Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome! Part Four

[Daveywavey70]

Oh my word!

Jeff I’m so sorry but not surprised. I wonder how they calculated the 20% offer? Possibly using the same carefully calculated formula they used to reach a decision of 25% fcc to us.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Thanks All.

 

To be explicit and clear.

 

We specifically asked a member of senior staff on board (with the title “Director”) at the Venetian reception why a more appropriate and immediate response to the behaviour had not been forthcoming and that person shared their utter and complete, candid and pent-up frustration and told us that instructions had been received from above on the ship based on instructions from “head office” that there would be no further sanctions or interference. They would simply not interfere.

 

My wife and I basically listened for pretty much half an hour or so to intense anger from this member of senior staff and others - who were clearly passionate about SS - who seemed to believe and was asked to message onto and reassure us and others that at that stage that whilst we and other Venetian members had been cheated out of the experience we had paid for and rightfully expected, that although not optimal, we would however have to be patient and wait to be treated very sympathetically and appropriately once we returned home and heard from Silversea.

[jpalbny]

They got the "waiting" part dead on...

 

On the topic of SS cruises. I logged on to My Silversea to look at a few options - not that we are really planning to do ship's excursions, but to see what was available so I could plan stuff on our own. I found this excursion on disembarkation day!

 

This looks really cool, so we signed up for it posthaste. We figure that we can disembark around 9:30 or later, and leave our luggage with the Four Seasons, and then come back to the pier to join this tour by 10:30. Afterwards, we will hop on the tube in South Kensington a few blocks away, which should take us directly back to Tower Hill and our hotel.

 

And, it's Free! One question, though...what is "Bowl Food?" ;p

 

An Exclusive Event at the Royal Geographic Society in London (For Disembarking Guests) (LON-L)

Departure from the pier at approx. 10.45am for an approximate 45 minutes' drive to the Royal Geographical Society in London.

 

Celebrate the unique partnership between Silversea and the oldest geographical society in the world, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) with an exclusive private event curated especially for Silver Wind guests at the 'home of geography' in London.

 

Exceptionally for Silversea guests, the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) will open its doors and archives giving you a rare chance to understand their work from inside one of the finest Grade 11 listed Victorian buildings in London.

With over two-million items celebrating 500 years of geographical travel and exploration, this event is a must for anyone curious about the world in which we live. See how the world has changed since the first ever atlas; marvel at hand-drawn maps for reaching the South Pole; or contemplate the simplicity of Darwin's pocket sextant that accompanied him through the Galapagos. An extraordinary opportunity to uncover the Society's treasures that is simply not to be missed!

Royal Geographical Society (with IBG) in London

 

Upon arrival, guests can enjoy a welcome champagne reception across the fine rooms of the Society. Standing in one of the most important cultural quarters in Europe, Lowther Lodge is a resplendent architectural marvel with a fascinating history which reflects the way the Society has developed and changed since it moved to its permanent home in 1913.

 

Open House

 

Guests will be offered a bowl food lunch reception and are invited to discover the fine rooms within the Society which are decorated with explorer portraits and breathtaking maps including a 17th century Chinese map of the world, one of only 8 which exist in the world.

 

Guests will be privileged to enjoy a photographic exhibition across the griound floor of the Society showcasing images by Frank Hurley from Sir Ernest Shackleton's 'Endurance' expedition of 1913-1917. The story of the expedition is one of the most iconic ever told and the remarkable images captured by Frank Hurley, the expedition's photographer are widely acknowledged as the 'crown jewels' of the Society's photographic collection.

Guests can also spend time amongst the Collections with a curated display of treasures in the Foyle Reading room.

 

Ondaatje Theatre

 

Following the open house guests will be escorted into the Ondaatje Theatre for a lecture from Alasdair MacLeod, Head of Collections & Enterprise at the Society. Be transported as Alasdair explores the vibrant history of this fascinating Society from 1830 to the present day. Be inspired as he delves into some of the most iconic stories of exploration. Wondered where Stanley met Livingstone in Africa, or how Shackleton managed to survive three years frozen in the Antarctic ice? Be inspired and discover your world as you have never seen it before.

 

At the conclusion of the event, guests are under their own arrangements from the Royal Geographical Society to their final destination unless they have purchased the optional Silversea transfer to Heathrow Airport.

 

Please note: For organizational reason, we kindly ask our guests to book the event within and not later the 14th August. Space on this tour is extremely limited; we suggest you book well in advance to avoid disappointment.

 

Transfer is included from the pier to the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG).

 

Luggage will be kept at the Education Centre at the Royal Geographical Society (with IBG), guests will than picked it up at the end of the event.

 

The event will finish at approx. 3pm (local time).

 

Guests are under their own arrangements from the Royal Geographical Society to their final destination unless they have purchased the optional Silversea transfer to Heathrow Airport.

In case guests need to reach the airport the distance from RGS to LHR airport is approx. 45 mins by car.

 

This tour is suitable for guests with limited mobility and guests who utilise a wheelchair.

 

Dress code should be informal.

 

[Isklaar]

That sounds like a great excursion JP.

 

Bowl food was served at the most recent Royal wedding.

Many of us here, well those of us who aren't hipsters, were agog wondering what it is. :D Basically it's a food presentation that is e.g larger than an amuse bouche or canape but much smaller than a typical main course. It's eaten with just a fork and in theory it works well because you can eat whilst you stand and chat to others, but I'm not sure where you're supposed to leave your drink.

[Tothesunset]

As a matter of interest, JP, do you have a price for the RGS tour?

[jpalbny]

TTS, it's listed on the website as free. When I made the reservation, it said 2 tix, $0

 

Isklaar, thanks for the explanation!

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

[Bill B]

It transpires that Silversea are not responsible for accepting a group booking of 220 and operating a BoozeCrooze. Silly me

 

I guess others can decide for themselves whether this is the type of response that would justify full confidence in this line.

 

Amazing. :(

 

"...we had no way of knowing that they would have the impact or inconvenience other guests in the way that you describe."

Translation - "...we are denying our obvious shortsightedness and stupidity." :rolleyes:

[Tothesunset]

TTS, it's listed on the website as free. When I made the reservation, it said 2 tix, $0

 

Isklaar, thanks for the explanation!

 

Sent from my SM-G930T using Forums mobile app

I had to read that twice just to make sure! We are on the Wind next spring arriving in the Smoke and this seems to be offered for that cruise. I was expecting, though, a steepish charge so you have made a poor, retired surgeon very happy!

And if I'd bothered to read your post properly I'd have seen that you stated it was free. Typical surgeon - cut first, ask questions later.

Edited June 22, 2018 by Tothesunset

[Lois R]

Jeff. I agree with the others......after reading the response I am sitting here saying "you have got to be freaking kidding me":mad:……..I am so sorry truly.

 

I sail in 2 weeks and after reading about all you went through AND their response? This may be my last SS cruise for a while. I am just talking about on principal:(……….there is a saying "you can't fix stupid"...…..that is how I feel about the answer they gave you.

 

I am certainly hoping I have a wonderful cruise and plan to......but that response is VERY, VERY unsettling...…..

How can they not be responsible?:eek:

[Bill B]

How can they not be responsible?:eek:

 

Uhhhh -

 

[Lois R]

Uhhhh -

 

 

Yes, money talks...…..I know that but it doesn't make it right. So I know people say then take your money

elsewhere. After my upcoming cruise, I may just do that.

[UKCruiseJeff]

Amazing. :(

 

"...we had no way of knowing that they would have the impact or inconvenience other guests in the way that you describe."

Translation - "...we are denying our obvious shortsightedness and stupidity." :rolleyes:

 

It is difficult to reconcile the comment in the letter with the comments for the first few days from the UW people who were all sort of whispering that Silversea had requested that they didn't tell their other passengers that they were a part of a very large group booking because Silversea knew it would upset "them" (us). It is obvious that Silversea had predicted that it would impact us and how Silversea thought it could conceal a group booking of 220 people is bewildering. Add to that the other group booking of 45'ish and you certainly have all the elements of a perfectly predictable outcome and experience for the minority of ordinary, gullible, trusting, and unsuspecting non-group booking customers.

Edited June 23, 2018 by UKCruiseJeff

[UKCruiseJeff]

Jeff. I agree with the others......after reading the response I am sitting here saying "you have got to be freaking kidding me":mad:……..I am so sorry truly.

 

I sail in 2 weeks and after reading about all you went through AND their response? This may be my last SS cruise for a while. I am just talking about on principal:(……….there is a saying "you can't fix stupid"...…..that is how I feel about the answer they gave you.

 

I am certainly hoping I have a wonderful cruise and plan to......but that response is VERY, VERY unsettling...…..

How can they not be responsible?:eek:

 

Thanks for the solidarity L,

 

You have had an awfully anxious time recently over your health and stuff, and what I really want more than anything is for you to have a really great time. What my situation shows clearly is that Silversea feels contempt for their customers when they do something wrong. There's no reason to presume that you will find yourself in the same situation that we were in so look forward to your cruise with optimism. :)

 

All the best,

[Lois R]

Thanks for the solidarity L,

 

You have had an awfully anxious time recently over your health and stuff, and what I really want more than anything is for you to have a really great time. What my situation shows clearly is that Silversea feels contempt for their customers when they do something wrong. There's no reason to presume that you will find yourself in the same situation that we were in so look forward to your cruise with optimism. :)

 

All the best,

 

Thanks for your kind words:)

[Daveywavey70]

It is difficult to reconcile the comment in the letter with the comments for the first few days from the UW people who were all sort of whispering that Silversea had requested that they didn't tell their other passengers that they were a part of a very large group booking because Silversea knew it would upset "them"

 

That was the first thing that went through my mind Jeff. They knew exactly what the likely outcome would be and obviously calculated that those “ paying guests” that complained would be offered 20% Fcc and it would all be worthwhile. When will these people realise the damage that they are doing to their brand? That is assuming that they haven’t realised already but just don’t care. I Think I can guess the way that this will go now.

 

How long will it take the world to wake up to what an absolute shambles of a company this is?

 

On a more pleasant note, how was the grappa?

[CBWIR]

Howling with laughter.

I never realised you knew my scililian friends so well. What a shame the damm thing ship fixers didn’t use mamas pasta to fix the bellassimo signora and instead just take your magnifico lira and spit on your honour. ( I do actually have connections that are that way inclined) and will be treated like a king any time I visit Cagliari)

So mamma decides she like a Bigga ship. So I open a big jar of dolmio and pour it over the pasta. Soon after, I realise I couldn’t pay for the extra jar of dolmio that I had poured over the pasta. When I realised I couldn’t pay for this extra jar I decided to sell the bowl of pasta. It is a very good bowl of pasta, it is more expensive pasta than any other pasta makers can make. Maybe it’s only pasta but it’s very expensive pasta. My papas dream was to serve the most expensive pasta and serve it in a dozen expensive pasta restaurants. We managed to get away with this for a while until those picky Europeans realised that the very expensive pasta came with no sauce.

Luckily our American friends decided that even though our pasta had no sauce they wanted to buy our pasta anyway.It was not important to them that our pasta tasted of nothing and had no sauce but it was very expensive pasta. So now that I have nothing important to do anymore I will dedicate my time and my billion dollars to finding a more honest dentist.

I'm sure all Italians and Americans appreciate your perspective. For such a friendly forum,surprised no one else has commented.

[UKCruiseJeff]

That was the first thing that went through my mind Jeff. They knew exactly what the likely outcome would be and obviously calculated that those “ paying guests” that complained would be offered 20% Fcc and it would all be worthwhile. When will these people realise the damage that they are doing to their brand? That is assuming that they haven’t realised already but just don’t care. I Think I can guess the way that this will go now.

 

How long will it take the world to wake up to what an absolute shambles of a company this is?

 

On a more pleasant note, how was the grappa?

 

What really hurts about this Dave, is not the cash, as it really isn't important to me. It is two principles. It is the principle of being treated dishonestly for all the reasons we have done to death and the complete contempt that they hold customers in but also the abdonment of the products values and qualities.

The main frustration is that inside all of this is the hardware elements that are intrinsically pretty perfect. Shadow and Whisper has the most generous space per passenger of pretty much any cruise ship. It has great suites and has all of the potential to provide a perfect cruise. As you know running your business, a cruise line is highly geared to fixed costs that you will incur whether a ship is full or empty. Because those costs are fixed, when your back is against the wall and you need the cash-flow what gets compromised is all the important software elements ie the quality of the stuff you eat and experience ie the cost variables. Food quality, service recovery etc etc. What lets the ships down is what emerges as poor management who seem to me to be trashing the product because the debt has to be financed.

 

There's a load of speculation on another thread about the latest developments and I know no more than anyone else. It does seem to me that selling 2/3rds of the business was probably not the original plan a few years ago. Many ask why 2/3rds and not all of it. Perhaps it is all of it. Perhaps they will get the last third when the plan that has been promised for the next period is achieved then the price will be on a success based sliding scale. The writing on the wall is that if you have a limited supply of an excellent product you can have a degree of price-sensitive immunity as you manage the optimisation by adjusting the price. If you provide a greater quantity of the product and require more customers then the price tends to come down. The combination of expansion, the profile of the new owners business and the purpose of "the last third" doesn't indicate to me an imminent set of quality improvement initiatives.

I had some more grappa which was great and a different cigar ...

 

[swindy]

That was the first thing that went through my mind Jeff. They knew exactly what the likely outcome would be and obviously calculated that those “ paying guests” that complained would be offered 20% Fcc and it would all be worthwhile. When will these people realise the damage that they are doing to their brand? That is assuming that they haven’t realised already but just don’t care. I Think I can guess the way that this will go now.

 

How long will it take the world to wake up to what an absolute shambles of a company this is?

 

On a more pleasant note, how was the grappa?

 

 

 

My understanding of the letter to Jeff is that it isn't actually a 20% future cruise credit. Its an amount calculated as 20% of the cruise just taken. As this was only a 7 day cruise it is obviously even less than just offering a 20% credit to be applied to a future cruise.........

[Isklaar]

JP, I've just found a link that is somewhat more descriptive than my own, discussing 'bowl food' :)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44184941

[UKCruiseJeff]

My understanding of the letter to Jeff is that it isn't actually a 20% future cruise credit. Its an amount calculated as 20% of the cruise just taken. As this was only a 7 day cruise it is obviously even less than just offering a 20% credit to be applied to a future cruise.........

 

You are correct.

 

The future discount they have offered me is precisely 8% off of my next cruise. In fact they ignored my request by my TA to cancel the cruise until they had sent this ridiculous proposal. They still haven't cancelled the cruise as it still appears on "my cruise".

[mysty]

Greetings Coolers!

 

I echo the posts here expressing extreme disappointment for the response you received from SS J! There are no words! :(

 

Today's funny.....

 

I am a morning person...the human incarnation of Thumper the rabbit from the Disney Bambi movie. Myster is a night owl...not real keen on mornings. I think he needs this:

 

 

Have a great day all!

[Isklaar]

You are correct.

 

The future discount they have offered me is precisely 8% off of my next cruise. In fact they ignored my request by my TA to cancel the cruise until they had sent this ridiculous proposal. They still haven't cancelled the cruise as it still appears on "my cruise".

 

They're cheeky bar stewards. :mad:

 

I've read the Silversea board periodically since my last cruise with SS which was several years ago. I came back to read more often about 6 weeks ago as I was considering booking a cruise with Silversea. Since then there's been the Wind failing CDC, the Spirit stretch debacle, the Peasants Must Wait For Their Tender issue and now this. It's been most off putting to read.

I realise that a bad cruise can happen on any line but it's the way SS handles problems that I find disappointing. Terrible customer service.

[Isklaar]

Today's funny speaks loudly to me, Mysty! :D

[frantic36]

Mysty, I need that cup. That is me in the morning. Sometimes You need to wait until the second cup kicks in.

 

Just speculating here whether Manfredi doesn't feel the need to be worried because he has got a hefty amount of money since selling part of the business. In this case maybe it will be better when RCCL takes over more of the management?

 

I am sorry for the ongoing bad faith that some are experiencing and wish it was different.

 

After reading the woes, especially the charter issues for you Jeff, I am glad we decided not to go ahead with a Whisper cruise next year. It was about 20 days and an interesting itinerary. However over a period of a couple of months they changed the itinerary and dates over three times, obviously adjusting for ? a charter or partial charter. I did discuss this with our Silversea Agent. We decided not to risk what was happening and booked a Seabourn cruise.

 

Julie

[UKCruiseJeff]

They're cheeky bar stewards. :mad:

 

I've read the Silversea board periodically since my last cruise with SS which was several years ago. I came back to read more often about 6 weeks ago as I was considering booking a cruise with Silversea. Since then there's been the Wind failing CDC, the Spirit stretch debacle, the Peasants Must Wait For Their Tender issue and now this. It's been most off putting to read.

I realise that a bad cruise can happen on any line but it's the way SS handles problems that I find disappointing. Terrible customer service.

 

Mysty, I need that cup. That is me in the morning. Sometimes You need to wait until the second cup kicks in.

 

Just speculating here whether Manfredi doesn't feel the need to be worried because he has got a hefty amount of money since selling part of the business. In this case maybe it will be better when RCCL takes over more of the management?

 

I am sorry for the ongoing bad faith that some are experiencing and wish it was different.

 

After reading the woes, especially the charter issues for you Jeff, I am glad we decided not to go ahead with a Whisper cruise next year. It was about 20 days and an interesting itinerary. However over a period of a couple of months they changed the itinerary and dates over three times, obviously adjusting for ? a charter or partial charter. I did discuss this with our Silversea Agent. We decided not to risk what was happening and booked a Seabourn cruise.

 

Julie

 

Thanks both.

 

At the moment between two and three thousand have been reading the Cooler each day for the last week or so, up from really just perhaps a hundred or two, and it seems to me that this issue is one that has caught many people's interest. At the core it is about promising one level of service and providing a much worst "nightmare" one and then failing to accept any responsibility whatsoever for your failings and to then compound the failures by treating your customers with utter contempt and ignore their complaint, but instead to use their situation as a marketing opportunity to milk them of more cash. In Dave's case it seems that they even used intimidation with respect to his partner's employment in the industry.

 

It is possibly the most important thing potential customers should understand about a service or product they are considering. You don't know how good it will be or how they will deal with it if it goes wrong. How possible is it that the company might do something to ruin the experience, and how might they put it right if it happens. I have simply posted what happened on my trip as it unfolded and their verbatim response to my complaint.

 

Places like CC and the Cooler provide potential customers the opportunity to make an informed decision as the whether Silversea are a company in which they wish to place their trust with their cruise plans, as you have both done.