Viking Homelands 15 Days

[tryon_2000]

My wife and I are seasoned cruisers. After seeing Viking's latest add "2 for 1" special I decided to contact them to explore several itineraries in 2018. The 15 day Viking Homelands trip looked attractive and I requested a quote. I was a little shocked to discover that one Junior Suite and business class airfare for two will run almost $32,000 They advertise that all dining, excursion(s) and beer/ wine at dinner are included. My question is this ..... is it worth committing $32K US to a cruise for 15 days and you haven't even left the dock???

 

I would appreciate the opinion of those who have sailed with Viking Ocean.

[garycarla]

Wow - that is nuts. (at least in my book).

 

I assume you asked for the price of the biz fare - which could be very high. I also assume you looked at the online price. Does it match up with what they are advertising?

[Peregrina651]

Looking online, the price of the Penthouse Jr. Suites is in $10-11,000 pp range. And, if I am reading this correctly, it will cost you another $3000 on top of the airfare for Business class. So, that takes you to close to $15,000 per person--and perhaps more depending on where you are flying from.

 

Keep in mind that the least expensive cabin on the ship is $6200, so that most couples will be paying $15,000 or more for the cruise--and over $20,000 if they are flying business class.

 

 

If you think that $32,000 is a lot for a cruise, then you should compare it to what other cruise lines are offering for similar Baltic Capital cruises. If you can't find one that matches in length, do the math and compare them on a price per day basis. Then compare all the freebies offered by each cruise line. After that, you can decide whether or not a Penthouse Suite on a Viking ship is worth $32,000 to you. If the answer is no, you can either choose a cheaper cabin on Viking, a cheaper cruise on Viking (in another geographic region) or another cruise line.

 

Finally, the Viking 2 for 1 is a standing offer. So don't feel like you have to rush to book this cruise by Jan 31. The air fare offers will change from offer period to offer period but the 2-for1 will still be there.

 

Hope this helps.

[Emptynesters38]

My wife and I are booked on the Homelands Cruise for September 2, 2017 . We did a 7 day Mediterranean Getaway on the Viking Star in January of 2016 and loved it. I am not sure how you arrive at a price of $32,000 for a Junior Suite with business air as the per person Junior Suite on 2017 cruises is about $11,000.00 and they were offering $2,000 a person for business air as a special and even without that business air should be less that you have budgeted. As to whether or not it is worth it, that is a personal decision but to my wife and I, the answer is yes. I am in a Penthouse Veranda and arranged for my own business class flights so out costs is less than yours. If you decide to go, I hope that you enjoy it. I must add that I find it offensive that Viking always lists a false price and offers a 2 for 1 “deal”. That is based upon over 5 years of receiving their promotional material. They are a better company than that and should not resort to this misleading practice.

[CharTrav]

We did the VH last Summer which we booked before the keel was laid on the Star: Penthouse Verandah (PV2), flying Economy class upgrading ourselves to EconomyPlus, pre and post cruise extensions, TripMate travel insurance, and finally many of the optional excursions including the Ultimate St Petersburg. Total cost not counting what hubby spent onboard (I take care of expenses until the first travel day) ~$26K. We found the PV cabin quite comfortable. Agree that EconomyPlus is not the same as Business but it's acceptable; Business is definitely not a necessity. We can afford doing this every other year. Also booked direct with Viking.

 

 

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Edited January 25, 2017 by CharTrav

[oakridger]

Many of the cruise lines constantly advertise 2 for 1 rates or "brochure" rate versus the actual rate. I have learned to just ignore this ridiculous marketing scheme and just look at the bottom line of what the cruise costs, then I can decide if it's a reasonable price for me. Enjoy whatever you decide to do!

[Peregrina651]

Many of the cruise lines constantly advertise 2 for 1 rates or "brochure" rate versus the actual rate. I have learned to just ignore this ridiculous marketing scheme and just look at the bottom line of what the cruise costs, then I can decide if it's a reasonable price for me. Enjoy whatever you decide to do!

 

Agreed, oakridger. I've been on travel agency mailing lists for a long time now and sadly, "2 for 1" marketing abounds and like you, I just ignore it. I don't need to feel I am getting a deal when I shop. Regardless of the price, I want good value for the price I am paying. I will more look at what other companies are charging for the same product than I will to see if the company is giving me a good discount their price. It is the bottom line that counts and not the percentage savings.

[mhb1757]

Only you know what your travel budget is and whether it is "worth" the price. If you want the Viking experience in the Baltics but don't like the $32k price tag you could cut it by 30-40% by picking a lower end cabin and flying economy. If the higher end cabin and business air are vital well then it costs more.

 

After deciding what itinerary we wanted we looked at all the cruise lines that offered a similar one. While Vikings price initially looked like almost twice what some others were charging, when we added up what it would cost for the cabin we wanted plus what we would spend on excursions on both lines, spa access, drinks, etc. the costs were actually quite similar and we opted for Viking. But others might have different priorities that would lead them to a different choice.

 

I would suggest you might want to talk with a good TA. For one thing they will offer a substantial discount (usually around 15% of the cruise price- the air portion isn't usually discounted) They will also be able to take your priorities (itinerary,budget, cabin type, air needs, extras that you want included etc.) and help match those with the cruise line/s that might be the best fit for you.

[Peregrina651]

 

I would suggest you might want to talk with a good TA. For one thing they will offer a substantial discount (usually around 15% of the cruise price- the air portion isn't usually discounted) They will also be able to take your priorities (itinerary,budget, cabin type, air needs, extras that you want included etc.) and help match those with the cruise line/s that might be the best fit for you.

 

Some good TAs offer a discount and others don't.

[NewLondonNed]

You likely will be able to book better price on first or business class air than the VK price

 

 

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