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Final payment date switch


clojacks
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I almost titled this "Bait and Switch", but thought better of it, at the moment...

 

We have/had an Oct '20 14 day Danube river cruise scheduled, and for more than 1 reason, under no circumstances will we be cruising. We have been back and forth on options, from outright cancelling, revising the sailing to another that we found for 2022, or waiting until a next round of cancellations came around to try to talk ourselves into taking 125% FCV. We have $12000 in Vikings bank some where, and have had since we had to make final payment in Oct '19, a full 12 months in advance.

 

About a month I found a B2B in New Zealand/Australia/Bali that really interested us in Feb 2022, and I started researching it. 3 weeks ago I discussed it at length with a Viking sales rep and was able to talk him into delaying the final payment of over $26000 until Aug of 2021, so, only 6 months in advance.

 

Earlier this week, we finally decided to take our $12000 and hold it ourselves, so we contacted our TA, and submitted the cancellation paperwork.

 

Yesterday, I chatted with Viking again to get a little more info, and they notified me, that even though our cruise had NOT been cancelled by Viking yet, AND it wasn't for another 6 months, if we rescinded our cancellation, they would give us the 125% under a new promo offer they are starting up, I think. after quite a bit of talk and discussion, we got a quote from Viking, and I noticed the final payment date was end of Dec of this year....2020, so $26000 due 15 months in advance! I got ahold of the Viking rep who I had worked with and he was "able" to move it 2 months later, until February 2021. After a couple of conversations, they wouldn't move on the final payment date, and if they think I am going to go all in for $26000 and pray every night that they don't fold?? Not going to happen. 

 

See why I was leaning towards the Bait and Switch title??

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I think they are doing that for all bookings now.  We just booked a 2022 summer sailing and the final payment is this December.  Of course they also have their worry free thing which looks like it gives you potentially a 6 year window.

book 2 years out, cancel day before wait another 2 years to book something 2 years out with the credits.

 

I guess the trick is to buy insurance that might include insolvency.

Edited by zalusky
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The trick is to find a cruise two months before it sails and than pay for it.   I won’t be sending my money again to be held for a cruise for a year or longer.   I will say however,  we did cancel of our sept 2020 cruise on April 13 and on April 20, I had my refund.  That was quicker than I expected.  

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Lucky you.  My experience is the opposite.  Holding the money seems to be the Viking way.  Not only do they want huge amounts way in advance, when you ask for a refund get ready to wait a very long time to get your money.  Late March, Viking canceled my June 28th cruise.  Called and asked for cash refund.  I was told that it should take about 2 weeks for it to be posted on my credit card.  Just got my credit card statement and there wasn't any credit from Viking.  Just called and was told that it is taking much longer than they originally anticipated to process the refunds. Viking cancelled my cruise.  Didn't they expect people who got their cruises cancelled would want refunds. Agent said that they are now working at home. Does that mean home work is slower? So when can I expect my refund now?  I was told today by May 23rd.  That's 2 more billing cycles.  Has anyone received a refund?  Not interested in any fcc.  Just want my refund.  While I have enjoyed previous Viking trips, not sure if I will be willing to book again.  Slow processing of refunds makes Viking look bad.  Hope they don't run out of money before I get my money back.

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36 minutes ago, Redtravel said:

Lucky you.  My experience is the opposite.  Holding the money seems to be the Viking way.  Not only do they want huge amounts way in advance, when you ask for a refund get ready to wait a very long time to get your money.  Late March, Viking canceled my June 28th cruise.  Called and asked for cash refund.  I was told that it should take about 2 weeks for it to be posted on my credit card.  Just got my credit card statement and there wasn't any credit from Viking.  Just called and was told that it is taking much longer than they originally anticipated to process the refunds. Viking cancelled my cruise.  Didn't they expect people who got their cruises cancelled would want refunds. Agent said that they are now working at home. Does that mean home work is slower? So when can I expect my refund now?  I was told today by May 23rd.  That's 2 more billing cycles.  Has anyone received a refund?  Not interested in any fcc.  Just want my refund.  While I have enjoyed previous Viking trips, not sure if I will be willing to book again.  Slow processing of refunds makes Viking look bad.  Hope they don't run out of money before I get my money back.

I am also waiting for a refund from a cruise that was canceled by Viking. I requested a refund (by check) as of March 12. However, I am waiting with a considerable amount of patience as I recognize that these are not ordinary times. I too hope they don't run out of money, in equal parts because I want the money back and because I want Viking to survive. I want to use that money to cruise with them again one day.

 

"Does that mean home work is slower?" Are you kidding? Have you ever worked from home? I am doing so some days now, and everything I do takes longer. Asking a question of another worker that in person might take 30 seconds can take who knows how long while you wait for an email response. There are also the immense complications of folks younger than I who are working from home while they are also supposed to be home schooling their children. People near and dear to me are trying to juggle those responsibilities and it is not easy. 

 

Right now, my expectations about everything are different. I try to be more understanding of the difficulties that everyone is dealing with at the moment. 

 

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2 hours ago, Redtravel said:

 Hope they don't run out of money before I get my money back.

Which is one of the reasons we wanted ours instead of a 125% voucher. That, and just in case they end up in worse shape than most seem to think they will be coming out the other end of this....

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23 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

Ask a question, get an answer (even if it is one you don't like)....

 

Let’s see if I can explain a “bait and switch”...when a product is offered with a lower price or more advantageous condition, and then it doesn’t exist shortly thereafter, but one does with a higher price or more disadvantageous condition, it is a bait and switch. Now that you have an explanation, reread my original post and see if you still disagree with me....

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21 hours ago, clojacks said:

Let’s see if I can explain a “bait and switch”...when a product is offered with a lower price or more advantageous condition, and then it doesn’t exist shortly thereafter, but one does with a higher price or more disadvantageous condition, it is a bait and switch. Now that you have an explanation, reread my original post and see if you still disagree with me....

I also disagree. Bait and switch refers to an offer that didn’t exist and was used to get you into a store to buy an expensive product - usually a major appliance. Laws were passed when I lived in New York City (I moved out in 1975) requiring that the product be available and including the limited amount up front in the ad. I took advantage of that law once. As Zalusky says:
 

2 hours ago, zalusky said:

This happens all the time where promos come and go.  Prices go up as seats are filled.  Heck even the airlines web sites can show you different prices if you come back on the same day.

This is also true for hotel rooms, Amtrak tickets, and of course cruise fares and related services (free/reduced air fare, free tips, SSBP, etc.). I don’t remember bait and switch laws applying to these services.

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28 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

I also disagree. Bait and switch refers to an offer that didn’t exist and was used to get you into a store to buy an expensive product - usually a major appliance. Laws were passed when I lived in New York City (I moved out in 1975) requiring that the product be available and including the limited amount up front in the ad. I took advantage of that law once. As Zalusky says:
 

This is also true for hotel rooms, Amtrak tickets, and of course cruise fares and related services (free/reduced air fare, free tips, SSBP, etc.). I don’t remember bait and switch laws applying to these services.

Bait and switch is used in more than just the legal term. I received a written offer, and 3 weeks later it was gone. Viking is simply playing free and loose when and to whom the offer better final payment terms. I'm not particularly interested in debating whether I used the phrase "correctly", but rather whether Viking is acting rather shady in tense times....

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39 minutes ago, clojacks said:

Bait and switch is used in more than just the legal term. I received a written offer, and 3 weeks later it was gone. Viking is simply playing free and loose when and to whom the offer better final payment terms. I'm not particularly interested in debating whether I used the phrase "correctly", but rather whether Viking is acting rather shady in tense times....


Any written offer I ever received from Viking expired in 48 or 72 hours. I do not believe Viking is shady in any way. Viking often changes prices to fit market changes. I just re-read your original post and stand by my first sentence. On February 24, I saw a new date in November 2021 added for river cruise I’ve been following. I also had an email offer for an additional $400 a couple. I put a deposit down immediately. That date went up over 30% in March, matching the price of the same cruise leaving 2 days earlier that sold out.

 

Is that acting shady?

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4 hours ago, zalusky said:

This happens all the time where promos come and go.  Prices go up as seats are filled.  Heck even the airlines web sites can show you different prices if you come back on the same day.

Neither of these situations were a promo. The first guy, who offered the 6 months, initially offered me 15 months, and I told him we weren't going to pay in full that far ahead, and we were comfortable not booking. That offer was good for 72 hours. I know that is how "quotes". The second time quote I received, came after my wife and I went back and forth on whether we wanted to collect a refund on our Fall cruise or wait a while longer to see if Viking was going to cancel the cruise and offer the 125%. When we decided to cancel and "try" to get our money back while they are hopefully still in business, they decided to see if 125% FCV of our $11800 investment would entice us to keep our money with them. THAT also was not a promo. I'm sorry I brought our experience up, as I knew I would piss of some of the Viking cheerleaders (not you Zalusky...I think you were just misinterpreting their offer to me as a written promo, which it was not). Call it what you want, but it's not how I want to "negotiate" for my cruise that is going to run me almost $30000. Nor do I care to argue over semantics.

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12 minutes ago, clojacks said:

Neither of these situations were a promo. The first guy, who offered the 6 months, initially offered me 15 months, and I told him we weren't going to pay in full that far ahead, and we were comfortable not booking. That offer was good for 72 hours. I know that is how "quotes". The second time quote I received, came after my wife and I went back and forth on whether we wanted to collect a refund on our Fall cruise or wait a while longer to see if Viking was going to cancel the cruise and offer the 125%. When we decided to cancel and "try" to get our money back while they are hopefully still in business, they decided to see if 125% FCV of our $11800 investment would entice us to keep our money with them. THAT also was not a promo. I'm sorry I brought our experience up, as I knew I would piss of some of the Viking cheerleaders (not you Zalusky...I think you were just misinterpreting their offer to me as a written promo, which it was not). Call it what you want, but it's not how I want to "negotiate" for my cruise that is going to run me almost $30000. Nor do I care to argue over semantics.

 

Look I understand your frustration and I understand the cruise lines are doing EVERYTHING they can to hold cash.

I am still waiting for shipboard account refunds from a RCI cruise we cancelled March 6.   The future cruise credit they gave us for the cancellation ONLY goes to next March.   I also understand the frustration with Viking demanding full payment way way ahead because once again it's trying to improve their cash on hand.

 

They OTOH are doing various things like giving FCC flexibility much longer out than the other guys.  I just booked a midnight sun sailing for 2022 that will lock up a similar $30K the end of this year but it has enough flexibility to go out 6 years if needed.

 

I would not call your situation a bait and switch as they are basically saying anything new requires full payment basically this year.  Thats what they are doing to survive this.  

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7 minutes ago, zalusky said:

 

Look I understand your frustration and I understand the cruise lines are doing EVERYTHING they can to hold cash.

I am still waiting for shipboard account refunds from a RCI cruise we cancelled March 6.   The future cruise credit they gave us for the cancellation ONLY goes to next March.   I also understand the frustration with Viking demanding full payment way way ahead because once again it's trying to improve their cash on hand.

 

They OTOH are doing various things like giving FCC flexibility much longer out than the other guys.  I just booked a midnight sun sailing for 2022 that will lock up a similar $30K the end of this year but it has enough flexibility to go out 6 years if needed.

 

I would not call your situation a bait and switch as they are basically saying anything new requires full payment basically this year.  Thats what they are doing to survive this.  


We’re on the same page as you. We have 4 cruises booked - 2 river, 2 ocean - one of each respectively in 2020 & 2021. We’ve been using the same Viking agent for the past few years, so there have been no misunderstandings. Like you, we believe Viking will survive - and we’re making decisions and plans more based on the what-ifs of the COVID situation.

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10 hours ago, Squawkman said:


Any written offer I ever received from Viking expired in 48 or 72 hours. I do not believe Viking is shady in any way. Viking often changes prices to fit market changes. I just re-read your original post and stand by my first sentence. On February 24, I saw a new date in November 2021 added for river cruise I’ve been following. I also had an email offer for an additional $400 a couple. I put a deposit down immediately. That date went up over 30% in March, matching the price of the same cruise leaving 2 days earlier that sold out.

 

Is that acting shady?

 

When Viking writes one day that "You Have Shipboard Credit" that "will be available once you embark the ship" and the next day writes "You Have Unused Voucher Credit" that "must be used before your journey begins" what do you call that? Is that acting shady?

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Whatever you agreed to at the time you cancelled/rebooked should take precedence - and be indicated on your guest statement - regardless of subsequent messages in My Viking Journey (which is, I assume, where your quotes come from). I received 4 emails from Viking on March 2 - one for each booked cruise - offering future cruise credit. The language in the email stated the credit can be used "on any Viking product". So we decided to cancel, and I called my Viking rep that week. I told him I wanted to use the credit towards the balance of a booked cruise in December. I also request the SBC be transferred as well. He needed management approval to transfer the SBC, which he got and noted in my file. All I needed to complete the transaction were the voucher numbers which I was told I would receive in about 3 weeks. When I received the vouchers, the language changed to " any new Viking cruise". When I called my Viking rep, I gave him the voucher numbers and a new guest statement was issued for my existing cruise, same booking number, with all SBC just as we discussed. Now, if there are things you want to use the credit for that you can't purchase before embarkation, call whomever you deal with, ask if you can do what you want to do with the credit, and get it in writing on your guest statement. 

 

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On 4/25/2020 at 7:33 PM, clojacks said:

Let’s see if I can explain a “bait and switch”...when a product is offered with a lower price or more advantageous condition, and then it doesn’t exist shortly thereafter, but one does with a higher price or more disadvantageous condition, it is a bait and switch. Now that you have an explanation, reread my original post and see if you still disagree with me....

I still don't agree with you (and obviously several others don't either and have tried to explain to you booking and payment procedures on Viking).

 

And from what you posted,  you checked the conditions of the payment when you decided to take a new promotion offer that had different final payment schedule than your original offer, decided to take the offer under the new terms of booking payment, managed to obtain a two month delay in those new terms, and now   are  upset because the terms under which you booked for the new promotion is different from what you booked under in 2019.

 

Nope, still no Bait and Switch.

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10 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

I still don't agree with you (and obviously several others don't either and have tried to explain to you booking and payment procedures on Viking).

 

And from what you posted,  you checked the conditions of the payment when you decided to take a new promotion offer that had different final payment schedule than your original offer, decided to take the offer under the new terms of booking payment, managed to obtain a two month delay in those new terms, and now   are  upset because the terms under which you booked for the new promotion is different from what you booked under in 2019.

 

Nope, still no Bait and Switch.

I love this.....I see 2, maybe 3 posters that share your view. But yeah, use several as a description. Also, try to find the post where I said that these weren’t promos, but rather appeared be Viking “negotiating” to a certain point. Guys, I really don’t see the need to further this at all.

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Viking cancelled our May 3, 2020 cruise on March 30 and we immediately requested a refund through our TA. All our cruise payments had been by e-check and the refunds posted to our bank accounts (two different ones were used) on April 26 and 27. Our TA was pleased since she expected it to take longer.

 

A small credit card charge for an optional shore excursion was refunded today.

 

We have a deposit on an Alaska cruise at the end of May 2021 with the final payment due November 30, 2020. We booked this on a special incentive that postponed final payment to 6 months out. With all the various proposals regarding future air and international travel restrictions being presented, I won't make a decision about final payment until closer to the payment date.

 

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On 4/29/2020 at 12:00 AM, Hanoj said:

Viking cancelled our May 3, 2020 cruise on March 30 and we immediately requested a refund through our TA. All our cruise payments had been by e-check and the refunds posted to our bank accounts (two different ones were used) on April 26 and 27. Our TA was pleased since she expected it to take longer.

 

A small credit card charge for an optional shore excursion was refunded today.

 

We have a deposit on an Alaska cruise at the end of May 2021 with the final payment due November 30, 2020. We booked this on a special incentive that postponed final payment to 6 months out. With all the various proposals regarding future air and international travel restrictions being presented, I won't make a decision about final payment until closer to the payment date.

 

We are in exactly the same boat.  Our Alaska cruise is April 2021.  We're holding off until our final payment is due in October to see what the situation is at that time.

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