Upgraded Included Excursions

[Vineyard View]

2 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

They definitely aren't "free excursions" on Regent although I think they recently called them that in one of their brochures. They're included excursions, because they're included in the cost of the cruise.

Since Oceania is owned by the same company as Regent, we have always received many brochures for their cruises. We are not interested in a ship with over 1200 passengers. Some of the ships are in our passenger range, but with O plus, we would have to pick one of the pluses we get on Regent. We could pay more and get all 4 pluses, and get a smaller cabin and still need to pay for more if we want the Regent experience. If you don't need everything that Regent includes, and don't mind a larger ship, then I think Oceania is worth looking at.

We don't mind going out on our own to explore a port that we're docked in. We have done this a number of times since a port that you dock in often is close to a town worth exploring, but not always. If we need to travel to get to a place we can explore on foot, then it needs to be a shuttle provided by the cruise line. We avoid independent tours unless we are in a very small port like Fakarava in French Polynesia, where locals can give you a nice car tour of the island where they were born, and will be sure to get you back to the tender dock on time to return to your ship. For large, crowded ports, we don't trust independent operators to get us back to the ship on time.

O Plus is no longer available moving forward. Simply more is, and that is what I was referring to. It is truly a direct aim at Viking, and will be interesting to see how it plays with those who want more “included” in the price. So now there is more included with O, such as drinks, but with additionally a specified budget amount on excursions to use as you want to. Both still require nightly gratuities, and people will need to decide what works for them. 
In certain ports, I agree that taking independent tours is more challenging, and at at times unadvisable. In most it works better for us, so that carrot of all included is not attractive. For us. So for that reason, we chose Seabourn this year….. all inclusive except excursions. It worked extremely well for us. Next year the quandary is SB vs O, and the new pricing structure of Oceania vs Viking is interesting if you truly pencil out the per person per day costs. 
For those uncomfortable with trusting Independent operators, it is a different perspective than ours is. No right nor wrong. My point was Oceania has introduced a new model that to me, seems directly aimed at Viking….and it has caught a lot of attention (both positive and negative if you booked previously under O Life). 

[LibertyBella]

Let's face it, as Viking has expanded, it has begun to compete more closely with the other big cruise lines.  Too many people complain about being "nickeled and dimed," on other cruise lines, but the truth is, you have never had to pay for anything extra unless you really wanted it.  Many cruise lines these days are offering all kinds of all-inclusive packages.

 

What can work in a small niche market may not be as effective when one wants to attract tens of thousands of cruisers instead of just thousands.  The effect of worldwide inflation on travel can be seen everywhere--flights, hotels, cruises, food, alcohol.  

 

As a person who rarely drinks alcohol, and limits myself to one soda per day, I can say I am probably subsidizing those who can drink a bottle of wine or several beers a day on cruises with "free" alcohol. I am also not a big eater, and never go back for seconds, or ask for two entrees.

 

Excursions are always a bit different because--they depend on individual passenger interest, health, energy, ability, time constraints, etc.  Also, many cruisers feel quite confident and comfortable booking independent shore excursions with local providers, something that did not really occur a few decades back. 

 

I wonder if Viking reduced the cruise cost, and made ALL excursions optional and something to be purchased, if they would have such a sell-out of the better tours as they do now.  Yes, those paying for the larger cabins do get first dibs now to book excursions, a nice bonus, but really--why?  Aren't they paying extra to have a fancier sleeping area?  And the fact that people compete at early hours of the morning when excursions open is just an exhausting and frustrating exercise.  

 

I am not sure where Viking will be with this approach down the road in a few years or so, and how younger cruisers will react.  It will certainly be an interesting issue to study, collect data, and then publish the research outcomes!

 

 

[CCWineLover]

10 hours ago, LibertyBella said:

Let's face it, as Viking has expanded, it has begun to compete more closely with the other big cruise lines.  Too many people complain about being "nickeled and dimed," on other cruise lines, but the truth is, you have never had to pay for anything extra unless you really wanted it.  Many cruise lines these days are offering all kinds of all-inclusive packages.

 

What can work in a small niche market may not be as effective when one wants to attract tens of thousands of cruisers instead of just thousands.  The effect of worldwide inflation on travel can be seen everywhere--flights, hotels, cruises, food, alcohol.  

 

As a person who rarely drinks alcohol, and limits myself to one soda per day, I can say I am probably subsidizing those who can drink a bottle of wine or several beers a day on cruises with "free" alcohol. I am also not a big eater, and never go back for seconds, or ask for two entrees.

 

Excursions are always a bit different because--they depend on individual passenger interest, health, energy, ability, time constraints, etc.  Also, many cruisers feel quite confident and comfortable booking independent shore excursions with local providers, something that did not really occur a few decades back. 

 

I wonder if Viking reduced the cruise cost, and made ALL excursions optional and something to be purchased, if they would have such a sell-out of the better tours as they do now.  Yes, those paying for the larger cabins do get first dibs now to book excursions, a nice bonus, but really--why?  Aren't they paying extra to have a fancier sleeping area?  And the fact that people compete at early hours of the morning when excursions open is just an exhausting and frustrating exercise.  

 

I am not sure where Viking will be with this approach down the road in a few years or so, and how younger cruisers will react.  It will certainly be an interesting issue to study, collect data, and then publish the research outcomes!

 

 

Some excellent points.

I also wonder if Viking would consider ever "unbundle" the excursions and lower the cruise price.  I also wonder if they'd consider "unbundle" the Air as well and lower the cruise price.  Viking is just a broker between airlines and customers, and yet it seems to cause more complaints, headaches, and disenchantment than almost anything else.  Perhaps they should let everyone do their own air.  Less hassle.  (I know why they won't though - they want to hit the market who wants an all-inclusive package - and other cruise lines often include air as well).

 

Couple points regarding excursions though.  COVID certainly hit all cruise lines hard and the ramp up aftwards has been slow, resulting in limited excursions and lower quality operators due to limited supply.  This seems to be changing, as recently Viking has been adding more included excursions per port (versus just 1 before).

In addition. people (in the USA at least) don't have to "compete at early hours of the morning when excursions open" anymore.  The standard now is 12 noon Pacific Time, 3 PM Eastern - a great improvement over the past.   As far as better rooms getting earlier booking times . . .  that has been the subject of much discussion on these boards.  IMHO there is no right answer.   Viking at least, unlike most cruise lines, allows people free access onboard to everything, regardless of room class.  As for us, we often add or change our excursions around while onboard, much like restaurant reservations, and also often do independent tours.

[milling73]

We are also booked on the  November Southern Atlantic Crossing..Also noticed the changes / exclusions in excursions that were there when we booked cruise, and now mysteriously either disappeared as options, or went from "included" to $199 pp.  The odd thing is if looking on the cruise description website, many of the excursions are still listed as when we booked. For Example:  Sao Vicente Island went from 5 offered excursions to just 1 for our sailing - the included tour.  At Recife the mangrove catamaran cruises went from "included free" to over $100 pp. (still listed  as included on cruise description website) Same for the all day Rio tour - from "included" to $199 pp.

We have booked many Viking cruises, but like many of you, we find these no notice, no apology, no explanation changes disappointing to say the least, if not an outright deceptive practice of "bait and switch".  We can understand last minute port changes due to weather, etc.  But pretty hard to understand why excursions suddenly go from included or disappear 2 months out once locked into cruise and trying to book excursions, and yet remain on cruise description for future bookings. Explain that Viking.

[CCWineLover]

14 hours ago, milling73 said:

We are also booked on the  November Southern Atlantic Crossing..Also noticed the changes / exclusions in excursions that were there when we booked cruise, and now mysteriously either disappeared as options, or went from "included" to $199 pp.  The odd thing is if looking on the cruise description website, many of the excursions are still listed as when we booked. For Example:  Sao Vicente Island went from 5 offered excursions to just 1 for our sailing - the included tour.  At Recife the mangrove catamaran cruises went from "included free" to over $100 pp. (still listed  as included on cruise description website) Same for the all day Rio tour - from "included" to $199 pp.

We have booked many Viking cruises, but like many of you, we find these no notice, no apology, no explanation changes disappointing to say the least, if not an outright deceptive practice of "bait and switch".  We can understand last minute port changes due to weather, etc.  But pretty hard to understand why excursions suddenly go from included or disappear 2 months out once locked into cruise and trying to book excursions, and yet remain on cruise description for future bookings. Explain that Viking.

Agree.  Viking's biggest fault to us is that they are horrible at communication.

No doubt the changes were precipitated by tour operators - quality and availability, which are still in dynamic flux post-COVID.

However - like many things, Viking somehow chooses not to inform the customers of reasons for last minute updates.  Strange way to run a business.

[SWFLAOK]

Just a question for those who are seeing excursions going from included to being priced. Do you already have an excursion booked for that port? On Silversea, there are included excursions in each port. If you book one of those excursions, the other included excursions then become priced. If you go back and delete the included excursion that you originally booked, the other originally excursions go back to being included.

I haven't tried that with Viking Ocean since I was able to book the excursions we wanted, and I don't want to take a chance by cancelling them. But maybe it works the same way as Silversea.

[Clay Clayton]

To add another data point or two for whomever is doing the doctoral dissertation, on the World Cruise in Haifa there are two included tours. One is 11.5 hours long to Jerusalem which includes lunch and the other is a 5 hour long panorama and garden tour of Haifa (without lunch). Yesterday was DV excursion day and I stupidly had failed to put the upgraded excursion high on our list.  I don't know if it was sold out when we started but it was when we got to it. 

[Geoffa30]

We’re on the South America and Chilean Fjords cruise on 26 January 2024. The excursions were loaded on to MVJ yesterday. In the Falklands, the penguins of Bluff Cove excursion was listed twice - once as included and again at £169 (we’re in the U.K.). No doubt the included will be booked by those in the higher room categories before our lowly DV and we’ll pay for the privilege.

[photopro2]

8 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

To add another data point or two for whomever is doing the doctoral dissertation,

That would be me Clay 🧑‍🎓 😁

Please keep the data coming everyone!

[photopro2]

1 hour ago, Geoffa30 said:

No doubt the included will be booked by those in the higher room categories before our lowly DV and we’ll pay for the privilege.

I am sure you are right. 

What price is the Ilha de Deus catamaran sail in Recife showing. It is currently marked as included on the Viking ocean website!

[Clay Clayton]

6 hours ago, photopro2 said:

That would be me Clay 🧑‍🎓 😁

Please keep the data coming everyone!

Confirmed since I posted originally that the upgraded excursion was NOT sold out prior to DVs being able yo book. Several folks on our rollcall who had included it in their first priorities were able to book.
 

Hope that doesn't blow your thesis!

[Geoffa30]

6 hours ago, photopro2 said:

I am sure you are right. 

What price is the Ilha de Deus catamaran sail in Recife showing. It is currently marked as included on the Viking ocean website!

 

That port isn't on this itinerary. From my scouring of CC for excursions help just now, I think you're doing this itinerary but staying on afterwards back to Europe. Perhaps it's on that leg? Sorry I cannot help.

 

The only upgraded included excursion included on the itinerary is the Bluff Cove one I mentioned.

Edited September 26, 2023 by Geoffa30

[photopro2]

19 minutes ago, Geoffa30 said:

 

That port isn't on this itinerary.. Sorry I cannot help.

 

The only upgraded included excursion included on the itinerary is the Bluff Cove one I mentioned.

Sorry @Geoffa30 my error.

Recife is on the TA we are doing as a back to back following South America and Chilean Fjords next year. I rather stupidly forgot it was not all one cruise 😞 

Not too worry though, someone did post the price in dollars, I just wondered what the pound rate was.

Edited September 26, 2023 by photopro2
Added text

[photopro2]

44 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Hope that doesn't blow your thesis!

It doesn't at all 🙂..... but it is very interesting to know that there may sometimes be availability on these enhanced excursions for those in DV. That would generally be a good thing and my only concern is that Viking avoids promoting them as "included" on their website without making clear availability is limited.

[millybess]

1 hour ago, photopro2 said:

.........my only concern is that Viking avoids promoting them as "included" on their website without making clear availability is limited.

Hope this helps.  From MVJ:

 

 

Your cruise features one included shore excursion in each port of call. We also offer a range of optional excursions – payment is required to secure your reservation. Shore excursions are subject to change and capacity controlled.  

 

 

[Breckski]

My issue with these excursions is that someone could easily book the cruise with these excursions clearly noted as included on Viking's webpage under the assumption that the excursion will be free.  

 

Not clearly disclosing these special excursions are subject to availability based upon demand from higher staterooms is in poor taste at the least.

 

Would such a disclosure impact someone's booking?  Likely not, but possibly.  I could see such excursions adding $1k to the cost of a cruise for a couple which may impact someone's decision to book.

[Messybill]

1 hour ago, mwike said:

My issue with these excursions is that someone could easily book the cruise with these excursions clearly noted as included on Viking's webpage under the assumption that the excursion will be free.  

 

Not clearly disclosing these special excursions are subject to availability based upon demand from higher staterooms is in poor taste at the least.

 

Would such a disclosure impact someone's booking?  Likely not, but possibly.  I could see such excursions adding $1k to the cost of a cruise for a couple which may impact someone's decision to book.

Viking promises availability of an included excursion in each port.  They do not promise that you will have the excursion that you want in every port.  If you are booking a cruise based on the assumption that you are going to save a few hundred because you can take the freebee excursion, then that's your value judgement... and it's entirely your choice.

 

Viking is quite clear about how the excursion booking process works.  It is clear that the higher priced cabins get first choice.  This is not an unusual or surprising concept.  Every business provides tiered service.  If you pay more, you get more.  Your choice.

 

 

Edited September 26, 2023 by Messybill
typo

[Breckski]

5 minutes ago, Messybill said:

Viking promises availability of an included excursion in each port.  They do not promise that you will have the excursion that you want in every port.  If you are booking a cruise based on the assumption that you are going to save a few hundred because you can take the freebee excursion, then that's your value judgement... and it's entirely your choice.

 

Viking is quite clear about how the excursion booking process works.  It is clear that the higher priced cabins get first choice.  This is not an unusual or surprising concept.  Every business provides tiered service.  If you pay more, you get more.  Your choice.

 

 

 

I guess we just disagree about the transparency of Vikings disclosure that all included excursions may not be available to all.  

 

If you look at it in an extreme case, they could advertise a $1k helicopter tour as included but then only offer it to 6 guests.  Then in fine print somewhere say one is not guaranteed all excursions listed as included.  

 

We rarely take the included excursions as we just don't like them, so this isn't something where it impacts my pocketbook.  I'm looking at it more from a business/trust standpoint.  I know many book the cruise with the intention of essentially no additional cost for excursions.  To essentially make Viking like Silversea or Regent in terms of excursion cost - included.  And if that's your intention on the cruise I feel Viking is a bit misleading in this instance. 

 

I like the idea of premium excursions for higher category staterooms as Viking doesn't really give you much for paying for a suite other than extra sq ft.  But I do think communication/disclosure needs to be better.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, Messybill said:

Viking promises availability of an included excursion in each port.  They do not promise that you will have the excursion that you want in every port.  If you are booking a cruise based on the assumption that you are going to save a few hundred because you can take the freebee excursion, then that's your value judgement... and it's entirely your choice.

 

Viking is quite clear about how the excursion booking process works.  It is clear that the higher priced cabins get first choice.  This is not an unusual or surprising concept.  Every business provides tiered service.  If you pay more, you get more.  Your choice.

 

 

I totally agree with you!  Viking is very above board about everything.  This is NOT a socialist company where everyone is created equal.  They are great however when onboard as everyone, no matter what status can eat and go anywhere.  I never understood all the complaining..🥲

[Messybill]

2 hours ago, mwike said:

I guess we just disagree about the transparency of Vikings disclosure that all included excursions may not be available to all.  

We most certainly do disagree.  Viking offers an included tour at each port as I have said.  Nothing more.  Viking has never said that all included tours are available to everyone.  

[photopro2]

19 hours ago, Messybill said:

It is clear that the higher priced cabins get first choice.

I absolutely agree with you, Viking do make that clear, and that is perfectly reasonable. I also agree with your assertion that Viking offers one included tour at each port, nothing more.

 

Until recently, only one example included excursion was shown in the itineraries for each port listed on the website. In the vast majority of cases this information accurately portrayed Viking's offer of the included tour at that particular port. Everyone could be reasonably confident that this inclusion would be available to them in advance of making a booking.

 

These clear waters have been mudded by Viking now indicating that more than one included excursion will be available at some ports. There are no details provided on the website as to which, if any, of these included to tours will have a limited capacity.

 

As you quite rightly say, Viking have never guaranteed that all included tours will be available to everyone. The outcome of this is that (for some ports) Viking are offering an included tour of some sort for everyone, but without giving a clear indication of what that included tour will consist of. As a result customers will not know in advance what their included tour will be, and will simply have to take potluck once booking is open.

 

As others have said, that is probably not a dealbreaker, but it's certainly different to the way things worked in the past. 

 

If Viking are to be totally and completely aboveboard, I do feel that they should indicate on the website (perhaps, by using a different coloured "included" banner) which of these tours are likely be open to everyone and which are sure to be capacity capped.

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, photopro2 said:

I absolutely agree with you, Viking do make that clear, and that is perfectly reasonable. I also agree with your assertion that Viking offers one included tour at each port, nothing more.

 

Until recently, only one example included excursion was shown in the itineraries for each port listed on the website. In the vast majority of cases this information accurately portrayed Viking's offer of the included tour at that particular port. Everyone could be reasonably confident that this inclusion would be available to them in advance of making a booking.

 

These clear waters have been mudded by Viking now indicating that more than one included excursion will be available at some ports. There are no details provided on the website as to which, if any, of these included to tours will have a limited capacity.

 

As you quite rightly say, Viking have never guaranteed that all included tours will be available to everyone. The outcome of this is that (for some ports) Viking are offering an included tour of some sort for everyone, but without giving a clear indication of what that included tour will consist of. As a result customers will not know in advance what their included tour will be, and will simply have to take potluck once booking is open.

 

As others have said, that is probably not a dealbreaker, but it's certainly different to the way things worked in the past. 

 

If Viking are to be totally and completely aboveboard, I do feel that they should indicate on the website (perhaps, by using a different coloured "included" banner) which of these tours are likely be open to everyone and which are sure to be capacity capped.

Excellent explanation and a good suggestion on colors

[SantaFe1]

I just noticed this a minute ago, and think it is very interesting.  Excursions for our Hawaii cruise in February went up last week at 145 days out.  On two of the islands, they had the “extra special” included excursions.  Today at 140 days out( I.e. not even the owners suite can book yet) I see that they are marked sold out.  I sort of think this means they won’t be offered.  But who knows.  It is certainly very curious!

[Clay Clayton]

5 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

I just noticed this a minute ago, and think it is very interesting.  Excursions for our Hawaii cruise in February went up last week at 145 days out.  On two of the islands, they had the “extra special” included excursions.  Today at 140 days out( I.e. not even the owners suite can book yet) I see that they are marked sold out.  I sort of think this means they won’t be offered.  But who knows.  It is certainly very curious!

If the Cultural Traditions was going to the Polynesia Cultural Center AND you're there on a Sunday, it could be someone failed to note they are closed that day. 

[SantaFe1]

2 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

If the Cultural Traditions was going to the Polynesia Cultural Center AND you're there on a Sunday, it could be someone failed to note they are closed that day. 

No and No.  we are there on a Friday.  And on Kauai, they day before, another of this special included excursions is now marked sold out.  I just don’t think they are going to be offered, or at least not offered as an included excursion.