Pros and Cons of Viking Custom Air vs Viking Air - Viking Homelands Cruise

We might be doing the Viking Homelands Ocean Cruise from Bergen, Norway to Stockholm, Sweden. What are the pros and cons of paying extra for Viking custom air vs just regular Viking air?

We might be doing the Viking Homelands Ocean Cruise from Bergen, Norway to Stockholm, Sweden. What are the pros and cons of paying extra for Viking custom air vs just regular Viking air?

I do not believe that Custom Air is available on itineraries that include Bergen--because of the size of the airport and the lack of options. At most you can opt for an Air deviation and fly into/out of Oslo and get yourself to/from Bergen.

If you are flying economy, you have a much better chance of getting direct flights. If you are flying business class, it might be cheaper to book your own flights, even if you have to pay your own transfers--and you get a much better chance of getting direct flights.

I do not believe that Custom Air is available on itineraries that include Bergen--because of the size of the airport and the lack of options. At most you can opt for an Air deviation and fly into/out of Oslo and get yourself to/from Bergen.

 

If you are flying economy, you have a much better chance of getting direct flights. If you are flying business class, it might be cheaper to book your own flights, even if you have to pay your own transfers--and you get a much better chance of getting direct flights.

Thanks so much for the info. The Viking person today said that Custom Air is now available for Bergen even though it is a small airport. Also Custom Air will ticket us earlier so I could potentially upgrade our seats earlier.

Thanks so much for the info. The Viking person today said that Custom Air is now available for Bergen even though it is a small airport. Also Custom Air will ticket us earlier so I could potentially upgrade our seats earlier.

Thanks for the update. I'm glad they have finally gotten rid of the restriction.

Thanks so much for the info. The Viking person today said that Custom Air is now available for Bergen even though it is a small airport. Also Custom Air will ticket us earlier so I could potentially upgrade our seats earlier.

Make sure that your ticket is upgradable. I had problems last year. Viking finally fixed it.

Thanks for the update. I'm glad they have finally gotten rid of the restriction.

Not sure how much help it will be since the Bergen airport is so small but I like the possibility of upgrading our seats. Those long flights are so hard on me and I'm short :-)

Make sure that your ticket is upgradable. I had problems last year. Viking finally fixed it.

Thanks for the heads up. My main reason to use Custom Air would be to upgrade our seats.

Thanks for the heads up. My main reason to use Custom Air would be to upgrade our seats.

I had Custom Air as well...but just make sure

Could someone explain custom air please? Is it much more expensive? How do you upgrade?

Could someone explain custom air please? Is it much more expensive? How do you upgrade?

I don't think Viking refers to it as Custom Air. They call it Viking Air Plus. I take that back - they do refer to both on their web site - it's the same thing. The cost to use Air Plus is $50pp.

They explain it better than I can:

• Deviate to an alternate destination city or stay extra time before or after your cruise or cruisetour (
  destinations offered for 2018
  |
  destinations offered for 2019
  )
  [There is an extra charge for this, usually $100pp]
  
  
• Stop over in another destination such as London, Paris, Munich, Hong Kong or a U.S. gateway (
  stopovers available for 2018
  |
  stopovers available for 2019
  )
  [You can do this and the above usually for the same fee]
  
  
• Nonstop flights or the most direct air service available
  
  
• Reservations with airlines that accept frequent flyer mileage
  
  
• Travel on specific airlines or air routing
  
  
• Confirmation of flight schedules at time of reservation; no waiting once deposit and Guest Information Forms are received
  
  
• Coordination of family, friends or groups traveling together from the same or different cities
  
  

If you choose an airline they don't have an arrangement with, there may be additional fees. We wanted United, because we have a frequent flyer account with them, for our cruise in 2016. It was a more money. When we decided to upgrade to business/first it was going to be even more money. I asked the Viking rep what she could do within their partners. She told us she could give us Delta for the base business/first price. It worked out very well and we liked Delta.

Our Grand European cruise in the fall, comes with free air. We upgraded to business first for the base fee. Delta with KLM codeshare. Got the flights we wanted going over but Viking wanted to put us on Lufthansa from Amsterdam to Frankfurt, then from Frankfurt to JFK. Um - sorry - no. Not flying east to go west with a stopover and plane change. It cost us an extra $125 - worth it for us. Everyone has to go with what they are comfortable doing and paying for. But I wouldn't book air with Viking unless I could use Custom Air/Air Plus.

Hi Cyber Kat....

What do you mean by ‘base business/first class’ price?

If you had miles banked on Delta, one of Viking’s partners, could you have used them to upgrade to business/first? I have read elsewheremthat cruise lines buy seats under ‘bulk pricing’ agreements and that they are often Not available to use miles and/or money to upgrade.

We have always booked our own flights, sometimes paying for economy and using miles to upgrade - or miles for the whole thing. Going into San Juan

Later this year we are using Viking Air and I am trying to determine the best way to upgrade - even if It economy plus.

Make sure that your ticket is upgradable. I had problems last year. Viking finally fixed it.

How did you get Viking to “fix” it? We are in the process of working with them and just found out our tickets on Delta are NOT upgradable. This is our second experience with Delta flights where we can’t upgrade. KLM has allowed upgrades so I am wondering if it’s airline carrier specific?

Sent from my iPad using Forums

How did you get Viking to “fix” it? We are in the process of working with them and just found out our tickets on Delta are NOT upgradable. This is our second experience with Delta flights where we can’t upgrade. KLM has allowed upgrades so I am wondering if it’s airline carrier specific?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Our Delta tickets were not upgradable either. First time this has happened. We usually are able to upgrade to EC.

Our Delta tickets were not upgradable either. First time this has happened. We usually are able to upgrade to EC.

We have always been able to upgrade as well. I guess Viking like everyone else is trying to save dollars where they can.

It’s just a shame that it’s their loyal customers that have to suffer. We even use their Air Plus program. The only thing we haven’t tried is getting Viking to change to another carrier to see if maybe it’s just a Delta issue.

Sent from my iPad using Forums

You pay for the custom air so you can reserve early the flights that are uprgadeable on your airline of choice. Not all are, but if you choose wisely and keep TA and Viking in the loop on what you want/need you can lay flat in Biz/First and have it reserved and confirmed about 290 days out (which actually is about the same time the major carriers open up their seating and you can tell what is going to be a flight you can upgrade on...)

All of this info is so helpful since it can be so confusing regarding Viking Air vs Viking Air Plus/Custom Air. I was told it would be $150 extra per person to use Viking Air Plus for our Homelands cruise April 2019. At this point, I have said yes to Viking Air but not Viking Custom Air yet. I was told yesterday when I paid my deposit, I can add Vikiing Custom Air later.

This sounds like a lot of work. What are the advantages of doing Viking Air at all? Transfers?

One more odd question can only one of two guests participate?

How did you get Viking to “fix” it? We are in the process of working with them and just found out our tickets on Delta are NOT upgradable. This is our second experience with Delta flights where we can’t upgrade. KLM has allowed upgrades so I am wondering if it’s airline carrier specific?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

We had Lufthansa so it's not airline specific. It was long and strange story. I also was able to upgrade before but not last year. Lufthansa told us that our tickets were blocked by our agency (in our case Viking), Viking told us that they didn't block our tickets but they could upgrade us through them for $1,999 per person for Premium Economy?! If you have TA, let her/him work with Viking. It took me a long time until finally I got a call that the problem has been fixed.

We are very impressed by Viking operations and their efficiency. I still don't understand why they have such a weak Air Department.

All of this info is so helpful since it can be so confusing regarding Viking Air vs Viking Air Plus/Custom Air. I was told it would be $150 extra per person to use Viking Air Plus for our Homelands cruise April 2019. At this point, I have said yes to Viking Air but not Viking Custom Air yet. I was told yesterday when I paid my deposit, I can add Vikiing Custom Air later.

Air Plus and Custom Air is the same thing. You pay a fee for Air Plus to be able to customize your flights. You might have more fees for choosing let say specific airline you want to fly.