Can you use OBC on Viking for pre-cruise purchases?

Happy July 4th to everyone celebrating!

A quick question for recent travelers with Viking River Cruises in Europe: if you have OBC (e.g., from a travel agent), does Viking allow you to use that OBC to pay for any purchases you make BEFORE the cruise (for example, optional shore excursions that you can book and pay for prior to sailing).

My research here on this question pulled up a few threads discussing this, but it seems some folks have been successful in using OBC pre-cruise and some haven't, and it's not clear whether having the OBC from a TA makes a difference. I will definitely call Viking to ask, but I'm hoping, on this holiday, to be able to get some information today.

Thanks for any info!

I know that in the Oceans division they have now set up the MVJ payments to take from your OBC. I do not know if that has trickled over to the Rivers side as well (and I do not want to guess or speculate).

We have done about 10 river cruises with them now since 2013 (last one Christmas 2017) and no we have never been able to use any OBC to prebook excursions or drink packages - all have to be paid for before you go but we have always had our OBC given by Viking as we always book direct through them and not via a travel agent.

This is a quote when I have just gone in to my Ukraine booking and guess the last few words may answer your question:

"Unless otherwise noted in the itinerary, your cruise features one included excursion in each port of call. These are offered at no charge to you; however, for planning and scheduling purposes, we ask that you add them to your personal calendar so you can keep track of your daily schedule and avoid overlaps with any excursions purchased in addition to the included ones. These great optional excursions show you local culture—from architectural treasures to artistic masterpieces, natural wonders to historic marvels, long-cherished traditions to culinary delights. Simply add to your cart and proceed through the checkout to purchase"

I know that in the Oceans division they have now set up the MVJ payments to take from your OBC. I do not know if that has trickled over to the Rivers side as well (and I do not want to guess or speculate).

How does one go about doing this? I have a sizeable OBC and would like to do this.

How does one go about doing this? I have a sizeable OBC and would like to do this.

From what I have been reading on the Viking Oceans board, it is automatic when you check out BUT as I said, I do not know if it also works that way for River cruises.

We have done about 10 river cruises with them now since 2013 (last one Christmas 2017) and no we have never been able to use any OBC to prebook excursions or drink packages - all have to be paid for before you go but we have always had our OBC given by Viking as we always book direct through them and not via a travel agent.

The ability to use OBC while checking out on MVJ, at least for Oceans, is a fairly new addition to the process and my untrusty memory says that it might not even had been in place in 2017.

Drinks package can be purchased on board and so can excursions, if you are willing risk the ones you want being sold out.

Huge thanks to everyone for all the info and advice so far. I will get this nailed down directly from Viking and report back. I think it may be the case that Viking Rivers has a fairly new process that does allow OBC to be used in advance to make purchases through MVJ.

I know that in the Oceans division they have now set up the MVJ payments to take from your OBC. I do not know if that has trickled over to the Rivers side as well (and I do not want to guess or speculate).

How do you do this? Don't see my OBC from Viking (not TA) on MVJ. Ocean cruise is up next, then a River.

If you book an excursion, when you get to payment it will give you the option to use your OBC. I have used OBC for our river cruise in August, so I know it works!:D

We also used our on board credit for excursions. Booked them through my journey on the Viking website and use them at check out.

If you book an excursion, when you get to payment it will give you the option to use your OBC. I have used OBC for our river cruise in August, so I know it works!:D

We have also booked an optional excursion this way. The OBC was from Viking. When asked to pay, it gave an option to us OBC.

I just booked an excursion through MVJ and when it came to payment type the only option I had was paying with a credit card, so I canceled the transaction. I will try to book once we get on the ship. Not sure why some people are able to do this but others aren't. My OBC amount does not show upon MVJ.

I think it may be different for US viking customers and UK ones like everything else

I was just on the Paris to the Swiss Alps trip and had OBC issued by Viking (no TA involved). It was automatically used when I booked an optional excursion via the web site.

Thank you to all who have replied. As promised, I have checked into this directly with Viking and was told that OBC *can* be used on their river cruises to make pre-cruise purchases (e.g., for shore excursions).

For those who might not have been able to do this with OBC from a TA, perhaps the following *might* be an explanation. In speaking with one travel agency that offers OBC as a "perk" for booking a VRC with them, I was told that the OBC will not appear in your Viking account until you are on board. By way of explanation, they said they have to "purchase" the OBC from Viking, and since it's non-refundable, they do not do that until very close to the sailing date, when the 100% cancellation penalty has kicked in. (Obviously, I have no idea whether this is how other TAs operate with VRC.)

How do you do this? Don't see my OBC from Viking (not TA) on MVJ. Ocean cruise is up next, then a River.

Contacted Viking. Told me in writing that MY OBC (from Viking) could not be used on MVJ to book my ocean cruise excursions.

There are special categories of OBCs.