Final Payment Due Date

[Peregrina651]

Thank you @Hanoj for a cogent and well-stated analysis of the state of the industry.

[Mike07]

2 hours ago, CJANDH said:

We don't have to endure it at all. The ultimate action is to cancel your cruise and switch to a cruise line with more customer friendly HQ policies. I hate their arrogance.

 

 

I agree, but an earlier than I think final payment deadline isn't a hill I'm going to die on.

 

If you know me for more than fifteen minutes, there are certain issues I feel very strongly about that are completely trivial to others. Early payment ... Eh... Whatever.

[Mike07]

45 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

The tone and tenor of this comment, and similar ones across numerous CC forums for luxury and premium lines, indicates diminishing brand loyalty for some consumers (myself included), which is affecting the entire travel and hospitality industries. Overall, this is good for consumers IMO, though not as easy. There was a time when I thought I would only cruise with Viking, but that is no longer the case. We last sailed with VO five years ago, but have an Eastern Mediterranean/Adriatic cruise with VO in October 2024. Last August we sailed Oceania’s Vista, which we enjoyed, but not enough for Oceania to become our preferred cruise line. 
 

Before booking (just two weeks ago) our upcoming VO cruise I had perused offerings from several luxury and premium lines, none of which seem to satisfy all my criteria, including Viking. Part of this is due a realization that my travel preferences changed during the shutdowns, and we have become more independent minded, including automobile based road trips (something I thought we’d not do again after all the kids moved out). Another factor eroding my brand loyalty is observing differences in how the competing cruise lines are dealing with the challenges facing the industry (cost cutting to alleviate debt burdens, training of staff, supply issues affecting quality, etc.). It’s become increasingly evident that not all operators are equal to the extant challenges, enough so that no company seems immune to risking alienating heretofore loyal patrons. 
 

So caveat emptor, although of ancient origin, seems very relevant today. I’m grateful for the wide range of choices available, and for the ability to glean insights from other travelers’ experiences shared on these forums.

 

 

Appreciate the commentary.

 

We are fortunate that hospitality is more competitive than ever, and we have different cruising options at our finger tips.

 

Edited Wednesday at 12:23 AM by Mike07

[CDNPolar]

9 hours ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

I agree, but an earlier than I think final payment deadline isn't a hill I'm going to die on.

 

If you know me for more than fifteen minutes, there are certain issues I feel very strongly about that are completely trivial to others. Early payment ... Eh... Whatever.

 

9 hours ago, Mike07 said:

 

 

Appreciate the commentary.

 

We are fortunate that hospitality is more competitive than ever, and we have different cruising options at our finger tips.

 

 

I am very much the same as @Mike07 and some things are trivial to me and the payment deadline is one of those for me.

 

We have found our way around this and that is to always have one more Viking cruise booked in the future - that you can move further in the future as time goes on - and therefore keep the six months payment terms.

 

We also started our cruising lifestyle with Viking over 8 years ago and have just thought that this was industry standard.  When we booked our first Viking trip, and the payment terms were 12 months out, we just accepted it not knowing any different.

 

We found our way around longer payment terms and have been happy since.

 

I think - with all due respect - the number of people that leave Viking or don't return to Viking because of this are small in numbers.  This is just my opinion.

 

We all make decisions everyday about things like this.

 

To me the lost interest on my payment to Viking is a small concern.

 

The fact is that whether you are paying 12 months out or 6 months out, the first penalty is not until 120 days.  This is what I look at.  We can cancel for any reason without CFAR insurance up to 120 days out and get all our money back except the $25pp deposit.  But if you are strategic about it, you move that $25pp deposit to another sailing further out and then you have lost nothing.

 

 

[Hanoj]

5 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 

The fact is that whether you are paying 12 months out or 6 months out, the first penalty is not until 120 days.  This is what I look at.  We can cancel for any reason without CFAR insurance up to 120 days out and get all our money back except the $25pp deposit.  But if you are strategic about it, you move that $25pp deposit to another sailing further out and then you have lost nothing.

 

 

 

Terms and conditions for my upcoming October 2024 cruise indicates $100 cancellation fee pp 120 or more days out (US resident). 

 

This is more favorable than Oceania's new cancellation policy where $150 pp is forfeited 180 or more days out.

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Hanoj said:

 

Terms and conditions for my upcoming October 2024 cruise indicates $100 cancellation fee pp 120 or more days out (US resident). 

 

This is more favorable than Oceania's new cancellation policy where $150 pp is forfeited 180 or more days out.

 

Yes, but if you only paid $25 pp deposit you are only on the hook for $50 bucks if you cancel.  Viking don't bill you for the remaining $150.  They have not changed the T&C document since offering $25pp deposits.

[Hanoj]

19 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

Yes, but if you only paid $25 pp deposit you are only on the hook for $50 bucks if you cancel.  Viking don't bill you for the remaining $150.  They have not changed the T&C document since offering $25pp deposits.

Wouldn't 120 days out be beyond the PIF date?

 

So if you cancelled before PIF you would only be out the deposit (up to $100 pp) if you don't move the deposit to another booking?

Edited Wednesday at 05:26 PM by Hanoj

[1985rz1]

22 minutes ago, Hanoj said:

So if you cancelled before PIF you would only be out the deposit (up to $100 pp) if you don't move the deposit to another booking?

If you made a $100 pp deposit, yes, you would be out $200.  But if your deposit was $25 pp (the current offer), you would only be out $50, as @CDNPolar stated.  

Edited Wednesday at 05:45 PM by 1985rz1

[CDNPolar]

1 hour ago, Hanoj said:

Wouldn't 120 days out be beyond the PIF date?

 

So if you cancelled before PIF you would only be out the deposit (up to $100 pp) if you don't move the deposit to another booking?

 

In Canada and USA, the paid in full date is 6 months or more out.

 

For us it is always 6 months or 180 days because we have future bookings.

 

We pay in full at 180 days from sailing, but there is no penalty applied to the booking until 120 days from sailing.

 

Essentially we have from the 180 days to 120 days - or 60 days - to still cancel and receive back all but the deposit.

 

If someone is paying 12+ months out - in Canada and the USA - they have the same safety net and could cancel until 120 days out and receive all back but the deposit.

 

NOTE:  this is on what I would call more typical voyages of 15-18 days max.  Longer sailings may have different deposit and penalty time frames.

[millybess]

7 minutes ago, CDNPolar said:

 

In Canada and USA, the paid in full date is 6 months or more out.

 

I think that varies.  We have cruises booked where PIF is 4 months out.  I don't know why.  We didn't ask for a later than normal PIF.

[CDNPolar]

3 minutes ago, millybess said:

I think that varies.  We have cruises booked where PIF is 4 months out.  I don't know why.  We didn't ask for a later than normal PIF.

 

Hmmm... wonder if this is to do with volume of cruises taken?

 

I am at 10 with 4 booked.  If I can get shorter payments, I am going to try!

 

Haha.

[CDNPolar]

4 minutes ago, millybess said:

I think that varies.  We have cruises booked where PIF is 4 months out.  I don't know why.  We didn't ask for a later than normal PIF.

 

First time I have heard of 4 months PIF

[millybess]

Just now, CDNPolar said:

 

First time I have heard of 4 months PIF

Same with us.  We book directly with Viking and transfer to our TA.  She's always surprised.

 

We have done around 10 cruises with Viking also, maybe a couple more.  We currently have 3 booked.