CAUTION! Viking will gouge you!

[JCBAY4]

CAUTION!  If you book with Viking, you will lose money  If you are not 100% certain of your plans, $100 PER PERSON to be specific.  To start with, I had to put down a $1000.00 deposit, pretty steep for a cruise.  When I asked the csa about cancellation, he informed me of a $100 fee.  Possibly he said “per person” but I seriously doubt it as I am meticulous in my planning.  Also, I find their itinerary very restrictive.  To extend a stay pre or post cruise, they gouge you for $100 PP.   these amounts may seem insignificant on a $7,000 vacation but It’s the principle.  I will never book with Viking again.  I will not say they aren’t a nice cruise line but be aware when you book.

[ropomo]

In your meticulous planning, did you find even one other thing that is not priced per person?  Cruises are a per person proposition and the $100 pp cancelation fee is not hidden or even in the mice type.  As for the $100 deviation fee, you had a choice to use Viking air or arrange your own.  I imagine that based on postings on this forum, the Viking Air was significantly less than if you had booked on your own, saving you more than $100 pp.  To deviate from their standard, a charge of $100 pp is really fairly reasonable and common for changes in air arrangements.  Had you arranged your own air, there would be no charge (unless you made a change after booking and would probably face at least a $100pp charge) and I can't really see that Viking is gouging anyone.  There fees are available to view and agents will openly discuss them prior to any commitment.

[Jim Avery]

I have to say, as a business person, Viking's policies make more business sense, especially with all the items they include in the price.  The cruising public has become expectant of the $50 deposit, etc. offered by the Carnival brands.  They surely make it up when you get onboard.  On SeaDream or Viking we are used to 25% deposits.  Paying in full farther out is becoming the norm on most lines.  The point is, make sure you want a particular cruise before you buy it.  We never book far out so are not very impacted by changes in pay date as booking later usually means pay in full at booking for us.  Yes, we take the insurance for unforeseen  happenings.  

[twodjs]

If you are not sure of your availability, just don't book with Viking way ahead. Sure you will lose money if you bail. They don't want people booking cabins they don't intend to use. What about airlines? 100% lost, unless you're flying first class. I'm surprised you didn't mention their pay-in-full policy one year ahead! Actually $7000 is really cheap for a Viking cruise. Just book your own itinerary before and after - we always do. We did use Viking air and it was much cheaper than we could get through the Airline. So maybe not such a bad deal after all. And I don't understand your comment about restrictive itinerary - they don't lock you in your cabin.

[jiminyC_fan]

Due to my husband emergency health problem on Friday I had to cancel a day before our land vacation to Mexico. It was scheduled for yesterday.   I was fully aware when I booked months ago that it would be a per person cancellation fee for the resort and for the airlines if I ever needed to cancel.   I am perfectly happy with the way things panned out for us.  I cannot fault anyone.  (well, I can be mad at my husband, just kidding)  For us, travel insurance will cover all fees that we are charged.  Viking is not alone in a cancellation fee per person.   I don't see it as gouging.

[jasardeax]

10 minutes ago, jiminyC_fan said:

Due to my husband emergency health problem on Friday I had to cancel a day before our land vacation to Mexico. It was scheduled for yesterday.   I was fully aware when I booked months ago that it would be a per person cancellation fee for the resort and for the airlines if I ever needed to cancel.   I am perfectly happy with the way things panned out for us.  I cannot fault anyone.  (well, I can be mad at my husband, just kidding)  For us, travel insurance will cover all fees that we are charged.  Viking is not alone in a cancellation fee per person.   I don't see it as gouging.

Excellent point regarding cancellation fees.

Glad you had travel insurance.

Most importantly, hope your husband makes a full and speedy recovery, and you are both back traveling very soon.

[jiminyC_fan]

Thank you very much jasardeax! 

[Heidi13]

4 hours ago, JCBAY4 said:

CAUTION!  If you book with Viking, you will lose money  If you are not 100% certain of your plans, $100 PER PERSON to be specific.  To start with, I had to put down a $1000.00 deposit, pretty steep for a cruise.  When I asked the csa about cancellation, he informed me of a $100 fee.  Possibly he said “per person” but I seriously doubt it as I am meticulous in my planning.  Also, I find their itinerary very restrictive.  To extend a stay pre or post cruise, they gouge you for $100 PP.   these amounts may seem insignificant on a $7,000 vacation but It’s the principle.  I will never book with Viking again.  I will not say they aren’t a nice cruise line but be aware when you book.

Regardless of whether you are 100% certain of your travel plans, why would you sign a contract with a cruise line that includes cancellation fees, if you didn't fully read and comprehend the provided information.

 

I am also a meticulous planner and even before contacting Viking for a quote on a World Cruise I had researched their terms & conditions, including payment schedule, deposit and cancellation fees/schedule. In addition, while talking with the Viking Agent he covered each point in detail, especially the progressive cancellation charges. If I wasn't comfortable with the terms and conditions, I wouldn't have eventually signed the contract and paid the deposit.

 

Not knowing the cancellation was per person is frankly a stretch. We pay cruise  fares, excursions, etc on a per person basis, so my assumption is cancellation would also be per person. However, when booking our cruise Viking provided the cancellation policy and schedule in two separate places - it is on page 2 of the invoice, immediately after the total fare cost and they also provided an attached Terms & Conditions document. I note that prior to full payment it is clearly stated per person and after final payment is a percentage of full fare.

 

Regarding the custom air and deviation fees. Again, as a meticulous planner, I was fully aware of Viking's Terms & Conditions and costs - nothing was hidden. If I didn't agree to the terms, I was free to receive an airfare credit and book our own airfares at an additional cost of about C$2,000. BTW -  if I made our own air arrangements and cancelled or changed flights, the airline would charge more than $100 pp. 

 

It is most unfortunate that you're not happy with your Viking experience, but if you consider Viking as gouging, suggest you avoid mainstream line mega ships.

 

We quit a mainstream line specifically due to "Nickle & Diming", selecting Viking because they clearly state their policies and terms & conditions, and don't nickle & dime on-board.  

[Jim Avery]

Good points Andy.  The mass marketers have trained a large portion of the cruising population to expect minuscule deposits and flexible payment dates.  Viking is as different from these mass market lines in so many ways, the payment terms are but one area.  In fact I would stretch it to say that the only thing the Carnival brands and Viking have in common is that they both float....... Unless you count the occasional Costa.😳

[Pushka]

Be glad you don’t live in Australia. They keep the complete deposit.  But this is known when you book. Buyer beware. As in all transactions. As any traveller knows. 

[Parsley Cruises]

17 hours ago, JCBAY4 said:

CAUTION!  If you book with Viking, you will lose money  If you are not 100% certain of your plans, $100 PER PERSON to be specific.  To start with, I had to put down a $1000.00 deposit, pretty steep for a cruise.  When I asked the csa about cancellation, he informed me of a $100 fee.  Possibly he said “per person” but I seriously doubt it as I am meticulous in my planning.  Also, I find their itinerary very restrictive.  To extend a stay pre or post cruise, they gouge you for $100 PP.   these amounts may seem insignificant on a $7,000 vacation but It’s the principle.  I will never book with Viking again.  I will not say they aren’t a nice cruise line but be aware when you book.

Grow up and stop whining.  No business is a charity - and you should have read the t&cs before you started paying out money which you possibly can't afford to get the most out of.

 

I certainly wouldn't have paid out money unless I was sure of everything.  So, I have booked (and re booked on future cruises) with VO, and I have absolutely nothing to complain about.  If you can't afford a paltry $100.00 then perhaps cruising isn't for you?

 

Ok, I realise nobody on this planet can be absolutely certain about their future circumstances (especially healthwise), and if you have had to cancel that's never nice.  But it's best to be reserved and circumspect about such situations.  

 

Believe you me, there are some cruise lines which are much worse than the VO policy, you simply have to be thorough before you even start making reservations.  

 

The best thing is to quietly learn from your experience; if one learns from 'life', then nothing is ever 'lost'.

[GUT2407]

You find the itinerary restrictive but still booked??

[JCBAY4]

20 hours ago, ropomo said:

In your meticulous planning, did you find even one other thing that is not priced per person?  Cruises are a per person proposition and the $100 pp cancelation fee is not hidden or even in the mice type.  As for the $100 deviation fee, you had a choice to use Viking air or arrange your own.  I imagine that based on postings on this forum, the Viking Air was significantly less than if you had booked on your own, saving you more than $100 pp.  To deviate from their standard, a charge of $100 pp is really fairly reasonable and common for changes in air arrangements.  Had you arranged your own air, there would be no charge (unless you made a change after booking and would probably face at least a $100pp charge) and I can't really see that Viking is gouging anyone.  There fees are available to view and agents will openly discuss them prior to any commitment.

I have found most cancellation fees to be  a percentage and then, not immediate ( my trip was over 1 year out).

Also, I found air packages as inexpensive as their “promo”  air.  

With HAL, I found I could book, re-schedule air, change excursions all with no charge.  I will stick with them in the future.

[JCBAY4]

21 hours ago, Heidi13 said:

Regardless of whether you are 100% certain of your travel plans, why would you sign a contract with a cruise line that includes cancellation fees, if you didn't fully read and comprehend the provided information.

 

I am also a meticulous planner and even before contacting Viking for a quote on a World Cruise I had researched their terms & conditions, including payment schedule, deposit and cancellation fees/schedule. In addition, while talking with the Viking Agent he covered each point in detail, especially the progressive cancellation charges. If I wasn't comfortable with the terms and conditions, I wouldn't have eventually signed the contract and paid the deposit.

 

Not knowing the cancellation was per person is frankly a stretch. We pay cruise  fares, excursions, etc on a per person basis, so my assumption is cancellation would also be per person. However, when booking our cruise Viking provided the cancellation policy and schedule in two separate places - it is on page 2 of the invoice, immediately after the total fare cost and they also provided an attached Terms & Conditions document. I note that prior to full payment it is clearly stated per person and after final payment is a percentage of full fare.

 

Regarding the custom air and deviation fees. Again, as a meticulous planner, I was fully aware of Viking's Terms & Conditions and costs - nothing was hidden. If I didn't agree to the terms, I was free to receive an airfare credit and book our own airfares at an additional cost of about C$2,000. BTW -  if I made our own air arrangements and cancelled or changed flights, the airline would charge more than $100 pp. 

 

It is most unfortunate that you're not happy with your Viking experience, but if you consider Viking as gouging, suggest you avoid mainstream line mega ships.

 

We quit a mainstream line specifically due to "Nickle & Diming", selecting Viking because they clearly state their policies and terms & conditions, and don't nickle & dime on-board.  

 

[JCBAY4]

I think you missed the part of my post where I mentioned I was almost certain the CSA did not mention the phrase “per person “ when I specifically asked him about the cancellation fee.  Maybe I misheard or he misspoke.  Either way, the transaction left a bad taste in my mouth for Viking.  Had I understood a 20% forfeiture of my deposit would occur for a cruise more than 12 months out,  I would have waited.

I have found HAL to be upfront, flexible and excellent to deal with re: dates, changing flights, excursions, etc.  so I will just stay with them.  Lesson learned.

Edited January 7, 2019 by JCBAY4

[Wendy The Wanderer]

On 1/6/2019 at 10:45 AM, JCBAY4 said:

CAUTION!  If you book with Viking, you will lose money  If you are not 100% certain of your plans, $100 PER PERSON to be specific.  To start with, I had to put down a $1000.00 deposit, pretty steep for a cruise.  When I asked the csa about cancellation, he informed me of a $100 fee.  Possibly he said “per person” but I seriously doubt it as I am meticulous in my planning.  Also, I find their itinerary very restrictive.  To extend a stay pre or post cruise, they gouge you for $100 PP.   these amounts may seem insignificant on a $7,000 vacation but It’s the principle.  I will never book with Viking again.  I will not say they aren’t a nice cruise line but be aware when you book.

 

These fees are completely common in the premium/luxury market.  $100 is actually low for a cancellation fee.  And the deviation fee is dead common too, and lower than some.  There is no principle.

[MarkTapley]

1 hour ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

 There is no principle.

 

Except, of course, the basic principle of “caveat emptor.”

[JCBAY4]

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

 

These fees are completely common in the premium/luxury market.  $100 is actually low for a cancellation fee.  And the deviation fee is dead common too, and lower than some.  There is no principle.

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/booked-guests/before-you-board/payment-cancellation

 

[JCBAY4]

On 1/6/2019 at 3:59 PM, Jim Avery said:

Good points Andy.  The mass marketers have trained a large portion of the cruising population to expect minuscule deposits and flexible payment dates.  Viking is as different from these mass market lines in so many ways, the payment terms are but one area.  In fact I would stretch it to say that the only thing the Carnival brands and Viking have in common is that they both float....... Unless you count the occasional Costa.😳

https://www.azamaraclubcruises.com/booked-guests/before-you-board/payment-cancellation

[Jim Avery]

JCBAY4, not sure I get the point of your link to Azamara.  

[Donray]

https://www.vikingcruises.com/terms-conditions/index.html

 

So Viking terms and conditions are straight forward.  $100 per person.  You need to read. 

[Pushka]

2 hours ago, Jim Avery said:

JCBAY4, not sure I get the point of your link to Azamara.  

 

Just an example of other cruise lines cancellation policies I think. 

[vslparis]

Actually Azamara has a before the final payment cancellation fee also; think it is around $50 per person.  Many of the main stream cruise lines are going to non refundable deposits for a slightly lower cruise fare and On Board credit  ; changing the ship and sail date incurs a $100 pp fee.  With Viking generally if you have a new sail date you can re- book ( not cancel )  within the same reservation number without a fee.