Question re: Shore Excursions

[skb8721]

1 hour ago, Heidi13 said:

 

When booking cruise line shore-ex, you do not have a guarantee that the ship will wait for you. Yes, the Master will provide more consideration in delaying the sailing for late returning shore-ex, but if operational conditions dictate the ship must sail, the pax on a delayed shore-ex will miss the ship.

 

At best the cruise line will assist in getting you to the next port.

 

However, most reputable tour operators that we use, provide a similar service and endeavour to get you back to the ship before departure, as their business depends on it.

I like Viator and have used its guides on other vacations.  My only issue is with paying $13,000 for a tour that says certain shore excursions are "included" and then finding out that those shore excursions might not actually be included -- as actually happened to my acquaintance.  Now, why he didn't, once he financially committed to the cruise, hire someone like Viator to show him the site he ended up missing, I don't know.  Perhaps he didn't know Viator and its like existed.  In any event, except for the $50 deposit, which I forfeit, I am not financially committed to the cruise, so it's no inconvenience for me to cancel and, say, visit those same sites by land or air. 

 

 

[CCWineLover]

34 minutes ago, skb8721 said:

I like Viator and have used its guides on other vacations.  My only issue is with paying $13,000 for a tour that says certain shore excursions are "included" and then finding out that those shore excursions might not actually be included -- as actually happened to my acquaintance.  Now, why he didn't, once he financially committed to the cruise, hire someone like Viator to show him the site he ended up missing, I don't know.  Perhaps he didn't know Viator and its like existed.  In any event, except for the $50 deposit, which I forfeit, I am not financially committed to the cruise, so it's no inconvenience for me to cancel and, say, visit those same sites by land or air. 

 

 

For $25 pp, likely a viable financial decision if you do not wish Viator type excursions.

I think you'll find the same situation post-COVID is happening with all cruise lines.  As Peregrina had stated earlier, there just haven't been enough tour operators and guides to meet the demands of the cruise lines.

That being said, we've been on 12 Viking cruises, including 8 post-COVID, and have NEVER ever heard of someone not getting an included tour - anywhere.  Cruise Critic, FB, Friends, you name it.  This is a first.  Not saying he was wrong, but wow - certainly sounds like there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication somewhere between your friend and Viking.

 

Probably best to move on for you however and try one of those other lines.

Edited April 11, 2023 by CCWineLover

[LindaS272]

@skb8721

@Clay Clayton answered your concerns in #9 above, as well as @CCWineLover in #26. You have said yourself you don’t know the details of why your acquaintance didn’t get the tour. There’s plenty of information on these boards on how to get the included tours. If veteran Viking Ocean cruisers don’t convince you then it doesn’t sound like you want to take a Viking cruise anyway.

[KBs mum]

1 hour ago, skb8721 said:

I like Viator and have used its guides on other vacations.  My only issue is with paying $13,000 for a tour that says certain shore excursions are "included" and then finding out that those shore excursions might not actually be included -- as actually happened to my acquaintance.  Now, why he didn't, once he financially committed to the cruise, hire someone like Viator to show him the site he ended up missing, I don't know.  Perhaps he didn't know Viator and its like existed.  In any event, except for the $50 deposit, which I forfeit, I am not financially committed to the cruise, so it's no inconvenience for me to cancel and, say, visit those same sites by land or air. 

 

 

The excursions organised/booked via Viking tend to be not much good (even the optional ones) Independent is allways better. Viking also have a tendancy to skip ports. Not weather related, we haven't been on a cruise with them that didn't skip a port or greatly shorten previously advised time in one. 

If there is somewhere you particularly want to visit, don't rely on a non specialist cruise to get there. A very small specialist ship would be best, or a land tour

[lackcreativity]

5 hours ago, CCWineLover said:

I think you'll find the same situation post-COVID is happening with all cruise lines.  As Peregrina had stated earlier, there just haven't been enough tour operators and guides to meet the demands of the cruise lines.

That being said, we've been on 12 Viking cruises, including 8 post-COVID, and have NEVER ever heard of someone not getting an included tour - anywhere.  Cruise Critic, FB, Friends, you name it.  This is a first.  Not saying he was wrong, but wow - certainly sounds like there was a misunderstanding or miscommunication somewhere between your friend and Viking.

You beat me to it. Even with all the post-Covid issues, for Viking not to fulfill one of their prime selling points seems highly unlikely. Sometimes I have heard of glitches that required some extra effort on the client's part or intervention by Viking staff prior to sailing or once onboard, but never that someone could not get a spot on an included excursion. Maybe not one's preferred time, but still a spot would be found. Optional excursions are a different story, but even in our moderately priced and last to book Veranda cabins, we have had pretty good luck in that regard.

[phil1107]

The Viking website clearly says (in several places) that the fare includes 1 excursion per port. Once stated this becomes a contractual obligation. My expectation is that enough extra places will be created to allow every guest (who has booked) to go the excursion.

 

if they do not then sue them for breach of contract:

[Pushka]

15 hours ago, Traveler1977 said:

I have an additional question regarding Viking excursions. I know that there is a schedule of when you can book an excursion based on the type of cabin you have.  My question is how far in advance of the cruise does Viking actually post the excursions that will be available so you can start your planning?  

Around 110 days at latest. Ours were at 120 days out.   I booked many external excursions because the Must Do in Aqaba (Petra) was booked out well before my cabin level. Same for Israel.   We currently have two bus loads booked on a private Petra tour. 32 passengers. Hopefully the ship waits for us all. But the operator knows the drill. 
 

This will be my second Viking Cruise and on each occasion the excursions I would have booked were sold out before my window opened. So I understand the angst of others, and the worry that the ship will sail without them if they can't get back in time through no fault of their own. 

Edited April 12, 2023 by Pushka

[Traveler1977]

4 hours ago, Pushka said:

Around 110 days at latest. Ours were at 120 days out.   I booked many external excursions because the Must Do in Aqaba (Petra) was booked out well before my cabin level. Same for Israel.   We currently have two bus loads booked on a private Petra tour. 32 passengers. Hopefully the ship waits for us all. But the operator knows the drill. 
 

This will be my second Viking Cruise and on each occasion the excursions I would have booked were sold out before my window opened. So I understand the angst of others, and the worry that the ship will sail without them if they can't get back in time through no fault of their own. 

Pushka, You’re info is very helpful. Thanks. 

[philw1776]

I agree that once onboard spots open up. ALWAYS for Included tours and sometimes for SOLD OUT optional tours. 
I believe that Viking quietly reserves some spots to accommodate those shut out in the reservation process. AND people onboard often cancel optional tours. Seen it happen often. I'm one.

 

But here is where Viking is potentially shooting themselves in the foot regarding customer satisfaction. Some of us book higher priced cabins thinking favored excursions that made us book the cruise will readily be available. Now Viking is often chaining cruises together. I booked a 14 day cruise only to find out that three (3) different cruises that start earlier will already be onboard. Not a problem EXCEPT that these three cruises will be able to reserve the optional cruises a week before we get our chance. I expect lots of SOLD OUT signs on excursions.

[Azulann]

44 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

I agree that once onboard spots open up. ALWAYS for Included tours and sometimes for SOLD OUT optional tours. 
I believe that Viking quietly reserves some spots to accommodate those shut out in the reservation process. AND people onboard often cancel optional tours. Seen it happen often. I'm one.

 

But here is where Viking is potentially shooting themselves in the foot regarding customer satisfaction. Some of us book higher priced cabins thinking favored excursions that made us book the cruise will readily be available. Now Viking is often chaining cruises together. I booked a 14 day cruise only to find out that three (3) different cruises that start earlier will already be onboard. Not a problem EXCEPT that these three cruises will be able to reserve the optional cruises a week before we get our chance. I expect lots of SOLD OUT signs on excursions.

I see that will be a dilemma for you and others.

I hope Viking takes that into consideration when the cruises  that are long can be booked in shorter segments.As you say , I also agree that  higher priced stateroom should have better ability to book earlier than other lower price staterooms for some of the best optional tours.

I do miss the old days of vibrant roll calls when  someone would organize a private tour and many would sign up on the roll call  and it always worked out for everyone. But that was before pandemic and on other cruise lines.  

In my case, I am sailing on a cruise "ScenicScandinavia" that is only being done twice in 2023. Back to back 10 day cruises in June. Did get all the optional tours  we wanted while  booked in a DV stateroom.

[MELSMOM47]

On 4/11/2023 at 10:41 AM, skb8721 said:

I have now decided against taking the Viking Ancient Mediterranean Treasures cruise.  If I am going to pay $13,000, I want to know I have a spot on any given shore excursion, and that I won't end up like my acquaintance, who took this same cruise last year and did not get to see Ephesus because there was no room on the shore excursions, even though he had been waiting for a spot to open up on the excursion for six months prior to sailing.  Nor do I wish to hire an independent tour guide, and then have to worry about returning to the ship in time, etc. As a passenger I shouldn't have to deal with such issues. My suggestion to Viking would be to do away with its class-based system of reserving spots on shore excursions, and to adopt a more even-handed "first come, first served" approach . . . or simply rent enough buses and guides for everyone. (I say all this having spoken by phone with two Viking reps, and two or three travel agents, none of whom could promise me a spot on any given shore excursions. What, then, is the point?)

Sorry to hear you say you will take a financial hit for this reason. Often we prefer the private excursion. We can specify exactly what we want to see, we get there before the crowds and it costs significantly less. We have never been so tight on time that we were concerned about missing the boat. once there was an issue but it affected all excursions. Our driver actually had another van meet us to cut the time and get us there on time. 

[Pushka]

8 hours ago, philw1776 said:

I agree that once onboard spots open up. ALWAYS for Included tours and sometimes for SOLD OUT optional tours. 
I believe that Viking quietly reserves some spots to accommodate those shut out in the reservation process. AND people onboard often cancel optional tours. Seen it happen often. I'm one.

 

But here is where Viking is potentially shooting themselves in the foot regarding customer satisfaction. Some of us book higher priced cabins thinking favored excursions that made us book the cruise will readily be available. Now Viking is often chaining cruises together. I booked a 14 day cruise only to find out that three (3) different cruises that start earlier will already be onboard. Not a problem EXCEPT that these three cruises will be able to reserve the optional cruises a week before we get our chance. I expect lots of SOLD OUT signs on excursions.

Exactly what happened with our cruise next month which was the second leg. Even PV on ours saw sold out because the DV on the first cruise were able to book theirs before them. 
 

I organised private shore excursions and posted on the roll call. An overnight port and two buses now booked up on both days. On another port two more buses booked. 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Pushka

[Mich3554]

Twice, I have found that I have booked DH and not myself on an included excursions.  As soon as I found the mistake (after we were on board and had received tickets), I went to guest services and was told they were sold out so I was waitlisted for the included tour.  I got tickets BOTH times.  
 

This was my goof.  When I went back to my final e document, my included excursion was not listed for me.  In my defense, I was booking excursions for 138 days.  I should have double checked before checking out, my fault.  However,I went to guest service to get it rectified ASAP.  

 

Also, we booked Karnak plus the Valley of the Kings when we booked.  Afterwards, we realized we wanted to do Karnak and the Kings and Queens.  When I went back to MVJ to make changes, it was sold out.  A few weeks after we got on board, I got us waitlisted for the Kings and Queens and a bit later we got notified that we got it, so dropped Kings.

 

 

Edited April 13, 2023 by Mich3554

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, Mich3554 said:

Twice, I have found that I have booked DH and not myself on an included excursions.  As soon as I found the mistake (after we were on board and had received tickets), I went to guest services and was told they were sold out so I was waitlisted for the included tour.  I got tickets BOTH times.  
 

This was my goof.  When I went back to my final e document, my included excursion was not listed for me.  In my defense, I was booking excursions for 138 days.  I should have double checked before checking out, my fault.  However,I went to guest service to get it rectified ASAP.  

 

Also, we booked Karnak plus the Valley of the Kings when we booked.  Afterwards, we realized we wanted to do Karnak and the Kings and Queens.  When I went back to MVJ to make changes, it was sold out.  A few weeks after we got on board, I got us waitlisted for the Kings and Queens and a bit later we got notified that we got it, so dropped Kings.

 

 

The issues experienced are more for Ocean cruises where booking windows are different for each cabin level. River cruises open up to all and months in advance. 

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, Pushka said:

The issues experienced are more for Ocean cruises where booking windows are different for each cabin level. River cruises open up to all and months in advance. 

I am not talking about river cruises.  I am talking ocean cruises and experienced this in the last month or so.

[Pushka]

9 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

I am not talking about river cruises.  I am talking ocean cruises and experienced this in the last month or so.

Ok. What threw me was when you mentioned Karnak etc and that you'd booked the excursion when you booked the cruise. That's unsual to do that unless a very last minute booking on a cruise but quite usual with river cruises. 

[Mich3554]

8 hours ago, Pushka said:

Ok. What threw me was when you mentioned Karnak etc and that you'd booked the excursion when you booked the cruise. That's unsual to do that unless a very last minute booking on a cruise but quite usual with river cruises. 

On the WC……where I wanted to change excursions after booking.  I booked our excursions back in Sept.  Decided we wanted to change a few weeks later, and it was sold out.  
However, forgetting to add myself for an included tour happened twice on the WC and once on SA cruise.  Thinking back, I suspect it’s because DH doesn’t want to do an optional, and I do…..then decide I really don’t, but forget to check the box for me.

[Old Folks on the go]

We are taking a Viking Ocean cruise to Alaska in July. My excursions will open in mid-May. If we grab spots on an excursion that is not included, when do you pay for it, at the time you book it? If you change your mind can you cancel and get an immediate refund? 

[Pushka]

1 hour ago, Old Folks on the go said:

We are taking a Viking Ocean cruise to Alaska in July. My excursions will open in mid-May. If we grab spots on an excursion that is not included, when do you pay for it, at the time you book it? If you change your mind can you cancel and get an immediate refund? 

Select and pay immediately for the excursions most wanted. You get a refund for almost all excursions if cancelled within 3 days? of the excursion date. Refunds are never immediate. Take a few weeks. 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Pushka

[MELSMOM47]

Maybe this has already been mentioned but set up your payment method ahead of time so you are ready to go. 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, Old Folks on the go said:

We are taking a Viking Ocean cruise to Alaska in July. My excursions will open in mid-May. If we grab spots on an excursion that is not included, when do you pay for it, at the time you book it? If you change your mind can you cancel and get an immediate refund? 

 

When reserving optional shore-ex online, they are not guaranteed until you complete the payment process. Therefore, if you are selecting for multiple ports, if you leave tours in your basket, they may not be available when you go to the checkout.

 

Yes - tours are paid in full at time of booking

 

Cancellation - how you are refunded depends on how many days you cancel before the cruise. If you cancel when MVJ is available, we received refunds to the same method used for payment (credit card). About 1-week before departure, MVJ is not available, as the information is sent to the ship. If you called Viking to cancel a shore-ex, during this period, you would most likely receive refundable OBC at the ship. If cancelled onboard you receive refundable OBC.

[photopro2]

19 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

When reserving optional shore-ex online, they are not guaranteed until you complete the payment process. Therefore, if you are selecting for multiple ports, if you leave tours in your basket, they may not be available when you go to the checkout.

 

We have OBC which is valid for excursions and I believe that this will automatically be applied to the optional excursions we select on MVJ. I just wonder how this works in practice? 

Once the excursion is in our cart is there a further step required to apply the OBC?

If the excursion cost is higher than the OBC remaining, does a option to top up with cash appear?

We've never had the benefit of this sort of OBC before, but know the importance of completing the payment process promptly, so detailed guidance would be appreciated 🙂

[MELSMOM47]

1 hour ago, photopro2 said:

We have OBC which is valid for excursions and I believe that this will automatically be applied to the optional excursions we select on MVJ. I just wonder how this works in practice? 

Once the excursion is in our cart is there a further step required to apply the OBC?

If the excursion cost is higher than the OBC remaining, does a option to top up with cash appear?

We've never had the benefit of this sort of OBC before, but know the importance of completing the payment process promptly, so detailed guidance would be appreciated 🙂

We have a significant OBC but I don’t see it on MVJ so for that reason as well as the ease of getting our money back I paid with a CC. 

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, photopro2 said:

We have OBC which is valid for excursions and I believe that this will automatically be applied to the optional excursions we select on MVJ. I just wonder how this works in practice? 

Once the excursion is in our cart is there a further step required to apply the OBC?

If the excursion cost is higher than the OBC remaining, does a option to top up with cash appear?

We've never had the benefit of this sort of OBC before, but know the importance of completing the payment process promptly, so detailed guidance would be appreciated 🙂

It works well.  When you choose optional excursions on MVJ, OBC is first deducted from the balance and then you get a final balance that you can pay with either an ACH debit or credit card.  
If you start switching excursions around on board *I think* that the excursions put in your cart first are purchased with the OBC.  This comes into play if you start changing excursions around while on board as to whether your excursion is non refundable OBC, or purchased afterwards on card/ACH and listed as refundable credit.

We had $3000 of OBC for the WC, which we used up (and more) to pay for excursions.  Several excursions we got refunded to our account earlier in the cruise were non refundable OBC.  Now, any changes we make are refundable.  In my experience, if you have an OBC credit balance, Viking will debit against the non refundable first and the refundable second.  Last year, when we did 3 cruises back to back as a warm up for this, we got a LOT of OBC, for missed ports and future cruises we booked.  We also had a small amount of OBC that we got from our Viking agent.  It took me awhile to figure out what Viking was doing with the accounting, but at the end we had $xxxx in refundable OBC and $xxx in non refundable.  I made sure I spent down most of the non refundable the last few days (I left $12 on the table).  Both DH and I received a check for the refundable.

[Heidi13]

5 hours ago, photopro2 said:

We have OBC which is valid for excursions and I believe that this will automatically be applied to the optional excursions we select on MVJ. I just wonder how this works in practice? 

Once the excursion is in our cart is there a further step required to apply the OBC?

If the excursion cost is higher than the OBC remaining, does a option to top up with cash appear?

We've never had the benefit of this sort of OBC before, but know the importance of completing the payment process promptly, so detailed guidance would be appreciated 🙂

 

When proceeding to the checkout, in our experience, the shore-ex was automatically paid with by OBC. Once we ran out of OBC, it requested a credit card number or electronic transfer. On the purchase where we ran out of OBC, it used the last of the OBC and then requested payment for the remaining balance.

 

We found the process seamless between using OBC and credit card.