Sold Out Optional Tours/Dining Reservations Prior to Sailing

[NYU73]

On 11/26/2022 at 2:27 PM, SoBaycruiser said:

I have been looking at the private chasing NL tours for this coming March and they almost all say 6-9 hours in Tromso whereas the ship’s chasing lights tour is 5 hours.  The small mini van sounds appealing and cheaper… but 9 hours!!  Do they really stay out that long?  We are in our mid 70’s and I don’t think we are up to staying out in the cold til 5 am.  I want to book something as I don’t think there will be any spots on the ship’s tour… but I am concerned about 9 hrs.

Most of the tours stay out approx 6 hours. Guess it depends on the viewing locales and the distance they have to go. 

[donaldsc]

I logged onto My Viking 10 seconds after my reservation period opened and the site said that "dining reservations are not available at this time".  I kept on checking over several days and kept on seeing the same thing.  I then called Viking customer service to complain and they told me that although no on line spots were available they could give me my 2 reservations over the phone.  Problem solved. Good customer service.  Hope this helps others who are having the same problem that I had.

 

DON

[Fieldofdreams]

1 hour ago, donaldsc said:

I logged onto My Viking 10 seconds after my reservation period opened and the site said that "dining reservations are not available at this time".  I kept on checking over several days and kept on seeing the same thing.  I then called Viking customer service to complain and they told me that although no on line spots were available they could give me my 2 reservations over the phone.  Problem solved. Good customer service.  Hope this helps others who are having the same problem that I had.

 

DON

Thanks - this does help

[Fieldofdreams]

On 11/18/2022 at 6:56 PM, OneSixtyToOne said:

Excursions opened exactly at the stated time (noon PST). I was able to book everything I wanted. A few sold out within the hour.

 

We have another cruise booked and that one opens in the middle of this extension. I hope the hotel has good wi-fi and there is no problem booking from abroad.

Question - when you booked your excursions through My Viking did you enter your credit card into My Viking, make all of your selections then pay through the My Viking website with the associated credit card or did you make each selection and pay for each and move on to the next selection. Any advice from folks that have been through this process would be greatly appreciated.

[LindaS272]

7 minutes ago, Fieldofdreams said:

Question - when you booked your excursions through My Viking did you enter your credit card into My Viking, make all of your selections then pay through the My Viking website with the associated credit card or did you make each selection and pay for each and move on to the next selection. Any advice from folks that have been through this process would be greatly appreciated.

You are going to want to make your selection and pay one at a time. Start with the optional excursion you want the most and go from there. If you wait until all are in your cart, some will very likely be sold out. There are about ten gazillion posts in the Viking CC forum to that effect. Don’t forget to sign up for the included excursions, too, but you can do that at the end of the paid ones. If those are full already, Viking will add more capacity.

[SantaFe1]

33 minutes ago, Fieldofdreams said:

Question - when you booked your excursions through My Viking did you enter your credit card into My Viking, make all of your selections then pay through the My Viking website with the associated credit card or did you make each selection and pay for each and move on to the next selection. Any advice from folks that have been through this process would be greatly appreciated.

I think the way you go about this depends a bit on cabin category.  The DV and V cabins seem to have been having problems with shore ex selling out before they could check out.  We always book a PV cabin, and I have never done anything other than choose all my excursions, included and optional,  put them in my cart, and then just check out and pay once. I have always gotten everything.  However, if you are going to use a credit card, registering the card on MVJ will not pull that card up for payment of your cart items.  You will have to enter all the information.  However, if you want to pay by bank draft, and save 3.3%, register the bank routing number ahead of time, and when selecting that form of payment upon check out it WILL put in that number for you.  At least this is how it worked for me two weeks ago.  

[LindaS272]

24 minutes ago, SantaFe1 said:

I think the way you go about this depends a bit on cabin category.  The DV and V cabins seem to have been having problems with shore ex selling out before they could check out.  We always book a PV cabin, and I have never done anything other than choose all my excursions, included and optional,  put them in my cart, and then just check out and pay once. I have always gotten everything.  However, if you are going to use a credit card, registering the card on MVJ will not pull that card up for payment of your cart items.  You will have to enter all the information.  However, if you want to pay by bank draft, and save 3.3%, register the bank routing number ahead of time, and when selecting that form of payment upon check out it WILL put in that number for you.  At least this is how it worked for me two weeks ago.  

You are brave, Christine! We always book a PV also and I’ve followed the advice of checking out one at a time. But then, I have always been able to book as soon as reservations open. Half a day later, when checking back, I have seen excursions sold out. So one does need to be quick!

[SantaFe1]

4 minutes ago, LindaS272 said:

You are brave, Christine! We always book a PV also and I’ve followed the advice of checking out one at a time. But then, I have always been able to book as soon as reservations open. Half a day later, when checking back, I have seen excursions sold out. So one does need to be quick!

Well, I used to get up and book at 1 am when they opened at midnight Pacific time.  And now that they open at noon, it’s easy to book at 1pm, but then I’m retired!  Our next cruise, Med. Antiquities, is sold out.  I still had no problem getting everything.  And I just looked at the listed excursions and although all the DV cabins got to select today, there are still only about five things marked sold out—and they all involve food!  So maybe the cruise also influences things.  I think Viking is able to get a lot more excursions in the Mediterranean then, perhaps, in other places where tourism is still struggling.  

[Fieldofdreams]

5 hours ago, LindaS272 said:

You are going to want to make your selection and pay one at a time. Start with the optional excursion you want the most and go from there. If you wait until all are in your cart, some will very likely be sold out. There are about ten gazillion posts in the Viking CC forum to that effect. Don’t forget to sign up for the included excursions, too, but you can do that at the end of the paid ones. If those are full already, Viking will add more capacity.

Thank you, that is what I understood but your confirmation is great to know in advance.

[Fieldofdreams]

5 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

I think the way you go about this depends a bit on cabin category.  The DV and V cabins seem to have been having problems with shore ex selling out before they could check out.  We always book a PV cabin, and I have never done anything other than choose all my excursions, included and optional,  put them in my cart, and then just check out and pay once. I have always gotten everything.  However, if you are going to use a credit card, registering the card on MVJ will not pull that card up for payment of your cart items.  You will have to enter all the information.  However, if you want to pay by bank draft, and save 3.3%, register the bank routing number ahead of time, and when selecting that form of payment upon check out it WILL put in that number for you.  At least this is how it worked for me two weeks ago.  

Thank you

[Fieldofdreams]

4 hours ago, SantaFe1 said:

Well, I used to get up and book at 1 am when they opened at midnight Pacific time.  And now that they open at noon, it’s easy to book at 1pm, but then I’m retired!  Our next cruise, Med. Antiquities, is sold out.  I still had no problem getting everything.  And I just looked at the listed excursions and although all the DV cabins got to select today, there are still only about five things marked sold out—and they all involve food!  So maybe the cruise also influences things.  I think Viking is able to get a lot more excursions in the Mediterranean then, perhaps, in other places where tourism is still struggling.  

Thank you for providing helpful insight

[upgrayders]

On 12/12/2022 at 3:35 PM, donaldsc said:

I logged onto My Viking 10 seconds after my reservation period opened and the site said that "dining reservations are not available at this time".  I kept on checking over several days and kept on seeing the same thing.  I then called Viking customer service to complain and they told me that although no on line spots were available they could give me my 2 reservations over the phone.  Problem solved. Good customer service.  Hope this helps others who are having the same problem that I had.

 

DON

what is the phone number for customer service.  i only get access to chat.  than you.  

[upgrayders]

what is the phone number for customer service.  i only get access to chat.  than you.  

[Heidi13]

13 hours ago, upgrayders said:

what is the phone number for customer service.  i only get access to chat.  than you.  

 

It is on the header at the top of the website and also in the footer, under "Contact Us"

 

Ocean: 1-855-707-4837

River: 1-800-207-7286

Expeditions: 1-800-214-3110

[Haworth]

I received a call from Viking 1/2 hour ago, we were on a wait list for a specific excursion on our upcoming cruise, they have more space and we are booked on, excellent service.

[upgrayders]

On 12/14/2022 at 9:58 AM, Heidi13 said:

 

It is on the header at the top of the website and also in the footer, under "Contact Us"

 

Ocean: 1-855-707-4837

River: 1-800-207-7286

Expeditions: 1-800-214-3110

Thank you