'Silversea announces new shorter voyages'

[UKCruiseJeff]

Sadly, I think many ascribe a degree of planning and control that may simply not be options or luxuries available at head office operations. It is my instinct hat we are seeing behaviour that demonstrates cash-flow panic rather than business building. This feels more like the imperative to service loans and operating costs than worrying about building long-term customer loyalty.

 

Tough times.

[Nigella]

It is my instinct hat we are seeing behaviour that demonstrates cash-flow panic rather than business building. This feels more like the imperative to service loans and operating costs than worrying about building long-term customer loyalty.

 

Tough times.

 

Oh dear. If that's the case, then it's very worrying. We can't find an alternative to SS. We don't really wish to find one, but my point is, that we've looked, and it doesn't exist.

 

 

Seafairer, I agree with your post, my thoughts exactly.

We're still of an age where we are working, and sometimes necessity means we either book a 7 day cruise or we stay at home. We do prefer longer sailings when we can take them. Usually this is only during the Christmas/New Year period.

I wouldn't consider a cruise shorter than 7 days, and I absolutely wouldn't consider a 7 day cruise that had been split.

The 7 day cruise has enough challenges to begin with, splitting it merely adds to an overall lack of desirability.

[sakaara]

Just in from Silversea,

Obviously Silversea are have difficulty selling these short cruises.

 

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[Nigella]

Sakaara, I was just this second looking on the SS website and spotted a 10 day Silver Spirit cruise that I very much liked the look of, from Athens to Monte Carlo. I was so close to emailing my TA but thought I'd just take another look at the CC website before I did.

Thankfully I saw your post and there's the cruise I was interested in, and it's been split, the 25 May Spirit voyage.

 

Now, I'm not sure that I have so much of a problem with a 10 day cruise being split into 7, but does it follow that they will then split the Rome to Monte Carlo part of the cruise ? If so, that would put me off this one.

 

This is crazy. I want to book a cruise. I can only have 10 days maximum. I don't want to find myself on a cruise that's going to have a number of guests who've booked a 3 day mini cruise.

 

I've just checked my email and I've now received the same one. This demonstrates exactly why I'm so reluctant to go ahead and make a booking on any SS cruise.

[Nigella]

 

 

Are you a time-pressed traveller? A 4 to 7 day getaway is the perfect way to sample the unrivalled luxury of Silversea.

 

I really don't know who they're trying to kid with this spin. Shorter cruises are notoriously unsuccessful.

[sakaara]

Nigella, I don't get this either. Who would book a 3 day cruise? You would have only unpacked when you would have to repack, leaving your luggage out the night before disembarkation.

You would barely have time to find your way around a ship.

I really don't think these short cruises are selling, as this is the second of a similar email for short cruises I have received in the last month.

 

I can see why everyone is so worried about booking future cruises over 7 nights.

Who wants to be on a 10 night cruise broken into 7 nights and a 3 night mini cruise?

 

Celebrity Cruises and Royal Caribbean used to do these small cruises which were known for Stag and Hen Parties. Can you imagine booking a Silversea cruise and having large groups like that on the tail end of your holiday?

 

This is most certainly a business decision which I believe will backfire.

Very sad situation.

[UKCruiseJeff]

One thing is certain ..... human nature being what it is .... the ambience of the bars is different when some feel the need to maximise value on their 3 day cruise than the more relaxed nature of people pacing themselves on longer cruises. I think it's called "tanking up".:(

[Stumblefoot]

Ravenscroft,

 

I just realized I never answered your questions below:

Stumblefoot, do you have any thoughts on the concerns that I have about this? I'd be interested to hear them.

 

I'm curious about them only selecting five cruises to split in this way.

How do we know they won't split other cruises at a later date?

If I had a guarantee that the ones I'm interested in wouldn't eventually be marketed as 4/5/6 day cruises I would be happy to book one of them.

 

This is all just my personal conjecture, but I think this action by Silversea is nothing more than what any marketer might do. For instance, in the past, SS ran a last minute program (I can't remember what it was called) whereby they heavily discounted the cruise fare for those travelers who could cruise within the next 30 days. Obviously, the fare offer were on voyages where bookings were deemed weak.

 

I see these new Short Sail voyages as an attempt to eliminate the fire-sale pricing of the past, while also appealing to an entirely different market segment with the goal of earning a greater return. Short Sail cruises maintain per diem pricing that can be +20% of the original cruise voyage.

 

I believe the 5 cruises selected were those that had demand weakness. And, we don't know if SS will split other cruises at a later date. Hence, the new pre-booking risk SS has introduced into one's decision making process. Take a look at this topic to see my opinion on how SS could better manage these Short Sailings and encourage you to book a future cruise on SS.

 

With the aforementioned said, I still believe the success of the Short Sail voyages will be determined by the following questions:

1. Were the Short Sails base business from Venetian Society members, or incremental new passengers to Silversea?
   
2. What % of these Short Sail passengers booked a new cruise whilst onboard the ship via the Cruise Consultant?
   
3. How did the Short Sails impact occupancy prior to the announcement?
   
4. What was the Venetian Society reaction from those members who ended up on a Short Sail, even though they booked the original, longer voyage?
   A) Do those who normally book their next cruise on-board do so or not?
   B) What is the length of time between bookings before/after Short Sail announcement?
   C) Did complaints/compliments increase/decrease relative to the subject?
   D) What was the change in favorable/unfavorable rating given to the original voyage?
   
5. Etcetera...
   

[jpalbny]

Some interesting reading on this topic.

 

Now for an opposing viewpoint - we're supposed to do a land-based trip next month for which our dates of vacation are already fixed due to work commitments. This may fall through in the next day or two, in which case we're scrambling to find something else to do...

 

Enter 2307B, which would fit our dates very nicely, while the full voyage of 2307 would go too long as we have to be back at work on 3/18... Hmm... Don't relish the thought of 2 TA flights in just over a week, but if the choice is that, or staying at home cursing the early spring weather in New York, this option suddenly has some appeal.

 

But, I do sympathize with those on 2307 who signed up for a longer cruise and not a series of quick hops. And yes, the dynamic would be different - we've made good friends on longer cruises whom we've kept in touch with for years - wouldn't expect to develop that type of bond this time.

 

But gee, it sure would be fun to come "home" to the Silver Wind, even if it's just for 5 nights! Any day on SS has to be better than a day at work, and in this case, it would mean the difference between sailing or not.

[Mr Luxury]

. It is my instinct hat

 

Jeff,are these hats available at John Lewis or can one get them online.;)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff,are these hats available at John Lewis or can one get them online.;)

 

I'm afraid my hat was ipad'ed. Big fingers .......:)

[Mr Luxury]

I'm afraid my hat was ipad'ed. Big fingers .......:)

 

Jeff,

Always employ a secretary with small hands ;)

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff,

Always employ a secretary with small hands ;)

 

This conversation is taking a turn for the wurst ....

 

ps funnily enough my secretary did have small fingers but I ended up marrying her. She still has small fingers and we're still married ....

[Mr Luxury]

This conversation is taking a turn for the wurst ....

 

Is the wurst still intact?

[keltic]

I really don't know who they're trying to kid with this spin. Shorter cruises are notoriously unsuccessful.

 

I don´t agree at all. A cruise company before selling something evaluates it carefully. If they have done it, it´s because the market, or at least a huge amount of passengers are simply asking for it.

 

Short segments is not only first time cruisers but a huge amount of travellers who usually have to stay at home because they have a limited time for holidays. These policies have been adopted in other cruise lines like Crystal, Hapag Lloyd and on so on. It´s a trending option nowadays.

 

Long voyages are nice, fantastic, perfect but unrealistic for most passengers. Probably is perfect for OAPs, but people usually work. Cruise lines have getting aware of it. Oceania is having more 7 nights day by day, same with Azamara, Le Ponant and I even wouldn´t set out that Seabourn will do the same as last summer. Split things.

 

I wouldn´t travel to the US to get a short segment, but having them in Europe is perfect. I am sure most europeans will be delighted to have Silversea doing it. If people are starting to shorten their breaks, why not on a cruise.

 

Life changes, and so do the principles of cruising.

[ggibbs]

Another issue with short cruises, that I don't think has been mentioned. Who is going to bring a dinner jacket (tuxedo) or maybe even a suit on a 3 day cruise? So here we go, risking downgrading the dress code again. It is just not acceptable.

 

This is a comment, not a request to repoen the many dress code threads on this thread, please!!!

 

Gwyneth

[Scotspea]

Another issue with short cruises, that I don't think has been mentioned. Who is going to bring a dinner jacket (tuxedo) or maybe even a suit on a 3 day cruise? So here we go, risking downgrading the dress code again. It is just not acceptable.

 

This is a comment, not a request to repoen the many dress code threads on this thread, please!!!

 

Gwyneth

 

 

 

Marstraveller said exactly that on #9 'Short Sail Voyages and Beer'