Viking Air and river/ocean credits

I have purchased ability to talk to the Viking Air department 3 times while doing river cruises. The four time (and up) is supposed to be free.

I now have an ocean cruise this summer and I wonder if my three earlier times count toward getting me a chance to talk to the air department without paying.

Cmbath

Dear cmbath,

Thank you for allowing us an opportunity to respond.

While it is difficult to provide a definite answer to your question without viewing your booking details, we are happy to provide a general response.

To show our appreciation, guests who complete three Viking Cruises, river or ocean, are provided complimentary Viking Air Plus on their next cruise(s).

Please keep in mind, not all Viking Ocean itineraries are able to support Viking Air Plus. To inquire further, please provide your booking details to us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com.

Cmbath, we appreciate your loyalty and look forward to welcoming you aboard!

Kind regards,

Viking Cruises

I have purchased ability to talk to the Viking Air department 3 times while doing river cruises. The four time (and up) is supposed to be free.

 

I now have an ocean cruise this summer and I wonder if my three earlier times count toward getting me a chance to talk to the air department without paying.

 

Cmbath

Well I wrote to Viking and was told they couldn't help me.

This is my fourth cruise with Viking and first using a travel agent. Since Viking won't let me talk to the air department, I either need to stop using Viking or stop using a travel agent.

Well I wrote to Viking and was told they couldn't help me.

I can't believe that tellus@vikingcruises.com did not resolve your problem one way or another. If you wrote to Viking at any other address, then you have sent your missive to the wrong place.

That is where I wrote. Apparently once you use a travel agent you must go through that agent.

That is where I wrote. Apparently once you use a travel agent you must go through that agent.

Well that is true and it does frustrate a lot of people when they first learn of this policy. But, that is what the cruise lines are paying the TAs to do. There are certainly advantages to the system. TAs have a Viking rep who they work with all the time, meaning that they build up a working relationship. It also prevents problems when there is only one voice speaking for the reservation. If only the TA can speak for the reservation, then per force, the TA always knows what is going on. It is frustrating for those of us who are used to doing these things for ourselves but in the long run, it prevents more problems than it creates.

When you wrote that after 3 uses of AirPlus it was free, I immediately called my TA and asked her to get my money back because we had paid the fee for cruise #4. It took her one call to her rep to get it done.

Glad that part ended good for you!

Just logged on to My Viking and they have my flights there. They are horrible. The reason I wanted to talk directly to the air department. [emoji853]

Just logged on to My Viking and they have my flights there. They are horrible. The reason I wanted to talk directly to the air department. [emoji853]

But, custom air is simply not available for any flight plans going in or out of Bergen. The airport is small and the choices are limited. While it is not of much consolation when your flights are horrible, do keep in mind that everyone flying with Viking is up against the same "no custom air" restriction and that everyone is stuck with whatever flight plan Viking has assigned them. We might not like it but at least everyone is being treated the same.

FYI:since I learned on this board that after 3 cruises, custom air is free, I alerted our TA, who called Viking. They told her we only had 2 cruises. So she called later, got a different person, and was told the same thing. Turns out they were counting last year's B2B as one cruise! All straightened out now--just hoping to help someone else!

FYI:since I learned on this board that after 3 cruises, custom air is free, I alerted our TA, who called Viking. They told her we only had 2 cruises. So she called later, got a different person, and was told the same thing. Turns out they were counting last year's B2B as one cruise! All straightened out now--just hoping to help someone else!

I guess it isn't how many cruises but how many times you pay the fee.

Cmbath,

When I wanted to use Viking's Custom Air, my T.A did a conf. call with them and me. She asked me to be prepared with my choice (s) of flights to expedite the call and it worked out well.

Perhaps that would be an Avenue for you to pursue.

Becki

Cmbath,

When I wanted to use Viking's Custom Air, my T.A did a conf. call with them and me. She asked me to be prepared with my choice (s) of flights to expedite the call and it worked out well.

Perhaps that would be an Avenue for you to pursue.

 

Becki

Agreed, Becki,!! From all my reading here, you aren't the only one who uses the conference call method to deal with Viking Air. Add to that, those who sit down at the travel agency to be in on the call and you have a fairly popular and acceptable way of handling it.

However you do it, though, it seems that doing some research and knowing what you would like for flights is essential to a successful call.

A way out of the Bergen issue would be for Viking to change their itineraries slightly to begin and end cruise segments in Oslo. Many more flight options and hotel choices and so much more to see. Don't know why they are so wedded to Bergen.

That is where I wrote. Apparently once you use a travel agent you must go through that agent.

Yes - that is absolutely true and not just with Viking. Any cruise line I'm familiar with does the same thing. I mostly book direct except when I'm booking Carnival, then I book through my sister - who is a semi- retired TA

A way out of the Bergen issue would be for Viking to change their itineraries slightly to begin and end cruise segments in Oslo. Many more flight options and hotel choices and so much more to see. Don't know why they are so wedded to Bergen.

Elizabeth, I agree wholeheartedly with your comment about Bergen. We just returned from the Barcelona to Bergen Cruise aboard the Viking Sea. To avoid the problems of limited air options from Bergen we opted to do the 2 day add on excursion from Bergen to Oslo by train. The air connections were much better and we could also use Viking Air Plus.

We have found that you are way ahead of the game if you do your homework and know what flights work for you and which are the lower priced ones that Viking will agree to. We have had great success this way in choosing the airlines, flights and connections that work the best for us. Best also to have predetermined some alternatives in case your first choice is not available.

We have just booked our flights for our March 2017 river cruise and our experience with Viking's Air Plus department was quick and easy. We got our first choices, no fuss, no muss! It was our 4th booking and there was no additional charge for their services.