Viking has discontinued the pre-cruise gifts

[terrydtx]

I guess with the success VO is having, management must believe there is no need to bribe us with pre cruise trinkets anymore. Our Sept. 2020 cruise on the Viking Sea is 80% sold out and is a sign of their success.

[Peregrina651]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:05 AM, deec said:

I think a great perk for repeat guests would be FREE custom air!!!

 

 

It did used to be that after three paid custom air fees, it was free. That disappeared in 2016 or so--just after I racked up my third paid fee. 😥

 

I wouldn't mind if they reinstated it, even if they make free only if you actually book your air with them. I can understand the fee as a way of managing traffic, which helps keep prices down because they don't have to hire more staff to answer the phones for people who are just price shopping.

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

It did used to be that after three paid custom air fees, it was free. That disappeared in 2016 or so--just after I racked up my third paid fee. 😥

 

I wouldn't mind if they reinstated it, even if they make free only if you actually book your air with them. I can understand the fee as a way of managing traffic, which helps keep prices down because they don't have to hire more staff to answer the phones for people who are just price shopping.

But they didn’t have to have any staff for us...i emailed our TA our preferred and option b flight #s, presumably she emailed them to Viking and less than an hour later I got confirmation of them.  So what was the $50 for? LOL

 

i wish they would count the $50 custom air towards the $150 deviation.  It seems to me that if you are deviating, you are by definition needing custom air. 

[Dauntless]

9 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

But they didn’t have to have any staff for us...i emailed our TA our preferred and option b flight #s, presumably she emailed them to Viking and less than an hour later I got confirmation of them.  So what was the $50 for? LOL

 

i wish they would count the $50 custom air towards the $150 deviation.  It seems to me that if you are deviating, you are by definition needing custom air. 

 

If you deviate the day or location  of cruise ports for embarkation or disembarkation that is $100.  If you want to determine other things like seat requests or fewer stops in transit and the like there is a $50 charge for that.  If you deviate there are no transfers to or from the ship.

[Clay Clayton]

You’re right I mistyped, I meant to say that I wish the custom air fee would act as a credit against the $100 deviation fee. Sorry. 

Edited February 2, 2019 by Clay Clayton

[Fpacifico]

That’s too bad that you discontinued the program. It was always something special to look forward too. 

[Marykatesmom]

On 2/1/2019 at 9:05 AM, deec said:

I think a great perk for repeat guests would be FREE custom air!!!

 

 

Love that idea!

[Peregrina651]

13 hours ago, Marykatesmom said:

On 2/1/2019 at 9:05 AM, deec said:

I think a great perk for repeat guests would be FREE custom air!!!

 

 

Love that idea!

 

It was a perk after 3 paid uses but was discontinued a couple of years ago. The perks for repeat cruisers are slowly disappearing. Before we know it, there will be none left.

[molymoo]

We never had the opportunity to use "free" custom air while it was an Explorers Society perk.  Even then there were some itineraries that were "exempt".  We asked about it for our Portugal river cruise and that was one of the itineraries that did not qualify for "custom air".  We did notice that the elimination of "free" custom air seemed to coincide with the appearance of bargain basement airlines, early, early morning flights, and fewer direct flights.  We did use custom air for our Paris/Normandy cruise the summer of 2017 when they booked us on Icelandic Air and routed us through Reyjkavic.  That was ridiculous considering we fly out of Chicago ... Chicago to Paris direct should have been a no-brainer but it cost us to get a direct flight.  

 

We paid $150 (each) for a deviation last winter to spend a few days in Madrid before our Southern MO cruise.  We were told in no uncertain terms that that did not include custom air and should we wish to change anything we would have to pay (at least) $50 more (again, each).  

[VikingCruiser2016]

Very disappointed that I am not going to be receiving a pre-cruise gift.  This will be my fifth trip with Viking. What a lost opportunity for Viking.  I couldn't tell you how many people have seen the Viking name on my gifts and ask how I enjoyed my trip.

[molymoo]

15 hours ago, VikingCruiser2016 said:

Very disappointed that I am not going to be receiving a pre-cruise gift.  This will be my fifth trip with Viking. What a lost opportunity for Viking.  I couldn't tell you how many people have seen the Viking name on my gifts and ask how I enjoyed my trip.

It is disappointing that Viking seems to be eliminating the "perks" that have been afforded frequent cruisers but as long as they continue to provide a wonderful on board experience I can forgive them.  

[VikingCruiser2016]

Very good point Molymoo!  My husband and I (and friends) love being pampered aboard the boat.