Updated "Cruise with Confidence" Policy

[iMarco46]

May 14 update

[KennyMandy]

This doesn't look any different to the previous policy.

 

[alexandria]

10 minutes ago, KennyMandy said:

This doesn't look any different to the previous policy.

 

The reference to DACH markets in the below paragraph is new.  Other than that, I didn't see any changes in my cursory glance.

 

 

WHEN GUESTS CANCEL LESS THAN 48 HOURS PRIOR TO DEPARTURE:

· Penalty will be 100% of the booking.

· Penalty for DACH markets is as follows:

o  80% of the voyage price if cancellation happens between 2 and 1 day before departure
o  95% of the voyage price if cancellation happens on the departure date or if there a no show

[SSCAF001]

No. The reference to DACH markets were already there...I see no difference with the previous version.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[alexandria]

25 minutes ago, SSCAF001 said:

No. The reference to DACH markets were already there...I see no difference with the previous version.


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

 

Attached is the April 8, 2020 version of the Cruise with Confidence policy.  I don't see a reference to DACH markets in that version.

Silversea Cruise with Confidence Program 20200408.pdf

[SSCAF001]

 
Attached is the April 8, 2020 version of the Cruise with Confidence policy.  I don't see a reference to DACH markets in that version.
Silversea Cruise with Confidence Program 20200408.pdf

It was there at least in Europe...I know it because I leave in Switzerland (CH)


Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Emtbsam]

I am a bit confused by the wording.  If I elect to take a FCC for a cruise that I cancel and then apply it to a booking in late 2021, can I cancel that cruise 120 days prior and receive a cash refund or do I forfeit the money?

[les37b]

On 5/15/2020 at 12:14 AM, Emtbsam said:

I am a bit confused by the wording.  If I elect to take a FCC for a cruise that I cancel and then apply it to a booking in late 2021, can I cancel that cruise 120 days prior and receive a cash refund or do I forfeit the money?

 

A very very good question and one which I'd suggest putting to Silversea direct via email so you have a response back in writing.

 

Last night I sent a list of considerations to replace mine cancelled yesterday. I had already stated ive no interest in a FCC, fine fine if this booking is simply transferred directly to a different cruise because of the CC protection implications.

 

I rather suspect the reply to your question wont be favourable. My booking in question has a £2K credit applied.... Which i was told i would lose if it didnt go on another booking. Im guessing that equates to the almost identical scenario.

 

I was also told the FCC reference in the cancellation email being sent "within 14 days" doesn't imply ive accepted it and that even if i hadnt picked a replacement, i would be entitled to a cash refund up to the end of the year.

 

Ill certainly be asking these questions myself and is a good call.

 

 

[les37b]

Emtbsam, following on from what you'd asked. I rang and spoke with my contact and the answer was a bit of a mixture of good and bad. Obviously this shouldn't be taken as gospel, but this is what I was told from a UK perspective.

 

Ok, my plan was to put my cancellation straight onto an alternative with a FCC, but from what i was told, it is effectively what will happen, which wasn't what i wanted to hear.

 

What i was told though, even after swapping onto a new booking, i still had until 31 Dec 2020 to request a full monetary refund of my original booking if i wished. Once 1 Jan 21 came around, that was it. Your money is tied down. You can obviously still change things, but full refund is no longer on offer.

 

This was told over the phone and needless to say, i will ask for this in writing. I hopefully will hear back tomorrow or Friday with details on my replacement. If none come in, I shall call it a day and walk away with a full cash refund.

 

By all means quote what i was told here with your agent, but don't take it as read as these T&Cs seems quite fluid and id hate to have you take this for granted without making 100% sure. I'm simply repeating what I've been told.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited May 20, 2020 by les37b

[Emtbsam]

Les37b. Thank you for the information.  I asked my TA to get the answer but as yet have not had a response.  We are in the US, so it might be different.  While we want to continue to cruise in the future, we also want to be prudent.  I will let you know what I hear.

[alexandria]

I don't see anything in the terms and conditions that would permit you to cancel a cruise paid for with FCC and receive a cash refund.

 

Here is the section from the Cruise with Confidence conditions that would likely be applicable:  "If guests have a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) that was applied to the cancelled booking, this FCC will be reinstated with the previous amount used with the original expiration date or extend the expiration date to December 31, 2020, whichever is further out. This FCC must be used, and guests must sail by, December 31, 2021. Once re-activated, it can be combined with the Cruise with Confidence FCC on the new booking."

 

The exception that les37b discussed applies in the case where Silversea cancels and a full refund is due the passenger.  In those cases Silversea automatically sends out the 125% FCC but you can contact Silversea and request a cash refund.  According to les37b's post, you can do that through Dec 31, 2020. 

 

There is nothing in any of the policies or terms and conditions that would indicate that a passenger who is no longer eligible to receive a cash refund (for example, they cancel 14 days prior to sailing), can "reset" the tiered standard cancellation policy o potentially receive a full cash refund by applying FCC received under the Cruise with Confidence policy to a later sailing.  Instead the terms of that policy (as quoted above) would apply.

 

So if you receive FCC from the Cruise with Confidence policy, apply that to a second cruise and later cancel the second cruise, since you applied FCC to that now cancelled second cruise, then "...this FCC will be reinstated..." per the Cruise with Confidence policy.

 

IANYL but that is my assessment of how the Cruise with Confidence policy and the standard Silversea terms and conditions would apply to the situation you asked about.

Edited May 21, 2020 by alexandria

[Emtbsam]

My cruise is in late October, and I do not wish to risk a cruise then.  My concern is that if I wait until 48 hours prior to departure hoping they cancel the cruise So I can have the 125% FCC and they change that policy, I will not be able to cancel without a sizeable penalty.  I plan on rebooking a September 2021 Grand Voyage.

 

Any thoughts about the likelihood they could change their 48 hour policy.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, Emtbsam said:

Any thoughts about the likelihood they could change their 48 hour policy.

Oh, you bet I have thoughts.  Plain and simple,  any changes to it won’t be in your favor.

 

I know if I planned to take a Grand Voyage cruise, I’d cancel whatever 7 - 15 day voyage I held immediately, take my money, hold it, and wait for a juiced promotion.  
 

You and your hubs sail extensively.  You know the deals are going to get much, much better for 2021 than the current silly $1K OBC.

[cruiseej]

2 hours ago, Emtbsam said:

Any thoughts about the likelihood they could change their 48 hour policy.

 

I would think anyone currently booked on a cruise with the current cancellation guarantee will retain it; it would be hard to change those terms on customers already covered by it. That said, we've seen that policies can change in an instant. Presumably changes would only affect new bookings going forward, but why take the chance? You know you don't want to go on the cruise this October. You know you want to switch to a cruise next year. You can get back 100% of your money. Why gamble and spend the next 5 months watching and worrying about announcements or changes?

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

You can get back 100% of your money.

Less $200 USD.

[cruiseej]

4 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Less $200 USD.

 

Well, yes, but Emtbsam plans to re-book a 2021 voyage, and the $200 administrative fee can be applied to that, so I was considering it a complete refund. Technically, you're correct that it's a 99.x% cash refund and a 0.x% Future Cruise Credit. 😉 

[Stumblefoot]

Good point, cruiseej.  Your are right that if emtsbam rolls the cancelled booking into a new booking, the no dollars are lost.

[alexandria]

10 hours ago, Emtbsam said:

My cruise is in late October, and I do not wish to risk a cruise then.  My concern is that if I wait until 48 hours prior to departure hoping they cancel the cruise So I can have the 125% FCC and they change that policy, I will not be able to cancel without a sizeable penalty.  I plan on rebooking a September 2021 Grand Voyage.

 

Any thoughts about the likelihood they could change their 48 hour policy.

I agree with the others.  If you know you don't want to sail in October and can cancel now to receive a full cash refund less the $200 administrative fee (which you can use as FCC for a future booking), that is what you should do. 

 

Remember, you only receive the 125% FCC if Silversea cancels, not you.  So you would be rolling the dice on whether a late October cruise is cancelled by Silversea.  And while we don't know the future for certain, I believe Silversea will be doing everything possible within their control to have fall cruises sailing as scheduled.

 

 

[Emtbsam]

Thanks Stumblefoot, Cruiseej, and Alexandria for all your wise advice.  I called Silversea (US) directly today and received the following answer which I paraphrase:  Based on our conversation today, Silversea will apply the "Cruise with Confidence" policy in effect today, May 22, 2020 should we decide to cancel our cruise during the penalty period within 120 days prior to sailing so long as we do not cancel any later than 48 hours prior to sailing.  Therefore, if we cancel our October 29 and November 25, 2020 reservations prior to October 27, 2020, we can apply the full amount we have paid to a future cruise credit which can be used for a cruise any time in 2021.

 

It seems that it all hinges on the fact that I spoke with Silversea directly and went on record that we might need to cancel.  Given that our booking is with a TA, I find it surprising that I would have to speak with SS to be protected.  I do not believe that the fact that we have many days with Silversea had anything to do with the answer I received.  I will have to forfeit the 5% on board booking discount I received on those reservations but would not be able to recoup that in any event with a full cash refund.

 

Now that I have this in writing and reconfirmed following my paraphrase of the original email, I feel more confident that I can wait for a while into the penalty period before making a decision about next year's Grand Voyage.  Now I just have to hope that the perks that accompany the Grand Voyage become more generous.  While I hate to hope that October voyages will be cancelled, I would love to be able to take advantage of the 125% FCC if they do cancel.

 

The Silversea representative with whom I spoke said that I could share this information on social media.

 

 

 

[cruiseej]

@Emtbsam I'm confused by your post. What you quoted as some extra special protection because you spoke to Silversea appears to simply be the current standard refund policy. You can cancel up to 48 hours before a cruise for 100% future cruise credit. You can't get your money back, but you can roll it forward as a FCC. On the other hand, if you wait and Silversea cancels your cruise, you'll get 125% future cruise credit. And if you want to get a cash refund, you need to do so by the normal 120 days before sailing.

 

You can read the current cancellation policy here:

https://www.silversea.com/temporary-amendment-to-cancellation-policy.html

 

You don't need anything special in writing, you didn't need to speak with Silversea, your status with Silversea isn't a factor -- it's simply the current cancellation policy in effect until the end of this year. 

[Emtbsam]

Cruiseej. Yes, there is some confusion.  I am well aware of the current cancellation policy.  My concern was once I entered the penalty time period, should they again change their policy (as they did several months ago for a very brief period of time) I wanted to be sure the cost of my 30 day cruise would be fully protected.  While I did not think that Silversea would do something which could so adversely affect clients regardless of their Venetian Society status, I am a belt and suspenders type of person and wanted to be reassured.

 

If you did not receive the email several months which stated an even more favorable policy (which was quickly modified), then you might not have had the same concerns.  Hope this helps clarify the post.