One more reason to choose Seabourn over Silversea

[commodoredave]

Silversea, which proudly boasts to be an all-inclusive cruise line, has just announced an eyewatering increase in upcharges for its La Dame and Kaseiki speciality restaurants. For example, the upcharge at La Dame will increase from its current level of $60 per person to $160 per person -- that's right, $320 per couple to dine in a speciality restaurant!

In my view, this may cause some Silversea loyalists to start looking at other ultra-luxury lines -- including Seabourn and Regent. 

[SLSD]

I may well, but IF we sail on Silversea, we were not planning on dining at either upcharge restaurant anyway.  Neither really appeal to us.  

[nolatravelgirl]

If they are going to have that big of an upcharge then they need to really improve the quality of the food and service at La Dame. I was unimpressed at $60 and would have been super pissed had I paid $160 per person.

[Mr Luxury]

Not worth the money me thinks.

[Mahogany]

1 hour ago, Mr Luxury said:

Not worth the money me thinks.

Unless the meal includes Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau d'Yquem! 😁

[saminina]

La Dame at $60/pp is a debatable choice.  Over $100 would trim the crowds lining up to get in.

[sfvoyage]

3 hours ago, commodoredave said:

For example, the upcharge at La Dame will increase from its current level of $60 per person to $160 per person

Silversea may as well rename La Dame to La Damn.

[commodoredave]

19 minutes ago, sfvoyage said:

Silversea may as well rename La Dame to La Damn.

More like La Damn Rip-off!

[commodoredave]

By the way, the upcharges are being introduced on the new ships -- Silver Nova and Silver Ray. No word yet as to when or if the older ships will also switch over to the up charges.

[commodoredave]

41 minutes ago, Mahogany said:

Unless the meal includes Chateau Haut Brion and Chateau d'Yquem! 😁

When this news first surfaced on the Silversea board this morning, we all thought it must include exceptional wines from the reserve list. But no! Wines from the regular, included list.

[tv24]

Recently on the Silver Moon, we had a lot of OBC, so we spent some of it on La Dame. It was a very weird experience trying to get a reservation in the generally empty restaurant.  We finally found a bar tender who volunteered to talk to his friend who arranged our reservation which we could not do with our butler or on their bizarre TV screen system.  Anyway, we made it , spent our money and it was a big MEH.  So a big increase in the up charge, who cares!  Major rip off.  But we did love the Silversea experience and the food was good in the other venues, actually better than Seabourn.  We had been told early on via CC and elsewhere that La Dame was not worth the up charge.  We can verify that advise.  Live and learn.

[mieu]

We’re Seabourn Diamond members and enjoy experiencing all cuisines. We were recently on Silversea’s Silver Moon and found the food generally very average, and definitely inferior to Seabourn. The food at Kaiseki was so disappointing, we had no desire to experience the restaurant after two tries. Our dining experience at La Dame was better, but did not warrant the upcharge.

[bitob]

I am on silver moon now

la dame is empty 

 

there is outrage at this price increase on the ss boards 

 

I do not think this increase will cause ss regulars to look elsewhere. It will just cause them not to book la dame 

Edited July 28, 2023 by bitob

[commodoredave]

5 hours ago, mieu said:

We’re Seabourn Diamond members and enjoy experiencing all cuisines. We were recently on Silversea’s Silver Moon and found the food generally very average, and definitely inferior to Seabourn. The food at Kaiseki was so disappointing, we had no desire to experience the restaurant after two tries. Our dining experience at La Dame was better, but did not warrant the upcharge.

Maybe the strategy is to improve occupancy at La Dame by increasing prices, thereby making people believe that the average food must taste better at the new higher price point. This is a strategy that sometimes works in certain businesses where buyers equate price with quality. 

[cruiseej]

Or maybe the strategy is to increase the price, to see who will pay, and to be able to offer it at a "special discount" or even free to select passengers. Getting comped on a $120 dinner is nice, but getting comped on a $320 dinner — now we're taking! 🤣

[SLSD]

Well---here's a disappointment.  I've been working with our travel agent (an agent we are considering using) and Silversea was going to charge us MORE for a 17 day cruise than the 10 day and 7 day cruises separately.  What's more--they were going to make us change suites mid-cruise unless we pay more.  I'm not buying it.  VERY disappointed.  

Edited July 28, 2023 by SLSD

[Mr Luxury]

9 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Well---here's a disappointment.  I've been working with our travel agent (an agent we are considering using) and Silversea was going to charge us MORE for a 17 day cruise than the 10 day and 7 day cruises separately.  What's more--they were going to make us change suites mid-cruise unless we pay more.  I'm not buying it.  VERY disappointed.  

Yes,indeed

Leave well alone then.

[SLSD]

14 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes,indeed

Leave well alone then.

Exactly.  This is a Virtuoso agent quoting this.  

Edited July 28, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

35 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

Yes,indeed

Leave well alone then.

And, what's more---there would be less OBC?  What on earth?  They want to punish you for staying on their ship longer?

[CalmSea]

54 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Well---here's a disappointment.  I've been working with our travel agent (an agent we are considering using) and Silversea was going to charge us MORE for a 17 day cruise than the 10 day and 7 day cruises separately.  What's more--they were going to make us change suites mid-cruise unless we pay more.  I'm not buying it.  VERY disappointed.  

That sounds strange! Were you given any explanation? Are we talking about the same category of suite for the 17 day cruise and the B2B 10 day + 7 day? Is this your usual travel agent?

[SLSD]

15 minutes ago, CalmSea said:

That sounds strange! Were you given any explanation? Are we talking about the same category of suite for the 17 day cruise and the B2B 10 day + 7 day? Is this your usual travel agent?

 We are changing travel agents as our old one retired with the pandemic.  We used a different agent for our recent cruise, but are looking for a Virtuoso agent to be our go to /permanent agent.  This one is local to Dallas.  I had a long conversation with her on the telephone and some emails--and now this.  I am still taking notes and writing down numbers, but it just doesn't sound reasonable to me.  Yes, we are talking about a Classic suite for the entire time.  And the length of cruise doesn't seem to match what SS shows online.  So frustrating.  A travel agent is supposed to make things seamless and easy.  This isn't so far.  I'm going to study it and try to figure it out--but I think this is a nonstarter. 

 

[Mahogany]

Just booked a reservation for La Dame in December - still $60. And I have one for next month. But easy to cancel since no upfront payment, so will look at the menus and hopefully talk to those who're   on my cruise for opinion. Since we know experiences can vary by ship.

[CalmSea]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

 We are changing travel agents as our old one retired with the pandemic.  We used a different agent for our recent cruise, but are looking for a Virtuoso agent to be our go to /permanent agent.  This one is local to Dallas.  I had a long conversation with her on the telephone and some emails--and now this.  I am still taking notes and writing down numbers, but it just doesn't sound reasonable to me.  Yes, we are talking about a Classic suite for the entire time.  And the length of cruise doesn't seem to match what SS shows online.  So frustrating.  A travel agent is supposed to make things seamless and easy.  This isn't so far.  I'm going to study it and try to figure it out--but I think this is a nonstarter. 

 

I just checked another online cruise booking site for SS cruises Copenhagen - Stockholm around July and August. It seems that the 17 day version is always a little more expensive that the 10 day + 7 day version. So, it seems to be a SS feature. Looking at SS's website, I noticee that the 17 day versions all have only the "door-to-door" choice, whereas the 10 day or 7 day versions have both the "door-to-door" and "port-to-port" choices. Your quote for the 17 day version is probably a "door-to-door" with a not so generous air credit. That may also explain the difference between the OBC's. However, I cannot explain why you need to move suites if you take the 10 day + 7 day version. Another thing to consider is that the "door-to-door" may have a more forgiving cancellation policy compared to the "port-to-port" ones.

[SLSD]

32 minutes ago, CalmSea said:

I just checked another online cruise booking site for SS cruises Copenhagen - Stockholm around July and August. It seems that the 17 day version is always a little more expensive that the 10 day + 7 day version. So, it seems to be a SS feature. Looking at SS's website, I noticee that the 17 day versions all have only the "door-to-door" choice, whereas the 10 day or 7 day versions have both the "door-to-door" and "port-to-port" choices. Your quote for the 17 day version is probably a "door-to-door" with a not so generous air credit. That may also explain the difference between the OBC's. However, I cannot explain why you need to move suites if you take the 10 day + 7 day version. Another thing to consider is that the "door-to-door" may have a more forgiving cancellation policy compared to the "port-to-port" ones.

 I'm still studying it all and have talked to the travel agent again.  It is incredibly complex--more so that it has to be, I think.  I am a bit annoyed by it all--maybe justifiably, but maybe not.  It seems it has to do with a special they are running and a suite upgrade offer and OBCs and also the door to door vs. port to port variables.  Not how I like to spend my afternoon.  

[fdnycruiser]

I’ve sailed both SS and SB, and have never dined in LaDame, and only once in Keiseki. However, there are 6 other restaurants with no up charge. Just like most believe the retreat a rip off and wouldn’t go there, some will still flock there. Personally, I wouldn’t pay any up charges on any inclusive restaurant