Viking River Cruise - Cancellation policy

[530SillyGirl]

I booked a Viking River Cruise last Wednesday and unfortunately had to cancel it today (5 days later) and was told that they would keep my $50 deposit as it is non-refundable. No where in the booklet(s) does it say the deposit is non-refundable. They didn't mention it on the phone when I booked, or even on the "invoice" they sent after I booked. Buried in the Terms and Conditions I received (after booking and paying the deposit) it says if you cancel 120 days before the cruise they could keep your deposit. I'm more than 365 days prior to the cruise when I cancelled. But hey, if that's how they make their money for the booklets they send out weekly ... I won't be cruising with Viking ever again. Buyer Beware.

[CDNPolar]

On page 2 of your invoice from Viking the cancellation penalty is clear.  (See screen shot below) The cancelation policy is actually $100 per person, but since you only deposited $25 per person, that is all they are keeping because they don't have more from you than the $50 bucks.

 

Clearly stated, is that 120 days or more the cost is $100.00 per person.  

 

No offence, but you are mis-reading the terms.  It is 120 days or more from departure, not 120 days from departure.  And these terms are on the invoice.

 

You cancelled more than 120 days from departure.  This cost of $100 pp applies when Viking were routinely charging $500 pp deposit.  Now that their promotion is a deposit of $25 pp, they are keeping your $50 bucks.

 

I am sure that this is also on the Viking site somewhere.

 

What you could have done in hind-sight is move the deposit to another cruise in the future that are better dates or a different itinerary.  You can do this and keep the deposit and lose nothing.  We have moved deposits often in situations where we have booked something and then friends cannot make those dates, or friends would rather go on a different cruise...  No loss with this tactic.

 

Sorry that this happened to you, but I am sure that this is covered well in the Viking site, but it is certainly covered in the Viking invoice.

 

Today, deposits cannot just be considered refundable.  Rarely are deposits fully refundable in my experience.

Edited February 27 by CDNPolar

[sharkster77]

I believe the deposits may be nonrefundable, but ARE transferable to another booking, as explained by @CDNPolar

[Daisi]

As @CDNPolar states, the cancellation policy is under the "legal" section on the website. Stated just as clearly as above.

 

I'm sorry you are losing your deposit, however like any contract you enter into, you have to read the fine print to be sure to understand what is involved.  I do see that final payment now states it depends on the offer at time of booking, but must be no later than 180 days prior to cruising...it's getting better.

 

****Edited to add, went back to double check, and see that the 180 days only applies to Viking World and Grand cruises. Oh well. 😞

 

Edited February 27 by Daisi

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Daisi said:

As @CDNPolar states, the cancellation policy is under the "legal" section on the website. Stated just as clearly as above.

 

I'm sorry you are losing your deposit, however like any contract you enter into, you have to read the fine print to be sure to understand what is involved.  I do see that final payment now states it depends on the offer at time of booking, but must be no later than 180 days prior to cruising...it's getting better.

 

****Edited to add, went back to double check, and see that the 180 days only applies to Viking World and Grand cruises. Oh well. 😞

 

 

Final payment can also be 180 days IF you have a future cruise booked with Viking - River or Ocean.

 

We always keep one booking way in the future for exactly that purpose and is very non-painful now that deposits are only $25 pp.