Viking Cruise Terms on Balance Due

[stormz]

I have never sailed Viking Ocean. Seems like a great line. Looking at a possible sailIng summer of 2022. The quote I received had the payment in full due by end of 2020?  Is this because they are offering such a flexible cancellation?   Seems very early compared to other lines. I think a little risky forking over $16k 18 months in advance with the challenges that lie ahead for the cruise industry.  Also will Viking match the shipboard credit offered by big online websites if you  book directly? Thanks for any insight.

 

[Heidi13]

We have taken 1 Viking cruise. switching to them after many years with one of the Carnival brands.

 

During our 4-months aboard Viking Sun, both the ship's compliment and company were exceptional, during some rather trying times. However, I have no illusions that any cruise line will meet all of our needs. Viking doesn't follow the industry standards, with payment in full dates and TA perks limitations being 2 negatives.

 

Unless you book on board or have another cruise booked, about the best payment date is about 1 yr before departure. You can delay booking until a payment date you are comfortable with, but note many cruises sell out > 1 yr in advance.

 

For TA perks Viking has a policy limiting the OBC a TA can provide. For cruises over 15 days it is $500 pp in the currency you book the cruise. For 119 night, we were limited to CAN $ 500 pp from our TA. 

 

Definitely disappointing, but the Viking experience definitely makes up for these challenges. 

[JerryInIL]

I am planning a late 2021 cruise, but haven’t booked.  I’m watching the cabin availability for the cruise on the website and will hold off for as long as possible.  Risk is the price might go up, less cabin selection.  So far all categories are available.

[stormz]

Thanks to all.   I was not aware that on Viking you  need to Pay in full so far in advance. It appears their current cancellation policy is quite liberal.  It truly is a challenging time for the cruise industry. 

[Peregrina651]

18 hours ago, stormz said:

I have never sailed Viking Ocean. Seems like a great line. Looking at a possible sailIng summer of 2022. The quote I received had the payment in full due by end of 2020?  Is this because they are offering such a flexible cancellation?   Seems very early compared to other lines. I think a little risky forking over $16k 18 months in advance with the challenges that lie ahead for the cruise industry.  Also will Viking match the shipboard credit offered by big online websites if you  book directly? Thanks for any insight.

 

 

Viking has never conformed with the rest of the industry when it comes to final payment.

 

When we booked our first Viking river cruise (2009 for a 2010 cruise), payment in full was due in the month in which we booked the cruise. At that point, Viking was not booking much more than a season a head.

 

When we booked our first Oceans cruise in June, 2014 for a 2016 cruise, we expected that the payment policy would be the same: payment due at the end of the month. We were delighted to learn that we would not have to pay in full until the end of the year. Yes, we plunked down our payment in full for a cruise on a line that had yet sailed its first Oceans season and on a ship whose construction was not even underway. We were that convinced that Viking could translate its river operation into a comparable oceans operation. Six cruises later we are still happy with our choice.

 

Insights: Ask for a pay in full date that is 12 months prior to sailing; keep pushing. If that doesn't work, keep watching and book closer to the date you want to sail.  IMHO,  don't book any cruise today, regardless of cruise line, that you have to pay for in full within at least the next 6-8 months.

 

 

[zalusky]

On 8/10/2020 at 8:03 AM, Heidi13 said:

 

Unless you book on board or have another cruise booked, about the best payment date is about 1 yr before departure. You can delay booking until a payment date you are comfortable with, but note many cruises sell out > 1 yr in advance.

 

 

 

So just out of curiosity how is it different if you book on board.  I know with the mass market lines they typically have like $100 down and give you $100 in ship credit as well if you book on board.  I don't expect Viking to be anything like that but I am curious what the incentives might be?

[Peregrina651]

23 minutes ago, zalusky said:

 

So just out of curiosity how is it different if you book on board.  I know with the mass market lines they typically have like $100 down and give you $100 in ship credit as well if you book on board.  I don't expect Viking to be anything like that but I am curious what the incentives might be?

 

No telling what the book on board bennies will be in the future. In my experience, they have included:

• pay in full six month prior,
• double the returning guest discount,
• an on-board credit for the cruise you are booking based on length of cruise,
• an on board credit for the cruise you are on based on the number of cruises you book
• plus any other discounts that are currently being offered on the cruise you are booking

You can also get the pay in full 6 months prior any time you book and have a future cruise already on the books. Also note, that if you have to move the date of the cruise, you lose the bennies.

[zalusky]

1 minute ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

No telling what the book on board bennies will be in the future. In my experience, they have included:

• pay in full six month prior,
• double the returning guest discount,
• an on-board credit for the cruise you are booking based on length of cruise,
• an on board credit for the cruise you are on based on the number of cruises you book
• plus any other discounts that are currently being offered on the cruise you are booking

You can also get the pay in full 6 months prior any time you book and have a future cruise already on the books. Also note, that if you have to move the date of the cruise, you lose the bennies.

Good to know!  We are doing our first Viking in 2022 and will be thinking about this once on board.  

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, zalusky said:

 

So just out of curiosity how is it different if you book on board.  I know with the mass market lines they typically have like $100 down and give you $100 in ship credit as well if you book on board.  I don't expect Viking to be anything like that but I am curious what the incentives might be?

 

Viking were definitely significantly different from the mass market. For booking onboard we received total discounts of CAN $ 1,650 pp and on the current cruise we received US $ 400 non-refundable OBC. Definitely work booking onboard.

 

In addition, we received the 6-months full payment.

[stormz]

Thank you everyone lots of good info for sure!

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, zalusky said:

Good to know!  We are doing our first Viking in 2022 and will be thinking about this once on board.  

 

Just keep in mind that we have no idea what things are going to look like once we return to sailing. The on board booking incentives may be completely changed by the time we start sailing again.

[zalusky]

22 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Just keep in mind that we have no idea what things are going to look like once we return to sailing. The on board booking incentives may be completely changed by the time we start sailing again.

‘True but I can decide then and there or not all.