found Viking’s final payment policy all over the place. For my first VO cruise in 2017, final payment was due six months prior to departure. For my second one this year, it was due a year prior. For the next one in 2021, it’s back to 6 months prior. 

 

For my last two cruises, pricing change worked to my favor. Prices went up after I booked both times. So I felt comfortable to commit early. With the next one, I’m not so sure. It seems demand has gone down on even the more popular itineraries. Will watch more closely. I really hope Viking can have some sort of lowest-price guarantee with a reasonable adjustment fee for people who book a year or two in advance. Wishful thinking I know. 

 

A question on Viking Air, is there any cancellation fee if we decide to book our own? For my 2021 Alaska cruise, the airfare from east coast is $599 which is lower than what I can find from my quick research even with the $100 deviation fee. But if I end up finding a better deal, can I cancel without paying any cancellation fee?

[Homerody]

Well, since it is unlikely that I will be able to get anywhere with my booking and the Anniversary sale and an upgrade I am willing to pay for my VO and replacing the cruise I am on with another line's.  

 

For those interested in a related thread about pricing and anniversary sale see the CC thread - "Cruise price Drop with Viking Anniversary Sale"

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Peregrina651]

11 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

A question on Viking Air, is there any cancellation fee if we decide to book our own?

 

I just booked my own air for our June, '20 cruise. There was no charge for canceling the air portion and it included removing the  custom air fee which we added at the time of booking but did not get around to using because I was able to beat the Viking price.

 

11 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

For my second one this year, it was due a year prior. For the next one in 2021, it’s back to 6 months prior. 

 

If you booked your 2021, before you sailed in 2019 (such that the 2021 made two open bookings) or if you booked on board your 2019, then the pay in full date will be 6 months prior. Otherwise, it looks like 12 months is the best you can hope for.

[sleepybobo]

9 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I just booked my own air for our June, '20 cruise. There was no charge for canceling the air portion and it included removing the  custom air fee which we added at the time of booking but did not get around to using because I was able to beat the Viking price.

 

 

If you booked your 2021, before you sailed in 2019 (such that the 2021 made two open bookings) or if you booked on board your 2019, then the pay in full date will be 6 months prior. Otherwise, it looks like 12 months is the best you can hope for.

 

Nice to know the air portion of the fare can be fully refunded. This way I can pretty much lock in the price of airfare. 

 

I booked our 2021 cruise onboard, may be that’s why final payment is due 6 months prior without me even asking. 

[lackcreativity]

21 minutes ago, sleepybobo said:

 

Nice to know the air portion of the fare can be fully refunded. This way I can pretty much lock in the price of airfare. 

 

I booked our 2021 cruise onboard, may be that’s why final payment is due 6 months prior without me even asking. 

The onboard booking and  the "already have one booked" final payment deadline is a nice perk. However, it doesn't help my self-imposed limit of only two cruises booked at a time. I am working out our plans for 2021, but with a spring river and a fall ocean for next year, I am already at my limit. I have a handful under consideration for 2021, so I hope there will be something left at our price point when the time comes!

[Squawkman]

6 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

The onboard booking and  the "already have one booked" final payment deadline is a nice perk. However, it doesn't help my self-imposed limit of only two cruises booked at a time. I am working out our plans for 2021, but with a spring river and a fall ocean for next year, I am already at my limit. I have a handful under consideration for 2021, so I hope there will be something left at our price point when the time comes!

I totally get where you're coming from - but analyzing Viking's policies (well stated in this thread) convinced us to book a March 2021 British Isles cruise this month for 3 main reasons: it was the first time this cruise was offered in early spring - much cheaper cabin and air rates to begin with; the anniversary sale was an additional $500 per person; and we have over a year to pay the balance. Should any issues arise that we have to cancel the cruise, loss is limited to $200 until Xmas 2020.