What is advantage of making a booking if certain that the sail date has to be changed

[OnTheJourney]

As a bit of long-term planning, I'm looking at several itineraries - river and ocean - but likely won't be doing them until '22 or '23.My Viking rep has sent me several booking options for itineraries I'm interested in with a date chosen in '21 for quote purposes. If I book one of these now, knowing that the sail date (and possibly even the ship and itinerary) will need to be changed, what is the advantage? I've been told that it's easy to change a sailing penalty-free as long as I'm outside the 120-day timeframe (and before final payment), but I'm trying to figure out what is the advantage for me. Viking gets their $1,000 deposit a few years in advance - so that's their advantage, but, for me, the advantage of reserving a specific room and price is negated as soon as a different date is chosen. Price will change, and the room chosen with the initial booking may not be available on the new date.

 

Is it advisable to make an early booking if the trip is still several years out yet, or just hold off and wait till much closer?  My main interest here is to start planning a trip to use the vouchers given the Sky passengers back in March. They're valid for 5 years. It does sound like Viking's policy relative to making booking changes is quite flexible. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[Peregrina651]

I don't see any advantage to booking now, especially if you know you are planning on changing the date.

 

If you book now and then change, there will be a penalty of $100pp, applicable each time you make such a change. Viking considers a change of date to be a cancellation of the original booking followed by a new booking. You will not preserve the price of the cruise; the new date will be booked at the current rate for that sailing date and not what you were quoted for the '21 cruise. Unless Viking is making a special waiver for the March passengers--which I would not know about. Get it in writing.

 

Payment in full is normally a year in advance.

 

Maybe the rep you are working with now can make concessions but that doesn't mean that person will still be on the job when you go to make the changes you are anticipating. It does not mean that there will not be policy changes in the intervening three years.

 

However, if you book on board a cruise, as one of the benefits, the booking can be changed without penalty up until 4 months in advance of sailing and payment in full will be due 6 month in advance of sailing.

[OnTheJourney]

Hi Peregrina,

 

Great and sound advice. Agree completely.....thanks. My main concern is to use the full amount of the voucher. Easily done if using an Explorer Suite, but I'm concerned about the reports of engine noise with them. The voucher can be applied to air as well, so then that makes it simple. 

Edited October 23, 2019 by OnTheJourney

[Squawkman]

1 hour ago, OnTheJourney said:

My main concern is to use the full amount of the voucher. Easily done if using an Explorer Suite, but I'm concerned about the reports of engine noise with them. The voucher can be applied to air as well, so then that makes it simple. 

 

I would imagine you could book 2 cruises at the same time to be sure the full amount of the voucher will be maximized.

 

Using the March voucher wasn't an issue as we applied it to an existing booking and added an extension, so there was no balance left. When we discussed using the voucher with our Viking rep, we were not told it had to be used all at once.

[OnTheJourney]

I was told it can only be used on one trip. That'll work out fine - simply by booking an expensive enough room or adding air. 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, OnTheJourney said:

Easily done if using an Explorer Suite,

 

We each make our own choices when it comes to travel and accommodations but I freely admit that in a similar situation I would be looking for a longer cruise not a bigger cabin.

 

 

[Peregrina651]

26 minutes ago, OnTheJourney said:

I was told it can only be used on one trip. That'll work out fine - simply by booking an expensive enough room or adding air. 

 

Double check this with tellus@vikingcruises.com. They know how to talk to the right people to get the right answers.

[OnTheJourney]

I think I'm leaning in that direction - would rather put the money into pre and post extensions and then possibly airfare. I tend to go for close to midship locations anyway due to motion issues. Viking explorer suites are fore and aft. 

[OnTheJourney]

1 minute ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

Double check this with tellus@vikingcruises.com. They know how to talk to the right people to get the right answers.

 

I'm not worried about this. Will use it all up on one trip.