Squawkman

I’ve done this on 10 cruises and never had a problem. Just don’t use it on the ship - no need to tell Viking you’re carrying with you.

I agree. And will tell him next time we speak 😊

SAS arranged through Viking included air.

Not true - we flew direct Oslo to NY (Newark) in April.

We recently received a $500 voucher from customer relations which stated to be used on any booking. We did a cancel and rebook the same day, and the voucher was automatically applied to the rebook. When I asked my Viking agent why this was done, I was told Viking wants vouchers applied ASAP. Since I had another booking I wanted to use it for, my agent called a supervisor and got it changed. I would have preferred to hold the voucher, but was told I couldn’t since I had existing bookings.

FWIW, in 2016, I experienced my only one big ship cruise (Princess R/T NYC to Halifax) and had more turbulence than any of the 5 Viking ocean cruises I have taken since then.

I just did this 4 weeks ago. I use a Viking agent - he gave me an email address where I was instructed to send the following message: Here’s my booking number - XXXXXXX - and I am cancelling as I am taking advantage of a new offer. I am accepting a penalty of $50. I guess this is a way to discourage rebooking. So it cost me our deposit to get more when I rebooked.

I think osi meant passport #

Didn’t know about this practice until I saw this article in the Washington Post: https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/2023/07/13/faroe-islands-whale-hunt-slaughter-cruise-line/ Sorry if you hit a paywall - I couldn’t figure out how to avoid that when posting this. The article highlights a British cruise company, but many others (including Viking) dock there.

Totally agree - just no t-shirts. Collars include turtlenecks, cowls, and zippers in addition to traditional buttoned ones. I’ve worn all 4 types.

Sarah - I thought about it more and now remember one snobbish guest on a Viking ocean cruise in 2019. She was staying in the Owner’s Suite and she made sure everyone knew that. But that was it for observing snobbery.

We’ve been on 10 Viking cruises (5 ocean and 5 river) and never experienced snobbieness. The no jeans rule is only for dinners in the service restaurants. Jeans are permitted for service breakfasts in the Restaurant. Really no big deal as we check menus each day and more often eat in the World Cafe than the Restaurant or Manfredi’s.

I would confirm with Viking (use the chat and save it). We embarked by the Cutty Sark - I'd assume disembarkation is the same place. Viking provides Uber water taxis to/from you ship.

But you said: That’s what I was reacting to - cheapening food.

On our British Isles cruise last month, we had cold seafood in the WC every night, surf & turf with cold water lobster tails one night, and a jumbo warm water tail in the Restaurant one night. Not cheap.

And are subject to change. On our British Isles cruise last month, an included excursion that was supposed to leave port at 8 didn’t leave until 8:30. Be careful with booking independent excursions.

We’ve been on 10 Viking cruises (5 ocean and 5 river). Only once did we have a reception upon returning from an excursion on a Danube river cruise in 2015 (staff waved napkins to local music as we walked up the ramp). Never saw anything like that again, and we’re surprised to see this is done on ocean cruises. We’re keeping our opinion to ourselves.

Just got this: INDEPENDENCE DAY SALE FREE Airfare* & Reduced Fares on 2023 Voyages Ask for offer J4S • Expires July 11, 2023 http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/vrc/contentlibrary/2023_campaigns/july_2023/230701_allproduct_j4s/hero.png FEATURED VOYAGES http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/vrc/contentlibrary/2023_campaigns/july_2023/230701_allproduct_j4s/itin_01.jpg Classic Panama Canal Passage Panama City to Ft. Lauderdale ASK FOR OFFER: J4S 11 DAYS 5 TOURS 6 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/vrc/contentlibrary/2023_campaigns/july_2023/230701_allproduct_j4s/itin_02.png Antarctic Explorer Buenos Aires to Ushuaia ASK FOR OFFER: J4S 13 DAYS 2 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/vrc/contentlibrary/2023_campaigns/july_2023/230701_allproduct_j4s/itin_03.jpg Grand European Tour Amsterdam to Budapest ASK FOR OFFER: J4S 15 DAYS 12 TOURS 4 COUNTRIES LEARN MORE http://static.cdn.responsys.net/i2/responsysimages/vrc/contentlibrary/2023_campaigns/july_2023/230701_allproduct_j4s/itin_04.png New Orleans & Southern Charms New Orleans to New Orleans ASK FOR OFFER: J4S 8 DAYS 6 TOURS 1 COUNTRY LEARN MORE

Yes. And don’t forget to buy $200 certificates for $100 which you can also apply. We did this in April which saved a net additional $100pp off cruise fare and $200pp SBC for an 8 day Iceland cruise.

Well, I don't know why I'm wasting my time when you call me names, but I looked at your first post - you didn't say how you got the voucher your insurance didn't cover in the first place. Most (if not all) of us assumed from the sketchy details you provided it was a voucher from a cruise Viking cancelled - most likely due to covid. When Heidi13 responded about cash vs. voucher and you responded (#8 and #9), you didn't state then that your only option was a voucher. You also make several other incorrect statements - one notably that Viking is a corporation. Times up. Take your marbles and go home.

Stop digging yourself deeper. Viking policies work both ways. The laws work both ways. There was no obfuscation, no moral theft, no predatory behavior. You took advantage of 125% credit rather than 100% cash back. Sure, I put myself in your place and would be just as angry if I lost that much money. Your experience made me realize even more that this situation may happen to me if I can’t follow through on a voucher-funded cruise booked for next year. On the other side of the coin, we came down with Covid at the beginning of a 2 week VO cruise last year. We were quarantined 12 of the 15 days - and were treated very well for something that was not directly Viking’s fault. And we’ve had a few other experiences where Viking bent over backwards to compensate us. Please chalk it up to experience and move on.

The “welcome back” discount now makes more sense than ever. If you book with a Viking agent within 14 days of disembarkation, you’ll get $200 pp SBC regardless of cruise length and other discounts. We just did this 2 weeks ago.

FWIW, the magic date is November 1, 2021. Any vouchers applied to bookings from that date on cannot be transferred to another booking. Prior to that date, it was easy to cancel and rebook using the same voucher. We were supposed to go to Iceland last August, but cancelled 36 hours before embarkation when my wife broke a toe. We had no penalty, and we’re able to apply that voucher to a cruise we’re doing next January. If for some reason we can’t do that cruise, we will be SOL as the booking was made after 10/31/21.

On our BIE, we had a second chance shortly after we left Dover.

One month ago on this itinerary we were booked for the 8:30 Bergen included excursion and had to wait in the Atrium over 20 minutes to leave the ship. Be careful.