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sleepybobo
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I know this has been discussed previously but I can't find the answer rereading the other threads. Do you get a gift each time you are a return cruiser only once? Or has Viking now abandoned this program?

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I know this has been discussed previously but I can't find the answer rereading the other threads. Do you get a gift each time you are a return cruiser only once? Or has Viking now abandoned this program?

 

Definitely not only once! We've gone on 2 ocean cruises with Viking and a few of their river cruises and we've been gifted several times--charger bricks, blankets, pouches...they need to expand their gift list since we've now into duplicates and are giving them away to the kids (yes I know, nice problem to have ;) ).

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Definitely not only once! We've gone on 2 ocean cruises with Viking and a few of their river cruises and we've been gifted several times--charger bricks, blankets, pouches...they need to expand their gift list since we've now into duplicates and are giving them away to the kids (yes I know, nice problem to have ;) ).

 

We are embarking on our 3rd Oceans/6th over-all with Viking in December and we just received the e-mail a few weeks ago inviting us to choose our gifts. I can't remember if we were invited to choose something before our first Oceans adventure or if we were just sent the current gift or if we didn't get anything at all but on our second we did receive something.

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I wrote to the TellUs crew and inquired about the past guests benefits post the termination of Explorer Society.

 

This is how they replied:

 

With regards to priority notice, your current subscription to our email mailing list is the best way to ensure you receive advance notice on offers, notifications, and last-minute discounts for past guests as soon as they are made available. Moreover, you’re always welcome to call our Viking Travel Experts at 1-877-705-7631 for specific inquiries, or simply email us at the same address, where we’re more than happy to assist you.

 

 

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I haven't written to Viking yet. Am about to. If the Explorer Society program has ended, Viking should update the website.

 

I'll ask whether past guests receive advance notification of new itineraries and last-minute discounts ahead of the general public.

 

 

I don’t think the Explorer Society has ended. I would imagine that like other lines they make changes from time to time.

 

We didn’t get a card but we did get a phone call from our dedicated rep. We have gotten the $200 pp Explorer Society discount off our second and third bookings.

 

The website says we get a cocktail reception on each cruise. We are too far out yet from the second cruise to have gotten the gifts everyone is discussing, but we’ll see as we get closer. Would be nice to have but it is not mentioned on the website and is certainly not a make or break issue. As long as they keep giving the discount, I’m a happy camper [emoji41]

 

 

 

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Also known as a the returning guest discount. The terms are used interchangeably for the the same $200 off.

 

What I like best is that it's per guest, NOT per cabin. That makes a nice little discount off the cruise fare right from the get-go.

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Hmmm, haven't heard of an Explorer's Society discount. $200 river and ocean cruises?

 

 

 

It’s $200 pp off your next cruise if booked within a year and $100 pp if booked after a year. We had bought the cruise vouchers on our river cruise last fall and decided we wanted to book an ocean cruise. The certificates cost $100 for a $200 certificate. We bought 2 - 1 for each of us. We also got the $200 Explorer Society discount so that was $400 each off the cruise price - nice,

 

Before the year was up we decided to do the Grand European Tour and we got the $200 off again (no certificates left - we should have gotten more!)

 

 

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Cyber Kat, I remember the offer of the cruise vouchers on our river cruise (we didn’t and should have bought), but I do not know if those vouchers are available on Oceans.

Does anyone know if the cruise vouchers are available while on board Oceans? And if so, is there a maximum you can purchase?

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Cyber Kat, I remember the offer of the cruise vouchers on our river cruise (we didn’t and should have bought), but I do not know if those vouchers are available on Oceans.

Does anyone know if the cruise vouchers are available while on board Oceans? And if so, is there a maximum you can purchase?

When we were on our Oceans cruise in January of this year, the guy at Future Cruises told us that they're only available on the river cruises and that maybe they were planning on phasing them out. He wasn't 100% sure about that though so don't get too worried. I do know that they certificates weren't available for sale on the Sea or we could have bought some.

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When we were on our Oceans cruise in January of this year, the guy at Future Cruises told us that they're only available on the river cruises and that maybe they were planning on phasing them out. He wasn't 100% sure about that though so don't get too worried. I do know that they certificates weren't available for sale on the Sea or we could have bought some.

 

Well darn. Sure would be nice incentive to help offset some of the TA discounts that Viking has pulled earlier this year.

I know Viking monitors these boards, so hopefully they are taking notes to run up the ladder into Marketing.....:D

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Looking at the email I just received from Viking acknowledging my order for our free gifts makes me conclude that the Viking Explorer Society is alive and kicking. The beginning of the email is emblazoned with the explorer society seal.

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Viking offers credit on either river or ocean cruises per the info below

 

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/why-viking/community/explorer-society/index.html

 

TRAVEL CREDIT ON YOUR NEXT TRIP

Viking would like to encourage you to join us again by offering credit on your upcoming travel with Viking Cruises. Whether you choose the rivers or oceans for your next journey, you will receive travel credits according to the amount of time that has elapsed since your last Viking voyage. If you reserve within one year, you receive $200 per passenger in travel credit; if you reserve within two years, you receive $100.

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Viking offers credit on either river or ocean cruises per the info below

 

https://www.vikingrivercruises.com/why-viking/community/explorer-society/index.html

 

TRAVEL CREDIT ON YOUR NEXT TRIP

Viking would like to encourage you to join us again by offering credit on your upcoming travel with Viking Cruises. Whether you choose the rivers or oceans for your next journey, you will receive travel credits according to the amount of time that has elapsed since your last Viking voyage. If you reserve within one year, you receive $200 per passenger in travel credit; if you reserve within two years, you receive $100.

 

And you can double your returning guest credit if you book on board.

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Never got a straight answer other than No, from Viking corporate why we did not get our $200 Explorer credit for our Viking Bordeaux cruise last September.

 

When we booked our Viking Sky cruise in March 2017 for the cruise we did last month it was within one year since our Viking Star cruise in July 2016 and we got the $200 "past guest level 1 discount" and included airfare (credit $345 pp). When we booked our Viking River France's Finest in January 2017 for the cruise this July 2018 it also included free airfare (credit $1595 pp) but no past guest/explorer society discount. I wrote our Viking travel agent complaining bitterly and was told they do not give the Explorer discount with that size of airfare discount. I wasn't totally happy...grumble grumble...but you know... I decided that $3000 was a lot better than $400. That may have been why you didn't get the past guest credit. Too bad the best they could tell you was "no". I'm lucky I guess that I've got a good relationship with my Viking TA that my complaint got an answer.

Edited by CharTrav
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When we booked our Viking Sky cruise in March 2017 for the cruise we did last month it was within one year since our Viking Star cruise in July 2016 and we got the $200 "past guest level 1 discount" and included airfare (credit $345 pp). When we booked our Viking River France's Finest in January 2017 for the cruise this July 2018 it also included free airfare (credit $1595 pp) but no past guest/explorer society discount. I wrote our Viking travel agent complaining bitterly and was told they do not give the Explorer discount with that size of airfare discount. I wasn't totally happy...grumble grumble...but you know... I decided that $3000 was a lot better than $400. That may have been why you didn't get the past guest credit. Too bad the best they could tell you was "no". I'm lucky I guess that I've got a good relationship with my Viking TA that my complaint got an answer.

 

 

 

We booked our West Indies Explorer within the year of our Rhine Getaway. We had future cruise certificates, so we got $200 pp off for those. We also got $200 pp off for our Explorer Society discount. The Viking rep also gave us what she called an early booking discount. I don’t remember how much that was. When I decided to cancel our air, because they weren’t offering Air Plus for San Juan, we got an air allowance as well - around $400 for the 2 of us.

 

Just before the end of that first year from our Rhine Getaway (before we took the West Indies Explorer), we got ANOTHER $200 pp Explorer Society discount for our Grand European Tour. We also got free air fare for this cruise.

 

I don’t know how Viking determines these things, but it worked out for us. FWIW, the West Indies cruise was booked directly with Viking. The Grand European through a TA.

 

 

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When we booked our Viking Sky cruise in March 2017 for the cruise we did last month it was within one year since our Viking Star cruise in July 2016 and we got the $200 "past guest level 1 discount" and included airfare (credit $345 pp). When we booked our Viking River France's Finest in January 2017 for the cruise this July 2018 it also included free airfare (credit $1595 pp) but no past guest/explorer society discount. I wrote our Viking travel agent complaining bitterly and was told they do not give the Explorer discount with that size of airfare discount. I wasn't totally happy...grumble grumble...but you know... I decided that $3000 was a lot better than $400. That may have been why you didn't get the past guest credit. Too bad the best they could tell you was "no". I'm lucky I guess that I've got a good relationship with my Viking TA that my complaint got an answer.

 

Don't know why we didn't get our $200 Explorer discount as our air for Chateaux, Rivers & Wine Boston to Paris was $495. Boston always has the lowest Viking airfare classes. Often very displeased with Viking corporate.

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Just for the record. This is what it says on the Viking website about Explorer Society returning guest benefit. Note particularly the caveat at the end, in the small print.:

 

TRAVEL CREDIT ON YOUR NEXT TRIP

 

Viking would like to encourage you to join us again by offering credit on your upcoming travel with Viking Cruises. Whether you choose the rivers or oceans for your next journey, you will receive travel credits according to the amount of time that has elapsed since your last Viking voyage. If you reserve within one year, you receive $200 per passenger in travel credit; if you reserve within two years, you receive $100.*

 

 

 

*Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits may not be combinable with some promotions. Please check offer details.
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Excellent caveat. Answers the questions raised on this thread.

All Viking corporate needs to do is simply cite this disclaimer when clients ask where's my Explorer discount when you mistakenly think from reading the latest promotion that your specific cruise is going to cost X-$400.

 

EDIT: I wonder if this fine print is new because last year I cut & pasted what I thought was the Explorer page and sent it to Viking?

i could have missed it (doubt it) but it would have been easy for corporate to point out their legitimate disclaimer.

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Excellent caveat. Answers the questions raised on this thread.

All Viking corporate needs to do is simply cite this disclaimer when clients ask where's my Explorer discount when you mistakenly think from reading the latest promotion that your specific cruise is going to cost X-$400.

 

EDIT: I wonder if this fine print is new because last year I cut & pasted what I thought was the Explorer page and sent it to Viking?

i could have missed it (doubt it) but it would have been easy for corporate to point out their legitimate disclaimer.

 

It is also a good excuse to read and save the fine print on the Viking website before you go to book a cruise.

 

For example, there is currently a special offer on the table for some of the river cruises. Included in the small print, it specifically says that Explorer Society and Referral discounts will be accepted:

 

Quoting Viking website today:

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS:
Cruise fares listed are cruise only in US dollars, per person, based on double occupancy and for US residents only. Cruise ship fuel surcharge may apply. All fares and offers are for new bookings made February 01, 2018-February 28, 2018, are subject to availability;
may not combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Credit and Viking Referral Rewards.
Special cruise fares are based upon published full cruise fares; cruise fares do not include prepaid charges, optional facilities and service fees, and personal charges, as defined in the terms and conditions of the Passenger Ticket Contract which may be viewed elsewhere on this website. Full cruise fares may not have resulted in actual sales in all stateroom categories and may not have been in effect during the last 90 days. Promotional fares may remain in effect after the expiration date. Air promotion applies to economy, roundtrip flights only from select Viking River Cruises US gateways and includes airport-to-ship or hotel transfers, air taxes and air fuel surcharges. Viking reserves the right to correct errors or omissions and to change any and all fares, fees and surcharges at any time. For up-to-date prices, please call Viking or your Travel Agent. The cruise ship fuel surcharge is additional revenue to Viking Cruises, as are any additional charges relating to currency fluctuation other than for fully paid cruise fares and full fares, which fluctuations are beyond our control. All fares include cruise taxes, port taxes and fees. Additional terms and conditions may apply. Complete terms and conditions may be found in the Passenger Ticket Contract.

I found this caveat in the Oceans section and you have to read it very carefully because of the commas:

Again copied today from the Viking website:

GENERAL RESTRICTIONS

Cruise fares listed are cruise only in U.S. dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Single supplement savings are off applicable rates. Cruise fares listed are valid for U.S. residents only. Cruise ship fuel surcharge may apply. All fares and offers are for new bookings only and are subject to availability,
may not combinable with other offers except Viking Explorer Society Travel Credits and Viking Referral Rewards
, are capacity-controlled and may be withdrawn at any time without prior notice.
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