Viking Voucher Credit Balance

[OKCowboy]

We used a cancelled cruise voucher to rebook a cruise this fall. We added pre-embarkation package, Silver Spirits, and pre-paid gratuities. We still have a balance left that our TA indicated could be used to pay for non-included excursions up to 30 days prior to embarkation. I wonder why Viking doesn't allow the credit on board so we could use for shopping, etc. Seems very restrictive. Or am I missing something?

[suspaul]

I wonder also, we have a sizable Viking OBC and my understanding is use it prior or lose it, whatever amount is leftover.  We sail 🤞🏼 in March and still have over $600 OBC left, we would have used it for massages or onboard shops but even spa services can not be paid for with their OBC.

Hmmmm, never had trouble spending money before 🤣

[KarenTK]

I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I chatted with a Viking agent and asked what happens if we pay for an excursion with a voucher and then the excursion is cancelled while on board, either by us or by Viking.  I was told the refund for the cancelled excursion then becomes on board credit, which can be spent for spa treatments, shopping, etc. If this is true, it might be a way around losing unspent vouchers 

[duquephart]

49 minutes ago, KarenTK said:

I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I chatted with a Viking agent and asked what happens if we pay for an excursion with a voucher and then the excursion is cancelled while on board, either by us or by Viking.  I was told the refund for the cancelled excursion then becomes on board credit, which can be spent for spa treatments, shopping, etc. If this is true, it might be a way around losing unspent vouchers 

 

Chatting with a Viking "agent" is the same as chatting with your foot. If it's important get it in writing.

[jjfarns]

We received an $200 OBC when we booked another cruise onboard back in January of 2020. We were able to use it for whatever we wanted onboard. My wife ended up using it to buy a pair of sunglasses the last night of the cruise. Maybe thinks have changed post Covid. 

[Squawkman]

2 hours ago, jjfarns said:

We received an $200 OBC when we booked another cruise onboard back in January of 2020. We were able to use it for whatever we wanted onboard. My wife ended up using it to buy a pair of sunglasses the last night of the cruise. Maybe thinks have changed post Covid. 

This has nothing to do with Covid. There are 2 kinds of credit - SBC (or OBC) vouchers and Future Cruise Vouchers (FCV). The difference is FCV must be applied before the cruise embarks; SBC can be used before or during the cruise. These are explained on your booking document.

[JeriGail]

6 hours ago, KarenTK said:

I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I chatted with a Viking agent and asked what happens if we pay for an excursion with a voucher and then the excursion is cancelled while on board, either by us or by Viking.  I was told the refund for the cancelled excursion then becomes on board credit, which can be spent for spa treatments, shopping, etc. If this is true, it might be a way around losing unspent vouchers 

That is exactly what I did.  On our Viking Sea cruise from Barcelona to San Juan, I had booked an optional excursion in Casablanca, but Viking cancelled that port.  I also booked another optional excursion before the cruise but changed my mind and canceled it once onboard.  Both excursions converted to OBC.  You do need to be careful to cancel excursions in the proper time limit.

[KarenTK]

@JeriGail was your credit from a future cruise credit?  That could make a difference I guess. 
 

 

 

 

[TayanaLorna]

17 hours ago, suspaul said:

I wonder also, we have a sizable Viking OBC and my understanding is use it prior or lose it, whatever amount is leftover.  We sail 🤞🏼 in March and still have over $600 OBC left, we would have used it for massages or onboard shops but even spa services can not be paid for with their OBC.

Hmmmm, never had trouble spending money before 🤣

OBC is different then Voucher monies.  My understanding was that Voucher credit whether from a cancelled cruise, missed port or mishap on a sailing must be used for a future sailing BEFORE the sailing commences.  OBC means On Board Credit - monies to be used on board DURING the sailing and before the sailing ends.  

[TayanaLorna]

16 hours ago, KarenTK said:

I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I chatted with a Viking agent and asked what happens if we pay for an excursion with a voucher and then the excursion is cancelled while on board, either by us or by Viking.  I was told the refund for the cancelled excursion then becomes on board credit, which can be spent for spa treatments, shopping, etc. If this is true, it might be a way around losing unspent vouchers 

This is correct.  Once you are on board they don't know how you paid for your excursions.  If an excursion is cancelled you get a credit on your daily accounting which you can see on your room TV.  If you don't use it for another excursion you can use it during the final accounting to pay for spa treatments, the shops, gratuities etc.  I switched around some excursions before a sailing and a refund was sent to my credit card.  But when an excursion was cancelled the credit appeared on my room account.

[OKCowboy]

I appreciate all of your suggestions. Looks like we'll book optional excursions outside the 30 day window. We'll probably do some but may cancel others.

[JeriGail]

11 hours ago, KarenTK said:

@JeriGail was your credit from a future cruise credit?  That could make a difference I guess. 
 

 

 

 

Yes, it was.  I was originally sailing on a December 2020 cruise that Viking canceled.  I took the 125% FCV and booked the November 2021 cruise.  The 2020 cruise was more expensive, so I had a lot of money to use.  I upgraded my cabin and got Silver Spirits.  I was able to use my last FCV money on the optional excursions, one of which Viking canceled and one that I canceled.  The canceled excursions plus some OBC covered my gratuities plus a Viking jacket purchase!

[JeriGail]

1 hour ago, OKCowboy said:

I appreciate all of your suggestions. Looks like we'll book optional excursions outside the 30 day window. We'll probably do some but may cancel others.

Just make sure the optional excursions that you may cancel are not in the first day or two of the cruise.  You need to cancel at least 24 hours before the excursion.  The exact date and time is in the Daily.

[KBs mum]

On 1/22/2022 at 9:09 PM, KarenTK said:

I don’t know if this is accurate or not, but I chatted with a Viking agent and asked what happens if we pay for an excursion with a voucher and then the excursion is cancelled while on board, either by us or by Viking.  I was told the refund for the cancelled excursion then becomes on board credit, which can be spent for spa treatments, shopping, etc. If this is true, it might be a way around losing unspent vouchers 

Seems a bit selfish to book things you have no intention of going on, when by doing so you may well be blocking out people who want to go. 

By the time you cancel they will have given up on it or booked something they arn't so keen on. 

 

[KarenTK]

I completely agree @KBs mum.  When I chatted about this with Viking my question was actually wondering what would happen if we booked an excursion and then on board wanted to cancel because the covid situation had changed and we were able to do an independent excursion.  

[KBs mum]

58 minutes ago, KarenTK said:

I completely agree @KBs mum.  When I chatted about this with Viking my question was actually wondering what would happen if we booked an excursion and then on board wanted to cancel because the covid situation had changed and we were able to do an independent excursion.  

In that case you are cancelling because of a change in circumstances that allow a preferred option. 

Completely different and a reasonable thing to do, you didn't book with the deliberate intention of cancelling. 

Edited January 24, 2022 by KBs mum

[Mich3554]

Just be aware that OBC can be refundable or non refundable at the end of the cruise and it can quickly become confusing.

In the 54 days we were on the Jupiter, we received at least 2 amounts of OBC (on refundable) due to canceled ports.  We also booked 2 other cruises while on board and wound up with another decent sized chunk of OBC (also non refundable).  The excursions I had booked in those cancelled ports prior to boarding and paid via credit card were refunded to our account and also became OBC (refundable).  I think at one point during the cruise we had over $5000 in OBC!   By the time we paid for other excursions, our bath tab and gratuities, that took care of a chunk.  I also did a small shopping trip.
We weren’t the only people in this position, and I suspect that many went shopping in the Nordic Shop as the segment of the trip that got into the cold weather there were a lot of the Dale sweaters showing up on excursions.  
I think we left the ship with $12 left of non refundable credit.  We just recently received checks for our refundable credit last week.   

[LindaS272]

9 minutes ago, Mich3554 said:

By the time we paid for other excursions, our bath tab and gratuities, that took care of a chunk.

That must have been some bath! 😎

[duquephart]

If you have a spend it or lose it situation the jewelry store might be visited.

[Mich3554]

8 hours ago, duquephart said:

If you have a spend it or lose it situation the jewelry store might be visited.

That was Plan B for me.  Unfortunately, the pair of earrings I had my eye on would have required a significant additional investment on my part.  I’m glad I didn’t actually need to make that choice!