A question about adding "air plus" to a booking

[OnTheJourney]

I chatted with an agent today to add an extension, and then got talking about possibly adding air. I asked if I'd be able to call the air dept. to discuss pricing, etc., but I was told that in order to work with the air dept. I'd first need to add the "air plus" service to the booking. So then she looked into it and asked if I wanted to add the air component to the trip right now - indicating that she couldn't add air plus if there isn't air on the booking at all (?) This is all just a tad confusing since I've never done it before. Next, after asking which local airports I'd use for international, she said that I'm too far out to make any schedules yet (for a January cruise) and that right now the air dept. is working with people that are within 60 days of departure and running into all sorts of issues with the air carriers cancelling flights (?). So she seemed to allude to a bit of chaos with the air bookings. Next she quoted the prices for economy, premium economy, and business class and said the prices she is quoting are 'locked in' as soon as paid for. She suggested just waiting being that they wouldn't be able to do much for me now anyway.

 

Just so I have this right...is there no way I can work with the air dept. unless I agree to pay upfront for one of the 3 classes she quoted (or, of course, I could choose economy and likely upgrade later)? Somehow I expected that she'd have to add something to the booking - a set fee, for example, which would qualify as "adding air on the booking", but would then at least allow me to talk to the air desk and get some pricing and itineraries. Apparently too soon to do either. Unless I'm missing something, it seems like an all-or-none deal relative to booking - either pay it all upfront right now and then work out the seating later, or do nothing (at least through Viking). I remain a bit confused about it but am just hesitant to fork out a good chunk of money (especially for B-class) without being to get any sort of detailed info as to what I'm purchasing.

 

I booked my own air when we did the Sky Northern Lights cruise back in '19, but with some of the uncertainties that exist today I'd prefer to keep everything under Viking so as to have all the monies covered under 'risk-free' if something were to go sideways or if we'd decide to cancel. She suggested that I at least book by 120 days out but I'd be inclined to not wait quite that long. What bothers me about all this is that I'd be paying the money up front but not actually getting a seat till much closer to the trip. I'm not used to that, having always booked my own for land tours, etc. so as to know right away where my seats are. Booking my own, of course, means the money is not under risk free however. 

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?  Talked to my TA afterwards and gave her the quoted prices, which she thought were actually quite good IF they were for both DW and myself for roundtrip. The agent indicated it was. I'll have to start looking up some prices to compare. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[FetaCheese]

V had a booking incentive, free air, and some other fine perks included as well. Cruise is December 2022. On MVJ, air will be assigned 90 days prior. Also saw the same info you were told--re: prioritizimg pax only 60 days out, however Another pax on my roll call paid air plus, and he was able to select his best flights ( 5 1/2 months out ).  As has been said on CC, different V agents, different outcomes.  Inclined to buy plus, since that pax was able to select a later departure time for inbound flight, instead of V assigned flight (disembarkation at 5am), and was assured he  could stay on ship til 2pm.  Also got to select a better--not circuitous-- routing, and avoiding ORD !  Perhaps you could try again with another V agent.

 

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

Perhaps you could try again with another V agent.

I think I will, especially after earlier today an agent (on the MVJ chat feature) told me that I can't add anything to the booking unless done by my TA. I wanted to add a pre-cruise extension and she said she couldn't do it. That didn't sound right to me, so later I talked to another one who said I can add whatever I want but can't take anything away without going through my TA. I've seen these sorts of inconsistencies with other cruise lines also. Thanks for the info!

[OnTheJourney]

1 hour ago, FetaCheese said:

Another pax on my roll call paid air plus, and he was able to select his best flights ( 5 1/2 months out ). 

Most encouraging. I don't mind paying the money upfront if it's worth it for flexibility in scheduling, etc. 

[CDR2001]

In 3 cruises with Viking, I always pay for Viking Air when booking, using whatever economy promotional rate is available. It’s ranged from free to $799, cheaper than on my own. I then add Air Plus for the deviation perk, as my sister lives in Italy. I call Air Plus about 8-9 months out with my preferred flight options, as they often can’t be seen on the airline websites sooner. I’ve always received good service, and I get the flights I like. ( I fly to the embarkation city, and fly home from Italy, with a personally booked one way flight or train to get to my sister.) I then log in to the actual airline websites and monitor seats and upgrade prices. When I’m ready to upgrade, I call Air Plus and convince them to ticket the flight. I select upgrades and seats on the airline App, and again monitor it for any changes. (Upcoming trip…6 time changes so far by the airline, but I had a long layover as a buffer.) Good experiences every time. 

[OnTheJourney]

3 hours ago, CDR2001 said:

I call Air Plus about 8-9 months out with my preferred flight options, as they often can’t be seen on the airline websites sooner. I’ve always received good service, and I get the flights I like.

I'll have to try again, calling Viking air directly - if they tell me they can't help me right now due to serving those with upcoming trips within 60 days, that's fine. But I want to have specific itineraries chosen before I call them. Thanks for all the info! 

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

I'll have to try again, calling Viking air directly - if they tell me they can't help me right now due to serving those with upcoming trips within 60 days, that's fine. But I want to have specific itineraries chosen before I call them. Thanks for all the info! 

We have always used air plus and added the air plus and the basic economy air cost at booking.  You do NOT have to pay anything to do this, it is just added to your invoice and you can remove anytime up to when your payment is due.

 

We view the airline schedules 300 days out and choose our flights and connections and then decide if we are flying economy or premium, or business.  Then we price with Viking.

 

I know that the recording says that they are only dealing with air for within 60 days, but like another poster here, we use air plus because we want to get certain airlines and connections and I call 300 days before the cruise.  Even when the recording says within 60 days I have never been pushed off by the air plus department.  (And, most often they answer immediately which means there is no queue.)

 

 

[OnTheJourney]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

We have always used air plus and added the air plus and the basic economy air cost at booking.  You do NOT have to pay anything to do this,

That's what I expected but not what I was told. It was like - choose which of the three price classes you want and pay for it immediately in order to add air to the booking. I was rather dumbfounded. Didn't make any sense. I remain totally confused on how the thing is supposed to work. 

Edited June 16, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[OnTheJourney]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Even when the recording says within 60 days I have never been pushed off by the air plus department.

I'm going to call them once I look at and decide on an itinerary that looks good. The worst that can happen is they can say they can't do anything that far out at the present time. 

[Heidi13]

3 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

That's what I expected but not what I was told. It was like - choose which of the three price classes you want and pay for it immediately in order to add air to the booking. I was rather dumbfounded. Didn't make any sense. I remain totally confused on how the thing is supposed to work. 

 

Unfortunately, not all the Viking Agent in the L/A office provide the same level of great service that we receive on the ships.

 

May I suggest thanking the non-receptive agent, hang-up and call back until you find one that provides great customer service.

 

Similar to CDNPolar, I provide our T/A with 1st and 2nd choice flights about 300 days out and she call the Air Dept.

[Peregrina651]

9 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

You do NOT have to pay anything to do this, it is just added to your invoice and you can remove anytime up to when your payment is due.

 

If you have already made your final payment and then decide to add air, you will have to pay for it when you add it.

 

Unless they have changed the rules recently (always a possibility),  you can cancel the air for a refund as long as it has not been ticketed. Somewhere on the website I have seen how many days in advance of departure they ticket -- but I'll be danged if I remember how many days or where I found it. Maybe the Terms & Conditions.

 

 

9 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

added the air plus and the basic economy air cost at booking.

 

Ditto. Lots of good reasons for doing it that way, especially if they are offering any deal on the air.

 

• You lock in whatever discount is on offer when you book
• You can always upgrade, at the same rate as if you chosen it at booking, when you get down to choosing your flights (but if you have already passed your final payment date, you will have to pay the difference immediately)
• You can cancel it, as described above

 

Otherwise, if you add air later, you may end with the un-discounted brochure rate.

 

4 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

I remain totally confused on how the thing is supposed to work. 

 

This is another one of those times when Viking is marching to the beat of its own drummer and it is confusing to those who expect them to behave like other cruise lines. They don't. They have always had their own way of doing certain things.

 

Their air department handles only guests who have booked air through them and will only talk to guests or their travel agents who have paid the "AirPlus" fee.  They are not there to help guests to decide whether they should book their flights with Viking or elsewhere. That is a decision we have to make on our own (or with the help of our travel agents). They have always operated this way and they are very set in their ways.

 

 

 

 

 

[jmfdr]

Speaking with a Viking agent this week about adding air plus and air deviation to our air booking, I was told that air plus price had gone up to $150.  Air deviation is still $100.  We have taken only one Viking cruise, November 2021, and at that time adding air plus was only $50.  Is the agent's quote of $150 for adding air plus correct?

[FetaCheese]

On V website, my trip, air, faqs, what is air plus-- air plus is $100 to $150. Non refundable.  My TA said it went up in April.

Edited June 17, 2022 by FetaCheese

[OnTheJourney]

FC....thanks. I looked that over and came across the following:  Apparently this is not the case right now though?  I expected something like having to pay the $100-150 so as to at least then include the capability of adding an air component, but didn't expect to have to make a choice of economy, premium, or business right away. I will contact them - just haven't had the time past few days. 

• Early flight itinerary selection, as early as 310 days prior to your cruise end date

[greydog]

4 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

I expected something like having to pay the $100-150 so as to at least then include the capability of adding an air component, but didn't expect to have to make a choice of economy, premium, or business right away. I will contact them - just haven't had the time past few days. 

• Early flight itinerary selection, as early as 310 days prior to your cruise end date

Hi - Air+ gets you custom preferred air itinerary (air carrier, routing, layover times, seat category, etc.) You need to choose PremEcon, Bus. etc because V has contracted quotas of seats and if you delay choosing on high booking routes you may miss upgrade opportunity used up by other pax.  I delayed choosing once and found no V PE seats remained on my date. 

 

It's standard that if you originally booked with a TA that the TA has to intermediate transactions - others report doing their air itinerary research and giving thier TA their 3 preferred routings and TA does arrangements.

 

Others report that if you booked veranda or higher cabins that V gives special price discount for air upgrades.  Good Luck

Edited June 18, 2022 by greydog
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[CCWineLover]

30 minutes ago, greydog said:

It's standard that if you originally booked with a TA that the TA has to intermediate transactions - others report doing their air itinerary research and giving thier TA their 3 preferred routings and TA does arrangements.

 

Others report that if you booked veranda or higher cabins that V gives special price discount for air upgrades.

 

I agree - don't wait to book premium or business class.  In addition, the way prices are going up, as soon as you book them, you get the current price.  If you wait it will likely be higher.

 

However, I'm confused - my TA told me to contact Viking Air directly to communicate my preferences since it would be much quicker and easier than having an intermediary (were they just not wanting to do it?).  So I did and it was simple and quick.  Don't think there is a rule that the TA "has" to do it.

 

"Others report that if you booked veranda or higher cabins that V gives special price discount for air upgrades"

 

The lowest cabin on Viking is called "veranda", so this can't be correct.  I also have never gotten price discounts based on cabin and we've had Veranda, DV, and PV rooms.  So perhaps you mean that if you book the Suites or higher you might get discount.  Would be worth verifying.

 

[greydog]

11 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

 

I agree - don't wait to book premium or business class.  In addition, the way prices are going up, as soon as you book them, you get the current price.  If you wait it will likely be higher.

 

"Others report that if you booked veranda or higher cabins that V gives special price discount for air upgrades"

The lowest cabin on Viking is called "veranda", so this can't be correct.  So perhaps you mean that if you book the Suites or higher you might get discount.  Would be worth verifying.

Hi - air upgrade discount may apply to veranda-suites or above on certain itineraries that are longer with cruise fare higher (or on other marketing promos like 'free econ air', or maybe even V loyalty tier)   When I say air discount I mean a standard cabin may be offered bus. class upgrade at +3500 pp while uppermost cabins offered at +2000pp.  Can't hurt to proactively inquire.

 

Lowest cabin cat by price on V Rhine/Danube longship is "standard, E/F" on main deck (our hangout), then "french balcony C/D" next, according to V's "Dates and Pricing" webpage. HAPPY CRUISING

[OnTheJourney]

I'll definitely check with them again soon - just haven't gotten around to looking at itineraries. I'd like to have an idea what I want before I call them. However, I was told that there's no way there'd come up with an itinerary for  me at the present time - but that was one agent's opinion. So I guess I could wind up paying for B-class and yet not having any idea what it'll wind up being. That just goes against me but might be the way they do it.  I never actually spoke to anyone in the air dept. I agree on not waiting. When I book my own longhaul air, I often had it booked 7-8 months out. Right now I'm about 7 months out from the cruise. 

On 6/18/2022 at 12:21 PM, greydog said:

if you booked veranda or higher cabins

I did....as was already mentioned, V is the lowest on ocean. 

[greydog]

3 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

 So I guess I could wind up paying for B-class and yet not having any idea what it'll wind up being. That just goes against me but might be the way they do it.  I never actually spoke to anyone in the air dept. I agree on not waiting. When I book my own longhaul air, I often had it booked 7-8 months out. Right now I'm about 7 months out from the cruise. 

I did....as was already mentioned, V is the lowest on ocean. 

V is indeed lowest on ocean - I've been focusing on river cruises, so I had a river brain cramp

 

I think V air policies similar ocean/river.  IF you contact the existing booking service number, they should know the $ quote for your itinerary for add P-E, bus. so you will know how it compares to DIY from quotes on Kayak, others.

In my case, I took P-E at their quote for a trip that's about 1 yr out.  My final is 8 mos. before trip so I'll know at final date what DIY $ alternative is.  I can drop the V P-E if its more expensive at final payment date.  Good Luck

[OnTheJourney]

On 6/20/2022 at 8:25 PM, greydog said:

P-E

We upgraded the (free) economy air for the Chairman's cruise, and, going over to Rome it truly was very nice - United's "premium plus" - and so expected similar coming home. What a disappointment. The "premium economy" out of Barcelona was pretty crappy - same food as economy, no nice headsets  or pillow. Only difference from economy was a slightly larger seat. No difference in the seating configuration with the rest of economy either - 2-4-2. I complained to United and they gave us $100 each. Of course, P-E can vary depending on airline and plane. SAS is really nice cause it includes B-class lounge access. 

[greydog]

46 minutes ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

What a disappointment. The "premium economy" out of Barcelona was pretty crappy - same food as economy, no nice headsets  or pillow. Only difference from economy was a slightly larger seat. No difference in the seating configuration with the rest of economy either - 2-4

Sorry about your return trip. Indeed some carriers have disappointing PE service relative to others

We aim for Delta PE   Delta seems to have newer planes generally too for Europe flights 

[OnTheJourney]

I think I'm just going to stick to B-class for long haul going forward. Life is short. 

[greydog]

14 hours ago, AnyWayIsGood said:

I think I'm just going to stick to B-class for long haul going forward. Life is short. 

Since we're newly time-flexible from retirement, we're returning from Europe river cruise on Queen Mary2 transatlantic. In my limited 2x experience, V's 1-way air quote was half of rd trip quote. Consider using half of bus. class $ towards balcony cruise over the pond. BON VOYAGE  ☺️

[GoNavyFamily]

We have spent HOURS with both Viking Plus and with Delta trying to book Bus Class for next April.  Final payment is next week so we want to make sure we can get what we want from Viking or else have them deduct the included air portion before we make final payment.  Viking is more than happy to work with us.  However, on three different itineraries we would consider, in Bus Class, Viking is more expensive than if we book it directly through Delta!  So we are going to have them credit the air portion from our balance due, and arrange the air ourselves.  I see a lot of people talk about ticketing the included air with economy seats, and then going in and upgrading themselves.  However, evidently there are some itineraries where Viking's contracted economy seats are not upgradable, and that is what we were told would be the case for us.  Disappointed that we won't go through Viking  Air but when they are more expensive than booking the flights in the class  we want ourselves...we will handle it!

[greydog]

26 minutes ago, GoNavyFamily said:

We have spent HOURS with both Viking Plus and with Delta trying to book Bus Class for next April.  Final payment is next week so we want to make sure we can get what we want from Viking or else have them deduct the included air portion before we make final payment.  

I'm supposing Air+ upgrade fee is currently reflected on your booking but since you find DIY air is less expensive that you'll be dropping V air fee from final payment amount - I would not expect any issue.  In my limited experience with V air, which has been satisfactory, I was able to get competitive prices.

 

However, as you indicate, their carrier contracts have limitations on availability specific to different airlines.  Delta would not allow V's economy base fare class to later upgrade on my own individually to Comfort+ by directly paying Delta for upgrade.  From my own experience, to book Delta Comfort+,  you  had to have V air+ quote/buy you Comfort+ to meet the fare class restrictions.

 

Also, when a Delta flight with best itinerary had Delta 'flagship' or similar rating, it wasn't reservable under V contract.  At least it's good to have choices to compare.

 

Finally, on learning the Air+ service fee has been raised, I always thought the $50pp cost was too good to last.  Good Luck

Edited June 24, 2022 by greydog
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