Is it normal for Viking Ocean to require full payment 14 months before a cruise?

[Heidi13]

I actually did negotiate the final payment but that is hardly the point. Only a tiny fraction of Viking cruisers are here on CC and thus are probably not aware of this option.

Viking thus gets away with this “unique” practice probably 90% of the time. You and I may not be able to do much with that money in a year but Viking certainly can with that massive amount they collect from all their customers 14 months before they actually deliver the service that people paid for.

 

If you don't agree with Viking's business practices, it is time to move on, as other Lines will be happy to accept your money. Personally, the small ships with lack of nickle & diming, no casino, and focus on culture are our preferences, earlier payment is a very minor issue and as others have mentioned may help enhance the services provided.

 

As a long term customer and also deck officer for Princess, we finally got fed up with the deterioration in standards and customer service. We will never again be on a Princess ship, but I find no need to visit the Princess boards. We have moved on.

[zitsky]

For my two river cruises, I paid when Viking wanted it. For my ocean cruise, I negotiated final payment at 6 months before the cruise. I'm happy with it. I think it's wrong to tell people not to complain, or go somewhere else. These conversations are useful and will help people down the road.

[CILCIANRQTS]

It seems that you, and many others, view this as a negative thing. My perspective is that I am losing little in the way of interest on that money, and Viking has indeed been able to utilize the funds to expand their river line and rapidly build this fleet of ocean vessels that I enjoy so much.

 

Since inevitable issues of aging make it unlikely that I can wait 20 years for a more modest rate of expansion, then I have no objection to paying in full early. I look forward to the the new itineraries that will be available as the fleet expands, and hope to find several new areas to explore.

 

 

 

So you’d be OK if the next time you buy a house, they insist on payment 2 years before you move in?

Or the next time you buy a car, they require full payment one year before you take possession of the car?

This, like most other issues on these boards, is not an “I’m right, the rest of you are wrong” situation.

We all look to gain insight and perspective from civil, balanced discussions.

 

 

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[Focused1]

So you’d be OK if the next time you buy a house, they insist on payment 2 years before you move in?

Or the next time you buy a car, they require full payment one year before you take possession of the car?

This, like most other issues on these boards, is not an “I’m right, the rest of you are wrong” situation.

We all look to gain insight and perspective from civil, balanced discussions.

 

 

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Totally agree. Why in the world would anyone want to pay 100% of their cruise so far out from sailing. Travel agents think this is a ridiculous policy and advocate for their clients to push back on it. There is no legitimate reason to require a full payment unless perhaps (like Silversea) there is a significant discount off of the price. Suggesting someone “move on” if they don’t like the policy is not what cruise critic is ( or should be) all about— civil discourse.

[lackcreativity]

So you’d be OK if the next time you buy a house, they insist on payment 2 years before you move in?

Or the next time you buy a car, they require full payment one year before you take possession of the car?

This, like most other issues on these boards, is not an “I’m right, the rest of you are wrong” situation.

We all look to gain insight and perspective from civil, balanced discussions.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I hope you are not implying that I was uncivil, or even that I suggested that the majority opinion on this issue was wrong and mine was right. My post was simply my expression of my willingness to accept the established Viking payment policy, and my explanation for why.

[GrandmaHofmann]

Look, it's only money! Ok, be nit picky- it's 70 days. I always get the invoice for whichever cruiseline, (now heading for cruise #31ish, I've lost count), and put the invoice due date into my schedule, and it gets paid before the date I've put in to the schedule. It's no biggy; if someone is going to be all stressed about making a final payment, maybe they should consider if spending on a holiday is the right thing for them?

 

However, some cruise lines even if booked etc in the UK do ask for payment about 100 days prior. I will say though, that I simply don't have time to mess around with clauses and sub-clauses. I book, I pay - simples; I do get a bit picky about accommodation, and also have my preferred airlines and aircraft seats - but payment just happens.

 

I don't really care what they do in the UK as I am not in the UK. But it is not a matter of stressing over the payment. It's a matter of them holding over $15,000 for 14 months that could have been invested in stock that pays 5% a year. We canceled. The Amazon ports are not exactly Paris and we've been to all the Caribbean ports multiple times. Going to Israel instead.

[Azulann]

I don't really care what they do in the UK as I am not in the UK. But it is not a matter of stressing over the payment. It's a matter of them holding over $15,000 for 14 months that could have been invested in stock that pays 5% a year. We canceled. The Amazon ports are not exactly Paris and we've been to all the Caribbean ports multiple times. Going to Israel instead.

 

Hope your stock continues to provide 5% return this year. :)

Enjoy Israel.

My sister is in Isael right now. When she get home we will book a Viking Cruise for either 2019 or 2020 and make final payment 6 months before sailing. I have no problem with Viking business model.

[Paulchili]

Thank you to those that also see my point of the issue and don't tell me to "love it or leave".

If you re-read my post #10, you will see that my objection is not only to their required (unless challenged) full payment 12 - 14 months in advance but also their refund policy. Without repeating the entire post, they held over $10,000 in refund for over 6 weeks and finally issued the credit after multiple inquiries by both my TA and myself. This policy maybe OK to some but it is not OK with me. My TA even offered to pay the interest charge as I obviously did not pay that charge while waiting for credit to post.The other, smaller refund, may have been held even longer if I had not inquired.

Ultimately it will not be this policy that will decide whether I will cruise with Viking ocean again or not. It will be my total experience during my Viking cruise next May as compared to our 30 cruises on Oceania; and if I do cruise with them again I will insist on final payment about 6 months in advance and actively pursue any credit I may be owed.

Lessons learned.

Edited June 27, 2018 by Paulchili

[CILCIANRQTS]

I hope you are not implying that I was uncivil, or even that I suggested that the majority opinion on this issue was wrong and mine was right. My post was simply my expression of my willingness to accept the established Viking payment policy, and my explanation for why.

 

 

 

Touché.

As the kids (and Rastafarians) say, “no worries”.

 

 

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[zitsky]

People, learn to negotiate.

[Host Jazzbeau]

People, learn to negotiate.

 

It's really not hard to get Viking to allow final payment 6 months out, but since that is still earlier than most other cruise lines it seems to stick in the craw. I know it did for me early on, and still seems like a unique disadvantage for Viking River cruises. But Viking Ocean offers a more unique set of advantages that led me to give it a try. We'll see in August whether the proof of this pudding is in the eating, or just in the 'food porn' pictures... :D

[Parsley Cruises]

Good luck and bon voyage. We're simply hoping for quiet smooth running meals, nothing fancy, just high quality ingredients superbly cooked and not covered in sauces.

We don't want butlers, we don't want casino etc., and we don't want formals.

If we can get the food bit sorted, we'll probably be content. Have a great time, not long to go now.

[sammiedawg]

I take great offense when a business delays or obfuscates a refund due me. Viking also holds back a portion of payment for cancelations, even though payment in full is required so early.

Early booking on Viking- no thanks. While Viking offers a nice product, I’m not smitten by anything we’ve seen. Our Viking experiences have been booked close to sailing date. Too many things happen in life.

[Jim Avery]

I take great offense when a business delays or obfuscates a refund due me. Viking also holds back a portion of payment for cancelations, even though payment in full is required so early.

Early booking on Viking- no thanks. While Viking offers a nice product, I’m not smitten by anything we’ve seen. Our Viking experiences have been booked close to sailing date. Too many things happen in life.

We are much the same. We only booked the recent Viking Sun World Cruise 6 months prior to departure. Of course full payment was due at that time. As far as business delays of refund, our experience was that we left the WC with a $2,850.00 refund due on our onboard account. Guest Services on board assured us that "one week after disembarkation" Viking would issue a check. One month later I called Viking. Received much apology and assurances and, lo and behold, within a week a check appears in our mail. Just coincidence that others have similar occurrences?? I really enjoy Viking and am happy they are booking so well as I think this is shaking up the upper levels of the cruise industry but the rising costs and ever longer payment dates are not for us. Who knows what you will want/need in 14 months?

[Host Jazzbeau]

...the rising costs and ever longer payment dates are not for us. Who knows what you will want/need in 14 months?

 

At least we haven't gotten to the stage where it's too risky to buy green bananas... ;)

[zitsky]

At least we haven't gotten to the stage where it's too risky to buy green bananas... ;)

 

I am not sure what this means....

[Homosassa]

I am not sure what this means....

 

She is replying to the post about not knowing what we will need in 14 months and my post early on in this thread where I stated that we did book a cruise for 2019 in spite of our age as we are not at the point where we won't buy green bananas.

 

The green bananas refers to being so old that one won't buy green bananas because one may not live to eat them when they are ripe.

[GrandmaHofmann]

I actually did negotiate the final payment but that is hardly the point. Only a tiny fraction of Viking cruisers are here on CC and thus are probably not aware of this option.

Viking thus gets away with this “unique” practice probably 90% of the time. You and I may not be able to do much with that money in a year but Viking certainly can with that massive amount they collect from all their customers 14 months before they actually deliver the service that people paid for.

 

Actually, I can buy many stocks that pay 5% and keep it for a year or 9 months or whatever and make SOME money. Some money is better than no money. And you are right, Viking rakes it in and uses our money to make more money for themselves. I canceled our cruise. I won't let them do that with my money.

[GrandmaHofmann]

Hope your stock continues to provide 5% return this year. :)

Enjoy Israel.

My sister is in Isael right now. When she get home we will book a Viking Cruise for either 2019 or 2020 and make final payment 6 months before sailing. I have no problem with Viking business model.

 

Well, it has paid 5% for over ten years now, so.... I have a lot of stocks that pay 4 or 5%. There are many reliable, blue chip stocks that do so. You are not dependent on CD rates.

[timesurfer7]

Hi there. New to viking cruises and so enjoying reading all of your posts. We are not due for our cruise until June 2020. When I was told by my TA that final payment was due Dec. 2018 I said Oh thats strange compared to other cruise lines. So she called Viking and they said "when would you like to make your final payment?" So I said Dec. 2019 and voila that is when it is. I think you can always ask when something does not seen right or something bothers you. They can either say no or do as you ask.

Edited September 1, 2018 by timesurfer7
spelling

[zitsky]

Hi there. New to viking cruises and so enjoying reading all of your posts. We are not due for our cruise until June 2020. When I was told by my TA that final payment was due Dec. 2018 I said Oh thats strange compared to other cruise lines. So she called Viking and they said "when would you like to make your final payment?" So I said Dec. 2019 and voila that is when it is. I think you can always ask when something does not seen right or something bothers you. They can either say no or do as you ask.

 

Great point. Good advice. Some things can be negotiated. Many of us are paying final deposit six months before.

[mittenscat23]

On June 2 booked 10/18/18 Viking Star sailing over phone with Viking rep. Expected to be asked for final payment immediately but he only wanted $1,000 deposit with balance not due until 7/20. Best, most courteous and knowledgeable phone rep I've ever dealt with.

This was my experience as well. Deposit and then full payment 6 months before cruise. I booked directly with Viking and had an excellent rep also. I used e mail as my primary means of communication with Viking.

[mrmallon]

We had a deposit on a cruise with Viking which we are going to take a loss and back out of the cruise because of their new policy of requiring Payment In Full  one year before the cruise date.  All other cruise lines have a six month prior to cruise payment policy, I can live with that.  But one year in advance is absurd. We are a group of 10 people and we are all pulling out. Vikings loss, not ours in the long run. They don't offer you anything great for the full payment a year in advance. My money is better off invested in something else rather that Viking making all the profits with my money.

[Heidi13]

4 minutes ago, mrmallon said:

We had a deposit on a cruise with Viking which we are going to take a loss and back out of the cruise because of their new policy of requiring Payment In Full  one year before the cruise date.  All other cruise lines have a six month prior to cruise payment policy, I can live with that.  But one year in advance is absurd. We are a group of 10 people and we are all pulling out. Vikings loss, not ours in the long run. They don't offer you anything great for the full payment a year in advance. My money is better off invested in something else rather that Viking making all the profits with my money.

No cruise line provides a product & service that meets all our needs and Viking is no different. Many of us on this Board may not like the payment policy, but focus on other positives. We tend to focus on the vastly superior Viking onboard experience, as compared to some other cruise lines.

 

BTW - your statement that all other cruise lines have 6 month final payment dates is incorrect. Most Mainstream Mega ship lines are 3 months and the premium/luxury lines have various policies, some of which vary based on the length of the cruise. When I researched them I recall reading 3 months, 4 months & 6 months.

 

With many 2020 cruises and a few 2021 cruises already sold out, I doubt Viking will be hurting, as you invest your money.

 

Every time we book flights, when they open, we pay in full upon booking, so Viking is no different. You also have the option of waiting to book at a time you are willing to pay. Unfortunately, the risks are the cruise may be fully booked and/or the fare has increased.

[Jim Avery]

I’m with Andy. I don’t really understand this thread as I have never had to pay in full 14 months out. Nor 12 months out. Nor would I. Lots of choices out there.