This post is going to be quite specific and is related to some common questions, concerns and possibly misunderstandings that occur when booking a Viking cruise. A little over a year ago, we wrote a blog post regarding “Viking Cruises Frequently Asked Questions” to address some common questions that other travelers may have about the entire cruise experience. However, based on concerns being expressed in some Viking-related online forums, there seems to be some confusion over the terms and agreements related to the booking process itself. Most of the time, the confusion appears to arise from misunderstandings, as opposed to a mistake or issue with Viking.
In an effort to bring some clarity to these issues, this article will address some of the most common concerns. But keep in mind, any time you have a question, your Viking agent is the best place to get a definite answer to your concerns. In addition, this post is intended to address bookings made in the United States. Bookings made in other countries are governed by different local laws and procedures that may not be consistent with U.S. bookings.
Guest Statement: The first thing to know is that once you have finalized your plans with either a Viking or independent travel agent, you will receive a Guest Statement, sometimes called an invoice. The Guest Statement contains all the details about your travel. This statement is extremely important, and we will discuss its contents in this article.
Keep in mind that the Guest Statement is not just an invoice or informative document, it is actually a contract. You will have 72 hours to review your Guest Statement. We suggest you first review the entire document with your agent. Next, review it again on your own. Take your time, be thorough and check everything! If there is an error or a question, now is the time to make changes or corrections. Once you are satisfied that you understand everything in the statement and all of your concerns have been addressed, then you can make your deposit and finalize your booking.
The Guest Statement is divided into several sections. The first section contains a summary of personal information and basic cruise information. Included in this section are your name, address, booking date, cruise name, embarkation/disembarkation date and stateroom category and number. Ensure all of this basic information is correct. Remember that your travel reservations will be made using the information contained on your Guest Statement. For example, make sure that your name matches the name on your passport.
TIP: Some countries will require VISAs to enter. Although we have never traveled to a country that has required it, if VISAs are required, there will be a section in the Guest Statement with information.
Final Payment Date: This date is probably the most discussed item and point of contention with Viking customers. Customers are sometimes surprised to find out that their final payment is due well before their cruise date. This date should never be a surprise. It is clearly stated in the first section of the first page of the statement. Be sure you review it and agree.
Unfortunately, Viking has no publicly stated policy regarding how the final payment date is determined. Some customers might get a final payment date of 6 months prior to their cruise, while others must pay 2 or more years before they cruise. While it appears that some of the parameters used to determine the customer’s final payment date may include their number of past and future cruises, itinerary and cost, exactly how Viking uses this information to determine final payment date is not published. If you are unhappy with the final payment date on your Guest Statement, ask for a Viking Customer Service supervisor to review it. Sometimes they may offer a better date, but not always. So, be absolutely sure that you are comfortable with the final payment date BEFORE finalizing your booking.
Vouchers: For the purposes of this discussion, ‘vouchers’ will refer to those issued for cruises cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Beginning in March 2020, Viking began issuing vouchers for canceled cruises. However, not all vouchers are the same. Customers that cancelled their own cruises, received a voucher for the amount that would normally be assessed for the cancellation penalty, in accordance with the Cancellation Schedule (see below). For cruises cancelled by Viking, Viking offered either a 100% refund or a voucher worth 125% of the cost of the cruise.
One note of caution, over the course of the pandemic, the exact terms of these vouchers has changed a few times depending on the date issued. So, if you have received a voucher of any kind, be sure to read its specific terms in order to fully understand your options. You can find the terms here. The note at the bottom of the page has links to the different voucher terms.
Guest Cancellation Schedule: The Guest Cancellation Schedule can usually be found on the second page of the Guest Statement, or on the Viking website here. The main point to understand is that you can cancel up to 120 days before departure and still receive 100% of your money back, less $100 per person. So, even though you might make your final payment long before that, you can still get a refund, as long as you cancel more than 120 days prior to departure.
This refund schedule could also mean that you may not need to purchase travel insurance until you are within 120 days prior to departure. Since you only have $100 at risk and travel insurance is not refundable, you might want to consider delaying the purchase of insurance. There is one significant exception though. In order to cover pre-existing health conditions, most insurance companies require the purchase of travel insurance within a few days of booking. For more information on travel insurance, here is a link to our article on ‘Understanding Travel Insurance’ that you may find helpful.
On Board Credit (OBC) or Shipboard Credit (SBC): These promotions may be offered by Viking or an independent travel agent. You can usually use the credit for items like shore excursions, beverage packages and pre-paid gratuities. If you are offered a shipboard credit, understand how it can be used and be certain that the amount is documented in the “Promotional Amenities” section of your Guest Statement.
Viking Air/Air Plus
- Viking Air: Choosing Viking Air provides the convenience of having Viking make all of your airline reservations. The Viking Air prices are usually very competitive, but we recommend always comparing their price with what you can obtain on your own. Although in our experience, Viking frequently offers the best deal. In addition, if you book your airfare with Viking, you will receive the added benefit of having your transfers to and from the ship or hotel included. If you are not constrained by dates, be sure to check all the sailing dates for your cruise. Viking frequently offers discounts on air, including free airfare on particular sailings. For example, The Grand European river cruise is almost always free air!
The downside of this option is that Viking does not book and ticket you until about 75 days prior to departure. They also pick your flights, which could result in flights or connection times that you might not prefer. And, if you want to change your seat, or select a preferred seat, you will not be able to do so until you are actually ticketed, 75 days before you leave.
- Viking Air Plus: For of a fee of between $50 and $100 per person, depending on the destination, Viking Air Plus allows you to work with Viking to choose the airline, flights and connection times that best meet your needs. In addition, you can book your flight up to 300 days prior to departure, but you still cannot be ticketed until you have paid in full. Once paid in full, you can call Viking to request ticketing so that you can upgrade your seats.
This option still includes all transfers.
Deviations: Deviations are a great way to extend your vacation either before or after your cruise, or even before or after your extension. These links to the Viking site will show you deviation destination options for Ocean and River.
A deviation is defined by Viking 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.” The cost of a deviation is usually $100 per person. And that covers deviations on either end or both.
Stopovers: Stopovers are also a great way to expand your trip by including a totally different destination before or after your cruise. A stopover is defined by Viking 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.”
The cost of a stopover is usually between $100 and $300. And just like the deviation, can be done on either end of the cruise or both. These links to the Viking site will show you the stopover cities you can choose from based on your selected cruise for Ocean and River.
TIP: You can combine multiple stopovers and deviations. The good news is that there will only be a single fee. The cost will be whichever is higher, the deviation or stopover. For example, you might stopover in London for 3 days, then travel to your embarkation city and arrive early, then stay a few more days at the end of your cruise. The cost would be only $200 per person, which is the cost of the stopover.
Itinerary: The next section of your Guest Statement is the Itinerary. This section will list all of your transfers, hotels, embarkation/disembarkation and ports of call. Review it and ensure it is the itinerary you expected.
Extensions: Extensions are the packages Viking offers to extend your vacation on either side of the cruise. Check your cruise itinerary to find out what extensions are available for your cruise. When you look at the price, be sure to consider exactly what is included. All extensions do not provide the same amenities. In addition to your hotel, some include meals and tours, while other extensions do not. Avoid surprises and make sure you understand what you are getting when you purchase an extension.
TIP: Popular extensions can be limited and fill up fast. If you are interested, reserve your space early.
Shore Excursions: One of the unique perks with Viking is the inclusion of at least one tour in every port of call. These tours are usually 2 to 3 hours in length. Typically, they are geared toward providing an overview of the city or region and can help you determine how to spend the remainder of your time in the port. However, Viking frequently offers optional excursions for an additional fee.
The “Shore Excursions” section of the Guest Statement contains some important dates. The first one is the date that excursions open for booking. You need to book both your included and optional excursions.
On river cruises, there is usually only one time slot for included tours, so getting a reservation in not an issue. However, on ocean cruises there are usually multiple time slots for included tours, so if, for example, you are concerned with getting out early, you may want to reserve your time slot as soon as shore excursions open for selection. Popular optional excursions on both river and ocean cruises fill up quickly. So, make your selections early.
Specialty Dining Reservations: On the Ocean Cruise there are several specialty restaurants. This section of the Guest Statement will provide the date when reservations at these restaurants open. If you are looking for a special date or time, be sure to make your reservation early.
TIP: Reservations for both excursions and specialty restaurants are based on the class of service (stateroom level) you have selected. The higher class of stateroom, the earlier you will be able to make reservations.
That takes us through the very important Guest Statement. We hope it answered some questions you might have had and maybe even highlighted some things you had not considered. Just remember though, that the best source of information will always be your Viking agent.
Safe Cruising!
