Reassigned to a different stateroom?

[sleepybobo]

For our upcoming West Indies Explorer cruise in December, we booked V1 3022.  I realized we were "upgraded" to DV6 3056 unexpectedly.  I called to change our scheduled flights and got an updated invoice.  I saw a different stateroom number on the invoice.  

 

I was not at all happy with the upgrade.  3056 is very close to Torshavn, next to the tender boats and right across the laundrette.  We are light sleepers and noise is a huge factor.  This is a room on my "avoid list".  I reached out to my TA about it.  She told me 3022 is scheduled for maintenance during my sailing.  There's no other DV6 available, except 3056.  DV4 will require an upcharge.  She advised me to call Viking.

 

I called Viking today and spent an hour over the phone.  I felt very frustrated after my call.  The Viking booking agent said no one complained about noise issue.  I guess she thinks I don't check Cruise Critic.  I told her no.  There are numerous complaints about 3056.  Then, she said the only V1 left is 3009.  I told her 3009 is not ideal because it's right above the Theatre.  She said 3022 is above the Cinema too and 3009 is just five cabins away at the other side.  Again, I felt she minimized my concerns about noise.  She let me know that the cabin change was communicated to my TA in late August.  Unfortunately, my TA had not notified me.  I asked why guests were not notified about such important change.  She said Viking assumed the TA will handle all changes.  Finally, she said Viking guarantees only cabin category, not cabin number.  I have to read the T&C to see the fine print about it.  

 

Has anyone had similar experience before?  

[CCWineLover]

20 minutes ago, sleepybobo said:

For our upcoming West Indies Explorer cruise in December, we booked V1 3022.  I realized we were "upgraded" to DV6 3056 unexpectedly.  I called to change our scheduled flights and got an updated invoice.  I saw a different stateroom number on the invoice.  

 

I was not at all happy with the upgrade.  3056 is very close to Torshavn, next to the tender boats and right across the laundrette.  We are light sleepers and noise is a huge factor.  This is a room on my "avoid list".  I reached out to my TA about it.  She told me 3022 is scheduled for maintenance during my sailing.  There's no other DV6 available, except 3056.  DV4 will require an upcharge.  She advised me to call Viking.

 

I called Viking today and spent an hour over the phone.  I felt very frustrated after my call.  The Viking booking agent said no one complained about noise issue.  I guess she thinks I don't check Cruise Critic.  I told her no.  There are numerous complaints about 3056.  Then, she said the only V1 left is 3009.  I told her 3009 is not ideal because it's right above the Theatre.  She said 3022 is above the Cinema too and 3009 is just five cabins away at the other side.  Again, I felt she minimized my concerns about noise.  She let me know that the cabin change was communicated to my TA in late August.  Unfortunately, my TA had not notified me.  I asked why guests were not notified about such important change.  She said Viking assumed the TA will handle all changes.  Finally, she said Viking guarantees only cabin category, not cabin number.  I have to read the T&C to see the fine print about it.  

 

Has anyone had similar experience before?  

Isn’t this about the 5th iteration / post of the same situation?

time to move on

[sleepybobo]

Just now, CCWineLover said:

Isn’t this about the 5th iteration / post of the same situation?

time to move on

I only raised it once in another thread. And I didn’t mention my conversation with Viking there. If this is not a topic of any interest to you, feel free to scroll down. I thought this is a forum for people to share experience and ask questions. 
 

Full disclosure: I also started a post about my situation in the FB page. Don’t know if I mentioned there, I can’t ask here. 
 

BTW - I found your posts on WIE very helpful. Thanks. 

[rizello]

I was in 3048 on my cruise in August and we had no issues.  It was quiet as can be.  Of course there were only 178 passengers on our cruise, but I would definitely have no issues with that room another time.

[Peregrina651]

Sorry you had such a hard time with the call center -- but not surprised.  

 

If you haven't already contacted Viking via tellus@vikingcruises.com, give it a try.  Tell them your problem including your dissatisfaction with your phone experience, give them your booking number and your phone number and ask them to give you a call. 

 

In the meantime, unless you are going to cancel the cruise, you need to figure out how to turn this bushel of lemons into limoncello, in case it can't be worked out.  Maybe folks have some suggestions for you.  For example, if you start working on it now, you can experiment with a white noise generator (free phone and tablet apps are available) and get used to sleeping with it before you leave.  

 

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

For our upcoming West Indies Explorer cruise in December, we booked V1 3022.  I realized we were "upgraded" to DV6 3056 unexpectedly.  I called to change our scheduled flights and got an updated invoice.  I saw a different stateroom number on the invoice.  

 

I was not at all happy with the upgrade.  3056 is very close to Torshavn, next to the tender boats and right across the laundrette.  We are light sleepers and noise is a huge factor.  This is a room on my "avoid list".  I reached out to my TA about it.  She told me 3022 is scheduled for maintenance during my sailing.  There's no other DV6 available, except 3056.  DV4 will require an upcharge.  She advised me to call Viking.

 

I called Viking today and spent an hour over the phone.  I felt very frustrated after my call.  The Viking booking agent said no one complained about noise issue.  I guess she thinks I don't check Cruise Critic.  I told her no.  There are numerous complaints about 3056.  Then, she said the only V1 left is 3009.  I told her 3009 is not ideal because it's right above the Theatre.  She said 3022 is above the Cinema too and 3009 is just five cabins away at the other side.  Again, I felt she minimized my concerns about noise.  She let me know that the cabin change was communicated to my TA in late August.  Unfortunately, my TA had not notified me.  I asked why guests were not notified about such important change.  She said Viking assumed the TA will handle all changes.  Finally, she said Viking guarantees only cabin category, not cabin number.  I have to read the T&C to see the fine print about it.  

 

Has anyone had similar experience before?  

 

Rather than having an issue with Viking, your primary complaint should be with your TA, specifically the complete lack of service they are providing.

 

Once we use a TA, they are the cruise line's customer and all communications should come through the TA.If your TA was advised at the end of August of the cabin change, why did they not advise you and confirm your are accepting of the change. Everything our TA receives from Viking she forwards.

 

Under no circumstances, should your TA advise you to contact Viking directly to resolve an issue. That is the TA's responsibility. Personally, I would be contacting your TA, advising them in no uncertain terms that fixing this problem is their responsibility. I would give them a couple of days to resolve, or you will cancel the cruise and fire them.

[lil_miss_mimi]

14 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

For our upcoming West Indies Explorer cruise in December, we booked V1 3022.  I realized we were "upgraded" to DV6 3056 unexpectedly.  I called to change our scheduled flights and got an updated invoice.  I saw a different stateroom number on the invoice.  

 

I was not at all happy with the upgrade.  3056 is very close to Torshavn, next to the tender boats and right across the laundrette.  We are light sleepers and noise is a huge factor.  This is a room on my "avoid list".  I reached out to my TA about it.  She told me 3022 is scheduled for maintenance during my sailing.  There's no other DV6 available, except 3056.  DV4 will require an upcharge.  She advised me to call Viking.

 

I called Viking today and spent an hour over the phone.  I felt very frustrated after my call.  The Viking booking agent said no one complained about noise issue.  I guess she thinks I don't check Cruise Critic.  I told her no.  There are numerous complaints about 3056.  Then, she said the only V1 left is 3009.  I told her 3009 is not ideal because it's right above the Theatre.  She said 3022 is above the Cinema too and 3009 is just five cabins away at the other side.  Again, I felt she minimized my concerns about noise.  She let me know that the cabin change was communicated to my TA in late August.  Unfortunately, my TA had not notified me.  I asked why guests were not notified about such important change.  She said Viking assumed the TA will handle all changes.  Finally, she said Viking guarantees only cabin category, not cabin number.  I have to read the T&C to see the fine print about it.  

 

Has anyone had similar experience before?  

Don't take 3009...We were in 3007 on our first Viking Ocean cruise. We never went to any of the shows but experienced every word and song. You could plainly hear the entire show in our cabin. The shows are supposed to end at 10:30 but several times they went until almost 11pm. We are very active and would be out hiking and walking all day, by 10:30 we were more than ready for bed but could not go to sleep until the shows ended. Several other cabin around us complained as well. There was really nothing you could do but wait for it to end. It was a ten day cruise, so by the end we had enough. We will never book in that area again.

[sleepybobo]

10 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

Sorry you had such a hard time with the call center -- but not surprised.  

 

If you haven't already contacted Viking via tellus@vikingcruises.com, give it a try.  Tell them your problem including your dissatisfaction with your phone experience, give them your booking number and your phone number and ask them to give you a call. 

 

In the meantime, unless you are going to cancel the cruise, you need to figure out how to turn this bushel of lemons into limoncello, in case it can't be worked out.  Maybe folks have some suggestions for you.  For example, if you start working on it now, you can experiment with a white noise generator (free phone and tablet apps are available) and get used to sleeping with it before you leave.  

 

Thanks.  I just wrote to Tellus.  While I know my TA dropped the ball, I was quite upset about my interactions with the Viking agents.  Both agents I spoke with yesterday were dismissive about my concerns.  

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Rather than having an issue with Viking, your primary complaint should be with your TA, specifically the complete lack of service they are providing.

 

Once we use a TA, they are the cruise line's customer and all communications should come through the TA.If your TA was advised at the end of August of the cabin change, why did they not advise you and confirm your are accepting of the change. Everything our TA receives from Viking she forwards.

 

Under no circumstances, should your TA advise you to contact Viking directly to resolve an issue. That is the TA's responsibility. Personally, I would be contacting your TA, advising them in no uncertain terms that fixing this problem is their responsibility. I would give them a couple of days to resolve, or you will cancel the cruise and fire them.

Thanks.  I'll escalate this issue with my TA.

 

31 minutes ago, lil_miss_mimi said:

Don't take 3009...We were in 3007 on our first Viking Ocean cruise. We never went to any of the shows but experienced every word and song. You could plainly hear the entire show in our cabin. The shows are supposed to end at 10:30 but several times they went until almost 11pm. We are very active and would be out hiking and walking all day, by 10:30 we were more than ready for bed but could not go to sleep until the shows ended. Several other cabin around us complained as well. There was really nothing you could do but wait for it to end. It was a ten day cruise, so by the end we had enough. We will never book in that area again.

Thanks.  3009 is above the Theatre.  The agent said Viking ships are new and sound doesn't travel.  Not true.  

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, sleepybobo said:

Thanks.  3009 is above the Theatre.  The agent said Viking ships are new and sound doesn't travel.  Not true.  

 

Next time someone uses this line, ask them if they have ever sailed on a Viking ship (or is just part of the script).

[sleepybobo]

Happy to report that my TA was able to work out a great solution with Viking.  We get a DV4 at a quiet location now.  

 

Lesson learned: As Andy mentioned above, once you use a TA, have your TA deal with Viking Reservations team.  Don't know why my TA asked me to call Viking directly myself, as the Viking agent pretty much refused to discuss any other options with me.  

 

I have been very happy with Viking's customer service until this stateroom change snafu.  I never experienced any similar situation before with any cruise lines.  So I was caught off guard.  Thanks all for advice on how to deal with this.

[Insanityx4]

We had the same thing happen to us with the room being not available due to maintenance. When we got on the ship another couple was in the original room. I think they probably double booked the same room and didn't want to own up to it.

Edited October 28, 2021 by Insanityx4