azevedan

But would they really cancel? Has anyone asked to delay that payment schedule or even pay over several months? I guess I could risk it and not pay until sometime before the 90 days before sailing. Is Viking's wording to "encourage" us to pay sooner but not demand it? Anyone have experience here on this issue with Viking?

We reserved a June 2016 Viking Ocean cruise in May, 2014, and were REQUIRED to pay IN FULL at that time (2+ years in advance). Here's what my TA passed on when I questioned it:

"I called Viking and they stated because you are in the 2 for 1 promotion final payment would have to be made by May 31,2014. I kept asking her if she was sure and she said yes. You would have to pay brochure rates at $20,529 in order to not be able to pay final until 121 days prior to sailing."

Now "2 for 1 promotion" is the standard quoted fee, so that's BS. I live in the US, not New Zealand. Different countries have different protections for consumers.

We ended up canceling the cruise a few months ago (nothing to do with Viking's problems, just a change of plans), and got the full refund (minus the $200, or whatever it was) within 10 business days.

Remember on this that history doesn't mean a thing if it is your flight that the person that you encounter with is the kind that enforces all of this.

Which is why I said I wasn't recommending ignoring them, just passing on my experience. As you did yours.

I also note that while their website says 8KG, the signs said 7KG. And one of my bags was 8.8KG, which the checkin counter called 8KG.

OK, our experience was, the restrictions were not enforced. I wish I had known that; I would've much rather have had 2 small rollies and 2 backpacks rather than the 2 duffels (within the 8kg), 1 small backpack, and 1 small laptop bag that we packed.

We did go to the counter to get boarding passes on a Cape Town-JNB leg, and there the bags were weighed. Both were over at that point (post-souvenir buying), but both were still given carryon tags. If you have your boarding pass, no one will (in our recent experience and observation) question or weigh your bags. We saw people with rollies and people with 3 (big) bags in coach class. They made a big deal about the restrictions in print and signage, but that was it. Nothing in practice if you avoided the check-in counter.

I am not recommending you try to circumvent the restrictions. Just passing on our experience.

OK, our experience was, the restrictions were not enforced. I wish I had known that; I would've much rather have had 2 small rollies and 2 backpacks rather than the 2 duffels (within the 8kg), 1 small backpack, and 1 small laptop bag that we packed.

We did go to the counter to get boarding passes on a Cape Town-JNB leg, and there the bags were weighed. Both were over at that point (post-souvenir buying), but both were still given carryon tags. If you have your boarding pass, no one will (in our recent experience and observation) question or weigh your bags. We saw people with rollies and people with 3 (big) bags in coach class. They made a big deal about the restrictions in print and signage, but that was it. Nothing in practice if you avoided the check-in counter.

I am not recommending you try to circumvent the restrictions. Just passing on our experience.

DL was doing something interesting this summer at some of the high-volume airports: they had summer interns walking around the gate areas and asking people if they would like to have their carryon put on board early by these interns. Cool idea. They would take down the seat number of the person and place the bag above the seat. It is an experiment to see if more bags can be accommodated if people WHO KNOW HOW TO PROPERLY STOW A BAG does it instead of allowing the usual free-for-all.

Preparatory to introducing a new fee, no doubt.

My $0.02, having flown a lot on both:

Delta's MD80's and 757's are pretty long in the tooth (those lavs in the MDs are especially bad). The E190, while a "regional jet", is pretty close in size to an MD80, but a lot more modern. Airbuses are fine (just ignore that awful noise the hydraulics make during taxi (it's a pressurization balance thing)).

You'll get a little better snacks in Delta's FC (and even now in Economy Plus, I've noticed). All things considered, I personally would go with Jetblue and save the money, unless the timing of the Delta flights fits your purpose better.

One question - why do you advise to shut off all mobile data in China?

Because I do not trust that spyware wouldn't end up on any device linked to ANY Chinese server.

I've been looking at the list of sites that are blocked in China (extensive) and a few are pretty important to me (particularly Gmail). That said, if I'm on the ship's satellite wi-fi, will these sites be blocked while in China? Thanks!

I can't answer your specific question (will the ship's wifi work), but I will advise you to turn off mobile data on all devices when actually out and about in China. We did a 2-week land trip in April, and I went cold turkey except for text updates from my house/pet sitter.

You just have to book and apply the FCC to your booking before the 12 months is over - you don't have to have travelled by the end of 12 months.

Oh, that would be better. Would still rather have the refund, though.

I always try to sleep as much as possible the night before an overnight flight. It's really tough for me to sleep on a plane (I do drug myself these days). I can get by with 1 night's bad sleep, but 2 is a killer.

I read it as they will not give her an upgrade on the Future cruise she is forced to take because she is afraid of the shower exploding again...rightly so

Just my take on it

As the OP explained, the class she cruised in is SOLD OUT for 2016....so she would have to pay for a higher class to be able to use the credit they gave her for the lower class cabin.

I thought I'd let you know that my credit card was refunded for both the cruise and the air within the 7-10 business days that Viking told my TA. :)

Sorry to hear that, molymoo.

Thanks for the update, though....that's definitely a better timeframe. (not to mention not having to chase them down). I wonder if the airfare refund will be the problem....they probably come from different departments.

It took 5 weeks and multiple calls from our TA-- business class air nearly $10000-- to get a flight option refunded-- when we decided to book our own air.

Yikes!

I hope that's not the case. We also did book (coach) air through Viking.

Hi, we had to cancel our Viking Oceans June 2016 cruise (nothing to do with them; just something came up with us).

Of course, since we had to pre-pay, that's a lot of money we'll be waiting on. Those of you who have cancelled, how long did the credit take to show up on your credit card?

thanks!

Good advice about the fins as I am buying a new set.

I am having problems with the link (could be my end)

Try this:

If you're taking your own gear, you may want to consider shorty (swimmer's) fins if you don't already have them. Much easier to pack.

I heartily recommend going with operators on the islands. You can get an all-day tour (if you want one), lunch at a motu (pig roasts, specialty island dishes, etc.) and some sightseeing thrown in.

Snorkeling is fabulous. Here are my pictures from this past Christmas, if you want a preview. We were on the Paul Gauguin in the society islands, though we stayed 3 days on Moorea and I snorkeled right off our bungalow. You can see the big difference in conditions and sea life. As mentioned, the operators will take you to the best places.

https://www.facebook.com/ann.azevedo/media_set?set=a.10205602350957732.1073741854.1222008517&type=3

I'm down to Gold on Delta...My company has negotiated fares and so it's tough to keep status now that dollars are also involved. Plus they took away the perk of free E+. I made the concious decision to not chase status. No more flying 2 legs when there's a non-stop on somebody else. The E+ open up day of, but they're completely full by then. I have gotten aisle seats when, for example, American stops showing them as all booked a day or two before. And heck, even when I was platinum, I wasn't getting upgrades because of the ticket price issue. (The one year I had as Diamond was not bad:D .) Cashed in most of my miles for two BC to China.

Yep. My husband's aunt balked at paying a $236 fare for a 4-hour flight to Las Vegas. My SIL finally paid for her. Then they get to Vegas and aunt drops $125 on a 1-hour David Copperfield show. Won't pay less than $100 more to be transported safely across the country, though. :confused: I can't blame airlines for the fees given mindsets like this. Unfortunately, it makes it worse for me, because my company will not reimburse for Economy Plus, or even an aisle seat. I've sprung for it a few times out of my own pocket, but that gets expensive when you travel several times a month.

Does this mean that your opinion carries the approval of 999 other people? :D

They've sworn me to secrecy! :p

We aren't talking about criminal law, we are talking civil,

The question was whether "stealing is stealing". Post #165.

From reading all the posts, I get the feeling you must be a TA or know one and from all your zillion flights you take enjoy getting freebies. There is right and wrong and grey. Clearly you are in the grey area and feel justified accepting the rewards.

Not even close! Heh. Too funny. I mentioned in post #63 the few freebies I got over the years (and why I got them). [Ooh....just realized I forgot one. I got 1000 free miles because I gave a doctor seeing to another passenger some prescription pills that I had with me.] It is correct that, like many other business people who flew a lot, I sometimes got upgrades. And enjoyed them, just like all the other people who get them do. Never expected them; never agitated that I was somehow special and deserved an upgrade even though I was way down on the list. They don't happen much any more with the way they've made it tougher to maintain status. And my company never paid for business class, or even economy comfort.

Let the subject die. You are not winning the argument. Quite the opposite. Your arguments have become petty. The more you rebut the argument the worse you personally look.

Funny; I could say the same thing. I'll stop when you all will. I already had stopped, several times. Not willing to let it lie there. The worse *I* personally look? At least, I'm not insisting someone must be *punished* even though she was likely scared straight already (see post #40: "she begged me not to write the company" - so the concern isn't to stop the behavior but to MAKE IT HURT. (And who appointed that person policeman of the world, anyway? Oh, right....a moral duty to speak up.)

And, in any event, the original complaint was that someone reported a simple glass of wine.

And, no, I'm not a thief, either. (I'm actually quite an ethical person.) And also one who knows she's not perfect, and has made plenty of mistakes over the years, and while I may think lots of things about the way people behave (and sometimes even kvetch about them in online forums), it would take a lot more than someone else getting a glass of wine they didn't "deserve" to report them. If that's lacking a moral compass, sure....go ahead and lay that label on me if it makes you feel so much better than me. :)

As such, if you can point out where I have become 'petty' (if it is indeed such), I'll gladly apologize.

Oh, the "Javert" dig? Yeah, okay, that was low. But, like the poster, Javert felt 'stealing was stealing', even if it was a loaf of bread to feed a child. I'm sure the poster has many fines qualities that put Javert to shame.

1) Yes, I would be. Wrong is wrong. I'm sorry if you live in a relativistic world where there are no clear lines of right and wrong. If you don't have that kind of moral compass. "It was only a candy bar that I stole" is not an excuse. Stealing is stealing.

Uh, not so much. Even the law recognizes there are different levels and severity.

http://criminal.findlaw.com/criminal-charges/theft-overview.html

I'm sorry you live in a world where the tiniest transgression (as defined by you) is untempered by mercy, understanding or the slightest sense of perspective. Perhaps your real name is Javert?

Heck, I tried for that upgrade and they didn't make it available to me as a revenue passenger.

Tell me....if you *had* gotten the upgrade, would you have been just as upset about the free wine to the vacationing FA?

I KNEW that it was not a service recovery or a downgrade or the like. The pass-rider was griping that business filled up and they couldn't get a seat there as they had wanted. Heck, I tried for that upgrade and they didn't make it available to me as a revenue passenger.

You know, I wondered if you were talking about another (vacationing) FA. Since they were 'pass riders', they were vacationing FA's or pilots (even former), they get to fly for free on a space-available basis (including internationally, including with their families, including on different airlines than their own), which is part of their overall benefit. So, given that they're flying for free, I doubt the company's going to sweat a lost glass of wine. I'll have to ask whether the benefit covers getting meals and drinks if they're in coach, either formally or in-.

Let me give you one last thought. You are a stockholder in an airline. Staff is giving away 1 glass of wine per flight at a cost of $1 per glass. You have 5400 flights per day. Multiply that times 365 days a year and you get $1,971,000 per year. That's money out of the company's pocket....It adds up.

Assuming NONE of it was destined for the drain! And happened on EVERY flight. I can't remember seeing it happen, but I allow it might have somewhere in the zillion or so flights I've taken.