Final payment due

[lackcreativity]

I wonder if there needs to be an announcement or something about Viking and final payments. We accidentally found out you can negotiate on our 2nd river cruise because when we booked it and they wanted us to pay far in advance we said wait a minute you let us pay Viking China only 6 months in advance (we did not tell them that was because we only booked it about 6 months in advance, we did also have a Viking loving TA at the time). We are about to go on our 2nd ocean cruise and 6th overall. We enjoyed the 1st so much that I am sad to see people put off and saying "Okay, no" because of the payment issue when it can be avoided. It seems wrong that you only know if you come here BEFORE you make a reservation. I am glad to know Viking helped change a reservation without keeping a deposit too. We have always been satisfied when we dealt directly with them.

 

Viking has expanded so fast since is inception just 20 years ago, that I am pretty sure they want the early payment policy to help the financing of all the ships they have built over that time. I doubt that they would want to make an announcement, or they would just change the policy.

[tvmovielover]

You mean before the ocean journeys started, early final payment was to help cover the long ships? I hope that is not the Viking strategy and that Viking will consider making a uniform final payment policy; not so absurdly far in advance of a cruise that it discourages new customers in favor of repeat customers who know the trick. Even people new to Viking are often experienced enough cruisers to know many other lines do not demand payment so far in advance.

[lackcreativity]

You mean before the ocean journeys started, early final payment was to help cover the long ships? I hope that is not the Viking strategy and that Viking will consider making a uniform final payment policy; not so absurdly far in advance of a cruise that it discourages new customers in favor of repeat customers who know the trick. Even people new to Viking are often experienced enough cruisers to know many other lines do not demand payment so far in advance.

 

That is purely a guess on my part that they have used that approach for the cash flow. They have been very successful so far, so that policy does not seems to have hindered their business. I assume that enough of their customers (even repeat customers like me) are willing to make payment on their schedule to make it worthwhile.

[wildcat68]

The OP makes an excellent point. Pay with credit card. I was one who had fully paid a cruise on Renaissance to get a special price (common at that time). On September 10, 2001 we had a trip around South America we were preparing for, on September 12, 2001 we had nothing. Since we had paid with a credit card, the entire fare was eventually refunded. Renaissance appeared to be solid, but wasn’t. Remember that if paying another way.

 

Six months out is a long time to have your money 💰 tied up.

[Marykatesmom]

The early payment caught me by surprise and not in a good way. I booked a cruise for my family of four 1/17 for summer 2018, two of whom are college age, so I had to make the decision months ago if they would be available during this upcoming summer and my oldest wanted to go abroad and the youngest was up in the air of where she would be so, even though we have Cancel for any Reason insurance, it only covers 75%. It is impossible to know that far in advance at that age. So my TA moved our reservation for just my husband and myself to November of 2018 when they will not be home and cancelled the girls. We lost $200 but knew by then to ask for the 6 months payment. My oldest is going to Florence for the summer BUT would have been home in time to take the cruise and the youngest decided not to take any classes in the summer. So we could have taken the cruise but the good news is the cruise was much cheaper in Nov for just us two than July not only without the girls but the cruise itself was cheaper.

 

The real hassle was the trip insurance company wanted to consider it a cancelled booking and for me to purchase new insurance. I've never had a claim in my 20 years of buying insurance but the agent I went through negotiated a "change of date" for the cruise. They would not refund my daughters premiums and that is fair but I did not want to pay twice. Not all companies are flexible and now I know to call and make sure the policy will allow a change of date to a cruise.

[blmjcs]

Good info. Thank you

[Ecnarps]

Just ran into the same issue.  Loyal Viking customer...5 cruises with them in the past three years.  Advised this morning that they needed final payment for one of our future cruises...NINETEEN MONTHS in advance.  When trying to work with them to extend it out just a few more months, they flat out refused and hid behind their ludicrous terms and conditions policy.  No consideration whatsoever.  As much as i like their actual cruises,  we will be looking elsewhere in the future.  So much for customer loyalty.

[orchestrapal]

2 hours ago, Ecnarps said:

Just ran into the same issue.  Loyal Viking customer...5 cruises with them in the past three years.  Advised this morning that they needed final payment for one of our future cruises...NINETEEN MONTHS in advance.  When trying to work with them to extend it out just a few more months, they flat out refused and hid behind their ludicrous terms and conditions policy.  No consideration whatsoever.  As much as i like their actual cruises,  we will be looking elsewhere in the future.  So much for customer loyalty.

 

if you like the product you need not look elsewhere. Just find yourself a good TA and they wiil with some calls to VO be able to adjust your payment schedule. We just had this done a few weeks ago.

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, Ecnarps said:

Just ran into the same issue.  Loyal Viking customer...5 cruises with them in the past three years.  Advised this morning that they needed final payment for one of our future cruises...NINETEEN MONTHS in advance.  When trying to work with them to extend it out just a few more months, they flat out refused and hid behind their ludicrous terms and conditions policy.  No consideration whatsoever.  As much as i like their actual cruises,  we will be looking elsewhere in the future.  So much for customer loyalty.

 

The information in this thread is no longer valid information. Viking has just under gone a massive revamping of its pay in full policy. As of November 1, 2018 any information, tips, etc. posted in this thread are out of date and no longer applicable. There are a couple of newer threads that deal with the new policy.

 

The pay-in-full six months out has now gone away unless you book on board and we are now back to Viking's original policy of pay-in-full 12 month out (or even sooner than that for the longer itineraries). Yes, most of us are not happy about the policy but please feel assured that, at least by what has been report here on CC, we are all being held to the same standards and all of us who have had as many or more cruises than you are being the treated the same as you. The only exception to the rule is if you book on board.

 

One of the features of the new policy is that the Viking booking agents have no ability to override the policy and neither do their supervisors.

 

 

9 minutes ago, orchestrapal said:

 

if you like the product you need not look elsewhere. Just find yourself a good TA and they wiil with some calls to VO be able to adjust your payment schedule. We just had this done a few weeks ago.

 

While I am not arguing with orchestrapal's report, I will say that it is the first and only time I have heard that this new policy has been adjust for a guest.

[Aussie Gal]

I have just gone into my booking with Viking which was changed to May, 2020 and we do not have to make final payment until January 2020, which will be 4 months out which I feel is very reasonable.

 

Jennie

[CILCIANRQTS]

43 minutes ago, Aussie Gal said:

I have just gone into my booking with Viking which was changed to May, 2020 and we do not have to make final payment until January 2020, which will be 4 months out which I feel is very reasonable.

 

Jennie

 

Different rules for Aussies. They have consumer protection laws in their country...

[Peregrina651]

12 minutes ago, CILCIANRQTS said:

 

Different rules for Aussies. They have consumer protection laws in their country...

 

Well, some of their protections are better than in the US and others aren't. For example, they don't get their deposit back if they cancel before a certain date, in the US we get all but $100 if cancel more than 120 days before departure.

[Aussie Gal]

So true though Viking were very fair when I needed to cancel and rebook earlier this year. 

 

Jennie

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 12/17/2018 at 7:59 PM, Peregrina651 said:

 

...

The pay-in-full six months out has now gone away unless you book on board and we are now back to Viking's original policy of pay-in-full 12 month out (or even sooner than that for the longer itineraries). Yes, most of us are not happy about the policy but please feel assured that, at least by what has been report here on CC, we are all being held to the same standards and all of us who have had as many or more cruises than you are being the treated the same as you. The only exception to the rule is if you book on board.

 

One of the features of the new policy is that the Viking booking agents have no ability to override the policy and neither do their supervisors.

...

 

Peregrina, not doubting you, but wondering where this information comes from.

 

I have thus far avoided Viking because of their draconian payment policies, and I'm wondering about this new tightening up.  Musing about their World Cruises and when payment would be necessary for a trip two years out.  On the other hand, I hear their cancellation insurance rates are very reasonable.

[Peregrina651]

14 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

Peregrina, not doubting you, but wondering where this information comes from.

 

When it was first mentioned on CC, I was skeptical and would not believe the change until I confirmed it with my TA.  More of my information comesfrom other guest experiences as reported on the other two more recent recent threads on this topic.

 

This is an old thread that should be locked because the information is old and misleading. People are going to start reading this thread at that was started in February and think that they are reading current information. The Viking policy changed on November 1, 2018. All discussion prior to that date should be considered null and void.

 

20 minutes ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I'm wondering about this new tightening up. 

 

Wendy, I don't think that it is tightening up as much as it is a return to Viking's original payment policy from when it was just a river cruise line which was pretty much pay at booking regardless of how far in advance of sailing. When we book our first sailing on VO, in June, 2014 for a June, 2016 sailing, I fully expected that we would have to pay in full by the end of June, 2014 and I was thrilled to pieces that we had until the end of the year to make the payment, 18 months in advance of sailing. It was only very recently that Viking loosened up its policy and if you knew to ask to have the pay in full pushed back before you paid you deposit, you could make it happen. Suddenly, they decided to close the loop-hole and now the only way to get the pay in full changed is to book on board.

 

I can understand people not wanting to pay in full a year in advance. That is a lot of cash to take out of circulation for some people. On the other hand, Viking is not wanting for customers and they have many, many repeat guests.

 

 

[AncientWanderer]

On 12/28/2017 at 5:17 PM, sandbag7 said:

 

Whatever. It made us look more closely at the cruise, anticipated weather, viability of ports and flight strategies; we ended up canceling. I had plenty of money sitting in a do nothing savings account but if j didn’t have to pay the balance now I probably would have let it ride. I’ve never canceled out on 20+ prior cruises on 10+ lines but I guess we were due. I’m sure Viking will find a replacement.

 

We also cancelled a booked cruise with Viking.  We have spent around two years at sea on various cruise lines, but just were not comfortable paying so far in advance -- really before we even know what we're paying for in terms of excursion offerings, etc.  Of course, we travelers all have different needs, but the Viking system just doesn't work for us.  Lots of travel options out there.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

29 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

...

 

I can understand people not wanting to pay in full a year in advance. That is a lot of cash to take out of circulation for some people. On the other hand, Viking is not wanting for customers and they have many, many repeat guests.

 

 

All very well for your average cruise, but for a world cruise, which tends to be booked two years in advance, it's a policy that I just can't fathom.

[Ecnarps]

Appreciate all the discussion and information.  While I've evolved to being OK with a 12 month in advance final payment (especially for returning customers), I still believe that the 19 month date I discussed in my original post is way too excessive...have yet to see what the possible justification for it could be.

[philw1776]

Had I not booked onboard in October I would have been paying close to 22 months in advance!  Instead I can pay 6 months out.  i'll pay earlier at 10-11 months out because I want to ticket my airline, assuming I stick with Viking Air. 

This pay way up front policy annoys me, but it is not significant enough for me to choose a different cruise line on that basis.  As Viking builds more capacity and folks choose different companies because of this or whatever, demand may slack off and the policy may change.  But if folks like me all keep booking Viking, it won't.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

17 hours ago, Ecnarps said:

Appreciate all the discussion and information.  While I've evolved to being OK with a 12 month in advance final payment (especially for returning customers), I still believe that the 19 month date I discussed in my original post is way too excessive...have yet to see what the possible justification for it could be.

 

I'm confused and hoping someone will clarify.  There's are several implications in this thread that those who book *more* than 12 months out have to pay in advance far in excess of the 12-month rule.   Do you mean that if you book 19 months in advance, or two years in advance, that you must pay for the cruise up front within a month or two of booking, rather than 12 months prior

[Peregrina651]

Wendy, there are some longer cruise itineraries  that have a different payment plan and a different cancellation policy.

[Vineyard View]

First time posting and on CC in a long while due to medical. I thought I would catch up with what has been happening on the Viking boards as we have been looking at some future sailings. 

I am on one hand glad that I checked here first as it keeps me from surprises when booking. On the other hand it is dismaying to read this.  We paid in full almost 2 years in advance of the maiden Star voyage from Barcelona to Bergen, then Bergen to Stockholm. Loved it. Hated the payment policy. When Viking relaxed it to being able to negotiate 6 months, we found that acceptable. This going backwards payment policy is not encouraging me to look solely at Viking for future trips.

Will we sail Viking again? I certainly hope to. Has this prompted me to be looking at other options for 2019 & 2020 itineraries?  It has. I have found some attractive options on smaller ships with like itineraries......hopefully Viking is paying attention here. 

But as has been mentioned, ships keep selling out, and if they don’t see negative results from this they won’t feel the need to change it. 

Edited December 22, 2018 by Vineyard View

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Vineyard View said:

First time posting on CC in a long while due to medical.

 

Sorry to hear. Hope all is well now.

 

Agree that it is disheartening that V has taken a step backwards on its policy.

[vnb2003]

3 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

First time posting and on CC in a long while due to medical. I thought I would catch up with what has been happening on the Viking boards as we have been looking at some future sailings. 

I am on one hand glad that I checked here first as it keeps me from surprises when booking. On the other hand it is dismaying to read this.  We paid in full almost 2 years in advance of the maiden Star voyage from Barcelona to Bergen, then Bergen to Stockholm. Loved it. Hated the payment policy. When Viking relaxed it to being able to negotiate 6 months, we found that acceptable. This going backwards payment policy is not encouraging me to look solely at Viking for future trips.

Will we sail Viking again? I certainly hope to. Has this prompted me to be looking at other options for 2019 & 2020 itineraries?  It has. I have found some attractive options on smaller ships with like itineraries......hopefully Viking is paying attention here. 

But as has been mentioned, ships keep selling out, and if they don’t see negative results from this they won’t feel the need to change it. 

Vineyard View, welcome back. Glad to see you 🤗

Happy sailing and I hope you will share your experience on the smaller ships.

Best wishes!

[Cyber Kat]

17 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

I'm confused and hoping someone will clarify.  There's are several implications in this thread that those who book *more* than 12 months out have to pay in advance far in excess of the 12-month rule.   Do you mean that if you book 19 months in advance, or two years in advance, that you must pay for the cruise up front within a month or two of booking, rather than 12 months prior

 

We just booked a cruise for September of 2020 and our final payment date is September of 2019 - 12 months out. Prior to booking, I spoke with Viking (a phone call to me in response to my email inquiry) and my TA spoke with Viking. Both of us got the same answer. - that they are holding firm on the 12 month policy. 

 

We were specifically told 12 months, so if anyone is being quoted longer than 12 months I’d question that - unless it’s something out of the ordinary.