A question about adding "air plus" to a booking

[OnTheJourney]

On 6/24/2022 at 1:54 PM, GoNavyFamily said:

Disappointed that we won't go through Viking  Air but when they are more expensive than booking the flights in the class  we want ourselves...we will handle it!

I've always preferred to do my own air, but it's just that in this crazy environment I like the idea of having all the money under Viking via risk-free. Paying more through them goes against me as well. I like to know exactly what seats I'm buying. 

[OnTheJourney]

On 6/24/2022 at 9:22 AM, greydog said:

Consider using half of bus. class $ towards balcony cruise over the pond.

Too many trips booked to try and fit a river cruise in yet in conjunction with our January V. cruise!  Have never done a river trip with V.  It's somewhere on the bucket list,  just not sure where anymore. 

[Missymo]

On 6/15/2022 at 9:06 PM, AnyWayIsGood said:

I chatted with an agent today to add an extension, and then got talking about possibly adding air. I asked if I'd be able to call the air dept. to discuss pricing, etc., but I was told that in order to work with the air dept. I'd first need to add the "air plus" service to the booking. So then she looked into it and asked if I wanted to add the air component to the trip right now - indicating that she couldn't add air plus if there isn't air on the booking at all (?) This is all just a tad confusing since I've never done it before. Next, after asking which local airports I'd use for international, she said that I'm too far out to make any schedules yet (for a January cruise) and that right now the air dept. is working with people that are within 60 days of departure and running into all sorts of issues with the air carriers cancelling flights (?). So she seemed to allude to a bit of chaos with the air bookings. Next she quoted the prices for economy, premium economy, and business class and said the prices she is quoting are 'locked in' as soon as paid for. She suggested just waiting being that they wouldn't be able to do much for me now anyway.

 

Just so I have this right...is there no way I can work with the air dept. unless I agree to pay upfront for one of the 3 classes she quoted (or, of course, I could choose economy and likely upgrade later)? Somehow I expected that she'd have to add something to the booking - a set fee, for example, which would qualify as "adding air on the booking", but would then at least allow me to talk to the air desk and get some pricing and itineraries. Apparently too soon to do either. Unless I'm missing something, it seems like an all-or-none deal relative to booking - either pay it all upfront right now and then work out the seating later, or do nothing (at least through Viking). I remain a bit confused about it but am just hesitant to fork out a good chunk of money (especially for B-class) without being to get any sort of detailed info as to what I'm purchasing.

 

I booked my own air when we did the Sky Northern Lights cruise back in '19, but with some of the uncertainties that exist today I'd prefer to keep everything under Viking so as to have all the monies covered under 'risk-free' if something were to go sideways or if we'd decide to cancel. She suggested that I at least book by 120 days out but I'd be inclined to not wait quite that long. What bothers me about all this is that I'd be paying the money up front but not actually getting a seat till much closer to the trip. I'm not used to that, having always booked my own for land tours, etc. so as to know right away where my seats are. Booking my own, of course, means the money is not under risk free however. 

 

Any thoughts or suggestions?  Talked to my TA afterwards and gave her the quoted prices, which she thought were actually quite good IF they were for both DW and myself for roundtrip. The agent indicated it was. I'll have to start looking up some prices to compare. 

 That wasn't true for me. My cruise came with free air.   Before I booked anything, I asked my TA about upping to Business class.  As she wasn't sure she gave me the phone # of Viking Air.  Spoke to a nice person who asked where flying from, and I told her my choice or Airline.  Unfortunately the price was too high for the flights and time Apparently they  did not have a contract at that time with my airline of choice. .  But she looked and did locate  better flighst with good times and my cost was minimal in adding the business class.  After I booked, Viking booked it and confirmed with seats.I picked.  This was in May for a November Sailing.

[OnTheJourney]

46 minutes ago, Missymo said:

My cruise came with free air.

Different situation. The chairman's cruise also came with free air but I upgraded to PE. You and I both already had an air component on the booking. 

Edited July 1, 2022 by AnyWayIsGood

[OnTheJourney]

49 minutes ago, Missymo said:

Apparently they  did not have a contract at that time with my airline of choice. .  But she looked and did locate  better flighst with good times and my cost was minimal in adding the business class.  After I booked, Viking booked it and confirmed with seats.I picked.

Sounds good!  Glad it all worked out for you.