Meeting with CEO Hagen and Team

[lackcreativity]

9 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

With retailers I have known who do seem to have a policy of appeasing the customer, they will bend over backwards to make things right. They get loyal customers that way.

Viking has a very large group of loyal customers. When you bend over backwards to appease the customer, you end up with people in the World Cafe in their bathrobes, as I saw on my last cruise. It is my opinion that sometimes the customer is not right, and sometimes a line needs to be drawn. 

[LindaS272]

59 minutes ago, lackcreativity said:

Viking has a very large group of loyal customers. When you bend over backwards to appease the customer, you end up with people in the World Cafe in their bathrobes, as I saw on my last cruise. It is my opinion that sometimes the customer is not right, and sometimes a line needs to be drawn. 

You’re completely misunderstanding my comment. The OP asked what people would say if they had the chance to talk to Tor. The question wasn’t what you thought of my response. You need to give your own.

 

The point remains that Viking has a great product on the ship and great customer service where they do go the extra mile—bending over backward to appease the customer. They don’t do that on the front end when there are problems with bookings, vouchers, flights, etc.

Edited September 17, 2023 by LindaS272

[lackcreativity]

27 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

You’re completely misunderstanding my comment. The OP asked what people would say if they had the chance to talk to Tor. The question wasn’t what you thought of my response. You need to give your own.

 

The point remains that Viking has a great product on the ship and great customer service where they do go the extra mile—bending over backward to appease the customer. They don’t do that on the front end when there are problems with bookings, vouchers, flights, etc.

Ah, now I do see the distinction. We have been lucky to avoid the pre-cruise difficulties others have reported, and our one experience with an issue on a cruise was handled exceptionally well without even having to ask. I am aware that doesn't happen every time. 

 

I agree that Viking crew members generally will bend over backwards to please the customer. 

 

[Zippeedee]

My first Viking cruise is in less than two months. As of now the only issue I would love to see addressed is the addition of steps in the pools and hot tubs. Thankful for the thermal spa but l would love to be able to use the outdoor pools as well.

[Clay Clayton]

18 hours ago, Zippeedee said:

My first Viking cruise is in less than two months. As of now the only issue I would love to see addressed is the addition of steps in the pools and hot tubs. Thankful for the thermal spa but l would love to be able to use the outdoor pools as well.

Thank you for reminding me. Completely agree!  Will add that to my list.

[rbslos18]

Who should this information be sent to? tellus@viking.om? Someone else? I don't know the corporate structure. 

 

There are so many good ideas, there may be value in this becoming a poll to get even greater input.

[LindaS272]

FWIW

https://www.elliott.org/company-contacts/viking-cruises/

[KBs mum]

4 hours ago, rbslos18 said:

Who should this information be sent to? tellus@viking.om? Someone else? I don't know the corporate structure. 

 

There are so many good ideas, there may be value in this becoming a poll to get even greater input.

It's fun to comment, but Viking has a lot of outside investment, Hagen is likely a figurehead now (Viking UK's last filings suggest he is only barely a majority shareholder now) return on investment is the priority. It seems likely that fast expansion had had the usual result

[rbslos18]

On 9/13/2023 at 3:01 PM, LindaS272 said:

REI.

Sorry to be dense. I don't get the response about either getting a Viking refund from Nordstrom or REI!

@Selion and @LindaS272" Anyone tried to get refund of their Viking cruises from Nordstrom?"

[LindaS272]

1 minute ago, rbslos18 said:

Sorry to be dense. I don't get the response about either getting a Viking refund from Nordstrom or REI!

@Selion and @LindaS272" Anyone tried to get refund of their Viking cruises from Nordstrom?"

It’s just a joke 😎. Nordstrom & REI have been notorious for customer service & replacing items even years later. They used to have a policy of “the customer is always right” 😉 and would bend over backward to make you happy. No idea if service is still as good at Nordstrom since haven’t shopped there in decades; REI is still pretty good, though.

[rbslos18]

9 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

It’s just a joke 😎. Nordstrom & REI have been notorious for customer service & replacing items even years later. They used to have a policy of “the customer is always right” 😉 and would bend over backward to make you happy. No idea if service is still as good at Nordstrom since haven’t shopped there in decades; REI is still pretty good, though.

Thanks. I was thinking some might be thinking: "Ok Boomer!" but most of us are Boomers! I'm just a sheltered Boomer!

[duquephart]

Nordstrom would take back stuff they didn't even sell.

My wife worked for the Dayton Hudson Corp. and has lots of stories. One involved a woman who routinely got several new pairs of shoes a year. She would return once a year with what she got last year and state that they were not fitting the bill or some other lame excuse and get all new. It got to the point where they would just tell her go pick out how ever many new pairs and call it a day.

[Liz Masterson]

I’d really love more overnight ports on cruises. The chance to dive more deeply into the location. Not all ports of course but some. 
 

I’d love to see more small

group excursions…. But monetarily I get that it would be challenging. 
 

There should always be the option to book a 1 day pre extension that just includes the hotel and transfer to the ship. Transfer from

the airport would be great too… but I can live without that.  To be able to fly in the day before to take some of the stress off the fly in would help lower anxiety greatly. No one likes that part. It would also give lost bags some time to catch up. Flying post 2020 is not what it was in 2019. 

[Liz Masterson]

Also… if one person in the cabin has to bow out it should be easier to substitute someone else. Sure there could be a fee. But how it is done now is ridiculous. 

[AroundWithMAPTravels]

11 hours ago, Liz Masterson said:

I’d really love more overnight ports on cruises. The chance to dive more deeply into the location. Not all ports of course but some. 
 

I’d love to see more small

group excursions…. But monetarily I get that it would be challenging. 
 

There should always be the option to book a 1 day pre extension that just includes the hotel and transfer to the ship. Transfer from

the airport would be great too… but I can live without that.  To be able to fly in the day before to take some of the stress off the fly in would help lower anxiety greatly. No one likes that part. It would also give lost bags some time to catch up. Flying post 2020 is not what it was in 2019. 

I agree 100% with this one.   Less stress for all, especially since, if booking air thru Viking, they would be the ones responsible for catching you and/or your luggage up with the ship.   Less chance of this happening and less stress for all.

[Twitchly]

More local music and cuisine. I’d love to be more immersed in the places we visit. 

[Jim Avery]

35 minutes ago, Twitchly said:

More local music and cuisine. I’d love to be more immersed in the places we visit. 

Yes, that sort of goes with being in a port overnight or for multiple days.  Hard to know much if you go ashore at 8am and all aboard is 4:30pm.

[SoDakPirate]

I would like to see 22-23 day itineraries. On our first Viking cruise in 2017 we went from Barcelona to Stockholm and it was the perfect length. Allowed for many ports and a few sea days and ample time for everything. 

[KBs mum]

On 9/16/2023 at 5:19 PM, KBs mum said:

Advert for Viking has just been on TV here in UK, apparently we can enjoy quiet comfort. 

Experience suggests otherwise😁

Update - new advert, no kids, no casinos, no mention of quiet comfort. 

I'd rather have a casino which can be avoided than the music, live or recorded, that can't

[SailorPaulH]

On 9/18/2023 at 7:46 PM, Liz Masterson said:

Also… if one person in the cabin has to bow out it should be easier to substitute someone else. Sure there could be a fee. But how it is done now is ridiculous. 

I am curious. How is this situation currently addressed?