Why are credits handled this way?

[Breckski]

I recently used a TA for the first time in booking a cruise due to research on this website and am appreciative for the savings.

 

However, I read many threads discussing ship board credits, on-board credits and other vouchers/credits.  Why do the credits have to be so confusing and restrictive in nature?  The cynic in me says folks want the process to be complicated/burdensome in hopes that all of the credits won't be used?

 

I'm an old-fashioned guy and just look at the net cost.  Obviously, the cruise line doesn't take this philosophy.

[duquephart]

Welcome to reality.

[CDNPolar]

11 hours ago, mwike said:

I recently used a TA for the first time in booking a cruise due to research on this website and am appreciative for the savings.

 

However, I read many threads discussing ship board credits, on-board credits and other vouchers/credits.  Why do the credits have to be so confusing and restrictive in nature?  The cynic in me says folks want the process to be complicated/burdensome in hopes that all of the credits won't be used?

 

I'm an old-fashioned guy and just look at the net cost.  Obviously, the cruise line doesn't take this philosophy.

 

Specifically what credits are you speaking of?

 

Cruise lines give different credits for different reasons and in the same philosophy, different credits can be used in different ways.

 

For instance, we received a % credit because of the alteration of an itinerary that was specifically an OBC and could not be used until we were on board.  If we cancelled we would not have received the value of that credit as it was only valid if we boarded the ship.

 

Other credits can be issued by a TA that can be used in advance to either reduce your fare or apply to a shore excursion.

 

What is the credit that you are asking about?

 

Best thing is to ask the cruise line - what are the rules around this credit and why.

[CCWineLover]

Ask Viking directly at tellus@vikingcruises.com

Cruise critic people can't tell you "Why" Viking does things a certain way.  

[downsmead]

I do agree that Viking does not handle credits like other cruise lines. We have prepaid for an excursion but understand that if it is cancelled the money goes to your on board account rather than returned to the means of payment 😞. You then have to claim the money back from Viking when the cruise has finished, or whatever is left if you haven’t used some on board, and apparently it takes some time in being returned to you!

[WestW]

3 hours ago, downsmead said:

We have prepaid for an excursion but understand that if it is cancelled the money goes to your on board account rather than returned to the means of payment 😞. 

I don't believe this entirely accurate.  From our experience, if you cancel before departure, your original form of payment is credited. The credit may temporarily show on your account but then is refunded - usually the next day. On board cancellations may get posted to your shipboard account but we've never experienced Viking being slow in returning any leftover balances.  

[downsmead]

49 minutes ago, WestW said:

I don't believe this entirely accurate.  From our experience, if you cancel before departure, your original form of payment is credited. The credit may temporarily show on your account but then is refunded - usually the next day. On board cancellations may get posted to your shipboard account but we've never experienced Viking being slow in returning any leftover balances.  

This is for excursions cancelled whilst on board, namely the balloon excursion on the Nile cruise due to wind conditions. Maybe handled differently on Viking Ocean??

Edited June 2, 2023 by downsmead

[Breckski]

I wasn't commenting on a specific credit.  Really just more of a general complaint about their system.

 

I see a lot of threads on the credits and realize they can be confusing.  Then I started thinking about my elderly parents who used to cruise regularly, but recently stopped as health (physical and mental) deteriorated.  They would have been really confused over these credits, partly due to their lack of computer skills (on-line research to get details of the process).  

 

I would have thought the negative goodwill due to a complex credit system would have outweighed the benefit of folks "leaving money on the table" if they don't use the credits.  I guess my logic is flawed as I'm sure the business folks at Viking are brighter than me.

[Mich3554]

20 hours ago, downsmead said:

I do agree that Viking does not handle credits like other cruise lines. We have prepaid for an excursion but understand that if it is cancelled the money goes to your on board account rather than returned to the means of payment 😞. You then have to claim the money back from Viking when the cruise has finished, or whatever is left if you haven’t used some on board, and apparently it takes some time in being returned to you!

If the money is not spent in your on board account, Viking will refund your money.  You do NOT have to claim it.  It took us about 4-5 weeks to receive a check last year.  It’s not a big deal.

This year, we ended the world cruise with $1700 in OBC, all of it refundable.  We transferred it over to the British Isles cruise, transferred the remaining balance onto the Norway cruise.  We have finally got a balance to pay.

[Mich3554]

16 hours ago, downsmead said:

This is for excursions cancelled whilst on board, namely the balloon excursion on the Nile cruise due to wind conditions. Maybe handled differently on Viking Ocean??

No, you get refunded at the end of the cruise on Viking Ocean.  If you have a balance of refundable credit (and Viking will debit non refundable credit first), you get a check a few weeks after you get home.  Non refundable credit (usually given for missed ports, cruise consultant OBC, etc) does not get refunded.  It’s use it or lose it.  Also, if you have OBC that you use when you book excursions and that gets used, Viking keeps track and if that excursion gets canceled it may come back as either refundable or non refundable (or half of each has happened to us too).  It does make sense.
This is for excursions you cancel onboard within the time allowed to cancel, or they cancel due to loss of port.  If you cancel BEFORE the cruise starts, the credit goes to the method of payment, usually back to a credit card.

[CurlerRob]

6 hours ago, Mich3554 said:

If you cancel BEFORE the cruise starts, the credit goes to the method of payment, usually back to a credit card.

 

A nuance to be aware of ... I deliberately cancelled a large number of excursions a week before I had to cancel the cruise itself, so that the excursions would refund to my credit card. The cruise actually carried the RFG (booking was old), so I knew the cruise fare would be back as a voucher.

 

Surprise - the excursions were swept up in the voucher as well, despite being assured that this would not happen. The explanation was that "the excursions had not finished processing, so were combined with the fare voucher". I was not amused. 🍺🥌