Disappointed with Viking

I'm not very happy with Viking River Curises. Our flights schedule was posted on the website and I requested a change as they had us making two stops on our return. We were charged $100 to change the flights. Once the schedule was changed and we had a booking number, I tried to change seats. I cannot change seats because they have not "ticketed" the flights yet. Viking told me it may be a few more weeks yet unless I wanted to pay extra to get my flights ticketed earlier. If my flights weren't ticketed what the heck was the original $100 extra for? What a racket! We have cruised with Uniworld before and never had these kind of issues.

moved to River Cruising forum

I'm not very happy with Viking River Curises. Our flights schedule was posted on the website and I requested a change as they had us making two stops on our return. We were charged $100 to change the flights. Once the schedule was changed and we had a booking number, I tried to change seats. I cannot change seats because they have not "ticketed" the flights yet. Viking told me it may be a few more weeks yet unless I wanted to pay extra to get my flights ticketed earlier. If my flights weren't ticketed what the heck was the original $100 extra for? What a racket! We have cruised with Uniworld before and never had these kind of issues.

The $100 is a fee for "choose your own flights". We did this recently for our cruise because we wanted to make sure we could avoid certain airlines and connection airports. I believe they don't actually issue the tickets until 60 days out in case the airline makes changes (eg the creeping diminishing connect time) so you or they aren't stuck with change fees.

The $100 is a fee for "choose your own flights". We did this recently for our cruise because we wanted to make sure we could avoid certain airlines and connection airports. I believe they don't actually issue the tickets until 60 days out in case the airline makes changes (eg the creeping diminishing connect time) so you or they aren't stuck with change fees.

There are no change fees if the airline makes changes. Every time Delta makes every the slightest change, their website asks me if I accept it or want to change flights.

The $100 is a fee for "choose your own flights". We did this recently for our cruise because we wanted to make sure we could avoid certain airlines and connection airports. I believe they don't actually issue the tickets until 60 days out in case the airline makes changes (eg the creeping diminishing connect time) so you or they aren't stuck with change fees.

That doesn't make sense because when we've booked our own flights to Europe, they have been booked months in advance and the airlines notifies us of any changes they make. Also don't forget Viking said they could "ticket" the flights but wanted more money to do it. Why say your flight information is available if it's not ticketed?

That doesn't make sense because when we've booked our own flights to Europe, they have been booked months in advance and the airlines notifies us of any changes they make. Also don't forget Viking said they could "ticket" the flights but wanted more money to do it. Why say your flight information is available if it's not ticketed?

Perfectly normal to be honest, when we as mere mortals make a reservation we have to ticket it almost straight away, when a TA or other bulk purchaser does it they make the reservation but don't have to ticket it until they are 100% sure that they wish to do so. This leaves it open for them to change or cancel the reservation at no cost up until the point where they actually ticket it.

From my perspective it's just another example of Vikings "Do you want fries with that" marketing. Cavet Emptor.

One other question just to avoid further issues, which airlines are you new flights with?

Reason I ask is that some of them (EU airlines mostly) will not let to specify seats in advance even if you do have a confirmed reservation...

Viking is not the only line that imposes change charges. Some lines will waive the fee IF you have enough cruises to qualify for their loyalty club.

you have not yet cruised with V?

BOOK YOUR OWN AIR

no reason to complain then . . .

and I bet you can get a better price

UNIQUE to V

NOOOOOOOOOOO

*****************

We always book our own air ..... and have no complaints about the arrangements the cruise line makes!

Viking is not the only line that imposes change charges. Some lines will waive the fee IF you have enough cruises to qualify for their loyalty club.

Fortunately not down here. All fees and charges must be upfront and included in the price. At times we may bitch and moan about our consumer protection laws but they really do protect us. That's why probably so few travel the rivers with Viking from my part of the world.

Fortunately not down here. All fees and charges must be upfront and included in the price. At times we may bitch and moan about our consumer protection laws but they really do protect us. That's why probably so few travel the rivers with Viking from my part of the world.

Probably a topic for another thread, but I'd love to better understand the laws you have there as even in the UK which also has strong consumer protection laws, there is nothing to prevent a company offering additional services at a disclosed price, they don't have to include them if you don't need them...

Interesting. A few years ago we did Viking and they were willing to go ahead and purchase tickets early at our request--we'd already paid for them, so why not?

Last year we cruised with Vantage (prepaid a year early to get a 10% discount). They did an early purchase so that we could go ahead and select seats. This year we'll be sailing with Avalon, and they were willing to purchase tickets as soon as we booked and paid. No extra charges with either line.

I can understand not purchasing if the customer hasn't paid in full, but once you've paid, it only seems fair that the cruise line would be willing to go ahead and buy the tickets.

fuelscience

Probably a topic for another thread, but I'd love to better understand the laws you have there as even in the UK which also has strong consumer protection laws, there is nothing to prevent a company offering additional services at a disclosed price, they don't have to include them if you don't need them...

You are right. Much to talk about here but I'm not sure how popular another thread would be. My answer was based on river cruising. Under our consumer laws you cannot offer two for one unless it truly is. Hence Viking do not offer that down here as their's isn't. Whilst airlines may and at times do charge for major charges I would contend that it is very sneaky for a river cruise line to offer something knowing that it's not the best offer (2 stops) just so you can charge extra to change it. That's what I read into the OP's post. Perhaps it's these type of things that explain why Australians choose other river cruise lines.

WE picked our flights and paid the extra $$. Our tickets were issued immediately per request. we were told that if we decided to change there would be an additional fee. Did you request that the tickets be issued?

We paid the Viking Air fee, and chose the airline and specific flights we wanted. Seats and tickets issued immediately. Went to airline website and viewed and confirmed specific seats. Done this twice with no issues.

Interesting. A few years ago we did Viking and they were willing to go ahead and purchase tickets early at our request--we'd already paid for them, so why not?

 

 

 

Last year we cruised with Vantage (prepaid a year early to get a 10% discount). They did an early purchase so that we could go ahead and select seats. This year we'll be sailing with Avalon, and they were willing to purchase tickets as soon as we booked and paid. No extra charges with either line.

 

 

 

I can understand not purchasing if the customer hasn't paid in full, but once you've paid, it only seems fair that the cruise line would be willing to go ahead and buy the tickets.

 

 

 

fuelscience

Did you pay an additional fee to have Viking book your tickets early after payment in full?

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

Fortunately not down here. All fees and charges must be upfront and included in the price. At times we may bitch and moan about our consumer protection laws but they really do protect us. That's why probably so few travel the rivers with Viking from my part of the world.

And? OP is up over, not down under.

Whilst airlines may and at times do charge for major charges I would contend that it is very sneaky for a river cruise line to offer something knowing that it's not the best offer (2 stops) just so you can charge extra to change it.

A different interpretation might be that the original route offered was the best/cheapest available within the bulk purchase contracts that Viking have in place.

The more direct routes are often more expensive so it is not illogical for Viking to offer the cheapest viable route and charge more if you want to change it as the odds are they are actually paying more as well.

It is hard to imagine they would actually spend time to select deliberately convoluted routes just in the hope of squeezing a few extra $$ out of people...

MANY of the cruise ines do their airfare this way with two options.

Option A - The cruise lines books when and how they want. No changes.

Option B - Pay slightly more and you can select flights, etc. Changes might be available.

BEST OPTION FOR US----

We book our own flights. We book our own seats. We are in charge. And, the price is usually less.

And yes, some airlines do not assign seats until check in.

No conspiracy here, you simply are getting what you paid for. Take charge and book your own air and then you can be in charge of the details!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

We booked our flights through Viking and paid the $100 to choose the flights. We were assigned seats and could go into the Delta site and change them - which I did. We haven't been ticketed yet, but when I got the last listing of what we had booked, those are the seats showing for the flights. I did join the Delta mileage club, so perhaps that's a reason.

I've been monitoring them, because I know airlines like to change things up. Happened to us a couple of times with tickets we purchased on our own. We had paid for the Economy plus section on United, and got bumped back to the regular economy. Luckily there were still seats in the Plus section so I was able to change them.

Keep watching those tickets, that's the trick!

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Viking has been upfront with fees. My TA told us to wait until Viking picked air. If it wasn't good, then pay the $100 fee. So far, Viking has picked good flights/

We paid the extra $100 for Air Plus and got exactly the flights we wanted. About a month later I wanted to upgrade to better seats, so called Viking and asked them to ticket us, which they did with no extra charge. We're sailing in September, and they ticketed us a couple of months ago.

I'm not clear whether the $100 you paid was to get Viking Air Plus or a fee after you chose not to get it, but wanted to make a change. If the former, I'd call back and ask again. If the latter, it seems that's the risk of agreeing to let them ticket as they wish.

I checked airfare on our own and feel we got a good price through Viking even with the $100. But I agree it's a good idea to check first.