Viking Homelands 2022 Season

[BigBee51]

32 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

On another source it is reported that the 2022 cruisers are getting a 15% reduction plus $250 pp OBC.  It also said that only the OBC is being offered to those booked for 2023.

 

We are sailing on the June 2022 Baltic Jewels and Midnight Sun 29 day cruise. The compensation for the change to the itinerary is $250 OBC and 10% FCC of our cruise fare. 

[MamaFej]

2 hours ago, BigBee51 said:

We are sailing on the June 2022 Baltic Jewels and Midnight Sun 29 day cruise. The compensation for the change to the itinerary is $250 OBC and 10% FCC of our cruise fare. 

Our offer for the 15 nights Viking Homelands in July/August is the same. 

[NeilP57]

In addition to the OBC and FCC, there is also the valuable option of switching to a completely different itinerary under the risk free guarantee option. 
 

It has suited us to switch to a 7 day river cruise in the South of France (Avignon to Lyon on the River Rhone)

 

I also acknowledge that as a UK customer, despite the booking this cruise over 2 years ago, we have only paid a 25% deposit which makes switching to a cheaper cruise easier. 

 

Edited March 27, 2022 by NeilP57
Remove duplicated words

[Squawkman]

That is correct. I was a little taken back, but I surmised Viking will have more trouble keeping 2022 cruisers than those scheduled for 2023.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Squawkman
Got rid of blank box

[Mrs Miggins]

So does that mean different offers to different people ?

 

[Squawkman]

We had booked Homelands for 2023 with a 125% voucher in autumn 2021. We then booked British Isles for 2023 this past November using the 14 day post embarkation discount. We were able to cancel Homelands and use the full amount towards our already booked British Isles. We would have cancelled even if we did get the extra 10% as the three Gulf of Finland ports were the prime reason we booked Homelands in the first place. We had originally added the Oslo train extension which we added to British Isles. We did not lose a penny doing this. We’re very happy with how Viking handled something that is not their fault.

Edited March 27, 2022 by Squawkman
Added sentence

[Squawkman]

11 minutes ago, Mrs Miggins said:

So does that mean different offers to different people ?

 

Evidently to those who booked for different years. 

[CDNPolar]

3 hours ago, Squawkman said:

Evidently to those who booked for different years. 

Yes, it all depends on when you book what your cancel or change options are.  

 

It is our opinion that Viking owes us nothing for this change.  This is not Viking's fault and we can surmise as much as we want about reduced fuel and port charges, but the ship is only about 60% sold and people are cancelling not just because of the dropped ports but fear of being in that general area.  This sailing could cost Viking money.

 

If this were Viking's fault, then I would agree that they should compensate us.  It is not there fault, so if you don't like the offer they are giving - cancel and go somewhere else.

[duquephart]

No one is suggesting that Viking owes us anything. And, you don't get a prize for being the 148th person to point out that it's not Viking's fault.

[Heidi13]

21 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

They haven't made anything yet, have they? I'm only suggesting that there must be a significant savings in fuel and port fees to be realized. I'm aware of all the issues and dynamics and agree with their decision. We are disappointed but not enough to cancel. Bottom line: Appreciated ----- yes. But generous is, in my opinion, a stretch.

 

Couple of things I have learned over the years, both working in the industry and as a pax.

 

When booking a cruise, the posted itinerary is simply a suggestion. The real itinerary is confirmed upon disembarkation.

 

Since the Terms & Conditions require zero compensation, any compensation provided, is a gift. I was taught to accept gifts graciously. So yes, using that analogy, in our opinion, we consider Viking's offer generous.

[arkie111]

Here is the exact paragraph from the Homeland Cruise itinerary letter.

 

We appreciate your understanding of these necessary changes. As a token of our appreciation, we will be adding a $250 shipboard credit to your account for this voyage for each guest. This credit can be applied toward optional shore excursions, onboard services or used to purchase a Silver Spirits Beverage Package. Additionally, upon your return you will receive a 10% Future Cruise Voucher based on your paid cruise fare. The voucher can be used toward any future voyage with Viking—river, ocean, or expedition—and will be emailed to you after the cruise.

 

The  10 % discount can not be used until you return from your cruise.  To me that means you could get a discount for a cruise in 2024.  If your cruise will be completed in the summer or fall of 2022

you would have already paid for a 2023 cruise.  Sorry I am not convinced that Viking is the Cruise line for me.

[roninman]

  It's not Viking's fault, but Viking is still making book on a reduced itinerary.   It's not the passenger's fault, but the passenger is still out of an anticipated product for which the pax has paid.   One party benefits, the other party- always depending upon expectations, of course- does not.

 

In business terms, this is called managing risk.  The merchant has passed any risk to the customer. 

 

In a transactional sense, the customer, going forward, will have to decide whether the risk is worth it.  The fact that many customers believe the risk is worth it does not mean that all will, or even that most will.  Especially when reasonable customers face the consequences of agreeing to a hugely one-sided contract.

 

No matter who is "at fault," over the long run a business will suffer if it does not take care of customers and their expectations.

[Squawkman]

11 hours ago, arkie111 said:

Here is the exact paragraph from the Homeland Cruise itinerary letter.

 

We appreciate your understanding of these necessary changes. As a token of our appreciation, we will be adding a $250 shipboard credit to your account for this voyage for each guest. This credit can be applied toward optional shore excursions, onboard services or used to purchase a Silver Spirits Beverage Package. Additionally, upon your return you will receive a 10% Future Cruise Voucher based on your paid cruise fare. The voucher can be used toward any future voyage with Viking—river, ocean, or expedition—and will be emailed to you after the cruise.

 

The  10 % discount can not be used until you return from your cruise.  To me that means you could get a discount for a cruise in 2024.  If your cruise will be completed in the summer or fall of 2022

you would have already paid for a 2023 cruise.  Sorry I am not convinced that Viking is the Cruise line for me.

If you have more than one cruise booked and/or booked a cruise on board, you probably haven’t paid for any 2023 cruises yet. So that 10% can be used for a 2023 cruise that has been already booked. In any case, you can cancel and use the credit towards any future cruise. As my Homelands was in 2023, I was only offered the $250 SBC (no 10%) - but feel it is very fair of Viking to offer SBC to remain on the cruise as they don’t have to do that (see #135 above). I was booked for a cruise to Hawaii this past December that had an itinerary change as Hawaii wasn’t allowing cruise ships to dock. They offered generous SBC with no FCV for those who remained. We chose to get a refund as the entire itinerary was different (became a Mexican Riviera cruise). Again, we were satisfied that Viking did offer alternatives when they didn’t.have to.

 

If Viking’s offers are your reason for stating Viking is not the cruise line for you, please tell us which cruise line is.

[CDNPolar]

22 hours ago, duquephart said:

No one is suggesting that Viking owes us anything. And, you don't get a prize for being the 148th person to point out that it's not Viking's fault.

Thank you for your ever so polite reply.  

[duquephart]

3 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

Thank you for your ever so polite reply.  

 

Anytime.

[duquephart]

I'm wondering about arrival/depart times given the new itinerary. For instance, on the "old" cruise Gdansk was only a 5 hour stop.

[petrous]

every time you look it changes--now 8pm departure, even though we booked a tour that ends at 9:45pm

 

who knows??

[millybess]

4 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

Thank you for your ever so polite reply.  

 

4 hours ago, duquephart said:

 

Anytime.

This board is so batchy today. We all need something to look forward to. Book a cruise! 😊🍻

[duquephart]

10 hours ago, petrous said:

every time you look it changes--now 8pm departure, even though we booked a tour that ends at 9:45pm

 

who knows??

 

Where are you finding that?

[petrous]

I ran a guest statement on 3/28/22-went to port arrivals/departures and it states that we arrive in Gdansk at 8am and depart at 8pm

[duquephart]

Guest statement from where?

[cmaasfamily]

5 minutes ago, duquephart said:

Guest statement from where?

I assume that's a reference to requesting an invoice in MVJ. You can also see port times in MVJ by clicking on the Calendar. For June 22 sailing Gdansk is listed as 8AM arrival, 7PM departure.

 

(highly) Subject to revision, of course.

[duquephart]

How does one request an invoice? 

Thanks.

[cmaasfamily]

Upper left menu in MVJ; select "Acccount" and you'll see the option.

[Cienfuegos]

If you wanted to ditch Bornholm, and leave the cruise at Gdansk, you could make a nice "side trip" into the area of Martin Luther, and rejoin the cruise with their Berlin "stop".  Same for a side trip to Warsaw, Kracow, and the many memorials to suffering etc

 

There's some decent flexibility in the new schedule.