Purchase End of Cruise Transfer On Board?

[jtwind]

Hi All.  I just tried to purchase an end of cruise transfer to the airport, but was told that I couldn't, because it is so close to cruise time.  Can this transfer be purchased once on board?  Would there be a good chance that the buses are already full?  Thanks.

[Selion]

You can book transfer to airport on board.  We got a letter on 2nd day of the cruise showing transfer options at disembarkation.  Don't recall the prices.

[TayanaLorna]

The window to purchase transfers closes 30 days prior to cruise.  We have purchased on board no problem.  We have paid $49 in Bergen and Buenos Aires where the airport was close.  It was also $49 in Chile even though the drive was 1.5 hours from the Santiago airport to the ship in Valparaiso.  Same in London where the drive was over an hour from Greenwich to Heathrow.

[stcroixguy]

I was recently told by a Viking cruise TA that the price is $50 per person.  That was in Bergen.  

[sabrefan]

This is an interesting topic. I have an upcoming cruise on Orion from Vancouver to Seward in June. I used Viking air plus and plan to rent a car at Anchorage airport after the cruise. I asked about transportation from Seward to Anchorage airport and was told I would have to get my own because I had Viking air plus and I was not returning home the day the cruise ended. Seems kind of stupid since all I need is a ride on buses going to Anchorage airport. Received this response from two Viking reps and did ask if I could pay for transportation to the airport and was told that this would not be available to me. I have always been able to purchase this type of transportation on other cruise lines before.

[Mich3554]

2 hours ago, sabrefan said:

This is an interesting topic. I have an upcoming cruise on Orion from Vancouver to Seward in June. I used Viking air plus and plan to rent a car at Anchorage airport after the cruise. I asked about transportation from Seward to Anchorage airport and was told I would have to get my own because I had Viking air plus and I was not returning home the day the cruise ended. Seems kind of stupid since all I need is a ride on buses going to Anchorage airport. Received this response from two Viking reps and did ask if I could pay for transportation to the airport and was told that this would not be available to me. I have always been able to purchase this type of transportation on other cruise lines before.

You should be able to purchase it from Viking too.  Just because you are not returning home the day the cruise ends, there is no reason why they can’t take you to the airport the day the cruise ends.

When we left the ship in Valparaiso, we had the option of leaving to the airport, or the hotel others were hanging out at until their evening flight.  We were also given the option of private transport to a different hotel in Santiago….which was about 2 hours from where the ship docked.  
Near the end of the cruise, whether you have taken Viking Air or not (we did not), you’ll be given a form to request transport from the options.  Sometimes we have used them (Chile) and other times (Miami, Barcelona, Buenos Aires) we have just grabbed a taxi to a local hotel.   
IME, most Viking reps do not know about this unless they are on the ship.  In Chile, I was asking about transport from Valparaiso and was ready to book private transport until the form came around.  As we had a lot of shipboard credit, this took car3 of a chunk of it.

[millybess]

2 hours ago, sabrefan said:

This is an interesting topic. I have an upcoming cruise on Orion from Vancouver to Seward in June. I used Viking air plus and plan to rent a car at Anchorage airport after the cruise. I asked about transportation from Seward to Anchorage airport and was told I would have to get my own because I had Viking air plus and I was not returning home the day the cruise ended. Seems kind of stupid since all I need is a ride on buses going to Anchorage airport. Received this response from two Viking reps and did ask if I could pay for transportation to the airport and was told that this would not be available to me. I have always been able to purchase this type of transportation on other cruise lines before.

Next month, we disembark our cruise in Amsterdam.  We do not have Viking Air and we are flying from Amsterdam to Athens.  Our plan is to try to book the airport transfer while on board for an extra fee.  I will let you know if that works.  In our case, it's fine if it doesn't because the airport isn't very far.  But I agree with Mich3554, there doesn't seem to be any reason why you can't book a Viking transfer to the airport for a fee.

[cmaasfamily]

You need to book 30 days before the cruise begins, but you don't need to *pay* when you book. We just did this, booked departure transfer; plan to pay for it with on board credit. You can cancel while on board, so best to book ahead I'd think.

[Peregrina651]

14 minutes ago, millybess said:

But I agree with Mich3554, there doesn't seem to be any reason why you can't book a Viking transfer to the airport for a fee.

 

 

Then again, it is Viking and at times they do things in a way that is very different from what other cruise lines might do in the same situation or in a way that just doesn't seem logical to travelers. Viking marches to a different drummer, making it difficult to assume what they might do in any given situation.

 

3 hours ago, sabrefan said:

I asked about transportation from Seward to Anchorage airport and was told I would have to get my own because I had Viking air plus

 

The hang up is that you are using Viking Air Plus. Viking will only sell transfers to those who have booked their own flights. That you are using VAP and want BUY a transfer just doesn't seem to fit into their business plan. (And yes, am rolling my eyeballs at rigidity shown here). BTW, this is not a new policy and has nothing to do with the recent hiatus; this has been the Viking policy at least since the beginning of VO.

 

Try having a nice conversation with the folks at tellus@vikingcruises.com. Maybe they have some magic to work on this one. They are a few steps above the folks who answers the phones and chat lines.

 

If that doesn't work, try again on the ship. If they won't sell you a transfer either, maybe they can help you book other transportation to the airport.

[millybess]

4 hours ago, sabrefan said:

This is an interesting topic. I have an upcoming cruise on Orion from Vancouver to Seward in June. I used Viking air plus and plan to rent a car at Anchorage airport after the cruise. I asked about transportation from Seward to Anchorage airport and was told I would have to get my own because I had Viking air plus and I was not returning home the day the cruise ended. Seems kind of stupid since all I need is a ride on buses going to Anchorage airport. Received this response from two Viking reps and did ask if I could pay for transportation to the airport and was told that this would not be available to me. I have always been able to purchase this type of transportation on other cruise lines before.

Have you looked here?

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/tours/seward-anchorage-narrated-direct-bus-shuttle-transfer/

[janetcbl]

45 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

 

Then again, it is Viking and at times they do things in a way that is very different from what other cruise lines might do in the same situation or in a way that just doesn't seem logical to travelers. Viking marches to a different drummer, making it difficult to assume what they might do in any given situation.

 

 

The hang up is that you are using Viking Air Plus. Viking will only sell transfers to those who have booked their own flights. That you are using VAP and want BUY a transfer just doesn't seem to fit into their business plan. (And yes, am rolling my eyeballs at rigidity shown here). BTW, this is not a new policy and has nothing to do with the recent hiatus; this has been the Viking policy at least since the beginning of VO.

 

Try having a nice conversation with the folks at tellus@vikingcruises.com. Maybe they have some magic to work on this one. They are a few steps above the folks who answers the phones and chat lines.

 

If that doesn't work, try again on the ship. If they won't sell you a transfer either, maybe they can help you book other transportation to the airport.

I have never used Viking Air and usually purchase transfers (for $49 each person/ each way) when I make my final payment or when I book the trip. Never had a problem.

[millybess]

40 minutes ago, millybess said:

Have you looked here?

https://alaskacruisetransfer.com/tours/seward-anchorage-narrated-direct-bus-shuttle-transfer/

Sabrefan, just checking this out and it’s actually as good a price — or possibly better — than we would pay to go the 20km to Schiphol after our cruise in May. 

[Cienfuegos]

If you don't have much luggage, taking the Amsterdam light rail to the Central Station, and the train to Schipol could be an alternative.  The light rail station is across the street from the ocean terminal.

[sabrefan]

Thank you all for the advice. I have looked at Alaska cruise transfer. Actually one of the Viking reps told me about this. I will try tellus@vikingcruise.com.

[Peregrina651]

10 hours ago, janetcbl said:

I have never used Viking Air and usually purchase transfers (for $49 each person/ each way) when I make my final payment or when I book the trip. Never had a problem.

 

That is true. If you arrange your own air, Viking will sell you transfers without any problem.

 

However, if you use Viking Air, as sabrefan is doing, they will not sell you transfers. I don't know why. I just know that it is Viking's policy.

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, sabrefan said:

Thank you all for the advice. I have looked at Alaska cruise transfer. Actually one of the Viking reps told me about this. I will try tellus@vikingcruise.com.

 

Don't forget that in the e-mail address, "cruises" is plural.