Updated: 03/20/2023
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. By this time, most vouchers issued during the pandemic have been used. If you have not applied your voucher to a future cruise yet, be sure you understand the expiration date and the terms surrounding the voucher.
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, about 75 days before you leave.
- Viking Air Plus: For of a fee of between $100 and $150 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. Dur to all the recent air schedule changes, Viking tries to wait until about 90 days to ticket. But you can call and ask a supervisor to ticket early. Some airlines require ticketing before you can make seat upgrades.
Deviations: Deviations are a great way to extend your vacation either before or after your cruise, or even before or after your extension.
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 to $150 per person. And that covers deviations on either end or both.
To find out what deviation options are available for your cruise, just call Viking.
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 $150 and $300. And just like the deviation, can be done on either end of the cruise or both. Again, you can call Viking to find out what stopover cities are available for your cruise.
TIP: Deviations and Stopovers can be a little confusing. A deviation will always be a flight to and from a destination. Where a stopover means just that, you will be stopping for some amount of days before your next flight to the final destination. For example, we flew to Oslo and then took a train to Bergen to meet the ship. This is still a deviation since we didn’t fly from Oslo to Bergen. So it was still a single flight out.
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. Note that the river cruises will not have arrival/departure times (locks and river traffic can affect travel times), but Ocean cruises will have times listed, as well as noting if it will be a tender service.
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.
One of the questions that always arises is if you should book a Viking extension or book your own. We cover that subject in detail in this article: Viking Extension Package versus Plan Your Own.
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.
Many guests have reported that reserving a time at the specialty restaurants prior to going is difficult. But don’t worry, we have had no issue booking once on board.
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!
I am confused. You state in your blog that the guest cancellation schedule requires a $100 cancellation charge if cancelled more than 120 days before. Our schedule requires a $1000 charge – what gives?
Hi Thomas, thanks for reading our blog post. Viking charges a $500 per person booking fee ($1,000 for a couple). But if you cancel 120 days or more before departure, then you will get a refund of $400 per person ($800 for a couple). BUT, if you are on a cruise that is over 35 days, then the terms change. You would have a $1,000 cancellation fee per person and you have to cancel 180 days or more before you depart. Since there are only a handful of cruises that long, I didn’t mention it in the blog article because I thought it might be too confusing. I hope this answers your question.
Thanks for this information. I learned a few things. I always wonder why people ask questions on Facebook. It’s always best to ask a Viking agent. We love cruising with Viking Ocean and hope to try a river cruise soon. Viking Air is great and a good value.
Very informative blog. It is amazing to see how many people do not read their paperwork. One other important consideration is that ports of call and even shore excursions to any that are visited are not. guaranteed. These get cancelled for many reasons, usually beyond the control of the company or the ship.
We were also amazed at how many times people were surprised that the final payment was due, or what the cancellation schedule was. For the amount of investment you would think everyone would read all the paperwork. We hope that more people will be diligent in understanding the terms, it helps both the individuals and Viking.
Thanks for sharing this information, I am surprised as well as to how many folks question things that are clearly stated on contract/invoice
My husband and I had a voucher to apply Asa nd and I just realized that the trip mate we purchased does not cover a voucher. Why?
I see this issue often and it comes down to the fine print. You have to have insurance that cover payment with a voucher. Tripmate does not. That is one of the reasons we don’t use Tripmate, along with the high price. There are several tools you can use to look for insurance to meet your specific needs. And be sure to ask specific questions, like using a voucher and the definition of pre-existing conditions.
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You have expanded my world with your explanation of stopovers and deviations! I feel some creative scheduling coming on….
Thank you for your comment. Hope you have great travels.
Great topic. Thank you! We are scheduled for our first VRC Paris to the Swiss Alps in 2023 with a Paris extension and Air Plus. Our flights home from Zurich look to be 18+ hours based on what is currently available (just window shopping air options). I’m wondering if it’s possible to schedule a deviation or stopover for a few days in possibly London on the way home to breakup the long Zurich to US flight home. It sounds possible from what I read on your blog, but not sure if I can add that later, say after the final payment.
Thank you for your comment. London is on the list for stopovers and will cost $200 per person (current price). Yes you can add it after final payment, you will just have to pay when you add it. Not sure how close to your trip you can add that, probably at least 65 days out, but Viking Air can tell you. Safe Travels!
HI Debbie, I don’t work for Viking and sorry but I can’t answer your question about stopovers. What I did want to say is that we did the Paris to Swiss Alps tour in mid April – beginning of May 2022 – We did the Paris extension up front and flew Economy Air. So Basically, we did what you will do next year. We absolutely loved EVERYTHING and would do it again in a heartbeat, except for also now wanting to see other places. Viking arranged our Economy Air Plus from Tampa to Paris. We were worried about flying over night, landing as zombies. It was nothing like that! We were two seats together of about 4-5 rows of three parts of the mid section of the large plane, right behind business class. We had our own restroom. We had regular attendants offering wine, water, snacks, excellent food. Two great meals (dinner and breakfast0, both hot meals on china with silverware. I watched 3-4 very good movies during the flight and was astounded and overwhelmed to see the sunrising right ahead of us, as we neared London the next morning and then finally Paris (it was beautiful). Strangely, not tired at all, though my husband did sleep pretty well through the night. Lovely blanket and pillows. Viking people met us at the airport and took us to the hotel, where we were able to get into our room immediately, We loved the hotel, I was able to walk all over Montparness (shopping, restaurant seeking) and at the end of our extension, we were shepherded to the motor coach to head toward the Luxembourg American cemetery (overwhelming and not to be missed) Our cruise director was excellent and gets a ton of credit for being on call 24-7 (seemingly) and always having an answer to whatever questions I had. We loved our ship the Herja, the crew was outstanding and we still had our delightful cruise director taking care of us all the way.. The food was excellent. When you get to the Rhine and spend the one day floating past all the castles, you will be so glad you took this itinerary! All I can say is we loved every bit of it. Our cruise director even helped me (I’d asked on the first day before he got real busy) get train tickets so we could travel from Basel where the ship docked to Neuchatel, where I’d gone to university years back, and then travel the fast train to Zurich at the end of the day, where our fellow passengers had gone at disembarkation by motor coach. Our cruise director had taken responsibility for our luggage, getting it to our room at the hotel in Zurich! This is probably more info than you need, so not necessary to read all, but I wanted you to know what a marvelous time we had on the exact same trip you are taking next year. All the signs are that your
own trip will be as wonderful. caryn mcd
We supposed to have an Europe river cruise last August. Unfortunately we took a voucher. The new terms and condition requires vaccination, that is not acceptable for us. We wanted to cancel trip, but they said that voucher can not be cashed. They did not inform us about the changing of the terms and conditions, we did not accept those changes. We trapped now, they changed their requirement but they do not change the voucher policy.
I understand your situation. You are correct that Viking changed the terms (requiring vaccination) after some already booked cruises. Unfortunately, if Viking said they would refund the cash if you were not vaccinated, then everyone that wanted their money now would just say that. Current Viking policy is the vaccine requirement would be through Sep 30th, then they would review it. So maybe in the future it will change. Your other option would be to call Viking and escalate your issue, but no guarantee they would change the policy. Hope the situation works out for you.
Thanks for the great information. Do you know if I am to extend the trip before and/or after the cruise on my own, the travel protection plan offered by Viking will cover the extension part as well? I am deciding if I am to get the travel insurance with Viking or get on my own
The insurance through Viking will only cover what you pay Viking during the time you are with Viking. If you are staying longer, on either end, I would consider buying insurance separately, not from Viking. We have another article on our site under the TIPS menu. The article covers travel insurance. Safe Travels!
We are on an ocean cruise leaving Rome end of October, but our flights are getting canceled or moved or our seats removed (we paid extra for business class). Some of our friends have had some awful experiences getting home with changed flights, extra stopovers and less premium seating. We are considering canceling.
Unfortunately, because of the pandemic and all of the unknowns, the airlines have continued to modify and cancel flights. This is happening everywhere, not just with Viking. Traveling during these times causes for much more flexibility and patience.
When booking extra 799.00 to Prague
Do I and my partner each pay
799.00. Book needs to be much more
Explaining then likewise
Thanks B
If you are asking if it is 799 each, then yes. The prices are always per person. You can do better on your own, but sme people like it because it includes transfers and a Viking rep at the hotel. Each package can be a little different as far as what is included, so you have to read what is included.
If I pay the deposit (1,000) and cancel before final payment is due, and I am inside the 120 day cancellation period, what would be the penalty assessed? Thanks.
Your guest statement will show the cancellation schedule.
Dear James,
For our upcoming cruise in 3 months I have made all my dining reservations for the Restaurant only as that is the only available place at this time even though we would like to eat at Manfredi’s at least a couple of times. I figured when Manfredi becomes available I can cancel some of the reservations I have already made and redo at Manfredi’s. Did I do the right thing? This is our first ocean cruise so we are not too familiar with the protocol.
Your decision is fine. On our cruises last year we made some restaurant reservations but we never needed them. Be sure to cancel your restaurant reservation when making specialty reservations as the system will not let you make two reservations at the same time. We like Manfredi’s, but you might want to also check out the Chefs Table. We also really like the World Cafe, especially on a nice day when you can site outside on the Aquavit Terrace. The good news is you can change and make reservations once on board. Safe travels!
Thank you so much! Appreciate your advice!
We had a Rhine river cruise scheduled for 2020, we canceled because of the pandemic before Viking canceled all of heir cruises. So we were given a 2 year voucher. 2021 canceled again, and rhen we had to rebook for 2022. Recently received an email from Viking outlining vaccine and booster requirements along with daily testing. We are thrilled about this. Travel agency and Viking will not give our money back. Any suggestions? Viking changed the rules by requiring booster and testing.
Thank you for the comment. The terms and conditions are dependent on the country where you booked, but are basically the same. I would encourage everyone to read this document, although it is long and legalistic. The terms and conditions give Viking a great deal of latitude to modify rules, including because of a pandemic. So when you booked, you agreed to these rules. I know back when many people booked, the pandemic was either unknown (prior to March 2020), or they never thought it would last this long. It is frustrating, but I don’t believe you have many options. The best you could do is escalate to Viking with your reasons for wanting a refund, although I think your chances are very slim unless you have a serious extenuating circumstance. Good luck.
We have always used a travel agent, who has delt with Viking. All questions get answers any updates get explained and most agents will take care of their clients needs and wants. Everyone is happy !
Thank you for your comment. We are happy that you have a good travel agent. Others prefer to work directly with the vendor. It is really a personal choice.
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We canceled our Norway cruise due to Covid and moved our voucher to another Norway cruise to February, 2023. However, we are concerned about the unrest that is happening in Europe and we would like to move our monies to a different cruise…the Mississippi River cruise or Iceland, for example.
Our travel agent is saying we are stuck because it is a voucher and our only option is to wait and see if Viking changes the itinerary.
Is there no way we can change our trip? Any suggestions?
There are several versions of the vouchers depending on when they were issued. In addition to the invoice, there should also be a Risk Free document that outlines the terms of your voucher. If you dont have it, you can get it from your TA. After reviewing that document, have a conference call with your TA and Viking, or just call Viking directly, and discuss what options you have.
Thank you.
Viking has responded and we are able to change our dates and itinerary. Thank you very much for your advice. 👍
Very happy it worked out for you. Safe travels!
When booking the additional days, whether pre or post cruise, is the charge per night per person? Or is the (for example) $799 charge just per person covering both nights?
The cost listed is the price per person for the entire extension. Usually breakfast is included along with whatever else is listed in the details of the extension.
Have a Viking ocean cruise coming up in August 2022. Original cruise was booked in June 2019 for August 2020. It was cancelled by Viking and they offered a voucher and we accepted. We were offered the 125% to rebook so we did. NOW……. Viking has a added a requirement to be vaccinated which we are not due to medical issues. I requested a refund and they have declined. Want us to take another voucher, losing our 125% from the last one. I asked but if you still have they vaccination requirement we still can’t go so now what do we do? HELP!
Very sorry to hear the position you are in. I have a few suggestions you can look in to. First, have you received a letter from your physician stating you cannot receive the vaccination and if Viking will accept that. Second, some vouchers, but not all, are transferable. If yours is transferable, then you can sell it. You can check the voucher or call Viking to check. Third, once a voucher is used it is not refundable UNLESS you have a risk free guarantee on the new cruise. For the August 2022 cruise I am sure you have a risk free, so the voucher is reinstated. But Viking has been phasing that out and most cruises in 2023 and beyond are not risk free. Meaning if you cancel the next cruise the voucher will go away. I hope this helps with your path forward and that you and Viking can come to an agreement. Safe travels!
James – Do you know if once booked/paid for, I will be able to upgrade/make changes with American Air directly? I am a Platinum AA and was told a business upgrade would set me back 25k miles + $300. Viking wants >$5,000 for that upgrade. My booking is 91 days out now, so I am keeping an eye on when it gets actually booked/paid.
Basically, I want to know if I will be free to make independent changes or if Viking “blocks” the ticket as is.
Viking has agreements with several airlines and many times they are restricted tickets (cannot upgrade). If you have not been ticketed yet, call Viking and ask them to ticket it. Ask for a supervisor if they say no. Once ticketed, call your airline to try to upgrade. I have been successful several times in upgrading. Good luck!
Hi we have booked for Frances Finest March 2023. We would like to book business flights from Australia. We have been given an email address however they suggested would be at least three weeks before they will reply to our questions. Is there a phone number we can ring to get answers to our questions? Thanks Melinda
Unfortunately each country is a little different. I am not familiar with the rules in Australia. Just call the general Viking phone number on their web site.
Viking voucher applied to reservation at time of booking, deposit paid via credit card……
now payment is due in 5 days but we are unable to travel. Viking informed me I would lose cost of insurance (understand), the cancellation fee $100 (understand) AND the amount of the voucher $ 3000+ and I DO NOT understand……. have not made final payment yet so why would I not be eligible to have it back….
any opinions…and thanks very much, very much
There are several variations of the vouchers depending on when they were issued. Some are transferable, some can be moved, etc. So the first thing to do is read the details of your voucher. If you don’t have it, you can find all of the details on the Viking Web site. You can look here for the different voucher types: https://www.vikingcruises.com/risk-free-guarantee.html Based on what you are saying, I am guessing that you have a voucher that states that once you apply the voucher to a cruise, if you then cancel the cruise then you lose the voucher. Will you be able to travel in the future? You may be able to move it to a future reservation, but you can’t cancel and get it reissued.
Thank you very much for your response. I will look at the voucher again and pay specific attention to its use.
I am wondering if there is a difference between cancelling after full payment is made -and- not making the final payment. Wonder if not making the final payment is viewed as a cancellation….
Not to put too fine a point on this situation but I will … this is my 18th cruise with VRC…
And again, many thanks for your response….
We are taking a cruise in late July, the Danube Waltz. We wanted to deviate and were initially told it would be an extra $100 pp to do so. I called recently to plan for this and was told we would also have to pay $320 to cover our travel protection plan. I intend to call again for clarity of this, but can you explain what this might mean and does it sound correct? Although we want to deviate our trip, we don’t want to take on an additional $520 to do so; that could be a airline ticket in and of itself for another time.
It sounds like you purchased TripMate insurance as part of your Viking package. We wrote a blog article about understanding Travel Insurance you will find under our Tips tab. While the article reviews things you should consider when buying travel insurance, we do not recommend a company, that is for you to decide. The increase in price is due to the days you added to your trip. The Viking insurance is from your departure to return since you have Viking Air. So the extra cost is due to the extra days added for the deviation. Remember, insurance just isn’t for the cost of the trip, but also includes health insurance in case of an accident or medical emergency. So now you have to be covered for more days. Depending on how much you travel, an annual policy can be much more affordable, which is what we have. Unfortunately, travel insurance is not refundable, once you buy it you usually can not get your money back.
Thank you. I couldn’t get a clear answer and, no, didn’t understand how the policy worked. Thank you for the insurance info and I’ll be more in tune next time, especially after I find your article!