Advice needed on how best to deal with Viking lack of customer service

I need help on how best to solve my small (I think) problem with Viking's lack of help.

My friend and I are booked on an October Danube Waltz tour. Our arrangements have been finalized and sent to us by email. This is our problem: both of us are elderly. We are barely computer literate. NEITHER of us has a printer. We like using hard copies. I have encountered a real reluctance on viking's part to mail hard copies in the past but, nevertheless, asked for hard copies from customer service in June explaining all of the above. They were promised but have never arrived -- just more emails. I don't think my request is outlandish considering the dollars we're spending with Viking.

How can I get my hard copies? And, at this point, am rethinking any future business with Viking.

Thank you.

Did you book direct with Viking? Have a neighbor or friend download and print for you everything that Viking has sent.

Call and e-mail them again! If you have a TA let them do this for you as that's their job!

Most libraries have computers and printers. I am sure the librarian would be happy to help you out.

You will get a hard copy of all kinds of information mailed to you about 30-45 days out as well.

If you only asked once and have not received anything, then safe to assume you need to follow up with a second & third phone call. They have simply forgotten !

Thanks all. I will either email or call them again. I guess my point is that I shouldn't have to. I have called and asked. it should have been done especially since I had to call twice the last time to get a printout of our arrangements.

You are right you should not have to, but sadly it is the state of Customer (dis) Service these days :(

My father doesn't have a computer either, so uses the ones at the library for free. There's a small charge for printing (like .10 a page) but the convenience is worth the small cost.

I wouldn't expect your documents to come until about 3 weeks prior to the cruise. Next time, use a TA that will print everything out for you instead of booking directly with the cruise line.

In this day and age once you give someone an email address, they assume that you are computer literate. For future reference if you want to get hard copies and don't have printing abilities, do not give someone your email address if you expect materials from them that you want paper copies of. No email address then they must then contact you some other way. Unfortunately Viking has your email address and short of closing that mailbox they will continue to use it as a primary contact point.

In this day and age once you give someone an email address, they assume that you are computer literate. For future reference if you want to get hard copies and don't have printing abilities, do not give someone your email address if you expect materials from them that you want paper copies of. No email address then they must then contact you some other way. Unfortunately Viking has your email address and short of closing that mailbox they will continue to use it as a primary contact point.

Me DW is frustrated... wants me to get rid of my dumbphone.:p

Good advice. I did book with the cruise line and and the person I worked with was most uncooperative. He clearly did not want one extra iota of work. So, won't book directly with Viking again. And, as this is the second time this has happened I can only conclude that they aren't interested in having us as customers.

I have emailed Viking and will call on Monday morning and speak to a supervisor.

In this day and age once you give someone an email address, they assume that you are computer literate. For future reference if you want to get hard copies and don't have printing abilities, do not give someone your email address if you expect materials from them that you want paper copies of. No email address then they must then contact you some other way. Unfortunately Viking has your email address and short of closing that mailbox they will continue to use it as a primary contact point.

Ditto !

A travel agent may not be any great help either. The one we are currently working with came with a recommendation but she is not helpful and has given us misinformation. We had to call her and ask when we could sign up for shore excursions and how to access information about our booking online.

Then there was the situation where I called the cruise line to ask about electrical outlets and found out that our cruise was not fully paid for. My credit card had been charged by the TA six weeks prior.

Using a travel agent doesn't guarantee that things will go smoothly.

A travel agent may not be any great help either. The one we are currently working with came with a recommendation but she is not helpful and has given us misinformation. We had to call her and ask when we could sign up for shore excursions and how to access information about our booking online.

Then there was the situation where I called the cruise line to ask about electrical outlets and found out that our cruise was not fully paid for. My credit card had been charged by the TA six weeks prior.

Using a travel agent doesn't guarantee that things will go smoothly.

:eek: Yikes!! Time for a new travel agent!!

I am also surprised that someone who has belonged to Cruise Critic for a few years has problems using a computer. They probably know someone who owns a printer and can ask them to print items out. The honest answer is that Viking will send you out information when they send information out to everyone. It is not bad customer service if they don't send something out when you ask. They are planning on doing it on their time table. If you want the information sooner -- ask someone with a printer to print it out for you. Or use a travel agent who will print it for you. Most travel agents would be more than happy to help someone out. Alot of people who are not computer savvy still use travel agents for this reason.

Just a thought but why not buy a printer? They are priced so darn low ..well under $100...it is cheaper to buy a new one instead of ink cartridge replacements.

Then you will have a computer, an email and can print up whatever you want!

Just a thought but why not buy a printer? They are priced so darn low ..well under $100...it is cheaper to buy a new one instead of ink cartridge replacements.

Then you will have a computer, an email and can print up whatever you want!

My iPad lacks a socket for the printer plug. :rolleyes:

My iPad lacks a socket for the printer plug. :rolleyes:

If you have an iPad, you probably have wifi.

New, cheap printers can connect to your wifi. Make sure to get one "iOS" capable. Then your iPad and other devices will be able to print to your printer as if by magic. :)

If you have an iPad, you probably have wifi.

 

New, cheap printers can connect to your wifi. Make sure to get one "iOS" capable. Then your iPad and other devices will be able to print to your printer as if by magic. :)

Ditto that advice

My iPad lacks a socket for the printer plug. :rolleyes:

You don't need a "socket" it will connect thru wifi to a newer generation printer! Mine even connects to my iPhone :)

Amazing how so many are giving this person grief about this. She doesn't want the aggravation of a printer. Give her a break.

agree. I have sympathy for people of any age that are not tech savvy. find a cruise line/agent that can provide the service required. it is not mandatory to transact via the internet yet.

Most libraries have computers and printers. I am sure the librarian would be happy to help you out.

 

You will get a hard copy of all kinds of information mailed to you about 30-45 days out as well.

After we were on several overseas vacations DW's Dad(in his 90's) asked,

"Why would you want to go to the trouble of going to these places,

when you could just read about them in a book?"(rhetorical):)

After we were on several overseas vacations DW's Dad(in his 90's) asked,

"Why would you want to go to the trouble of going to these places,

when you could just read about them in a book?"(rhetorical):)

After a trip to China, an acquaintance of mine said "why travel all the way to China;you could have just went to Epcot instead"!

Amazing how so many are giving this person grief about this. She doesn't want the aggravation of a printer. Give her a break.

A lot of companies are trying to go paperless and this could be one reason why the reservations person is push back.

A lot of companies are trying to go paperless and this could be one reason why the reservations person is push back.

Yes, it's cheaper for them to use MY ink!