Testing the Waters with Dori: Do Travel Advisors Actually Dislike Viking?

In last month’s column – River Cruise State of Mind – I mentioned an interesting conversation I had with Viking’s new trade ambassador in which we talked about Viking’s reputation among travel advisors.

It occurred to me that I’d never gone beyond simply accepting the grimaces and eye rolls I often encounter when Viking comes up in conversation. I’d never stopped to ask, why don’t advisors like Viking? Especially considering the cruise line has some of the most trade-friendly policies in place – and has for quite some time.

To find out more about what’s really behind the negativity, I reached out to several advisors – some suggested by Viking and some I found on my own – to discuss what they like about Viking, what they find frustrating, and why they think Viking has an iffy reputation?

Even during this process, I encountered the typical response. When I asked one Host executive for a referral, the immediate response, was “Viking?” with a raised eyebrow and a head cock.

What I discovered while talking to advisors was truly fascinating. While advisors have a couple of specific – and valid – frustrations – most of the negativity comes from emotional responses to Viking’s public persona… not its policies.

Let’s start with the good, of which I heard A LOT!

What Advisors Like About Viking

Great Commissions

“I think their commissions are some of the best in the cruise world,” Marlys Lenters, of Siouxland Travel & Tours, wrote to me.

I heard the same thing from Amy Madson, co-owner of Madson & Associates, a Dream Vacations franchise, as well as Michael Consoli, owner of Michael Consoli & Associates, a Cruise Planners franchise.

Of advisors who don’t want to give Viking a chance, Consoli told me, they are “cheating themselves of 17-18% commission on 100% of what they are selling.”

No NCFs, No Rebating, Great Product

That 100% of what they’re selling (i.e. no NCFs) was another oft-repeated positive, as was the line’s strict no-rebating policy (they were one of the first, if not the first, to put a no-rebating policy in place).

And, without fail, everyone I spoke to said the product – the actual ships and itineraries – is great.

“We sell it because our clients find it is consistently good and because of this, the clients come back every time and book again. It’s a product that sells itself after a guest experiences it and the business just continues to grow because of it.”

Madson said basically the same thing. She knows if she sends a client on a Viking cruise – ocean or river – the chances are very high they’ll book again. 

What Advisors Have Mixed Feelings About with Viking

There were a couple of things that came up that we heard mixed views on, with some advisors super happy with Viking and others less so.

Direct-to-Advisor Transfers

“They have the most liberal direct booking takeover rules than any other line,” Consoli told me, while Madson called it “super easy” to transfer bookings.

Madson added that she’s gotten referrals from current clients who call her to say they have a friend who booked direct and now they want help with other aspects of their trips. “I just call Viking and they’re super, super easy to do. All you have to do is have the booking number and that’s it.”

But one advisor we spoke with on the condition of anonymity told me she’s consistently had trouble with transfers.

“A consistent frustration is their strict policy on transferring bookings to travel advisors. Even when a client calls Viking directly and requests that their advisor manage the reservation, the transfer is frequently declined due to being outside a narrow window or for other technicalities…” she said.  

Viking’s Travel Advisor Support

This was another one that I heard mixed feelings about, with some telling me how easy it is to work with their Viking rep and others telling me only the highest sellers get good service.

“As a professional, I feel valued and appreciated,” Katie Bates of Love The Mouse Travel, LLC, told me.  “I feel that Viking wants me to succeed and gives me the tools I need to do this.  Having a Business Development Manager who will come to my hometown to co-host events with me is amazing.”

“They have the best sales support and sales support team in the luxury market,” Consoli added, telling me that Viking is “very responsive” whenever issues arise.

Madson, who like Consoli is a top seller, said she can call her sales rep, who she’s worked with for years, whenever she needs to and knows her clients’ needs will be taken care of almost immediately.

But not all the advisors I spoke with felt this way.

“While Viking has a presence at major events like ASTA’s River Cruise Expo, they don’t offer the same level of regional support, in-person training, or BDM engagement as some other cruise lines. Unless you’re a top producer, it can be hard to access dedicated support,” one advisor said.

What Advisors are Frustrated About with Viking

Viking’s Final Payment Policy

Above anything (one advisor told me she struggles with Viking’s “free” air promotions, which are rarely actually free), the one policy that is the most frustrating for advisors is its final payment policy, which requires most bookings to be paid for at least a year out. (Bookings made less than a year before departure generally have to be paid in full within 30 days of booking.)

“I do hear a lot of negativity about Viking final payment dates,” Consoli told me, adding that these advisors will often try to sell clients on other cruise lines simply because they get pushback from guests on the final payment date.

This policy does require extra work on the part of the advisor to explain and talk clients through – and that, in and of itself, is frustrating for most advisors. Some – like Consoli and Madson – basically implied they aren’t bothered by the extra work, especially because, as Madson told me, these bookings, once made, tend to stick.

So, why the eye rolls and grimaces?

As I spoke and emailed with these advisors one thing became pretty clear. While, advisors do have some valid concerns with Viking, it’s not the policies that behind the ever-present sense of negativity when Viking is mentioned.

Rather, it seems to be Viking’s persona. It’s strong dependence on very visible direct marketing, it’s alleged arrogance at trade shows, its determination to out-build every other cruise line in the world. It’s these things that many advisors have a visceral reaction.

“Travel advisors are often intimidated by how much marketing Viking does,” Bates said, while another told me, “Their consumer-facing marketing—TV commercials, direct mail, and emails—can also create tension when clients reach out to Viking directly after seeing an ad, rather than coming through an advisor.”

It’s also possible that advisors who have never sold Viking before might have heard the oft-repeated comparison that Viking is the Carnival Cruise Line of river cruising, but if that’s the case, they misunderstand the comparison.

Carnival Cruise Line is one of the best cruise lines out there for first-time cruisers. It does a fantastic job with national marketing, driving people’s intent to cruise. Viking does the same thing, particularly when it comes to river cruising. It also happens to be at the starting end of pricing for river cruising – though not always. In fact, when you add up all the things that are not included with Viking, several other river cruise lines are usually less expensive. (Something a couple of the advisors I spoke with said they also have to explain to clients during the booking process. It’s also a tactic used by advisors to sell away from Viking.)

That’s what the Carnival comparison is referring to.

So to sum up a long column, when I took a step back and looked more closely at the trade’s relationship with and feelings towards Viking, what I found was a line that’s not perfect – no cruise line is – but seems to be a little bit misunderstood.

In general, advisors don’t dislike Viking. There are legitimate frustrations and those that aren’t high sellers and haven’t created a personal relationship with a specific BDM might not be getting the high-touch service they want. But Viking’s policies, by and large, are trade centric.

As for who Viking is – big, omnipresent, unapologetic – that’s not going to change.  It’s a specific business model and its one that works very well for Viking. So, eyes will continue to roll, eyebrows will keep raising, and I’m as likely as ever to encounter a momentary dramatic pause whenever Viking is mentioned.