Finding open cabins?

[villager13]

Is there anyway to see what cabins are available for a Viking Ocean Cruise? On other cruise lines you can go on line to book a cruise and it shows you what cabins are available for you to pick.

I can’t find anywhere on line that lets you book a cruise on line or see what cabins are available without contacting Viking. We chose a cabin and booked it but want to keep an eye open for cancellations that may come up in the location we want to switch to. I wanted to keep checking. 

[RetroRod]

A TA would be a helpful resource if you booked with one. They would have a vested interest in helping a customer. 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, villager13 said:

We chose a cabin and booked it but want to keep an eye open for cancellations that may come up in the location we want to switch to. I wanted to keep checking. 

 

It is tedious but I was able to use one of the original big three travel sites to find empty cabins. It took a few tries to get past the spinning "Finding Cabins" but I kept trying different things to see if I could actually make it show cabins, which it did. My takeaway is that if there are no cabins to be found, it won't get past the spinning wheel.

 

Why not tell the Viking agent or TA that you working with what you are thinking and ask them to contact if any cabins in that area open up?

 

 

[philw1776]

My TA was able to get me a list of cabins of the type I wanted so I could make a choice in booking.

[OnTheJourney]

If you look at the specific dates for a given cruise, at least it'll mention a ballpark availability for the various categories. Beyond that, guess you have to check with a Viking agent. 

[Squawkman]

10 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

If you look at the specific dates for a given cruise, at least it'll mention a ballpark availability for the various categories. Beyond that, guess you have to check with a Viking agent. 

Ballpark is a good description as actual available cabins often do not match what you're looking at on screen when you talk to a Viking agent.

[burnabyjean]

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention a specific online agency, but Best Price Cruises shows actual cabin availability when you do a search.

[Peregrina651]

25 minutes ago, burnabyjean said:

I'm not sure if I'm allowed to mention a specific online agency, but ###### shows actual cabin availability when you do a search.

 

It is not permitted -- and it is one of those no-no's that can get your posting privileges suspended or revoked.

 

Edited October 29, 2019 by Peregrina651

[OnTheJourney]

8 hours ago, Squawkman said:

Ballpark is a good description as actual available cabins often do not match what you're looking at on screen when you talk to a Viking agent.

 

Now that you mention it, I've encountered this also - especially with the listing "limited availability" winding up being more available than you'd expect. 

[Squawkman]

50 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

 

Now that you mention it, I've encountered this also - especially with the listing "limited availability" winding up being more available than you'd expect. 

...or 1 or 2 left - but not available when you ask the agent

[OnTheJourney]

Ahh..but then check back a few days later and might be a different story. I got two different replies from two different agents as to the availability of the same cabin # (for the Venus inaugural sailing IF that's how they're going to do it) that I had on the Sky back in March. One said not available, the other said available and so booked it for us on the Iberian Explorer cruise. 

Edited October 30, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[Squawkman]

Interestingly, there were 2 cruises where I was able to book a cheaper cabin with a GTY - and it was the same cruise itinerary. First time was for this past March on the Sky two days after the mishap you experienced. I would have had free upgrade, so I hope that upgrade repeats itself next March. We will also be on the Venus for that cruise.

[benjaminnicholas]

I've also found that calling several different times to Viking (direct) can elicit varying rates and stories about what's actually available.

 

Case in point:  Upcoming Iconic Western Med, I call on a Monday to take advantage of free air and they quote me above what was on the website for a cabin, as the lower cabins were 'sold out.'

 

I said I'd think about it and waited 24 hours, called back.  New agent.  New price.  Much lower.  The lower DV cabins were suddenly wide open and the price lowered by $600/pp.  I booked it, but it didn't put a good taste in my mouth when it came to trusting a word that Viking's phone reps say.

 

In a sense, buyer always beware.

[philw1776]

VERY disconcerting if so and if not a different cruise date, or over the month end boundary of a monthly promotion.

[benjaminnicholas]

It was as legit a circumstance as I could have had it.  

 

A day in-between calls and a world of price difference.  It felt...  Wrong.

[angelhelly]

Some online TA's have cabin availability online when you do search. Mine does. That's how I was able to get from 3084 to 3074 for our next Viking cruise.