Tours are sold out…😢

[cozzello]

Several tours are sold out, travel agent on vacation, what are our options?

Viking Jupiter August 24, Trade  Routes.

thanks,

Cheryl

[duquephart]

Keep checking at least daily. Enquire once aboard.

[Heidi13]

1 hour ago, cozzello said:

Several tours are sold out, travel agent on vacation, what are our options?

Viking Jupiter August 24, Trade  Routes.

thanks,

Cheryl

 

You have a couple of options:

  - In those ports you have a number of vendors available that provide private tours.

  - Once you get onboard stop by the Shore-ex desks and they are normally able to work wonders, as they have cancellations and can often add additional resources.

 

Not sure the issue with the TA being on holiday, as we when using a TA for the booking, we book all our tours ourselves. The shore-ex are booked directly through MVJ.

[EJLobster]

Trade Routes, Sept 27-  2 tours already sold out too!  I can't sign up till Jul 22!

[Jim Avery]

In our experience, once onboard, they aren't really sold out.  I bet you will be able to get what you want.

[Hazel52]

I did a live chat with that very question (the included tour in one of our Greenland ports even says sold out). Seems we should be able to do some signing up and rearranging on board.

[CDNPolar]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

In our experience, once onboard, they aren't really sold out.  I bet you will be able to get what you want.

I agree with Jim.  In our most recent cruise - Homelands - most excursions that were sold out prior were open to booking onboard.  

 

We also noted that busses that held 50+ people were only running 25-35 people.  Unless the particular excursion has a meal or something that needs a strict number by a date or time, in my opinion, sold out now does not mean sold out onboard.

[Baron Barracuda]

DW managed to talk herself onto several sold out tours.  Buses usually have extra seats and they're happy to take your money.

[OnTheJourney]

4 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

The shore-ex are booked directly through MVJ.

Agreed...shouldn't need a TA to do that. I've never been fond of limitations being placed on the customer just because an agent is also on the booking. I just found out today that, in the case of AAA (where my TA works), there are certain contractual restrictions with Viking as to what I can do on my own. That can be a problem when the agent can't be contacted (or doesn't respond in a timely manner). Sometimes there is a need to move quickly on an issue. 

Edited July 19, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[FetaCheese]

When my TA (a large online agency) is on vac., her email and voice mail are monitored by cust serv and I get a prompt response.

[Peregrina651]

10 hours ago, cozzello said:

Several tours are sold out, travel agent on vacation, what are our options?

Viking Jupiter August 24, Trade  Routes.

thanks,

Cheryl

 

The tour companies took a beating during the hiatus. Guides and drivers got jobs elsewhere. Some are returning to their old jobs and other are not. Rebuilding the infrastructure is going to be a slow process; it takes a while to train new guides and drivers. Demand is out stripping the supply at this point -- and even more so now that ships are actually filling more and more cabins.

 

Viking does not keep waiting lists. As mentioned above, check in with MVJ/Shorex every day. People change their minds and places become available without notice -- first come, first served. Viking adds additional places when they can and this also happens without fanfare.

 

Some tours are absolutely limited to a certain number of places and no more. But others can be added to, especially if Viking knows there is demand. So write a quick note to Viking at tellus@vikingcruises.com to tell them how disappointed you are that <name the tour or tours> have sold out so quickly since you were really looking forward to them and beg them to add more spaces. Include your booking number and your phone number.

 

If you have not prevailed, check when you board and keep trying, up to and including showing up on the pier ready to board immediately if they can accommodate you on one of the buses. They will bill your stateroom from right there on the dock.

 

[lovestx]