Viking Vouchers Purchased on a River Cruise

[CDNPolar]

Viking offer you the opportunity to purchase vouchers while onboard a river cruise to be used on future river or ocean cruises.

 

Typically I believe that the voucher is Pay $100 get double value or $200 voucher.

 

My question is there a limit to the number of vouchers that you can purchase per person?

[Roz]

Do they have an expiration date?

[Mitina]

No expiration date and you can purchase up to 10 certificates. However, only can you use one certificate per person (2 maximum) on a new booking.

[deec]

Can they be applied to an already booked but not paid for cruise?

Can they be used for excursions?

[Squawkman]

10 hours ago, deec said:

Can they be applied to an already booked but not paid for cruise?

Can they be used for excursions?

No and no since any cruise is more than $200pp. 

[Mitina]

12 hours ago, deec said:

Can they be used for excursions?

Looks like you can’t.

[CDNPolar]

6 hours ago, Squawkman said:

Can they be applied to an already booked but not paid for cruise?

Can they be used for excursions?

 

No and no since any cruise is more than $200pp. 

 

We have three future cruises booked now.  We are going on a River Cruise in August and we are planning to purchase these on the River cruise.  We were told that we could apply these once we get them to the booked, but not paid for cruises.

 

We have done this in the past too.  We purchased vouchers and then had them added to an existing booking that was not paid for.

 

Not sure I understand Squawkman's answer above, because unless the policy has changed, they can be applied to an already booked cruise.

[pontac]

26 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Not sure I understand Squawkman's answer above, because unless the policy has changed, they can be applied to an already booked cruise.

 

I was told that they could not by the Tour Director on our cruise in April.

 

I assume they are to encourage people to rebook with Viking rather than the competition. If one has already booked before buying the certificate, there's no reason why Viking should knock  100 $ £ or € off.

[CDNPolar]

Well, this is something that I am going to ask for an answer in writing (email) from Viking.  We have three future cruises booked now and we were planning on buying 6 vouchers on our upcoming River Cruise to apply to each of our future bookings... if not allowed to attach then we won't bother.  

 

Odd because we have done exactly that in the past.  

 

Boils down to different information depending on who you talk to at Viking.

 

I will write Viking and come back with the answer.

[Squawkman]

CDN - maybe ok for Canadians? Please let the us know what you find out.

[AvidCruiserToo]

On 6/11/2023 at 6:01 AM, CDNPolar said:

 

We have three future cruises booked now.  We are going on a River Cruise in August and we are planning to purchase these on the River cruise.  We were told that we could apply these once we get them to the booked, but not paid for cruises.

 

We have done this in the past too.  We purchased vouchers and then had them added to an existing booking that was not paid for.

 

Not sure I understand Squawkman's answer above, because unless the policy has changed, they can be applied to an already booked cruise.

At the bottom of the page are more details. “Cruise Certificates may be applied toward new cruise bookings only.”

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, AvidCruiserToo said:

At the bottom of the page are more details. “Cruise Certificates may be applied toward new cruise bookings only.”

 

Yes, I see that.  I also have copies of ones that we have purchased and used.

 

I am still waiting for Viking to answer me via email.

 

We HAVE applied these vouchers in the past to cruises that were already booked but not fully paid - just a deposit made against the booking.  These were bookings made in advance of purchasing the vouchers.

 

Again - Viking information inconsistent depending on who you talk to - regardless of the language on the voucher.

[Squawkman]

CDN - when you applied vouchers to cruises booked but not paid, did you use a travel agent or Viking agent? 

[CDNPolar]

I used a Viking Agent.

 

Still waiting on my reply from tellus@ and normally I get a call very quickly after but in this case, I asked for a WRITTEN answer only.  I indicated that there are many opinions out there and each Viking Agent you speak to has a different opinion, and I wanted their answer in writing so I could hold them to the response.

[Maggie Mae]

I agree, in the past, we have purchased vouchers and applied to a future cruise that we had a deposit on.  Now, my travel agent said you can’t. I am having her call and pursue this as we are traveling in Nov. and my plan was to buy vouchers for an upcoming deposited cruise. 
I understand Vikings thinking, but they shouldn’t be going back on policy without warning buyers about the fine print. I know we should read it, but we don’t always when you we are used to something.

According to my travel agent Viking has also taken away what I’ll call the small group discount.  We have taken several cruises with 13 plus friends and received the one fare back, we have also taken some with only 6-8 and our agent was able to get us a small discount.  I don’t think they really advertise this but they have done it quite a few times for us.  Viking no longer gives the group discount unless you book together as a group.  That is fine for large families or clubs, but I sometimes find something I like, book it and then send out a notice to friends to see if they want to join in, they do the same for me; sometimes we get 6, sometimes over 30.  I’m not checking with all my friends and family to see if they want to go on a trip I like, then form the travel group - it’s hard enough as it is to get the date and cabin you want on these small vessels.  
Sorry for venting, I don’t see Viking changing policy, but I won’t be buying anymore vouchers.

Betty

[Squawkman]

We bought vouchers this past April and it was very clear that they can be used on new bookings only. The cruise director stated that plus - if I remember correctly - it was listed on the screen at the director’s presentation.

[Host Jazzbeau]

This is another area where Viking has tightened their policies.  Final payment has gotten even more severe, and now this.  [They're filling their ships, so why not?]

[CDNPolar]

6 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

This is another area where Viking has tightened their policies.  Final payment has gotten even more severe, and now this.  [They're filling their ships, so why not?]

 

Exactly - they are filling their ships.  Why would they reward return passengers....

I am still waiting for my reply that I asked for in writing.  Viking have called me now three times when I could not answer the phone, and so they are NOT giving me an answer in writing to a simple question about how these vouchers can be used.

 

I will call back again.  After three calls they gave up.

[OneSixtyToOne]

11 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Exactly - they are filling their ships.  Why would they reward return passengers....

I am still waiting for my reply that I asked for in writing.  Viking have called me now three times when I could not answer the phone, and so they are NOT giving me an answer in writing to a simple question about how these vouchers can be used.

 

I will call back again.  After three calls they gave up.

 

From MVJ under Payments & Cart

Vouchers and Shipboard Credits will be automatically applied to your purchases of excursions, beverage packages, and prepaid gratuities. Vouchers must be used before your journey begins. Unused Shipboard Credits will transfer to your shipboard account 7 days before your Journey.

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

 

From MVJ under Payments & Cart

Vouchers and Shipboard Credits will be automatically applied to your purchases of excursions, beverage packages, and prepaid gratuities. Vouchers must be used before your journey begins. Unused Shipboard Credits will transfer to your shipboard account 7 days before your Journey.

 

Yes, but... these vouchers that are being purchased on River Ships have "rules" that say they can only be applied to a new booking and not a booking that is already in the Viking system.

 

This is what we are discussing here.

 

We have in the past applied these vouchers to an existing - not fully paid - Viking voyage.

 

Now we are being told that we cannot do this and they can only be applied to a new booking at the time of first booking the voyage.

[gnome12]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Yes, but... these vouchers that are being purchased on River Ships have "rules" that say they can only be applied to a new booking and not a booking that is already in the Viking system.

 

This is what we are discussing here.

 

We have in the past applied these vouchers to an existing - not fully paid - Viking voyage.

 

Now we are being told that we cannot do this and they can only be applied to a new booking at the time of first booking the voyage.

Maybe they felt that the old system was being abused.

[CDNPolar]

21 minutes ago, gnome12 said:

Maybe they felt that the old system was being abused.

 

Not sure how you could abuse it because no matter how many vouchers you purchase on a River Cruise, you can only apply ONE voucher per person on any future cruise.

 

It is not like I can spend $1,000.00 on vouchers and get added value of $1,000.00 on a cruise.

 

The max you can do is apply 2 vouchers which means I spent $200 which gave me $400 off the cruise.

[CDNPolar]

Ok, finally a written answer from Viking.

 

$100 vouchers purchased on a River Cruise that have a $200 value when applied can only be used on a cruise that the booking date is after the purchase date of the cruise.

 

So, whether paid for or not, you cannot apply to a booking you already have.

 

They must have changed the rules, because we have our own proof of a booking done before ever taking a river cruise, and we bought the vouchers and applied them to the already booked cruise.  We can verify all that by dates on the booking invoice, and the dates on the vouchers.

 

I have three advance bookings with Viking now.  There is not enough incentive for me to give Viking even $100 of my money to wait until I am ready to book the 4th cruise.  I could be dead by then.

[Canal archive]

Well done for being so tenacious even though the outcome was not this time in your favour. 🧐

[deec]

not the answer I was hoping for either