Viking Non Included Excursion Pricing

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Does Viking mark up the price of their non including excursions the same as other cruise lines?   While I appreciate the included excursions there are many times I would prefer to do something else.     

 

I am wondering if their optional excursions are offered at a discount compared to other cruise lines?   My back of the napkin calculation with a very limited data set tells me that they price their excursions about the same as the others.     

 

On my recent cruise Viking Offered the "Coronado Cays by Gondola" for $449 (as I recall)  Booking direct would cost $145 - add in round trip cab fare of $100 makes it a total of $245 and that mark up seems to be on par with other cruise lines.    

 

I am looking at future Viking Cruises and am working on estimating the total cost.   I was pleasantly surprised to note that their beverage pricing was less than others and the 18% gratuity was included in the listed price and not tacked on afterwards.

 

[shadowlover]

I have paid for excursions through viking and haven't been disappointed or felt I was cheated.  I also did an extension pre cruise through viking in Athens and thought it was a tremendous value although not  inexpensive.  I think you're wise pricing it on your own to see what else is available.  We usually do the included excursions and pay for private tours when wanting to see more.  I never feel nickel and dimed with viking and your drinks example is a good one.

[Azulann]

I have always been pleased with  the Viking  excursion that I paid for in Europe. I paid $120. pp for a 8 hr  tour to Seville from Cadiz port. The bus ride was long but, got to see the country side and the guide on board gave a great commentary of this part of Spain. Once in Seville we took walking tour  which ended at the great cathedral.  We had lunch on our own and then reassemble in early afternoon for trip back. I took this all day tour by Viking to be sure if there were any delays , Viking would wait for their bus and passengers. Other excursions were in the $60-80  pp range in Bermuda. I thought they were all great value and had wonderful knowledge guides.

[dd57]

The optional excursions that I researched in Alaska were very similar to going direct to the vendors.  In one case it was only $10 more, in another case it was ~$20 more.  This was in 2019.  From reading reports here, it does seem to vary with part of the world.  I googled a few key words from the tour description to find the vendors.

 

It could also be that there are multiple vendors doing similar tours with varying quality, and varying costs.  I've been very happy with Viking's tours.

[Heidi13]

16 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

Does Viking mark up the price of their non including excursions the same as other cruise lines?   While I appreciate the included excursions there are many times I would prefer to do something else.     

 

I am wondering if their optional excursions are offered at a discount compared to other cruise lines?   My back of the napkin calculation with a very limited data set tells me that they price their excursions about the same as the others.     

 

On my recent cruise Viking Offered the "Coronado Cays by Gondola" for $449 (as I recall)  Booking direct would cost $145 - add in round trip cab fare of $100 makes it a total of $245 and that mark up seems to be on par with other cruise lines.    

 

I am looking at future Viking Cruises and am working on estimating the total cost.   I was pleasantly surprised to note that their beverage pricing was less than others and the 18% gratuity was included in the listed price and not tacked on afterwards.

 

Since I had visited most of the ports on our 2020 World Cruise with another cruise line, I did a quick comparison of the respective shore-ex costs, when our tours were published. Of the tours that I found comparable, Viking were slightly cheaper on many of them. 

 

[LisaDee]

Just one very specific data point but we took a catamaran excursion from St Kitts in February on Viking and again in April on Royal Caribbean.  It was the same catamaran with the same crew, itinerary and inclusions (lunch & drinks.)   Viking charged me $99, on Royal Caribbean I paid $130.  I think Viking should discount the paid excursions somewhat to reflect that you’re forgoing the “free” ones. 

[duquephart]

In Homelands out of Stavanger Viking has  Pulpit Rock Cruise for $209pp. Ten feet away is Rodne doing the same thing for $65pp (you do get a waffle with Viking). It pays to shop.

[millybess]

1 hour ago, duquephart said:

In Homelands out of Stavanger Viking has  Pulpit Rock Cruise for $209pp. Ten feet away is Rodne doing the same thing for $65pp (you do get a waffle with Viking). It pays to shop.

I emailed Rodne about this excursion. In our case the Rodne excursion left earlier than our arrival time. Also, a member on this board said that the weather is often too iffy to see much. We are in Stavanger this Saturday and we will check to see if there are other companies offering this tour besides Rodne. 

Edited May 5, 2022 by millybess
Typo

[duquephart]

4 minutes ago, millybess said:

I emailed Rodne about this excursion. In our case the Rodne excursion left earlier than our arrival time. Also, a member on this board said that the weather is often too iffy to see much. We are in Stavanger this Saturday and we will check to see if there are other companies offering this tour besides Rodne. 

 

Later in the year they add a noon cruise which works out perfectly.

[millybess]

5 minutes ago, duquephart said:

 

Later in the year they add a noon cruise which works out perfectly.

👍Rodne gets very good reviews. 

[Clay Clayton]

Just an FYI and I hope things have changed as the world comes back from Covid, but last July in Iceland, there were few independent guides available.  I looked in two of our ports and was only able to find one guide in each.

[Mich3554]

9 hours ago, LisaDee said:

Just one very specific data point but we took a catamaran excursion from St Kitts in February on Viking and again in April on Royal Caribbean.  It was the same catamaran with the same crew, itinerary and inclusions (lunch & drinks.)   Viking charged me $99, on Royal Caribbean I paid $130.  I think Viking should discount the paid excursions somewhat to reflect that you’re forgoing the “free” ones. 

Not everyone forgoes included excursions.  It is pretty easy to schedule included and optional excursions together.  We have done it at least 4 times this trip, and I know a lot of people do not just choose one excursion/port..  

[duquephart]

Good point!

[KathyA]

7 hours ago, duquephart said:

In Homelands out of Stavanger Viking has  Pulpit Rock Cruise for $209pp. Ten feet away is Rodne doing the same thing for $65pp (you do get a waffle with Viking). It pays to shop.

That waffle was delicious!

[duquephart]

9 minutes ago, KathyA said:

That waffle was delicious!

 

$144 waffles typically are.

[PBodek]

All I can say is just know what can happen by booking an excursion not provided by the cruise line.  We were on a bus/train excursion in New Zealand and the bus broke down.  The replacement bus was hours away and we were 3 1/2 hours late (and past departure time).  If we had booked that on our own the ship wouldn't have waited for us and that was the last stop in New Zealand before heading to Australia.  It's NOT worth it to save a few buckS

 

[Heidi13]

2 hours ago, PBodek said:

All I can say is just know what can happen by booking an excursion not provided by the cruise line.  We were on a bus/train excursion in New Zealand and the bus broke down.  The replacement bus was hours away and we were 3 1/2 hours late (and past departure time).  If we had booked that on our own the ship wouldn't have waited for us and that was the last stop in New Zealand before heading to Australia.  It's NOT worth it to save a few buckS

 

 

Not missing the ship is definitely one of every cruise line's selling points. However, that is not totally factual.

 

The Master makes the decision to delay the sailing, or to sail. A number of issues may dictate the Master must sail, such as:

• If the next voyage was a full speed sailing, the ship would arrive late at the next port
• They have tidal/weather issues, or
• The pilot, tug or longshoremen are not available for a delayed sailing

 

Any of these issues and many others could dictate that the Master must sail. In this situation, the cruise line most likely will pay the costs of getting you to the next port.

 

However, many of the vendors I use provide the same guarantee.

[PBodek]

58 minutes ago, Heidi13 said:

 

Not missing the ship is definitely one of every cruise line's selling points. However, that is not totally factual.

 

The Master makes the decision to delay the sailing, or to sail. A number of issues may dictate the Master must sail, such as:

• If the next voyage was a full speed sailing, the ship would arrive late at the next port
• They have tidal/weather issues, or
• The pilot, tug or longshoremen are not available for a delayed sailing

 

Any of these issues and many others could dictate that the Master must sail. In this situation, the cruise line most likely will pay the costs of getting you to the next port.

 

However, many of the vendors I use provide the same guarantee.

They will get you to the next port which would have been 2 days later at the end of the cruise in Sydney.  

[Jay23]

We did Viking's Pulpit Rock tour.  The guide was Super Excellent and the Waffle was very good indeed!

 

Mostly we did included excursions.  Viking excursions are expensive which answers the question that the OP asked.

 

Husband did the Flam railway trip at a fraction of the cost of the Viking offer.  It is a five minute walk from the ship to the railway station.   Enjoy your cruise OP.   

[Heidi13]

16 hours ago, PBodek said:

They will get you to the next port which would have been 2 days later at the end of the cruise in Sydney.  

 

As will many of the private vendors that I use. The private vendors are generally also cheaper.