VOV Pricing - Why so High

We are contemplating doing the Voyage of Vikings next year or the year after. I was looking at next years and was really surprised at the pricing. Its seems very high and I was wondering why. Its basically an enhanced re-positioning cruise. An ocean view cabin for that 17 day cruise is more than I'm paying for a 12 day cruise in Signature (on the Prinsendam) next spring.

While I know the comparison between the 2 is an apples <-> baseball type, it still strikes me as odd that its such a high cost.

Is demand that high that they can charge a premium?

Yes. Not many cruise lines offer this cruise. And it usually sells out fast.

We did it a few years ago on the Veendam. We booked an oceanview room and 2 days before the sail date received a free upgrade to a verandah room.

When else will you have the opportunity to explore Labrador, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, etc. on one cruise?

It is a special cruise and if you can swing it....do it.

You only live once.

Agree -- very unique itinerary -- done only once a year on HAL.

It's not a repositioning cruise as I'd define it. It's a unique round-trip (if you do the full 35 days) itinerary covering the places named above.

Yes, there is a lot of demand -- people really like the ease of the trip being R/T from the US.

The VOV may be an enhanced repositioning cruise, but it is unique in at least three ways. First, it sails out of Boston. There is easy access for a substantial portion of Canada and the US. Second, the late July departure means the cruise is still in the height of the summer season. Finally, the itinerary is unique. It is a transatlantic round trip. Most repos are one ways. HAL has decided it can charge a premium for this cruise. We have decided the cruise is worth the price and are booked for all 35 days in 2019.

I thought it was a fabulous trip, and worth whatever it costs.

The VOV may be an enhanced repositioning cruise, but it is unique in at least three ways. First, it sails out of Boston. There is easy access for a substantial portion of Canada and the US. Second, the late July departure means the cruise is still in the height of the summer season. Finally, the itinerary is unique. It is a transatlantic round trip. Most repos are one ways. HAL has decided it can charge a premium for this cruise. We have decided the cruise is worth the price and are booked for all 35 days in 2019.

I've never looked at it as a roundtrip, as 35 days is a tad bit more time that I can afford to be away from my clients until I retire. I caught enough flack back in 2015 when I did the SA and Antarctica for 25 days, that I know 35+ days is not going to be economically feasible until I don't actually have to work for a living.

But everyone has answered my questions and I appreciate it.

We are most interested the US -> Europe direction, as that goes to Reykjavik and the reverse hits the other parts of Iceland. We just got done with a round Iceland Cruise, but while we overnight in Reykjavik, we did not see much of the city as we went out in the hinterlands both days.

Cheers,

It sells our almost evey year so the price is what the market will bear.

It is a for profit business and they can charge what ever so many people are willing to pay.

Its expensive because it is the most popular Holland America itinerary and cruise. It always sells out. Supply and demand.

They can also charge high prices in 2019 because they scrapped the 2019 24 day Cruise to Iceland from Boston and back.

I would suggest you take a look at the 17 day Viking Passage leaving Rotterdam on July 13 2019 and ending in Boston on July 30. Much cheaper and you get all three ports in Iceland. I took a similar voyage on the Rotterdam this year and enjoyed it very much.

It has opened for FCR for 2020.

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It has opened for FCR for 2020.

 

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What are the 2020 dates? Thank you!

I would suggest you take a look at the 17 day Viking Passage leaving Rotterdam on July 13 2019 and ending in Boston on July 30. Much cheaper and you get all three ports in Iceland. I took a similar voyage on the Rotterdam this year and enjoyed it very much.

My wife and I returned just last week from this year's Viking Passage, 20 days (Copenhagen to NYC). It was an incredible adventure. It's unfortunate that HAL has shortened the Viking Passage for next year to 17 days, but I think it still may be an option to consider (along with either leg of the VOV) for those interested in an itinerary like this but who don't have the time, money, or inclination to do the entire RT VOV.

For any of these, I would look carefully at which ports are scheduled (keep in mind you may miss some because of weather or other reasons; we missed three) as well as the times in those ports. For example, this year, the Viking Passage had three ports scheduled for Greenland; because those are all tender ports, and because weather, seas, and/or ice might preclude tendering, I thought the chances that we'd get ashore at least once in Greenland were greater with three opportunities. (As it turned out, we only had two, since we had to cancel one of those ports because of a storm-related delay in Iceland. Fortunately, we were able to tender in both of the remaining ports.) The 2019 Viking Passage has only one port in Greenland on the schedule.

The 2019 overnight in Reykjavik is also shorter than it was this year, with the departure at 2pm on the second day; that may preclude a good tour out of the city (like the Golden Circle Tour if you did the far more extraordinary South Coast Tour on the first day). I would suggest looking into that (e.g., find out if HAL will be running a Golden Circle Tour on day 2 that leaves early enough to get back in time, since it’s a full day tour).

I'd be happy to answer any questions that I can about the Viking Passage and/or our ports.

Good luck planning!

* * *

Cruising through Prins Christian Sund:

(photo by turtles06)

We did VOV on Maasdam and experienced the same initial price shock. That being said, it was one of our favorite itineraries ever...despite it raining 23 days in a row out of the 35!

They can also charge high prices in 2019 because they scrapped the 2019 24 day Cruise to Iceland from Boston and back.

I hope they bring that back 24 day Canada NE and Iceland.

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Those booked in Lanai and Vista suites were upgraded to balcony and Signature for same per diam as original booking. But HAL still lost a lot from the 24 day cruise due to too much money, or the job won’t stand one gone that long.

My boss once told me if they could get along without me for a month, they can get along without me forever.

Also figure in what you’re saving on a transatlantic flight. We really got hosed on our Flight from Copenhagen.

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We did the westbound leg from Amsterdam to Boston in 2014 with our then 12 year old son. He rates it as the best cruise we have ever been on. I think of this when I hear “HAL is boring for kids.”

I've never looked at it as a roundtrip, as 35 days is a tad bit more time that I can afford to be away from my clients until I retire. I caught enough flack back in 2015 when I did the SA and Antarctica for 25 days, that I know 35+ days is not going to be economically feasible until I don't actually have to work for a living.

 

But everyone has answered my questions and I appreciate it.

 

We are most interested the US -> Europe direction, as that goes to Reykjavik and the reverse hits the other parts of Iceland. We just got done with a round Iceland Cruise, but while we overnight in Reykjavik, we did not see much of the city as we went out in the hinterlands both days.

 

Cheers,

BUT going west, you gain an hour every night vs. losing an hour every

night when going east.

It has opened for FCR for 2020.

 

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If I might ask what does FCR stand for as I can only see cruises through May 2020 posted on the HAL website?

Future Cruise Request

Future Cruise Request

Next question. What is a future cruise request?

We told them what we wanted (b-to-b for Christmas and New Years ) We placed a minimal , refundable deposit.

. They called that a future cruise request. We got exactly what we wanted and the deposit was applied. If interested, have your TA or you call a rep at HAL and tell them you want to place a FCR for 2019 VoV

When the details are set, you can decide to not actually book if there is something you do not like about how they plan it.

Let us know how it goes.

;0

We told them what we wanted (b-to-b for Christmas and New Years ) We placed a minimal , refundable deposit.

 

. They called that a future cruise request. We got exactly what we wanted and the deposit was applied. If interested, have your TA or you call a rep at HAL and tell them you want to place a FCR for 2019 VoV

When the details are set, you can decide to not actually book if there is something you do not like about how they plan it.

 

 

Let us know how it goes.

 

 

;0

We're Sailng Away mentioned that HAL was now taking FCRs for 2020 though. We are interested in a cruise in July 2020 on the Rotterdam that the Princendam used to do. So all we need to do is ask our HAL PCC to put in a FCR for the cabin we want and that's it? I'll call him today. I'll let you know what he has to say.

We're Sailng Away mentioned that HAL was now taking FCRs for 2020 though. We are interested in a cruise in July 2020 on the Rotterdam that the Princendam used to do. So all we need to do is ask our HAL PCC to put in a FCR for the cabin we want and that's it? I'll call him today. I'll let you know what he has to say.

Please do let us know. I really am interested