Top Suite Prices Soaring

[CJANDH]

Researching cruises for early 2025 it seems that Silversea have drastically raised prices on the highest level suites. We usually book a Silver Suite and have occasionally treated ourselves to an Owners Suite or a Grand Suite which have historically been priced about 75 - 85% higher than a Silver Suite. For sailings in late 2024 and early 2025 the Owners Suite is now offered at a price 3 times that of the Silver Suite. Examples of comparable cruises on Moon and Dawn in January - February 2024 and 2025 are below:

                                                                                          Silver Ste.     Owners Ste.    Grand Ste.    Royal Ste.        Owners vs. Silver

Jan 26 - Feb 5, 2024. 10 Day Caribbean on Dawn           $11,100            $20,700         $19,500        $18,300                 +86%

Feb 17 - Feb 27, 2025. 10 Day Caribbean on Moon         $10,700            $32,400         $29,800        $27,100                +200%

  All quoted in price per guest.

 

I have to believe that this an error. If so, it is one that will seriously impact sales of the top suites. These prices are way out of line with the cost of Regent and Seabourn top suites

[CJANDH]

 

I hope this version of the chart will be clearer!

					Owners vs.
	Silver	Owners	Grand	Royal	Silver
Feb 2024. 10 Day Caribbean on Dawn	$11,100	$20,700	$19,500	$18,300	+86%
Feb 2025. 10 Day Caribbean on Moon	$10,700	$32,400	$29,800	$27,100	+200%

 

[Gourmet Gal]

Quite a premium but I’m assuming they have to make up for all that Covid lost revenue somewhere.  The Owner’s and Grand suites are “just” another 10-12K PP and I would think the assumption is if one can afford 20K+ PP one can afford 50% more.  SS must have looked at the airlines Business fares for inspiration.

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks for that comparison.  Definitely slipped into nosebleed, do I really need that pricing.

[Mr Luxury]

17 hours ago, CJANDH said:

 

I hope this version of the chart will be clearer!

					Owners vs.
	Silver	Owners	Grand	Royal	Silver
Feb 2024. 10 Day Caribbean on Dawn	$11,100	$20,700	$19,500	$18,300	+86%
Feb 2025. 10 Day Caribbean on Moon	$10,700	$32,400	$29,800	$27,100	+200%

 

Start high and you can always bring it down if you need to.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Nobody's mentioned it, but (not planning on a top-end suite anyway) I like the fact that the Silver Suite is $400 lower for 2025.  I'm not seeing lower fares much at all these days...

[Dolcevita Diva]

On the other end of the spectrum, has anyone else noticed the widening gap between Vista and Classic Veranda suites?  
 

I’ve always booked verandas ( Classic, Superior or Deluxe depending on which suites are available).  But for several of the future voyages I’ve been looking at, the fare difference between Vista and the lowest Veranda fare has been around $3,000 (on a 7 or 10 day voyage) when it used to be closer to $1500 or so.  I’ve never considered a Vista, but this growing gap in fares has me questioning whether an extra $300-400 a day is worth it…

[Lirio]

1 hour ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

On the other end of the spectrum, has anyone else noticed the widening gap between Vista and Classic Veranda suites?  
 

I’ve always booked verandas ( Classic, Superior or Deluxe depending on which suites are available).  But for several of the future voyages I’ve been looking at, the fare difference between Vista and the lowest Veranda fare has been around $3,000 (on a 7 or 10 day voyage) when it used to be closer to $1500 or so.  I’ve never considered a Vista, but this growing gap in fares has me questioning whether an extra $300-400 a day is worth it…

Vista can be an option in port intense cruise when one stays outside in tours must part of the day.

[Tothesunset]

10 hours ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

On the other end of the spectrum, has anyone else noticed the widening gap between Vista and Classic Veranda suites?  
 

I’ve always booked verandas ( Classic, Superior or Deluxe depending on which suites are available).  But for several of the future voyages I’ve been looking at, the fare difference between Vista and the lowest Veranda fare has been around $3,000 (on a 7 or 10 day voyage) when it used to be closer to $1500 or so.  I’ve never considered a Vista, but this growing gap in fares has me questioning whether an extra $300-400 a day is worth it…

We've had a veranda on 3 occasions on SS but otherwise Vistas. However, even when we've had a veranda we've rarely used it and that includes on fine weather sea days. Like yourself we question the value given the price difference. To my mind I'd rather spend the £s or $s on something less ephemeral. 

[Randyk47]

I could probably do a Vista but Mrs K has mild claustrophobia and feels closed in without a second exit from the cabin.   As it is we use the stairs not so much for exercise but for the same reason we don’t book Vistas.   Doesn’t help I took her on her first cruise for our honeymoon and I booked an upper level verandah suite.  Got her used to the idea and 400+ cruise days later it’s been verandah suites.  On Silversea that’s meant Silver, Medallion, and several standard verandah suites.   We usually travel with our best friends and cruise partners so actually “camp out” on the pool deck if not off the ship on tours. 

[taxatty]

On our return cruise to Antarctica on the Wind next year, the lowest-level Veranda suite is $10,000 more than a Vista suite. Given the limited benefits of a balcony on those cruises (good for photography and occasional wildlife spotting, but at least for us South Floridians, it was too cold for much else) we will be in a Vista suite. 

[CJANDH]

Back to the original subject; does anyone share my suspicion that the huge increase in top suite pricing is an error on the website? If so, someone is going to be fired! I have tried to send an email to corporate but they have done a really good job of hiding their email addresses.

[Dolcevita Diva]

3 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Back to the original subject; does anyone share my suspicion that the huge increase in top suite pricing is an error on the website? If so, someone is going to be fired! I have tried to send an email to corporate but they have done a really good job of hiding their email addresses.

Or it could be part of an overall shift in pricing strategy. They may be testing the waters to see if and how these increases impact bookings of the top end suites.    The reason that I mentioned the growing vista vs. veranda differential (as @taxattynoted - $10,000 difference on his booking) or price gaps between the veranda categories is that represents a definite shift in their strategy.   Makes me wonder if someone in revenue management from one of the mass-market brands (or an airline) is now handling pricing strategy for Silversea. 

 

@CJANDH - You should take a look at the top suite pricing for a 17 day voyage I've been looking at for 2024. Silver is at $22,400, Royal at $56,700, Grand at $62,200 and Owner's at $67,700 per guest. 

 

Sure hope that you are correct and the huge increases that you're seeing are an error. 

Edited June 6, 2023 by Dolcevita Diva

[CJANDH]

2 minutes ago, Dolcevita Diva said:

 - You should take a look at the top suite pricing for a 17 day voyage I've been looking at for 2024. Silver is at $22,400, Royal at $56,700, Grand at $62,200 and Owner's at $67,700 per guest. 

I don't see anyone paying three times the Silver price for an Owners. I have sailed in both and apart from a bit more space and a second potty the amenities are pretty much the same. The total cost differential for the cruise is $90,600 . . . and the extra potty is not gold plated.

[Tex1]

Highly unlikely it’s an error.  Likely just a very large company trying to maximize revenue for in demand suites.

[Stumblefoot]

6 hours ago, CJANDH said:

…does anyone share my suspicion that the huge increase in top suite pricing is an error on the website?

Nope.

[Host Jazzbeau]

Coming out of the Great Recession, cruise lines kept prices low to entice people to part with the little money they had left.  Then Covid struck, and cruise lines had no income at all.  Now it's payback time.  No more loss leaders to build loyal customers for the future, or there won't be a future.  Those huge debts need to be paid back over the next few years, so every cruise line is going to use optimization software to milk every penny out of every sailing.  It may be time for some of us to trade down a notch [either cabin size or cruise line].  Do I see a "Mr Super Premium" in our future?

[CJANDH]

I might be beating a dead horse but comparing Silversea with Regent pricing for similar 10 day caribbean voyages has Silversea way higher in the top suites.

Regent Grand - $15,699     SS Royal - $27,100

Regent Master - $17,799    SS Grand - $29,800

                                            SS Owners - $32,400

 

I don't get the strategy.

[Bellanina]

Nearly every day we receive beautiful catalogs and brochures from multiple luxury cruise and travel companies in our USPS mail. Most go to our recycle bin, so I need to request to be off lists. Marketing costs must be enormous, still, I wonder how effective? Am I assuming incorrectly, that frequent seasoned cruisers are not drawn in by printed literature? Has this always been the case, or has it ramped up since Covid? I would be happy to pay a bit less for specialty suites to compensate for the numerous marketing mailers.

[Dover Duo]

You might be looking at a cruise that is a portion of a longer cruise also being sold and SS are interested in selling the suite for the longer cruise only.  I have seen that with one of the new suite categories on the Nova.

[CJANDH]

3 minutes ago, Dover Duo said:

You might be looking at a cruise that is a portion of a longer cruise also being sold and SS are interested in selling the suite for the longer cruise only.  I have seen that with one of the new suite categories on the Nova.

Actually I have looked at a lot of future cruises and the price hike is everywhere.

[Gourmet Gal]

7 hours ago, Bellanina said:

Nearly every day we receive beautiful catalogs and brochures from multiple luxury cruise and travel companies in our USPS mail. Most go to our recycle bin, so I need to request to be off lists. Marketing costs must be enormous, still, I wonder how effective? Am I assuming incorrectly, that frequent seasoned cruisers are not drawn in by printed literature? Has this always been the case, or has it ramped up since Covid? I would be happy to pay a bit less for specialty suites to compensate for the numerous marketing mailers.

Sounds like a good topic for a new thread.

[canderson]

Looks like Silver Suites aren't too much more next year than this year.  Looked at a few cruises, and the differences aren't huge for that cabin class, just everything above it.

 

Our 16nt Lisbon to FLL this year in a Silver is only $100 less than the 14nt Lisbon to FLL next year.  Yes, 2 nights shorter, but not a massive difference in price.

 

OTOH:

For those same two cruises in a Grand, the price is about $15,000 higher (for 2 pax) next year for the 2 nt shorter cruise! 

[Bellanina]

12 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Sounds like a good topic for a new thread.

True! I'll do that! Thanks

 

Edited June 8, 2023 by Bellanina
adding link

[labrasett]

On 6/6/2023 at 7:40 AM, Tothesunset said:

We've had a veranda on 3 occasions on SS but otherwise Vistas. However, even when we've had a veranda we've rarely used it and that includes on fine weather sea days. Like yourself we question the value given the price difference. To my mind I'd rather spend the £s or $s on something less ephemeral. 

I love the use of the word ephemeral!!    So right, in my view.