Included Shore Excursions + WiFi

[oregon50]

It's official......included on all 2015 Med voyages. Good luck with this one.

[duct tape]

Oh dear. Not good news.

[Silver Spectre]

Agree about the shore excursions, but the Wifi is a good idea. Its up to 2 hours per guest/ per suite for Vista and Verandas, and unlimited for higher category suites.

 

The complimentary Wifi access should be rolled out across the fleet asap, and it should apply to all bookings, not just those made post 15th January.

[harbormaster]

Sorry to hear this. Included shore excursions are the reason we left Regent and currently do not sail them. Would not mind if there were an opt-out price reduction but do not think that will happen.

[brimary]

A backward step.What about 2016? May have to cancel a large number of bookings regrettably.

[Herman The Cat]

Could you provide a reference/source for this information? I haven't called Silversea, but I couldn't find anything on their website or on the web referencing this change.

Thanks in advance.

[mom8386]

What does this mean for someone already booked and fully paid for a Med voyage in 2015? I checked the Silversea website and the prices do not seem to have changed since I booked last year.

[TLCOhio]

Ouch!!?? Just check in the past few minutes about the costs for some early Feb. 2016 Silver Cloud South Africa, Cape Town to Cape Town, options. The price, so far, is the same as had been earlier posted over the past several months. Made a screen shot for my records. The small print on the SS website details how the "free" shore excursions will work. We are seriously considering these South Africa options and are planning, if things work out during these two Silver Cloud sailing, to get booked on these for the future. Will be on the ship Jan. 25 and will check with the on-board sales staff for more details, any hidden catches in the small print, etc.

 

There was a famous movie line from a few years back. One of the main characters said "Show me the money!". Will be interesting to see what happens on pricing for such "free" extras.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 92,619 views for this posting.

[TLCOhio]

Could you provide a reference/source for this information? I haven't called Silversea, but I couldn't find anything on their website or on the web referencing this change.

Thanks in advance.

 

Here are some of the small print details from the website on the Silver Cloud early Feb. 2016 sailing that we are considering: "Shore Excursion and WIFI: All Silver Privilege Fares shown are cruise-only per person in US dollars based on double-occupancy in a Vista suite and include Silver Shore Select; applies to new bookings made on or after January 15, 2015 only. Silver Shore Select Excursion are offered on a first come first served basis, in every port of call at no additional charge. Depending on tour timing, up to two Silver Shore Select Excursion may be taken per day. Additional shore excursions are available for purchase; standard cancellation penalties apply. Capacity is limited on all shore excursions including Silver Shore Select and guests’ first choice may or may not be available. Silversea reserves the right to cancel any shore excursions including Silver Shore Select. No credit or other compensation will be given if Silver Shore Select are cancelled or not utilised. All shore excursions including Silver Shore Select are operated by independent operators over whom Silversea has no control. Two hours of complimentary internet access perguest/ per suite is available for guests booked on 2015 Mediterranean voyages in Vista or Veranda suites aboard the Silver Wind, Silver Cloud and Silver Spirit. Unlimited WiFi service applies for those guests booked on 2015 Mediterranean voyages in Medallion suites and higher aboard the Silver Wind and Silver suites and higher aboard the Silver Cloud and Silver Spirit. Additional internet packages are available for purchase. WiFi service is not guaranteed. Silversea is not responsible if WiFi service is not available. No credit or other compensation will be provided should WiFi service not be available or should the WiFi allowance go unused. Programme subject to change."

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 168,965 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[UKCruiseJeff]

I am perplexed as to how anyone can think that free internet for all on a ship is a good thing. It simply means that for those that need or want it to enough to have previously paid for it, it will become almost unusable unless SS also pay for a considerable increase in satellite bandwidth and more higher capacity wifi routers. Don't hold your breath.

 

Free excursions is another cunning plan to demonstrate a complete lack of understanding of a sizeable chunk of their existing long-term loyal customer base in order to attract customers from other lines. I'm amongst the minority who have never taken an SS organised excursion, Why on earth would I pay a fare that includes it.

 

So when the internet you have now inclusively paid for is unusable because it's clogged and the included tour quality is cut to the bone, how exactly do you get a refund? If you pay for an excursion now and they fail to provide it, you get a refund. What will happen under this new "enhanced" "all,inclusive" regime? You can whistle.

 

It's really just more of the same.

 

 

.

Edited January 15, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff
spelling

[Emtbsam]

We took the WWII charter cruise on the Cloud last year and one of the perks was free unlimited wi-fi. We were amazed that we had absolutely no problems getting on line whenever we wanted to. We do not stream videos, chat on skype or download lengthy documents, but it worked fine for searching on the internet and e-mail.

[UKCruiseJeff]

We took the WWII charter cruise on the Cloud last year and one of the perks was free unlimited wi-fi. We were amazed that we had absolutely no problems getting on line whenever we wanted to. We do not stream videos, chat on skype or download lengthy documents, but it worked fine for searching on the internet and e-mail.

 

Was the percentage of passengers on that particular cruise more internet intensive or less intensive than on other cruises do you think?

[wripro]

When Regent first introduced included excursions it was just after the recession started in 2008 and it was their way of competing with the other luxury lines to entice customers. At that time they did not raise the prices. That didn't last long and soon the included excursions raised their fares to the highest in the industry. How long do you think it will take SS to raise their fares even if they don't do it immediately? They can't possibly include excursions for long without doing so.

[bspill]

Am I missing something. We're booked on a Med cruise on the cloud in April. I'm paying the same price as someone booking today who are getting free shore excursions, but, I pay for the same excursions. What happened to the price guaranty that I will not be penalized for booking early?

[Emtbsam]

Was the percentage of passengers on that particular cruise more internet intensive or less intensive than on other cruises do you think?

 

It was a slightly younger crowd than usual so I assume (correctly or not) that they might have been using the internet more. Also, the ship emptied out during the day for the planned events, so when we returned to the ship, you could assume that more people would have been trying to access the internet at once. Same thing for hot water in the Amazon after a day on shore!

[WesW]

Cruise industry news release on new included shore ex & wifi:

 

http://www.cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/12127-silversea-offering-included-shore-ex-and-wifi-on-med-cruises.html

Edited January 15, 2015 by WesW

[Silver Spectre]

Am I missing something. We're booked on a Med cruise on the cloud in April. I'm paying the same price as someone booking today who are getting free shore excursions, but, I pay for the same excursions. What happened to the price guaranty that I will not be penalized for booking early?

 

As ever with SS this only applies if they reduce the price, and not if they add a further benefit for booking. So early booking, long term loyalty are always binned.

 

I suggest you get your TA to try and make a case for giving you the new benefits. Sometimes it works. Good luck.

[Gourmet Gal]

Wow, just booked last week...what are my options? Cancel and rebook? Why not just extend to everyone....

[brimary]

Re..Wifi,according to SS website free wifi only applies to suites above vista & veranda level.2 hours only in vista and veranda.There are three grades of tours the new mass crowd tours included on first booked basis,then the old style SS excursions at two levels of comfort that we have become used to over many years but at a price!!!!!Sadly it looks like a disaster waiting to happen especially for those of us who book our cruises 1 or 2 years in advance who will have to pay for the mass excursions that people booking now will be joining us for free!!

[Herman The Cat]

Here are some of the small print details from the website on the Silver Cloud early Feb. 2016 sailing that we are considering: "Shore Excursion and WIFI: All Silver Privilege Fares shown are cruise-only per person in US dollars based on double-occupancy in a Vista suite and include Silver Shore Select; applies to new bookings made on or after January 15, 2015 only. Silver Shore Select Excursion are offered on a first come first served basis, in every port of call at no additional charge. Depending on tour timing, up to two Silver Shore Select Excursion may be taken per day. Additional shore excursions are available for purchase; standard cancellation penalties apply. Capacity is limited on all shore excursions including Silver Shore Select and guests’ first choice may or may not be available. Silversea reserves the right to cancel any shore excursions including Silver Shore Select. No credit or other compensation will be given if Silver Shore Select are cancelled or not utilised. All shore excursions including Silver Shore Select are operated by independent operators over whom Silversea has no control. Two hours of complimentary internet access perguest/ per suite is available for guests booked on 2015 Mediterranean voyages in Vista or Veranda suites aboard the Silver Wind, Silver Cloud and Silver Spirit. Unlimited WiFi service applies for those guests booked on 2015 Mediterranean voyages in Medallion suites and higher aboard the Silver Wind and Silver suites and higher aboard the Silver Cloud and Silver Spirit. Additional internet packages are available for purchase. WiFi service is not guaranteed. Silversea is not responsible if WiFi service is not available. No credit or other compensation will be provided should WiFi service not be available or should the WiFi allowance go unused. Programme subject to change."

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 168,965 views.

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

Thanks Terry, for the fine print. I checked our voyage in the Med in May; not all excurions are included. There are two or so per port that are Silver Shore SELECT Excursions and these are included. Since I have already been to many of the ports on our voyage, I can tell you that the majority of INCLUDED excursions are basically the bus tours to the main tourist sites or walking tours in the local town...tours we probably wouldn't take anyway.

 

I'm not too concerned--yet...maybe it is because we are selective in our excurions, do independent excursions for the most part, and different types of excursions. In fact, if there is a main site we might want to go to (Olympia, for example), that was a bus tour anyway that we expected, and we paid for it. Now we won't have to. In regard to WIFI, I'm not on a cruise to be on the internet...only to hop on or off for some short periods of time here and there so I'm not concerned about the internet either.

 

Does Regent include ALL excursions or just select excursions? I can understand if Regent includes ALL excursions it could be a circus. We cruised Regent once and never will again.

[bspill]

As ever with SS this only applies if they reduce the price, and not if they add a further benefit for booking. So early booking, long term loyalty are always binned.

 

I suggest you get your TA to try and make a case for giving you the new benefits. Sometimes it works. Good luck.

 

Just sent an email to Silversea rep we booked with. Will see what happens.

[CASHIPman]

Is the free WiFi two hours total for the length of the cruise?

[uncletanus]

Booked a b2b for this spring on the wind last summer. Talked to my TA after hearing about the included excursions. If I booked the same 2 cruises today it would be roughly $3500 more per person with the included shore excursions and wifi.

 

 

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[rosepark]

Sorry , I didn't see this thread had already started when I opened mine this morning, too horrified to look properly.

I can't see any Venetian sailings listed now. I know there were several on offer but nothing is now appearing on the website. Have these been withdrawn as well, does anyone know?

Rp

[SeaSiq]

You can see a little more about how SS is planning on handling folks who booked before this was announced at:

 

http://www.travelweekly.com/Cruise-Travel/Silversea-adds-free-shore-excursions-in-the-Med?ct=cruise

 

Note the the first sentence in the third paragraph! Sound like you get included for an upcharge. Also note that: "Fares will be increased slightly to reflect the greater value."

 

Wonder what "slightly" means to SS.