does viking use travel agents

• Viking Ocean

Using a Travel Agent

By tfred , February 24, 2021 in Viking Ocean

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We have been looking at a Viking Homelands 15 day cruise in 2022.  The pricing seems straightforward and I am wondering what TA would actually do for us in re this trip.  Do they normally have add ons, discounts anything special that can be done for us?  I traveled for business internally for 20 years so I am used to making my own Rez by habit

At this point I don't see the advantage of making a reservation.  Covid not withstanding, there seems to be enough space on a variety of cruises, Viking's onerous prepayment policy and general lack of discounts

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Viking does not normally permit TA's to sell for less than the fares published by Viking. They are also limited to the OBC they can provide, which is $500 pp on 15 night cruises and longer.

Yes, payment terms are onerous, especially for your first cruise with them, but once you get onboard it is well worth the effort. You can certainly delay booking until a time you are more comfortable paying in advance, but you will have less cabin choices and could possibly miss a desired sailing,

The 2023 World Cruise sold out in 6 weeks, almost 2 years in advance..

Here is a link to the TA policy. 

https://www.vikingcruisescanada.com/terms-conditions/advertising-and-commissions-policy.html

tfred, I am usually with you and don't book years out.  I am so glad Andy and others pushed me to go ahead and book our cabin on the '22/'23 World Cruise.  By any means I have checked it is really sold out.  Of course there will be a cabin or two free up at final pay or closer but my point is there is a huge demand out there for cruises and Viking cruises in particular.  Something about a rather small window between getting to the point in life where you have the time and funds to travel and that point where you are too old to get much out of it.  So we did what we normally don't do and are really glad of it.  The frustrations of 2020 and now 2021 have been building up in all of us.  We need to get out there.  I need to see if the beaches at Bora-Bora are still wet.  Make sure the kangaroos in OZ still know how to jump.  And most importantly, investigate the Pubs in London with Andy and Lefty and Nick.   🍺

24 minutes ago, Jim Avery said: tfred, I am usually with you and don't book years out.  I am so glad Andy and others pushed me to go ahead and book our cabin on the '22/'23 World Cruise.  By any means I have checked it is really sold out.  Of course there will be a cabin or two free up at final pay or closer but my point is there is a huge demand out there for cruises and Viking cruises in particular.  Something about a rather small window between getting to the point in life where you have the time and funds to travel and that point where you are too old to get much out of it.  So we did what we normally don't do and are really glad of it.  The frustrations of 2020 and now 2021 have been building up in all of us.  We need to get out there.  I need to see if the beaches at Bora-Bora are still wet.  Make sure the kangaroos in OZ still know how to jump.  And most importantly, investigate the Pubs in London with Andy and Lefty and Nick.   🍺

I don't disagree with you.  I think that there is a pent up demand for cruising (or really any vacation) that things will go quickly

53 minutes ago, Heidi13 said: Viking does not normally permit TA's to sell for less than the fares published by Viking. They are also limited to the OBC they can provide, which is $500 pp on 15 night cruises and longer.   Yes, payment terms are onerous, especially for your first cruise with them, but once you get onboard it is well worth the effort. You can certainly delay booking until a time you are more comfortable paying in advance, but you will have less cabin choices and could possibly miss a desired sailing,   The 2023 World Cruise sold out in 6 weeks, almost 2 years in advance..   Here is a link to the TA policy.    https://www.vikingcruisescanada.com/terms-conditions/advertising-and-commissions-policy.html  

does VO offer OBC as part of the deal if I work with them direct?  Don't really know any travel agents around here (or anywhere) 

7 minutes ago, tfred said: does VO offer OBC as part of the deal if I work with them direct?  Don't really know any travel agents around here (or anywhere) 

Whether VO provides OBC depends on the cruise and the specials being offered that month. The World Cruises receive extensive OBC, but don't believe it is available on many of the shorter cruises.

Never really understood TAs myself, my DW does all that with someone she's dealt with for decades. But now the agency has closed due to Covid and the agent retired. Can one go "TA shopping" based on OBC usually granted? Or switch from one to another?

When booking our first Viking cruise, I asked the local TA if they would provide the max OBC Viking permits. She replied yes, and since we had a good feeling with her during the meeting, we let her transfer the booking and confirm it.

With other cruise lines, you can negotiate with the TA how many perks they will provide out of their commission.

Have never tried to change TA's after a booking is confirmed, so can't comment on that part.

Clay Clayton

54 minutes ago, duquephart said: Never really understood TAs myself, my DW does all that with someone she's dealt with for decades. But now the agency has closed due to Covid and the agent retired. Can one go "TA shopping" based on OBC usually granted? Or switch from one to another?

Is this Jacques? If so check your email. 

10 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said: Is this Jacques? If so check your email. 

Oops. Werent we on the aborted transatlantic together last spring?  If not, sorry.  I was going to share my thoughts on travel agents via email since there are so many rules on here about doing so. 

Oops my bad-not sure how I confused the CC “handles”.   Oh well, I agree with the Previous Posters, definitely worth finding an agent like the one we have that provides the max allowable OBC that Viking allows. In our case it’s refundable so we use it to pay the daily service charge (if you’re in the UK yours may already be included in your fare) and leaves us enough to pay for the occasional cocktail.  We usually board with some liquor for the room for pre dinner drinks so on our last cruise we got a check post cruise for $160 or so.  

8 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said: Oops my bad-not sure how I confused the CC “handles”.   Oh well, I agree with the Previous Posters, definitely worth finding an agent like the one we have that provides the max allowable OBC that Viking allows. In our case it’s refundable so we use it to pay the daily service charge (if you’re in the UK yours may already be included in your fare) and leaves us enough to pay for the occasional cocktail.  We usually board with some liquor for the room for pre dinner drinks so on our last cruise we got a check post cruise for $160 or so.  

Clay - we had a similar experience with the TA's OBC being refundable, as with our aborted WC last year, we had minimal opportunity to use the credits. We received a cheque from Viking and the TA's OBC was included in that amount.

Baron Barracuda

We booked our first VO cruise through our TA (large online outfit).  Had an issue with Viking Air where 30 days from sailing they still hadn't paid airline for our tickets so we couldn't change seats.  Viking Air refused to speak with me directly saying I had to go through TA.  Did so and problem was resolved.  Have no problem with Vikings stance, just need to recognize that using TA means less direct control over your reservation.  When we booked our Viking River cruise last year (sadly cancelled) we booked direct with VR, and waited until plane reservations were finalized before  transferring reservation to TA.

FWIW, it is my understanding (from our travel agent) that the booking has to be transferred within 30 days (might be 60?) in order for them to be able to provide us with the OBC.   

obviously YMMV. 

2 hours ago, Baron Barracuda said: Viking Air refused to speak with me directly saying I had to go through TA.  Did so and problem was resolved.  Have no problem with Vikings stance, just need to recognize that using TA means less direct control over your reservation. 

It seems to be normal procedures, at least with 2 other cruise lines experienced, that once the trip has been booked with a TA or transferred to a TA, the passenger is not allowed to deal directly with the cruise line.  It’s a good policy for all 3 parties.

50 minutes ago, Clay Clayton said: FWIW, it is my understanding (from our travel agent) that the booking has to be transferred within 30 days (might be 60?) in order for them to be able to provide us with the OBC.    obviously YMMV. 

We transferred to TA within 30 days.  Believe deadline is 60.  This is just the trade off you need to decide on, TA perks vs having full control over reservation.

Everyone has ssome sort of opinion so here is mine-

1-First I agree with Clay about the 30 day time limit for transferring a cruise.  That has been told to me by my TA.  Once you do book directly with Viking, there is no need to wait to transfer.

2-Heidi (in post 2) said the OBC would be $500.  It's actually $600. 

3-Yes, once you transfer a booking to a TA you cannot officially speak to Viking.  However, I always do.  How you ask?  I'm glad you did.  I speak to the agent I booked the cruise with.  I believe in loyalty.  I tell that to the agent.  He will gladly speak to me as a result.

4-The OP (what exactly is an "OP"?) asked about negotiating the OBC. Oh, what a rookie.  There is no negotiations.  If you have taken a number of cruises thru your loyal agent, you might ask what the minimum wage for loyalty is these days.  Worked once for me.

5-You asked about "specials"-  I am not one of those individuals booking a 2022 cruise in Feb/March of 2021. There will generally be a cabin to your liking even if your patient. What you could and should do, is request a Viking brochure.  You will get one at least monthly.  Then look for the secret offer for that month that is not on their website.  But come prepared.  Viking will send you the brochure sometime during the second or third week of the month with the "offer" expiring the end of the month.

Hope this helps or confuses you.  I'm easy.

"OP" is Original Poster.  The person who started the discussion

1 hour ago, MikeyB said:   2-Heidi (in post 2) said the OBC would be $500.  It's actually $600.   

That must be a new increase, as the Viking Policy posted on the website still shows a max OBC of only US $500. Since we pay in CAN $, we actually only get about US $400, depending on the exchange rate.

Out of interest, where did you see where the max OBC is now $600, as I will definitely follow up with our TA.

I have found a great TA and was extremely happy with her service when our cruise was cancelled in March 2020 (NZ to Australia). When we were told when and where we would be disembarking the ship in Melbourne, I sent her a text message and email with our flight confirmation numbers.  Within 30 minutes she had us rebooked on flights from Melbourne to ATL. She also got airline to waive change fees. She gives us OBC and does not add any booking fees for booking our air flights.

The cruiseline,  hotel or tour company is not giving you a discount to book directly with them. The commission will be retained by the cruiseline or it will go to the cruiseline agent who made the booking.

One question to ask if you are looking for a TA, How many cruises with VO or similar cruises do they book?

Changing booking to a TA.  Yes there is a 30 day limit.  I

If you book a future cruise while on board the booking will go to the TA of your current cruise.  To change that booking to another TA, the first TA must give permission to transfer the booking to another TA.

21 minutes ago, MSEm said: If you book a future cruise while on board the booking will go to the TA of your current cruise.  To change that booking to another TA, the first TA must give permission to transfer the booking to another TA.

Not sure if all the cruise consultants do this, as when we booked on board, we were provided the option of sending it to our TA. We could have declined, or provided another TA, as we wouldn't have been home within 30 days.

13 hours ago, MikeyB said: Everyone has ssome sort of opinion so here is mine-   2-Heidi (in post 2) said the OBC would be $500.  It's actually $600.     

I’m with Andy on this-where did you see this? Are you sure you aren’t confusing the $300 per person/$600 per cabin max obc for cruises under 15 nights?  The $500 pp/$1000 per cabin is for cruises longer than that...or has been in the past.  If you can point us to the new amounts it would be loved by all!

Discussions on using TA’s are kind of all over the place sometimes. Mainly because there are so many types of TAs and now we use them. 

To me, there are different types of ‘TA’s’: 1-800 and Online booking agents. You notice I called them ‘Booking Agents’, not Travel Agents; Agents who work for a specific Cruise Line, and classic TA’s and when they are true professionals, they are a Travel Advisor. 

I used 800/online agents when I first started cruising and yes, for some Lines that allow organizations to discount their cruises, the Bookers have cheaper deals sometimes, and many times more OBC, so you may not payout as much. they get group bookings and you can get the ‘savings’ from that. The problem with these is they are Bookers, and many dont have any real knowledge beyond making reservations. And when you call back, you get someone else, even if they give you a name and contact number. And they Never contact you if ther are changes, price drops, and pretty much anything else. You are on your own after you give them your money.

I then started booking on my own. I’d do the research and find what I wanted and then usually go to the Cruise Line and book with them. More ‘professional’ and knowledgeable than the 800/Online but obviously set for that one Line. You usually can get the same agent and they can help, but all the ‘help’ is from the perspective of the Line, and if you want to stay prior or after, or do private tours, they don’t have that info except what the Line provides. So I’d book with them, then I’d research my own hotels and tours and so on. Did OK. 

Both 800/Online and with a Line is fine.......unless there are issues and you could get stuck. The booker’s can help with what they did for you and thats it. And changes such as flights, hotels, cars, tours, etc.....you are on your own.....obviously.

Now I’m using a local TA who has an office with assistants and more capabilities beyond just cruising, and booking for that specifically. They do provide the ‘best pricing’ most of the time, and in fact beat many of the above. The help with pre/post stays that aren’t the standard cruise line hotels; they know about private tours and what transportation to use to various ports and so.

Example: My TA got us a nice local hotel in Amsterdam right near the art muesuems; city tickets for the tram and free accesses; hotel in Basel and train tickets to Munich after the river cruise and a nice local hotel (not the classic American hotel) there for a week. She got us very cheap airline tickets for one cruise through a package with a car and so on; I told her I didn’t want a car and she told me not to worry about it and just to cancel it when I got there. And it all worked. I would have never found that.. 

And the biggest point of a personal TA is when things change or go south. If pricing changes they see it; if dates change, they can make all the impacted changes; if you have trouble an you are ‘over there’, you can call and you get someone who assists. We flew back from Dublin in March 2019 and there was a snowstorm in NYC; our flight was in danger of not getting out She set us up with a backup even before we knew there we’re issues. And if there were ‘issues’ or changes, the TA handled it.

Enough. I still pretty well make my decisions on what we will do, what cruises and so on, but a true TA is there to go beyond, and tactfully let you know there is a ‘better way’! 

Enjoy whatever you do.

On 2/24/2021 at 7:00 AM, tfred said: does VO offer OBC as part of the deal if I work with them direct?  Don't really know any travel agents around here (or anywhere) 

Do you need OBC on Viking? Other than spa treatments and a beverage package to get drinks before dinner everything else is pretty much included.

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Tips for Booking a Viking Cruise

• Post author: James
• Post published: August 29, 2019
• Post category: Viking / Travel Blog / Tips

Updated: 3/15/2023

So, You Want to Take a Cruise

Perhaps you have envisioned yourself on the deck of a beautiful river ship sailing down the Rhine River with medieval castles dotting the landscape, or maybe aboard an oceangoing cruise ship in a beautiful Scandinavian fjord.  These are the images that draw people to a cruise, and in this case, a Viking cruise.  Maybe it was the all-inclusive tag line that peaked your interest.  It all sounds great!  Just book your cruise and everything will be included. Sounds simple, right? But there are many options and parameters that you should consider in order to take full advantage of all that your itinerary offers, and more importantly to minimize any surprises.  After sailing with Viking many times, and with more trips scheduled, we thought a guide to Viking’s cruise selection and booking process would be helpful, so here we go!

You Have Some Decisions to Make

•    viking or travel agent.

The first decision you will need to make is whether to work directly with Viking or to use a travel agent.  If you already have a travel agent that you use a lot, then that may be the best choice for you.  The price for the cruise will be the same, but travel agents can sometimes throw in a little extra incentives, like some shipboard credit.  Shipboard credit can range between $250 and $500. 

Personally, we prefer doing it ourselves and always book directly with Viking because we like the hands-on aspect of planning our trip.  In addition, the Viking representatives are experts in all aspects of Viking travel.  At the end of the day though, it is your decision.  There are times when you can ‘transfer’ a booking to a Travel Agent after you book with Viking, but there are certain conditions. Check with your Travel Agent if you are considering this.

•    Viking River vs. Ocean Cruise

The first decision you will want to consider is whether you prefer a river or an ocean cruise.  There are some distinct differences between each type of Viking cruise ship.  These differences do not make one cruise experience better than the other, you just need to decide what works better for your particular wants and needs.

All of the ocean ships are identical, so once you have been on one, then you will be familiar with all of them.  The river ships are mostly longships and these will be on rivers like the Rhine and Danube.  But there are other river ships that are built specifically for different rivers.  Like the Siene and Duro.  They will be a similar layout, just a bit smaller.

o    River cruise ships have far fewer passengers, slightly less than 200 as compared to about 930 on the ocean ships.  A smaller number of passengers makes the experience seem a bit more intimate and you will likely get a chance to meet a lot of your fellow passengers. o    River cruises have only 2 restaurant options for your meals, either the Aquavit Terrace or the larger, full-service dining room.  There is only one seating time for dinner, and the dining room is always ‘open seating’, so you will be eating with other passengers at each meal.  The ocean ships have at least 7 dining options, including 24-hour room service.  Two of the restaurants require a reservation, but the others are rather impromptu and therefore provide a lot of flexibility for your dining options.  We especially like the World Cafe, where there is a large selection of items. o    The river cruise ships have a very nice lounge and there is usually some nightly entertainment in the form of a lecture or live music.  In addition to these amenities, the ocean ships also have a pool, spa, fitness center, a theater for films and live performances, as well as a few shops.  Note that neither the river nor ocean ships has a casino. o    Although all staterooms are very nicely appointed, river cruise staterooms are smaller, ranging in size from 135 to 445 square feet.  Stateroom sizes on the ocean cruise staterooms range from 270 to over 750 square feet (and even larger for a few of the explorer/owner suites). o    Motion sickness is not at all likely on a river cruise, since there are no waves and most of the time you cannot even tell when the ship is underway.  Although the ocean ships are very stable, there is always the chance that weather conditions could make for rough seas and the potential for seasickness. o    All ocean ship staterooms have a full veranda.  On the river cruises only about ½ of the staterooms have a full veranda.     

For more information on River vs Ocean cruises, here is a detailed article that compares them .

TIP: River Cruises allowed minors in the past, but as of August 1, 2018, minors (children under 18) can no longer be booked.  Ocean Cruises have never allowed minors.

•    Select Your Itinerary

•    Review Your Stateroom options

Take a look at the stateroom categories for your cruise to determine what size of cabin and which amenities you would like to have.  There are many stateroom options on the ocean ships, so begin your investigation by reviewing the individual deck plans for each ship.  Example Ocean ship deck plans and River ship deck plans can be seen here.  On the ocean ships the location of your stateroom on the ship may be important to you, but you will not be able to select the specific deck and location until you book. (More on that later.)

TIP: The time frames for booking Excursions and Specialty Dining for ocean cruises are based on stateroom category.  The Veranda Staterooms are the lowest category, so that group chooses last.  Don’t worry, you will get all the included tours, but may not get the time you prefer.  Unfortunately, popular optional tours may be sold out.  Consider upgrading to a Deluxe Veranda Stateroom. The cost is not significantly higher, and you will get to choose your excursion and dining options earlier.

TIP: Many times on the river cruises the ship is docked beside one or more ships, as the picture shows.  That means you might go out on your balcony only to be staring into another stateroom a few feet away.  So just be aware of this potential when booking your veranda stateroom.

•    Choose Your Extensions

For an additional charge, Viking allows you to extend your travel by means of pre-cruise and post-cruise travel packages. These packages are usually in cities or tourist sites close to your cruise starting and ending points. They allow you to further customize your travel experience and get the most out of your trip. If you select any of Viking’s extensions you will receive transfers to and from your hotel, breakfast each morning and typically at least one included tour.  They may also offer some optional tours for an additional fee. Throughout your stay, Viking maintains a presence at the hotel and can act as your concierge. However, most of the time you will be on your own to explore your destination.

TIP: If you are bit timid about venturing out on your own, third-party tours are readily available in most cities and typically offer many more choices than Viking.  We use resources like Fodors, Lonely Planet and TripAdvisor to help us identify and evaluate the available tours .

•    Consider a Deviation to the Standard Itinerary

Deviations to the standard itineraries are permitted.  Although this option is not very well known, it offers another means of extending your travel before and after your cruise.  But what specifically is a deviation? The official definition from Viking is “A deviation is defined as air flights with dates that are different than the ship, hotel or extension arrival/departure dates and/or the package city pairs to or from are different. This can be added on the pre-trip, post-trip or both.”   So, what does all this mean?  For example, our last river cruise was the ‘Passage to Eastern Europe’, and we wanted to spend a few extra days at our starting city of Bucharest.  So we used the deviation option to arrive a few days early while still using Viking Air to book our flights.  (Of course, we had to arrange our own transportation to the hotel and pay for our room and meals.)

Viking no longer publishes standard cities and pricing, but just give them a call for specific information for your cruise.

•    Take Advantage of Stopovers

Like deviations, stopovers provide another great option for extending your trip.  Stopovers work a little differently than deviations though.  Viking’s official definition is “A stopover is defined as air flights with a stop between the gateway city and the destination. This can be added on the pre-trip, post-trip or both.” Here is a real-life example.  We will be flying to Stockholm for the Vikings Homelands cruise next spring. We are already scheduled for the pre-extension in Stockholm, but we thought it would be great to stop in London first.  So we have a direct flight to London, where we will stay 4 nights as part of our stopover, then continue on to Stockholm. Keep in mind that you will be completely on your own in the stopover city.

•    Review Pricing, Wait for a Deal

Booking Process

By now you’ve made all your basic selections and you are ready to finalize your plans and book your trip.  Keep in mind  that there is no immediate commitment just by booking.  Once made, your booking will be held for 72 hours and if you have not made your deposit during that time frame, the booking is released.   Let’s take a look at some of the travel options and other things you will need to decide when finalizing your booking.

•    Finalize Your Stateroom and Position On Ship

•    Purchasing Airfare

When you book your cruise you will have the opportunity to either purchase airfare directly through Viking Air, or purchase it completely on your own.  We have used Viking Air for every cruise and found their airfare pricing to be competitive with what we were able to find independently.   There are a few advantages to purchasing airfare directly from Viking including:

o    Transfers to and from the airport are included. o    Viking will track your flights and will be aware of any flight delays to ensure that your airport pickup occurs flawlessly even if you are late. o    If you experience a significant travel delay due to a late flight, Viking will ensure that you get transported to your ship, even if it has already left port.

•    Viking Air Plus

If you purchase airfare through Viking Air, they will arrange all your flights with basically no input from you. However, if you prefer a particular airline, connection city, connection time or anything else, you can take advantage of Viking Air Plus to make those reservations.  The cost of this option is between $100 and $150 per person.  We always take advantage of this option because we have definite preferences for connecting airports and layover times.

Another perk for Viking Air Plus is the ability to book your flights as soon as flight information is available from the airline (usually around 300 days before your flight).  While this allows you to book your flight, you will not be ticketed until you have paid in full and usually within 100 days of departure.   In booking so far in advance, you are sure to have a better selection of seats.  And once ticketed, you have the option of purchasing a premium seat.

•    Travel Insurance

You may or may not elect to purchase travel insurance. Personally we would not travel without it and it would be our suggestion that you strongly consider purchasing it either from Viking or a third party.  If you do purchase from Viking, there are some important things you need to know.

o    If you have any pre-existing condition it will only be covered if you purchase your trip insurance within 14 days of your deposit.  By the way, this stipulation is true regardless of whether you are using Viking’s Tripmate insurance or a third party insurance. o    Viking’s ‘cancel for any reason’ clause is only available if you purchase insurance in the first 14 days.

TIP: When you receive your invoice it will contain the Tripmate Insurance information.  Read it carefully before you sign up.  You will need to pay for the insurance in full when you purchase it and it is not refundable.

If you are not concerned about pre-existing conditions, you have a little more flexibility in the time frame during which you purchase travel insurance.  Remember that travel insurance is intended to protect the investment you have made in your trip.  So, you really only need to have insurance in effect at the point in time when you would potentially lose a significant portion of that investment.

To see what I mean, take a look at Viking’s standard Guest Cancellation Schedule of Charges.

120 days or more prior to departure        $100 per person 119 to 90 days prior to departure             20% of full fare 89 to 70 days prior to departure               35% of full fare 69 to 50 days prior to departure               50% of full fare 49 to 30 days prior to departure               75% of full fare 29 days or less prior to departure           100% of full fare

For example, if you cancel your trip anytime prior to 120 days before departure, you will only lose $100 per person.  Remember that travel insurance is never refundable, so if you have already purchased travel Insurance at this point, you will not get that money refunded.  It is only if you cancel within 120 days of your planned travel that you begin to lose a significant sum of money (20% or more).  So unless you are concerned about pre-existing conditions, you really do not need to have travel insurance in effect until you are within the 120-day window for cancellation.

The most recent Tripmate Travel Protection Brochure sent to us from Viking as part of an upcoming cruise confirmation, stated that insurance had to be purchased no later than 120 days before departure, which lines up nicely with the Cancellation Policy.

For more detailed information on Travel Insurance, be sure to read our blog post, Understanding Travel Insurance .

TIP: Be sure to read your individual policy, from Viking or a third party, for the deadlines for purchasing, they may be different.  Some third parties like Allianz allow you to purchase insurance up to the day of departure.

•    Get the Invoice and Pay Deposit

Once you have booked, do not make your deposit immediately.  Ask to have the invoice e-mailed to you for review. Review it carefully.  Mistakes you catch now will save you time and agony later.  Key things to look at include passenger names, contact information, cruise name, embarkation/disembarkation date and place, stateroom category and number, prices and itinerary. You then have 72 hours to complete your review and make the deposit. 

Your invoice will also indicate a ‘Final Payment Date’.  This final payment date can be anywhere from 6 months to over a year prior to your cruise.  There has been much discussion on some online forums regarding how this date is determined.  Is it based on being a repeat customer, price of the trip, stateroom category, or just getting a supervisor to change it?  Viking doesn’t divulge this information.  But we would suggest pushing back if the due date is greater than 6 months and request for it to be changed.  If you get a new invoice for whatever reason, make sure to re-check everything.

For more detailed information on your invoice, please see our article on Viking Cruises – Understanding Your Contract .

Congratulations! You can now feel comfortable to commit to the deposit and you are confirmed.

Checking For Additional Discounts

Even though you have completed the booking process, continue to check the Viking website and social media platforms for deals on the cruise you have booked.  If you see a big savings, maybe airfare dropped or Viking is offering some other type of price reduction, you might be able to take advantage of that.  How you ask?  You can cancel your existing trip and rebook the trip using the new offer. Outside of 120 days, it will only cost $100 per person. Remember though, if you have already purchased travel insurance, you will lose that money.  So if you’ve already purchased the insurance proceed with caution. You would likely need to get a huge savings to make that option viable.

There is another caution when cancelling and rebooking cruises.  Normally the cancellation process takes about 3 days, and Viking will not let you re-book until that process is finalized.  So if the cruise is almost sold out you could be at risk of not getting rebooked. Another option is to request that a supervisor approve the cancellation immediately, allowing an immediate rebook.

Here is another real-life example.  We had a 2021 booking for a cruise and the airfare was $1299 per person.  I happened to look at the pricing one day and noticed Viking was running a special that lowered that airfare to $599.  I immediately contacted our Viking representative and she confirmed that there were plenty of staterooms still available, so there would be no problem with rebooking. But there was a problem, the deal ended that day. We couldn’t wait 3 days for the cancellation to process.  Fortunately, a supervisor agreed to an immediate cancellation and we were able to rebook and even retained the same stateroom.  We had to pay $1000 deposit for two people for the new booking and about 10 days later I received a check for $800 from my cancellation of the original reservation.  So it cost us $200, but we netted a quick $1200 savings.

TIP:  You can save 3.3% by making your final payment using E-Check or physical check rather than a credit card.

My Viking Journey

As soon as you receive your booking number, you will be able to logon to My Viking Journey . and all of your trip information will be at your fingertips.  It’s the place you want to go for tracking and planning all the details for your trip.

•    Excursions

TIP: River cruise excursions will be available to view and book as much as 12 months prior to the cruise.  Ocean excursions usually load about 110 days out and then booked based on cabin class.

Refer to your itinerary to find out when you can actually start booking your excursions.  For river cruises, there is usually only one time slot available for each tour.  However, for ocean cruises there are multiple time slots for most of the tours.  Popular excursions book up quickly, so make sure you book as early as possible so that you can get your preferred tours and timeslots.

TIP:  If you are unable to get the excursion you prefer, remember that you always have the option to book your own third party tour.  

•    Dining Options

There are no dining reservations on river cruises.  However, ocean cruise ships have a couple of specialty restaurants that do require a reservation. The date to start booking your restaurant reservations will be on your invoice and on My Viking Journey.

Up until the day you leave for your trip, it’s a good idea to monitor your flight information periodically to see if anything changes.  Do not rely on the airlines to notify you of changes in flight times or equipment.  You do not want to be surprised with a shorter than planned connection time or having your party separated because of reassigned seats. By monitoring the details you can avoid a surprise later.

Final Documents

After that, may all your flights be on time and enjoy your cruise!

This Post Has 57 Comments

Thank you for all of this!! A friend and myself have booked a May 2020 Rhine River Cruise. This information should help going forward. Thanks! LInda

You are welcome. If you have any questions, just let me know. We have done the Rhine and it is a great trip. We are also working hard on additional content, so please check back in the future.

Well done! We have taken 3 river cruises and two ocean journeys on Viking. Every bit of the info you provide is spot on. This is a great resource for new travelers.

Thank you! Please check back in the future as we add new content.

Very helpful and accurate- we have done Botha river and ocean cruise

Thank you! We have two more Ocean Cruises booked.

What is the best time of year to travel a river cruise? We took our first “Romantic Danube “ in late August and while we loved it, it was in the upper 80’s to mid 90’s every day. Is springtime better or fall or…?

Thanks for the comment. Some people worry about river levels. Spring can be high and Fall can be low. Too high and you cant get under the bridges, to low and you scrape bottom. Worst thing is to turn a river cruise into a bus trip. So consider the river and time of year. The Danube can be very hot in the summer, maybe a Rhine cruise starting in Amsterdam. My favorite time is June. Safe Cruises!

Hi! Great article! Thanks for sharing!

The only additional thought that I have is regarding the booking process. Viking does allow you to book with them and move your booking over to a travel agent, however, it must be done within a certain time frame. I can’t remember it exactly but it’s either 30 or 60 days from when you placed your booking with Viking.

My Viking agent even suggested that I check around with travel agents to see if they offered any special incentives. For example AAA always offers it’s members on board credit for Viking cruises.

Thought you might like to include this info.

Yes, you are correct. I don’t recall the timeframe either, I think it is 30 days or so. But it is a good idea to check, could be several hundred dollars in savings. I plan to make some updates to the article in the future and will include that.

I’m thinking of not buying trip insurance but using the FREE travel insurance through my Chase credit card. Online comments seem tosupport this idea. Your thoughts??

Yes, it is a good idea, as long as it covers what you need. It’s not just the cost of your trip. Be sure to understand the reasons you can cancel. And does it include hospital/doctor costs and emergency evacuation. Repatriation is also big. What if you are sick or injured in some foreign country and need to be evacuated back to the US. Typical travel insurance will cover all of this. So be sure to check. As long as you are happy with what is covered, then this is a great option.

Thanks for you input. I’m pretty sure I will be using the credit card option.

Great article! We’ve been on river cruises and Mediterranean cruises with Viking and Windstar. Your article has many useful tips. Thanks

Thanks for the comment. Safe Travels!

Thanks for all the info. Planning our first trip in fall of 2020 or 2021.

Thanks for the comment. If you have any questions please let us know.

Good planning information, James. I’m curious about air travel. Did you travel in economy or upgraded seats? And I’m guessing air travel reservations by Viking were sufficiently cheaper than doing it yourselves? Thanks!

Thanks for the comment. We booked economy with Viking and then upgraded our seats to Premium Economy. We always look at Viking Air versus going on our own. So far, Viking always has the better price, and two of our river cruises had free airfare. Hard to beat free. Plus we usually do deviations which Viking will do for a minimal charge.

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What are the benefits of booking a follow-on cruise while on a Viking Ocean Cruise?

I really haven’t seen that much of a benefit in booking a cruise while on a cruise. But if you book within a year of taking a cruise, then you get a past guest discount that can range from $200 to $400 per person. In addition, if you have a cruise booked when you book another, they will usually give you a better final payment date. I have always been able to get 6 months.

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Your information has been the most helpful regarding Viking I have found to date. I am very leery of travelling with them as the experience has not been very encouraging so far. Friends got a voucher from a river cruise that due to weather was as noted in one comment became a bus tour. So they switched to an ocean option asked us along. As a “New Guest” and a “Referred Guest” we were offered I recall $700 each discount. When a reduced price came up we would have been denied both those discounts if we “cancelled” and re-booked. Net gain $50. So we declined to change. COVID cancelled the trip and $100 p/p voucher was issued with a loss of $200 cancellation fee. We have recently re-booked. Same trip higher price. No “New Guest” discount and despite a mailing brochure no “Return Guest” $200 p/p discount. We are something in-between new and old? We picked the pre-cruise London option but have second thoughts. The Viking Hotel price is over twice the normal hotel rate on multiple booking sites including the hotel site. Since transfers are included with the Air price that does not figure in. (Perhaps one extra?) We had a final payment date 15 months advance and our TA got it moved to 13 months. The brochure mentioned offered 12 months which Viking denied us as the date had already been “extended once”. I am hoping, fingers crossed, that should I pick Viking Air Plus and do a Deviation and book seat selection and upgrade my Viking experience will improve.

Thank you for the comment. It is unfortunate that some have had a poor experience, especially with the ever changing environment due to Covid. I can tell you that we have done several cruises with Viking, including an Iceland cruise this past July, which have all been excellent. We think that once you make it on the ship, you will see why people love Viking. Safe Travels!

Good morning I read through your post and have one question that maybe you can answer. Viking wants a PCR test up to 72 hours by flight time mine is 6:30pm on June 2th to the Netherlands, my issue is that every lab I look up close early. How can I handle this issue I can not get a test at the required time of 6:30pm.

It can be challenging to meet the requirements for testing. It will cost money, but there are several places where you can get a PCR test turned around in hours. There will usually be places around airports. Viking will also accept an antigen test within 24 hours. Again, you can usually get those at local drug stores and get them back in a few hours.

Thank you for your valuable insights on Viking. We are booking our first cruise and called Viking directly and had linked up with a travel agent at viking but later called AAA (we are members) to buy insurance and the AAA agent suggested we move our booking/reservation to AAA. They could provide a onboard ship credit. Are we making a mistake in transferring this booking?? Also, It appears that the only way to get a credit from Viking is through a voucher if we use their insurance. They do not give cash credit if you must cancel your trip. This is wwhy we decided to use Allianz for insurance in lieu of the Viking insurance. Am I understanding this all correctly??

Thanks you for the comment. I will try to answer all of your questions. We always deal directly with Viking, we have a person we work with that we like so we use them. But if you have a travel agent you like, then certainly go with them. Travel agents cannot discount the Viking price, so they give onboard credit as a way to get people to use them. You are not making a mistake to use a travel agent if you are comfortable with them. As far as canceling with Viking, because of Covid, there were some instances were Viking offered a cancel for any reason and that was a voucher, but that has stopped. If you cancel, Viking will refund money based on the cancellation schedule. Outside of 120 days, you will get back ALL your money less $100 per person. The cancellation schedule is in your contract. If you want information about understanding your contract, we have an article on that, look under the Viking tab on our website. We have an annual policy with Allianz, it is more economical if you do multiple trips per year. We have never filed a claim, so we can’t comment on that process. Hope that helps. Save travels!

Have you looked into doing the online test with a kit you buy from EMed? They proctor the processs and send you a results email within minutes. We did it from our pre-cruise hotel and it worked great.

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My husband and I are taking our 2nd Viking river cruise in October this fall on the Rhine from Amsterdam to Basil. Our first one was ten years ago and was quite enjoyable. We are wondering if you have come across any information regarding how direct the flights are. In 2012 we left from Rochester , NY and had to fly west to Chicaco then east to Germany. Same coming back – had to fly west to Chicago first and then back East to Rochester. We estimated that was about 7 – 8 additional hours in the air than if the flights had been direct from Rochester. This fall we are scheduled to fly out of Orlando, Fl and are hoping to fly directly to at least some place in Europe. Is there any information on the normal routes planes from certain cities take such as departing from Orlando?

The good news is that from Orlando there are many options. We leave from Charlotte and like to fly straight to Europe (Munich or London) and then connect from there. There are several flights from Orlando to London or Frankfurt that then connect to Amsterdam. If you are using Viking Air+, then we usually find a flight or two we like and then call Viking to schedule it.

Excellent commentary! Well done. We have taken one river cruise (Danube) and now 2 oceans. Bermuda and Panama Canal. We are currently booked for a Trade routes of the middle ages, to replace a lost Grand European (due to covid) and another Grand Euro, because we actually want to do that itinerary. Your reviews are spot on. I have a favorite Viking rep, and work with him exclusively. We always book our air with Viking air plus, and it is very helpful because flying from Colorado Springs to the East Coast or to European destinations can be a challenge. For our Bermuda trip, we had several flight changes – 4 different airlines cancelled on us, but Viking fixed it just as my patience was about to run out. On some of our cruises, we have gotten free airfare, which is a significant savings, as you can imagine. We also learned about pushing back on our final payment due date, the e-check savings of 3.3% and waiting until about 120 days out to get insurance. These trips are costly – about $1000/ night when everything is included – but there are no surprises – no giant bill for drinks or optional stuff on departure day. We are Vikings for life. Thanks for your quality reporting.

Thank you for the comment. I agree that Viking is not cheap, but when you compare all you get that is inlcuded, I think they are very competitive. And we love both ocean and river cruises. We currently have a river and three ocean booked, can’t wait to go again.

James, our Viking rep suggested we transfer our bookiing to gain perks for our ocean cruise in May 2023. This will be our first cruise with Viking. Plan to use Viking Air. Are flights from ORD to Madrid and return from Venice to ORD usually direct? By the way, your article is excellent, Very helpful for a first timer

Hi, I booked with Viking, but I am still confused about getting insurance through Viking or a travel agent. I only have a few more days to get it with preexisting condition. I do have a travel agent that wants me to transfer to him, but not sure what to do. Viking is expensive, o what should I do? Lorrie Please Help

We have used Viking Tripmate a few times, but you are right, it is more expensive. Another thing to consider, is all you trip with Viking or do you have your own airfare or extensions? Viking insurance will only cover what you purchased from Viking. Over the last few years we have used Allianz, in fact we have an annual policy. But there are several tools which allow you to compare plans so you get the insurance that is right for you. A good TA can recommend what to get based on your needs. Safe travels.

Paula, we just got back from the Viking Rhine cruise this morning. Outstanding . It was the first time We used them and it will not be the last. As for the PCR test we had it done three days before at 6:30 PM at solvhealth.com/Primbio research labs in Newtown Square Pa.19073. I do not know your area but this Company has a lot of offices. They fit a great job and had my report to me the next night. I hope this helps Jim R

Hello James, We are getting ready to commit to a River cruise …Prague to Berlin…May 2023. They now offer economy air free and premium economy at $799. My question is, if we extend through Viking for two extra nights in Berlin, will that mess up our air portion or will we have to pay extra for “deviation” or if we extend the 2 days through Viking will they automatically fix the return flight home? Hope i didn’t make this sound too confusing. Also, we had a River scheduled for this past May which we cancelled and received vouchers for full amount to be applied within 2 years….we are past cruiser with Viking as well. Should we push them for some type of shipboard credit for the May 2023 cruise mentioned above? Thanks

Thanks for the comment. The deviation will allow you to extend the front end and/or the back end of the trip. Once you pay the deviation, it doesn’t cost more to do both sides of the cruise. The air will automatically be adjusted to match your dates, but the transfers will not be included since you are transferring at a different time than the rest of the people. As far as shipboard credit, Viking does not usually offer that.

Thanks for the response. I decided to call Viking directly and they said if i sign up for the 2 day Post cruise extension in Berlin,costing $499 pp (two nights in hotel) , transfers to airport would be included and our premium economy $799 flight would not change . No deviation fee to pay in this case !

Does anyone have information when taking the included free port excursions, can I stay wherever that excursion concludes and continue on with my day rather than returning to ship (I would understand I would have to pay whatever cost would incur to return)

When excursions are in the city where you are docked, then most times you can explore on your own. Viking will also usually have a shuttle running from the ship to somewhere in town.

Great information. My husband and I are typically very independent travelers but we are considering a Viking river cruise. Our preference would be to book our own flights and just show up when it’s time to get on the boat. Of course we don’t want to miss out on free flights if that’s being offered. Will Viking book flights for us that give us a few days before and a few days after without having to use their hotels or pay their diversion fee or whatever that is called? We don’t really want to be ‘herded’ everywhere we go. Thanks

If you use Viking and want to arrive early or stay late on your own, you will be charged the deviation fee. Also, if you use Viking Air, I always pay for Viking Airplus. That gives you much more control over selecting the flights you want so you fly through the airports you want with the connection times you want. I always compare the price from Viking to what I can do on my own. It is rare I can do better, and I like having it all with Viking.

I just booked but didnt confirm our first river cruise and first with Viking the Amsterdam to Basel in mid May 2023. We want to go early and spend 2 days in Amsterdam before our cruise begins but have agreed to use Viking Air to arrange our flights because we have free airfare as part of our package costs. How do i reserve our precruise trip? We arent using Viking..their extended stay trips are sold out…so i will reserve our hotel myself. I always use Trip Advisor for hotel recommendations. My question is ….how does Viking set this up? I guess i call them and tell them i want to fly to Amsterdam 2 days early and they will incorporate that into our flight schedule? I pay $100 deviation fee for my wife and I…right? Do we NOT get transportation from airport on arrival and to the ship on the day we leave on the cruise if we do this self arranged trip in Amsterdam? Another question pertains to items i have had on ocean cruises like pre paid drink packages…pre paid gratuities etc. Are those offered by Viking on river cruises and if so when you get that information? I reserved a Veranda A stateroom which was $200 more per person than the Veranda B, but i really couldnt see any difference in the details….is it just due to being one deck higher on Ver A than B? Your blog is really excellent and helfpul to we first time river cruisers. After this one we may try Viking for an Ocean cruise to get the smaller size ship. We are through with floating cities for ocean cruises! Thanks for your help.

Jerry, thanks for the comment and I will try to answer all of your questions. But as always, check with Viking to ensure you have the latest information. First, I recommend that you pay the fee for Viking Air Plus. With just Viking Air, they will select your flights. With Air Plus, you get input into the flights you want. So we always select a few flights and then call them. That way you can select the airports you want to fly through and set the connection times. If you want to fly in early or leave late, then you will pay the deviation fee. But the one fee covers both ends. Just call Viking and tell them when you want to fly out and back. It will be on your invoice/contract and when it is time to book, just call Viking Air and they will book it. Because you are not arriving when others arrive for the cruise, you will have to arrange transportation yourself. We have done it many times, it is no big deal. As far as pre-paid drinks and gratuities, they will be on the myvikingjourney site. Just go to that sit and enter your booking number (even if you haven’t made the deposit yet), and you will see everything, including prepaid options. Vernada A vs B is just the deck you are on. Safe travels and I am sure you will love Viking!

This was excellent. Thank you.

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If I would use Viking Air Plus, do I have control over the connection times? Flying to London early and from Bergen same day (we’ve already been there). There’s a large difference in price, business class, with a shorter connection, ie; 2 hours compared to 9. We usually always do our own but was curious. Thanks.

With Viking Air Plus you do have control of your flights, but it is limited. Viking contracts with certain airlines and certain routes for the price quoted. I usually search for the flight(s) I want, in the order of preference. Then call Viking Air and they will let you know if the flight can be booked. Sometimes they can get the flight you want, but there may be a premium you need to pay. I then compare their price with what I can book directly. If I can get the airfare with Viking, even if it is a little more, I usually do since then it is all under Viking and you get transfers (if you are flying on the extension day or ship transfer days). I would say we book with Viking about 80% of the time. You can book about 300 days from the return flight, of course you won’t be ticketed at that time, just booked. Safe Travels!

I have a South America and the. Chilean fjords cruise on hold. How do I get back in to this account and confirm it!

Excellent advice! We are first- time cruisers and value your experience!

We live in a small city, that Viking does not have flight connections. Do we ask Viking Air to add a flight, or should we use Viking Air+ to get the entire flight planned by Viking Air?

Comments are closed.

Is it better to book a cruise through a travel agent? We say yes

Going online to book an airline ticket or hotel stay is a familiar and fairly easy transaction. When you book a cruise, however — particularly your first cruise — you might want to reconsider the impulse to handle the transaction yourself through a cruise line website or an online advertiser with cheap prices. This DIY approach might not be the best way to find your dream vacation at sea.

In reality, it's not that simple to book a cruise. You will likely run into a lot of questions to which you have no ready answer.

That's where specialized cruise travel agents come into play. Their expertise can help you avoid mistakes, whether you are a first-timer or a repeat cruiser checking out a brand you have not tried before.

For cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

Why you should book through a cruise travel agent

You should consider booking a cruise through a travel agent because a knowledgeable agent can help you understand the nuances of a cruise purchase and help you make the best decisions for your vacation preferences.

When you book a cruise, you are making a vacation decision that goes way beyond a flight or hotel nights. Which ship you choose determines your dining and evening entertainment choices for the duration of your vacation. Which itinerary you choose impacts which destinations you'll visit and which shoreside activities will be available to you. It can be overwhelming to evaluate the options on your own if you've never cruised before.

In addition, cruise fares can be hard to understand and compare. You might, for instance, see a fare listed online without the port charges, taxes and fees, which you only see after you give your personal details.

Plus, the price of your cruise includes accommodations, meals, entertainment and activities — and in some cases drinks, tips, shore excursions, Wi-Fi and other extras. There's a lot bundled into some fares and not as much with others. A travel agent can help you determine what your cruise fare gets you. The cheapest base cruise fare does not always provide the best value or best overall vacation deal.

Related: 4 scenarios when you should use a travel agent

You aren't just booking general passage on a ship, either, as you will be asked to pick a specific cabin and when you prefer to dine. Making a mistake in these categories can ruin your cruise experience, as there are such thing as "bad" cabins and dining times (think noisy or claustrophobic cabins, dinner at 8 p.m. with cranky children, etc.).

With cruises, you typically don't pay for your whole vacation upfront but rather put down a deposit, with final payment due at a later date. A cruise travel agent can ensure you don't miss any due dates.

Remember, you might be a DIY type when booking airlines and hotels, but booking a cruise is more complex. If you enjoy doing your own research, focus on what to do and see in the ports of call. Read about different ships, cruise lines and itineraries. However, when it comes to booking the cruise, we recommend you still contact a travel agent who specializes in cruises to help you learn a few tips and avoid any rookie mistakes.

Travel agents can get better deals on cruises

If you're concerned that working with an agent will make your cruise more expensive, don't be. Cruise travel agents receive the bulk of their income via commission from the cruise lines. Their service to you is usually free, though some might charge first-time clients a minimal fee. It's worth it.

In addition to sharing their expertise, the agent may have negotiated group space at lower rates with the cruise line, which could save you money on the cruise fare. The agent might also have first access to sale prices because the cruise lines notify their agent partners and loyalty club members first before they announce a sale to the public.

Related: 6 ways to get a deal on a cruise

Some cruise travel agents even throw in booking perks , such as a complimentary bottle of Champagne, awaiting your arrival in your cabin.

How to find a travel agent for a cruise

Cruise lines prefer that you use a travel agent rather than going online and booking directly. They have small in-house reservation teams, and when you have a question while making a booking, good luck in getting an expert on the phone in a timely manner.

Companies such as Royal Caribbean and Carnival Cruise Line provide online directories to help you find an experienced cruise travel agent near you.

You can also find experienced and certified cruise travel agents through CLIA, the Cruise Lines International Association , which is the industry's main marketing group. Asking friends who have cruised to recommend a travel agent is another good idea.

Related: 5 unexpected places that sell cruises

You might get more personalized care from smaller agencies than from the huge online agencies, though websites such as icruise.com, Cruise.com and Cruise411.com also have experienced cruise agents. These larger online travel agencies can be a good option for those who prefer to make decisions and ask questions via chat. Just make sure you get the name and phone number of the representative for any follow-up questions.

Questions to ask a cruise travel agent

In choosing a cruise travel agent, you will want to tap into the person's specific expertise about the cruise line and ship you are considering. Anyone can read a ship deck plan outlining ship spaces (which you can find online), but you are looking for people who really know their stuff.

Look for travel agencies that are cruise-only or a home-based agent who specializes in cruises. If you are using a full-service travel agency, ask for the cruise desk.

Here are some questions to ask a travel agent to determine their expertise:

• How often do you cruise?
• Have you cruised on the line I am considering?
• Have you cruised on the ship that I am considering, or do you have clients who have cruised that ship and provided a review of their vacation?
• Do you have firsthand knowledge about the cruise destination? The itinerary?

You will also want to ask the travel agent if they have a preferred relationship or negotiated agreement with any specific lines that could lead to special perks for you.

Be aware that not all agents work with all cruise lines; some represent only a few preferred suppliers or specialize in higher-end cruises. They get bigger commissions from their preferred lines.

This is not necessarily a bad thing, but be aware if the agent seems to be putting you off the line you were originally considering, as this could be the reason. On the plus side, an agent who is a preferred supplier might have negotiated rates with the cruise line and be able to call in favors, such as that bottle of Champagne or a cabin upgrade .

You should also ask if the travel agency offers 24/7 assistance (usually an 800 number) in case you have last-minute questions or something goes wrong before or during your trip.

The cruise travel agent should have questions for you as well, to better understand your dream vacation desires. If you are calling a cruise agency for the first time, the agent should be interviewing you as much as you are interviewing him or her. The agent should be focused on helping you choose the cruise line , ship and cabin that is right for you. Making the correct choices is very important to your overall cruise experience.

Bottom line

Booking a cruise is a complex enterprise. A cruise travel agent will guide you through choosing your cabin and dining times, deposits and final payment, and options for shore excursions and specialty dining. If you need to cancel the trip, the agent will also help you through the refund process. You'll have a lot less stress before and during your vacation if you book with an experienced agent.

Planning a cruise? Start with these stories:

• The 5 most desirable cabin locations on any cruise ship
• A beginners guide to picking a cruise line
• The 8 worst cabin locations on any cruise ship
• The ultimate guide to what to pack for a cruise
• A quick guide to the most popular cruise lines
• 21 tips and tricks that will make your cruise go smoothly
• Top ways cruisers waste money
• The ultimate guide to choosing a cruise ship cabin

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Viking Unveils All-Commissionable Fares

Viking River Cruises chairman, Torstein Hagen, drew a line in the sand at the American Marketing Group’s You’ve Got Talent global conference. After Vikings’ announcement that it is the first cruise company to pay agents on ‘everything they sell,’ he dared other river and ocean cruise lines to follow Viking’s announcement that it is taking the “non” out of Non-Commissionable Fares.

To thunderous applause from agents at the conference, he proclaimed, Viking River Cruises is now paying travel agents commission on the total invoice of a Viking river cruise, affirming his company’s support for the agency channel.

“I hope everyone follows suit,” said Hagen, noting the new all-commissionable fare policy will mean about $70-$80 more in pay for agents, on top of the typical $1,000-plus they earn booking a Viking river itinerary.

Viking River Cruises is the first cruise company to pay commission on every aspect of a client’s booking, including the government taxes, port fees, air upgrades, beverage packages and gift orders. The line already paid commission on shore excursions and travel protection plans.

“This unprecedented commission policy was developed with input from leaders in the travel agency community, and it is very simple,” said Hagen. “If an agent sells a Viking River Cruises itinerary, they earn a commission on all of it. Our partners will be paid for everything they sell.”

While Viking entered the market with a campaign that focused on direct selling, Hagan said that was because the river cruise company had to educate consumers about this new product, which he said is highly compelling for agents to sell for two reasons: The first is that they make commissions on the entire all-inclusive fares and the second is that consumers need to consult with an expert to be sure they are spending their money on the high-ticket product that is right for their needs.

Agent Reactions

Agents told Travel Market Report that the principle of the policy is of central importance and have indicated they will try to support the line because of it.

“I think it is great that Viking is giving commission including the taxes and port fees, considering that most of the fees are pure profit,” said Angie Gideon, office manager for Gideon Travel Agency in Ontario, Canada. “We try to give the customer what they ask for but it sure won’t hurt to recommend Viking as well.”

Amber Blecker of a Colorado-based CruiseOne was equally as enthusiastic. “Viking’s new policy is wonderful for travel agents. Viking is an important partner for CruiseOne especially, and has long honored the relationship with our company and the agent community in general. This is another step forward and I applaud them for making this change. This will absolutely help my bottom line!”

She continued: “While river cruisers are often more experienced and sophisticated, the various itineraries and lines lead most to call on experienced travel agents for guidance. The river cruise industry has had explosive growth in the last five years, and the choices can be daunting. Viking recognizes the importance and value of travel agent partners in this process and with this move is rewarding us for all we do.”

Like Gideon, Blecker said she will certainly mention Viking to river cruise clients. “Commissions aside, the bottom line for my clients always must be what is right for them. I believe my commission should not affect my recommendations to my clients. However, each time a line makes it easier to work with, it earns a place in ensuring I do keep them in consideration for my clients, when appropriate.”

Incremental Income

Unlike other river cruise lines, Viking’s brochure cruise pricing is, and has always been, inclusive of port charges. But until now the port charges were excluded from the commission. Air prices are also inclusive of governmental fees and charges, and airport transfers as well. According to the river cruise company, the new commission program is an extension of the all-inclusive formula and provides additional earning potential to travel professionals.

“Since our inception, Viking has prided itself on its relationship with the travel agent community, and with this program we reaffirm this commitment,” Hagen pointed out. “Currently, our average commissions are more than $1,000 per booking; by commissioning everything, earnings will increase by an average of $100, and agents will have an even greater incentive to selling Viking.”

However, one travel seller Travel Market Report spoke with said that based on his calculations the additional income would be only approximately $14 to $16 for the port charges. No river cruise companies, he said, list additional taxes and fees on their invoices.

A Line in the Sand

While at least one travel agency group executive told TMR that Viking has drawn a line in the sand, two Viking competitors seem unfazed by the announcement.

“Our policy has always been to provide commissions on every aspect of the Avalon vacation experience except government-imposed taxes and fees,” said Jennifer Halboth, director of marketing for the Globus family of brands. “And, our average agent commission is $1,200.”

And Guy Young, president of Uniworld Boutique River Cruise Collection, said: “As a company, Uniworld markets exclusively through travel agents. We pay amongst the highest commission levels in the industry. And our support and commitment to the travel agencies is very high, and I would say if you’re going to compare us relative to Viking, 95% of our business comes through travel agents so, as a percentage of our overall business, we pay a lot higher commission than Viking does.”

However Blecker told TMR she would not be surprised if other lines followed suit. “Regent Seven Seas moved in this direction approximately one year ago, making all aspects of their bookings commissionable, which emphasized their cruises as all-inclusive both for the passenger and their agent. I’d not be surprised to see other luxury and river cruise lines follow in the steps of Viking and Regent in the future, and would like to see it extended to deluxe lines since they are moving more toward an all-inclusive experience as well. I don’t expect to see this trend extend to the mainstream ocean cruise lines in the Contemporary or Premium categories, but I’m sure discussions on this topic will continue between agents and the lines to find a balance between commissionable and non-commissionable fares.”

Carnival and Royal Caribbean have so far declined to comment.

Viking’s new commission program will apply to all new 2010 and 2011 bookings, and Viking will continue to pay commission 29 days prior to departure.

Information on Viking’s 2010 and 2011 itineraries, dates, pricing and more is available on the cruise line’s travel agent portal at www.vikingrivercruises.com/agents . Or call (877) 66-VIKING.

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Anyone do Viking River Cruise Moscow to St Petersburg? - Moscow Forum

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Anyone do Viking River Cruise Moscow to St Petersburg?

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Or is there another cruise line I should investigate?

We are two female seniors travelling. Thank you much.

2 female friends did a similiar cuise on Vantage River Cruises - you may want to compare both companies

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Biden-Harris Administration Announces Final Rule Requiring Automatic Refunds of Airline Tickets and Ancillary Service Fees

Rule makes it easy to get money back for cancelled or significantly changed flights, significantly delayed checked bags, and additional services not provided  

WASHINGTON – The Biden-Harris Administration today announced that the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued a final rule that requires airlines to promptly provide passengers with automatic cash refunds when owed. The new rule makes it easy for passengers to obtain refunds when airlines cancel or significantly change their flights, significantly delay their checked bags, or fail to provide the extra services they purchased.

“Passengers deserve to get their money back when an airline owes them - without headaches or haggling,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg . “Our new rule sets a new standard to require airlines to promptly provide cash refunds to their passengers.”  

The final rule creates certainty for consumers by defining the specific circumstances in which airlines must provide refunds. Prior to this rule, airlines were permitted to set their own standards for what kind of flight changes warranted a refund. As a result, refund policies differed from airline to airline, which made it difficult for passengers to know or assert their refund rights. DOT also received complaints of some airlines revising and applying less consumer-friendly refund policies during spikes in flight cancellations and changes. 

Under the rule, passengers are entitled to a refund for:

• Canceled or significantly changed flights: Passengers will be entitled to a refund if their flight is canceled or significantly changed, and they do not accept alternative transportation or travel credits offered. For the first time, the rule defines “significant change.” Significant changes to a flight include departure or arrival times that are more than 3 hours domestically and 6 hours internationally; departures or arrivals from a different airport; increases in the number of connections; instances where passengers are downgraded to a lower class of service; or connections at different airports or flights on different planes that are less accessible or accommodating to a person with a disability.  
• Significantly delayed baggage return: Passengers who file a mishandled baggage report will be entitled to a refund of their checked bag fee if it is not delivered within 12 hours of their domestic flight arriving at the gate, or 15-30 hours of their international flight arriving at the gate, depending on the length of the flight.  
• Extra services not provided: Passengers will be entitled to a refund for the fee they paid for an extra service — such as Wi-Fi, seat selection, or inflight entertainment — if an airline fails to provide this service.

DOT’s final rule also makes it simple and straightforward for passengers to receive the money they are owed. Without this rule, consumers have to navigate a patchwork of cumbersome processes to request and receive a refund — searching through airline websites to figure out how make the request, filling out extra “digital paperwork,” or at times waiting for hours on the phone. In addition, passengers would receive a travel credit or voucher by default from some airlines instead of getting their money back, so they could not use their refund to rebook on another airline when their flight was changed or cancelled without navigating a cumbersome request process.  

The final rule improves the passenger experience by requiring refunds to be:

• Automatic: Airlines must automatically issue refunds without passengers having to explicitly request them or jump through hoops.   
• Prompt: Airlines and ticket agents must issue refunds within seven business days of refunds becoming due for credit card purchases and 20 calendar days for other payment methods.  
• Cash or original form of payment: Airlines and ticket agents must provide refunds in cash or whatever original payment method the individual used to make the purchase, such as credit card or airline miles. Airlines may not substitute vouchers, travel credits, or other forms of compensation unless the passenger affirmatively chooses to accept alternative compensation.    
• Full amount: Airlines and ticket agents must provide full refunds of the ticket purchase price, minus the value of any portion of transportation already used. The refunds must include all government-imposed taxes and fees and airline-imposed fees, regardless of whether the taxes or fees are refundable to airlines.

The final rule also requires airlines to provide prompt notifications to consumers affected by a cancelled or significantly changed flight of their right to a refund of the ticket and extra service fees, as well as any related policies.

In addition, in instances where consumers are restricted by a government or advised by a medical professional not to travel to, from, or within the United States due to a serious communicable disease, the final rule requires that airlines must provide travel credits or vouchers. Consumers may be required to provide documentary evidence to support their request. Travel vouchers or credits provided by airlines must be transferrable and valid for at least five years from the date of issuance.

The Department received a significant number of complaints against airlines and ticket agents for refusing to provide a refund or for delaying processing of refunds during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, refund complaints peaked at 87 percent of all air travel service complaints received by DOT. Refund problems continue to make up a substantial share of the complaints that DOT receives.

DOT’s Historic Record of Consumer Protection Under the Biden-Harris Administration

Under the Biden-Harris Administration and Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has advanced the largest expansion of airline passenger rights, issued the biggest fines against airlines for failing consumers, and returned more money to passengers in refunds and reimbursements than ever before in the Department’s history.

• Thanks to pressure from Secretary Buttigieg and DOT’s flightrights.gov dashboard, all 10 major U.S. airlines guarantee free rebooking and meals, and nine guarantee hotel accommodations when an airline issue causes a significant delay or cancellation. These are new commitments the airlines added to their customer service plans that DOT can legally ensure they adhere to and are displayed on flightrights.gov .  
• Since President Biden took office, DOT has helped return more than $3 billion in refunds and reimbursements owed to airline passengers – including over $600 million to passengers affected by the Southwest Airlines holiday meltdown in 2022.   
• Under Secretary Buttigieg, DOT has issued over $164 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations. Between 1996 and 2020, DOT collectively issued less than $71 million in penalties against airlines for consumer protection violations.  
• DOT recently launched a new partnership with a bipartisan group of state attorneys general to fast-track the review of consumer complaints, hold airlines accountable, and protect the rights of the traveling public.  
• In 2023, the flight cancellation rate in the U.S. was a record low at under 1.2% — the lowest rate of flight cancellations in over 10 years despite a record amount of air travel.  
• DOT is undertaking its first ever industry-wide review of airline privacy practices and its first review of airline loyalty programs.

In addition to finalizing the rules to require automatic refunds and protect against surprise fees, DOT is also pursuing rulemakings that would:

• Propose to ban family seating junk fees and guarantee that parents can sit with their children for no extra charge when they fly. Before President Biden and Secretary Buttigieg pressed airlines last year, no airline committed to guaranteeing fee-free family seating. Now, four airlines guarantee fee-free family seating, and the Department is working on its family seating junk fee ban proposal.  
• Propose to make passenger compensation and amenities mandatory so that travelers are taken care of when airlines cause flight delays or cancellations.   
• Expand the rights for passengers who use wheelchairs and ensure that they can travel safely and with dignity . The comment period on this proposed rule closes on May 13, 2024.

The final rule on refunds can be found at https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer/latest-news and at regulations.gov , docket number DOT-OST-2022-0089. There are different implementation periods in this final rule ranging from six months for airlines to provide automatic refunds when owed to 12 months for airlines to provide transferable travel vouchers or credits when consumers are unable to travel for reasons related to a serious communicable disease. 

Information about airline passenger rights, as well as DOT’s rules, guidance and orders, can be found at   https://www.transportation.gov/airconsumer .