Final Payment Due

[ClevelandKid]

We did a cruise in 2018 where the final payment was due 6 months before sailing.  We did another cruise in 2020 where the final payment was due 8 months before sailing.  We just signed up for a cruise in 2022 where the final payment is due 12 months before sailing.  Wondering if people have had the same experience?

[TayanaLorna]

Final payment for our January 2020 cruise was January 2019.  They changed the final payment to one year before sail date in the Fall of 2018.

[Wendy The Wanderer]

I believe that's totally normal for Viking now, and that they stick to it.  We'll see how that policy holds up for the future, post-covid, but I was just looking at some longer journeys in 2022 and was surprised at how heavily booked they are.

[Clay Clayton]

4 hours ago, Wendy The Wanderer said:

I believe that's totally normal for Viking now, and that they stick to it.  We'll see how that policy holds up for the future, post-covid, but I was just looking at some longer journeys in 2022 and was surprised at how heavily booked they are.

I think/suspect some of that is due to folks rebooking their canceled 2020 cruises using their 125% vouchers. 

[Peregrina651]

On 7/3/2020 at 8:22 PM, ClevelandKid said:

We did a cruise in 2018 where the final payment was due 6 months before sailing.  We did another cruise in 2020 where the final payment was due 8 months before sailing.  We just signed up for a cruise in 2022 where the final payment is due 12 months before sailing.  Wondering if people have had the same experience?

 

For years, before starting Viking Oceans, Viking's payment policy on its river cruises was pretty much pay in full at the end of the month in which you book as part of the pricing deal for that month. At that point, Viking was announcing its schedule a year at a time, so people weren't paying 18 or more months in advance of sailing. Viking pretty much followed the same plan when they launched, except that they were booking -- and filling their ships-- much further in advance. When we booked in June, 2014 for a June, 2016, we paid in full in December. 2014; I had expected to have to pay when we booked, because that what was stated in the brochure and because that is how it had been on past bookings.

 

Then over the next few years, the pay in full day seemed to move closer and closer to the sail date, but never getting closer than 6 months in advance. Towards the end of 2018, Viking suddenly reverted to its old pay in full in the the month you booked policy.

 

However, folks who know to ask have been able to negotiate a  better date. The best I have heard -- and not for all itineraries -- is 12 months prior to sailing. Plus, anyone who books on board or who already has a future cruise booked, gets 6 months in advance.

 

Also, note that this does not apply to World Cruises or Grand Voyages, which have an entirely different deposit, payment and cancellation scheme. You can see the details on the Viking website; just scroll to the footer and look for Terms and Conditions.

 

Always negotiate the pay in full date before you put down your deposit; once you make the deposit, the negotiation period is over.

[Redtravel]

Viking is very good at marketing and asking for final payment way in advance of the cruise.    When Viking announced Alaska cruises  4 years ago, the sailings were to sail 2 years later.  We were thinking about Alaska cruise for 2019. We had been there 20 years previously and wanted to see how it had changed. We wanted to visit same ports. Called Viking to inquire about the itinerary in 2017.  Not ready to book then.  Just doing research to find the right ports and dates. Viking Agent answered my questions and then told me that if I didn’t book at that time and fully pay 2 years in advance, all the cabins would be sold.  I wasn’t ready to book then, and didn’t  believe all cabins would sell out.  I was shocked that any agent would ask for full payment that far out. No way.  When I finally did book the Alaska cruise,  found that a Viking had lots of competition.  There were lots of choices.  Alaska cruises were very popular.   When we eventually booked in fall 2018,Viking still had cabins.  Weighing options, we chose Azamara.  Cruise was excellent.  We paid the final payment 3 months before sailing.  Next time we were interested in Viking ocean, called our trusted travel agent who pushed for a final payment closer to the embarkation. We paid 5 months before sailing.    

[lackcreativity]

13 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

For years, before starting Viking Oceans, Viking's payment policy on its river cruises was pretty much pay in full at the end of the month in which you book as part of the pricing deal for that month. At that point, Viking was announcing its schedule a year at a time, so people weren't paying 18 or more months in advance of sailing. Viking pretty much followed the same plan when they launched, except that they were booking -- and filling their ships-- much further in advance. When we booked in June, 2014 for a June, 2016, we paid in full in December. 2014; I had expected to have to pay when we booked, because that what was stated in the brochure and because that is how it had been on past bookings.

 

Then over the next few years, the pay in full day seemed to move closer and closer to the sail date, but never getting closer than 6 months in advance. Towards the end of 2018, Viking suddenly reverted to its old pay in full in the the month you booked policy.

 

However, folks who know to ask have been able to negotiate a  better date. The best I have heard -- and not for all itineraries -- is 12 months prior to sailing. Plus, anyone who books on board or who already has a future cruise booked, gets 6 months in advance.

 

Also, note that this does not apply to World Cruises or Grand Voyages, which have an entirely different deposit, payment and cancellation scheme. You can see the details on the Viking website; just scroll to the footer and look for Terms and Conditions.

 

Always negotiate the pay in full date before you put down your deposit; once you make the deposit, the negotiation period is over.

Thinking we should just have someone use this answer for a sticky (is that the right term?) since this topic comes up so regularly. The only point that I would add is that it is difficult to know how things will look once we are able to cruise again. Will demand be up or down? Will prices be up or down? Will open ports of call be limited? Which cruise lines will survive the extensive layoff? All of these things will determine whether Viking will make adjustments to their final payment date.

 

Personally, we have never been too frustrated by the early pay dates, as we have taken advantage of the six month final deadline and usually have more than one cruise booked at a time. We are big fans of Viking, and have confidence in their future. Never expected a world wide pandemic to enter in to the picture. Fingers crossed.