Viking Large Price Increases

[Coventry]

Has anyone noticed that Viking has increased its prices by 75% for 2010?

[letsgo39]

That's so they can offer all their 2 for 1 deals and people think they are getting a bargain.:eek:

[jacksonnh]

Coventry - I believe you may have meant 7.5% on the non-discounted price. Looking at their web site, most 2010 prices are less p/p then 09. I looked at romantic danube cat e last sailing for both years

2009 - 1,699 p/p

2010 - 1,356 p/p

 

The non-discounted price on line

2009

[Coventry]

Coventry - I believe you may have meant 7.5% on the non-discounted price. Looking at their web site, most 2010 prices are less p/p then 09. I looked at romantic danube cat e last sailing for both years

2009 - 1,699 p/p

2010 - 1,356 p/p

 

The non-discounted price on line

2009

 

Jacksonnh:

The "brochure" price for that November trip is $2399 (2009) and $3599 (2010) a 50% price hike. What you quoted is the discounted price. The actual price with discounts that you might pay varies wildly depending on when you book. My point is that they are jacking up the "brochure" price to make their discounts look better. Please examine a few other Viking trips (prime season rather than the last trip of the year that you examined) and you'll see this disturbing trend. A Viking 2 for 1 discount from an inflated brochure price is not as good a deal as it sounds. Again, an informed buyer will do better than an uniformed buyer.

[jacksonnh]

Coventry,

Sorry about not sending the entire post. The second part referred to the non-discounted price posted on line as of today.

2009 $2,399 selling for $1,699

2010 $2,599 selling for $1,356

The fact that prices change so rapidly in this market makes the brochure outdated almost immediately. There will be a number of price changes between now and their first sailing in 2010. I may not be a savvy and informed buyer as you but I do know a couple of things:

A) their web ste will give you updated current prices

B) that it's what you pay for what you get that's important and not what someone is asking for it.

[tiggypooo]

I priced a Nile cruise for April 2010. They gave me a price of $3300. and

said that it was half price. It was the same price that the other companies

are giving as their regular price.

I told him that and he said that the regular price was over $6000.

GIVE ME A BREAK........

That's just deception.......

[Xoe]

I have booked my first-ever Europe river cruise, spring 2010 "Windmills & Tulips" on Viking Legend, a new ship being launched this month. My husband is a reluctant flyer and declines to fly SEA-AMS so I'll be traveling solo. Viking Legend has single cabins priced 1/2 off brochure rate on their early booking discount. I've booked a single cabin on Legend's top deck for a price significantly less than if I were sharing the cost of a 2-person cabin on that same deck.

 

Planning solo travel means working with different parameters and considerations, and within my budget and time-frame requirements, this seems a fine choice and I am very pleased. I'm now enjoying pre-travel reading; it's a luxury to have months of lead-time, and the planning and anticipation of this journey will be a lovely part of its pleasures.

 

I've booked my own air as I wish to have an extra day in Amsterdam, and wanted Northwest/KLM's nonstop SEA-AMS flights, the only nonstops on this route. I've booked a reasonable well-located hotel for my night before boarding the ship, and am very excited about the trip!

[Chesie]

I had a thread awhile back about this very thing EBD confused? They literally jacked up their brochure price and brought it back down to a high-normal range and said it was a 2 for 1. Viking must think there are idiots out there that believe them! I don't like being deceived. Yes, an informed traveler is a must in this day and age. There are must better pricing out there with other companies that offer just as much as Viking, if not more IMHO.

[Xoe]

I like a bargain as well as anyone, and seek out the best choice for my travel dollars. I make use of SkyAuction and PriceLine and Hotwire for hotels, monitor airfares, and sometimes go last-minute on a "too good to resist" special offer as I did last autumn on Wind Spirit, Barcelona to Lisbon, which was a wonderful itinerary and a terrific bargain.

 

That said, based on my own situation as a solo traveler for the Holland cruise, this specific stateroom on this specific date is as good or better than anything I see elsewhere in that it is a single stateroom at a discounted price rather than a double stateroom at a discounted price with a single supplement added back on. There are not many single staterooms on the river ships in Europe.

 

Now to see who my fellow-travelers will be. If the prices are as much out of line as you suggest, will I be the only passenger on board? Stay tuned!

[nordski]

Xoe

 

What a great attitude! I love it that your enthusiasm and anticipation continue unabated.

 

I have no doubt you'll love your cruise.

[royal_flush]

I don't think it's *too* out of line. Who would pay full price anyway? :D

[ddean52]

Has anyone noticed that Viking has increased its prices by 75% for 2010?

Yep!

[Xoe]

My desire to take the springtime river cruise in the Netherlands stems partially from my Dutch ancestry, which background has given me 3 characteristics that come into play here: frugality (not unwillingness to spend money, rather seeking best value), a high value on fairness, and a capacity to be stubborn. In the interest of being fair to Viking, and also being satisfied that I have made the best possible choice for my "Tulips and Windmills" 2010 river cruise, I've just finished checking with several companies offering similar river cruises.

 

My specific considerations include the following: because my husband dislikes air travel, I will be traveling solo; I would like a stateroom on the top deck; I prefer the R/T Amsterdam itinerary rather than one-way between Amsterdam and Antwerp; and I intend to purchase my own air because Northwest offers the only nonstop service SEA-AMS. Below is a summary of the results of phone calls to each operator asking for the best price available in the late March-early April time frame, taking advantage of any and all early booking and/or full payment discounts.

 

THE ONE I HAVE RESERVED (which I could change or cancel):

Viking: 3/27-4/5 (10 days 9 nights). R/T Amsterdam. Ship Viking Legend, new 2009. Single stateroom (built as single) on top deck = $3221.50.

$357.94 per night.

 

Avalon: 3/28-4/4 (8 days 7 nights). R/T Amsterdam. Ship Felicity, new in 2010. Single supp. for double stateroom on top deck = $3737

$533.85 per night.

 

AMA: 4/2-4/9 (8 days 7 nights). R/T Amsterdam. Ship Amalegro, new 2007. Single supp. for double stateroom on top deck = $4180.

$597.14 per night.

 

Uniworld: 3/28-4/6 (10 days 9 nights). Amsterdam to Antwerp, or reverse.

Ship Duchess, new 2003. Single supp. for double stateroom on top deck = $3804.

$422.66 per night.

 

Grand Circle Travel: 3/29-4/8 (11 days 10 nights). Antwerp to Amsterdam, or reverse. Ship Rhapsody, new 1999. Single supp. for double room top deck = $3485.

$348.50 per night.

This per-day price is slightly lower than Viking's, but I prefer the R/T itinerary and prefer the one-day shorter trip.

 

I had already felt pleased with my booking, and now have confirmed this as my best possible choice. So, I thank you, Coventry, for starting this thread and thus prompting me to do a comparison check of my information and plans.

[WonderMan3]

Grand Circle Travel: 3/29-4/8 (11 days 10 nights). Antwerp to Amsterdam, or reverse. Ship Rhapsody, new 1999. Single supp. for double room top deck = $3485.

$348.50 per night.

This per-day price is slightly lower than Viking's, but I prefer the R/T itinerary and prefer the one-day shorter trip.

 

 

Taking a quick look at GCT's website I'm actually seeing a lower price. If you travel on the 3/28 departure (you would fly from U.S. on 3/27) Amsterdam to Antwerp on the Aria I see a price for top deck as follows:

 

$2145 fare

$795 single supplement

$145 port charges

$3085 total

$308.50 per day (10 day trip)

 

I think they also have an early payment discount if you pay in full by check by a certain date. And if you search through the threads here you'll also find people here willing to give you their customer information so that you and they can each get $100 back when you book.

[Xoe]

When I phoned GCT today the numbers were as given above -- not sure why, although I think I remember mention of that sailing not being available to me -- maybe no singles, or top deck full? I know that Grand Circle often has prices that are hard to beat, especially if one uses their air; I traveled once with OAT (Thailand) and thought the trip was very well done.

 

As it happens, the 1-day-shorter trip is preferable to my "reluctant flier" husband who will be keeping the home fires burning, and the R/T Amsterdam cruise itinerary and SEA-AMS nonstop flights are also pluses for me.

 

So, using your figures, GCT would seem to have a slight edge price-wise, but Viking seems a better choice for me personally due to its R/T itinerary and better air travel schedule.

 

Cruise on!

[Xoe]

I realized I'd left out Vantage when checking on prices for my spring 2010 Netherlands cruise; I just checked and can now add Vantage to the list of river cruise operators that would be more costly for my trip (quite a lot more in fact.)

 

As one poster has said, "Who would pay full price anyway?" It seems the only way to consider prices is to compare what's available for what you want in the time frame you need. Such a comparison process has confirmed that Viking Legend is the best choice for my own situation. GCT may be a bit lower in cost but does not offer the Amsterdam R/T itinerary I prefer.**

 

Now to continue to read, plan, and anticipate a grand experience.

 

**Afterthought: It is my understanding that GCT markets in the U.S. and their travelers are primarily U.S. citizens (please correct me if I am wrong). This is a slight minus for me. When traveling I greatly enjoy discussions of politics and economics with folks from other countries. On our recent Alaska cruise, we especially enjoyed Canadian and Australian fellow-travelers; on Wind Spirit, Barcelona to Lisbon last November (during U.S. election week), some of my most interesting conversations were with fellow-passengers from European countries. It is always good to hear differing perspectives and points of view.

[webfoot]

Xoe .. this is one reason that we love traveling with Avalon. They market to US, Canada and Australia. This year we even had a couple from Israel. Last year we had two couples from the UK.

[Xoe]

I'll keep a special eye on Avalon for future river cruises. An international mix of passengers can make a good trip even better.

 

Thanks!

[Xoe]

I'm in a state of happy shock. Just got an e-mail from Viking telling me they have reduced their brochure rates, resulting in my Early Booking fare for Tulips & Windmills (10-day/9-night, 3/27/10 - 4/5/10) changing from $3,221.50 to $2,721.50. This is for my single stateroom, #337, on the top deck. The early booking offer also includes 2 glasses of wine with dinner each evening. (I'll need to find someone to give the 2nd glass to -- I'm a pretty wimpy drinker.)

 

Talk about GOOD NEWS!! That results in a per-diem cost of $302.89, which for a solo traveler on a river cruise is pretty wonderful.

 

I'm going to post a separate "alert" on this too; there may be others who will find this of interest.

[ddean52]

ill be happy to drink that second glass of wine for you! <SS>

[Xoe]

March 27-April 4, in Viking Legend's dining room -- your nightly complimentary glass of wine will be waiting . . .

[ddean52]

March 27-April 4, in Viking Legend's dining room -- your nightly complimentary glass of wine will be waiting . . .

 

Great and since Alice and i each get 2 glasses of wine comped each night and since she will only drink one glass, i will be feeling no pain! <SS>

 

Dean