Viking final payment 22 month out

[MagnoliaBlossom]

I booked a Christmas Markets cruise on Viking this morning for December of 2025.  Final payment is 2/2024.  22 months in advance.  I am seriously looking at this, as our last Viking booking (which didn’t happen due to a medical emergency) was 12 months in advance.  I called back and was told that no accommodations could be made for a later date.  Is this the norm now on Viking?  Not griping, just a bit stunned.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Yes it's the new normal for Viking US passengers.  In other parts of the world this is illegal so they match industry standards there.  Why not look at other river cruise lines that offer comparable itineraries and don't demand payment so far in advance?

[Rebel54]

That's why I will never book with Viking.  Too many other options that don't want your money so far in advance.

 

[Guest ldtr]

I agree. Viking is off my list of possible cruise companies with these payment term  Bad enough when it was 12 months.

[notamermaid]

A standard occurrence with the company and a not untypical reply from the company. My recommendation if you are concerned about health issues is to choose a different company. So many choices out there. Bear in mind that Viking can legally not do this in Europe...

 

Oh, and get good travel insurance that is independent from the tour operator.

 

notamermaid

 

[sharkster77]

Why sign up so early for the cruise? 2025?  Was that necessary?

 

Just asking.  Do Christmas cruises fill up THAT fast?  We signed up for a tulip cruise, as they fill up quickly due to the short season, and we did so just a year out.

[MagnoliaBlossom]

1 hour ago, sharkster77 said:

Why sign up so early for the cruise? 2025?  Was that necessary?

 

Just asking.  Do Christmas cruises fill up THAT fast?  We signed up for a tulip cruise, as they fill up quickly due to the short season, and we did so just a year out.

We looked at several dates 2024 and the only cabins left were the suites, which were beyond our budget.  Plus they are currently offering a $25 pp deposit.
 

I have decided that Vikings flippant response has pushed them out of consideration, and we plan to cancel.  When we booked this cruise they wanted final payment at 18 months and I told then that was a deal breaker and they pushed it back to one year, which I thought was pretty far out but, so be it.  I suppose maybe they were hungrier for bookings as we were just coming out of the shut down then.  
 

I always carry good insurance so this cancellation will be fully covered.  Thank goodness.

 

thank you all for your advise.  Now off to do research 🤗

[notamermaid]

6 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

 Now off to do research 🤗

Have fun, some great itineraries out there during December. Good to hear your insurance covers the cancellation.

 

Just a note: you will readily find the other North-American companies during research, but you may want to compare their offers to the European lines like Riviera Travel, Arosa and Viva Cruises. Or even CroisiEurope if you like French style.

 

notamermaid

 

[sharkster77]

2 hours ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

We looked at several dates 2024 and the only cabins left were the suites, which were beyond our budget.  Plus they are currently offering a $25 pp deposit.
 

I have decided that Vikings flippant response has pushed them out of consideration, and we plan to cancel.  When we booked this cruise they wanted final payment at 18 months and I told then that was a deal breaker and they pushed it back to one year, which I thought was pretty far out but, so be it.  I suppose maybe they were hungrier for bookings as we were just coming out of the shut down then.  
 

I always carry good insurance so this cancellation will be fully covered.  Thank goodness.

 

thank you all for your advise.  Now off to do research 🤗

At this point if you cancel, aren't you just out the $25 pp deposit?  All things considered, that's not a huge amount to forfeit.

[CastleCritic]

Also Christmas 2025 might be a bit far off to book at this point.  I know AMAWaterways hasn't even announced their 2025 cruises for Europe outside of Portugal.(other places like Egypt/africa/asia yes, I have a January 2025 cruise in Egypt with them)).

 

I looked at (large online booking site) for Christmas 2024 and there was still decent availability for several cruise lines, so I wouldn't sweat it quite that much if you are going in 2025.  Just look at cruise lines and be ready when they announce 2025 if its not up.

Edited July 18, 2023 by CastleCritic

[MagnoliaBlossom]

3 hours ago, sharkster77 said:

At this point if you cancel, aren't you just out the $25 pp deposit?  All things considered, that's not a huge amount to forfeit.

Yes, just $50 total.  🤗

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yes, I saw Vikings 2025 dates and because prior to out cancelled cruise I had researched adnauseum the other lines and finally just settled on Viking.  They seemed to check all the boxes, we’re in out budget and several friends raved about them.

 

obviously I didn’t know about some of the other lines suggested above and I’ve spent the afternoon reviewing them, so when their 2025 dates are out we’ll be ready.   We have so much packed into 2024 it’s just not possible to shoehorn anything else in (unless maybe I winPower Ball tonight).

 

does anyone here have thoughts about Gate 1?
 

thank you all.

[CastleCritic]

3 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

 

 

does anyone here have thoughts about Gate 1?
 

thank you all.

I think some have firsthand knowledge of them, but from the outside (seeing their groups and ships) they appear to be aiming at a more budget approach than say Viking or AmaWaterways.  

 

Also take a look when you are researching to see what is really included in the Fare.  Food, drink, even excursions, Viking for example has one free and several paid excursions in each port but AMA with VERY few exceptions (Ive seen it once in 5 cruises) includes every excursion in their fare.

 

As far as Im concerned the itinerary comes before everything else, assuming I can sleep and will be well fed.  I'll pay a little more for it..

[Guest ldtr]

13 minutes ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Yes, I saw Vikings 2025 dates and because prior to out cancelled cruise I had researched adnauseum the other lines and finally just settled on Viking.  They seemed to check all the boxes, we’re in out budget and several friends raved about them.

 

obviously I didn’t know about some of the other lines suggested above and I’ve spent the afternoon reviewing them, so when their 2025 dates are out we’ll be ready.   We have so much packed into 2024 it’s just not possible to shoehorn anything else in (unless maybe I winPower Ball tonight).

 

does anyone here have thoughts about Gate 1?
 

thank you all.

We have done both Viking and Gate1.

 

We found them to be very similar experiences with Gate1 being both a lower price point as well as better booking terms.

 

The biggest difference is with dinners. On Gate1 you have a simular choice of entrees. On Viking there is also a choice of appetizer, on gate1 everyone gets the same appetizer. Gate1 does a bit more local food options. Viking tend to be more North America offerings. Though Gate1 does them as well.

 

Gate1 riverboats tend to be a bit smaller than Viking longships.  We were able to sail on a section of the Danube, when the Viking longships could not during one cruise.

 

As far as excursions we have done the exact same included excursions on Viking and Gate1.

 

In some places Viking might have some docks that might have better locations due to them owning some of their own docks in some places. In other places pretty similar. 

 

We prefer Gate1 and also do Gate1 land tours.

Edited July 18, 2023 by ldtr

[MagnoliaBlossom]

Yea, itineraries are paramount.  

[MagnoliaBlossom]

16 minutes ago, ldtr said:

We have done both Viking and Gate1.

 

We found them to be very similar experiences with Gate1 being both a lower price point as well as better booking terms.

 

The biggest difference is with dinners. On Gate1 you have a simular choice of entrees. On Viking there is also a choice of appetizer, on gate1 everyone gets the same appetizer. Gate1 does a bit more local food options. Viking tend to be more North America offerings. Though Gate1 does them as well.

 

Gate1 riverboats tend to be a bit smaller than Viking longships.  We were able to sail on a section of the Danube, when the Viking longships could not during one cruise.

 

As far as excursions we have done the exact same included excursions on Viking and Gate1.

 

In some places Viking might have some docks that might have better locations due to them owning some of their own docks in some places. In other places pretty similar. 

 

We prefer Gate1 and also do Gate1 land tours.

Do you do their air?

[Host Jazzbeau]

I contacted AMA to ask when their 2025 Bordeaux dates would be out – and got a call-back from a travel agent they had set me up with.  He was able to book me on an un-announced September 2025 Bordeaux cruise.  So if you like the AMA Christmas Market cruise description you should give them a call and see if they will book you for 2025.

 

Just be careful about dates for Christmas Market cruises:  the markets open just before the beginning of Advent and most close a few days before Christmas.  [I'm a little vague on the exact timing – @notamermaid knows – but if you keep within Nov. 30 – Dec. 23 you should be ok]

[notamermaid]

22 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

but if you keep within Nov. 30 – Dec. 23 you should be ok

Thanks for bringing up the topic of dates. I think this looks right. Some can be open before 30 November but if one does not feel like researching every single port that time frame is a good one to go for.

 

notamermaid

 

[sharkster77]

I have noticed on the Viking website that when you click on "prices and dates" the default setting on the next webpage is "selected sailings", showing SOME of the departures.  Once you click on "all sailings" then, you see ALL of the departure dates.

 

Just wondering if the OP did not see all the possible dates because of this quirk, resulting in the misconception that 2024 was completely sold out, except for suites.

 

Just spitballin' here.........

[Guest ldtr]

1 hour ago, MagnoliaBlossom said:

Do you do their air?

I almost always do my own air because I link multiple trips. Though I did use gate1 included air once to Peru.

[cruisewiththekids]

I've done one Viking river cruise a few years ago and was recently looking at the Paris RT itinerary but want to look at alternatives because of their ridiculous final payment terms.    What company would you say is most similar to Viking that I could look at?   

[texasstar]

I have not done a Christmas  market cruise because I do not like to be cold, but I have been on 3 AmaWaterways cruises and one Scenic.  I would highly recommend AmaWaterways. 

[CastleCritic]

Ill second Amawaterways Ive done 5 cruises with them so far in europe with another booked for Egypt.

 

Ive been through viking ships on a few occasions and certainly seen their groups in almost every port doing the same thing we were. Have nothing bad to say about viking other than they do charge for some of their excursions (AMA does not).

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Another option to consider would be Avalon. Reasonable deposit and payment terms. They often have air promotions that allow you to choose your own flights without onerous fees. Additionally they some very nice itineraries on new, modern ships with quality food and exceptional service.  Seems they often get overlooked or eschewed on these boards which makes me scratch my head.  

[CastleCritic]

10 minutes ago, AtlantaCruiser72 said:

Another option to consider would be Avalon. Reasonable deposit and payment terms. They often have air promotions that allow you to choose your own flights without onerous fees. Additionally they some very nice itineraries on new, modern ships with quality food and exceptional service.  Seems they often get overlooked or eschewed on these boards which makes me scratch my head.  

It may be a visibility thing.  Ive seen their ships but I cant recall ever walking through one.

 

As Ive said before when my mother and I decided on our first cruise one of her TA friends gave her catalogs for viking because...of course...Uniworld and AMAWaterways.. I had never heard of the other lines before I saw them on that cruise.

 

AMA's flights are pretty flexible, you just have to call them to do it.  Ive done it 2? 3? times so far and always knew what flights I was on before I paid them and it was cheaper than me doing it myself.  And Im pretty picky and know all the routes and the public prices before I even call. I even had them back off the origin flight time for a connection by one flight so that the connecting time was more plausible (looking at you 40min layover I was offered for the ocean cruise I just booked)

Edited July 19, 2023 by CastleCritic