Outdated Website Information creates Disappointment

Caveat Emptor! An outdated website with information about our recent cruise created disappointment in an otherwise very nice cruise experience.

We just returned from the Lisbon to Portsmouth cruise on the Silver Explorer. I would first say that the overall experience was terrific. It was our first trip on Silverseas and we were impressed. My comments below were made to the Expedition team on board but I feel compelled to publish my thoughts to encourage Silverseas to avoid these mistakes in the future as you never know what motivates a person to take a particular cruise and when expectations are not met, there will be disappointment.

This cruise was billed as a Culinary (Wine and Food) cruise. Two weeks before departure I printed off a few pages from the on line information about this cruise and what is quoted below is directly from that print out. My personal interests are in wine and food and this cruise was selected because of those interests (although not exclusively).

The print out lists the "Expedition Team". First on the list was Tom Badcock, cheese specialist. We did a Regent cruise several years ago and they had a "cheese specialist" on board. It was an incredible experience for someone who loves cheese. Tom Badcock was not on board nor was any replacement. Disappointment!

The printout says that while in Bordeaux we will visit "the classified wine (sic) Chateau Lynch Bages" We ended up at what the guide kindly called a "bourgeois" winery in what looked like an old barn.A far cry from Lynch Bages. I have had so many winery tours over the years I could probably give the tour myself. I would not have even bothered with another random winery tour except we were led to believe we would go to Lynch Bages which is a very significant producer and worthy of a trip by its name and reputation, particularly to a wine lover. Disappointment!

After the wine tour the printout said "we will enjoy a special lunch at Relais & Chateau Cordeillan-Bages (2* Michelin). I, of course, researched this restaurant so I would be familiar with it on arrival. We were taken elsewhere. In fairness, the other place was very nice and the food was very good but my research was for naught. Disappointment!

Finally (and this refers to interests of my mother and sister) the printout said they would "visit the lovely Sausmarez Manor for a deliciously quintessential English Tea Party." No English Tea Party! The staff said "we stopped doing that years ago". Disappointment!

As stated above, these representations were on the Silverseas website two weeks before departure so this was not old, outdated information.

People choose trips for many reasons. Some just go and wouldn't know one winery from another. Some actually read what is presented and act on that information. I can understand if, for example, Mr. Badcock, the cheese guy had a personal emergency and couldn't make it at the last minute but in talking to other Expedition Team members I had the distinct impression he was never scheduled to be on this particular trip.

I also understand that with 117 guests some locations can't accommodate everyone but it might be helpful to find out which guests have any special interests and try to accommodate those guests.

Bill Burns

Bill,

I've reread your note and I really feel sorry for you and your group. Looking at some of the places you were planning to visit they look like the sort of places you would really be looking forward to. I know the wine is featured on Cathay First, and the place for lunch looks delightful. And the cheese expert is a real cheese expert.

It is a bit of a shame you aren't in the UK as it would be more than caveat emptor here as we have a much better level of consumer protection than I believe you have in the US. This feels like wilful and purposeful misrepresenation and what replaced it wasn't of a similar or better quality which is what you should reasonably expect but only in the situation where changes are made for reasons reasonably outside of their control. But it doesn't sound like they intended to provide what they advertised. I was one of the first to bring a significant holiday claim in the UK in the '70's - it was large enough to go to our high court and lasted 5 days. It was worthwile financially, but cash rarely makes up for dissapointment. It is a shame you do not have that protection and therefore there is little potential financial downside to make this behaviour unprofitable, except others being warned that read your post.

You have my sympathies and I hope you have better luck on your next trip.

all the best,

Jeff

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That is terrible news... We were on that cruise last year and they did everything that was on the list with all the reps that were advertised. Only thing different was one port we could not get into.

Thanks for the update, I urged a couple to go on that voyage and am now glad they didn't make it.

Depending on who your travel agent is, you could write a letter describing your experiences and have them forward it to Silversea management. We did that and in about six months we received a sizeable credit to be used for a future cruise.

I have sailed over three hundred days with Silversea and have been disappointed many times.

I now sail with Seabourn and have never been disappointed.

Sorry to read about your disastrous experience.

The Explorer seems to be the wrong ship for this sort of cruise. The Explorer is an expedition ship where you ride in zodiacs and land at the foot of a glacier or a polar bear. Expedition team members tend to be experts in birdlife, coral reefs or whales. Not cheese!

Sorry to hear about this sharp practise.

By the day I become increasingly perplexed by Silversea Management.

On one hand we have delightful crew who go the extra mile to ensure an enjoyable cruise but management who seem hell bent on destroying goodwill and customer loyalty.(Cancelled cruises ,poor communications ,missed ports, unrefurbished ships etc etc) a style more suited to a used car lot than a luxury leisure business.

Can anyone explain?

Can anyone explain?

Probably not anyone reading this thread. It's a conversation shared with many former SS sailors while aboard Seabourn and Crystal ships.