Post Viking Promos

[bob4cruise]

I have two Viking FCC for a total value of $8794.00 that must book a cruise by June 06/17/2023
This voucher expires on 6/17/2023. You will need to book a cruise by that date. You do not need to sail by that date. ..  I'm in stage D heart failure and won't be able to use ! SAVE 20 %  selling for $7,035.00

[deec]

thanks for posting these!

[UWDawg]

On 12/14/2022 at 8:16 PM, Selion said:

Expedition promo for Feb to Mar 2023 sailings.

Free Air

Free Silver Spirit Beverage Package

 

Offer Code PAT22

Offer expires Dec 31, 2022

 

https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/expedition/PAT22/20221214

Offer PAT22:
Offer valid on bookings made from Dec 14 to Dec 31, 2022. Free roundtrip airfare and complimentary Silver Spirits Beverage Package valid on

Feb 20; Mar 13 & 18, 2023 departures of Chilean Fjords & Patagonia Explorer;

Mar 27, 2023 departure of Panama & Scenic South America;

Apr 13, 2023 departure of Canada & the Atlantic Coastline;

Mar 13, 2023 departure of Patagonia to Canada Grand Explorer;

Mar 13, 2023 departure of Patagonia, Fjords & Panama Canal;

Mar 6, 2023 departure of Patagonian Shores & Chilean Fjords.

 

Air pricing varies per itinerary/departure. For additional itineraries, call for details. Prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Air does not have to be purchased to get cruise/tour offer. All fares reflect cruise taxes, port taxes and fees. Additional restrictions may apply. Airfares vary on other itineraries, gateways and departures. Air offers not valid on Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan and Mexico City; call for details. Book by Dec 31, 2022; pay in full by at time of booking. Offer expires Dec 31, 2022. 

Just an FYI....

 

While I was emailed the same PAT22 offer via a 12/14/22 email the same day that @Selion made his post #363, my wife received in the U.S. Post today (12/19/22) two separate Viking postcards with the same PAT22 offer.  It was interesting that the postcards were similar, but not identical and each identified a different "Source Code" accompanying her Customer #.  One source code was 45GY3H and the other source code was YH0YSL.

 

Postcard #1

 

 

Postcard #2

 

The postcards stated "For additional details, visit viking.com/Patagonia"

 

viking.com/Patagonia in turn re-directs to
 https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/expedition/PAT22/20221214

which in turn has additional voyages as @Selion previously posted.

 

So my post here doesn't provide any new information, per se, but is only intended to demonstrate how Viking is using different media types, targeted to different audiences, at different times.  Trying to figure out how Viking determines how, when and to whom to send out promotional offers remains a mystery to me.

[UWDawg]

On 12/16/2022 at 7:51 PM, Selion said:

River "Holiday Sale" for select 2023 European river sailings

Free Cattle-class Air

Free Extra Booze

 

Offer Code VHT22

Offer ends Dec 31, 2022

 

https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/river/VHT22/20221215

 

Offer VHT22:
Offer valid on bookings made from Dec 13 to Dec 31, 2022. Free international airfare and complimentary Silver Spirits Beverage Package valid on 2023 departures of

Rhine Getaway;

Romantic Danube;

Danube Waltz;

Grand European Tour;

Lyon & Provence;

Paris to the Swiss Alps;

Cities of Light;

Holland & Belgium;

Elegant Elbe;

Passage to Eastern Europe;

Capitals of Eastern Europe;

Lyon, Provence & the Rhineland.

 

Air pricing varies per itinerary/departure. For additional itineraries, call for details. Prices are in US dollars and for US residents only. Air does not have to be purchased to get cruise/tour offer. All fares reflect cruise taxes, port taxes and fees. Additional restrictions may apply. Airfares vary on other itineraries, gateways and departures. Air offers not valid on Alaska, Hawaii, San Juan and Mexico City; call for details. Book by Dec 31, 2022; pay in full by Jan 31, 2023 or at time of booking if within 90 days of departure. Offer expires Dec 31, 2022. 

FYI...  I came across the same VHT22 offer in an Instagram advertisement this afternoon.

Clicking on the ad redirected me to the viking site identifying the VHT22 offer only on the Canadian site.

https://www.viking.com/promotions/ca/river/VHT22/20221215

 

So just another example of Viking using different social media sites to target different audiences.

[FetaCheese]

Holiday sale.  Not sure how to copy/paste/screenshot.  Was from an ad on yahoo finance.

 

https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/river/RCR/20221215?dclid=CPyAkvX4ivwCFcQGaAgdhNYLGg&cid=DIS|YAH|999&utm_medium=paid_display&utm_source=y_dsp

[CannotSwim]

20 hours ago, FetaCheese said:

Holiday sale.  Not sure how to copy/paste/screenshot.  Was from an ad on yahoo finance.

 

https://www.viking.com/promotions/us/river/RCR/20221215?dclid=CPyAkvX4ivwCFcQGaAgdhNYLGg&cid=DIS|YAH|999&utm_medium=paid_display&utm_source=y_dsp

It looks identical to the previously mentioned. Same benefit, same cruises, same expiration time.
Different code, different phone number, and three of the cruises in the list are in a different order.

(I booked Holland & Belgium from VHT22. The low end cabin prices make for a much less expensive cruise.)

[OneSixtyToOne]

Offer OML

[slewis7]

I was looking at the “Hawaiian Islands Sojourn” as we were booked on this back in December 2021 before the itinerary was altered to the Mexican Riviera (we still went and the altered itinerary was “meh”).  
 

The current offer is EHT22.  Even with this offer, the pricing for the same cabin is around 50% higher than what we booked it for in 2021.  The new cruise is one day longer, but it sure seems like a big price hike.  It was a pretty last minute offering in 2021, so maybe we were getting a bargain then and the new pricing is more typical but it is putting us off of booking.

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, slewis7 said:

I was looking at the “Hawaiian Islands Sojourn” as we were booked on this back in December 2021 before the itinerary was altered to the Mexican Riviera (we still went and the altered itinerary was “meh”).  
 

The current offer is EHT22.  Even with this offer, the pricing for the same cabin is around 50% higher than what we booked it for in 2021.  The new cruise is one day longer, but it sure seems like a big price hike.  It was a pretty last minute offering in 2021, so maybe we were getting a bargain then and the new pricing is more typical but it is putting us off of booking.

We seriously considered both the Hawaiian and the South Pacific cruises last year as they were such a bargain (doubly so for Viking).  We said to each other at the time, it’s unlikely they will ever offer these cruises this cheap again.  I think that was a perfect storm that resulted in those great prices. 

[slewis7]

19 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

We seriously considered both the Hawaiian and the South Pacific cruises last year as they were such a bargain (doubly so for Viking).  We said to each other at the time, it’s unlikely they will ever offer these cruises this cheap again.  I think that was a perfect storm that resulted in those great prices. 

 Most likely so, but the resulting Mexican Riviera cruise we experienced, while having a good onboard experience was very disappointing with multiple cancelled ports.  Be glad you missed that, although I know you and Mike enjoy the sea days.

 

Hopefully, these Hawaii itineraries will make their intended ports.  I think I might hold off booking until closer to the sailing and look for better “offers”.

Edited December 23, 2022 by slewis7

[Squawkman]

46 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

We seriously considered both the Hawaiian and the South Pacific cruises last year as they were such a bargain (doubly so for Viking).  We said to each other at the time, it’s unlikely they will ever offer these cruises this cheap again.  I think that was a perfect storm that resulted in those great prices. 

That was our feeling exactly, so we did book Hawaii. But when Hawaii was closed to cruise ships and the cruise became Mexican Riviera, we bailed and got a full cash refund. We were told publicly (here on CC) and privately by folks who stayed on that we made a good decision.

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, slewis7 said:

 Most likely so, but the resulting Mexican Riviera cruise we experienced, while having a good onboard experience was very disappointing with multiple cancelled ports.  Be glad you missed that, although I know you and Mike enjoy the sea days.

 

Hopefully, these Hawaii itineraries will make their intended ports.  I think I might hold off booking until closer to the sailing and look for better “offers”.

Yep, we usually prefer “last minute” bookings as we find we get the best bang for our Buck. Our recent experience with the “$25” pp deposit  really being a $4,300 pp deposit has only emphasized our preference is the best option for us. 

[Ktwofish]

13 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

Yep, we usually prefer “last minute” bookings as we find we get the best bang for our Buck. Our recent experience with the “$25” pp deposit  really being a $4,300 pp deposit has only emphasized our preference is the best option for us. 

If you don’t mind me asking, how did the $25 pp deposit promo end up costing you $4300? Yikes!

[Clay Clayton]

1 hour ago, Ktwofish said:

If you don’t mind me asking, how did the $25 pp deposit promo end up costing you $4300? Yikes!

We booked a cruise for July 2023 in August 2022 during the $25 anniversary special deposit promo thinking of a better deal came along before our January 2023 final payment date that we would only be out $25.  Our cruise in October 2022 which we had paid for using a $1325 voucher and cash was canceled.  Because we knew we had final payment coming up relatively quickly, we accepted a voucher for 110% of what we had paid and reinstatement of the original voucher. 
 

Last week Viking advertised a promo on the August cruise, when we went to cancel, we learned that without our knowledge, both vouchers had been applied to our booking. So if we wanted to take advantage of the promo and cancel our $25 booking, we would loose the values of the two bookings. 
 

So while we are still ahead financially and didn’t loose any money, I just wanted to let folks know of our experience. 

Edited December 24, 2022 by Clay Clayton

[Ktwofish]

3 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

We booked a cruise for July 2023 in August 2022 during the $25 anniversary special deposit promo thinking of a better deal came along before our January 2023 final payment date that we would only be out $25.  Our cruise in October 2022 which we had paid for using a $1325 voucher and cash was canceled.  Because we knew we had final payment coming up relatively quickly, we accepted a voucher for 110% of what we had paid and reinstatement of the original voucher. 
 

Last week Viking advertised a promo on the August cruise, when we went to cancel, we learned that without our knowledge, both vouchers had been applied to our booking. So if we wanted to take advantage of the promo and cancel our $25 booking, we would loose the values of the two bookings. 
 

So while we are still ahead financially and didn’t loose any money, I just wanted to let folks know of our experience. 

Thank you for the information.  That’s truly unfortunate.  We booked a 2024 cruise under the $25 pp deposit promotion.  We are not sure we are going to go on the trip.  We were able to get the final payment pushed to 6 months before sailing since we had another cruise fully paid.  If we don’t go, we are only out $50.

[Clay Clayton]

2 hours ago, Ktwofish said:

Thank you for the information.  That’s truly unfortunate.  We booked a 2024 cruise under the $25 pp deposit promotion.  We are not sure we are going to go on the trip.  We were able to get the final payment pushed to 6 months before sailing since we had another cruise fully paid.  If we don’t go, we are only out $50.

That was our plan also…be advised if for some reason the first cruise doesn’t go, any vouchers from it will automatically be applied to your 2024 cruise.  Others have reported being able to provide direction at the time of voucher receipt that this shouldn’t take place.  YMMV

[slewis7]

We also have experienced Viking applying vouchers without consulting us.  In our case, we had balances on two cruises: one in 2023 and the other in 2024.  Viking applied the vouchers to the 2024 booking.
 

With final payment approaching for our 2023 cruise, we found out about it from our travel agent and asked her to get it fixed.  She warned us that Viking makes moving vouchers between bookings difficult. It took several weeks but she was able to get it done.  

[MikeD4134]

Let me know if this works.  I would think Viking knows who they send Promo Codes and will notice you are trying to use a code that is not yours.

[CHammond]

It works! I used a code posted here for the western Mediterranean and saved 5,000!

[LindaS272]

5 hours ago, MikeD4134 said:

Let me know if this works.  I would think Viking knows who they send Promo Codes and will notice you are trying to use a code that is not yours.

I don’t think that’s the way it works. They’re targeting/marketing to certain people/demographics, but anyone can use the codes.

[Squawkman]

44 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

I don’t think that’s the way it works. They’re targeting/marketing to certain people/demographics, but anyone can use the codes.

Absolutely true. Done it a few times. My Viking agent told me as long as you give him a valid code, he can apply the discount.

[LindaS272]

16 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

I don’t think that’s the way it works. They’re targeting/marketing to certain people/demographics, but anyone can use the codes.

And if you think about it, they just want to get customers—so they’ll take them where they can get them. An imperfect scattershot marketing effort—but what do I know?😂

[snoopy2001]

On 12/25/2022 at 9:23 PM, Squawkman said:

Absolutely true. Done it a few times. My Viking agent told me as long as you give him a valid code, he can apply the discount.

My Viking agent said he cannot apply the code to a paid booking.  Was your cruise already paid in full?  Thanks.

[Clay Clayton]

32 minutes ago, snoopy2001 said:

My Viking agent said he cannot apply the code to a paid booking.  Was your cruise already paid in full?  Thanks.

Can’t speak for Squawkman but typically promos are only applicable to new bookings. 

[Squawkman]

7 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said:

Can’t speak for Squawkman but typically promos are only applicable to new bookings. 

Clay - you’re correct. The workaround is when you cancel an existing booking and rebook it as new. Not always possible or desired. Impossible without losing money if the original cruise was booked after 12/1/21 with vouchers.

 

43 minutes ago, snoopy2001 said:

My Viking agent said he cannot apply the code to a paid booking.  Was your cruise already paid in full?  Thanks.

The original question was if using promo codes were restricted to those who received it directly - my response was a resounding no. When I used promo codes, they were brand new bookings or cancellations and rebooking of existing cruises. None were ever paid in full. As we usually have at least one future cruise booked when we book another, they’re always PIF six months before embarkation.