Newest promotions/Silver Spirits Package& discounts

[deec]

We have booked a new cruise, ( actually 3 continuous cruises) used our vouchers and found comfort in Viking's continued no risk guarantee, Silver Spirit Package, and promotional savings!

 

Now we just need a vaccine and all will be fine!

[zalusky]

13 minutes ago, deec said:

We have booked a new cruise, ( actually 3 continuous cruises) used our vouchers and found comfort in Viking's continued no risk guarantee, Silver Spirit Package, and promotional savings!

 

Now we just need a vaccine and all will be fine!

 

Hopefully a vaccine my wife can take as she is immunocompromised for transplant reasons.  She can't take a drug that simply ups her immune system.  When we get flu vaccines she is not allowed to take live virus versions.

[Homerody]

Deleted duplicate post.

Edited July 15, 2020 by Homerody
Deleted duplicate post.

[Homerody]

1 hour ago, Clay Clayton said:

I guess I don’t have the car buying fatigue you discuss.  Just as with hotels and air fare, we tend to buy when the price is reasonable and recognize that while we may be stuck paying more than others who are willing to gamble a little longer we also may end up paying less.  We don’t expect to get a bill from the cruise,hotel, or air line when they raise the price so not sure why we would expect them to lower the price for us when they decide to throw on a promo to finish filling the ship. 
 

I will say this part that Viking will sometimes negotiate a better deal if you Call is interesting but certainly has not been my experience.

Hi Clay,

 

I'm a bit confused with your post #69 and 75.  So when you mention using TellUs and Twitter - and the context of post 75 - you are not referring to reaching out to Viking about lower pricing, better promotions or a better OBC.  Do I  understand  correctly?

[Clay Clayton]

4 hours ago, Homerody said:

Hi Clay,

 

I'm a bit confused with your post #69 and 75.  So when you mention using TellUs and Twitter - and the context of post 75 - you are not referring to reaching out to Viking about lower pricing, better promotions or a better OBC.  Do I  understand  correctly?

Correct, I was speaking of using those forums to deal with issues since our Travel Agent (while giving us great OBC) doesn’t seem to make much else happen when things go sideways.  
 

For example, after neither she nor I were able to get a refund for our prepaid gratuities using the refundable obc she provided after our Transatlantic was cut short, tellus seemed to get the right person involved and shortly thereafter We had a check for what we were owed. 

[Homerody]

2 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Correct, I was speaking of using those forums to deal with issues since our Travel Agent (while giving us great OBC) doesn’t seem to make much else happen when things go sideways.  
 

For example, after neither she nor I were able to get a refund for our prepaid gratuities using the refundable obc she provided after our Transatlantic was cut short, tellus seemed to get the right person involved and shortly thereafter We had a check for what we were owed. 

Thanks for the clarification.

[Homerody]

On 7/15/2020 at 11:31 AM, Clay Clayton said:

I guess I don’t have the car buying fatigue you discuss.  Just as with hotels and air fare, we tend to buy when the price is reasonable and recognize that while we may be stuck paying more than others who are willing to gamble a little longer we also may end up paying less.  We don’t expect to get a bill from the cruise,hotel, or air line when they raise the price so not sure why we would expect them to lower the price for us when they decide to throw on a promo to finish filling the ship. 
 

I will say this part that Viking will sometimes negotiate a better deal if you Call is interesting but certainly has not been my experience.

I see your point about price increases. 

 

Yet I think there are a few key differences between hotels, air and cruising.

 

1. Cost.  Unless we are talking international first class (not even business class) and presidential suites in hotels - we ware not talking about $15000 hptel stays and air fare. But Viking cruises are easily in the this price range, if not higher....re. 

2. Refundable vs non refundable fares - with Air, Hotels and car rentals - the costumer has the option at the time of booking to choose a refundable (more expensive) vs non refundable fares (cheaper).  And with hotels and cars if one chooses refundable - ie changeable fare - no money is paid up front.   (My experience with hotels and cars is the savings is generally not worth the risk.  The benefit of savings of 10% for a week's hotel and car rental isn't worth the risk of a price drop.  So I generally opt to pay at type of service.)

3. Air , hotel and cars usually do not come bundled with freebies ( cruises have OBC and/or free air, etc...for example).  With  car and hotel -   price is the price.  One can decide if adding CDW or GPS to a car rental is worth it or a breakfast with a hotel room is a good deal.  Cruise fares almost always have some perk associated - even if it is a "bogus" half off deal which always runs in the USA - but not available (permissble?) in other countries.   

 

There are other nuances and difference, but I think the bove suffices to illustrate the difference.  So If I buy a refundable air fare and price drops, I can simply go online cancel and buy a new ticket.  Can't do that with most cruise line.  If I have a non refundable ticket - I can decide if paying the penalty to cancel a and buy a new ticket is worth the economic and other hassle.  

 

Ans lastly, If I buy a $15000 that comes with some perk (like free air) that I will not use - the value of the perk is nill, to me.  So when a new promotion comes along that offers a 100 or 1500 OBC - that is real money and 6 - 10% of the fare.  That is certainly not chump change.

 

So cruises are not the same as other modes of travel.  Yes, there are similarities - but even with some similarities -the human psychology of an engaged and proactive consumer (remember Cy Syms anyone???) one cannot help but feel that a letting a significantly promotion go by is hard to swallow.

 

So I would value a cruise line that would give you a credit for not using air - if they include air in the fare or as a "freebie" inclusion.  Or better yest - if they offer a clear policy and path (with fees) to rebooking to take advantage of better deals.

 

And about better promotions to finish filling up cruises - we are taking about cruises in 2022 - with all that is going on,  I think they are trying to fill up most of the mid - to higher catergories - not finishing filling them up.