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 June 26 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 June 26 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 June 26 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.

[snh01]

On 6/25/2024 at 11:44 PM, Hockeyump said:

Viking are able to use these payment terms in the US because the consumer laws allow them to do so. UK and, I believe, Australia have different final payment dates due to the law in their countries.

Yes - the UK does have different dates (typically 10 weeks before) but we need to pay a 25% deposit on booking which is immediately non refundable. 

[CDNPolar]

12 hours ago, snh01 said:

Yes - the UK does have different dates (typically 10 weeks before) but we need to pay a 25% deposit on booking which is immediately non refundable. 

 

It is so interesting.... In the UK you get much better full payment terms, but in the US and Canada we can book for only a deposit of $25pp currently (also non-refundable) but have much earlier full-payment dates.

 

I do remember when we first started travelling with Viking that our deposit was $500 pp and we had no issue with that at the time.  We are so used to $25pp now that we have four future cruises booked.  Not sure we would have four future cruises booked if we were paying deposits of $500pp or 25% of the cruise cost.

 

 

[WanderingBrit]

2 hours ago, CDNPolar said:

 We are so used to $25pp now that we have four future cruises booked.  Not sure we would have four future cruises booked if we were paying deposits of $500pp or 25% of the cruise cost.

 

 

Precisely this is why the "early" payment in full date is irrelevant. We have bookings in 2025 and 2026, and I'll throw the dice and book something for 2028 once they're offered just to have a placeholder - at $50 for the two of us, why not?

[Peregrina651]

3 hours ago, WanderingBrit said:

Precisely this is why the "early" payment in full date is irrelevant. We have bookings in 2025 and 2026, and I'll throw the dice and book something for 2028 once they're offered just to have a placeholder - at $50 for the two of us, why not?

 

The important number is when the cancellation penalties kick in -- and it differs by cruise length, so read the terms & conditions.

 

[CDNPolar]

31 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

The important number is when the cancellation penalties kick in -- and it differs by cruise length, so read the terms & conditions.

 

 

Yes, for us and the cruise length that we are booking penalties don't come until 120 days from sailing.  We pay at 180 days so we have 2 full months of open cancelation only risking the $50 deposit. 

[tim5055]

Booked our first Viking cruise today with the $25 deposit.

 

Final payment set at 14 months before sail.

[sharkster77]

1 hour ago, tim5055 said:

Booked our first Viking cruise today with the $25 deposit.

 

Final payment set at 14 months before sail.

So book another tour, and your final payment for the first one will be moved to 6 months out.  If you never take the second tour, you're only out the $25 pp.

[tim5055]

9 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

So book another tour, and your final payment for the first one will be moved to 6 months out.  If you never take the second tour, you're only out the $25 pp.

The next cruise we want probably won't be released until late next year.  I'm not complaining, just letting folks know what the latest is to expect. 

[Peregrina651]

19 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

So book another tour, and your final payment for the first one will be moved to 6 months out.  If you never take the second tour, you're only out the $25 pp.

 

I've never heard that before.  My impression has always been that once your final payment date is set, when you make your deposit, that getting it moved is very hard to do.  

 

[OneSixtyToOne]

12 minutes ago, Peregrina651 said:

 

I've never heard that before.  My impression has always been that once your final payment date is set, when you make your deposit, that getting it moved is very hard to do.  

 

We booked Far Eastern Horizon ($25 deposit) for Oct 2025 back in December 23 with our due date of May 2023. When we later booked Iceland for this Aug, I asked and they moved the due date to April of 2025.

[Peregrina651]

13 minutes ago, OneSixtyToOne said:

We booked Far Eastern Horizon ($25 deposit) for Oct 2025 back in December 23 with our due date of May 2023. When we later booked Iceland for this Aug, I asked and they moved the due date to April of 2025.

 

But, you had to ask them to do it for you; it didn't happen automatically, correct?

[OneSixtyToOne]

Just now, Peregrina651 said:

 

But, you had to ask them to do it for you; it didn't happen automatically, correct?

Correct, and they had to talk to someone to authorize it. Also the new cruise had to be paid in full within a week, which was no big deal since it was less than 6 months.