Buying a cruise: FUN. Planning where you’ll sip cocktails at sunset? FUN. Choosing a balcony vs. a suite? FUN. Trying to figure out the fine print of commercial terms and conditions? NOT FUN.
“Commercial Terms” is a title guaranteed to make sure nobody reads this post, but here’s a checklist of things to consider when buying a cruise or packaged land vacation:
- DEPOSIT AMOUNT: Can be a flat amount (Viking is $50, many others are $500), OR a percentage of the final fare (usually between 10% and 25%).
- REFUNDABILITY: Refundable, non-refundable, or transferable. Sometimes you can pay a non-refundable deposit for a lower up-front fare. If you’re sure you’re going to go on the trip, this can be a great option.
- PENALTIES: Most often an administrative fee is incurred if you cancel before the penalty period. Sometimes we can apply the administrative fee to another trip for you.
- PENALTY PERIOD: Usually between 90 and 180 days in advance of departure. BEFORE the Penalty period, you can usually get anything you’ve paid refunded except for the administrative fee. Between this start of the penalty period and your departure, there is an escalating scale of penalties, and in most cases, if you cancel in the last 30 days, you forfeit 100% of the fare.
- INSURABLE CANCELLATION: Once you’re in the penalty phase, your travel insurance will cover you if you are unable to travel. This is usually for a medical reason, but there are other circumstances where you can file an insurance claim. To fully understand those reasons, you will need to contact the insurance company.
- FINAL PAYMENT DUE DATE: This one has a few considerations:
- Most vendors ask for their money between 90 days (AMA Waterways, for example), and 180 days prior to departing. Most are 120 days.
- VIKING requires its money 12 to 20 months in advance of departure unless you have an existing booking in which case we can get it down to 6 months prior.
- It’s important to note that even though Viking is holding your money a long time in advance, the penalty period doesn’t start until 121 days prior to departure.
- DIRECT PAYMENT DISCOUNT: This will become increasingly common in the next few years, as our banking system in the US catches up with the rest of the industrialized world (that have been using direct debit for decades). The best known of those currently in use is Viking’s “E-Check Discount”, where they refund the credit card fee of 2% that they would have paid, and pass those savings on to the guest.
- “PRICING FROM”: People often become frustrated when they see pricing advertised from a certain price, but NOT on the dates they want. When you see entry-level pricing, it is for the cheapest cabin assignment on the most off-season date. The pricing goes up from there. This is common practice across ALL the cruise lines.
- FORCE MAJEURE: This is the clause in your contract with the cruise line that outlines everything the cruise line is NOT responsible for. Nobody likes to read this stuff, but there are some important points contained in
- VENDOR INSOLVENCY: This isn’t all that likely but a few years ago, American Queen went out of business, and left a lot of people in the lurch. If you have a travel insurance policy that covers vendor insolvency, you would have been fine.
- FUTURE CRUISE CREDITS: Sometimes the cruise lines offer insurance with a Cancel for Any Reason Clause. Be aware if you invoke this clause, you’re not getting a refund, but rather a FCC, and there’s lots of fine print that comes with that.
- RE-FARING due to a price drop. Some of the mega-ship lines will drop pricing right after the final payment date (meaning they DON’T have to re-fare you). The small ship and river cruise lines almost never have price reductions – the trend is they become MORE expensive, the closer you get to departure.
In Case You Missed It:
TAHITI: It’s only two hours past Hawaii, and gets a fraction as many visitors. Here’s a bit more information about this tropical paradise:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/tahiti-off-the-beaten-track-windstar/
OUR TRAVEL: You have asked about our travel, and where, when, and how we manage it. A key differentiator for our team is that we’ve been to the places, and travelled with the companies that YOU go with, so that we can better advise you through your decision process:
https://pamperedcruiser.com/why-we-travel/
EUROPE by TRAIN: Uniworld is a river cruise line, but they have several itineraries that include luxury train journeys through Europe
https://pamperedcruiser.com/train-travel-uniworld/
Featured YOUTUBE Video:
SEVEN STEPS to Choosing a Cruise to ALASKA: Northbound or Southbound? Seattle or Vancouver? Denali NP or not? All your questions answered:
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Today’s Travel Opportunities
SMALL SHIP CRUISING with AZAMARA
Azamara has four R-Class vessels that carry just 680 guests. It’s an affordable way to experience a small ship.
GOLF CRUISE in JAPAN: Kobe to Tokyo departing May 6, 2027 for 14-nights
- This one is great for golfers, OR those really wanting to explore Japan.
- Visit Kobe (overnight), Kochi, Hiroshima, Kitakyushu, Nagasaki, Busan, Sakaiminato, Kanazawa, Niigata, Akita, Aomori, and Toyko (overnight)
- Fares from $5199 per person with a $150 per person on board credit.
- GOLF: 5-rounds with all the logistics managed for you: $4395 per person.
AUSTRALIA & NEW ZEALAND: Sydney to Auckland departing December 4 for 15-nights
- Start in Sydney, and then visit Eden, Hobart, Milford Sound, Dunedin, Timaru, Christchurch, Picton, Wellington, Napier, Gisborne, Tauranga, and Auckland
- Veranda fares from $4849
AZAMARA fares include an open bar, gratuities, and some shore events. For all bookings made by February 16, we can also add an additional $250 on board credit.
UNIWORLD BOUTIQUE RIVER COLLECTION
Uniworld is the Boutique Hotel on the river with ships that are custom-built and decorated for the areas through which they are sailing. Here’s two examples:
VENETIAN LAGOON: Venice round-trip for 8-days
- Uniworld operates a river boat in the Venice – the very best way to explore that corner of Italy.
- Explore all around Venice (several spots), Mazzorbo, Burano, Chioggia, Bologna).
- Departures April through November from $2249
- Here’s a link to our video blog when we did this cruise: https://youtu.be/QRIHi6SED6g?si=IJvnYEJlqJt_iV4n
CLASSIC CHRISTMAS MARKETS: Nuremberg to Frankfurt for 8-days in November or December:
- The German’s go all-out on the Christmas Markets, and this cruise on the Main River exposes you to many different Christmas Markets in Germany. Space for 2026 is nearly sold out, but there are a few cabins left:
- Start in Nuremberg and visit Bamberg, Kitzingen, Würzburg, Wertheim, and finish in Frankfurt.
- 2026: Fares from $5549
- 2027: Fares from $4589
EXPLORA JOURNEYS
With a unique entertainment concept, and incredible culinary offering, EXPLORA JOURNEYS will get you to the most interesting corners of the world in style.
SOUTH AMERICA & AMAZON: Manaus to San Juan departing February 17, 2027 for 12-nights
- Start in Manaus and visit Parintins, Alter do Chão, Macapá, Devil’s Island, Bequia, Bridgetown, Castries, Gustavia, Basseterre, and finish in San Juan.
- Fares from $9,405
EGYPT: Round-trip from Luxor departing February 19, 2027 for 9-nights
- Start in Luxor (for the Valley of the Kings) and visit Ain Sokhna (for the Pyramids and Sphinx), Sharm El-Sheikh (for Cairo), Petra, Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) and finish in Luxor.
- Fares from $5,905
REMOTE EXPLORATIONS with NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC
COSTA RICA & PANAMA CANAL: San Jose to Panama City for 8-days
- Start in San José and visit the Osa Conservation Area, Golfo Dulce, Coiba National Park, Gulf of Panama Islets, Gatún Lake, and finish in Colón
- Departures February through March from $6,752 OR November 2026 through April 2027 from $6,111
OREGON & WASHINGTON: Columbia River from Portland to Clarkston for 6-days
- Visit Portland, The Dalles (for Multnomah Falls and fish hatchery), Columbia Gorge, Walla Walla, Palouse River. Traverse the locks by river boat right here at home!
- Go hiking, kayaking, ride on the zodiacs, visit museums and wineries
- 2026: March/April from $3,308 OR September/October from $5670
YACHT Cruising with WINDSTAR
WINE CRUISE in SCENIC ALASKA: Vancouver to Juneau departing May 7 for 8-days:
- Start in Vancouver, and sail up the Inside Passage to visit Ketchikan, Rudyerd Bay, Wrangell, Sitka, Tracy Arm, Haines, and finish in Juneau.
- All-Inclusive fares from $6399 with a $150 OBC (only through our agency)
MEDITERRANEAN in the WINTER: Venice to Barcelona departing January 30, for 15-days
- Start with an overnight stay in Venice on board the ship, and then sail to Zadar, Dubrovnik (overnight), Messina, Naples, Rome, Livorno (overnight), Genoa, Nice (overnight), and finish with an overnight stay on the ship in Barcelona.
- All-Inclusive fares from $8299
LAND CRUISES with COLLETTE
You can do it on your own, but it will be easier, and quite possibly more cost-effective if you use COLLETTE for your next land vacation OR for pre/post cruise. Here are the trips our clients ask for most frequently with COLLETTE:
AFRICAN SAFARI: Kenya & Tanzania for 15-days round-trip Nairobi
- See Mt. Kilmanjaro, 12-game drives to spot the Big 5, see the Farmhouse from Out of Africa, Ngorongoro Crater, Serengeti NP.
- 2026: Departures weekly from $6799
- 2027: Departures weekly from $7499
IRELAND from Dublin to Kilkenny for 15-days
- Visit Dublin, Belfast, Giant’s Causeway, Derry, Donegal, Wild Atlantic Way, Fermanagh, Devenish Island, Enniskillen, Galway, Cliffs of Moher, Dingle, Kilkenny.
- 2026: Departures March through November from $5149
- 2027: Departures March through November from $5749
Do You Have an Upcoming Viking Cruise?
Viking’s BON VOYAGE incentive allows you to book your next Viking cruise in the 35 days BEFORE you board, and get some extra goodies for doing so:
- $100 per person on board credit
- 6-month final payment date
- $100 per person OFF one-week cruises, and bigger discounts for longer itineraries.
We made a short video about the Bon Voyage Program if you’d like more details:
https://youtu.be/gBM8IvjIb3U?si=Vy9UDiSqZQYHWR32
Contact us to book your NEXT VIKING CRUISE
If you’re planning a trip, I’d love to help! Click here or call 800-876-0168 to get in touch today.
I look forward to hearing from you.
Sue Bradley
Sue Bradley
