ACH payment for Excursions

[Camden lady]

I usually pay for excursions by credit card...but if I pay by ACH do I get the discount?  Also do you just enter your bank information in MVJ and as you choose excursions do they automatically hit your account without you entering any payment method?  Do you just keep choosing the ones you want and they automatically hit your account?  You'll have convinced me this is the way to go.....so thanks so much.

[millybess]

5 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

I usually pay for excursions by credit card...but if I pay by ACH do I get the discount?  Also do you just enter your bank information in MVJ and as you choose excursions do they automatically hit your account without you entering any payment method?  Do you just keep choosing the ones you want and they automatically hit your account?  You'll have convinced me this is the way to go.....so thanks so much.

The opportunity to use ACH for excursions closes 30 days before departure.  You still have to check out and it's fairly quick that the money is taken out of your account.

[philw1776]

10 minutes ago, Camden lady said:

I usually pay for excursions by credit card...but if I pay by ACH do I get the discount?  Also do you just enter your bank information in MVJ and as you choose excursions do they automatically hit your account without you entering any payment method?  Do you just keep choosing the ones you want and they automatically hit your account?  You'll have convinced me this is the way to go.....so thanks so much.

Yes you get the discount.
Once you go ACH you never go back. It keeps using the ACH info as you enter optional excursions later for THAT cruise.

[Azulann]

Set up your ACH  in MVJ before you pick your excursions. Then when you pick each excursion for payment you just check the account button , repeat for each excursion and you are set. Once on board , I give them a cc card for on board account , not my checking account. 

[Camden lady]

8 minutes ago, philw1776 said:

Yes you get the discount.
Once you go ACH you never go back. It keeps using the ACH info as you enter optional excursions later for THAT cruise.

Thanks for helping clear this up for me.

[Camden lady]

10 minutes ago, Azulann said:

Set up your ACH  in MVJ before you pick your excursions. Then when you pick each excursion for payment you just check the account button , repeat for each excursion and you are set. Once on board , I give them a cc card for on board account , not my checking account. 

Great. Thanks so much. I prefer a cc for on-board also so was wondering if I could change methods so thanks for clearing that up.   There is so much great info out here and so many super people willing to help.

[DRJVH]

First time cruisers with Viking. Sorry to sound a bit naive but what is an ACH?. We were hoping to just pay with credit card for our excursions which we are hopefully going to book on Thursday. 

[OneSixtyToOne]

26 minutes ago, DRJVH said:

First time cruisers with Viking. Sorry to sound a bit naive but what is an ACH?. We were hoping to just pay with credit card for our excursions which we are hopefully going to book on Thursday. 

 

ACH stand for Automated Clearing House.

It's an automated fund transfer using your bank's routing number and your account number, an E-Check.

It's the opposite of direct deposit.

Edited April 23, 2023 by OneSixtyToOne

[formernuke]

You can pay with credit card but unfortunately you need to re-enter the info every time you complete a purchase. So if you are trying to get your most important excursions first and check out after each one, ACH is faster. (you don't actually have the excursion until you pay for it, so there is a risk of losing it if you don't pay quickly)

[Gail Boertzel]

If you are using a voucher to pay for an excursion, how does that work? I have been told that excess on voucher after paying for cruise can be used for excursions. 

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

Also, they charge for using a credit card. 

[Squawkman]

1 hour ago, Gail Boertzel said:

If you are using a voucher to pay for an excursion, how does that work? I have been told that excess on voucher after paying for cruise can be used for excursions. 

You will be asked if you want to use any credits you have.

[Squawkman]

11 minutes ago, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

Also, they charge for using a credit card. 

Actually, there’s a discount if you use ACH. Nothing is added to the listed price when using a credit card.

[DRJVH]

Can someone enlighten me on how to add your credit card details when choosing an excursion. I’ve selected excursions but can’t see where to pay! I’ve been through all the guest documents etc and can’t find anything. I am at a loss with this whole system. Seasoned cruising but first time with Viking has me stumped!

 

[formernuke]

You need to go to your checkout “basket” in the upper right corner of mvj if I recall correctly 

[HUNKY]

What merchant code does Viking use for shorex purchased online?

 

I'm getting 3% cash back on online purchases on my Amex.

[deec]

On 4/23/2023 at 6:56 PM, Sunflower & The Scientist said:

Also, they charge for using a credit card. 

I do not think so.

[Sunflower & The Scientist]

On 4/23/2023 at 6:08 PM, Squawkman said:

Actually, there’s a discount if you use ACH. Nothing is added to the listed price when using a credit card.

Squackman is correct....I did a poor job of phrasing that. We have done it both ways, actually in the same booking, and they discount if you do not use a CC. I was just trying to give a heads up that using a CC will cost you a little more. 

 

We calculate how much we make off using our CC for all payments to Viking, then compare it with the savings we would make if we do not use it, and act accordingly. 

[Selion]

On 4/30/2023 at 2:38 PM, HUNKY said:

What merchant code does Viking use for shorex purchased online?

 

I'm getting 3% cash back on online purchases on my Amex.

Based on what I can see from my Chase card, educated guess for MCC is 4411.

 

[oskidunker]

My issue, and the reason I will use a credit card, is for the protection if something goes wrong. During the pandemic I had  a cruise cancelled and did not get the promised refund from another cruise line after 4 months.nSo I disputed it with Chase and got the money back. 
 

as far as I know, if you use ACH you have no protection and nowhere to go if something like that happens again . I do  not buy cruise insurance so that would not be an option.  

[oskidunker]

Please read this. 
 

https://clark.com/travel/best-cruise-payment-option/

[CurlerRob]

9 hours ago, oskidunker said:

Please read this. 
 

https://clark.com/travel/best-cruise-payment-option/

 

The author makes a valid point that there may be protections available via credit card payments that are not available if paid by electronic debit (not always - reference Crystal).

 

But he also says “If you are going on a cruise or an expensive tour, buy trip insurance that covers supplier default”. This is also good advice.

 

But if you have trip insurance that covers supplier default, then there's no reason not to take the electronic debit fare reduction. Why pay for the default protection twice - credit card price as well as trip insurance? 🍺🥌

[janetcbl]

On 4/21/2023 at 11:27 AM, Azulann said:

Set up your ACH  in MVJ before you pick your excursions. Then when you pick each excursion for payment you just check the account button , repeat for each excursion and you are set. Once on board , I give them a cc card for on board account , not my checking account. 

What is the “account button”?

[Azulann]

18 minutes ago, janetcbl said:

What is the “account button”?

Go to MVJ and hit the Payment Cart . open that topic.  You will see Payment method  and  and credit card. It is more a tab than button.

I hit the Payment method each time I booked an excursion. I had already pre loaded my ACH account from my bank before hand.  You can  use this if you  wan to pay for beverage package before you  board. 

Hope this helps. 

 

 

[Selion]

18 hours ago, CurlerRob said:

Why pay for the default protection twice - credit card price as well as trip insurance?

Insurance aside, I only use credit card because my credit card points are worth more than the 3.3% in savings.

 

Let's say the Viking booking is $10,000.  3.3% e-check discount is $330.

Same $10,000 will net me 30,000 rewards points.  If I use those points at the lowest redemption value of 1.25 cents per point for statement credit, 30,000 points will give me $375.  I'm ahead of the e-check savings by $45.  The card's advantage only grows as the booking value increases.