Silver Muse

Just noticed that Silversea has broken several Muse voyages into 2, and in some cases, 3 parts. The price has gone down even if combining the parts to equal the original cruise. Venetian discount does not apply, and it is only the lower level cabins (up to Classic Verandah).

 

Anyone care to venture what this means?

This is not exclusive to the Muse. Other ships are doing the same thing. On a voyage coming up on the Muse, they broke up the voyage into two. Then a month later they broke it into four. It is for two fold reasons: first to fill the veranda cabins and to allow some new cruisers to try Silversea on as little as a five day cruise.

Just checked again and one of our back-to-back voyages has now been broken into five voyages. This will be very interesting on setting up formal nights and emergency drills.

 

We can now sound like world cruisers, doing seven back-to-backs voyages in 35 days...

Just checked again and one of our back-to-back voyages has now been broken into five voyages. This will be very interesting on setting up formal nights and emergency drills.

 

 

 

We can now sound like world cruisers, doing seven back-to-backs voyages in 35 days...

 

 

 

Emergency drills won't be a problem. They will just do them in small groups of the new passengers, but it does raise an interesting point about the usual pattern for formal nights.

 

Looking through the listings, there definitely seem to be more and more 7 day cruises, which are just too short for my liking. Maybe they are either as mentioned hoping to entice shorter sample cruises and probably hoping with these splits to get b2b bookings.

 

I can only imagine bookings must be down?

Our voyage 6719 can now also be purchased as 6719A and 6719B.

Our voyage 6719 can now also be purchased as 6719A and 6719B.

 

That's even more strange. They are splits covering similar parts of the cruise. So if they sell either it means the second part of the cruise remains unbooked. I could have understood it if the split was Montreal to New York and then part two to Ft Lauderdale but this seems most odd.

 

On the next cruise forward from Ft Lauderdale, they have split into two parts joined. You could book part A and part Band get the whole journey at the same cost.

 

Two lots of TA OBC to be had here maybe? lol

 

Anyway, the cruise going from Ft Lauderdale I can understand the logic, but for your one it seems strange. I'm guessing they've put the prices up a fair amount and have lots of unsold places..... and dont want to sell cheaply and offer refunds under the price warranty. I'm guessing thats likely to be behind this somewhere.Still weird there is no part C or D though..

Our voyage 6719 can now also be purchased as 6719A and 6719B.

 

 

 

Unfortunately it's been that way for at least a month. It will be interesting to see if the demographic changes after New York.

 

 

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.... I'm guessing they've put the prices up a fair amount and have lots of unsold places..... and dont want to sell cheaply and offer refunds under the price warranty. ..

From what we can surmise from the web, all upper suites have been sold (or practically so) for months now. For the regular cabins (de lux, superior, classic), there have been few (no more than a couple "midship verandah") vacant for months. There are no more than ten each of superiors and classics vacant. So for a ship with 270 cabins, having up to 20 cabins (less than 10%) vacant is not a disaster. We feel Silversea is trying hard to squeeze the last ounce of revenue! That may be the real motive?!

Unfortunately it's been that way for at least a month. It will be interesting to see if the demographic changes after New York.

From what we can surmise from the web, fewer than 10% of the cabins for the entire voyage are vacant. So changes after New York will not significantly affect the demographics as a whole.

For our cruise, Jan 3, S. America, all suites with the exception of Silver suites are available. I also seem to remember that the October S. America cruise has surprisingly low rates.

 

Could the recent poor reviews of the Muse be a factor? Or is it a function of all the new builds, encroaching of premium cruise lines?

For our cruise, Jan 3, S. America, all suites with the exception of Silver suites are available. I also seem to remember that the October S. America cruise has surprisingly low rates.

 

 

 

Could the recent poor reviews of the Muse be a factor? Or is it a function of all the new builds, encroaching of premium cruise lines?

 

 

Funnily there was a great South American off the beaten track cruise on an explorer ship that looked great value we would have taken as a replacement for our cancelled Spirit cruise if the dates hadn't clashed with personal events.

 

Clearly the moans about reservations was noted or they wouldn't have reacted as they have. It certainly could have been seen as a factor If bookings are down. I suspect the volume of new ships sailing would have a bigger impact.

 

 

Though from Meows reply, if there are only 10% suites left, I'd not think it's impacted too much! All my sailings have been full and waitlisted according to the website, but all sailed with spare capacity. I suspect this is done in case of problems once underway to offer different accommodation if it becomes necessary.

 

I'd think It is probably a mixture. Squeezing the last possible bookings and on an attempt on a start and finish point to introduce mini cruises to an affluent market location. Still doesn't explain why the second part forward from New York using being sold though. Maybe not leaving US waters is the reason?

Edited August 25, 2017 by les37b

Could the recent poor reviews of the Muse be a factor? Or is it a function of all the new builds, encroaching of premium cruise lines?

 

originally posted by les37b

Clearly the moans about reservations was noted or they wouldn't have reacted as they have. It certainly could have been seen as a factor If bookings are down. I suspect the volume of new ships sailing would have a bigger impact.

We think we are in a transition period, from nearly full for coveted itineraries on a new ship, to the effect of over building (not just for Silversea but the cruise market in general.) The cruise market is always cyclical -- it takes years to build new ships, and there may be time lag in supplies; and then cruise lines start building in herd mentality, until over-supply hurts and they stop building.

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As usual, Meow, a well thought out, and well written response. Always interested in reading your comments!

As usual, Meow, a well thought out, and well written response. Always interested in reading your comments!

Thank you kindly for your compliment ... meow!

Remember, the Cabotage Act does not allow them to sell cabins from two ports within the same country - i.e. NYC to FLL. They are selling Montreal to Boston and Montreal to NYC, but after Boston there will be no new passengers and maybe a lot fewer.

... but after Boston there will be no new passengers and maybe a lot fewer.

As mentioned before, it seems there will be fewer than a score of passengers who bought partial voyages, so while there will be fewer passengers after Boston, it will not be a lot fewer.

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From a major travel agency website (cannot be named), it appears that Silversea is having some success in disposing of the last 10% of cabins, to less than 5%. Whether these are full voyages or part (A or B) voyages, and what are the discounts/goodies offered are not known.

I also seem to remember that the October S. America cruise has surprisingly low rates.

Which October voyage are you referring to? Our Oct voyage from Valpo is virtually sold out and pricing is nearly 75% higher than when we booked.

 

 

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Remember, the Cabotage Act does not allow them to sell cabins from two ports within the same country - i.e. NYC to FLL. They are selling Montreal to Boston and Montreal to NYC, but after Boston there will be no new passengers and maybe a lot fewer.

 

 

 

My thoughts exactly. Not sure that anything can be deduced from the above post about the number of suites vacant for the entire voyage. To come up with a realistic view would mean knowing how many suites have been sold from Montreal to either Boston or NY. I wouldn't be surprised to see some SS staff from Miami come onboard for the leg to Ft Lauderdale though.

 

 

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For Stumblefoot -- It's #6723, in Nov -- not Sept -- my date error.

For Stumblefoot -- It's #6723, in Nov -- not Sept -- my date error.

Got it. Thx for the clarification!

 

 

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