Viking’s new payment policy is RIDICULOUS

[Hoyaheel]

On 12/20/2018 at 7:10 PM, AllisonJames said:

We loved our Viking Ocean cruise and were ready to book our first Viking River Cruise yesterday.  Was told by Viking full payment for our 7/5/20 river cruise was due 1/31/19! 

 

1 hour ago, lackcreativity said:

There has been so much written about the Viking payment policy, and I know there are differences from country to country and for longer cruises, but I don't think there is a requirement to pay in full at time of booking, unless perhaps you are booking within a year of sailing. My experience with a new booking in November,  and my understanding from what I have read, is that a $500 per person deposit is required with payment in full one year from the sail date. 

 

The OP of this current thread (certainly not the first or only Viking payment thread we've had here!) contradicts your understanding. They wanted to book for July of 2020 and would have had to pay in full by January 2019, 19 months in advance of sailing, not twelve.....OK, 18 if it's the end of January deadline for a start of July cruise, but.....

Edited December 30, 2018 by Hoyaheel

[gnome12]

1 hour ago, dogs4fun said:

IIn any event, if Viking were to offer an itinerary that appealed to us above itineraries offered by other lines, I would not hesitate to book (travel insurance is my friend). 

While I agree that travel insurance is essential, I choose not to insure a reasonable deposit (maybe CAD$250 or even $500) on an expensive trip. When I have a more substantial amount at risk (have purchased flights or non-refundable hotel or made further or final payment) then I will insure. Since the cost of the insurance isn't refunded in the event you cancel, I'd rather lose just the deposit if I choose to (or must) cancel early.

[lackcreativity]

2 hours ago, Hoyaheel said:

 

 

The OP of this current thread (certainly not the first or only Viking payment thread we've had here!) contradicts your understanding. They wanted to book for July of 2020 and would have had to pay in full by January 2019, 19 months in advance of sailing, not twelve.....OK, 18 if it's the end of January deadline for a start of July cruise, but.....

Interesting, and I really wish my memory of the entire conversation when I booked was more exact. I think that when I booked in November an earlier date was mentioned for final payment and when I questioned that, then the one year before sailing was given. I hope I am not mixing up what took place in that phone call with versions I have read here in Cruise Critic! I do know that final payment is printed on my invoice as one year before sailing, and we booked 17 months before the cruise.

 

 

Edited December 30, 2018 by lackcreativity

[Texas Tillie]

I would never book a cruise (ocean or river) that had final payment any time before 4 months (120 days) and would prefer 3 months.

[Hoyaheel]

Yep, I can barely plan a year in advance, much less want to pay that far in advance. So Viking isn't for me, unless there's a great last minute deal. But even then, based on other practices, it's probably not the top of my list.....

[Roz]

With interest rates on savings accts. going up, I wouldn't sacrifice 12-18 months of interest and have a cruise line reap the benefit.

 

Roz

[Turtles06]

5 hours ago, gnome12 said:

While I agree that travel insurance is essential, I choose not to insure a reasonable deposit (maybe CAD$250 or even $500) on an expensive trip. When I have a more substantial amount at risk (have purchased flights or non-refundable hotel or made further or final payment) then I will insure. Since the cost of the insurance isn't refunded in the event you cancel, I'd rather lose just the deposit if I choose to (or must) cancel early.

 

If coverage of pre-existing conditions is important to you, be careful with those policies.  Some carriers will not cover pre-existing conditions unless you take out the policy within so many days of your first trip deposit, and then add to the coverage as you make additional payments.  

 

As for cancelling travel insurance, what I've been able to do with Travel Guard (other companies may vary) on those few occasions when I've had to move the dates of or cancel a trip (not for covered reasons) is just change the dates of the trip on the policy.  Keep moving the dates forward as long as you have to until you have another trip booked, and then use that policy to cover that trip.  I was advised by a rep at Travel Guard to do exactly this.

 

 

[Coral]

2 hours ago, Roz said:

With interest rates on savings accts. going up, I wouldn't sacrifice 12-18 months of interest and have a cruise line reap the benefit.

 

Roz

Not going to hold my breath on this one!

 

I still won't pay for a cruise a year out, even if they were my favorite line.

 

🙂

Edited December 31, 2018 by Coral

[Host Jazzbeau]

On 12/30/2018 at 10:25 AM, philw1776 said:

 

So with 3.3% check discount I guess you understand paying in advance

 

I get 3% back from my Citi Costco Visa card for travel purchases, and it gives me various protections – so 3.3% e-check discount is no bargain.  And any requirement more than 4 months out is too early for final payment, period.

[Roz]

I'm also leery of the e-check thing.  Once you've paid cash, you have very little recourse if things go belly up.  No way to dispute the charges.

 

Roz

[lackcreativity]

One way or another, someone has to pay for the construction of the beautiful Viking ocean ships that I so enjoy. Either they require early final payment dates and have the use of my money, or they will have to borrow the funds and pass the cost on to the consumer with higher cruise fares. It is just speculation on my part that this is Viking's intent with this policy, but I enjoy both their ocean and river cruises, and will continue to travel with them. 

 

The current onboard booking reward (at least for Viking Ocean) is a six month final payment date. I hope to take advantage of that when we cruise this April.

[RCnotcola]

I booked a Viking river cruise last August for October 2020. At that time I paid a $500 per person deposit with the balance due Dec 31 2018 ( due about 21 months before the cruise )! I just paid the balance off and I'm opting to skip the travel insurance so I have my fingers crossed that nothing will happen up until then. With so many other options out there, I will not cruise with them again because of this due date policy.

[dolllover]

Having a great TA helps with negotiating final payment. I book very early for cruises and final payment for my Oct Rhone cruise is 6 months before sailing. Not a big deal to me. Now final payment on the RA for Egypt is another story. Have to pay a year out but still not a big deal to me. Viking wanted payment much earlier but my TA got them to move it to a year out. Again not a big deal to me for such a special trip. I've only had one trip with Viking but love their product.

[Turtles06]

Months ago, when the inventories opened for purchase, we put a deposit on a Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise for spring 2020.  We just made final payment, about 16 months out.   Yes, the final payment policy is annoying.  But this is a cruise limited to a very short season ("tulip time" in the Netherlands)... Most of the cabin categories on our sailing (including the one we chose when the boat was "wide open") are sold out and another is wait-listed. 

[Texas Tillie]

19 hours ago, Turtles06 said:

Months ago, when the inventories opened for purchase, we put a deposit on a Viking Tulips and Windmills cruise for spring 2020.  We just made final payment, about 16 months out.   Yes, the final payment policy is annoying.  But this is a cruise limited to a very short season ("tulip time" in the Netherlands)... Most of the cabin categories on our sailing (including the one we chose when the boat was "wide open") are sold out and another is wait-listed. 

 

My thought is that Viking isn't the only line doing the same cruise at the same time. Why not go with one that doesn't want your money so far out? I decided long ago that Viking is doing so much expensive television advertising that I would be better off with lines that offer an equal product with a less expensive advertising budget.

Edited January 2, 2019 by Texas Tillie

[Turtles06]

30 minutes ago, Texas Tillie said:

 

My thought is that Viking isn't the only line doing the same cruise at the same time. Why not go with one that doesn't want your money so far out? I decided long ago that Viking is doing so much expensive television advertising that I would be better off with lines that offer an equal product with a less expensive advertising budget.

 

Of course we looked at the competitors.  The cruises, while similar, aren't "the same" -- there are differences in length, itinerary, etc.   We carefully examined all the variables and, in the end, we decided that based on the factors that were important to us, Viking was our first choice for this specific trip.   Our vacation time is too precious for us to pick our second or third choice in order to save, what, $150 or so in interest.