Very disappointing change in policy

After a prolonged discussion with the favourite uk reading based ta I've been told that there had been a change in policy on matching subsequently reduced fares for existing bookings by way of reduction of the holiday price. Seabourn won't budge.

My 29 Nov Antarctica cruise booked in an A1 at £10699 is now offered at OB for £9999 plus $400 Obc and £400 air credit.

Seabourn won't move me to an OB however hard the ta pushes. Nor will they reduce the amount due. I've been offered a V2 currently selling at £10599 and air credit. The air credit is useless. I booked my flights months ago. They will not offer obc for the difference from a v2 nor to match the obc for new bookings.

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I know that much of the cruise industry does not adjust prices but seabourn were different.

A cruise I booked last year was reduced in price by £3500 each and it was honoured. I really will think twice about booking anything in future.

I know that when you book you should be happy to pay the price and I was but this has left a really really bitter taste.

Advice please. I have to decide on the v2. This really disadvantages uk passengers over us passengers who can get their deposits back. If I could cancel I would.

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galeforce9 - I havejust looked at this cruise on the TA in questions site, and it appears to be at £8979 for an OB - guaranteed balcony. I don't know about air credit and OBC, but this seems to be even less than you quote.

Seabourn do suddenly seem to have become the 'nasty party' in terms of prices and conditions, and also very inconsistent. Due to new management??

Yes lincslady. A worrying change and I think one that will transcend to attitudes throughout their operation not just reservations

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Is this a U.K. thing? Why not just cancel and rebook? I think my TA ended up doing that for a price drop (before final payment due). Those offers for OBC and air Credit seem to only apply to "real" new bookings, though, at least on this side of the pond.

quote=lincslady;52763515]galeforce9 - I havejust looked at this cruise on the TA in questions site, and it appears to be at £8979 for an OB - guaranteed balcony. I don't know about air credit and OBC, but this seems to be even less than you quote.

Seabourn do suddenly seem to have become the 'nasty party' in terms of prices and conditions, and also very inconsistent. Due to new management??

Is this a U.K. thing? Why not just cancel and rebook? I think my TA ended up doing that for a price drop (before final payment due). Those offers for OBC and air Credit seem to only apply to "real" new bookings, though, at least on this side of the pond.

 

quote=lincslady;52763515]galeforce9 - I havejust looked at this cruise on the TA in questions site, and it appears to be at £8979 for an OB - guaranteed balcony. I don't know about air credit and OBC, but this seems to be even less than you quote.

 

Seabourn do suddenly seem to have become the 'nasty party' in terms of prices and conditions, and also very inconsistent. Due to new management??

We'd lose our £2k each deposit! Unlike in the us!!

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Yes, Jozi, different rules in the U.K. While I I live in the US I have used the U.K. TA in Bournemouth for 8 years. I get terrific service and very good prices but unlike booking with a US agency if I cancel after booking 10 percent of the cruise fare is immediately not refundable. So no you cannot cancel and rebook without penalty.

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Everyone in the US who booked with a UK TA is sort of making a deal with the devil. Yes, you get a nice rebate because UK TAs get a much higher commission than US TAs. But the downside is you can't cancel and get your deposit back. You can't have it both ways so do not complain if that is the situation.

Everyone in the US who booked with a UK TA is sort of making a deal with the devil. Yes, you get a nice rebate because UK TAs get a much higher commission than US TAs. But the downside is you can't cancel and get your deposit back. You can't have it both ways so do not complain if that is the situation.

I'm complaining. I'm very much uk borne and bred so feel no guilt in complaining.

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Chairsin is not complaining - she fully understands how it works, and seems willing to take the gamble.

Galeforce - I assumed you were quoting the price you were expected to pay, through the TA, not the original SB price.

We still do not like this in the UK, because not so long ago Seabourn would honour prices which had gone down prior to final payment. So there has been a change here.

Sorry that this has happened galeforce. I use the same TA, and my experience with price reductions previously has mirrored yours before this.

It's disappointing to read this new policy.

I have full confidence in our TA, especially when they are dealing with SB and I do believe they will have really fought your corner with this reservation.

We (in the UK) do have our hands tied if SB wants to be difficult, because of losing hefty deposits, but that's the downside of having overall better protection in travel bookings than other countries do.

Not sure what to advise. If you go for the V2 will you be able to book a specific suite or is it GTY based?

Chairsin is not complaining - she fully understands how it works, and seems willing to take the gamble.

 

Galeforce - I assumed you were quoting the price you were expected to pay, through the TA, not the original SB price.

 

We still do not like this in the UK, because not so long ago Seabourn would honour prices which had gone down prior to final payment. So there has been a change here.

Yes lincslady. That's what the ta said. They have JUST changed it. I wonder how much the ta has a vested interest in arguing the customers case with seabourn (if that is possible) as their commission falls with a drop in price.

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Sorry that this has happened galeforce. I use the same TA, and my experience with price reductions previously has mirrored yours before this.

 

It's disappointing to read this new policy.

 

I have full confidence in our TA, especially when they are dealing with SB and I do believe they will have really fought your corner with this reservation.

 

We (in the UK) do have our hands tied if SB wants to be difficult, because of losing hefty deposits, but that's the downside of having overall better protection in travel bookings than other countries do.

 

 

 

Not sure what to advise. If you go for the V2 will you be able to book a specific suite or is it GTY based?

Agreed isklaar. I was perhaps a bit harsh about the travel agent because in the past they have always been very helpful in achieving a reduction. It is a named cabin not a guarantee but I would prefer an OB and maybe some obc for the difference between the v2 and price I've purchased even if they won't reduce the price to that of the OB.

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Agreed isklaar. I was perhaps a bit harsh about the travel agent because in the past they have always been very helpful in achieving a reduction. It is a named cabin not a guarantee but I would prefer an OB and maybe some obc for the difference between the v2 and price I've purchased even if they won't reduce the price to that of the OB.

 

 

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Do you know whether the TA is dealing with SB in Southampton on this one? Or are they talking to Seattle?

That can be tough if you need to book the airfares way in advance. We sailed Windstar in February after they had held a sale and they made it up to us with OBC without any problems.

Do you know whether the TA is dealing with SB in Southampton on this one? Or are they talking to Seattle?

Isklaar - definitely Seattle. That was the other thing. Took days to get a response and the first one was then revised as they said it was incorrect.

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We'd lose our £2k each deposit! Unlike in the us!!

/quote]

I once questioned the Reading TA about Seabourn's cancellation policy as it applied in the UK. I was told that to avoid losing your deposit you had the option to transfer it to a different sailing at least 90 days prior to departure. Also, the new cruise must be at least half the duration of the current cruise booked.

I realise this is no help in your current situation, but handy to know anyway.

We'd lose our £2k each deposit! Unlike in the us!!

 

/quote]

 

 

 

I once questioned the Reading TA about Seabourn's cancellation policy as it applied in the UK. I was told that to avoid losing your deposit you had the option to transfer it to a different sailing at least 90 days prior to departure. Also, the new cruise must be at least half the duration of the current cruise booked.

 

 

 

I realise this is no help in your current situation, but handy to know anyway.

Thanks Laylam. You're correct and that would be helpful for some. In fact this is a booking we transferred to back in september when my mother was terminally ill and didn't expect to sail as planned on the original booking. So we've already done it and probably can't transfer again. I think it had to be more expensive but can't quite recall.

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This is a very significant change.

For me Seabourn is very different to mainstream cruise lines. They treat you like a human being and you don't get into those stupid arguments which leave everyone with a bad taste in their mouth.

Knowing Seabourn will honour any price reductions makes it incredibly easy to press the buy button, particularly when on board. You haven't got all the facts to hand, can't do your research (you are on holiday after all), but you have been able to book safe in the knowledge that if the cruise turned out to be cheaper in the future you wouldn't be penalised.

I don't even need a cash refund, I'm happy to take an onboard credit / upgrade or combination of the two and use man maths to justify it to myself. A few massages, a bit of stuff from the shop even - dare I say the word, a day in the Retreat to soak up remaining OBC.

With this new policy in place there is no way I would ever book onboard and we will be employing the same techniques we used to use when booking mainstream cruises. The problem with that is it creates an "us & them" mentality with the cruise company an enemy you need to get the better of.

Outside of popular periods I would tend to leave it until the last minute and see if any bargains appear, if there are none and the ship is full then look elsewhere to other companies or indeed holiday types. I'm just as happy relaxing in Thailand in my shorts and a T-shirt as I am carting luggage onto a ship.

The reality is most people never need to take advantage of price matching and the company gets away with it because people don't realise fares have gone down but Seabourn played with a straight bat and nurtured a sense of trust between themselves and their clients. It would appear to be gloves off now.

Henry

Isklaar - definitely Seattle. That was the other thing. Took days to get a response and the first one was then revised as they said it was incorrect.

 

 

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Well that's a pity. I had a small hope that they'd only been talking to Southampton and it could be escalated.

Agree with Henry's post above too, this news changes how I'll go about making my bookings in the future.

Very disappointing.

So Seabourn has made a drastic change in the relationship it has long enjoyed with its guests, not told anyone, and assumed that somehow it would turn to their advantage? As if we wouldn't advise each other on CC? Not likely!

So first off, it's a hearty "thank you" to galeforce9.

And now what?! I don't get it but then I don't get the design flaws in the Encore such as the Retreat, the Club and absence of a guest laundry either. Seems like not very "with it" people are making committee style decisions without any interest in the market. Or the marketing department was absent, they don't really have one, or whatever.

This can only mean that the market will determine just how smart this new approach to pricing is. And if I am right, then

Seabourn will make some adjustments and maybe even offer some type of apology-justification for doing the right thing by those of us who have been loyal for many years. But I won't hold my breath as who knows how they really operate. What a pity...

We will wait and book. No more bookings when the new cruise itineraries are announced as we have often done with the enthusiasm and energy of teenagers. No way are we going to give them the satisfaction of charging us too much, only to offer the same product closer to the sailing at a significantly lower price and ignoring us. Let's see how Seabourn likes the fallout. And rival lines take up the slack. Then they will get it, hopefully, as their discounts are offered for many, many more cabins.

Happy and healthy cruising!

Thanks Henry and Markham for your very well put comments. I've sent an e mail to seabourn club as that is the only seabourn contact I have. I'll post their response presuming I get one hopefully early next week.

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Are they willing to just reduce A1 to new (lower) A1 fare though? Apples to apples? Maybe it's the switch to OB that's the issue?

After a prolonged discussion with the favourite uk reading based ta I've been told that there had been a change in policy on matching subsequently reduced fares for existing bookings by way of reduction of the holiday price. Seabourn won't budge.

 

My 29 Nov Antarctica cruise booked in an A1 at £10699 is now offered at OB for £9999 plus $400 Obc and £400 air credit.

 

Seabourn won't move me to an OB however hard the ta pushes. Nor will they reduce the amount due. I've been offered a V2 currently selling at £10599 and air credit. The air credit is useless. I booked my flights months ago. They will not offer obc for the difference from a v2 nor to match the obc for new bookings.

 

To say I'm disappointed is an understatement. I know that much of the cruise industry does not adjust prices but seabourn were different.

 

A cruise I booked last year was reduced in price by £3500 each and it was honoured. I really will think twice about booking anything in future.

 

I know that when you book you should be happy to pay the price and I was but this has left a really really bitter taste.

 

Advice please. I have to decide on the v2. This really disadvantages uk passengers over us passengers who can get their deposits back. If I could cancel I would.

 

 

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Jozi. They won't reduce the fare at all. Even to current A1 which is £10199 - £500 cheaper and the same price as V1.

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I'm complaining. I'm very much uk borne and bred so feel no guilt in complaining.

 

 

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Complain all you want then. It won't do a bit of good.

galeforce, Seabourn Club will very likely forward your email to Guest Relations, and it could take time to get a reply. I'd send a copy of it direct to guestrelations @ usual email suffix so they pick it up quicker.

Really hope you find some satisfactory resolution and thanks for letting us know about this.