Overbooked on Viking Star Compensation Offer

[berryvillebomber]

Hello,

 

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for our Iceland's Natural Beauty cruise on 7/2/2023. I have just received an email from Viking stating that they are over booked for this cruise.  They are offering compensation for those that volunteer to be bumped off the cruise.  Is it worth the compensation to be bumped?
What should the compensation include?  Has anyone here been through this before?  What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Thank you.  Michael

[WanderingBrit]

Sorry to hear that, definitely not what you want so close to departure. What does the compensation they're offering cover?

 

If they were to bump us from our upcoming cruise I'd need them to include sufficient direct financial compensation to cover non-refundable air fare, for example, in addition to whatever they might do to try and make up for the disappointment.

 

Kevin

[stephenandrew]

50 minutes ago, berryvillebomber said:

Hello,

 

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for our Iceland's Natural Beauty cruise on 7/2/2023. I have just received an email from Viking stating that they are over booked for this cruise.  They are offering compensation for those that volunteer to be bumped off the cruise.  Is it worth the compensation to be bumped?
What should the compensation include?  Has anyone here been through this before?  What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Thank you.  Michael

Are you saying they just made a general offer of compensation?  I’ve never been in that situation and would expect they would be pretty explicit about what they were prepared to offer.  I suppose depending on your circumstances and their offer of compensation, this could work out really nicely for someone.

[millybess]

1 hour ago, berryvillebomber said:

Hello,

 

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for our Iceland's Natural Beauty cruise on 7/2/2023. I have just received an email from Viking stating that they are over booked for this cruise.  They are offering compensation for those that volunteer to be bumped off the cruise.  Is it worth the compensation to be bumped?
What should the compensation include?  Has anyone here been through this before?  What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Thank you.  Michael

Here is a recent informative thread on the subject.  It might give you an idea of what you should be looking for in the way of compensation.

 

 

[Selion]

1 hour ago, berryvillebomber said:

Hello,

 

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for our Iceland's Natural Beauty cruise on 7/2/2023. I have just received an email from Viking stating that they are over booked for this cruise.  They are offering compensation for those that volunteer to be bumped off the cruise.  Is it worth the compensation to be bumped?
What should the compensation include?  Has anyone here been through this before?  What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Thank you.  Michael

Did you book your air with Viking or independently?  If you have independent air, it may not be worth whatever Viking is prepared to offer.  If it's Viking air, make sure they make an offer you can't refuse.  🤣

[longterm]

1 hour ago, berryvillebomber said:

Hello,

 

My wife and I are scheduled to leave for our Iceland's Natural Beauty cruise on 7/2/2023. I have just received an email from Viking stating that they are over booked for this cruise.  They are offering compensation for those that volunteer to be bumped off the cruise.  Is it worth the compensation to be bumped?
What should the compensation include?  Has anyone here been through this before?  What are your thoughts and suggestions?
Thank you.  Michael

In February 2020 were scheduled to take a 5-day Viking Caribbean cruise, as a test to see if we enjoyed crusing.

 

Two days before departure, I got an email asking if we would consider delaying our trip, and in exchange, was offered a longer cruise--a choice of 3, the longest being 11 days--$1500 in cash, and an upgrade to a Penthouse Junior suite.

 

What's not to love? I grabbed the offer, which meant that we would be going in December instead.

 

Then Covid hit. Our cruise was cancelled, and when I called to reschedule, was told that we would only get a credit for the amount we'd been paid. No, I said, we agreed to delay our trip for an upgrade, and we want that upgrade.

 

After arguing for 45 minutes with 3 different agents, I was finally advised by a knowledgeable agent to contact the "move-over department," which handles these upgrade offers. I did so, and got a commitment from them to honor the upgrade.

 

We were finally able to take the cruise in December 2021, and did get the upgrade promised.

 

So yes, it's a great deal, if you're willing to delay your trip.

[debrajean]

About 4 years ago we were to go on a Viking Ocean over New Years.  About a week and a half before our departure, they emailed us saying they were over sold and offered us the same cruise in June or July, $500 in a cash refund, $500 in OBC and an Explorer Suite (We were originally booked in the lowest cabin category).  We jumped at that offer!  Had the best cruise!  Our air was booked  on our own and they refunded us that amount also!  

[Meander Ingwa]

If you booked your own air fare and get an oversold offer...

 

If you go ahead and use your airfare for independent travel on the original dates, I assume that they will only comp you for the cruise aspect you lost plus an "inconvenience fee"?

[lackcreativity]

During our recent experience with an overbooking on a Viking river cruise, it was stressed that they were looking for volunteers. I don't know what would have happened if no one volunteered, but given the opportunity they presented us ( and we quickly accepted!), I doubt that they would have that happen very often.

[Fieldofdreams]

On 6/23/2023 at 11:42 AM, longterm said:

In February 2020 were scheduled to take a 5-day Viking Caribbean cruise, as a test to see if we enjoyed crusing.

 

Two days before departure, I got an email asking if we would consider delaying our trip, and in exchange, was offered a longer cruise--a choice of 3, the longest being 11 days--$1500 in cash, and an upgrade to a Penthouse Junior suite.

 

What's not to love? I grabbed the offer, which meant that we would be going in December instead.

 

Then Covid hit. Our cruise was cancelled, and when I called to reschedule, was told that we would only get a credit for the amount we'd been paid. No, I said, we agreed to delay our trip for an upgrade, and we want that upgrade.

 

After arguing for 45 minutes with 3 different agents, I was finally advised by a knowledgeable agent to contact the "move-over department," which handles these upgrade offers. I did so, and got a commitment from them to honor the upgrade.

 

We were finally able to take the cruise in December 2021, and did get the upgrade promised.

 

So yes, it's a great deal, if you're willing to delay your trip.

LongTerm - Thanks for sharing about the "move over department", have not heard of this on CC previously. Good to know in the event we have a similar situation in the future.

[India2017]

Very interesting reading but has anyone in UK been offered this or does it only apply to US?

 

[madmedic]

On 6/27/2023 at 12:46 PM, India2017 said:

Very interesting reading but has anyone in UK been offered this or does it only apply to US?

 

I was wondering about this too given that we different booking T&C's.

[westcoastBC]

We were offered a move over four days prior to our Princess cruise. The luggage was already at the front door but the offer was too good to pass on.

We got all our money refunded and offered a new cruise of our choice within 2 years upto the fare we paid. I chose a cabin that was less and those funds were refunded within days.

All our out of pocket expenses covered.

The difference we paid for the new excursions were also refunded immediately.

On our upcoming Viking Star cruise in July we have booked Icelandair fully refundable fare so if we are offered we will jump on it. I think there is a real chance of this since the ship has been almost sold out for months.

Fingers crossed.