Cruise price Drop with Viking Anniversary Sale

[CCWineLover]

1 hour ago, Steve Q said:

Squawkman,

 

No, it was included in our travel agent’s weekly newsletter. They are substantial sellers of Viking ocean cruises. They often have offers that I have not seen elsewhere. It is funny as they do not often recommend Viking River cruises, as they seem to prefer other lines. In 2018, however, we asked about a different cruise line and they recommended Viking instead. We are sold. Their comment to me was that they almost never had someone come back from a Viking cruise that was dissatisfied.

Steve Q -

Same with us.  The 12 offers were included in OUR travel agent's weekly newsletter, and they also are substantial sellers of VOC's and have offers not seen elsewhere.  From what you say above I would think we likely have the same TA.

[sleepybobo]

I booked my May 2021 Alaska sailing while onboard this spring. I called Viking to ask about the anniversary sale out of curiosity. The discount is $250 pp for V1 category. If I cancel and rebook, I would lose the onboard discount. So it isn’t worth the effort for me to cancel and rebook now. I have to say I was not impressed by the snarky tone from the Viking agent over the phone once he learnt that I have a booking and was just calling to inquire about the anniversary sale. 

 

I guess I’ll monitor pricing on Viking website more closely. As the economic news are getting crazier and gloomier, who knows if Viking will cut pricing due to lower than expected demand?

[Homerody]

Oh well,  I am actively considering cancelling and going with another cruise line.  I don't have much of a stomach for all of this.

[Squawkman]

27 minutes ago, Homerody said:

Oh well,  I am actively considering cancelling and going with another cruise line.  I don't have much of a stomach for all of this.

 

Good luck with whatever you do. For me, it's the devil you know versus the devil you don't.

[retiredman]

We just booked British Isles Explorer for April 19 2021. The brand new Venus! Originally priced a DV5 for the May 31st sailing, found I could get a PV1 for less money (and cheaper airfare) for the April sailing.

[Homerody]

So I've confirmed that Viking's policy (thus TA's also) is that they will not honor any repricing for price drops - either a promotional price reduction (the * price)  or any additional sales such as the Anniversary Sale. 

 

One could upgrade - but the price would be NOT the current price difference, but the price difference that existed at time of booking.

 

Seems like once final payment is made - they have the customer over a barrel.  And not being too customer friendly about it with intransigent policies.  A stark difference to my experience with other comparable cruise lines.

 

The funny thing is that  I was recently reading their mailed River cruise brochure and the prices for a cruise comparable to the one we took last year was 2000$ per cabin lower. I know there is a difference between VO and Viking River, but maybe demand  is softening.  So perhaps the strategy of holding off on booking pays off.  Unfortunately, that strategy will not work for my current booking.

 

So for current bookings, it seems as if they (implicitly) are encouraging cancellations (with the small penalty 180 days out) if the hassle factor is worth it. 

 

But for future cruising needs - there will be other fish in the ocean to consider as first choice.

 

 

 

 

[CCWineLover]

9 minutes ago, Homerody said:

So I've confirmed that Viking's policy (thus TA's also) is that they will not honor any repricing for price drops - either a promotional price reduction (the * price)  or any additional sales such as the Anniversary Sale. 

 

One could upgrade - but the price would be NOT the current price difference, but the price difference that existed at time of booking.

 

Seems like once final payment is made - they have the customer over a barrel.  And not being too customer friendly about it with intransigent policies.  A stark difference to my experience with other comparable cruise lines.

 

The funny thing is that  I was recently reading their mailed River cruise brochure and the prices for a cruise comparable to the one we took last year was 2000$ per cabin lower. I know there is a difference between VO and Viking River, but maybe demand  is softening.  So perhaps the strategy of holding off on booking pays off.  Unfortunately, that strategy will not work for my current booking.

 

So for current bookings, it seems as if they (implicitly) are encouraging cancellations (with the small penalty 180 days out) if the hassle factor is worth it. 

 

But for future cruising needs - there will be other fish in the ocean to consider as first choice.

 

 

 

 

I’m a bit confused.  Perhaps it’s just the way you have to play the game and also if you have paid in full or not.  With the anniversary sale and price drops, I asked our TA to find out what could be done for our cruise next summer.  Result-we cancel, pay $100 per person penalty and then just rebook the cruise.  Room goes back into inventory so not guaranteed same room.  However the price drop more than offset the $100 penalty, so we said to TA, go ahead.

[JER/MPR]

23 minutes ago, CCWineLover said:

One could upgrade - but the price would be NOT the current price difference, but the price difference that existed at time of booking.

We had TA call to price an upgrade this week from PV to PS on our paid in full cruise in Dec.  Thinking with the anniversary sale going on might be a good deal.  Price quoted was higher then the current difference on VO site. 😐

We will stay where we are. 

[Homerody]

Cancel and rebook is definitely a viable strategy - especially if outside the 180 day window $200 penalty window.  One would have to do the math, for other cases.

 

My point is  -  why does it have to be so?  In my experience, most other cruise lines work with customers for repricing and everyone gets a bit  - not everything - of what they want, and everyone is a bit happy..  (And mostly it is a moot point, because I don't have to pay a million days in advance....)

 

So why can't VO say the fee to get a reprice is say 230$  - or whatever - (200  comparable to a cancellation fee, and 30 for an administrative change fee - I vaguely recall seeing that on website somewhere...)  And the reprice would be to the price available at the time of repricing not to some nonexistent price that was in effect months or a year ago.

 

I think the airline model would be a good start.  Say I bought a highly restricted economy ticket for 300$ with a change/cancellation penalty of $200.  The first class ticket price when I booked is 2000$.

 

If I see a first class sale and the ticket for $1000 on the flight I am booked on - I can change my booking and upgrade for the $200 fee/penalty, and the price difference - but I would be charged the current price of $1000  not 2000 and I would apply (any) residual original funds to the new ticket.

 

Or, initially,  I could buy a more expensive unrestricted ticked and change it as often as needed to.

 

We don't have such an option with VO.  Rather, we have cancel and rebook, or if this is not a viable alternative - play the roulette wheel of VO customer service mercy and maybe get a crumb or two.

 

I can't change VO policy, but I can change who I spend my money with.

 

 

 

 

[Homerody]

5 minutes ago, JER/MPR said:

We had TA call to price an upgrade this week from PV to PS on our paid in full cruise in Dec.  Thinking with the anniversary sale going on might be a good deal.  Price quoted was higher then the current difference on VO site. 😐

We will stay where we are. 

Similar experience with my upgrade request.