Viking Pricing Issue - Shame on them!!

[coasters]

Having received several Viking River Cruises promotional emails and brochures, I was surprised and upset to be told by one of their representatives to look closely at the details...that these LOWER prices are for "NEW BOOKINGS ONLY"...

Doubt that I will ever again sign up 18 months early with what was then described as "early booking special". The difference (our loss) is about 450.00 PP - (The difference in air fare special pricing).

Worse yet, I was so upset to learn that Viking refused to make an adjustment, when I asked what would happen if I cancelled (trip is a year from now) I was told that I would lose about $1300.00 - which is the insurance fee and 100.00 PP.

Not what I expected from Viking, as I had nothing but praise for them and have referred many friends and CC's because of how wonderful our previous experiences had been.

Hey... live and learn!

Fool me once...

Diane & Jerry

[paul929207]

Most offers from cruise lines (river & ocean) that come after the deadline for final payment are for new bookings only. They are only made when there are too many unsold cabins.

[coasters]

Most offers from cruise lines (river & ocean) that come after the deadline for final payment are for new bookings only. They are only made when there are too many unsold cabins.

Paul,

in all the years that we've been cruising - when and if a lower price was offered by the cruise company - (that WE found) they were kind enough to make the adjustment, but ONLY IF the travel agent agreed.

That's been our experience....until yesterday.

Jerry

[micked10@earthlink.net]

I agree Coasters. Whenever we have found a price reduction the cruise line has adjusted our original fare! This has held true on many, many ocean liners and some of our river cruises. I always book about a year ahead and then keep checking the fares almost until we depart. It usually just involves a phone call to get the adjusted fare. I am very surprised at Viking. Not very good business practices!!

Last spring we went on a tulips and windmills cruise with Uniworld and about two weeks before the cruise our agent called to tell us there was a $200pp reduction that we were intitled too. I had missed that one so it was a pleasant surprise! Talk about good PR--that makes me want to book with them again!!

Shame on Viking!

micked10

[slp123]

While you are clearly upset about not getting the further discount now being offered for "new bookings", I really don't believe the cruise line has done anything wrong or unethical. You booked early and got the EBD as well as your preference of cabin size and location. Clearly the line is now discounting further because in this economy they are not selling as well and with fuel costs the way they are, a sold discounted cabin is better than a vacant cabin. It is most probably the case that these discounted fares will be sold with a cabin guaranty rather than the choice of cabin.

 

I just picked up a HAL 3 day cruise in October. HAL has run in 2008 several short cruises (very unusual for this line) to introduce the Eurodam to a broader market. I guess the cruise is badly timed for a lot of people or the economy is hitting hard or its hard to sell a 3 day mid week cruise to anyone outside of Florida and hard to sell in Florida sucha short cruise to a an older crowd. Whatever the reason I paid only 23% of the original brochure price. My friend and his wife booked 6 months ago and paid 61% of full price. OUCH! But they had their choice of cabin and I can't choose which Verandah Suite I am to have as it is on a guaranty. Further I had to pay everything all at once upon booking and it is completely non-refundable and trip insurance cannot be purchased from them at this fare level. For sure they will not make money on me (unless I am a big drinker, daily 2 hour spa treatment customer, and big gambler who often looses---and I am none of those things, I don't even ever purchase ship sponsored shore excursions as I always make my own independent arrangements), but the usual passenger will buy some of the extras and run up a nice bill

(I am not a teetotaler and I do like having a massage every other day)

 

Empty cabins are vanishing inventory; they become completely worthless if empty when they leave port. So cruise lines with lots of empty cabins are looking to cover at least some of the fixed operating costs needed to make each cruise profitable. If they were then to retroactively give the same discount to already booked and confirmed passengers, they would be creating an even great gap in profitability as for sure every booked passenger would demand further discounts without any certainty that they will sell enough additional cabins at the discounted price to pull even.

 

But there is one thing you can do for yourself in the current situation. You can ask Viking in light of you being a loyal customer if they would be willing to take additional 10% off any published or officially offered discounted fare you found for a future cruise with them. I have done this with great success with three different lines when in your situation. OK one only gave me an additional 5% which I used and one I never cruised on again but the third actually gave me an additional 15% off provided I cruised with them again within 12 months.

 

So there is often another way to cut yourself a bargain.

[coasters]

slp123

I fully understand and appreciate your reply to my Viking issue. My point is that very often CC gets questioned about when to book for the best price.

Having booked this trip 17 months "early", I thought I was getting the best discount...Appears that I should have waited another 5 months.

The new offer was announced about 3 weeks ago, or 12 months in advance.

Perhaps what Viking might have done was to offer us the difference in the form of a future credit. However, based on your posting, rather than me asking for a future credit, I think they should have suggested the idea. That would have been a fabulous (and brilliant) response!

Now, I expect that next time I will wait for a better offer before booking and paying so far in advance. Yes, I agree that I'll be taking my chances on cabin selection, however, booking a "guaranteed category" has in the past proven to work for me...

Jerry

[smeyer418]

when you get THE best price is one of those most vexing question. If a cruise isn't selling than the price goes down, and "new bookings" only price will be better. But if a cruise is selling well, the price goes up and your price is locked in. What will happen is like guessing which way a stock will go, it depends on so many variables, the economy price of oil, value of the dollar,etc its like buying a hedge on oil, sometimes the hedge makes many and some times it loses money, so that if someone tells you the know the absolutely best way to get the best price in most cases they are wrong. Just like buying an airplane ticket unless you are getting it free(and sometime a person who got bumped from another flight is being paid to take this flight) there is almost always someone who paid less then you on the ship and on the plane.

[MSEm]

I have found that if I talk to someone higher than the res agent answering the phone I have a good chance of getting some type of adjustment for a client. Many times the res agent on the phone does not have the authority to offer any type of ajustment to a fare. Politely tell the res agent you want to talk to their supervisor about a problem the res agent cannot handle.

You may have to explain it all to the res agent. When the agent tells you NO again, ask again to speak to their supervisor.

 

I would begin by explaining: 1. I have been a loyal past guest and have influenced other to cruise with XXXXX.

2. I booked early to obtain a very good price, and I am now extremely disappoint that there is now a new lower fare and XXXX.

 

If you have not tried that, maybe it would help.

 

Good luck.

Emily

 

PS Remember if you booked on-line, but not directly with Viking Cruise Line, then your booking is with a Travel Agency and any fare reductions may need the approval of the travel agency with the booking

[coasters]

I have found that if I talk to someone higher than the res agent answering the phone I have a good chance of getting some type of adjustment for a client. Many times the res agent on the phone does not have the authority to offer any type of ajustment to a fare. Politely tell the res agent you want to talk to their supervisor about a problem the res agent cannot handle.

You may have to explain it all to the res agent. When the agent tells you NO again, ask again to speak to their supervisor.

 

I would begin by explaining: 1. I have been a loyal past guest and have influenced other to cruise with XXXXX.

2. I booked early to obtain a very good price, and I am now extremely disappoint that there is now a new lower fare and XXXX.

 

If you have not tried that, maybe it would help.

 

Good luck.

Emily

 

PS Remember if you booked on-line, but not directly with Viking Cruise Line, then your booking is with a Travel Agency and any fare reductions may need the approval of the travel agency with the booking

 

Emily, thanks... our travel agent is as upset as we... she's been our agent for many years and neither of us has run into a situation as this. True, the cruise line never calls us to let us know there's been a reduction, but it's been our experience that they ALWAYS matched the new lower price in every such case.

Only once ... AFTER a cruise - did one refuse to honor a lower published price, however, even they then did make amends with a very generous on-board credit for a future cruise which we later took advantage of.

 

Your advice is good and is exactly what we did. Ryan, the "supervisor" at Viking told me that the category we had booked in was full, so we would have to upgrade (at an additional cost of about 900.00 total ) to get the special rate. Hoping rather to "save" money, we rejected the offer..

Live and learn, we just need to be less impulsive... and question the wisdom of going along with "early booking specials!!"

Better to take our chances.

Fool me once...

 

Thanks

Jerry

[WIT]

Jerry - We just got notified that AMAWaterways (Amadeus) is offering $1000 price reductions for 4-5 underbooked upcoming cruises-for new bookings only. We also booked a 12/6 cruise with them well in advance.

 

This is sort of like the extra-credit problem on the math test - we are no worse off if we get it wrong (booking early in this case). If the cruise line offered a ticket that could be increased if they were overbooked I would commensurately expect a reduction if they became underbooked.

 

I recognize that often in the past cruise lines have shared priced reductions with early bookers to keep their business. It's a new economy out there.

 

Anyone interested in a big price reduction may contact me for my online TA:

 

BillWitowski AT gmail.com

 

WIT

[coasters]

Wit,

Always appreciate your input.

I could not find where (or if) AMAWaterways goes to the Ukraine.

Yes, you are right, I know of several folks who were booked on cruises who had to cancel last week due to this new unforeseen US economic situation.

Perhaps that's more reason to take better care of loyal, satisfied accounts.

Regards,

Jerry

[Betty/Avie]

Check out the itineraries on the AMA website -- http://www.amawaterways.com

 

Good luck

[Oceans&Rivers]

Anyone interested in a big price reduction may contact me for my online TA

 

TA, AT? :)

[Oceans&Rivers]

I know of several folks who were booked on cruises who had to cancel last week due to this new unforeseen US economic situation. Perhaps that's more reason to take better care of loyal, satisfied accounts.

 

Perhaps it is some of those very same loyal, satisfied customers who had to cancel and the cruise line wants to expand their base to include new, yet-to-be-satisfied customers who may not be as affected by economic downturns?

[DonfromNC]

Car dealers usually reduce their prices late in the year to move their leftovers. Did you ever order just what you wanted in March and see a lower price on a similar one (but maybe an ugly color) in October? Would you expect the dealer to give you a rebate for the difference?

 

With cruise companies it's the same. You buy early to insure you get the trip and accommodation you want. If they have cabins available as the trip nears they will reduce the price to try to fill them. I've gotten some good last minute deals by waiting, but I've found other times the ship was booked up or only undesirable cabins were left.

 

You pays your money and takes your chances.

 

Don

[coasters]

Car dealers usually reduce their prices late in the year to move their leftovers. Did you ever order just what you wanted in March and see a lower price on a similar one (but maybe an ugly color) in October? Would you expect the dealer to give you a rebate for the difference?

 

With cruise companies it's the same. You buy early to insure you get the trip and accommodation you want. If they have cabins available as the trip nears they will reduce the price to try to fill them. I've gotten some good last minute deals by waiting, but I've found other times the ship was booked up or only undesirable cabins were left.

 

You pays your money and takes your chances.

 

Don

 

Don,

You're correct... however, what if you had not yet taken delivery of the vehicle? What would you do ... what would you then expect of the dealer.

Jerry

[newnanna]

If I had not taken delivery of the vehicle, then I would consider if it would be worth losing my deposit, if so cancel my order and then buy at the new price? Provided it was the exact same car. It is no different than shopping for clothes- do I wait for the sales and hope that they still have my size and colour or do I buy now- I guess it depends on how bad I want the item. When I travel I have the same attitude- sometimes I wait for last minute deals on hotels because I don't care where I stay as long as it is clean, othertimes I have a hotel in mind where I really want to stay and therefore book ahead because I don't want to miss out. With regard to a specific viking cruise I am interested in, I know that the cabins in Cat B are sold out so I will have to book in Cat A, so even with my discount I will be paying about the same as if I had of booked cat B in advance.

Sure you may say that I will get a better cat. cabin however, cat A and cat B are often next to each other.

[susierailroad]

Hey, TBan (or anyone else)

 

We've never done a river cruise before and are considering Viking. What "online wholesalers" are out there for river cruises??

 

Thanks,