Flights through Viking

[mizLORInj]

Hi all.  We're wanting to try something new (cruise-wise) so we're checking out Viking because I've heard it's awesome.   

 

So my question is why would I book flights through them?   This is something we have never done; always book ourselves coming in a day or two or three early. . . depending on port of departure.   Friends did NCL's air and of course did not get put on a non-stop (though there are many).  Had a connection EWR to Dublin to Rome which seemed so stupid to me, but cost NCL less.  They ended up missing their connection in Dublin due to plane's late arrival into EWR, and ended up taking THREE planes to Rome.  Not interested in doing that.

 

So what has been your experience?

 

I'm excited to try Viking; I know it's more $ than Celeb/RC/NCL/Princess. . but includes more.   I like the smaller ship idea.   Don't love how port-intensive the route I'm looking at is, but I can't change that.

 

Thanks in advance, peeps!! 

[OneSixtyToOne]

Welcome to the Viking Ocean board.

 

Viking Air is one of those topics that everyone seems to have an opinion on. We have used it multiple times. Others want to DYI.

Typically Viking promotions include an air discount as they tend not to deep discount their cabins. Viking air requires you to arrive and depart on the same day of the sailing or their extension. If you deviate, there will be an additional charge. So if you want to arrive before departure day, you should look at booking their extension or it will cost extra (this is known as Viking Air Plus). On the positive side, Viking Air includes airport transportation and if there is an airline delay, they will help you get to the ship, even if it has already sailed.

 

There are many threads on the topic. Here is one:

 

Edited Friday at 06:23 PM by OneSixtyToOne

[Peregrina651]

I look at them both and go with cheaper, unless I have a specific reason for wanting to book through Viking. I just book my own flights for June and, even with a forced overnight on the way home, I saved a chunk of change and got exactly the routing I wanted.

 

I always put Viking Air on the initial booking.  It can be removed anytime before ticketing but to add it on after making the deposit means paying the current brochure rate and not the deal that was on the table when I booked. 

 

Moreover, when using Viking Air, I always use Custom Air (for a fee) and choose my flights as early as possible.

[FlyerTalker]

Biggest thing to note is the significant difference when talking about one of Viking's "free air" promotions vs just booking regular non-promo air through the cruiseline.

 

The former is Viking's way of discounting a cruise, rather than lowering the price.  The latter is for folks who, IMO, want someone else doing the work for them regarding air travel.

 

Apples and oranges.  So which are we talking about?

 

 

[PasadenaDave]

Keep in mind the routing which can be rough.  I read a few weeks ago of someone embarking in Florida who was routed Albuquerque-Denver-Newark-Ft Luaderdale which they said was a 36 hour journey.

 

When I think of Albuquerque, I think Southwest and a flight of two legs via Denver.  Likely cheaper than Viking.

 

We find that if your home airport is a major international airport, then Viking Air can be ok, but if the route isn’t through a major hub, then do it on your own 

[mskaufman]

We have been fine using the deviation and air plus.  It has still would up less than booking ourselves and with air plus we have been able to select our flights.

[CDNPolar]

14 hours ago, mizLORInj said:

Hi all.  We're wanting to try something new (cruise-wise) so we're checking out Viking because I've heard it's awesome.   

 

So my question is why would I book flights through them?   This is something we have never done; always book ourselves coming in a day or two or three early. . . depending on port of departure.   Friends did NCL's air and of course did not get put on a non-stop (though there are many).  Had a connection EWR to Dublin to Rome which seemed so stupid to me, but cost NCL less.  They ended up missing their connection in Dublin due to plane's late arrival into EWR, and ended up taking THREE planes to Rome.  Not interested in doing that.

 

So what has been your experience?

 

I'm excited to try Viking; I know it's more $ than Celeb/RC/NCL/Princess. . but includes more.   I like the smaller ship idea.   Don't love how port-intensive the route I'm looking at is, but I can't change that.

 

Thanks in advance, peeps!! 

 

We have used Viking Air, Viking Air Plus, and booked on our own.

 

We look at the cost of the air first and foremost and then make a decision from there.

 

As @FlyerTalker mentioned, Viking may offer reduced air or free air as their way of offering a promo rather than reducing the cabin price.

 

If Viking offer free air, we generally then fly Viking's air.  Hold the phone however because when the air is free the contract rates and class of booking may be such that you cannot upgrade, so you may be stuck with Economy whether you want it of not.  

 

If you want to go in early, or stay later then you pay a deviation fee and then you are also paying to use Viking Air Plus if you want to pick your flights.  All of these extra fees could make purchasing the air yourself a cheaper option.  These options are going to cost you $500 for two people.

 

We have a couple future bookings that the Viking Air price - even with the discount on the invoice - is the same price for Economy as we can book Premium Economy.   The next couple of Viking cruises we are booking our own air.

 

You lose the Viking transfers, but if you are not booking a pre or post extension, and you are going in early then you don't get them anyway.

 

I find it is case by case.  Some feel that Viking will take care of every eventuality if you book through them, but the reality is that they cannot always.

[CKspring]

I am somewhat OCD about travel planning. Viking wanted $1300 pp for our trip, which might be reasonable, but I would not know what we would get for our money until later in the process.

 

I was able to book direct business class fares using points and credits for about the same dollar value. We are arriving a day early and staying late on our own itinerary. I did not want to chance using a third party (Viking) to handle all the moving pieces.

 

We will be spending a couple hundred dollars more for transfers, but that would probably be the case for Viking Air Plus.

 

Viking's value proposition is that they offer concierge service with minimal guest decision making. That works well for many people.

[sharkster77]

If you opt for Air Plus, YOU get to suggest flights, which Viking may or may not go along with, given their contracts with the airlines.  By and large we've been able to get the flights we wanted for both Viking cruises we've taken. This includes non-stops.  So the "minimal guest decision making" suggested can be moot.

Edited 19 hours ago by sharkster77

[CKspring]

2 minutes ago, sharkster77 said:

If you opt for Air Plus, YOU get to suggest flights, which Viking may or may not go along with, given their contracts with the airlines.  

And this is why I chose to DIY our air. I do not want to "suggest" a flight or deal with "may or may not". I also doubt VA+ is going to get me business class (actually business out/PS back) for $1300 RT. Not bashing VA+, but I am capable of, and want to manage my own travel. To each his own.

[sharkster77]

19 minutes ago, CKspring said:

And this is why I chose to DIY our air. I do not want to "suggest" a flight or deal with "may or may not". I also doubt VA+ is going to get me business class (actually business out/PS back) for $1300 RT. Not bashing VA+, but I am capable of, and want to manage my own travel. To each his own.

We don't do business class,  and have never been able to DIY flights for less money than Viking or even land tour companies.  We fly out of Boston, and direct flights from there are plentiful.  We did DIY flights when we had vouchers to use from the airline.

[stcroixguy]

Hopefully this question is related enough for this thread.  If you book your own flights can you purchase the transfers from Viking?

 

Thanks in advance

Edited 11 hours ago by stcroixguy

[janetcbl]

Just now, stcroixguy said:

Hopefully this question is related enough for this thread.  I you book your own flights can you purchase the transfers from Viking?

 

Thanks in advance

Yes. The cost used to be $49, but it has increased. But, you must arrive and leave the same day as the group flight. ( How Viking can verify this, I have no idea). 

[FlyerTalker]

44 minutes ago, janetcbl said:

Yes. The cost used to be $49, but it has increased. But, you must arrive and leave the same day as the group flight. ( How Viking can verify this, I have no idea). 

 

Viking cannot verify that.  They have zero access to flight manifests.

 

What you can do is book the transfer and provide a phony flight arrival on the day of the cruise.  Then just show up at the airport around your supposed arrival time and look for the Viking representatives outside the customs area.  Tell them your name and off you go.  And if there is any question about your arrival, you can always say you were rerouted onto an earlier arrival.

 

And on the other end, they drop you at the airport, and you can make your way to wherever you want to go.  Again, provide a dummy flight info.

 

Or at least that's how I did it on a prior Viking cruise.

Edited 10 hours ago by FlyerTalker

[stcroixguy]

Thank you all.  

[kctwinmommy]

1 hour ago, stcroixguy said:

Hopefully this question is related enough for this thread.  If you book your own flights can you purchase the transfers from Viking?

 

Thanks in advance

As someone already told you, yes. Just make sure you request it and fill out the form. I didn't realize I had to do that with our pre-extension as we booked our own airfare. Our transfer was included with that pre-extension, but I almost missed the deadline to notify them of our personal transportation plans. So just make sure that you do the form as soon as you know and get it in place.

[mizLORInj]

Thanks everyone; really appreciate your input.  🙂 

 

 

[PasadenaDave]

2 hours ago, janetcbl said:

Yes. The cost used to be $49, but it has increased. But, you must arrive and leave the same day as the group flight. ( How Viking can verify this, I have no idea). 

$100 for two takes longer and is much more expensive than a taxi….generally speaking 

[Mich3554]

32 minutes ago, PasadenaDave said:

$100 for two takes longer and is much more expensive than a taxi….generally speaking 

This is my experience too.  

[Peregrina651]

1 hour ago, PasadenaDave said:

$100 for two takes longer and is much more expensive than a taxi….generally speaking 

 

 

I have found the airport websites helpful when it comes to learning about taxi service to and from the various airports.

 

Some cities have a fixed fee from downtown to the airport. Then there are the places where I am happiest letting Viking deal with the transfer even it does cost us a bit more.

[FlyerTalker]

6 hours ago, PasadenaDave said:

$100 for two takes longer and is much more expensive than a taxi….generally speaking 

 

Granted.  Only worthwhile, IMO, when there is significant distance between the city and the port.  Santiago, Shanghai, Beijing, Bangkok, Rome, Dover/Southampton.