Viking included air questions

[GoGAdawgsWin]

Hi,

we’re considering a package deal from Viking for the 7 day Amsterdam-Basel cruise in late October 22.  Our first river and international cruise.

the deal includes airfare.

anyone have experience with included air particularly these questions-

1.  We live in Atlanta and have daily non-stops to Amsterdam.  Are we most likely to fly non-stop?  Really don’t want the 30 hour 6 stop flights I see on kayak.  
2. I realize the included flight is basic economy,  do you still get free check bag?

3.  If on Delta will my status help with seat selection if booked through Viking?

4. is it possible to arrive a day early on included air and not use Viking pre cruise package?  I’d like to get in a day early and tour Amsterdam on my own and acclimate to time change.

 

thanks and safe travels,

 

[anyman]

5 hours ago, GoGAdawgsWin said:

Hi,

we’re considering a package deal from Viking for the 7 day Amsterdam-Basel cruise in late October 22.  Our first river and international cruise.

the deal includes airfare.

anyone have experience with included air particularly these questions-

1.  We live in Atlanta and have daily non-stops to Amsterdam.  Are we most likely to fly non-stop?  Really don’t want the 30 hour 6 stop flights I see on kayak.  
2. I realize the included flight is basic economy,  do you still get free check bag?

3.  If on Delta will my status help with seat selection if booked through Viking?

4. is it possible to arrive a day early on included air and not use Viking pre cruise package?  I’d like to get in a day early and tour Amsterdam on my own and acclimate to time change.

 

thanks and safe travels,

 

 

Can give you a part answer. We're on the Basal to Amsterdam in July. We are flying out of Daytona on Delta to Atlanta, connecting with a Delta direct to Amsterdam, returning from Basal on a KLM Hopper back to Amsterdam, doing the reverse, non-stop to Atlanta. I'm Silver and had given Viking our numbers, but the reservation shows up on my Delta account. It does say not eligible for comp upgrade. Was able to select seats, with no issues. Did not try to pay for an upgrade, but the reservation only gives me the option to upgrade the Daytona to Atlanta and the reverse. We are happy where we are, and if I could upgrade to Comfort, I'm not too sure it would be worth it. the last two times we flew Delta to Europe, we did, but felt it really wasn't worth it cause we slept most of the way going, and watched movies returning. Same meals, and even the drinks were free. But there is more leg room in comfort. You can ask Viking about extending either pre or post, I'm pretty sure that's allowed.

[CCJack]

you can either let Viking (likely a computer) pick your flights for you, or you can pay an extra $50 - $100 for viking air plus.   We did that and I felt it was well worth it.  The difference is you basically get a Viking travel agent on the phone and will help find the flights / times you want.     The website also says that you also pay any additional difference between the fare of the flights you select and the fare that viking would automatically choose for you.   Although that sounds bad (ie, you lose the favorable fare from viking) - I recall that it was not really the case.   The viking air person found many flights for us to choose from that were not additional upcharge ( except for the $50 to utilize viking air plus.)   My info is about 3 years old, so others may have more recent advice.  I am certainly not an expert on how air fares are determined!    I know I was pleased with the extra service.   

 

[GoGAdawgsWin]

Thank you both for the great info.  I’m Delta silver as well and like the bulkhead exit row in main cabin better than comfort for overnight flights.  
 

[summerclouds]

My husband and I are doing Viking’s Basel to Amsterdam Rhine cruise in September.  This will be our first Viking experience.  We are using Vikings air service.

 

We paid $50  extra per person for the Viking Air Plus/Custom Air which allows us input into our flights rather than having to accept what Viking would choose for us.  We were also able request that Viking make our airline reservations as soon as flights opened for reservations as opposed to waiting till when Viking would choose on its own to make the reservations.  This can give you an advantage in seat selection as Viking on its own seems to wait much closer to your travel date to book your reservations.

 

We researched flights and gave our travel agent a list of four flights in order of our preference.  She contacted Viking and we got our first choice flights.  We did not have to pay anything extra for these flights.

 

We are arriving 3 days early in Basel and staying 3 days after in Amsterdam on our own.   This required us to pay a “deviation” fee of $100 per person since we are “deviating” from flying on the embarkation/disembarkation days.  If you are deviating on only one end, you fee might be $50 per person; I’m not sure about that.   If you deviate on your own rather than doing a Viking pre or post extension, they do not provide transfers, so you would have to get to the ship on your own and to the airport or a hotel on your own at the other end.  We feel comfortable with that.

 

That’s our experience so far!

[GoGAdawgsWin]

Excellent information.  Thanks. 

[Mooneydiva]

I just booked a Viking Amsterdam to Basel and extended at both ends for $100 per person. The agent told me that the cost was $100 pp for any deviation....just an FYI

[Host Jazzbeau]

4 hours ago, Mooneydiva said:

I just booked a Viking Amsterdam to Basel and extended at both ends for $100 per person. The agent told me that the cost was $100 pp for any deviation....just an FYI

I believe it's $100 pp for deviation(s).  If you deal with both ends on the same call, it's only the one charge, as you experienced.

[mhb1757]

You can save yourself (or your travel agent) a lot of time and aggravation if you look on line, find the flights you want, pick a couple of back up choices and then contact the Air Plus number. In our experience Delta or their Sky Team partner airlines have always been available at no additional cost when coming or going thru Atlanta. You will pay $50/pp for the air plus service, but as others have said it is worth the added expense in our opinion. If you want to arrive early and/or stay additional days after the cruise you will incur the $100/pp deviation fee. Also remember that you will forfeit the provided transfer from airport to ship (or ship back to airport if you stay after the cruise). 

[Pegct]

Have used Viking Air plus with multiple scheduled cruises. Do to Covid virus have only actually flown once with no issues due to cruise cancellations. However be warned that you must keep watch on Viking My Journey Air section for changes that you may not be notified about in advance. Depending on when you request flights in advance Viking is taking air reservations-but not ticketing it so any specific flight requests may change.  I recently cancelled one cruise but a second cruise fully paid for had that air reservations cancelled at time I cancelled first cruise. It was easy to get it back but seat selection was horrible when rescheduled.  Also be knowledgeable about flights you want because if flights are limited or have inconvenient  stops from your airport your options may be very limited. An example is flying to Bergen, Norway from my home port results multiple stops with long layovers which  not ideal but it is what it is. Still will use Viking Air Plus but there are some limitations. 

[The Shrike]

We've done two Viking River cruises and used their air both times.  Most recently was Rhine Amsterdam-Basel November 2021 (an absolutely wonderful cruise, BTW).

 

We've been pleased with the flights and times that they've booked for us; no looooong layovers, no red eyes, etc.

However, I highly recommend that after you receive your confirmed itinerary from Viking you periodically check on the flights directly through the airlines' websites.  Upon leaving Basel we were ticketed on American Airlines to London, then London to home.  A week before leaving home I double-checked the flights and the Basel-London was not on AA's site.  I called Viking, they did some checking, and AA had cancelled that flight...and they didn't notify Viking or passengers booked through TAs!!!  Within 18 hours we had new flights home on United.  It actually worked out better as we had a later departure so were able to enjoy breakfast before transfers.

[piginmud]

On 4/2/2022 at 2:48 PM, GoGAdawgsWin said:

Hi,

we’re considering a package deal from Viking for the 7 day Amsterdam-Basel cruise in late October 22.  Our first river and international cruise.

the deal includes airfare.

anyone have experience with included air particularly these questions-

1.  We live in Atlanta and have daily non-stops to Amsterdam.  Are we most likely to fly non-stop?  Really don’t want the 30 hour 6 stop flights I see on kayak.  
2. I realize the included flight is basic economy,  do you still get free check bag?

3.  If on Delta will my status help with seat selection if booked through Viking?

4. is it possible to arrive a day early on included air and not use Viking pre cruise package?  I’d like to get in a day early and tour Amsterdam on my own and acclimate to time change.

 

thanks and safe travels,

 

Just off the Danube Waltz & I can answer some of your questions.

1)  Choosing Viking air, you may get lucky for a non-stop, but not likely

2)  Yes, you will get a free checked bag with basic economy!  And we also brought on a carry on bag as well.

3)  No it won't!  My sister had tons of free miles on her credit cards and through United, and we weren't able to use them because *she* didn't book the airfare herself.

 

Good luck!

debbie

[sharkster77]

51 minutes ago, piginmud said:

Just off the Danube Waltz & I can answer some of your questions.

1)  Choosing Viking air, you may get lucky for a non-stop, but not likely

2)  Yes, you will get a free checked bag with basic economy!  And we also brought on a carry on bag as well.

3)  No it won't!  My sister had tons of free miles on her credit cards and through United, and we weren't able to use them because *she* didn't book the airfare herself.

 

Good luck!

debbie

We used Viking Air and came to our travel agent with a list of preferred flights, including non-stops.  We sat there while she spoke with the Viking rep and they gave us exactly the flights we asked for, including a nonstop ZUR-BOS.

[mhb1757]

We booked a Danube cruise on Viking last week for this May. It came with free air. Since we were less than 65 days from departure we could not do Air Plus (which we usually do when using Viking Air). I resigned myself to bad flights, but much to my delight we got exactly the flights I would have picked had I been given the option. So kudos for that. 
All of our flights are on Delta (or a Sky Team codeshare). I have platinum status on Delta so I was able get on Delta’s website to request complimentary upgrades on eligible segments, pick medallion seats on all segments and upgrade using miles or cash as soon as the flights were ticketed. 
 

A previous poster said they couldn’t use miles on United to upgrade, but it wasn’t an issue with Delta, so maybe it depends on the airline. 

Edited April 13, 2022 by mhb1757

[mlbcruiser]

I have a question for those of you who have had to cancel cruises in which you are getting Viking’s free air along with your cruise. We did pay both the $50 fee and the $100 air deviation fee with regard to our air farting songs we hope to be taking in several weeks. Since we were already notified about a slight change of a couple of hours to one of our flights, I assume we are ticketed. We  have independent travel insurance that we did not purchase from Viking. Since we were not having to pay for the air, we did not include the plane ticket amount in our coverage because we could not have recouped and amount that we didn’t pay in the first place. If we should have to cancel our cruise, we won’t be flying. There would be no penalty charged to us by either Viking or the airline in such a case, correct? 

[CPT Trips]

2 hours ago, mlbcruiser said:

We did pay both the $50 fee and the $100 air deviation fee with regard to our air farting songs we hope to be taking in several weeks.

🤷🏻‍♂️Kindly translate.

[Pegct]

Although you might be getting “Free Air” as a promotional sale from Viking the airfare cost is always listed on your invoice with a separate line below subtracting airfare discount. Total cost on invoice includes cruise fare and airfare (even if discounted) so I would insure amount listed on invoice to cover both.

[mlbcruiser]

Omg, CPT trips! I have no idea why that printed but guess Siri just mixed it up or picked up words coming from a tv. (?) Those words were supposed to simply be “with regard to a cruise we are taking in several weeks”. Well I hope It gave few people a chuckle! Embarrassing nonetheless.

 

Pegct, thank you so much for the information. I checked our invoice and see what you mean. The total air cost is listed but then deducted fully again prior to the total. We are insured for the total, which is the amount we paid. In reading over the cancellation policy listed at the bottom of that invoice, that is that is also the amount we should get back in voucher form if we decided we didn’t want to travel then for whatever reason. Hopefully we will make it without incident or illness. 

 

 

[Canal archive]

Oh now come on we want to hear these air …………. songs it’s always interesting to learn new things and if robots are introducing them it’s our duty as humans to keep up with them! 

[Pegct]

Glad you understood MLB. One reason to use Viking Air especially while Covid is still around is airlines rescheduling/cancelling flights especially if you have discounted airfares. I have witnessed reasonably priced airfares dramatically increase closer to date of sailing and if you purchased your own fare and flight was cancelled, airline will provide refund and you may not be able to reschedule flight in time for cruise departure. People who fly out of major  airport hubs have more choices but flying into more remote airports can be major headache.

[mlbcruiser]

Good point, Pegct! There have been so many domestic flights canceled in the US the last six to 8 weeks weeks that are just domestic flights, you even have to worry about just getting to your international flight’s airport. 

[pgoode]

Not to hijack this thread but I have a question about "free air".  Am I able to book a different class (ie premium economy, business) understanding I would pay additional for those tickets of course, in addition to paying for Viking Air Plus?  Thanks

[Older Sister]

22 minutes ago, pgoode said:

Not to hijack this thread but I have a question about "free air".  Am I able to book a different class (ie premium economy, business) understanding I would pay additional for those tickets of course, in addition to paying for Viking Air Plus?  Thanks

When the time came to book my flight, I contacted Viking Air and upgraded at the time of booking.  I paid for the upgrade at that time.  Best money I’ve ever spent.  

[The Shrike]

2 hours ago, pgoode said:

Not to hijack this thread but I have a question about "free air".  Am I able to book a different class (ie premium economy, business) understanding I would pay additional for those tickets of course, in addition to paying for Viking Air Plus?  Thanks

Yes.

[lindalee4102]

Keep in mind that the customer service is so horrible with Viking that even if you choose to upgrade to Viking Air Plus, you will spend a lot of time waiting on hold hoping someone picks up the phone before you are "accidentally" disconnected.  Or worse, get a "customer service representative" that really hoses up your air reservations.