Final payment date

[WisRiver]

We are considering a Viking Ocean cruise in April, 2023.  We have sailed with Viking River before, and booked our cabins 60 to 90 days prior to departure.  I understood that our trips had to be paid in full at the time of booking.  No problem.  

 

Viking  told  us that our final payment is due in June, 2022, nine months before departure.  We are not worried  about cancellation, but for tax reasons, I would prefer to pay in 2023, 90 days before departure.  Do people have any experience with Viking working with you to extend the final payment date?  I understand Viking wants our cash ASAP, I would prefer to delay final payment.  

[Mich3554]

You can make your final payment 6 months before sailing if you have a lot of bookings.  I have 4 cruises booked, just booked #5 and got delayed final payment.  
Only way you get to pay 90 days out is if you book 90 days out.  

[Peregrina651]

Any change to the final payment date must be worked out before you make the deposit.  Once you make the deposit, it is too late to change the contract. 

 

 

[donaldsc]

I seriously doubt if they are going to make a special exception in your case.  If they did, everyone would want some sort of special exception.  However, it can't hurt to ask Viking just in case they are feeling charitable.

 

DON

[bookbabe]

Nine months out is pretty good.  For our February 2023 Classic Panama Canal cruise, the best I could negotiate was one year out for final payment.

[Selion]

My original final payment date was 14 months before sailing.  That was Dec 2020, when COVID was raging.  Called Viking asking if they can push back on the final payment date due to the pandemic and uncertainties that come with it, Viking pushed the final payment date back for a whopping one month.  It was due at end of January 2021.  Risk Free Guarantee or not, I'd rather keep my cash with me longer...

 

Anyhow.  Getting on the ship in less than 24 hours.  After that, I may just forget all about the poor handling of final payment dates by Viking during the pandemic.

[duquephart]

Or not.

[Poulsbo Cruisers]

It’s very smart on Viking’s part to have this type of early deposit requirement. As long as so many are willing to do it, Viking gets interest free loans to help them build their new ships. If most Viking customers were to refuse to book early with these deposit requirements, Viking would probably change its policy.