All Inclusive

[duquephart]

1 minute ago, Clay Clayton said:

They are just following other cruise lines-see HAL’s “Have it all”

 

Do they all lie or just Viking & HAL? Someone else doing it makes it OK?

[Clay Clayton]

1 minute ago, duquephart said:

 

Do they all lie or just Viking & HAL? Someone else doing it makes it OK?

Does not make it right at all.  But like all things these days, one has to do one’s own research.  Luckily, this little “all inclusive” lie is pretty easy to see through. 

[Mrs Miggins]

This exchange may categorise the different vibe I noticed onboard. 
 

Advertising needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.  Research is the key to find out what actually is included.  A few  onboard hadn’t done any apparently and had little idea about any of the ports,  local customs, or what to expect onboard plus a certain feeling of entitlement which is unattractive.

 

 

 

[photopro2]

Apologies to everyone for the “topic drift”  I feel it is worthwhile to point something out even though, sadly, it is not relevant to the main thread or to uktog’s circumstances.

It may be possible to fly to America the day before a cruise and still get a free Viking transfer. We are flying to Miami, overnighting there at our own expense, then transiting onto San Juan the next day where Viking will transfer us to the ship.
This is not considered a deviation as we are in transit for less than 24 hours in Miami but makes the whole trip to Puerto Rico much more comfortable. Hence why I want fellow Brits to be aware of the possibility.

[FlyerTalker]

The included items has this gem:

 

"Large private bathroom"

 

Well, that's a relief.  Glad that I don't have to walk down the hallway like I did in my college dormitory.

 

[Selion]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

Don’t disagree with you but unfortunately they seem to be following other cruise lines-see HAL’s “Have it all”

NCL entered Chat

NCL:  I started it all with my never-ending FREE at Sea campaign!

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, Mrs Miggins said:

This exchange may categorise the different vibe I noticed onboard. 
 

Advertising needs to be taken with a pinch of salt.  Research is the key to find out what actually is included.  A few  onboard hadn’t done any apparently and had little idea about any of the ports,  local customs, or what to expect onboard plus a certain feeling of entitlement which is unattractive.

 

 

 

That may be but not doing research is not a new issue.  On our first Viking cruise in 2018, we overheard one lady complaining about the lack of a butler and no bingo. On a subsequent cruise we had to hold our amusement to ourselves as we listened to CD Jenna first confirm that there wasn’t a casino onboard and that karoke wasn’t offered and then spend even more time explaining to the guest that Tors was unlikely to ever allow either onboard.  😂

[Heidi13]

23 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

Yep, Viking WCs offer all you can eat booze and very few of us could "booze cruise" for 4 months.😱

 

Haha - Certainly not these days, but back in the 70's, no problem.😁

[1985rz1]

On 11/6/2022 at 1:02 PM, Jim Avery said:

Yep, Viking WCs offer all you can eat booze and very few of us could "booze cruise" for 4 months.😱

How do you eat booze? Maybe it's something I should try, since I usually drink it. 😉

Edited November 7, 2022 by 1985rz1

[Jim Avery]

9 minutes ago, 1985rz1 said:

How do you eat booze? Maybe it's something I should try, since I usually drink it. 😉

When you take full advantage of the all inclusive sometimes it is hard to tell the difference.🍸

[Mich3554]

6 hours ago, 1985rz1 said:.

Edited November 8, 2022 by Mich3554

[Twitchly]

On 11/6/2022 at 10:21 PM, Peregrina651 said:

Between this thread and "New patterns of behavior," it reads like adios to the Viking we knew and loved.

Honestly, I would take the “new patterns” thread with a grain of salt. In my experience, social media always emphasizes the darker side of things, and that trend has only expanded in the past few years.
 

For every cretin in a bathrobe with her bare feet on a table, there are 899 people behaving just fine. Our September cruise was delightful. 
 

 

[lackcreativity]

10 hours ago, Twitchly said:

For every cretin in a bathrobe with her bare feet on a table, there are 899 people behaving just fine. Our September cruise was delightful. 

While I question your numerical analysis based on our cruise back in April, I do wholeheartedly agree with your sentiment. Our cruise was delightful as well, and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I don't let other people's behavior impact my enjoyment of a cruise. That doesn't mean I don't notice when things are out of the ordinary. And some things were out of the ordinary.

Edited November 9, 2022 by lackcreativity

[CCWineLover]

On 11/6/2022 at 7:21 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

Okay. I'll say it: Not bordering, standing right in it. 

 

When I saw it on the cover of the brochure, I just rolled my eyeballs. Then I cried because it will be all downhill from here on out.  What idiot is running their marketing department these days?  And what other bunch of idiots let them get away with it? IMHO, "All inclusive" is the third-rail of travel advertising -- as in touch it and die. 

 

Be all inclusive and your reputation will precede you without ever once having to use those words to market your company. Tell us exactly what our cruise fare includes and forget the specious marketing jargon that only gets you into trouble. 

 

Between this thread and "New patterns of behavior," it reads like adios to the Viking we knew and loved.

 

Oh - I totally agree with you!  I hope Viking does not fall into the marketing traps of the others but it is looking like it.

In any case - we still enjoy them and regardless of their "words", will still take Viking cruises.  Those who complain about their marketing can always take their money elsewhere (and leave more rooms open to us!)