duquephart

Being a "fave" doesn't make it good - but I'll quit now too 🙂.

Try Rumplemintz next time.

As far as flavored whiskey or real whiskey? Reviewers generally pan it.

Top shelf???????????????

Two fingers of a good bourbon (or Tennessee whiskey) is always your best bet.

Love the "most pivotal battle" hype. Apparently Viking never heard of Gettysburg.

The extra TV is a thing.

Doubtful. Oh, I get it - sarcasm. Clever!

No waiting list on Jupiter last time. Just a flat "no."

Give that man a bottle of Uncle Nearest!

And ----- if you do switch to a TA have them arrange with Viking to send final documents, luggage tags, etc. directly to you rather than the ozone.

I don't think the TA needs to be near you. Basically all you're doing is turning the booking over to get the OBC. I'm sure any TA can funnel the payment.

Can you get them switched over to a TA. And ----- what TAs are reputedly allowed to provide and what they actually do provide are two different matters.

Selling is one thing - delivering is another.

Not necessarily available. Apparently up to the captain.

When you buy a glass of wine you have now paid for more than one glass of wine.

Ticket Fee $10.92 Credit Card Fee $2.36 Sales Tax $6.51

I would welcome a "the price is what you will pay" policy - I just got done paying almost $90 for a $70 ticket to see a Tom Rush performance. And --- don't get me going on tip jars, suggested gratuity amounts, etc. The person who spends two seconds moving a cheesburger from a shelf behind him/her to the counter in front of me needs to look elsewhere.

I suppose. But opting out requires activity, and knowlege of the option. It's not a "yes" or "no" option up front.

Most of the info/opportunities you cite have to be looked for/sought out - an activity at least some, apparently, do not engage in. And isn't "Several days before the end of the cruise" actually one or two? Would it not be more ethical/honest/transparent for Viking to clearly state their "tipping policy" during the booking process in such a way that the potential cruiser can not avoid knowing about it? What Viking does is no better than hotels, etc. with their "resort fees", "convenience fees", etc. that the customer learns about in "oh by the way" fashion.

The argument has been made that what Viking calls "gratuites" are really a service fee. And that this fee can be viewed as hidden on the grounds that it is not upfront in nature and is, essentially, sprung on the customer after he/she has booked a cruise. And further that the fee is a fraud in the sense that the customer is ultimately expected to pay more than the advertised/agreed upon price for the product. That some are surprised/distressed to find the charge on their final billing or don't even notice (or care) it would seem to support the argument.

Getting incorrect info from a Viking rep and the sun rising in the east are two things one can count upon.

Don't care how they spell it so long as two fingers worth (prefer Blanton's) appears in my glass.

It's your misuse of "prepaid gratuity fee" that I refer. Viking does not add such a fee as it would already have been paid. It does add an "automatic gratuity fee" as per the conditions you agreed to. Prepaid and automatic are two different things.

On Viking River it used to be that "gratuities" were discretionary and optional. Towards the end of the cruise the program director would suggest a lump sum per person/day amount that you could have added to your account. Or you could add an amount other than that suggested. Or you could get little brown envelopes and do your own distribution. Or you could do nothing. Everything was voluntary --- the PD simply outlined the options while making sure you were aware that tipping was customary and (hint, hint) pretty much expected. Apparently that scenario is no longer the case and the situation is now handled in the same manner as Viking Ocean: You either pre-pay "gratuities" at a set rate or they are automatically added to your account at the end of the trip (same as bar charges, spa charges, etc.) - unless you arrange a deviation with guest services. OP had three options in this regard: 1. Pre-pay and be done with it. 2. Have them appear on his final accounting. 3. Make arrangements with guest services regarding the amount to appear on final accounting. OP seems to be disturbed that #2 took place given that #1 did not. But that's the way it is and he should have known it was coming.