Full Payment and Airfare

[stretchcruz]

Did you ask your TA? I'm so grateful for mine...not only the 15% or more discount but her advice.

[Peregrina651]

Did you ask your TA? I'm so grateful for mine...not only the 15% or more discount but her advice.

 

I am so used to the immediate demand for payment from Viking that I didn't even think to ask but I will next time.

[tubeamps]

One more to add, we booked 6/6/16 for 7/9/17 departure, final payment due 12/31/16.

[Rawmac]

I am confused. According to the 2017 Booking Conditions at the back of the 2017 Viking Ocean Cruises brochure, clause A2.2, you pay 25% with your booking and the remainder at least 10 weeks prior to travelling. This ties up with the timings in the cancellation charges table clause D1. It is not tied to your booking date. Why are you all paying full fare many many months ahead? Or is this a condition for some deal or other? Or is it to alleviate cash flow problems with your TA? I like to have use of my money for as long as possible so I stick to the contractual dates, without any problems over the years.

[stretchcruz]

I only put $1,000 down.

[Peregrina651]

I am confused. According to the 2017 Booking Conditions at the back of the 2017 Viking Ocean Cruises brochure, clause A2.2, you pay 25% with your booking and the remainder at least 10 weeks prior to travelling. This ties up with the timings in the cancellation charges table clause D1. It is not tied to your booking date. Why are you all paying full fare many many months ahead? Or is this a condition for some deal or other? Or is it to alleviate cash flow problems with your TA? I like to have use of my money for as long as possible so I stick to the contractual dates, without any problems over the years.

 

What country do you live in? Some of your confusion may be that Terms and Condition vary from country to country bases on the laws of the country where they are doing business. Also, Viking runs monthly promotions (at least in the US) many of which may have stated due dates that are different from the general Booking Conditions.

Edited June 15, 2016 by Peregrina651

[sitraveler]

It also depends on when you booked. Our 7/1/17 cruise was paid in full by 12/31/2015, the terms then in effect.

[stretchcruz]

OK Jerry...

 

I have some flights on hold. I spoke with my TA and she told me that it was $1,100 for the air from Tucson...$50 extra for custom air, then $100 extra to stay 2 nights in Stockholm. She said we could do the air now...ie pick our flights, tell them what we want...HOWEVER, we would not find out until 45 days out what we got. She said we could request early ticketing but that it depended on Viking Air and who was doing the flights. We also could not get seats until then, obviously, because we wouldn't have flights until then!

 

I found good connections on American on good big airplanes, picked my seats, arrive in BCN at 8:55 AM the morning of the cruise, leave ARN 2 days after the cruise arriving in Tucson at 7:30 PM (I have to work the next day, it would have been cheaper to arrive at 10 PM). My airfare per person is under $1,300. Plus I can use my Capital One points...I have $1,200 to put toward the air. I have 24 hours to ticket it.

 

So I'm spending under $50 pp more to pick my own flights and seats and have control over my airline reservation (ie the airline changes flights I can deal directly with them).

 

You asked me to tell you what we decided, and after weighing our options that's what we're doing. I don't want to stress out over it close to the cruise. Now it'll be done!! And transfers from BCN are only $30 for a cab.in Stockholm we're staying extra so that doesn't even factor in.

 

I bought my own independent travel insurance through insuremytrip as Viking's was so expensive, so if something happens with connections I'm covered.

[Peregrina651]

And transfers from BCN are only $30 for a cab.in Stockholm we're staying extra so that doesn't even factor in.

 

 

Here I go. Stirring up trouble again....

 

Are you sure that you lose the transfers in BCN? We are extending our stay in BCN on the way home and lose those transfers but we arrive in BCN on Day 1 and our TA seemed to indicate that transfer was still in place. Double check that one before you leave (because why pay for a cab if you already have a transfer; Worse comes to worse, when you arrive in BCN, check in with the Viking rep and see if your name is on the list before you go looking for a cab).

 

Once you book your flights, start watching "My Viking Journey" for your flights to appear. As soon as they do and you have an airline booking number (not the Viking booking number), you can manage your own reservation and choose your seats (or at least try to). Maybe Viking will surprise you and assign your flights sooner than you have been told they would. You don't have to wait for Viking to ticket the flight to choose your seats--or at least that is what my experience was.

 

If you haven't signed up for "My Viking Journey," I would suggest you do so immediately. Viking is not good at informing guests of changes but they are good at updating the changes on "My Viking Journey." So check in on a regular basis.

 

And a heads up on those Capital One points. You have to use them against a charge that is equal too or less than the number of points you want to redeem--at least that is how it works when I go to redeems points--and it has to be for a travel expense. You aren't being billed by the airline for your flights; it will be part of your Viking invoice. So, you want a payment to Viking to show up on your CapOne bill in an amount that you will be able to redeem.

Edited June 17, 2016 by Peregrina651

[stretchcruz]

You are misunderstanding me. I am booking my own flights so that I don't have to deal with the uncertainty of Viking flights. Sorry I didn't make that clear. Jerry asked me to tell him what I found and I did. I signed up for the my Viking journey back when we booked. Frankly a lot of times I'll take a cab to the pier (especially for only $30 for the cab) rather than taking a cruise line transfer where I have to sit and wait for a bus full of people to load. We've never done a Viking Ocean cruise but have done 50 other cruises on various lines as well as 3 Avalon river cruises so I'm usually pretty good at transportation and transfers. I was hoping perhaps Viking air was different from my past experiences especially with the custom but ultimately I decided it was best to do it myself.

[stretchcruz]

Also, for my Capital One points, all I have to do is click on redeem points for travel. It then brings up anyour travel related charges, the amount, the points it would take and I just click a button that says redeem. So I'm ok there. But thanks for your advice!

[stretchcruz]

Redeeming Capital One Points:

 

1. Travel Purchase Eraser®

 

To receive a statement credit on travel-related purchases, start by clicking on “Redeem Travel Purchases.” Select any travel-related purchase you’ve made in the last 90 days — this can be anything from flights to taxi rides, as long as it’s coded as “travel.”

 

Enter the amount you want to redeem at $0.01 per mile; you can redeem for an entire travel purchase, or just a portion of one. If you’re doing a partial redemption, you’ll need a minimum of 2,500 miles. Then review your order before confirming.

 

Your statement credit will be applied within 2 to 3 business days after you submit your request.

 

 

So, even though my American Airlines purchase will be a bit less than $1,300 I can use my 120,000 capital one points to erase $1,200 of that purchase. Perhaps the rules have changed since you last did this, but in my research this goes back for at least 2 years maybe more, I'm tired and going to bed!!

[Peregrina651]

You are misunderstanding me. I am booking my own flights so that I don't have to deal with the uncertainty of Viking flights. Sorry I didn't make that clear.

 

Sorry. You are right; I did misunderstand what you finally decided. But, who knows, maybe some of what I said will be of help to someone else who reads this thread.

[Little Rascal]

OK Jerry...

 

I have some flights on hold. I spoke with my TA and she told me that it was $1,100 for the air from Tucson...$50 extra for custom air, then $100 extra to stay 2 nights in Stockholm. She said we could do the air now...ie pick our flights, tell them what we want...HOWEVER, we would not find out until 45 days out what we got. She said we could request early ticketing but that it depended on Viking Air and who was doing the flights. We also could not get seats until then, obviously, because we wouldn't have flights until then!

 

I found good connections on American on good big airplanes, picked my seats, arrive in BCN at 8:55 AM the morning of the cruise, leave ARN 2 days after the cruise arriving in Tucson at 7:30 PM (I have to work the next day, it would have been cheaper to arrive at 10 PM). My airfare per person is under $1,300. Plus I can use my Capital One points...I have $1,200 to put toward the air. I have 24 hours to ticket it.

 

So I'm spending under $50 pp more to pick my own flights and seats and have control over my airline reservation (ie the airline changes flights I can deal directly with them).

 

You asked me to tell you what we decided, and after weighing our options that's what we're doing. I don't want to stress out over it close to the cruise. Now it'll be done!! And transfers from BCN are only $30 for a cab.in Stockholm we're staying extra so that doesn't even factor in.

 

I bought my own independent travel insurance through insuremytrip as Viking's was so expensive, so if something happens with connections I'm covered.

 

I think we will also cancel our Viking air. I don't like waiting till the last min to get seats and not having control over the times and layovers. The cost that Viking is charging us for the premium economy is really high, I think we can do much better for less. We don't have that credit card you have but do have one that gives 2% back so that's another savings for us.

[palermo22]

OK Jerry...

 

I have some flights on hold. I spoke with my TA and she told me that it was $1,100 for the air from Tucson...$50 extra for custom air, then $100 extra to stay 2 nights in Stockholm. She said we could do the air now...ie pick our flights, tell them what we want...HOWEVER, we would not find out until 45 days out what we got. She said we could request early ticketing but that it depended on Viking Air and who was doing the flights. We also could not get seats until then, obviously, because we wouldn't have flights until then!

 

I found good connections on American on good big airplanes, picked my seats, arrive in BCN at 8:55 AM the morning of the cruise, leave ARN 2 days after the cruise arriving in Tucson at 7:30 PM (I have to work the next day, it would have been cheaper to arrive at 10 PM). My airfare per person is under $1,300. Plus I can use my Capital One points...I have $1,200 to put toward the air. I have 24 hours to ticket it.

 

So I'm spending under $50 pp more to pick my own flights and seats and have control over my airline reservation (ie the airline changes flights I can deal directly with them).

 

You asked me to tell you what we decided, and after weighing our options that's what we're doing. I don't want to stress out over it close to the cruise. Now it'll be done!! And transfers from BCN are only $30 for a cab.in Stockholm we're staying extra so that doesn't even factor in.

 

I bought my own independent travel insurance through insuremytrip as Viking's was so expensive, so if something happens with connections I'm covered.

 

Yes, I am going in that direction myself: my tickets are now paid for and our TA has removed the Viking Air. I could easily take American or United from LAX but as an experienced traveler I would rather use a foreign airline; also, we are going by Premium Economy and British Air and/or Virgin Atlantic and/or Air NZ have much better Premium Economy sections. Last month I received our new Chase Sapphire Card which I will have earned close to 100,000 points by the time the bonus and purchases hit my account - I have been informed that those points will be available by mid-July. After I finish with my air reservations I will have a better schedule and less expensive tickets than if I had stayed with Viking Air. If anyone is interested in this credit card for loads of free points - let me know.

[stretchcruz]

Choices from Tucson were basically American and United for the best connections. Wish I had more choices but we'll be fine with what I picked. It's all becoming more real now!