Viking River Cruises - payment plan

[denbydilbert]

We wanted to do 2 river cruises in 2019. We paid a deposit in May 2018. They wanted us to pay in full by November 2018, a year from the cruise date.  Is this normal? On regular cruises (Celebrity) we did not have to pay that far out.

Also is Viking insurance worth it?

 

Thanks,

Denbydilbert

[wheezedr]

Viking is notorious for its early payment schedule.  We pushed back and were able to get down to 6 months.  Recently posts suggest they are asking for payment 18 months in advance.  Personally that would drive me away, but if they can get cruisers to comply they will likely keep that approach.

[capriccio]

Welcome to Cruise Critic!  This is frequently discussed on the River Cruise forum:  https://boards.cruisecritic.com/forum/115-river-cruising/.  Here is a recent thread: 

 

[dogs4fun]

39 minutes ago, denbydilbert said:

We wanted to do 2 river cruises in 2019. We paid a deposit in May 2018. They wanted us to pay in full by November 2018, a year from the cruise date.  Is this normal? On regular cruises (Celebrity) we did not have to pay that far out.

Also is Viking insurance worth it?

 

Thanks,

Denbydilbert

There is another recent thread addressing the Viking payment policy here: 

 

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, wheezedr said:

Viking is notorious for its early payment schedule.  We pushed back and were able to get down to 6 months.  Recently posts suggest they are asking for payment 18 months in advance.  Personally that would drive me away, but if they can get cruisers to comply they will likely keep that approach.

 

 

As of November 1, 2018 this option is no longer available. The best you can hope for is 12 months in advance. For Viking, this is not a new policy but a return to an older policy. 

[wheezedr]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

As of November 1, 2018 this option is no longer available. The best you can hope for is 12 months in advance. For Viking, this is not a new policy but a return to an older policy. 

I understand, just another reason to look at an alternate line

[caripoo]

Probably because I read they are putting about 5 new ships in the water.......I love the product, but am not interested in paying in full sometimes 1 and 2 years out.....we are doing Crystal this fall.......No on the insurance.....overpriced, look elsewhere

[philw1776]

I encourage more people to refuse to book Viking because of a hundred bucks or so lost bank interest so that we can book our Viking cruises less than 2 years out.  

[Host Jazzbeau]

Oville reported on an unrelated thread that she booked a Viking Ocean cruise last week and got 6-months final payment.  Anybody else get this recently?  Did Viking react to the pushback?

 

 

[dogs4fun]

5 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Oville reported on an unrelated thread that she booked a Viking Ocean cruise last week and got 6-months final payment.  Anybody else get this recently?  Did Viking react to the pushback?

 

 

Are the payment options different regarding Viking River vs Viking Ocean?

[Peregrina651]

7 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Oville reported on an unrelated thread that she booked a Viking Ocean cruise last week and got 6-months final payment.  Anybody else get this recently?  Did Viking react to the pushback?

 

 

 

If Oville booked on board, then her final payment date was 6 months out. It is one of the benefits given for booking on board. Otherwise, the best you can now negotiate for is 12 months. I do not believe that Viking has reacted to the push back because, regardless of all the complaining here, they are still selling cabins hand over fist--and that is what Viking will be listening to.

[philw1776]

9 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Oville reported on an unrelated thread that she booked a Viking Ocean cruise last week and got 6-months final payment.  Anybody else get this recently?  Did Viking react to the pushback?

 

 

 

Booking onboard the Viking Ocean Sky, as Oville says, has always with Viking given the "benefit" of deferring payment until 6 months before sailing.

NO CHANGE in Viking's new ~November 2018 policy.

Edited January 10, 2019 by philw1776

[kentchris]

The 2020 Viking UK brochure arrived today: final payment for UK customers is still 10 weeks and gratuities are now included.

 

Viking have quietly included gratuities on 2019 sailings as well as 2020. When we booked our July cruise a year ago gratuities weren't included but they're now showing online as included in the 'Promotion' column of the pricing grid for all sailings this year as well as next. It looks like a fairly long term promotion as the UK FAQ now states that onboard gratuities are included.

Edited January 10, 2019 by kentchris

[AllisonJames]

I don't understand why there are such differences between the UK payment time period and the US.  Viking wanted me to pay 18 months in advance and as I result I refused to book.  I want the UK's payment policy! (I also want to move to the UK but that's a whole other story . . . ) Anyone have any insight on why this is -- are there laws in the UK that prohibit payments so far in advance?

[Coral]

3 minutes ago, AllisonJames said:

I don't understand why there are such differences between the UK payment time period and the US.  Viking wanted me to pay 18 months in advance and as I result I refused to book.  I want the UK's payment policy! (I also want to move to the UK but that's a whole other story . . . ) Anyone have any insight on why this is -- are there laws in the UK that prohibit payments so far in advance?

I believe there are more consumer laws in the UK.

[notamermaid]

7 minutes ago, Coral said:

I believe there are more consumer laws in the UK.

That is correct (as regards marketing and offers). And the rest of the European Union has them as well. Payment policies in the UK and Germany are very similar (for river cruising). "Special offers" and "2-for-the-price-of-one deals" have to be just that and there are restrictions as to what you can label as such an offer and how you are allowed to conduct it, i.e. present it to the customer; that also includes the duration of an offer.

 

notamermaid

 

[Coral]

4 minutes ago, notamermaid said:

That is correct (as regards marketing and offers). And the rest of the European Union has them as well. Payment policies in the UK and Germany are very similar (for river cruising). "Special offers" and "2-for-the-price-of-one deals" have to be just that and there are restrictions as to what you can label as such an offer and how you are allowed to conduct it, i.e. present it to the customer; that also includes the duration of an offer.

 

notamermaid

 

Thanks for confirming - I knew laws in Europe were different than here for the (best) interests of the consumers.

[Got2Cruise]

In the latest Viking Ocean catalog I received the other day, they were tauting the new Viking VISA Credit card but no details were given. Anyone know anything details? I know that similar cruise brand CC s offer special perks. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, Got2Cruise said:

In the latest Viking Ocean catalog I received the other day, they were tauting the new Viking VISA Credit card but no details were given. Anyone know anything details? I know that similar cruise brand CC s offer special perks. 

 

I got snookered in to getting NCL and Princess credit cards – what a waste!  The points aren't that great, and you are severely limited in how you can use them.  Better to get a Costco Visa card that gives 3% back on all travel charges – in cash!

[Hoyaheel]

13 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

In the latest Viking Ocean catalog I received the other day, they were tauting the new Viking VISA Credit card but no details were given. Anyone know anything details? I know that similar cruise brand CC s offer special perks. 

 

Google can find anything 😉 https://retailuat4.alldata.net/vikingvisa/pub/apply/ApplyIntro.xhtml

[Peregrina651]

13 hours ago, Got2Cruise said:

In the latest Viking Ocean catalog I received the other day, they were tauting the new Viking VISA Credit card but no details were given. Anyone know anything details? I know that similar cruise brand CC s offer special perks. 

 

The credit card came up on another thread. The terms of the card were discussed.

Viking Visa credit card

 

I just looked for info on the V website and MVJ, and it is well hidden. Hoyaheel was much more successful than I was.

 

From Hoyaheel's link:

 

Note the loophole about ships that Viking does not own. This includes River ships in China, Russia, Ukraine and a few other places.

 

Also note that the "Click Here" link doesn't work.

 

The Viking Visa^® Credit Card account

 

 

Cardmember Benefits

• 3 POINTS for every $1 spent on qualifying Viking purchases*
• 2 POINTS for every $1 spent on gas & grocery purchases**
• 1 POINT for every $1 spent everywhere else Visa is accepted

Earn SHIPBOARD CREDITS***:

• $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT upon your first qualifying Viking purchase within the first 90 days of account opening
• $100 SHIPBOARD CREDIT when you spend $1,000 on qualifying non-Viking purchases within the first 90 days of account opening

---

*The Viking Rewards Program is provided by Viking River Cruises, Inc., and its terms may change at any time. Purchases made on board cruises where Viking does not own the ship, and purchases placed on promotional financing (which is only available at select times) will only qualify for 1 reward point per dollar spent. Rewards are only valid towards new bookings and cannot be used on previously booked trips or to pay remaining balances on currently booked trips. Click or tap here for Full Rewards Terms and Conditions.

**Each merchant is assigned a code by a third party that indicates the merchants area of business. Bonus reward points will only be awarded if the merchant code for the purchase matches a category eligible for the offer. Comenity Capital Bank does not have the ability to control assignment of merchant codes.

***Subject to credit approval. Must use your Viking Visa. Only valid for new cardholders. For both offers, qualifying purchases do not include using your account for Account Assure Pro, balance transfers, cash advances, or using any checks that access your account. Purchases made on board cruises where Viking does not own the ship are considered 'non-Viking' purchases. Shipboard credits (Credits) will be added to your Viking account 30-60 days after the qualifying purchase threshold is met. To use your Credits, you must have a registered My Viking Journey (MVJ) account at MyVikingJourney.com, which is available after a Viking booking is made or call 1-877-668-4546. Credits may be used up to 7 days prior to sailing on optional shore excursions, land extensions and beverage packages through MVJ. Shipboard credits for ships not owned by Viking can only be redeemed through MVJ. After this timeframe, remaining Credits will be transferred to on board spending accounts for on ships owned by Viking only, so that any remaining Credit can be applied to any on board spending, including premium beverages, shore excursions, merchandise, gratuities, and spa (spa service only on ocean cruises). Any Credits remaining 24 months after posting to your Viking account will be forfeited.

 

Edited January 11, 2019 by Peregrina651

[Hoyaheel]

I know I'm venturing off topic but as Host JB already stated....I like the Costco Visa (I need Costco membership anyway) and pretty much prefer cash to any reward points that are linked to specific companies (my husband prefers his CapOne cash back over the Costco version).

 

My needs/wants are too diverse to be tied down to a certain company, and my spending isn't great enough to make it worthwhile to have multiple cards. I know lots of people can make it work, earning & transferring points etc. But while I have a lot of patience for travel/vacation research, I do *not* have the patience for optimizing various credit card reward/point systems 😉 That's a "to each his/her own" sort of thing, of course!

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Hoyaheel said:

I know I'm venturing off topic but as Host JB already stated....I like the Costco Visa (I need Costco membership anyway) and pretty much prefer cash to any reward points that are linked to specific companies (my husband prefers his CapOne cash back over the Costco version).

 

My needs/wants are too diverse to be tied down to a certain company, and my spending isn't great enough to make it worthwhile to have multiple cards. I know lots of people can make it work, earning & transferring points etc. But while I have a lot of patience for travel/vacation research, I do *not* have the patience for optimizing various credit card reward/point systems 😉 That's a "to each his/her own" sort of thing, of course!

 

 

Agreed wholeheartedly!!!  Considering just how much I need to spend to get any sort of worthwhile reward, it just isn't worth it playing the came; the only winners are the credit card companies. I like my CapOne cards and I am sticking with them.

[Got2Cruise]

I have a Costco VISA. But my COSTCO VISA only gives a Costco check to spend in Costco. Or am I getting confused? 

[Hoyaheel]

1 hour ago, Got2Cruise said:

I have a Costco VISA. But my COSTCO VISA only gives a Costco check to spend in Costco. Or am I getting confused? 

I get money back twice from costco - an executive membership rebate that is redeemable at Costco, and a check from my credit card that Costco gives me cash (or, usually, a check I can take to the bank) for....So if you have the credit card and get the check in the Feb statement, you don't have to use it at Costco - they will give you cash or write a bank check for you. I've been doing it for many years, predating Citi Visa back to the Amex days.....