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Silver Spirit Missing Cruises


sail1658
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Just noticed that my Silver Spirit cruise 5808 on 8th April 2018 from Monte Carlo has disappeared from the Silversea website along with several others. The last cruise listed is 5804 which ends in Dubai on 22nd February and the next cruise listed is 5811 6th May from Civitavecchia. As this is just over 10 weeks, could this possibly be the rumoured stretch period for the ship? From previous articles about other refits I believe it takes over eight weeks to stretch a ship.

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This seems a reasonable speculation.

 

But I hope someone can explain why Silversea would spend the money to stretch the ship to add berths for ~50 guests. The shipyard costs are presumably considerable, not to speak of opportunity cost while ship is not cruising.

 

Well if they do the big dry dock to make Spirit more like Muse, I hope they add an all day snack venue like Muse's Arts Cafe. :)

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Just noticed that my Silver Spirit cruise 5808 on 8th April 2018 from Monte Carlo has disappeared from the Silversea website along with several others. The last cruise listed is 5804 which ends in Dubai on 22nd February and the next cruise listed is 5811 6th May from Civitavecchia. As this is just over 10 weeks, could this possibly be the rumoured stretch period for the ship? From previous articles about other refits I believe it takes over eight weeks to stretch a ship.

 

 

 

Will be on the phone to SS UK tomorrow to find out what has happened.

 

 

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Surely they wouldn't take out voyages that have been for sale for nearly a year, would they? It seems to me if they wanted to stretch the ship, they would schedule it for a period in 2019 that hasn't released voyages yet.

 

 

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Will be on the phone to SS UK tomorrow to find out what has

 

I'd like to hope it's just a website glitch but I think it's pretty unlikely.

 

I'm so glad I held off booking my flights and the hotel booking in Venice just a reservation and not paid in full.

 

Given the price my veranda was when it become wait listed, I fully expect the refund or alternative offered be that value!

 

SS seem hell bent on upsetting its customers and destroying its reputation at the moment.

Edited by les37b
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Surely they wouldn't take out voyages that have been for sale for nearly a year, would they? It seems to me if they wanted to stretch the ship, they would schedule it for a period in 2019 that hasn't released voyages yet.

 

 

 

Didn't you know? When you pay in full, it's only a request for a place and it's not guaranteed?

 

No really, it is the case!!

 

I would have added a lol, but I'm not laughing at the moment.

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I suspect, but no evidence to support this, that cruises booked 1 year or more in advance will be booked by a disproportionately high number of SS regulars compared to first timers. If I'm correct then SS, inadvertently perhaps, are severely testing the loyalty of their core customers.

 

Are they unique in the way they cancel or reschedule cruises? Do other lines do likewise?

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I suspect, but no evidence to support this, that cruises booked 1 year or more in advance will be booked by a disproportionately high number of SS regulars compared to first timers. If I'm correct then SS, inadvertently perhaps, are severely testing the loyalty of their core customers.

 

Are they unique in the way they cancel or reschedule cruises? Do other lines do likewise?

 

I agree it will be "regulars" in the majority and I really do question the logic in deciding to do this work starting just 7 months away and cancelling many fully booked cruises. I can only think the shipyard gave them a good rate as they'd no work on?

 

I've no idea what other companies offer, but SS are offering a full refund or a 30% discount on a cruise in a similar timescale or 20% in 2019. Obviously the later lesser amount because the price hikes havent already started. (which tells its own story don't you think?)

 

The price i managed to get my veranda for by booking early with all the other discounts received, was nearly half of what it was last month. A 30% discount does not not ever cover it let alone "compensate" that increase. There is a near similar voyage to the one I had booked in June on the Muse, but that's even more - even with the extra discount given for having traveled on the Muse before! (I was told they would calculate with the 10% early booking, 5% venetian and 5% on board booking discounts in place. I also hope i keep the other discount I negotiated too!)

 

What also concerns me (and I have to challenge why it was I heard about the cancellation here and not via them in either a call or email) is that having put forward a suitable alternative, I will need to wait a week to hear back. In the meantime, a ship load of punters will be looking at a similar alternative no doubt and the limited "vacancies" will all be used up.

 

What my SS consultant said, was it was unlikely they will deviate from their price guides, meaning if i wanted to do this alternative, it will cost me substantially more - despite the fact last June they were similar prices for - and that's without taking into account this so call 30% compensation.

 

I wait in hope but not expectation, even though I do think my argument is sound and not unreasonable.

 

Annoyingly even alternative lines have hiked prices as sailing times get nearer.

 

Booking and paying early in full - damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

Incidentally. I spoke with a cruise travel agent before getting through to SS. It would also seem that the Wind has also seen a cancellation or two next February / March time as well! Maybe they got a BOGOF? lol

Edited by les37b
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Well we too are/were on the March 23 cruise and have yet to hear of its cancellation from any official channels, with SS or TA. I am seriously under impressed with both. We did not book too long ago but paid in full and had a particular discount provided we booked by a certain date.

I am waiting to see exactly how long it will be before we get formal notification and an offer which i trust will include the ability to re-use the discount.

Rp

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Well we too are/were on the March 23 cruise and have yet to hear of its cancellation from any official channels, with SS or TA. I am seriously under impressed with both. We did not book too long ago but paid in full and had a particular discount provided we booked by a certain date.

I am waiting to see exactly how long it will be before we get formal notification and an offer which i trust will include the ability to re-use the discount.

Rp

 

To be fair to your TA, they might not even be aware.... still! I spoke with an agent before calling SS because they were still advertising Spirit cruises and then discovered when they checked the cruises were no longer on the SS website. My SS rep informed me he learned yesterday and I was on his "todo" list to call. I know a call is more personable, but given I'm still not 100% sure of what was on offer, an email to the list of people theyve bookings for, shouldnt exactly take very long at all. In fact, I've just emailed him back to send me the details so I can price up alternatives.

 

You will keep the discounts on show you booked with. That was confirmed. However, I negotiated an extra 5% with my booking (and wasnt an advertised deal) which i suspect I might not get and of course the 5% venetian discount might also not be honured if i take a non venetian alternative - and I unfortunately didn't think at the time to ask. I'm of course hopeful when he said all discounts will be honoured thats what he meant.

 

Offering a 30% discount might sound great - and for some it may be a good deal - but many/most cruises in this time frame have been increased by more than this. Certainly in my case anyway by quite some margin too.

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I realise that changes can occur to cruises booked well in advanced and this is understandable if the changes are imposed on the line by outside forces eg port closure, political unrest, war, natural disasters, lack of Guinness supply etc but it's a bad way to treat customers in the manner that those booked to sail on Spirit have been. This is within the control of the company - indeed they have clearly taken the decision knowing that many will be disadvantaged and disappointed. It's bad PR, very bad.

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To be fair to your TA, they might not even be aware.... still! I spoke with an agent before calling SS because they were still advertising Spirit cruises and then discovered when they checked the cruises were no longer on the SS website. My SS rep informed me he learned yesterday and I was on his "todo" list to call. I know a call is more personable, but given I'm still not 100% sure of what was on offer, an email to the list of people theyve bookings for, shouldnt exactly take very long at all. In fact, I've just emailed him back to send me the details so I can price up alternatives.

 

 

 

You will keep the discounts on show you booked with. That was confirmed. However, I negotiated an extra 5% with my booking (and wasnt an advertised deal) which i suspect I might not get and of course the 5% venetian discount might also not be honured if i take a non venetian alternative - and I unfortunately didn't think at the time to ask. I'm of course hopeful when he said all discounts will be honoured thats what he meant.

 

 

 

Offering a 30% discount might sound great - and for some it may be a good deal - but many/most cruises in this time frame have been increased by more than this. Certainly in my case anyway by quite some margin too.

 

 

 

Les, suggest that you use a starting point of equivalent cruises based on the prices when you originally booked, otherwise you may just as well take your money back and look elsewhere.

 

I am looking at an alternative, however applying all the discounts against the new price only gets to (almost) exactly the same price as we paid for the Spirit cruise. That's pointless.

 

 

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This exact situation happened to me several months ago. We booked a cruise on the new Muse. The itinerary was Lima to Ft. Lauderdale, and going through the Panama Canal. We planned to be in Lima before the cruise and visit Machu Picchu. I noticed one day that the cruise was no longer listed on the Silversea website. My travel agent was not informed either. A good deal of time went by before they acknowledged that they cancelled the itinerary completely. It did mess up our plans to go the Machu Picchu. It then took a few months to get through to someone at Silversea. I was hoping they would give us a nice discount to book another Silversea cruise. We did eventually book a Silversea Expedition cruise. Things like this do happen, and it is totally understandable, but Silversea should immediately notify everyone about the cancellation rather than having us learn about it online.

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Les, suggest that you use a starting point of equivalent cruises based on the prices when you originally booked, otherwise you may just as well take your money back and look elsewhere.

 

I am looking at an alternative, however applying all the discounts against the new price only gets to (almost) exactly the same price as we paid for the Spirit cruise. That's pointless.

 

 

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That is exactly what I have suggested to my SS rep. As it stands, the equivalent cruise 6 weeks later was £500 more in June than ours was on offer for. So with the 30% off, I'd make a tidy profit taking s Vista rather than the balcony I'd booked. As it stands, even with all my discounts AND this 30%, they expect me to stump up a further £700 above what's already been paid. That's not compensation in my eyes, but milking the situation and taking advantage of people misplaced by something completely down to their SS own making. They need to address this properly not with compensation that actually makes you out of pocket! I have asked him to look up what it was at the time of booking. I do think he will do all he can to help out and know he feels the pain and understands exactly where I'm coming from. He has provisionally reserved something for me so if the price is right, I don't find nothing is left available! He's said it needs to go off to monaco and expects to hear back within a week. Fingers crossed. I genuinely would however prefer what we had booked on the Spirit even if the muse was cheaper (and it's far from that.)

 

Could I ask if you could email me...this is probably my last post on the subject until it's resolved. I don't want to antagonise further. I know I wear my heart on my sleeves so at this time best to stay quiet!

 

Cheers

 

cruise-trip@europe.com

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Was booked on five back to back cruises starting 18 April,website shows last two still available to arrive back in Greenwich UK.On the back of this 46 day cruise we would have qualified for free 7 day cruise having passed 650 day milestone so we had booked and paid in full for a 15 day cruise in August .We were told by SS that we would get our free cruise repayment upon passing 650 days in May 2018 on a cruise which no longer exists.

Confusing !!!

 

 

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Was booked on five back to back cruises starting 18 April,website shows last two still available to arrive back in Greenwich UK.On the back of this 46 day cruise we would have qualified for free 7 day cruise having passed 650 day milestone so we had booked and paid in full for a 15 day cruise in August .We were told by SS that we would get our free cruise repayment upon passing 650 days in May 2018 on a cruise which no longer exists.

Confusing !!!

 

Confusing isnt a word I'd probably have used. I thought mine was bad enough, but Id be devastated if I were in your shoes,

 

Did you find out here or had they contacted you? Have they said what the options are?

 

I have a feeling what I was told earlier has been changed and the 30% "compensation" was only valid on 2017 cruises, so if that is the case and SS expect us to actually pay nearly 45% more (with a whopping 20% "compensation" instead) for a similar itinerary in a Vista suite on the Muse instead of a balcony having paid in full months ago, then I'm guessing this will go nowhere. I'm hoping they've made a mistake as what Ive just read make it sound like very much like profiteering on the back of being messed about having paid in full and then risking of having no cruise.

 

Hope you get yours sorted Mary.

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OK.... I was trying to avoid posting again... but as Ive now understood fully (I think) whats on offer as "compensation", I will spell out my understanding, which I'm confident is the bottom line. Annoying for me as it now means the Muse trip is not included or the Tokyo to Seaward on 10th May I though Id uncovered.

 

If your Spirit cruise is cancelled the offer is:

 

2017 Cruises - a 30% discount on current prices

Any cruise that sails between the 22 Feb 2018 and May the 6th 2018 (ie the cancelled cruise dates) will get a 30% discount.

Any other 2018 cruise gets 20%

any 2019 cruise is offered 10%

 

Any discount you currently get will be carried forward to the new booking too.

 

Hope this helps anyone unsure on whats on offer and enable a search to look for alternatives. I'm gutted the Japan / Alaska one on 10 May falls 4 days outside these limits. I would really quite fancy that. Why its so difficult to get spelt out whats on offer, i will never understand.

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My TA called Miami this morning and got referred to Monaco. Odd.

 

A 2017 cruise does me no good. 20% off the now inflated 2018 prices and the loss of my excellent business class air means I'm looking at other options for travel next year as there isn't much else I want during those dates.

 

M

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OK.... I was trying to avoid posting again... but as Ive now understood fully (I think) whats on offer as "compensation", I will spell out my understanding, which I'm confident is the bottom line. Annoying for me as it now means the Muse trip is not included or the Tokyo to Seaward on 10th May I though Id uncovered.

 

If your Spirit cruise is cancelled the offer is:

 

2017 Cruises - a 30% discount on current prices

Any cruise that sails between the 22 Feb 2018 and May the 6th 2018 (ie the cancelled cruise dates) will get a 30% discount.

Any other 2018 cruise gets 20%

any 2019 cruise is offered 10%

 

Any discount you currently get will be carried forward to the new booking too.

 

Hope this helps anyone unsure on whats on offer and enable a search to look for alternatives. I'm gutted the Japan / Alaska one on 10 May falls 4 days outside these limits. I would really quite fancy that. Why its so difficult to get spelt out whats on offer, i will never understand.

 

 

 

Still waiting to hear in writing from SS, however when the Shadow was charted for three months this year, those who had previously booked in 2016 were offered 30% off any voyage in 2016 or 20% off any voyage in 2017. So the current offer is vastly inferior.

 

 

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Booked a chunk of time ago on the April 18, 2018 Spirit cruise and really have been/was excited about it. Checked a couple days ago and it showed the entire cruise was waitlisted. No longer on the site and I have emailed my TA. Very poorly handled by Silversea. There is not a similar itinerary close to that time period.

 

A real diappointment but thanks for getting this information out........

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I've just received this email from Silversea regarding my booking :-

"The Silver Spirit is scheduled to undergo a robust and innovative dry dock early next year and return to service. The comprehensive makeover planned for the Silver Spirit will enrich the on-board experience and be appreciated by guests as part of our commitment of maintaining the highest quality and luxury standards of our brand.

Unfortunately, this improvement to the Silver Spirit will affect our mutual guests booking:

It is our absolute priority to do everything possible to find a suitable alternative for your guests and ensure that they will sail with us by offering a compensation savings toward the cost of a new cruise.

There are a few options available to guests:

· 20% saving on cruises sailing in the same area or on the same ship

· 30% saving on any 2017 cruises

· 10% on any other voyage (excluding World Cruise 2019)

Should an alternative not be feasible, we would of course be able to offer a full refund."

We will be taking the full refund as in no way does this offer compensate us adequately or at all, as we would need to spend considerably more for a comparable cruise to the original fare.

So we don't consider this to be any compensation for our cancelled cruise. As previously mentioned by others, prices have increased considerably which negates any of the offered discounts.

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