When to book??

[kctwinmommy]

We're pretty sure we'll be booking a March/April 2024 Viking cruise in the Mediterranean. We were thinking the 10 day Empires of the Med. one. However, being our first time with Viking, and reading some of the posts, just trying to determine when we should book? We'll most likely be booking in the next few weeks, but any reason to book before the 1st? Or maybe wait for the new year? I realize nobody can predict anything, but just wondering if there would be any deals to wait for. We're also wondering if we want to use a TA, but we'd have to find one. This would be a bigger trip for us, and first higher end cruise. So we want to do it right!

[Frenchberet]

Check out this helpful thread first:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2863068-post-viking-promos/

[OneSixtyToOne]

14 minutes ago, Frenchberet said:

Check out this helpful thread first:

https://boards.cruisecritic.com/topic/2863068-post-viking-promos/

You beat me too it.

To the OP, if you see something on this thread that you like, book it. No one really knows when Viking will run a promo or on which cruises. So far we have booked two cruises this way, both times getting a DV1 for the lowest price in that class, free air, and the Silver Spirits Package thrown in on one. I don't use a TA but people have mentioned you can transfer it to a TA after you book. They may offer you an onboard credit.

 

We'll be doing the Mediterranean Odyssey cruise from Venice to Barcelona in the spring. You might want to research that itinerary.

 

Whatever you book, be sure to add a pre-cruise extension at your departure city, either through Viking or independently. You don't want to run the chance of missing the embarkation because of airline delays or other unforeseen events.

Edited December 20, 2022 by OneSixtyToOne

[Peregrina651]

Cindy -- Yes, definitely check out the promos and keep in mind that there is no way of knowing if a better deal is just around the corner. If you see a deal that works for you, grab it and don't look back. If you wait for a better deal to come along, you may have waited in vain -- what is your risk tolerance here?

 

Others will say, wait and see what turns up closer to departure (after the 121 days out point, the last day to cancel with minimal penalty on the shorter cruises; for longer cruises it is different timing).  Not that Viking has a history of last minute sales on unsold cabins but some cabins will open up at that point (N.B. that you will have to pay the full amount at booking). In all honesty, even a crystal ball is useless here. It all depends on how badly you want a particular itinerary or sail date.

 

Most promos run from the first day to the last day of the month. Sometimes they are renewed for the following month but you won't know until the first day of the next month.

 

More to think about.

• Viking is a popular cruise line with a loyal following. They sell out quickly.
• Prices seem to be going up right now.

[UWDawg]

My observation is that when Viking increases fares they typically do so on the first of the month.  So independent of any promotion, I'd suggest making a tentative booking shortly before the end of the month and then taking advantage of the few days grace period to make the actual commitment.  In those few days, if a new promotion comes to light as of the first of the month, then you might be able to shift to that offer, otherwise you can stick with the original quote under prior month prices.  However, as @Peregrina651 and others have suggested, "If you see a deal that works for you, grab it and don't look back."

[Selion]

7 hours ago, UWDawg said:

"If you see a deal that works for you, grab it and don't look back."

Take this to heart with Viking.  Viking, unlike some mass market lines, will NOT give any concessions if fare drops after final payment.  No stateroom category upgrades, no extra OBC, no FCC.  Nothing.  Guess this is one of the reasons why Viking doesn't send marketing materials to guests with future bookings.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, Selion said:

Take this to heart with Viking.  Viking, unlike some mass market lines, will NOT give any concessions if fare drops after final payment.  No stateroom category upgrades, no extra OBC, no FCC.  Nothing.  Guess this is one of the reasons why Viking doesn't send marketing materials to guests with future bookings.

 

 

If and only if the fare difference is great enough AND if it is more than 121(180(?) for longer journeys) days before sailing AND if there are cabins available in the category you want to book, you can always cancel the reservation you have and book again -- but you have to do the math first. You would lose any special offers from the first cruise -- airfare price and all included freebies or extras -- which you should include in the math calculations. If you would then buy the drinks package,  you have to add that to the new booking cost. If you lose OBC, you have to add that amount to the new booking cost (because you will now have to pay out of pocket for expenses such as shorex that the OBCwould have covered), etc. And you have to add any loss of insurance premium if you can't transfer the policy to the new booking.

 

In other words, the savings has to be fairly significant to even bother doing the math.

 

BTW, I do have a future booking (I try to make sure that I always have a future booking) and I still get promo e-mails and catalogs.

Edited December 20, 2022 by Peregrina651

[Clay Clayton]

You’ll get lots of conflicting opinions on using a Travel Agent. For us, the onboard credit our Agent provides is worth the minimal negative reasons not to use one. 
 

If you decide to find an agent (you don’t have to do so before booking-you can transfer your booking in the first 30 days) be sure you are getting the maximum value Viking allows-$150pp for cruises of  7 nights or less, $300pp for 8-14 nights, and $500pp for cruises longer than 15 nights. This is sufficient to cover our daily service charges and leave a little towards the bar bill. 
 

 

[kctwinmommy]

Thanks everyone!! When I book a Carnival cruise, I do it on my lunch break at work without batting an eyelash! LOL! This one is way different, but good different.

 

And thank you for the link to that promo conversation. I'm seeing a lot for the river ones, but nothing so far for ocean really. I'll keep my eyes open and see if something pops up in the next few weeks or so, unless we just book it next week. LOL! I also want to get it booked so I know we have it. 😃

[Clay Clayton]

30 minutes ago, kctwinmommy said:

Thanks everyone!! When I book a Carnival cruise, I do it on my lunch break at work without batting an eyelash! LOL! This one is way different, but good different.

 

And thank you for the link to that promo conversation. I'm seeing a lot for the river ones, but nothing so far for ocean really. I'll keep my eyes open and see if something pops up in the next few weeks or so, unless we just book it next week. LOL! I also want to get it booked so I know we have it. 😃

There is a recent one that included a number of ocean cruises.  I can’t recall if it included the one you’re interested in booking. 

[kctwinmommy]

17 hours ago, Clay Clayton said:

There is a recent one that included a number of ocean cruises.  I can’t recall if it included the one you’re interested in booking. 

OK thanks! I'll do some searching after I get through Christmas. LOL!

 

My parents actually said they had no idea what to get us this year and tried to get Viking GC's, but they don't even have them.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, kctwinmommy said:

My parents actually said they had no idea what to get us this year and tried to get Viking GC's, but they don't even have them.

 

The closest thing that they have to a gift certificate is a 'future cruise certificate', which can only be purchased while on board a river cruise. The cost is $100 for a $200 face value certificate. You may purchase as many as you want but only one certificate per person may be applied per cruise.

[Squawkman]

27 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The closest thing that they have to a gift certificate is a 'future cruise certificate', which can only be purchased while on board a river cruise. The cost is $100 for a $200 face value certificate. You may purchase as many as you want but only one certificate per person may be applied per cruise.

FYI - on our river cruise last month, there was a limit of 10 certificates per person.

[Peregrina651]

45 minutes ago, Squawkman said:

FYI - on our river cruise last month, there was a limit of 10 certificates per person.

 

 

Thanks for the update.

[kctwinmommy]

5 hours ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The closest thing that they have to a gift certificate is a 'future cruise certificate', which can only be purchased while on board a river cruise. The cost is $100 for a $200 face value certificate. You may purchase as many as you want but only one certificate per person may be applied per cruise.

Interesting! Good to know that. Too bad they have none booked. Their next one is in the late summer/early fall, and it's an Iceland one.

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, kctwinmommy said:

and it's an Iceland one.

 

They will love it. Iceland is beautiful.

[kctwinmommy]

1 hour ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

They will love it. Iceland is beautiful.

We've actually been there, but just for a day, on an overnight layover, and about 35 years ago. They had one booked into Russia for this past August. But just about a year ago, my dad was starting to get worried about things over there, and that was still 3 months before their invasion of Ukraine. Plus, they're in their 70's and he was a little concerned about the long flight for them. So they switched it to next year and Iceland, which is a much shorter flight. I don't know exactly which one, but it starts there and then ends in Canada. Then at least at the end, they have a really short flight back.