Viking Final Payment Due Date

[newton4311]

This week we booked a Viking river cruise for December, 2022.  I am used to making a deposit at the time of booking and paying the balance 60 or 90 days prior to departure.  I was very surprised to learn that final payment for this one is due December 31, 2020-almost two years out.  Is this the new norm that we should expect to see going forward as cruise lines try to resolve their cash flow issues?

[dogs4fun]

35 minutes ago, newton4311 said:

This week we booked a Viking river cruise for December, 2022.  I am used to making a deposit at the time of booking and paying the balance 60 or 90 days prior to departure.  I was very surprised to learn that final payment for this one is due December 31, 2020-almost two years out.  Is this the new norm that we should expect to see going forward as cruise lines try to resolve their cash flow issues?

This is the norm for only Viking - not for other river cruise lines.

[Roz]

1 hour ago, dogs4fun said:

This is the norm for only Viking - not for other river cruise lines.

 

Edited August 21, 2020 by Roz

[Roz]

I'm really having problems with these boards.  I keep getting a "long running script" message and I try stopping it and it comes back.  Keeps me from posting and quoting.

 

What I was trying to say in the post above is that Viking's payment policy would keep me from making a reservation more than 6 months out.  That, combined with their onerous single supplement policy probably means I'll never sail on Viking. 😒

[sharkster77]

The flip side is the recent post "Viking Refunds" started by @NavyVeteran   .  Those who booked with Viking seem very happy with both their generous 125% travel credit, or VERY prompt 100% refund.

 

Gotta weigh the plusses with the minuses.

[notamermaid]

sharkster77,

That was my immediate reaction. Viking asking full payment so far in advance as in the case of the OP enables them to give refunds quite fast, if I wanted to be negative about it saying: they know they will always find people willing to accept that. A well oiled machine of "supply demand advertising".  Positively I would say: well down Viking.

 

As for the question to the room by the OP

17 hours ago, newton4311 said:

Is this the new norm that we should expect to see going forward as cruise lines try to resolve their cash flow issues?

I cannot imagine other river cruise lines going that far. Coming from my European/German perspective as a consumer I find it questionable what Viking is doing. And I am glad I have many choices of companies that stick to the guidelines and T&C as laid out by the EU and/or laid out by consumer rights societies with law courts - in cooperation with, or against, companies.

 

notamermaid

 

[BigBee51]

Out of curiosity, I took a look at our Aug 2021 Viking river cruise. When we booked earlier this year, the final payment date was scheduled for Feb 28, 2021. Looking today through my TA's website, the final payment has changed to Aug 28, 2020. I have a call in to my TA. No way are we paying a year in advance when we can't even be assured we will be able to leave the country. I'm not inclined to lend them $20 K for a cruise that may never happen or we may not be able to take. We were planning on a final decision in February based on world conditions then.

[Host Jazzbeau]

5 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

The flip side is the recent post "Viking Refunds" started by @NavyVeteran   .  Those who booked with Viking seem very happy with both their generous 125% travel credit, or VERY prompt 100% refund.

 

Gotta weigh the plusses with the minuses.

 

Doing the math, it seems that Viking's latest – longest and least flexible – advance payment policies are holding everyone's money for much longer than even the longest refund delays [which only affect a few people].  The net is that Viking is taking interest-free loans at a prodigious rate.

[dogs4fun]

4 hours ago, BigBee51 said:

Out of curiosity, I took a look at our Aug 2021 Viking river cruise. When we booked earlier this year, the final payment date was scheduled for Feb 28, 2021. Looking today through my TA's website, the final payment has changed to Aug 28, 2020. I have a call in to my TA. No way are we paying a year in advance when we can't even be assured we will be able to leave the country. I'm not inclined to lend them $20 K for a cruise that may never happen or we may not be able to take. We were planning on a final decision in February based on world conditions then.

I would be very interested to hear what your TA has to say about this situation. Hope you will post again.

[Squawkman]

9 hours ago, BigBee51 said:

Out of curiosity, I took a look at our Aug 2021 Viking river cruise. When we booked earlier this year, the final payment date was scheduled for Feb 28, 2021. Looking today through my TA's website, the final payment has changed to Aug 28, 2020. I have a call in to my TA. No way are we paying a year in advance when we can't even be assured we will be able to leave the country. I'm not inclined to lend them $20 K for a cruise that may never happen or we may not be able to take. We were planning on a final decision in February based on world conditions then.

I work directly with the same Viking agent rather than use a TA, but I doubt that would make a difference on the final payment date. I assume when you booked earlier this year, you received a booking statement that included the final payment date. If you have that, I would confront the TA when you call him or her. I know earlier this year Viking was offering 6 months payment for everyone - this should not change once booked.

[patrickmoran]

Unless V is offering a special deal or you just have to have one the few suites on a particular date, there is no advantage to booking this far out. V raises prices a $100 or $200 pp every year on the categories I watch so booking out a year may make sense but not 2.

I got a good deal on a June 2021 Rhine cruise so am willing to live with an August 31 final payment deadline. Really their cancellation policy is decent and better than a few years ago. With their virus guarantee, I'm not too worried though bankruptcy is always a possibility.

[sharkster77]

When I last spoke to my TA I asked if, assuming things FINALLY get better,  bookings may be difficult to get for 2022 as people start making up for lost time (those of us who are of a certain have a finite number of years our health will allow us to travel).

 

She said that she is already very busy setting up cruises, etc., for 2022.  This could explain why cruises are being booked so far out in advance.

[newton4311]

The only reason we booked this far in advance (something we never do) is this is a Christmas Markets cruise on the Elbe and it is almost totally sold out already.  Since Viking is the only one that has this itinerary, I guess we don't have too many options. 

Edited August 24, 2020 by newton4311

[notamermaid]

That changes things a bit. Now that we know you are on an Elbe itinerary. For the Elbe there are indeed not that many options for English language cruises, especially in winter. Comparable itineraries are with CroisiEurope, but I am not sure which dates they offer. The other option is Viva Cruises - they are fairly new and I think their 2022 offers are not published yet. One possibility is to have a land trip portion to Dresden and sail an itinerary Berlin to Hamburg with them, presuming they will offer this again in 2022. Berlin to Dresden is just two hours by train.

 

notamermaid

 

[Second seating]

Dresden Christmas market are worth the trip as are the markets in Leipzig!

 

Second seating

[BigBee51]

On 8/22/2020 at 7:51 AM, BigBee51 said:

Out of curiosity, I took a look at our Aug 2021 Viking river cruise. When we booked earlier this year, the final payment date was scheduled for Feb 28, 2021. Looking today through my TA's website, the final payment has changed to Aug 28, 2020. I have a call in to my TA. No way are we paying a year in advance when we can't even be assured we will be able to leave the country. I'm not inclined to lend them $20 K for a cruise that may never happen or we may not be able to take. We were planning on a final decision in February based on world conditions then.

My TA contacted Viking and our final payment date has not changed from Feb 2021. Now all we need is for France to let us into the country 😷

[CatefromNH]

In early August we booked a late May 2021 Viking Paris to Normandy cruise knowing the final payment was due by 8/31/20. We decided it was worth it, as we got a great price on a Veranda A cabin, free airfare and the silver spirits package, plus an excellent cancellation guarantee. If this one doesn’t happen, we’ll cruise at another time. Honestly, just having a trip to plan and look forward to means a lot right now! We decided we were willing to front them the 10.5K. Fingers crossed...