Jump to content

Seabourn refusing to reduce reservation charge even though Cruise price has dropped.


flyers
 Share

Recommended Posts

The Dangers Of Advance Booking

We are booked on the 14 day Seward to Vancouver Cruise of June 28th.( Voyage 5836 ) Actually we are doing a back to back from the 12 day June 16th.( Voyage 5832 ) Vancouver to Seward.

We paid in November when the price was $12,999.00 for a Penthouse suite. Seabourn has now reduced the price of the PH suite to $11,999 per person. A considerable difference of $2,000.00 for the two of us which would have helped with our flights. Our TA has been on the phone all day trying to get them to reduce our final payment by the $2,000 and they have refused to do so. Belatedly by going up the ranks they have offered to increase the on board credit by the $2,000.00 which added to the previous $2,000.00 credit included with a penthouse suite gives us a total of $4,000.00.So we have to pay them the extra $2,000 so that they can make us spend $4,000.00 on board.

We are very unhappy with this and are considering cancelling the whole cruise. Does anyone have any advice or encountered this situation before ?

It makes one think twice about booking Cruises in advance when the Company will not honor Price changes and leaves a sour taste!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If there are 10 not sold cabins on a cruise do you think it is ok for Seabourn to reduce the price to fill them or should they have to reduce the price of the 290 cabins already sold as well?

 

Those lucky enough to be able to cancel without loss can always do this. and rebook at a lower price , those of us in the UK cannot

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the sailing is not selling well, Seabourn has a habit of reducing the price closer to the sailing date as opposed to offering early bookers the lowest price. This can be frustrating. I have noticed that the incentives usually come 6 months in advance of the sailing date and discounts will increase if not selling well. Penthouse suites are a little different since there are fewer of them and usually those that book them are more concerned with booking early to secure their preferred suite rather than getting a Penthouse at a discounted price. Good luck with your negotiations!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Typically off it is before final payment date they will match the reduced rate. Cancelling and rebooking though may not be so easy because the OP is probably within a penalty phase already which starts 120 days prior to sailing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have posted this previously on the "Pricing Whiplash" thread. Our upcoming cruise was booked very early and the price then dropped significantly. Our TA only offered an upgrade and $300 OBC. We refused and said we would take it up with Seabourn. In my email I quoted back to them that they still advertise that they reward guests who book as early as possible with optimum savings.

https://www.seabourn.com/pageByName/Resp.action?requestPage=SavingsProgram&showHeader=true&showFooter=true

 

I asked if this policy had now changed and if so we would never make an early booking again. The end result was a reduction of 4,500 GBP per person.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Seabourn use to reduce the original price to match the discounted price if you or your TA spotted it.

In the last year or so they have changed their policy and now do not generally reduce the price but they give onboard credit to the same value.

That works for me as I always buy wine and spa treatments.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
The Dangers Of Advance Booking

We are booked on the 14 day Seward to Vancouver Cruise of June 28th.( Voyage 5836 ) Actually we are doing a back to back from the 12 day June 16th.( Voyage 5832 ) Vancouver to Seward.

We paid in November when the price was $12,999.00 for a Penthouse suite. Seabourn has now reduced the price of the PH suite to $11,999 per person. A considerable difference of $2,000.00 for the two of us which would have helped with our flights. Our TA has been on the phone all day trying to get them to reduce our final payment by the $2,000 and they have refused to do so. Belatedly by going up the ranks they have offered to increase the on board credit by the $2,000.00 which added to the previous $2,000.00 credit included with a penthouse suite gives us a total of $4,000.00.So we have to pay them the extra $2,000 so that they can make us spend $4,000.00 on board.

We are very unhappy with this and are considering cancelling the whole cruise. Does anyone have any advice or encountered this situation before ?

It makes one think twice about booking Cruises in advance when the Company will not honor Price changes and leaves a sour taste!

 

We booked in June 2016 for South America and Antarctica, Nov. 4, 2018 to Dec. 20, 2018 through Seabourn. The initial price was $24,499.00 per person (Veranada suite V1). Somewhere in Jan 2018 we notice a drop in price to$18,999.00 ($5,500 per person). Called Seabourn and they adjusted the price right away, more they gave us some extra ship credit.

Important to mention that Jun 2018 is the latest date when we can cancel and be reimbursed 100% of the total fare. And always I pay approx 25% very close (if not) on the due date. This way they don't need to send a check back.

 

Also we did the same back in 2015 in a cruise from Pireus to Dubai when was a drop in price of 2000-2500 pp (I don't remember exactly)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Part of it depends on where your TA is located. In the US you can cancel & rebook easily until when penalties take effect, not true in the UK or other parts of the world. That said, when we used our UK agent they were able to get us, not a direct reduction on the booked cruise, but OBC and future cruise discounts.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Our last two cruises on Seabourn, Antarctica and Circle-UK, involved multiple calls to our TA when I spotted price reductions prior to final payment. Was not a problem at all and saved thousands of dollars.

 

Friends were awarded OBCs when prices went down after their cruise's Final Payment.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

After reading this thread I saw that there had been a price reduction on our September Sojourn cruise. I called our travel agent and within two hours we received an updated reservation with a $1600 price reduction. Thanks for the advice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always monitor the prices of our upcoming cruises. On two occasions they have changed. Once, prior to final payment we got a price reduction. The other time, after final payment, we got an upgrade and on-board credit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's normal for there to be no reductions after final payment, i.e., the penalty period, which you no doubt are in if you're sailing in June. And therefore cancelling is not a good idea. I also monitor the price of my cruises, especially when it's coming up to final payment (I'm paying for one in about 5 weeks--there have already been two reductions.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 weeks later...
  • 2 weeks later...
The Dangers Of Advance Booking

We are booked on the 14 day Seward to Vancouver Cruise of June 28th.( Voyage 5836 ) Actually we are doing a back to back from the 12 day June 16th.( Voyage 5832 ) Vancouver to Seward.

We paid in November when the price was $12,999.00 for a Penthouse suite. Seabourn has now reduced the price of the PH suite to $11,999 per person. A considerable difference of $2,000.00 for the two of us which would have helped with our flights. Our TA has been on the phone all day trying to get them to reduce our final payment by the $2,000 and they have refused to do so. Belatedly by going up the ranks they have offered to increase the on board credit by the $2,000.00 which added to the previous $2,000.00 credit included with a penthouse suite gives us a total of $4,000.00.So we have to pay them the extra $2,000 so that they can make us spend $4,000.00 on board.

We are very unhappy with this and are considering cancelling the whole cruise. Does anyone have any advice or encountered this situation before ?

It makes one think twice about booking Cruises in advance when the Company will not honor Price changes and leaves a sour taste!

 

I have to agree with you as we've run in to the same situation with two different bookings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
I just checked our cruise in August. Verandas start at $11,999.00! Our price for a Veranda was $5999.00 last December. Guess it went up!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Great! Good deal! Must be a very popular itinerary.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I just checked our cruise in August. Verandas start at $11,999.00! Our price for a Veranda was $5999.00 last December. Guess it went up!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Yes, and as I have said recently this happens very regularly, however funnily enough no one wants to start a thread about how their cruise price rose $6000 after they had booked! ;)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 6 months later...

Same here for my 7 June 2019  Dover Ovation cruise.

Booked in Sept 2018

V4 $8499 with US$1020 total ship board credit

This Week

V4 $7299 with US$300 total ship board credit

 

Asked my UK TA to speak with Seabourn again.

My final payment is not due yet! Seabourn replied with NO price match but extra $360 OBC per suite. 

I wrote back to my UK TA saying this will be my last time booking with them. My Taipei travel agent has agreed to offer same discount with UK plus the benefit of free cancellation before final payment!

 

Received the email Today saying Seabourn has agreed with price match. :classic_biggrin:

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 3/7/2018 at 8:07 PM, flyers said:

The Dangers Of Advance Booking

We are booked on the 14 day Seward to Vancouver Cruise of June 28th.( Voyage 5836 ) Actually we are doing a back to back from the 12 day June 16th.( Voyage 5832 ) Vancouver to Seward.

We paid in November when the price was $12,999.00 for a Penthouse suite. Seabourn has now reduced the price of the PH suite to $11,999 per person. A considerable difference of $2,000.00 for the two of us which would have helped with our flights. Our TA has been on the phone all day trying to get them to reduce our final payment by the $2,000 and they have refused to do so. Belatedly by going up the ranks they have offered to increase the on board credit by the $2,000.00 which added to the previous $2,000.00 credit included with a penthouse suite gives us a total of $4,000.00.So we have to pay them the extra $2,000 so that they can make us spend $4,000.00 on board.

We are very unhappy with this and are considering cancelling the whole cruise. Does anyone have any advice or encountered this situation before ?

It makes one think twice about booking Cruises in advance when the Company will not honor Price changes and leaves a sour taste!

It seems as if this is standard practice with Seabourn along with bait and switch advertising.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We usually book on board and watch the prices - the onboard Seabourn consultants have been very upfront with encouragement in this regard.  More often than not, we have cancelled and re-booked at a vastly reduced price. We have our favourite cabins so  by booking early we can secure our cabin and know it is available if we then cancel and immediately re-book. We have had price drops after final payment and received obc. I guess the only advice we have for the OP is to try and ensure some of the obc is redeemable. In that way you can withdraw the cash and use it as spending money for trips ashore rather than having to spend it on board. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 hours ago, dalliowner said:

At least you can cancel and rebook , in the UK if we cancel we loose the 10pc deposit.

 After this incident I am changing my UK TA to my local TA.

Same discount with UK TA plus no cancel fees :classic_biggrin:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...