My Viking Referral Program Nightmare

[JVilleGal]

Maybe you should start a thread, with a really good title to warn CC members that they have lost their credits on their Viking Cruise!

 

Another place to scream this to the world would be to Chris Elliott (Elliott.org) and maybe he will showcase (shame) the whole situation in the Wall Street Journal or Conde Nast ;(

[rcaruso]

I enjoy travelling Viking and have nothing but good to say about them. This concerned me, so I e-mailed Tell us at Viking about this, Friday April 17 and have not heard anything from them. It is really troubling that Viking does not reply and give definitive answers to this issue.

[Di Princess]

I forgot to mention: they voided the few referrals that came from Cruise Critic. They would not allow those. I thought they would eventually post something in CC about this but apparently they are laying low.

 

Carol,

You live quite close to Viking in Woodland Hills. Why don't you just go over there and ask to speak to a V.P. ? ;)

[JVilleGal]

And yet they want referrals by past cruisers on Social Media!

[Carol From California]

Carol,

You live quite close to Viking in Woodland Hills. Why don't you just go over there and ask to speak to a V.P. ? ;)

 

That's not a bad idea. I do live close by their corporate offices.

[Carol From California]

And yet they want referrals by past cruisers on Social Media!

 

I agree. I was shocked when someone I referred on CC called me and told me they now have a balance due on their cruise of $200. Viking really handled this very poorly.

[JVilleGal]

You just have to shake your head and wonder what the ---- they are thinking!

[franski]

I agree. I was shocked when someone I referred on CC called me and told me they now have a balance due on their cruise of $200. Viking really handled this very poorly.

 

The process of their phone confirmations is quite "slimy" IMHO.

 

I referred someone that I know as a Board member (local non-profit). At the last meeting, I let him know that Viking may be calling as they were following up to see if my referrals were "legitimate". He said that his wife received a phone call - and that they were quite sly about why they were phoning. He isn't sure if she would even know my name (I have only met her once in passing) but am guessing what ever answer she gave passed muster, as they haven't pulled their credits. I let him know about the problems I had - and asked him to let me know if he has any problems with the referral.

 

Again - quite surprised that Viking has been so quiet here... Wonder if the ocean cruise side of the house is giving them problems?? (Heard from someone that the inaugural sailing plans weren't coming together as smoothly as planned...)

 

Fran

Edited April 24, 2015 by franski

[Viking Cruises]

Dear Cruise Critic Members and Viking Travelers,

 

We wanted to let you know that we are listening and we apologize for our slow public response to this issue.

 

In the coming weeks we will be reviewing the Viking Referral Rewards program so that the policy is clearly communicated with our guests and with all members of the Viking team. The ways in which social media is used to make or receive a Viking referral will also be reviewed. When the revised policy is finalized our marketing materials will be updated to reflect it and we will also share it here. We apologize for the confusion, disappointment and frustration we have caused, particularly to our valued guests who put their trust in Viking Cruises by referring us to family and friends.

 

We ask that you please continue to be patient with us. Reviewing our referral program and updating policies and marketing materials (where needed) will take some time, though we will attend to this matter as quickly as we can.

 

If you have concerns with your referral credits or would like to speak to Customer Relations regarding this issue, please contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. Please include your 10-digit customer number in your email if you would like assistance with the current status of your credits.

 

Thank you,

Viking Cruises

 

P.S. As we’ve done in the past, we will post this response to the various threads that have included recent discussions about this topic. Please excuse the repetition.

[JVilleGal]

Dear Cruise Critic Members and Viking Travelers,

 

 

 

We wanted to let you know that we are listening and we apologize for our slow public response to this issue.

 

 

 

In the coming weeks we will be reviewing the Viking Referral Rewards program so that the policy is clearly communicated with our guests and with all members of the Viking team. The ways in which social media is used to make or receive a Viking referral will also be reviewed. When the revised policy is finalized our marketing materials will be updated to reflect it and we will also share it here. We apologize for the confusion, disappointment and frustration we have caused, particularly to our valued guests who put their trust in Viking Cruises by referring us to family and friends.

 

 

 

We ask that you please continue to be patient with us. Reviewing our referral program and updating policies and marketing materials (where needed) will take some time, though we will attend to this matter as quickly as we can.

 

 

 

If you have concerns with your referral credits or would like to speak to Customer Relations regarding this issue, please contact us at TellUs@vikingcruises.com. Please include your 10-digit customer number in your email if you would like assistance with the current status of your credits.

 

 

 

Thank you,

 

Viking Cruises

 

 

 

P.S. As we’ve done in the past, we will post this response to the various threads that have included recent discussions about this topic. Please excuse the repetition.

 

 

I believe a good start would be "reinstating" ALL referrals you removed regardless of whether or not they will meet your new guidelines. Once those guidelines have been firmly established and communicated future referrals can be under the new rules.

 

This was handled in such a sneaky and underhanded way! Unbelievable....

[JVilleGal]

And you let this thing fester for weeks????

[pflorio994]

It is about time that Viking posted something. Happy to see as i am cruising with Viking the 7th time

[Hydrokitty]

And you let this thing fester for weeks????

 

After reading this message from Viking, I would be very hard pressed to give anyone a referral number until they get this straightened. They said it will "take some time"....lawyers do move slowly and I guess they really don't need the business because they make no mention of people giving or getting referrals while they "work this out"...What a bad taste this has left in so many mouths.

[Carol From California]

After reading this message from Viking, I would be very hard pressed to give anyone a referral number until they get this straightened. They said it will "take some time"....lawyers do move slowly and I guess they really don't need the business because they make no mention of people giving or getting referrals while they "work this out"...What a bad taste this has left in so many mouths.

 

After numerous back and forth discussions with Viking they reinstated the referrals I made to friends and family but would not accept the few referrals that came from CC. One couple I referred said they suddenly had a $200 balance on their already "paid in full" cruise, because they took that referral away. I hope that they let everyone know soon what their new referral program will be because right now they encourage us to post on Social Media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest...which could result in a referral if someone I don't know reads one of those posts, but yet if I post on CC those referrals are taken away.

[Got2Cruise]

After numerous back and forth discussions with Viking they reinstated the referrals I made to friends and family but would not accept the few referrals that came from CC. One couple I referred said they suddenly had a $200 balance on their already "paid in full" cruise, because they took that referral away. I hope that they let everyone know soon what their new referral program will be because right now they encourage us to post on Social Media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest...which could result in a referral if someone I don't know reads one of those posts, but yet if I post on CC those referrals are taken away.

 

 

How do they know which referral is your friend and which came from Cruise Critic? If I were a Viking Pax I would not write any review or talk about my cruise on cruise critic.

[franski]

After numerous back and forth discussions with Viking they reinstated the referrals I made to friends and family but would not accept the few referrals that came from CC. One couple I referred said they suddenly had a $200 balance on their already "paid in full" cruise, because they took that referral away. I hope that they let everyone know soon what their new referral program will be because right now they encourage us to post on Social Media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest...which could result in a referral if someone I don't know reads one of those posts, but yet if I post on CC those referrals are taken away.

 

Carol - we have friends that booked a Viking ocean cruise. Our TA put the $100/pp credit on their booking, as we have been friends for years - and actually brought them to her, and encouraged them to try river cruising. They know we have been on Viking - and have discussed our trip with them.

 

They are seasoned ocean cruisers - but said they recognized the Viking name with all of the river cruises we have done. When Viking called to ask how they heard about the ocean itinerary, they said "through a brochure " - which they did. Viking took this to mean the referral was bogus and pulled their referral. It took my TA many hours and multiple phone calls to get their credits reinstated - but they refuse to give them back to me. So - this isn't even a referral through CC - but one through my TA who relies heavily on my information when talking with clients about river cruising.

 

I agree with JVilleGal - Viking should reinstate all current credits --> even if they put a freeze on going forward until they work this through.

 

AND, allow any that were denied up front. I exchanged e-mails with someone who was deciding which company to cruise with. When she decided on Viking, she tried to give them my name & customer number - and they refused to accept the referral.

 

She booked anyway, but I am pretty sure she won't put Viking on the top of the list (or on the list at all) if/when she books her next river cruise.

 

Fran

[Carol From California]

How do they know which referral is your friend and which came from Cruise Critic? If I were a Viking Pax I would not write any review or talk about my cruise on cruise critic.

 

How do they know? They called the people and asked them if they knew me.

[JVilleGal]

How do they know? They called the people and asked them if they knew me.

 

 

If someone called my husband he would be clueless as I make all of the arrangements?? He would have no idea the reason I booked with a certain company because we work out at the gym together! This call and ask surely would not work at my house...

[purduemom1]

I can't help but feel that the phone calls Viking is making are a sneaky way of finding an excuse to take away the referral credits. The "how did you learn about Viking" question can have multiple answers from the same customer. If they were also asked if they knew anyone who had cruised with Viking, then perhaps I would have a different impression.

[Got2Cruise]

How do they know? They called the people and asked them if they knew me.

 

 

I think that if Cruise Critic made it easier for posters to contact each other through email then that problem could be alleviated.

[CPT Trips]

I think that if Cruise Critic made it easier for posters to contact each other through email then that problem could be alleviated.

 

It really isn't difficult to post an address in a manner that can't be harvested by a bot. Host at gmail dot com

While I wish that CC had messaging, I can't hold them responsible for Viking's behavior.

[Carol From California]

I think that if Cruise Critic made it easier for posters to contact each other through email then that problem could be alleviated.

 

I have my email address at the bottom of my signature so people do contact me off of CC. Today someone emailed me for information on the guide we used in Budapest. We found fellow cruisers last year to share transportation from Nuremburg to Prague after our river cruise. I am going on an ocean cruise in about a week and I organized a "Meet and Greet". So far we have over 50 people who will be attending and we are emailing each other off of CC. I have arranged private excursions with fellow cruisers that I met on CC. CC is a great way to help each other....just that Viking does not want to allow any referrals that come by way of CC. It's completely ridiculous because in their own referral brochure they are encouraging us to post on Social Media sites such as Facebook and Pinterest.

 

Then it was the way that they did it....voided ALL my referrals, of which the majority were friends and family without even telling me! I had people calling me to ask me why their referral was denied after they paid for their trip in full and they suddenly had a $200 balance. Viking never advised me that they were doing this, they just did it. At first they refused to even discuss it. The owner of the travel agency I use called them and they would not talk to him about it either. They said it was between Carol and Viking. Funny....every time I need to contact them about my reservation I have to go through my TA, but this time they would not talk to my TA. Then after weeks of going back and forth with them they did finally reinstate my referrals, but did not reinstate the ones that came from CC. They even froze my customer number so I could not make any new referrals for weeks. Now it is unfrozen.

 

I am glad that Viking finally posted here that they are going to revamp the referral program. I hope they figure out what they are doing. I think they could have handled this much better. Also, never got an apology either.

[CPT Trips]

I can't see anything in signatures as I have them turned off as I seldom get value from them and they clutter my screen just like the river cruise line brochures clutter my mailbox. ;)

Edited April 27, 2015 by CPT Trips