Viking long ship decks

Maybe... Or maybe not, I booked my sailing in Feb 2014 it's been sold out for months. Final payment was last week!

Did you get any real benefit (worthwhile to lose 2x$100 if you cancel) for booking so early?

Thank you.

 

So we can book close to this time next year if we plan on October, 2016.

This was the first year that there were very good special offers for sailings the last week of October and early November, and only on limited itineraries... mostly Amsterdam/Budapest. It is the result of the number of new ships put into service the past few years and most people preferring warmer weather. In past years most sailings were booked a year ahead.

So....you can't depend on late availability, but if you are flexible 'regarding dates and cabin type, you can take the risk of waiting for a special offer.

We booked w/ Vantage in Jan 15 for an Oct 16 cruise, Bucharest to Budapest.

We booked so early because we knew that we wanted this tour, at this time. There was an offer to lock in '15 prices for '16 sailings, although w/ the dollars strength, I thought the price might drop.

2 wks later they dropped Constanta and 1 night from the trip, and raised the price $500 for the '16 season. They also canceled the 4 Oct sailing we were on, so after a few phone calls they moved us up to the earlier one in September. So I wound up saving $500, and jumping ahead a week in the sailing date. The day lost in Constanta doesn't hurt so much, it looked like a long bus ride from Bucharest and not to interesting.

Good luck w/ your trip.

My daughter and I are booked on the July 7th Cruise Portraits to Southern France - she had a last minute change of summer plans and was able to take time and we were looking for a vacation trip - Almost all of the Viking cruises were sold out for the the summer - We were lucky and a room opened up on this cruise - My advice is not to wait too long - book early because your choices might be limited.

Best

Did you get any real benefit (worthwhile to lose 2x$100 if you cancel) for booking so early?

Had I waited to book there would not have been any cabins left. This cruise has been sold out since Christmas. I got the cabin I wanted, final payment now made :)

If I understand the earlier postings correctly, I surmise that unless you are given an exception:

 

1. There is a $100 non-refundable booking charge

2. The bookings are all guarantees anyway, the cruise line assigns your cabin upon sailing

3. Most often, there are vacancies even until very close to sailing date, especially if you can go a day early or late, as there are so many voyages for each itinerary (particularly the more popular ones).

 

So why bother to book early? I don't see any benefit. If I plan on going October 1, 2016, then I may as well consider booking this time next year! Right?

Yes to #1

No to #2. We are taking our 4th Viking river cruise in Sept, and have always been assigned our cabin at booking, not at sailing.

3. Depends on the season and the popularity of the itinerary. Same thing with getting a decent airfare and connections to the departure port. You may get lucky and happen upon a sale and get a good cabin with free or lowcost airfare, or to get the sailing you want, you may have to book a higher category, if any are available.

Happy shopping!

Becki

Thank you all for your replies!

Can you provide a link to the roll call for the Kvasir sailing for April 20, 2016?

Hello Don P,

 

 

 

The Viking Kvasir is not new now anymore, I am a little confused about the title to your post. The new ships that will have their inaugural sailing beginning of 2016 might not have been given names yet as they are still in the ship yard - if they have actually taken proper "ship-shape" yet, at all. You might be able to follow the progress at the website of Neptun Werft in Rostock Germany. They build the ships. A press article on a German cruising website says the ships will be delivered to the river cruise company at the beginning of the year 2016.

 

notamermaid

We had a cabin on the upper deck and had no noise issues at all. Some on the middle deck complained of engine noise, especially those near the stern. We were on a longship on the Rhine (Var).

Kiyomi and I are on the Viking Var, sailing November - December, doing the Viking pre-cruise in Prague and post in Koln. Are you on our same cruise? :confused:

I tried starting a Roll Call and found nobody. :mad:

We were on the Var last summer on the Rhine. We really enjoyed the ship and her staff. Have fun.

Thank you for the information.