Booking a new cruise while onboard...

[MikeyB]

I'm  having a wonderful time on the Neptune now, except for my interactions with the cruise consultant.   I basically would need to see her three times to complete a booking.

My question- has anyone booked on board and then transfered to your regular Viking agent the booking?

I want my land agent to get the commission for all my aggravation with the on board agent. Thanks

 

 

[uktog]

Following- we found it such a challenge with the lady onboard Venus last year - it was her way or no way (we knew what we wanted just needed prices) but we had to have three appointments however we did at that point place the booking onboard with our own agent aka told her that’s where it was to be placed and she did it. 
She told us all sorts of horror stories why we shouldn’t do that - we ignored none of the issues happened and our agent gave us a better offer as well

[CDNPolar]

You absolutely can book on board and when you leave the ship move the booking.

 

Because we have an agent on our record, the last booking we did on board, the agent moved the booking directly to her when we completed the booking.

 

No worries at all...  Just ask for it to be moved if you have his/her email, or do it yourself when you get home.  You have 30 or 60 days or some length of time to move the booking.

[Azulann]

56 minutes ago, MikeyB said:

I'm  having a wonderful time on the Neptune now, except for my interactions with the cruise consultant.   I basically would need to see her three times to complete a booking.

My question- has anyone booked on board and then transfered to your regular Viking agent the booking?

I want my land agent to get the commission for all my aggravation with the on board agent. Thanks

 

 

What are the current  incentives to book  a cruise  while on board?

Edited June 3, 2023 by Azulann

[MikeyB]

Thanks for these responses.

But I want to be clear...I may move to a land based Viking agent so that she will get the commission.  Correct?

I don't want the ship board agent to make any money from me.

I should also add that I transfer my booking to an independent agent within 30 days.

[MikeyB]

2 minutes ago, Azulann said:

What are the current  incentives to book  a cruise  while on board?

On this cruise its meager.

I would get $200pp OBC.

And the privilege of making final payment 6 months From sailing. Everything else is BS.

[Frenchberet]

Sorry you’re having a bad experience with the onboard agent.  You can transfer the booking but I’m not sure you can prevent this agent from getting some commission for their part in it.  Maybe just wait to book?  
 

Our experience was very positive.  We booked two cruises while on Octants, took about 15-20 minutes.  Very easy.  

[Romocruiser]

I have booked on board several times and my land-based agent got credit for and handled the deal each time.  It was never an issue.  The incentives vary, I think, from ship to ship.  It also depends on the length of the new cruise you are booking.  On my latest booking, we the standard $200, plus another $300 off, plus an additional $200 credit on board our current cruise.  In sum, the two of us received a total of $1000 off plus the on-board credit.  

[CDR2001]

When we booked onboard last summer, the only transfer option was to a TA, not an agent working for Viking. I will certainly ask about transferring if we decide to book with the onboard consultant in the future…we really like our Viking local agent! 

[Mich3554]

55 minutes ago, CDR2001 said:

When we booked onboard last summer, the only transfer option was to a TA, not an agent working for Viking. I will certainly ask about transferring if we decide to book with the onboard consultant in the future…we really like our Viking local agent! 

I couldn’t transfer the booking to my Viking agent.   I asked when I booked our extension on the WC and another back to back for 2024.  
We have booked 2 cruises while on this cruise, one I just contacted my Viking agent at home and he booked it for me.  I lost the OBC for the first.   The second, I used the on board travel consultant as I had a few different issues.  

[cruisinchrissy]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

You absolutely can book on board and when you leave the ship move the booking.

 

Because we have an agent on our record, the last booking we did on board, the agent moved the booking directly to her when we completed the booking.

 

No worries at all...  Just ask for it to be moved if you have his/her email, or do it yourself when you get home.  You have 30 or 60 days or some length of time to move the booking.

 Not sure that’s possible if you live in UK. Beware.

[cruisinchrissy]

3 hours ago, MikeyB said:

I'm  having a wonderful time on the Neptune now, except for my interactions with the cruise consultant.   I basically would need to see her three times to complete a booking.

My question- has anyone booked on board and then transfered to your regular Viking agent the booking?

I want my land agent to get the commission for all my aggravation with the on board agent. Thanks

 

 

Why do you need three appointments. We booked with one appointment on board.

Three appointments sound like a lot of hassle to me.

[CDNPolar]

8 minutes ago, cruisinchrissy said:

 Not sure that’s possible if you live in UK. Beware.

 

I am in Canada - and recognize that there can be differences with your country of origin when booking - and in Canada we have 60 days from booking a Viking Cruise to move that to a TA whether we book online, on the ship, or over the phone.

[MikeyB]

21 minutes ago, cruisinchrissy said:

Why do you need three appointments. We booked with one appointment on board.

Three appointments sound like a lot of hassle to me.

None of this answers  my question.

Here is an example of incompetence......she hasn't had no clue about the future cruise vouchers you may purchase on the river cruises.

[Peregrina651]

4 hours ago, MikeyB said:

My question- has anyone booked on board and then transfered to your regular Viking agent the booking?

 

YES, you can transfer your booking to your own TA.

 

 We booked our 1/2023 trip on board. It was transferred to our TA immediately. Within hours, TA and I had the third-party insurance taken care of (so that we could meet the 14 day deadline for existing conditions). I'd rather book with a 3rd party company because if I have to cancel, I want my cash back, not a voucher for a future cruise.

 

If you know which TA you are going to use, make sure that it is transferred immediately.

 

9 minutes ago, MikeyB said:

she hasn't had no clue about the future cruise vouchers you may purchase on the river cruises.

 

Whether the consultant knows about them or not, they can be added after the fact (one voucher per guest per cruise for a net saving of $100 per person; in other words, stop worrying about because it isn't worth the bother).  If the question is if you can book a cruise and then buy the vouchers to apply to that cruise, I don't know the answer.

[Cubs Fan]

We had a positive experience when we booked on board last year for our cruise that leaves in 32 days.  My travel agent received our booking within 2 days and sent me an email.  There are a lot of perks to booking on board the ship and we are waiting to do so.  

[MikeyB]

I appreciate all the responses.  Perhaps it's because I'm in the Living Room bar with Iskar that I don't think I'm being clear. 

Can I tell the onboard consultant to transfer my booking to a land based Viking agent.  And then can I transfer my booking to an independent TA?

My goal is to give my regular Viking agent my commission and then also get the OBC from the third party TA.

[Squawkman]

2 minutes ago, MikeyB said:

I appreciate all the responses.  Perhaps it's because I'm in the Living Room bar with Iskar that I don't think I'm being clear. 

Can I tell the onboard consultant to transfer my booking to a land based Viking agent.  And then can I transfer my booking to an independent TA?

My goal is to give my regular Viking agent my commission and then also get the OBC from the third party TA.

No. If you book on board, you can’t transfer to a land based Viking agent. I tried and failed in 2018. I was misled by the on board cruise consultant that I could do that.

[MikeyB]

Squawkman- you rock!

Thank you.

My reason for trying to book at sea is because it's an Egyptian cruise that might sell out.  Friends told me the other day that they are going.

My Andrea did a wonderful job of selling a very expensive cruise to a third world country.

At this point I will wait.

Oh, Squawkman told me about his agent that offered a booking discount within 2 weeks of returning.  My Viking agent just told me the same info after 10 years of Viking cruises.

 

 

[Peregrina651]

2 hours ago, MikeyB said:

And then can I transfer my booking to an independent TA?

 

Based on comments here and there, I don't believe that Viking gives multiple commissions on a single booking or allows us to move a booking multiple times (except maybe in dire circumstance).

[MikeyB]

Got you!

And thank you for all your time on the Egyptian board.  I'm  sure it will be another out of body experience. 

[Islandbc]

We recently booked 2 cruises while onboard our Viking Cruise.  As we have dealt with a TA in the past, the bookings were sent via email to her.  In the past, she has given us $$ in the form of onboard credits for our next cruise plus some "points" that can only be used for hotel stays and must be used within 18 months.  The points disappeared prior to our being able to use them in the past and we predict that may happen again for cruise that we just disembarked from and future cruises.

She claims that her company no longer offers OBC, but only  "points" to be specifically used for hotels listed by the company that she works for.  Is this this case for other large travel agencies?

We like her service, but travel points vs. OBC isn't great for us.

[uktog]

8 hours ago, MikeyB said:

Thanks for these responses.

But I want to be clear...I may move to a land based Viking agent so that she will get the commission.  Correct?

I don't want the ship board agent to make any money from me.

I should also add that I transfer my booking to an independent agent within 30 days.

Correct mine is a land based agent 

[CCWineLover]

10 minutes ago, Islandbc said:

We recently booked 2 cruises while onboard our Viking Cruise.  As we have dealt with a TA in the past, the bookings were sent via email to her.  In the past, she has given us $$ in the form of onboard credits for our next cruise plus some "points" that can only be used for hotel stays and must be used within 18 months.  The points disappeared prior to our being able to use them in the past and we predict that may happen again for cruise that we just disembarked from and future cruises.

She claims that her company no longer offers OBC, but only  "points" to be specifically used for hotels listed by the company that she works for.  Is this this case for other large travel agencies?

We like her service, but travel points vs. OBC isn't great for us.

Had never heard of this (travel points) instead of OBC $, but I would agree with you, not for us.

We use a VERY large travel agency and they give OBC $ so largeness is not the reason.  Your travel agency has chosen to do this.

Not sure how they are able to fit into Viking's guidelines for OBC's and whether it would be considered an "extra" perk outside OBC $.

[CCWineLover]

5 hours ago, cruisinchrissy said:

Why do you need three appointments. We booked with one appointment on board.

Three appointments sound like a lot of hassle to me.

Every time we've booked onboard, we've only had to do one appointment.  Never heard of people being required to have 3 appointments.  We go in, with what we want, or a couple ideas, get the pricing and other details, pick the cabin, and are done - all in 30 minutes max.

When home, we transfer to our non-Viking Travel Agent to get the OBC's.