Back to Back guarantees assigned two different staterooms...

[cruiseej]

@Accessor Perhaps I missed it in one of the posts, but have you (or your TA) actually had a conversation about this with Silversea? The initial assignments may have been made by computer, or by humans who weren't searching to see that you were booked on an adjoining voyage. I would think that if you showed them the same suite was available for both segments, they would be willing to make the swap (assuming the suite is at the level for your guarantee, not higher).

 

But hey, you'll get a second bottle of welcome champagne if you do have to move! 😉

[Accessor]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

@Accessor Perhaps I missed it in one of the posts, but have you (or your TA) actually had a conversation about this with Silversea? The initial assignments may have been made by computer, or by humans who weren't searching to see that you were booked on an adjoining voyage. I would think that if you showed them the same suite was available for both segments, they would be willing to make the swap (assuming the suite is at the level for your guarantee, not higher).

 

But hey, you'll get a second bottle of welcome champagne if you do have to move! 😉

We called both TA and SS to confirm the bookings were linked. When we got both cabin assignments and realized they were diff we immediately contacted our TA. She claimed that SS won't do anything after she called and tried for an hour to change them (or so was claimed). I pointed out cabin numbers that were open both legs trying to simplify things....so far nothing has changed.

 

We even called SS directly and got redirected back to our TA. We are going to keep trying...was hoping someone at SS notices the post and takes action. It's not like we are asking for better cabins; just same one for both legs.

[Host Jazzbeau]

11 minutes ago, Accessor said:

We called both TA and SS to confirm the bookings were linked. When we got both cabin assignments and realized they were diff we immediately contacted our TA. She claimed that SS won't do anything after she called and tried for an hour to change them (or so was claimed). I pointed out cabin numbers that were open both legs trying to simplify things....so far nothing has changed.

 

We even called SS directly and got redirected back to our TA. We are going to keep trying...was hoping someone at SS notices the post and takes action. It's not like we are asking for better cabins; just same one for both legs.

Maybe they regret letting you book with the $5,000 saving and want to make you 'earn' it...

[nowornever]

Just a thought - maybe they are saving cabins for those willing to spend more $ to book specific cabins?  If you hang in there, they may release more cabins for Gty. passengers if they don't sell them for full fare, or once you are on board maybe they will accommodate you.  We've never booked with a guarantee but it works for many people so I hope it will for you.  Good luck.

[scottjeanne]

13 hours ago, Accessor said:

We called both TA and SS to confirm the bookings were linked. When we got both cabin assignments and realized they were diff we immediately contacted our TA. She claimed that SS won't do anything after she called and tried for an hour to change them (or so was claimed). I pointed out cabin numbers that were open both legs trying to simplify things....so far nothing has changed.

 

We even called SS directly and got redirected back to our TA. We are going to keep trying...was hoping someone at SS notices the post and takes action. It's not like we are asking for better cabins; just same one for both legs.

I have also spoken with Silver seas and my travel agent has also contacted them.  Since the first cabin is an upgrade (verandah versus vista) they will not change us.  The first voyage has no available vistas suites, but the second has plenty of both.

[Accessor]

27 minutes ago, scottjeanne said:

I have also spoken with Silver seas and my travel agent has also contacted them.  Since the first cabin is an upgrade (verandah versus vista) they will not change us.  The first voyage has no available vistas suites, but the second has plenty of both.

 

How frustrating. They sell cabins they don't have, upgrade you, then tell you you will need to change cabins b/c you got an upgrade? I beginning to think this is their way of saying we don't want you to book B2B guarantees....we can guarantee we will split your cabins 😞 .

 

Cruiselines aren't sailing at capacity these days, are hungry for our money, then show little love when asked for one cabin during a B2B.

[pdaniel]

Accessor,

 

 

I was able to find a site that allowed me to see open cabins; they have many options that are open both legs (50+ cabins)

 

Where is this site?

[Observer]

1 hour ago, pdaniel said:

Accessor,

 

 

I was able to find a site that allowed me to see open cabins; they have many options that are open both legs (50+ cabins)

 

Where is this site?

 

I was also curious about the site.  The OP assumes that it is accurate and current.  Perhaps it is.  Perhaps not.  IME, real-time info on specific suites is available only directly from SS.

 

In any case, “open” cabins are not necessarily available.  For example, I understand that a number of cabins are now being set aside for newly-joining crew who have not completed quarantine yet.  Some of the “open” cabins may be be allocated to a group, with specific cabin assignments not yet made by the group administrator.

 

I believe it is practice throughout travel industry that suppliers are hesitant to deal directly with customers on matters of detail if those customers have purchased the product through a TA.  The TA “owns” the booking and the supplier does not want to get in the middle between the client and the TA.  The TA should resolve this matter, if resolution is possible.

 

 

[nowornever]

Accessor, I'm curious about your experience booking a GTY cabin on the other cruise lines & how that worked out.  It appears you booked a Vista guarantee & were upgraded to a Verandah on the 1st segment but not the 2nd.  So are you willing to go back to a Vista on the 1st IF you can get the same cabin for the 2nd or do you want a Verandah for both?  Maybe if you put a deposit on a Verandah Gty, you could get the same cabin?  Have you asked about that or are you rolling the dice that you will get an upgrade on both.  If you really want the same cabin, maybe you should consider booking what you really want & not rolling the dice.  I'm missing something in your posts.

[Accessor]

11 hours ago, nowornever said:

Accessor, I'm curious about your experience booking a GTY cabin on the other cruise lines & how that worked out.  It appears you booked a Vista guarantee & were upgraded to a Verandah on the 1st segment but not the 2nd.  So are you willing to go back to a Vista on the 1st IF you can get the same cabin for the 2nd or do you want a Verandah for both?  Maybe if you put a deposit on a Verandah Gty, you could get the same cabin?  Have you asked about that or are you rolling the dice that you will get an upgrade on both.  If you really want the same cabin, maybe you should consider booking what you really want & not rolling the dice.  I'm missing something in your posts.

We booked GTY on Celebrity, Crystal, Seaborne, and many others with no issues. A few times we had 2 cabins (not B2B) and they had us all over the ship. We simply called directly to line, asked for anything closer together, and the cruiselines were accommodating.

 

We did book Vista GTY B2B on this trip.  Both assigned to Verandah's which were were very happy with. But for instance we got room 515 on 1 leg, when I found 3 staterooms on deck 5 that are open both legs...and 706 2nd leg. Why didn't they just assign us to one of the 3 cabins on deck 5 that are open both legs? Seems simple. Or just move us to one of these per our TA request after we were assigned diff rooms?

[FauxNom]

I'd count myself lucky to get 2 upgrades in addition to getting b2b discounts that this booking of segments doesn't seem to qualify for. Just sayin. . .

[Accessor]

1 hour ago, FauxNom said:

I'd count myself lucky to get 2 upgrades in addition to getting b2b discounts that this booking of segments doesn't seem to qualify for. Just sayin. . .

not sure I understand. why wouldn't any B2B qualify for 5% off? It's a standard discount for anyone booking B2B...unless I missed something?

[ronrick1943]

On 2/15/2022 at 4:44 PM, Accessor said:

We called both TA and SS to confirm the bookings were linked. When we got both cabin assignments and realized they were diff we immediately contacted our TA. She claimed that SS won't do anything after she called and tried for an hour to change them (or so was claimed). I pointed out cabin numbers that were open both legs trying to simplify things....so far nothing has changed.

 

We even called SS directly and got redirected back to our TA. We are going to keep trying...was hoping someone at SS notices the post and takes action. It's not like we are asking for better cabins; just same one for both legs.

Sometimes it’s just impossible to get the same cabin, if someone has booked that cabin they may not want to change (after all they booked it for a reason).

[Accessor]

17 minutes ago, ronrick1943 said:

Sometimes it’s just impossible to get the same cabin, if someone has booked that cabin they may not want to change (after all they booked it for a reason).

well, this isn't the case. They have many cabins open (same) on both legs of our trip which has already been verified. They also are selling the same cat cabins as 25 days on 1 booking vs 2 bookings (b2b). So it's not a cabin availability issue.

 

It's simply a poor management of assigning rooms to guests on b2b trips.

Edited February 17, 2022 by Accessor

[FauxNom]

2 hours ago, Accessor said:

not sure I understand. why wouldn't any B2B qualify for 5% off? It's a standard discount for anyone booking B2B...unless I missed something?

As I explained in my previous reply, "segments" of a combination cruise don't qualify for the discount--at least with my SSea consultant. I think you got lucky!

[Accessor]

6 minutes ago, FauxNom said:

As I explained in my previous reply, "segments" of a combination cruise don't qualify for the discount--at least with my SSea consultant. I think you got lucky!

They are sold on SS site as single voyages also (one 15 day and one 9 day). we didn't break up a long voyage, SS allows you to book it BOTH ways 🙂 https://www.silversea.com/other-resources/benefits-and-fares.html

 

we actually consulted with SS inside sales depart regarding the discount and they took it to a supervisor which stated was applicable (no reason it shouldn't be)

Extended Voyage Savings

Combine two or more consecutive voyages and save up to 5% on each voyage selected. Savings may vary by voyage and are subject to change or withdrawal without notice. Savings are applicable to full published voyages, but not to segments of the same voyage....

[FauxNom]

42 minutes ago, Accessor said:

we actually consulted with SS inside sales depart regarding the discount and they took it to a supervisor which stated was applicable (no reason it shouldn't be)

Good for you -- too bad it didn't work for me 🙂 

[drron29]

When we have booked B2B segments we ask our TA what suites are available for the 2 segments then select our preferred suite and get our TA to then book that suite.

This has worked for our 2022 and 2023 cruises.

[Accessor]

Thankfully, someone has corrected our issue and we are now in one cabin for both legs of our B2B 24 day trip! Now, time to work with SS on air arrangements. We are super happy...hopefully the black sea leg goes off as planned, but who knows with all the tension at the moment, we are going somewhere but maybe not exactly what's planner.

[Catlover54]

2 hours ago, Accessor said:

Thankfully, someone has corrected our issue and we are now in one cabin for both legs of our B2B 24 day trip! Now, time to work with SS on air arrangements. We are super happy...hopefully the black sea leg goes off as planned, but who knows with all the tension at the moment, we are going somewhere but maybe not exactly what's planner.

It is always good to hear when reason and common sense, instead of bureaucratic rigidity, prevail.

[ronrick1943]

14 hours ago, drron29 said:

When we have booked B2B segments we ask our TA what suites are available for the 2 segments then select our preferred suite and get our TA to then book that suite.

This has worked for our 2022 and 2023 cruises.

Discount or not, if the suite is a open—Silversea should give them to the buyer—period.

[Unibok]

On 2/16/2022 at 9:53 AM, Accessor said:

 

How frustrating. They sell cabins they don't have, upgrade you, then tell you you will need to change cabins b/c you got an upgrade? I beginning to think this is their way of saying we don't want you to book B2B guarantees....we can guarantee we will split your cabins 😞 .

 

Cruiselines aren't sailing at capacity these days, are hungry for our money, then show little love when asked for one cabin during a B2B.

 

Hi Accessor, I hear your frustration and certainly understand. My experience with B2B GTYs has been the opposite of what you are encountering.

 

I have booked several B2B GTYs, and in all cases I was assigned to the same cabin for both legs -- and in many cases it was a 2-category upgrade. Unfortunately, a number of those voyages were cancelled over the past 2 years ... but my Spirit B2B next month has me assigned to the same cabin for both legs. I can honestly say I have never experienced what you are describing. It may be worth noting that I booked directly through SS, and my agent is sooooo responsive that she fixes any issues almost immediately. I urge you to stay on your TA about this.

 

And then there's the all-important caveat about GTYs. They *only* guarantee you will get a suite of that category or better. They don't guarantee an upgrade, and they don't guarantee a continuous cabin.

 

So, I only book a GTY if I know I'll be happy with the worst-case scenario. 

 

Again, I'm sorry this is the way your trip is shaping up for now, but I also have faith that suites may open and shift between now and your voyage, and that you might get that B2B Veranda after all.

 

One final question for you, Accessor: if you had to choose, would you prefer a Vista for both legs so that you don't have to move, or would you rather have a Veranda for at least 1 leg? If you do have a strong preference not to move, they might upgrade somebody else so you can stay in the same suite.

 

Just some thoughts for consideration ....

 

EDITED TO ADD: Ooof, I'm happy to see a good resolution for you! I clearly should have read to the end of the thread before replying 🙂

Edited February 18, 2022 by Unibok
updating

[Will Work for Tiramisu]

Folks,

From my perspective, and having done several B2B cruises (our preference), the suite you are in is kind of a big deal.  I spent untold hours reading reviews, educating myself about relative merits of upper/lower decks, midship versus "chain locker" or poop deck.  (In rough seas, more motion when ship is plowing into big seas, where it rotates around the center of mass, i.e. center of ship more or less.)  Better views/more "status" for higher decks, versus more side to side rolling motion at higher decks.  Blah blah blah.  I made sure I was completely involved in selection of suites and would not accept whatever they said we had to take.  Knowledgeable cruisers know well where they want to be on a ship.  In our case, on SS ships I liked being on the pool deck level (not to use pool), but was a nice mix of walking to things we wanted to do, height above sea, relative quiet.  Not next to or above a kitchen, not next to an elevator, not next to laundry room or stairs.  I know it sounds picky, but if SS or any other line, thinks you're good with whatever they give you, you'll go to the less popular areas (but SAME SUITE LEVEL!), as they know other more savvy sailors will insist on the locations they want to be in on the ship.  This may sound trite, but this is reality, and if you are doing a B2B, which the cruise line should be very happy about, you should insist you get what you want in terms of either staying in same suite, or getting better suite.  If you leave it up to them, you'll get downgraded so they can sell more desirable suites (location wise) to more experienced cruise customers.  Just my two centavos! 

[Unibok]

 

20 hours ago, Will Work for Tiramisu said:

Knowledgeable cruisers know well where they want to be on a ship.

 

Hi Tiramisu -- I appreciate your perspective; thanks for adding it into the conversation. I'd like to push back a bit, though, on the idea that "knowledgeable/savvy" SS travelers have strong location preferences. Like you, I spent quite a bit of time looking into different options, the why's and wherefore's of bow vs mid-ship, upper vs lower decks, and what is on all 6 sides of the suite. 

 

Over time, I've realized that for me, on the Silversea ships I've sailed so far, those factors don't matter as much to me as I thought they would. No matter where my suite has been located, I've never heard noise from above (such as furniture scraping), or below (such as the sounds of a public gathering), or next door (such as a launderette). Silversea ships are small enough that upper v lower decks and bow v mid-ship don't alter how my body reacts to the ocean.

 

What matters very much to me is the category. For some seasoned travelers like who are like me, a GTY is often a terrific way to go. Now, I may sing another song after my trans-Atlantic next month, offering praise for a lower deck mid-ship suite at least for crossings -- we'll see! Likewise, if my physical needs or balancing abilities shift over the years, I will join the club of those who reserve specific suites. In the meantime, I do enjoy the surprise of finding out my suite location as another part of getting excited about the voyage.

 

I love that there is a variety of opinions and experiences on this board 🙂

 

Cheers,