Final payment a year in advance of the trip

[Marykatesmom]

The 6 months out final payment option for booking on board is a nice incentive.  Maybe increases in those will offset any losses in bookings.

[irishwitchy]

I booked on Friday and expected to pay a year in advanced, which I think is crazy, but whatever.  However,  my TA  told me I need to pay a 15 months in advanced now, but she was working to change that.  Did Viking change the rules again?  I'm used to Regent, but we have friends that like Viking and we wanted to check them out.

[Little Monty]

Is your cruise covered by’special offers’ (drinks package, included gratuities, free flights etc)?

 

 If yes -the fine print probably calls for earlier payment,

 

if not, tell the TA to ask again and ask why. 

 

Either way 15 months is ridiculous 🤪

[irishwitchy]

She is following up with them.   No special packages that I'm aware of.  I will let everyone know what happens.  

[terrydtx]

8 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

I booked on Friday and expected to pay a year in advanced, which I think is crazy, but whatever.  However,  my TA  told me I need to pay a 15 months in advanced now, but she was working to change that.  Did Viking change the rules again?  I'm used to Regent, but we have friends that like Viking and we wanted to check them out.

Congratulations you are now an unwilling participant in the financing of future Viking Cruise Ships, LOL.

 

We booked our 2020 cruise in early September 2018 with final payment due only  6 months out, this new policy went into effect I believe in October.  I agree 15 months is ridiculous, but apparently this new policy is not having any noticeable effect on bookings.

[Pushka]

16 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

Congratulations you are now an unwilling participant in the financing of future Viking Cruise Ships, LOL.

 

We booked our 2020 cruise in early September 2018 with final payment due only  6 months out, this new policy went into effect I believe in October.  I agree 15 months is ridiculous, but apparently this new policy is not having any noticeable effect on bookings.

 

Maybe people have’t realised just yet. Existing bookings will probably cover the next 18 months anyway so too soon to tell yet. And it only impacts on US bookings anyway. 

[TayanaLorna]

9 hours ago, irishwitchy said:

I booked on Friday and expected to pay a year in advanced, which I think is crazy, but whatever.  However,  my TA  told me I need to pay a 15 months in advanced now, but she was working to change that.  Did Viking change the rules again?  I'm used to Regent, but we have friends that like Viking and we wanted to check them out.

In mid November we booked a 2020 cruise.  Payment rule per contract was to be in full by 12-31-18, however, the Viking agent was able to change the full payment date to exactly one year prior.  Hearing about the new payment rule in advance, I was going to delay booking the cruise to six months out.  Then I saw a $500 price INCREASE for some of the dates but fortunately not for our desired date.  So I booked.  As it turned out I still did not get a portside cabin on my desired floor because they were sold out already.  Our itinerary is a new one for December 2019-February 2020.  I would think the older Ocean itineraries like The Baltics, Midnight Sun or Mediterranean could be booked later if one does not want to pay so far in advance but not the new ones.

[tubeamps]

5 hours ago, Pushka said:

 

Maybe people have’t realised just yet. Existing bookings will probably cover the next 18 months anyway so too soon to tell yet. And it only impacts on US bookings anyway. 

 

I agree, I don’t think the new policy has impacted bookings, so far. I also expect considerable impact on future bookings. The new payment timeline simply doesn’t fit with most peoples expectations.

 

My VO cruise departs in April and we had final payment due at the 6 month mark.

The new timeline will impact my future booking plans as it will many others.

[terrydtx]

48 minutes ago, tubeamps said:

My VO cruise departs in April and we had final payment due at the 6 month mark.

The new timeline will impact my future booking plans as it will many others.

It will definitely effect my future bookings, no way I want them to have $12-15K of my money interest free. My first VO cruise may be my last! I thought 6 months was a little too long for our booked 2020 cruise, but I can live with that.

[Peregrina651]

23 minutes ago, terrydtx said:

It will definitely effect my future bookings, no way I want them to have $12-15K of my money interest free. My first VO cruise may be my last! I thought 6 months was a little too long for our booked 2020 cruise, but I can live with that.

 

If you are luck enough to have that $15k in a bank account that pays 1% per year in interest (and most of get much less than that from our banks), you are talking about $150 of lost interest--the cost of one shorex for the two of us--on one less mocha frappuchino a week for a year.  So, I'm not going to cry about them having my money for a year if I'm am getting a vacation that I really want to take in my choice of cabin and on the dates I want to sail.

 

This is not to say that I like the policy or that I think that Viking should stay with this policy; only saying that it isn't going to change my mind about sailing with them because overall I like the product.

[Dauntless]

9 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

If you are luck enough to have that $15k in a bank account that pays 1% per year in interest (and most of get much less than that from our banks), you are talking about $150 of lost interest--the cost of one shorex for the two of us--on one less mocha frappuchino a week for a year.  So, I'm not going to cry about them having my money for a year if I'm am getting a vacation that I really want to take in my choice of cabin and on the dates I want to sail.

 

This is not to say that I like the policy or that I think that Viking should stay with this policy; only saying that it isn't going to change my mind about sailing with them because overall I like the product.

 

Thanks for saying what I was thinking.  Now I'm far from what you would call a regular cruiser   I'm 70 and I've done 2 but all within the last 2 years.  I'm not flush enough that I do not consider this a lot of money.  I can't juggle several cruises planned at the same time, so I don'r have lots of money tied up in deposits or earmarked to go out of my account at a certain time.  I travel in a V cabin and I fly coach.  If I choose to take a cruise at this level it is a big decision.  I need to travel in the V cabin and if you are going to get those, you have to book early.  It goes with the territory.  When I make the commitment to a cruise, I already know I have the money to pay for the cruise part at that time.  So, if they want it now, 6-10-24 months from now, I know it will come out of my account and it is not money I am going to be able to spend so that's of little concern, since I know it is going to eventually happen.  As you state, in the grand plan, this interest money is so little it's hardly worth so much discussion.  The final payment has floated since the line started and will probably continue to due so with more cabins on more ships.  When that happens, if the inventory isn't performing to justify their position, I'm sure things will be adjusted.  It's all supply and demand.   

[philw1776]

Who here drops a cruise they're otherwise interested in choosing over $150?  Twice that or 3 times that?  Apparently some do! 

Edited January 7, 2019 by philw1776

[MarkTapley]

Peregrina651 and Dauntless, very well said!

 

We (thankfully) live in a free-market, global economy where we are able to pick and choose where we spend our hard-earned dollars, pounds, Euros, etc.  For me, Viking is still a good choice.  For others, not so good.  Like all well-run companies, Viking adjusts their marketing and financial decisions to meet their long- and short-term goals.  They undoubtedly will adjust many things going forward.

[cayman09]

Well said, and I voiced my opinion to them and chose not to sail with them. I just booked Oceania and will NOT have final payment until 90 days prior to sailing. To each, their own.

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

If you are luck enough to have that $15k in a bank account that pays 1% per year in interest (and most of get much less than that from our banks), you are talking about $150 of lost interest--the cost of one shorex for the two of us--on one less mocha frappuchino a week for a year.  So, I'm not going to cry about them having my money for a year if I'm am getting a vacation that I really want to take in my choice of cabin and on the dates I want to sail.

 

This is not to say that I like the policy or that I think that Viking should stay with this policy; only saying that it isn't going to change my mind about sailing with them because overall I like the product.

 

In Australia we have a bank account that is called an Offset account. It is an account that sits next to a mortgage account. Any money in the offset account is deducted from the principal amount of the mortgage. Having upwards of $15-25 k in that account for over a year is significantly more dollars in your hands than usual interest rate accounts. Over a year it’s upwards of $1000. It’s where we park our spare cash. Now, even if we didn’t have such an account I can’t justify a company having that much money of ours in their bank account for something we wouldn’t experience for another 12 months out. So while I understand the product is fabulous, there are other fabulous cruise lines out there, and if this policy came to Australia then it would impact on my future cruises. 

Edited January 7, 2019 by Pushka

[irishwitchy]

I heard back from my TA today and my 15 month date from cruise was an oops and has been modified to a year.  I feel better now.  Mind you someone managed to add a unwanted E to the middle of name, so I know need to get that fixed.  Nothing is ever simple!  I can also see the times for each port,  I still would like to see that added someplace before I book the cruise.   

[just_dont]

Doesn't Viking allow you to tentatively "book" a cruise and hold it without a deposit for 24 hours, such that they will email you the booking information, including port schedules, etc.?
I believe they did that for a friend of ours who was considering a cruise, but ended up deciding to not pay the deposit, and the booking just expired.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

[Jim Avery]

10 hours ago, just_dont said:

Doesn't Viking allow you to tentatively "book" a cruise and hold it without a deposit for 24 hours, such that they will email you the booking information, including port schedules, etc.?
I believe they did that for a friend of ours who was considering a cruise, but ended up deciding to not pay the deposit, and the booking just expired.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

You can get a booking from your Viking rep which has all the details you mention.  It expires if not deposited in one week.  

[Heidi13]

11 hours ago, just_dont said:

Doesn't Viking allow you to tentatively "book" a cruise and hold it without a deposit for 24 hours, such that they will email you the booking information, including port schedules, etc.?
I believe they did that for a friend of ours who was considering a cruise, but ended up deciding to not pay the deposit, and the booking just expired.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk
 

Affirmative, I still have a copy of our tentative booking. I called on May 8th and received a tentative booking where the status is listed as "Option". This offer, including the cabin was held until May 31st. The tentative booking invoice included the itinerary, port times, payment schedule and cancellation costs.

[rjsretired]

On 12/12/2018 at 9:00 PM, bwc318 said:

I am annoyed that Viking is requiring final payment one year before your cruise.  How can they get away with that?  I guess if people pay it, they will continue to do it. 

I booked a Viking Cruise for October 2020 a long time ago.  I just looked at the invoice and they want final payment by June 2019.  That is a year and a half in advance.  I am thinking of cancelling this cruise because of this.  I have gone on many cruise lines and none have asked for final payment that far in advance.

[albertamom]

This is so strange.  I booked our first Viking Ocean cruise a month ago, directly with Viking, and just went back to check my invoice for my final payment date.  The cruise is Jan. 31/20, and final payment is due June 30/19, so 7 months ahead of time.  Is this because I am in Canada, or because it is my first cruise with them?  Very curious.

[alwaysonaship]

I totally agree with the OP. When I found that out I said forget it. It has been a year and I still cannot get off their mailing list.

Edited March 23, 2019 by alwaysonaship

[rjsretired]

On 12/12/2018 at 9:00 PM, bwc318 said:

I am annoyed that Viking is requiring final payment one year before your cruise.  How can they get away with that?  I guess if people pay it, they will continue to do it. 

I booked a Viking Cruise for October 2020 a long time ago.  I just looked at the invoice and they want final payment by June 2019.  That is a year and a half in advance.  I am thinking of cancelling this cruise because of this.  I have gone on many cruise lines and none have asked for final payment that far in advance.

[alwaysonaship]

We have two coming up.. Crystal has now gone 120 days, and seabourn is 90.   I will not pay anyone money that far in advance. 

[tvmovielover]

Starting in 2007 with the first of 4 Viking River cruises, we paid about 4 months in advance because that is when we booked it.  Our next in 2010 was paid about 6 months in advance so we refused to pay longer than that in advance for the other 2 river cruises and for our two ocean cruises.  We booked our Dec 2019 on board last summer so still will only pay 6 months ahead for this one.  However we just finished a land tour in India that included a luxury train trip that we had to book and pay for more than a year in advance.  It was expensive but in the whole scheme of things not our life savings and a bucket list trip.  That said, I do not want to book any trip that far ahead again and pay so far ahead because things can change in unexpected ways in that time whether we are younger or older (and now we are older).  I am disappointed in this Viking policy change.  The upside is that we may no longer have to read on these boards that someone who did not know to ask paid a year or more in advance while others paid much closer to the sail date.