Payment - 10 Months Before the Cruise!?

[tzbeach]

I was so excited to find a Viking Cruise (Viking Homelands) for May 2021 that could replace the 2 Royal Cruises we have cancelled for May 2020.  I booked it and put a 72 hour hold on the cruise.  In the documentation they have sent me it looks like the final payment (over $14,000) would be due in 31-July-2020?    10 Months before the cruise?  Can this even be right?  I just paid the full amount on the Royal cancelled ones in Feb 2020 for May 2020 cruises - 3 months before the cruises.

 

I really want to go with Viking in the future - smaller ships, no kids, less people, so much included but with waiting on the close to $9000 in refunds coming from Royal I just don't want to shell out $14,000 and let Viking to use my money for so long.

[duquephart]

1 hour ago, tzbeach said:

I was so excited to find a Viking Cruise (Viking Homelands) for May 2021 that could replace the 2 Royal Cruises we have cancelled for May 2020.  I booked it and put a 72 hour hold on the cruise.  In the documentation they have sent me it looks like the final payment (over $14,000) would be due in 31-July-2020?    10 Months before the cruise?  Can this even be right?  I just paid the full amount on the Royal cancelled ones in Feb 2020 for May 2020 cruises - 3 months before the cruises.

 

I really want to go with Viking in the future - smaller ships, no kids, less people, so much included but with waiting on the close to $9000 in refunds coming from Royal I just don't want to shell out $14,000 and let Viking to use my money for so long.

 

Huge complaint referred to all over the place here. Welcome to Viking.

[aungrl]

It’s not uncommon to have the final payment date adjusted to six months before the sail date.  TAs who are experienced with Viking generally have good luck with this, or if you’re working with Viking directly, it doesn’t hurt to call back and request that timeframe.  People report mixed results with that approach, but we’ve always been able to adjust the final payment date to six months before sailing.  Good luck.

[Heidi13]

Viking's payment policy for US/Canada changed back in Oct/Nov 2018. They required full payment 12 months before departure. Another factor about Viking is their business model does not follow the industry norms, that applies both aboard and pre-cruise. A benefit of booking onboard is getting a 6-month full payment.

 

However, in the current climate it doesn't hurt to negotiate. 

 

Compared to RCI, Viking is a huge improvement, so early payment is definitely worth it.

[Clay Clayton]

Presuming you finalize your cruise with Viking, you may want to look at moving the booking to a travel agent who offers Viking’s maximum allowable onboard credit to reduce the financial sting a little. The amount of OBC goes up depending on the length of the cruise. For our typical 12-14 night cruise it is $300 pp which covers our gratuities and leaves enough to cover our bar tab. For a 15 night or longer it goes up to $500 pp. 

 

[MikeD4134]

Want to make your final payment closer to your embarkation date, just don't book the cruise until you are ready to make the final payment.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, aungrl said:

It’s not uncommon to have the final payment date adjusted to six months before the sail date.  TAs who are experienced with Viking generally have good luck with this, or if you’re working with Viking directly, it doesn’t hurt to call back and request that timeframe.  People report mixed results with that approach, but we’ve always been able to adjust the final payment date to six months before sailing.  Good luck.

 

Yes, but you have to do this before you make the initial deposit. Once you make you deposit, negotiations are over;  you have agreed to the terms and entered into a contract and Viking has no reason to budge.

 

Don't expect 6 months prior to sailing (which is the best you can hope for) unless you already have a future cruise on the books or you are booking while on board. Twelve months is usual if you don't meet these conditions.

 

29 minutes ago, MikeD4134 said:

Want to make your final payment closer to your embarkation date, just don't book the cruise until you are ready to make the final payment.

 

Yes, you can do it that way if you aren't particular about which cabin you sail in or if you aren't tied to a particular sailing. If you are looking for a suite (OS, ES or PS) or Penthouse Veranda, you may be out of luck if you wait. 

 

If you are going to do it this way, then note that 121 days before sailing is the last day for cancellations without penalty and there may be a small flurry cancellations at this point.

[tzbeach]

Thank you all for the information I have decided to hold off for now.  I was excited for the end cabin as that was what we had on Royal.  But I was also very excited  to experience Viking and I was considering booking now (before April 30) because of the special cancel within 24 hours and get a Future Cruise Credit guarantee.

 

I think I would be better off just waiting until January and seeing where the world is at and if this cruise (dates are flexible) is still open and what the price looks like.  

 

By then I might have my $9000 back from Royal and my $2000 back from Delta 😜 

[Homosassa]

Make sure you read and understand Viking's Terms and Conditions on the Viking website before you book.

 

As other posters have mentioned, Viking does do some things differently and it will prevent any shocks that some practices (fare churning by passengers, for example) is pretty much a no go on Viking.

[Ruthieofthesea]

On 4/20/2020 at 3:38 PM, tzbeach said:

I was so excited to find a Viking Cruise (Viking Homelands) for May 2021 that could replace the 2 Royal Cruises we have cancelled for May 2020.  I booked it and put a 72 hour hold on the cruise.  In the documentation they have sent me it looks like the final payment (over $14,000) would be due in 31-July-2020?    10 Months before the cruise?  Can this even be right?  I just paid the full amount on the Royal cancelled ones in Feb 2020 for May 2020 cruises - 3 months before the cruises.

 

I really want to go with Viking in the future - smaller ships, no kids, less people, so much included but with waiting on the close to $9000 in refunds coming from Royal I just don't want to shell out $14,000 and let Viking to use my money for so long.

I booked a cruise early last year with Viking through one of their specials. Final payment due six months before the cruise. You have to catch the deal, or you will pay one year before the cruise. Yes! is seems harsh, but! but once you sail you know why we go along with it. Book your cruise and keep your eyes open for the Specials. Good luck and Happy cruising.

[Redtravel]

Consider yourself lucky.  I once had them ask for full payment almost 2 years in advance. I thought it was a mistake. They said if I wanted to reserve the space, full payment was due.  I didn’t book then. A year later I tried again and it was sold out.  They probably gave you a break because of the corona virus situation.  Only you can decide if the payment time table works for you.  Good luck.  

[zalusky]

I am looking at booking shortly for mid 2022 and they are requiring final payment late this year.  I could wait but they have their worry free deal that expires at the end of April that allows you to reschedule to another cruise literally the day before that could be two years later with no change fees.   That gives me 4 years in case there are still health issues.   So it’s worth it to book now. I will still get insurance but not worry about cancel / change issues.  
 

Yes they have my money but this is worth it given the uncertainty.

[Homosassa]

15 hours ago, zalusky said:

 That gives me 4 years in case there are still health issues.   So it’s worth it to book now. I will still get insurance but not worry about cancel / change issues.  
 

Yes they have my money but this is worth it given the uncertainty.

LOL - glad this works for you.

 

I am not sure if I will be buying green bananas in four years, much less paying for cruises that far in the future.

[zalusky]

3 minutes ago, Homosassa said:

LOL - glad this works for you.

 

I am not sure if I will be buying green bananas in four years, much less paying for cruises that far in the future.

Yea well there is that too!  OTOH I wouldn't want to be stuck with a 1 year credit like I currently am with Royal Caribbean.

 

[dwlmg]

I saw a webinar by a travel agent in a facebook group.  He offered the following re long lead final payments.  Viking has limited a comparatively limited capacity throughout its fleet.  The early final payment represents a commitment on the part of the passenger to actually make the cruise.  The notion of being able to hold a booking for a year on a $500 deposit is not a good idea from a business sense.  Especially if you consider that you can get all of it back less than $100 up to 120 days before sailing.  Under the no risk offering, you can even get the $100 back in the form of a voucher.  The early final payment also provides Viking with a pile of cash they can use to weather the COVID storm.  There will be issues when they need operational cash on the other side of the current issue but for now, they are probably better positioned to weather the storm than some cruise lines.

 

[duquephart]

41 minutes ago, dwlmg said:

I saw a webinar by a travel agent in a facebook group.  He offered the following re long lead final payments.  Viking has limited a comparatively limited capacity throughout its fleet.  The early final payment represents a commitment on the part of the passenger to actually make the cruise.  The notion of being able to hold a booking for a year on a $500 deposit is not a good idea from a business sense.  Especially if you consider that you can get all of it back less than $100 up to 120 days before sailing.  Under the no risk offering, you can even get the $100 back in the form of a voucher.  The early final payment also provides Viking with a pile of cash they can use to weather the COVID storm.  There will be issues when they need operational cash on the other side of the current issue but for now, they are probably better positioned to weather the storm than some cruise lines.

 

 

Early final payments have been providing Viking "a pile of cash" all along. COVID has nothing to do with it.

[Squawkman]

17 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

Early final payments have been providing Viking "a pile of cash" all along. COVID has nothing to do with it.

Not really. Viking started the year off with final payment due 6 months before embarkation for most cruises. I’m sure as friends decided to join us on what is their first Viking cruise in the spring of 2021. This policy ended March 1 because of Covid and the new 24 hour cancellation policy that started March 2. 

[Cindy]

We are booked on our first Viking cruise next July, but regrettably we are going to cancel. I just can’t see tying up that kind of money for so long with all the unknowns right now.

Sigh...someday!


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[clojacks]

On 4/20/2020 at 3:38 PM, tzbeach said:

I was so excited to find a Viking Cruise (Viking Homelands) for May 2021 that could replace the 2 Royal Cruises we have cancelled for May 2020.  I booked it and put a 72 hour hold on the cruise.  In the documentation they have sent me it looks like the final payment (over $14,000) would be due in 31-July-2020?    10 Months before the cruise?  Can this even be right?  I just paid the full amount on the Royal cancelled ones in Feb 2020 for May 2020 cruises - 3 months before the cruises.

 

I really want to go with Viking in the future - smaller ships, no kids, less people, so much included but with waiting on the close to $9000 in refunds coming from Royal I just don't want to shell out $14,000 and let Viking to use my money for so long.

Feel free to read this thread for some other opinions on Viking using the Final Payment date kind of like a moving target, if you ask me...obviously, as you will see, others disagree...