How booked is the voyage really?

[OctoberKat]

In any case the upsell etc. discussions are all over the Regent forum so some modicum of such knowledge gets around to be sure.

[st.zoomer]

From what I see Silversea handles pricing different than other cruise lines. Lines like Carnival, RCL, or Norwegian lower the prices of their cabins as you get closer to the sail date if there are still some available; or they call you trying to entice you into an upgrade. Silversea appears to do just the opposite.

 

We booked the Spirit last summer for an upcoming trip in the next couple of weeks. At that time Silversea was offering as a bonus either a two category upgrade or $1000 OBC. Now the cabin prices are hundreds of dollars higher for all categories and there are no bonuses offered--even though there are several categories of cabins still available. (This is on their website so I don't know what a TA could offer).

 

I don't really understand why they would raise the prices when the cabins aren't sold unless they think they will be taken before the sail date.

[Randyk47]

From what I see Silversea handles pricing different than other cruise lines. Lines like Carnival, RCL, or Norwegian lower the prices of their cabins as you get closer to the sail date if there are still some available; or they call you trying to entice you into an upgrade. Silversea appears to do just the opposite.

 

We booked the Spirit last summer for an upcoming trip in the next couple of weeks. At that time Silversea was offering as a bonus either a two category upgrade or $1000 OBC. Now the cabin prices are hundreds of dollars higher for all categories and there are no bonuses offered--even though there are several categories of cabins still available. (This is on their website so I don't know what a TA could offer).

 

I don't really understand why they would raise the prices when the cabins aren't sold unless they think they will be taken before the sail date.

 

I'd agree that generally Silversea doesn't lower fares and may indeed, based on demand, often actually raise prices. Their marketing strategy does seem to be to hold fares steady but offer other incentives like category upgrades or OBCs for slow selling cruises. Indeed, as I mentioned before, they offered a two category upgrade or $1500 OBC for our Wind cruise next March. We booked months ago before the incentive but were able to add the $1500 OBC to our booking without any problem.

[st.zoomer]

Indeed, as I mentioned before, they offered a two category upgrade or $1500 OBC for our Wind cruise next March. We booked months ago before the incentive but were able to add the $1500 OBC to our booking without any problem.

 

That would seem to fall in line with their guarantee that they would match a lower price once you book a cruise--although it is up to the customer to make sure this happens.

 

What I don't understand is the increase in prices as the sail date is almost upon us. Not many people can drop everything and hop on board a ship at the last minute--and there isn't much incentive to do so at the inflated prices IMO.

 

However, I suppose there is still some lingering demand as the prices have been slowly increasing over the last few weeks and the categories of cabins available has been steadily decreasing. Maybe they know what they are doing...

[57 varieties]

The Silversea Facebook page today has as its 'Cruise of the Week' the 2016 World Cruise with all levels of cabin on offer when you click on the link. That can't be true. We have been waiting for a more central cabin ever since we booked in March (for the first three segments, not the whole 115 days).

 

 

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Edited November 11, 2015 by 57 varieties

[Randyk47]

That would seem to fall in line with their guarantee that they would match a lower price once you book a cruise--although it is up to the customer to make sure this happens.

 

Indeed it was my habit of checking the Silversea website periodically that brought the $1,500 OBC to my attention not anything from our TA or through our TA from Silversea. I caught it on a Saturday, fired off a email to our TA Sunday, and got an updated booking voucher from Silversea showing the OBC by Tuesday. While you'd like to think your TA or the cruise line would catch or automatically apply offers I work under the "trust but verify" approach. I'll give Silversea credit for honoring the offer and not coming up with some "fine print" that excluded existing bookings or saying this wasn't a change in fare or whatever.

[USAFSS4Ever]

Originally Posted by Randyk47 View Post

Indeed, as I mentioned before, they offered a two category upgrade or $1500 OBC for our Wind cruise next March. We booked months ago before the incentive but were able to add the $1500 OBC to our booking without any problem.

 

Any chance this is the trip from FLL to BCN beginning 28 March?

[Randyk47]

Originally Posted by Randyk47 View Post

Indeed, as I mentioned before, they offered a two category upgrade or $1500 OBC for our Wind cruise next March. We booked months ago before the incentive but were able to add the $1500 OBC to our booking without any problem.

 

Any chance this is the trip from FLL to BCN beginning 28 March?

 

It's San Juan to Ft Lauderdale (Voyage 2610, 18-28 March) which is the cruise before the Wind goes to Europe (Voyage 2611). Voyage 2611 is also part of the Venetian Society offer.

[USAFSS4Ever]

It's San Juan to Ft Lauderdale (Voyage 2610, 18-28 March) which is the cruise before the Wind goes to Europe (Voyage 2611). Voyage 2611 is also part of the Venetian Society offer.

 

Tks.Will investigate further.

[Randyk47]

It's San Juan to Ft Lauderdale (Voyage 2610, 18-28 March) which is the cruise before the Wind goes to Europe (Voyage 2611). Voyage 2611 is also part of the Venetian Society offer.

 

Tks.Will investigate further.

 

On Silversea's main page you'll see "Exclusive Offers". To the right of that is picture of a lady standing on her verandah in a red dress. The title on that picture is "Venetian Society - Exclusive Rewards". You can also hit the button labeled "View All" and see all the current offers.

[USAFSS4Ever]

Rgr, saw and will investigate. Tks again.

[USAFSS4Ever]

Following Randyk47's advice, I contacted my travel agent who contacted Silversea to ask about the $1500 OBC. (We were not interested in the 2-suite upgrade offer.) She was told by a reservations specialist that this was not possible as our cruise, like Randyk47's, was booked months ago, and, according to the Silversea web page, the offer was only valid for new bookings made between 20 Oct-10 Dec 2015. She continued to pursue the matter with other contacts and, ultimately, was able to get the OBC. I haven't talked to her yet so I don't know how she managed to do it. In any case, I'm quite happy with the result.

[Randyk47]

Following Randyk47's advice, I contacted my travel agent who contacted Silversea to ask about the $1500 OBC. (We were not interested in the 2-suite upgrade offer.) She was told by a reservations specialist that this was not possible as our cruise, like Randyk47's, was booked months ago, and, according to the Silversea web page, the offer was only valid for new bookings made between 20 Oct-10 Dec 2015. She continued to pursue the matter with other contacts and, ultimately, was able to get the OBC. I haven't talked to her yet so I don't know how she managed to do it. In any case, I'm quite happy with the result.

 

Super! Glad it worked out for you. I have no idea how our TA managed getting around the "new booking" issue. In my email alerting her to the offer I mentioned I supposed we could cancel our booking and rebook since we weren't at final payment but that seemed liked a hassle. She also got it for another couple traveling with us. She pulled it off within a 24-hour period so maybe she had a more cooperative contact at Silversea.

[Silver Spectre]

The Silversea Facebook page today has as its 'Cruise of the Week' the 2016 World Cruise with all levels of cabin on offer when you click on the link. That can't be true. We have been waiting for a more central cabin ever since we booked in March (for the first three segments, not the whole 115 days).

 

 

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The website shows all levels on waitlist though.

[57 varieties]

Exactly. What an odd promotion.

 

 

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[Keith1010]

We have a booking where the promotion applies. We don't want the suite upgrade either. We can get the $1,500.00 credit but the price of our suite has gone up since we first booked it so to get the credit we will have to pay more for the suite. It still is worth doing this because the price increase is far less than the credit. Has anyone run into this with this specific promotion?

 

Keith

[Randyk47]

We got the $1,500 without rebooking our cabin so the fare stayed the same. That never was an issue. Now I guess if they'd insisted on rebooking and the fare was higher I would have done the math and also considered would we be able to get the full benefit of the OBC. As it is we're cruising with another couple and the ladies have already booked a number of spa appointments that are going to chew up a lot of the OBC. We guys are hoping for at least a little surplus left over for a couple of bottles of better wine and maybe a cigar or two. :)

[Keith1010]

We got the $1,500 without rebooking our cabin so the fare stayed the same. That never was an issue. Now I guess if they'd insisted on rebooking and the fare was higher I would have done the math and also considered would we be able to get the full benefit of the OBC. As it is we're cruising with another couple and the ladies have already booked a number of spa appointments that are going to chew up a lot of the OBC. We guys are hoping for at least a little surplus left over for a couple of bottles of better wine and maybe a cigar or two. :)

 

Do you know if the price of your room went up from when you first booked it? If it went up and you got the OBC without having to pay the higher price that would be really helpful for me to know. Yes the math still works out better for me but the issue is do I really need what I would use the credit for rather than not getting credit and keeping the current price and amenity.

 

Keith

[Randyk47]

Do you know if the price of your room went up from when you first booked it? If it went up and you got the OBC without having to pay the higher price that would be really helpful for me to know. Yes the math still works out better for me but the issue is do I really need what I would use the credit for rather than not getting credit and keeping the current price and amenity.

 

Keith

 

I just checked again and our cabin has not gone up in price from when we booked it several months ago. Kind of strange that Silversea, or any line for that matter, would offer upgrades or OBCs incentives for apparently slow selling cruises and concurrently raise the fares. Kind of like our Med cruise earlier this year when Silversea came out with the "free" tours and I think Internet time but jacked up the fare. What the left hand giveth, the right hand taketh away. :confused:

[Keith1010]

Randyk47, thanks for checking. Yes it's a bit strange. Our voyage did go up since we booked it. Again, I just have to figure out is it worth netting extra on board credit which I have to spend versus having to pay more e and give up some amenities that don't have to be spent. Decisions. Decisions.

 

Thanks again.

 

Keith

[Randyk47]

Randyk47, thanks for checking. Yes it's a bit strange. Our voyage did go up since we booked it. Again, I just have to figure out is it worth netting extra on board credit which I have to spend versus having to pay more e and give up some amenities that don't have to be spent. Decisions. Decisions.

 

Thanks again.

 

Keith

 

So I'm gathering that Silversea won't honor the OBC unless you rebook at the higher fare? Seems to me, and I'd probably press the issue, that while it's an incentive and not a fare reduction it flies in the face of Silversea's low price guarantee. That's the old fine print business and I made it clear up front with my TA that while I understood it wasn't a new booking per the offer it was still in essence a cruise cost reduction. I did have the advantage that a cancellation and rebooking wouldn't cost me anything. Probably my biggest risk was not being able to get exactly the same cabin but I could have lived with that. In fairness to Silversea over the four years we've been cruising with them I've never not had them honor a subsequent offer or incentive. It's not always been on the first request, I've gotten a waffle "maybe, maybe not" answer a time or two, but in the end we've always gotten the benefit in the end.

[brimary]

Have always found SS will honour their low price guarantee and give further reductions offered at a later date,but they won't tell you about future offers it is up to you the customer to fight for it and don't take no for an answer if SS try it on.

[Keith1010]

The problem as I understand it is that technically this OBC or upgrade is for new bookings only. They will however provide it but since the price of our category has gone up they say we have to pay the increase. So, it's not a low price guarantee it's this amenity.

 

The upgrade is funny because the top rooms categories are all sold out plus we are happy with what we booked.

 

Oh well. Decisions. Decisions.

 

Keith

[USAFSS4Ever]

The problem as I understand it is that technically this OBC or upgrade is for new bookings only. They will however provide it but since the price of our category has gone up they say we have to pay the increase. So, it's not a low price guarantee it's this amenity.

 

The upgrade is funny because the top rooms categories are all sold out plus we are happy with what we booked.

 

Oh well. Decisions. Decisions.

 

Keit

[USAFSS4Ever]

What I'm trying to post is: My understanding is that these talked-about deals were only for new bookings as well, but, like Randyk47, we enquired through our travel agent and, after some push-back, received the OBC of $1500. Prices for the cruise were not raised. We booked the cruise months ago.