interesting situation with a group booking - Viking

My wife and I are booked on a Viking River Cruise. Viking called us (through our TA) and indicated all other cabins on the ship are sold out to a group - we would be the only cabin not part of the group. They offered to move us to another sailing date. They wouldn't tell us the group, which I understand. However, I envision a corporate group or something, with the boss standing up and addressing the whole dining room about the great sales last year or something like that. Or a wedding with toasts, and jokes, etc. In any event, we changed to different dates at some inconvenience to my wife and my approved vacation days from our employers, arrangements for kids, etc. Obviously we chose the original cruise, dates, etc. for a reason.

I appreciate Viking reaching out to let us know, but I was half expecting a token of appreciation for moving, Maybe a ship board credit or something. I have to think the group was working on Viking to get one more cabin. I would think the cruise lines like big groups and want to facilitate their requests. I feel like we got the short end of the stick in some ways here.

I think a cruise line should offer a whole ship to a group if it really is completely vacant and not booked. Not vacant except for one cabin.

Anyway, I am just venting :D !!

First thing I would think is that a certain ethnic group that does not speak english has the cruise booked and how fast can I call my travel agent to change ships. There have been posts on here telling how river cruise lines are targeting certain groups.

I would never want to be the only person on a boat who is not part of a group. Glad you moved

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I don't think it really matters who the group is. If you are the one cabin not part of the group it is very awkward, even if the group is made up of people you would like.

I agree with the OP that Viking ought to offer them something.

If Viking was using this ship for a group, why did the sailing even appear on their website for the general public?

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What was the cruise date, boat and itinerary?

If Viking was using this ship for a group, why did the sailing even appear on their website for the general public?

 

 

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Yes, I can assure you it was available to public, I did a lot of searching Viking website, TA website, etc. before we booked. It still shows up today but as sold out all cabins.

7/7/18 Nuremberg to Budapest, Viking Longship Egil

thanks for all the replies.....

Also, Viking was able to get us a similar cruise only one day earlier. However, my wife works one week on-call shifts in health care. That one day, can throw things off by a week with her co-workers, shift swaps, etc. The day of the week of the departure is important to her. Viking might be thinking it is no big deal. It is the principle of the thing, however.....

Tricky one.

If Viking needed your cabin to complete the group booking then they would have cancelled your reservation and you would have had some incentive provided to move to a new date.

From what you have said, they didn't need your cabin but they did want you to know that this could have been a rather uncomfortable cruise for you so they were happy to facilitate you moving to a different cruise.

Personally I'd have been very happy to be allowed to move in those circumstances, despite the inconvenience.

Odds are thus will be a non-English speaking group of tourists and it really wouldn't have been a good plan to stay on the cruise.

I think Viking already was nicely proactive to let you know. There are many threads on the ocean forums about cruises with large groups that distorted the experience -- and the affected passengers had no warning :eek:

My thought is if you wanted something from Viking you should have asked for it.

You didn't ask for anything and changed your booking but now you're upset because they didn't give you something that you did not ask for???

If Viking was using this ship for a group, why did the sailing even appear on their website for the general public?

 

 

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It probably was available to the general public originally. But, after the OP booked, maybe a group contacted Viking about booking the whole ship. And, since no one else had booked any rooms, they did.

It probably was available to the general public originally. But, after the OP booked, maybe a group contacted Viking about booking the whole ship. And, since no one else had booked any rooms, they did.

Yes, I think this is exactly what happened. I do not think that this was people from a similar group who all independently booked a lot of cabins, but rather it was a group booking of the whole ship. At least that is what my T.A. said, I didn't talk with Viking.

On a related question, does anyone know what happens to my third party travel insurance if travel dates change. I paid for the insurance right after initial booking payment as to get some of the extra coverages. I am hoping the insurance will allow a change of dates.

I was on a viking Rhine river cruise a couple of years ago where half of the cruise was one group. There were all from one church.

My thought is if you wanted something from Viking you should have asked for it.

 

 

 

You didn't ask for anything and changed your booking but now you're upset because they didn't give you something that you did not ask for???

If Viking had top notch service, a client would not have to ask. Anticipating what a client wants and providing it before they ask is the best service.

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Yes, I think this is exactly what happened. I do not think that this was people from a similar group who all independently booked a lot of cabins, but rather it was a group booking of the whole ship. At least that is what my T.A. said, I didn't talk with Viking.

 

On a related question, does anyone know what happens to my third party travel insurance if travel dates change. I paid for the insurance right after initial booking payment as to get some of the extra coverages. I am hoping the insurance will allow a change of dates.

Well, my experience, we were allowed to change travel dates on a couple of cruises after we'd purchased the insurance. Granted, those were ocean cruises, but I'd think it would be the same. Just do it quickly.

If Viking had top notch service, a client would not have to ask. Anticipating what a client wants and providing it before they ask is the best service

Isn't that pretty much what they did?

They correctly anticipated that the client would not wish to be on the cruise and facilitated a move to a different cruise...

Isn't that pretty much what they did?

 

They correctly anticipated that the client would not wish to be on the cruise and facilitated a move to a different cruise...

Agree

Agree

I agree that they facilitated a move for us and I am glad they did. However, there is another point here. There is more to the story than facilitating a change. Viking left their customer with the appearance that they booked a group on the whole ship out from under an already booked customer. Leaving the customer with a choice of sailing with the group or moving at some (maybe a lot) inconvenience to us. Maybe this is not what happened at all, but it appears that way to us. It appears this was a business decision to book the group (as opposed to a hurricane, low river, weather issue, mechanical breakdown that may cause a re-booking of some sort.)

I would have liked to hear from Viking directly, there could be a very good explanation about the group booking. I know the rules concerning having to work through your T.A. relative to $, etc. However, there is no reason why a representative from Viking could not call and explain the situation, offer alternatives, and turn it over to the T.A. for a possible re-booking.

Blaming me for not asking for ship board credit is a silly comment. That is not the way good customer service works.

What is your motivation for posting here? You already agreed to change sailings.

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I was on a viking Rhine river cruise a couple of years ago where half of the cruise was one group.

They were all from one church.

WE will be with a group of 50 pax on the Viking Alsvin October 4-16, 2017...

Sold out months ago.

Booked through a "church lady" TA, but we're not that all religious. :evilsmile:

It will be a fun group.:p

You were placed in a difficult position: either an uncomfortable sailing or change your plans. I would be upset if this happened to me. IMHO, Viking should have offered you something, at least an OBC. The time to ask would have been when they contacted you -- but I agree, you shouldn't have to ask. They should have offered compensation.

I hope you do not suffer any financial losses as a result of the change. Please keep us posted.

You were placed in a difficult position: either an uncomfortable sailing or change your plans. I would be upset if this happened to me. IMHO, Viking should have offered you something, at least an OBC. The time to ask would have been when they contacted you -- but I agree, you shouldn't have to ask. They should have offered compensation.

 

 

I hope you do not suffer any financial losses as a result of the change. Please keep us posted.

Susan: thanks, yes will keep posted

Shmoo here: thanks for insurance tip. I will call insurance ASAP. Years ago, I tried changing dates with insurance and they wouldn't allow it, so I hope you are right. Otherwise it is going to cost me some $$ !

Got2Cruise: Motivation is to hear other's thoughts. Comments have been helpful to me.... maybe temper my own opinion some! ;) I am a newbie with Viking as well as this situation so I am glad for the responses.

I believe you'll have a good experience with Viking. I did a trip last year, and another this year.

CCJack - I'm sure not all are the same but the travel insurance company I use allows a date change. If yours doesn't and you have to pay an additional amount to do that maybe Viking would compensate you for that.