Vouchers just disappear……

[janetcbl]

We received vouchers  (four figures) from our cruise last summer (Homelands+Baltic due to a change in itinerary) , and applied them to a cruise we booked after we returned home. Today the new  cruise was listed at $3000 less per person, so I called to rebook at the lower fare, knowing there would be a penalty involved.  Little did I know that the voucher we got last summer could not be transferred to a “new”  cruise! Use it, but once you apply it to a cruise, it can’t be transferred, even to the same cruise….I learn something new every day regarding Viking. 

[CCWineLover]

15 minutes ago, janetcbl said:

We received vouchers  (four figures) from our cruise last summer (Homelands+Baltic due to a change in itinerary) , and applied them to a cruise we booked after we returned home. Today the new  cruise was listed at $3000 less per person, so I called to rebook at the lower fare, knowing there would be a penalty involved.  Little did I know that the voucher we got last summer could not be transferred to a “new”  cruise! Use it, but once you apply it to a cruise, it can’t be transferred, even to the same cruise….I learn something new every day regarding Viking. 

Interesting....

I'm thinking that there are all sorts of different vouchers with different terms.

We had vouchers from a cancelled cruise and applied it to another cruise for this fall.  Similar circumstance.  That cruise went on deep sale, so we transferred that cruise to a "placeholder" cruise in 2025.  (Meaning we may or may not take that cruise).   We can then transfer again from that 2025 cruise to another cruise if we wish.  There is a substantial vouchers involved as well ($5000k).  The vouchers came over to the 2025 cruise intact.

We then booked as a new booking the very much on-sale cruise we originally had for this fall, even got the same room!  The order of the process does matter and we had our very good travel agent walk us through the steps, as she had done it before with clients.

All I can think of is that your vouchers must have different rules.  If not, not sure what's happening.

I would escalate this up the command!

 

Edited April 1, 2023 by CCWineLover

[philw1776]

Yes, vouchers are a tool of Satan.

[Squawkman]

If the vouchers were used to book later than 11/30/21 (regardless of sail date), you can’t rebook, cancel and book another cruise, etc. because the CFAR feature ended. 

[biggerbearmom]

We received $7,000 in vouchers last August for having to quarantine due to Covid. It was very specific in the terms that once we applied the vouchers to a trip, any changes or cancellations would void the vouchers and they’d no longer be available for use.
 

[TayanaLorna]

We had vouchers and they clearly stated that once used they could not be transfered to another cruise.

[TayanaLorna]

9 minutes ago, biggerbearmom said:

We received $7,000 in vouchers last August for having to quarantine due to Covid. It was very specific in the terms that once we applied the vouchers to a trip, any changes or cancellations would void the vouchers and they’d no longer be available for use.
 

Just curious.  Did you quarantine on ship or have to disembark in a foreign country. 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, janetcbl said:

We received vouchers  (four figures) from our cruise last summer (Homelands+Baltic due to a change in itinerary) , and applied them to a cruise we booked after we returned home. Today the new  cruise was listed at $3000 less per person, so I called to rebook at the lower fare, knowing there would be a penalty involved.  Little did I know that the voucher we got last summer could not be transferred to a “new”  cruise! Use it, but once you apply it to a cruise, it can’t be transferred, even to the same cruise….I learn something new every day regarding Viking. 

 

And the agent did not warn you that if you did that, the vouchers would not transfer to the new cruise?? Shame on that agent!!!

[CCWineLover]

39 minutes ago, TayanaLorna said:

We had vouchers and they clearly stated that once used they could not be transfered to another cruise.

Lorna - that is what is so strange here.

We were successful in transferring to another cruise.  It does make me think that there were so many different versions of vouchers that some had non-transfer rules, some had CFAR, and some had expiration dates, and more.  Maybe ours were the kind that allowed transfer.  sounds like one rule doesn't fit all.

Again - I went back and looked at the details.

1. We booked a Nov 2022 cruise in mid-2021.

2. We cancelled that cruise in Dec 2021 and got vouchers 5K pp. (10K total).

3. In early 2022 we booked the Sept 2022 cruise and applied those vouchers

4. That Sept 2022 cruise went on sale this winter.

5. With TA and Viking help, we Transferred that 2022 cruise to a 2025 placeholder cruise and the vouchers (5K pp) transferred over with it.

6. We then booked that Sept 2022 cruise again on the sale price, saving $3K and even got same room.

7.  The 2025 placeholder cruise we can use or transfer it to another cruise and the vouchers will transfer along with it.

[biggerbearmom]

3 hours ago, TayanaLorna said:

Just curious.  Did you quarantine on ship or have to disembark in a foreign country. 

It was on the Iceland/Norway ocean cruise and we were confined to our stateroom.

[CCWineLover]

If it makes a difference, in our specific situation, we cancelled ourselves, citing the COVID situation (as Omicron was rearing its ugly head in 2021).  We took the $100 penalty and got vouchers for the rest.

[oskidunker]

Get the cash. Never would do vouchers. 

[molymoo]

On 4/1/2023 at 3:53 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

And the agent did not warn you that if you did that, the vouchers would not transfer to the new cruise?? Shame on that agent!!!

 

Perhaps "shame on that agent" but we all know that the "agents" people speak of are simply the poor soul who happens to get the call, not someone necessarily well versed in the "ins and outs" of the "vouchers game".  Additionally, during "COVID times' the rules of the vouchers that were being given to those cancelling or being cancelled changed frequently and I'm not sure anyone would necessarily know the stipulations attached to anyone's particular circumstances.  All too often people do not "read the fine print" and make themselves aware of the conditions of their vouchers and assume that "one size fits all" ... it doesn't and as consumers it is up to us to protect ourselves as best we can and not rely on the "agent" to look out for us.

 

[molymoo]

On 4/1/2023 at 1:26 PM, CCWineLover said:

Interesting....

I'm thinking that there are all sorts of different vouchers with different terms.

We had vouchers from a cancelled cruise and applied it to another cruise for this fall.  Similar circumstance.  That cruise went on deep sale, so we transferred that cruise to a "placeholder" cruise in 2025.  (Meaning we may or may not take that cruise).   We can then transfer again from that 2025 cruise to another cruise if we wish.  There is a substantial vouchers involved as well ($5000k).  The vouchers came over to the 2025 cruise intact.

We then booked as a new booking the very much on-sale cruise we originally had for this fall, even got the same room!  The order of the process does matter and we had our very good travel agent walk us through the steps, as she had done it before with clients.

All I can think of is that your vouchers must have different rules.  If not, not sure what's happening.

I would escalate this up the command!

 

Vouchers absolutely have different rules!  The OP states that the vouchers she was given were for "a change in itinerary" ... in other words it was issued to compensate for passengers 'not getting what we paid for", not a refund for a cancelled trip.  Entirely different animal.  

We have been given and used vouchers several times for several reasons and the "rules" regarding their use have always been clearly stated in the issuance communication.  For example, we recently cancelled a cruise and under our "Risk Free"  conditions of the booking we were given vouchers equivalent to all monies paid to Viking that we could apply to any new booking in the next 24 months.  The communication that included the voucher number included the following:

 

*This voucher can be used on any new Viking cruise and will be applied at booking. This voucher is transferable, cannot be used as payment for a Travel Protection Plan, and the voucher must be redeemed by the expiration date prior to final payment. Once redeemed, it cannot be re-issued or used towards another cruise, and any unused balance of the voucher is lost and has no cash value.

 

 

Pretty clear.  The OP was never going to get a refund ... the voucher she had was essentially a "good will gesture for her "inconvenience".  Seems to be there is nothing to escalate.  

 

[CDR2001]

Fortunately our small voucher amounts were applied to a cruise that we sailed. I plan to research voucher insurance coverage for future cruises that we book. This discussion is interesting for those with Trip Mate purchased through Viking. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2928428-new-option-to-insure-vouchers/#comment-65141547

 

Edited April 6, 2023 by CDR2001
Clarification

[molymoo]

23 minutes ago, CDR2001 said:

Fortunately our small voucher amounts were applied to a cruise that we sailed. I plan to research voucher insurance coverage for future cruises that we book. This discussion is interesting for those with Trip Mate purchased through Viking. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2928428-new-option-to-insure-vouchers/#comment-65141547

 

 

While there are companies that will insure cruises that are paid (partially or totally) with vouchers be aware that many do not insure vouchers for which you have made no outlay in cash.  In other words if you are issued a voucher as a good will gesture for missed ports (we had one on our last cruise) it will not be covered under many/most plans.  Read the fine print!

 

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, molymoo said:

Vouchers absolutely have different rules!  The OP states that the vouchers she was given were for "a change in itinerary" ... in other words it was issued to compensate for passengers 'not getting what we paid for", not a refund for a cancelled trip.  Entirely different animal.  

We have been given and used vouchers several times for several reasons and the "rules" regarding their use have always been clearly stated in the issuance communication.  For example, we recently cancelled a cruise and under our "Risk Free"  conditions of the booking we were given vouchers equivalent to all monies paid to Viking that we could apply to any new booking in the next 24 months.  The communication that included the voucher number included the following:

 

*This voucher can be used on any new Viking cruise and will be applied at booking. This voucher is transferable, cannot be used as payment for a Travel Protection Plan, and the voucher must be redeemed by the expiration date prior to final payment. Once redeemed, it cannot be re-issued or used towards another cruise, and any unused balance of the voucher is lost and has no cash value.

 

 

Pretty clear.  The OP was never going to get a refund ... the voucher she had was essentially a "good will gesture for her "inconvenience".  Seems to be there is nothing to escalate.  

 

 

Excellent explanation!!

The OP likely didn't see the small print so to speak . .

"Little did I know that the voucher we got last summer could not be transferred to a “new”  cruise!"

 

Vouchers are indeed a complicated animal indeed.  Our insurance person educated us on all the different ramifications of cruise (and airline) vouchers as far as insuring them goes.