Booking again whilst onboard?

The cruise we are on in a few days was booked last year 5 days after getting off our cruise last June. (It had a feel good impact haha!)

Anyway, when speaking to Silversea in London, I mentioned this and was told I could have received an additional discount had I booked while I was travelling - but nothing offered (apart from Venetian) once the cruise finished.

Lesson learned - and no sour grapes. However.......

I'm looking ahead to next year and seen something I wouldn't mind doing. And on top of the Venetian discount, there is an early booking discount attached currently. Given my trip is less than 2 weeks from now and those offers extend until 30 April.

Anyone know what the discount for booking onboard is? (I thought it was 15% - but may well have been 10% and 5% Venetian)

Knowing this, (and if favourable) could mean we could make arrangements for next year and book again shortly! (That said, I assume any booking will be in $US and with current rates - would probably work out more expensive that now! )

The on board discount is 5% but may be nil if the cruise is selling very well. Any venetian discount would still apply.

Prices will still be in gpb and you will be asked for a deposit and the information wil be sent to your ta and you can then negotiate any possible further reduction/offer with your ta upon return.

Another option is to take a floating deposit for which you do not need to nominate a specific cruise by paying £600 pp and firming up on the cruise within 6 months of returning. By paying this floating deposit you secure any on board discounts offered. Should you decide not to take a cruise the deposit is fully refundable.

Ok thanks eastwoodboy.

Surely if you make a booking on board, you have now been a direct sales customer and dealing with SS only not a travel agent? (or have I misunderstood?)

The one im on shortly was booked direct with SS. Its not completely, but is pretty much sold out... So no price adjustment for us! :-(

When booking on board you will be asked who your agent is. If you have one the booking will still go through them otherwise you can call it a direct booking with SS.

I once made an onboard booking and did not give the name of my agent as he was changing companies at the time. So SS took it as a direct booking and when I got home they called me and offered an on board credit. By this time my ta was with his new company and gave me a better offer.

You can change agents any time prior to payment of final balance if you wish

When booking on board you will be asked who your agent is. If you have one the booking will still go through them otherwise you can call it a direct booking with SS.

 

I once made an onboard booking and did not give the name of my agent as he was changing companies at the time. So SS took it as a direct booking and when I got home they called me and offered an on board credit. By this time my ta was with his new company and gave me a better offer.

 

You can change agents any time prior to payment of final balance if you wish

Thank you for that. I had no idea. When I booked this trip, I did so direct. I had no idea it was possible to wheel and deal! Though saying that, its exactly what did happen as they actually increased the price overnight. I was eventually given the old price (after a whinge), but in the meantime managed to negotiate a $350 on board spend. (But it was partly because I had been on dry land for 4 days from a trip on the Cloud and the mess up because they hadnt locked me in with the quote to the old price!)

I dont really have a Travel agent tbh. I usually tend to book my own flights and hotels independently.... so not sure who I could use to get me a better deal! I trip after next I used "Iglu". I dont think they offered me anything. I need to get my negotiating hat on.... especially as on that trip I think the direct prices have been reduced! lol

While the floating discount is one option, consider booking an inexpensive 7 day cruise as far out as you can and then cancel it and rebook when you find one your really want. In most cases, the 5% on board booking discount will carry over.

Agree with last suggestion. It has been our experience that TA's in the U.K. are not able to do as much for you as in North America. We book onboard and have our TA take over the booking. They offer a percentage back on your cruise plus OBC's (on board credit) for certain cruises. Most importantly, your TA is the intermediary between yourself and Silversea.

While booking with Silversea (or any other cruise line) is okay, it is not in their best interest to tell you what suites to stay away from (due to noise, etc.) while your TA will give you the straight facts.

Agree with last suggestion. It has been our experience that TA's in the U.K. are not able to do as much for you as in North America. We book onboard and have our TA take over the booking. They offer a percentage back on your cruise plus OBC's (on board credit) for certain cruises. Most importantly, your TA is the intermediary between yourself and Silversea.

 

While booking with Silversea (or any other cruise line) is okay, it is not in their best interest to tell you what suites to stay away from (due to noise, etc.) while your TA will give you the straight facts.

Hmmm... I never even thought about "noise" issues. We just took the nearest to centre we could get!

I never tried to book with a UK TA, but did try with a "Virtuoso" US TA. The fare he quoted would have meant at the exchange rate at the time, a saving of about $50pp. Luckily we didn't take it - as the exchange rate flucuation would have meant a huge increase in the end. Plus SS gave as $350 onboard spend, so they did represent the best we could get. All suites are fully booked now (owner and royal suite aside) and the price increased in the end some £400pp overall, so it certainly pays on the more popular trips to get in early. That said, I have noticed that prices for 2017 seemed to have risen by a fair chunk.

 

I dont really have a Travel agent tbh. I usually tend to book my own flights and hotels independently.... so not sure who I could use to get me a better deal! I trip after next I used "Iglu". I dont think they offered me anything. I need to get my negotiating hat on.... especially as on that trip I think the direct prices have been reduced! lol

We tend to book our own flights and hotels too, even when doing a cruise holiday, but for the actual cruise component we always use a TA.

As pointed out earlier, you can book onboard to get the discount and have your UK TA take the booking over.

My post below is with reference to luxury cruise line bookings only, I don't know how it works on other cruises.

There are two excellent UK TAs that I would recommend (except I can't name them due to CC rules), who are luxury cruise specialists.

We use one of them for all our cruise bookings now. They have in depth knowledge of the luxury lines and were very helpful in regard to selecting our suite when we changed to our preferred cruise line.

With specialist TAs we've found that we are always given a discount, and often some OBC or other benefit, eg a good bottle of champagne in the suite on arrival (in addition to the ordinary one supplied by our cruise line). Plus the personal service and their help with negotiatiing direct with the cruise line in situations such as price reductions after booking etc is invaluable.

The discounts our TA offers are very good, and are in addition to the onboard booking discount offered by the cruise line.

For the luxury lines, I wouldn't use a normal 'High Street' TA, eg the ones we all booked our package holidays with 25 years ago :), but do recommend you find one specialising in luxury cruises. Don't be afraid to shop around and ask for their best price and let them know if another TA offered better. They want your business!

We tend to book our own flights and hotels too, even when doing a cruise holiday, but for the actual cruise component we always use a TA.

 

As pointed out earlier, you can book onboard to get the discount and have your UK TA take the booking over.

 

My post below is with reference to luxury cruise line bookings only, I don't know how it works on other cruises.

 

There are two excellent UK TAs that I would recommend (except I can't name them due to CC rules), who are luxury cruise specialists.

We use one of them for all our cruise bookings now. They have in depth knowledge of the luxury lines and were very helpful in regard to selecting our suite when we changed to our preferred cruise line.

 

With specialist TAs we've found that we are always given a discount, and often some OBC or other benefit, eg a good bottle of champagne in the suite on arrival (in addition to the ordinary one supplied by our cruise line). Plus the personal service and their help with negotiatiing direct with the cruise line in situations such as price reductions after booking etc is invaluable.

The discounts our TA offers are very good, and are in addition to the onboard booking discount offered by the cruise line.

For the luxury lines, I wouldn't use a normal 'High Street' TA, eg the ones we all booked our package holidays with 25 years ago :), but do recommend you find one specialising in luxury cruises. Don't be afraid to shop around and ask for their best price and let them know if another TA offered better. They want your business!

Thank you for that. Sound advice... And is there a way to ask the names of the two agents you refer?

We only have a couple of days left before we depart and obviously being onboard (as the email they just sent me) represents the best time to buy so want to take advantage if it seems worthwhile.

On another note - Its very noticeable that costs are increased. I looked at the price of a trip on Whisper for 7 nights from Southampton in June 2016 - the so called special offer discounted price for the same cruise on the same ship at the same time in 2017 even with the extra 10% early booking discount - is still a few hundred dearer!! Greed or higher costs coming into play? It cant be fuel costs or they would have passed on the decreased prices currently enjoyed right? :p

The cruise we currently have booked was booked while on board. It had a Venetian society 5% discount, the 10% pay in full offer, and the 5% book on board discount. It worked out great for us.

One thing to keep in mind, though, is the discounts are applied consecutively., so you don't quite get the true percent off. You would get 10% off, then 5% off the 90% (or vice versa).

The cruise we currently have booked was booked while on board. It had a Venetian society 5% discount, the 10% pay in full offer, and the 5% book on board discount. It worked out great for us.

 

One thing to keep in mind, though, is the discounts are applied consecutively., so you don't quite get the true percent off. You would get 10% off, then 5% off the 90% (or vice versa).

Thanks Mark

Yes, I realised it wouldnt be applied as 20% - though it was suggested earlier that the onboard discount wouldnt be applied on some trips that are selling well. That said, the example I mentioned would still be more expensive in 2017 than it was in 2017 after applying the early booking discount and on board discount.

Lots to think about at look at! Hopefully we can find one to book at a price we are happy with.

Hmmm... I never even thought about "noise" issues. We just took the nearest to centre we could get!

 

I never tried to book with a UK TA, but did try with a "Virtuoso" US TA. The fare he quoted would have meant at the exchange rate at the time, a saving of about $50pp. Luckily we didn't take it - as the exchange rate flucuation would have meant a huge increase in the end. Plus SS gave as $350 onboard spend, so they did represent the best we could get. All suites are fully booked now (owner and royal suite aside) and the price increased in the end some £400pp overall, so it certainly pays on the more popular trips to get in early. That said, I have noticed that prices for 2017 seemed to have risen by a fair chunk.

We just make sure that our suite is not below the pool deck or a restaurant. The noise from the pool deck can be annoying (scraping chairs when the pool area is being set up early in the morning for instance). Although we haven't been below the gym, that is another area that I would avoid.