Back to back question

[ropomo]

I probably know the question to this, but I'll ask and get confirmation. I am assuming that having a B2B under one booking number, we will still only be able to make advance reservations relative to our cabin category as if we are on a single cruise (not double). Is this correct? Not concerned about reservations but was curious. Can reservations be made for the second leg once on board during the first leg?

[millybess]

5 minutes ago, ropomo said:

I probably know the question to this, but I'll ask and get confirmation. I am assuming that having a B2B under one booking number, we will still only be able to make advance reservations relative to our cabin category as if we are on a single cruise (not double). Is this correct? Not concerned about reservations but was curious. Can reservations be made for the second leg once on board during the first leg?

We were on a back to back in May. It was booked as 2 cruises and then merged under 1 booking number. To our surprise, Viking treated it as 2 cruises. 
 

On our excursion booking day for cruise 1, we were able to book excursions for both cruises. On our dining booking day for cruise 1 we were able to book our dining reservations for both cruises. And, yes, we could have booked dining as if it was 2 cruises. 

[Mich3554]

When we were booked for a back to back under one booking number, we could book all the cruises under that booking number when we became eligible to book for the first cruise at that time.  Same with dining.  

[island lady]

I booked one Venus, then decided later to add Orion just after.   Two different ships, two different cabins, with with one day in between.  

 

Viking agent on the phone decided to combine them as a "Grand Cruise" under one itinerary booking number.  That took away our 25.00 per pax deposit to demand we pay the higher deposit of a "Grand Cruise".   OK...have to pay at some point anyway.  So it was doable.  

 

But the worst thing is....what happens to us on the day between the cruises?  Shouldn't this now single booking have us staying at a hotel the one night until the next ship comes in?  Or do we sleep on the dock that night?  

 

Me thinks something is fishy...and it's not coming from the sea.  

[PRH]

2 hours ago, island lady said:

I booked one Venus, then decided later to add Orion just after.   Two different ships, two different cabins, with with one day in between.  

 

Viking agent on the phone decided to combine them as a "Grand Cruise" under one itinerary booking number.  That took away our 25.00 per pax deposit to demand we pay the higher deposit of a "Grand Cruise".   OK...have to pay at some point anyway.  So it was doable.  

 

But the worst thing is....what happens to us on the day between the cruises?  Shouldn't this now single booking have us staying at a hotel the one night until the next ship comes in?  Or do we sleep on the dock that night?  

 

Me thinks something is fishy...and it's not coming from the sea.  

Viking calls these “butterflies” when there is any gap.  We have a butterfly with three days and airfare in between on a single booking code (vouchers required the single code).  Viking told us we are responsible for airfare and hotel for the gap.  They wouldn’t even talk to us about flights.

[island lady]

1 hour ago, PRH said:

Viking calls these “butterflies” when there is any gap.  We have a butterfly with three days and airfare in between on a single booking code (vouchers required the single code).  Viking told us we are responsible for airfare and hotel for the gap.  They wouldn’t even talk to us about flights.

 

We are still same city, Sydney, for both cruise embarkations.   

 

In hindsight I should have insisted she keep them as two separate cruises...since that is actually what they are.  

[Goosebear Mum]

5 hours ago, island lady said:

I booked one Venus, then decided later to add Orion just after.   Two different ships, two different cabins, with with one day in between.  

 

But the worst thing is....what happens to us on the day between the cruises?  Shouldn't this now single booking have us staying at a hotel the one night until the next ship comes in?  Or do we sleep on the dock that night?   

Sorry, I’m confused. You booked two separate cruises. Viking has merged the bookings. 
 

why has this got anything to do with that one land night in between?  You need to book a hotel for that night, not Viking.

[CDR2001]

 We have a butterfly, and will need to train travel from Paris to London on our extra day. We meet Viking for a London extension, so I’m booking the first night at the hotel we will be in the next few days. Our advantage with one booking number is we saved $ on the combined Viking Air vs booking 2 cruises with one way air each.
@Island Lady, You might ask your Viking booking agent which hotel Viking’s extension will use prior to the Orion cruise, and book it for your extra overnight. Enjoy your 2 cruises! 

[island lady]

16 hours ago, Goosebear Mum said:

Sorry, I’m confused. You booked two separate cruises. Viking has merged the bookings. 
 

why has this got anything to do with that one land night in between?  You need to book a hotel for that night, not Viking.

 

The point I was making is....I never asked to have the cruises linked as one booking.  When they did that, it was in their favor as to charging us thousands of dollars for a deposit, instead of the 25.00 each for the separate bookings.    I still consider it two different cruises, and had fully intended to book a hotel in between, which I will.  But how can they consider it one booking?  It did not do me any favors.  

[Goosebear Mum]

You’ll be able to book the excursions on cruise 2 earlier 😉 

I’ve read of a few instances where Viking combined bookings. There are minor advantages to customers, and a few disadvantages. One disadvantage is when someone has needed to cancel just one cruise, the whole thing got cancelled, with considerable consequences 

 

 

[MikeyB]

6 hours ago, island lady said:

 

  I still consider it two different cruises, and had fully intended to book a hotel in between, which I will.  But how can they consider it one booking?  It did not do me any favors.  

I always comment about Viking "Butterflies".

It happened to me where I had 4 days on my own in Istanbul.  They wanted to call it a Butterfly.  I complained and they eventually made it into two cruises.

Serves you no purpose.  

Let's say you have no future cruises now and you book the first cruise 18 months from now.  Viking might request your final payment in 6 months (12 months before cruise).  The next day you book the second cruise.  That cruise final payment should not be 12 months before cruise.  It should be 6 months (because you have a future booking).  Therefore, calling it one cruise might make you come up with the full payment earlier.

Ca-ching

[island lady]

15 hours ago, MikeyB said:

I always comment about Viking "Butterflies".

It happened to me where I had 4 days on my own in Istanbul.  They wanted to call it a Butterfly.  I complained and they eventually made it into two cruises.

Serves you no purpose.  

Let's say you have no future cruises now and you book the first cruise 18 months from now.  Viking might request your final payment in 6 months (12 months before cruise).  The next day you book the second cruise.  That cruise final payment should not be 12 months before cruise.  It should be 6 months (because you have a future booking).  Therefore, calling it one cruise might make you come up with the full payment earlier.

Ca-ching

 

Exactly!!  No benefit to us at all to combine two separate cruises that are not the same ship, not the same cabin, and not the same day as transfer from the first one.  

 

They got me once...won't get me again doing that.