Spa Price Increases?

I might be imagining this, but on the first day we could book excursions and dining, I also reserved a bunch of spa appointments for all the sea days. Since we're on the full 50-day voyage, that's actually quite a few. I booked the basic Swedish massage and facials figuring I could always upgrade once on board. I SWEAR the cost was $134. That's more than I normally pay at home, but not outrageously so. Now I go on-line and the price for anything, even the most basic service, is $150. It never occurred to me to print out the prices as it never occurred to me to think Viking would raise their pricing mid-stream. I know I probably should have, but...

Anyway, did anyone print out the lower prices of $134? Or am I crazy and the price was always $150? If I'm not crazy, is this fair of Viking to raise the prices after we booked?

I might be imagining this, but on the first day we could book excursions and dining, I also reserved a bunch of spa appointments for all the sea days. Since we're on the full 50-day voyage, that's actually quite a few. I booked the basic Swedish massage and facials figuring I could always upgrade once on board. I SWEAR the cost was $134. That's more than I normally pay at home, but not outrageously so. Now I go on-line and the price for anything, even the most basic service, is $150. It never occurred to me to print out the prices as it never occurred to me to think Viking would raise their pricing mid-stream. I know I probably should have, but...

 

Anyway, did anyone print out the lower prices of $134? Or am I crazy and the price was always $150? If I'm not crazy, is this fair of Viking to raise the prices after we booked?

You are not imagining anything nor are you going crazy. The prices have been increased. Our booking window opens in 5 days and I had mapped out the days we wanted to visit the spa and the cost. You are correct, it was $134 for the two basic massages, the Swedish and the 'Relaxing', which has now been renamed to 'Mindful'.

And it is not fair to change your price after you have booked it. I don't have much of an argument, other then it's not what I planned for after seeing what was initially posted.

Just another example of poor execution.

Do you have anything in writing with the $134 price tag?

I put a couple on my wish list section - and I believe they were $134- but I can't access my Journey as it is 'being updated' - which actually happens quite frequently.

I also have a printout of an evening in the Hermitage of $149 that is currently listed $349 (ea) for the identical excursion #. We briefly thought about it, but have decided against it anyway, so it is a mute point to us - however to others I would expect it to be a fairly significant difference.

Maybe the updating on the website is fixing these differences....😳

Do you have anything in writing with the $134 price tag?

No, just my budget notes. When you booked your appointments did you receive an email confirmation with date, time, and cost? I did receive an email with that info for our excursions. We can't book our spa appointments until Saturday so I don't have anything from Viking yet.

I might be imagining this, but on the first day we could book excursions and dining, I also reserved a bunch of spa appointments for all the sea days. Since we're on the full 50-day voyage, that's actually quite a few. I booked the basic Swedish massage and facials figuring I could always upgrade once on board. I SWEAR the cost was $134. That's more than I normally pay at home, but not outrageously so. Now I go on-line and the price for anything, even the most basic service, is $150. It never occurred to me to print out the prices as it never occurred to me to think Viking would raise their pricing mid-stream. I know I probably should have, but...

I could have sworn it was 134.00 also but nothing printed out and they don't charge you when you make the appt.....

I guess we could all write in and complain!

Yup, they upped the prices on us, which I find exceedingly off-putting. And with no explanation,whatsoever. I spoke with a Viking agent on Sunday, who found the changes quite "odd". She consulted with a supervisor and assured me they would look into the matter and get back to me by tomorrow. Will keep everyone posted. I, for one, will cancel if they don't honor the original booking.

I phoned Viking yesterday, having received no return phone call regarding the price increases on selected spa services. After speaking with two agents, they put me through to customer relations, the only ones who actually had an explanation.

Seems the service provider notified Viking of their intent to raise the prices they'd originally posted. The agent apologized for the lack of any heads up and said that Viking would honor the original price for any bookings made prior to the price change. He said they would make a note on the account, so be sure to check.

I think the Viking agents are doing the best they can with the roll out of Oceans. They acknowledge lots of hiccups, as this is new territory for all of them. Yet, they all remain very excited about the maiden, as am I. It's our first experience with Viking.

The ship is scheduled to dock in Venice around 6:00. Anyone want to hazard a guess as to the disembarkation schedule?

The day before our cruises we get our massages here from our home town! When I quoted the prices of the spa massages on board we laughed and just said.....and that's without the tip included! These spa massage prices are outrageous! :eek:

In the great scheme of priorities....this is not one of them! Tours....yes! Included tours are preferable but a mediocre massage...NO! Just an opinion:p

Well, I agree that they are outrageous - most resort and ship spa services tend to go that direction - but the change in pricing midstream is just tacky - I made reservations for a special day.....and since we are not charged up front, we will check it out - ask around about the quality of the service, and make the decision to keep the appointments or not after we are on board.

I too have a massage at home scheduled the day before we leave. I will need it!! What with all the packing decisions to cover the different climates! 😂

......plus these massages come with the added bonus of the spa employees pushing their overpriced moisturizing or cellulite smoothing cremes. I am now ripped off $$ and insulted tableside:o

VV--why does traveling have to be such hard work?..sigh:p

I don't know why...it would all be good If the damn cellulite smoothing creams would just work!!! 😱

I know huh?! LMAO :D

....

 

Seems the service provider notified Viking of their intent to raise the prices they'd originally posted. The agent apologized for the lack of any heads up and said that Viking would honor the original price for any bookings made prior to the price change. He said they would make a note on the account, so be sure to check....

Maybe Viking should do the right thing and tell the service provider that it is too late to raise the prices for this cruise!! Why should WE pay more because the service provider decides to raise their price at this late date?? Why is Viking even considering passing the increase onto the consumer now? Maybe everyone should just boycott the services if forced to pay the increased rate! These services should have been finalized a LONG time ago!!

Viking isn't just considering it - they did it. The price increase is in place. I asked directly with them, and they are not going to honor previous pricing - at least to me that was their answer - basic massage is essentially 10% increase.

I think it will be up to individuals how they want to respond. My guess is that the majority of passengers will not even realize that there was in increase, and if someone wants a massage they are going to pay the difference.

Not saying it is right.....but I don't think Viking is willing to do anything about it.

I realize some may have been honored the original price if they were able to reserve services prior to the increase, but the majority of us only had it on their wish list and that earlier pricing won't be honored.

IF anyone knows differently please let me know!

VineyardView - that's my understanding too.

Don't you just love how companies pass their increases on to consumers, but never their decreases. Like where's our fuel rebate? Fuel has gone down tremendously from when we booked and paid for this cruise - where's our discount for that? I'm sure that would more than cover the 10% spa increase!

Yes, unfortunately the transportation related industry all raised their pricing due to fuel price increases over the past few years....airlines and cruises alike....yet not one has reduced their pricing along with the lower fuel costs....and there isn't a darn thing that the consumer can do about it.......

Viking isn't just considering it - they did it. The price increase is in place. I asked directly with them, and they are not going to honor previous pricing - at least to me that was their answer - basic massage is essentially 10% increase.

I think it will be up to individuals how they want to respond. My guess is that the majority of passengers will not even realize that there was in increase, and if someone wants a massage they are going to pay the difference.

Not saying it is right.....but I don't think Viking is willing to do anything about it.

I realize some may have been honored the original price if they were able to reserve services prior to the increase, but the majority of us only had it on their wish list and that earlier pricing won't be honored.

IF anyone knows differently please let me know!

Well then...just for the principle of the issue...no massages, etc. will be added to my on board statement.

If only some of you who are complaining do the same, maybe there might be some changes...but if you go along with the Viking increases and have your massages, etc.; then why even bring up this issue on the CC boards?

Well then...just for the principle of the issue...no massages, etc. will be added to my on board statement.

 

If only some of you who are complaining do the same, maybe there might be some changes...but if you go along with the Viking increases and have your massages, etc.; then why even bring up this issue on the CC boards?

I think it's worth bringing up here to vent. And again to Viking after the cruise to let them no were disappointed. What may occur if enough people let Viking know there disappointment is they will not renew the contract with this group going forward.

Regardless, a 10% increase isn't going to stop me from enjoying my holiday. Hopefully the Spa staff does an excellent job, helps us enjoy ourselves, are tipped well (the price increase isn't their fault), and the only issue is the late price increase.

At this point calk it up up to one of many launch miss steps we've encountered.

I think that spending time and money at a spa while on vacation is always higher priced, and people make their decisions based on how important that experience is to them. And as I said before - no, don't think it was right - but it is a choice to indulge in the experience or not....and as PopsA said, 10% isn't going to make or break that decision for me. It is a choice, pay $16 more than originally expected for a 50 minute massage, or dig your heels in and boycott. No right or wrong. And if $16 makes the decision, the spa experience isn't a top priority....no judgement in the statement.....

Who needs their overpriced massages anyways! My husband can be the replacement masseuse as long as there are no sports on TV!;)

I think it's worth bringing up here to vent. And again to Viking after the cruise to let them no were disappointed. What may occur if enough people let Viking know there disappointment is they will not renew the contract with this group going forward.

 

Regardless, a 10% increase isn't going to stop me from enjoying my holiday. Hopefully the Spa staff does an excellent job, helps us enjoy ourselves, are tipped well (the price increase isn't their fault), and the only issue is the late price increase.

 

At this point calk it up up to one of many launch miss steps we've encountered.

I think that spending time and money at a spa while on vacation is always higher priced, and people make their decisions based on how important that experience is to them. And as I said before - no, don't think it was right - but it is a choice to indulge in the experience or not....and as PopsA said, 10% isn't going to make or break that decision for me. It is a choice, pay $16 more than originally expected for a 50 minute massage, or dig your heels in and boycott. No right or wrong. And if $16 makes the decision, the spa experience isn't a top priority....no judgement in the statement.....

I do agree with both of you. I guess I am just getting more and more fed up with all the little issues that have snowballed. For a reputable company that has been in business for quite a while, I certainly did not expect so many "not so little" issues to arise. These issues seem to be "exposed" by customers rather than "discovered" by Viking. When confronted, Viking has been uncommunicative. I am very disappointed with their service so far and hope this is no indication of the trip to come.

Maybe because we booked with our travel agent, but we have had NO correspondence with Viking. For all the faith we ALL had in them, (by prepaying so far in advance) it would be nice if they did something nice for all of us.

We are not "hard-to-please" people. We are the opposite! But I am very apprehensive about this journey. I truly wish we would have waited for another year or traveled with another cruise line. But it is too late for that so we will go and have fun!!

I agree that there has been a lot of frustration pre-cruise. It certainly peaked when itineraries were changed. Speaking for me - not just frustrated, but full blown angry. I found myself letting the exasperation become my key emotion - over shadowing the excitement of the journey.

Viking has made some efforts to address this in compensation to all of us affected- did they make up for the Reduction of port days? No. Can I do anything about it? No - do I wish I might have waited? Maybe. Is the spa price change another rub, yes. Can I make choices around it, yes. Am I still a bit concerned around this maiden voyage - possibly.

However! I really want to allow the excitement of this trip to be my key emotion/driver. I have to flip that switch - for me. And yes, I really am excited about this trip. I truly believe that it will be amazing. That the crew, the ship, the food, the service will be what we paid all that money for so long ago.

Does that mean that if more frustrations occur that they won't invade my 'positive energy efforts' - No. They will. I will get frustrated....and then try again to not stay in that space. No altruism, no right or wrong called out, just my choice. i am truly hoping that no more 'issues' arrive - I too am tired of them and totally respect your frustration -