Fuming. I'm on Whisper March 20 going through the Red Sea (NOT)

[bitob]

SS is just silent.  My TA has called every high level person he knows.  I called SS and emailed Barbara Muckerman.  No answer

 

From the staff at SS we get the same old "we are evaluating the situation."  

 

WHAT IS THERE TO EVALUATE?

Ships are being attacked.  The US is bombing targets.  The Somali pirates are allegedly back in business.  

There is no way this cruise is a go.  The delay in announcing the cancellation is incredibly selfish.  Most of us have to cancel hotels, air, tours and make alternate arrangements.

 

Every other cruise line has cancelled Red Sea cruises.

[Woodrowst]

SS may be deciding on alternate ports rather than cancelling the cruise.  A number of cruise lines have turned their Middle East cruises into Greek isles cruises. And some have refused to give refunds or even discounts when doing so saying that their contract states they can change ports at any time, even if it changes the entire nature of the cruise.  
 

I do hope they cancel the cruise rather than turning it into one you would not have booked in the first place.  Good luck.

[mrlevin]

52 minutes ago, Woodrowst said:

SS may be deciding on alternate ports rather than cancelling the cruise.  A number of cruise lines have turned their Middle East cruises into Greek isles cruises. And some have refused to give refunds or even discounts when doing so saying that their contract states they can change ports at any time, even if it changes the entire nature of the cruise.  
 

I do hope they cancel the cruise rather than turning it into one you would not have booked in the first place.  Good luck.

Silver Whisper is currently in New Zealand.  How do you envision Silversea changing this into a Greek Isles cruise by 20 March?

Edited February 3 by mrlevin

[bitob]

37 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

Silver Whisper is currently in New Zealand.  How do you envision Silversea changing this into a Greek Isles cruise by 20 March?

The cruise before ours is Singapore to Mumbai. Can’t be done

[mrlevin]

3 minutes ago, bitob said:

The cruise before ours is Singapore to Mumbai. Can’t be done

I know that and you know that and Silversea knows that . . . 

[bitob]

8 minutes ago, mrlevin said:

I know that and you know that and Silversea knows that . . . 

They also have a problem of how to get whisper to drydock on time

[Downunder55]

Well you can still buy a ticket ..... only for the brave ...

 

[bitob]

19 minutes ago, Downunder55 said:

Well you can still buy a ticket ..... only for the brave ...

 

Yes. Outrageous

[david63]

1 hour ago, bitob said:

They also have a problem of how to get whisper to drydock on time

No matter what SS do Whisper it is unlikely that she will get to dry dock on time unless this cruise is cancelled and she sails without passengers and minimal crew through the canal under escort.

 

Another option would be continue the cruise but terminate in South Africa and then proceed around Africa arriving a few days late in dry dock and then either reducing the time in dry dock or cancelling the first cruise out of dry dock.

[texanaust]

I give it a 0% probability that this Whisper cruise or the one prior go ahead.  The Silver Moon (which we are on) will also have to cancel both Singapore-Mumbai and Mumbai-Athens in May to get to the Med on time-yet silence from Silversea!  I highly doubt they have plans to reroute with passengers as much as I would prefer this option.  It is too complicated for them and they probably have determined (maybe erroneously) that few would want that many sea days.  

 

Instead while management procrastinates, SS has made all their guests unhappy by delaying the inevitable and making sure that none of us can make alternative arrangements.

 

[Downunder55]

Based on the recent/current travels of the Silver Moon from Athens to Mumbai through the Med and around Africa.... that redeployment is scheduled to take 29 days.

 

With dry-dock scheduled for around April 7 to May 9th...... .. something has to change

[bitob]

56 minutes ago, texanaust said:

I give it a 0% probability that this Whisper cruise or the one prior go ahead.  The Silver Moon (which we are on) will also have to cancel both Singapore-Mumbai and Mumbai-Athens in May to get to the Med on time-yet silence from Silversea!  I highly doubt they have plans to reroute with passengers as much as I would prefer this option.  It is too complicated for them and they probably have determined (maybe erroneously) that few would want that many sea days.  

 

Instead while management procrastinates, SS has made all their guests unhappy by delaying the inevitable and making sure that none of us can make alternative arrangements.

 

Plus 1

 

i agree. Only way to get to drydock on time is to cancel my cruise and the one before it

[les37b]

I wonder how any cruise lines will manage instances of a world cruise guest with a suez transit? It’s a minefield - though not literally we hope!

 

From experience, SS are notoriously slow at proactively reacting to changes that will obviously be needed. I’ll take a guess this is partially down to wanting to keep hold of fare money as long as possible… and hope guests cancel and decide to cut their losses.

[david63]

8 hours ago, bitob said:

Only way to get to drydock on time is to cancel my cruise and the one before it

A lot may depend on what "has" to be done in dry dock and what can be delayed. If there is only a small, if any at all, work that is essential then the dry dock can be delayed and the time used to reposition.

 

I'm not sure how much time would be saved by cancelling the cruise before - I doubt that it would be sufficient to make up the time (and anyway I am on that cruise!!!). Also bear in mind that the cruise prior to this one is a segment of the Sydney to Mumbai cruise so that would be an added complication.

[maynas]

3 hours ago, les37b said:

I wonder how any cruise lines will manage instances of a world cruise guest with a suez transit? It’s a minefield - though not literally we hope!

 

From experience, SS are notoriously slow at proactively reacting to changes that will obviously be needed. I’ll take a guess this is partially down to wanting to keep hold of fare money as long as possible… and hope guests cancel and decide to cut their losses.

I agree about the slowness, had the same when Ukraine war kicked off and Black Sea was a no go but they will get there and they will do refunds (eventually). I think these days booking a cruise 2 years ahead is a hostage to fortune, look now how many areas are off limits 

[fudge]

SS cancelled our cruise 2 weeks before sailing, they have said minimum 30 days before they return our monies.

[les37b]

Just now, maynas said:

I agree about the slowness, had the same when Ukraine war kicked off and Black Sea was a no go but they will get there and they will do refunds (eventually). I think these days booking a cruise 2 years ahead is a hostage to fortune, look now how many areas are off limits 

And with the early booking bonus gone, no incentive. I’m now for the first time since 2015, got no future SS cruise booked and actually not even looking apart from the odd glances at emails from third party agents offers.

 

With just one more cruise with Viking from Bali in 5 weeks, it’s probable we will look at DIY land based travels in the far east and zero urgency for a cruise booking. Time will tell if I get the itch to book.

[bitob]

This is war -- not totally predictable.

I don't mind booking early.  What angers me is the lack of response when they KNOW the ship cannot sail the itinerary.

[fudge]

Exactly, as I mentioned earlier, we are on a cruise June 1st down the Suez canal, I know things can change between now and then however, The situation in that part of the world is getting worse not better, the sooner they let me know the better.

[drron29]

4 hours ago, les37b said:

And with the early booking bonus gone, no incentive. I’m now for the first time since 2015, got no future SS cruise booked and actually not even looking apart from the odd glances at emails from third party agents offers.

 

With just one more cruise with Viking from Bali in 5 weeks, it’s probable we will look at DIY land based travels in the far east and zero urgency for a cruise booking. Time will tell if I get the itch to book.

Our cruise from Bali in 5 weeks time is on SS. The Muse. On our last Muse cruise we were stalked by a Viking ship. Is history going to repeat?

[Woodrowst]

21 hours ago, mrlevin said:

Silver Whisper is currently in New Zealand.  How do you envision Silversea changing this into a Greek Isles cruise by 20 March?

My statement was a generic one made without knowing the position of any ship.  Of course I have no specific knowledge of the specific port changes they could make.  Another possibility is that the cruise is essentially turned into a cruise to nowhere and spends most of its time at sea - that has also occurred with some lines.  I guess this could turn into a game of port/cruising roulette…..

[9stilton]

On 2/3/2024 at 6:46 PM, bitob said:

SS is just silent.  My TA has called every high level person he knows.  I called SS and emailed Barbara Muckerman.  No answer

 

From the staff at SS we get the same old "we are evaluating the situation."  

 

WHAT IS THERE TO EVALUATE?

Ships are being attacked.  The US is bombing targets.  The Somali pirates are allegedly back in business.  

There is no way this cruise is a go.  The delay in announcing the cancellation is incredibly selfish.  Most of us have to cancel hotels, air, tours and make alternate arrangements.

 

Every other cruise line has cancelled Red Sea cruises.

My suggestion would be for you to chose another SS cruise and ask your TA to approach SS and request a change.

My understanding is that SS are prepared to be flexible on the matter, given what is happening.  

[bitob]

9 minutes ago, 9stilton said:

My suggestion would be for you to chose another SS cruise and ask your TA to approach SS and request a change.

My understanding is that SS are prepared to be flexible on the matter, given what is happening.  

I have 2 more booked. They have a lot of my money already

[les37b]

8 hours ago, drron29 said:

Our cruise from Bali in 5 weeks time is on SS. The Muse. On our last Muse cruise we were stalked by a Viking ship. Is history going to repeat?

Looks like you are 4 days behind us, so you’re safe - though the ship may catch you up after leaving Bangkok! (Where we disembark.)

 

We originally planned to arrive 3 days early. We had flights all booked too…. Only to find our planned arrival, Bali is closed for the day and no one is allowed outside of their hotel - or you may be rounded up by officials looking for “wrong doers!” The airport is shut too. When I chased this (and it was still live on the airline) the error got corrected. Yup Bali is officially closed on this day of silence (11 March) Ever heard this? Was a complete surprise for me (and Viking! I wonder what the people who have booked a pre cruise extension will feel about being shut away in their room instead of sight seeing!

[drron29]

Wow. I certainlly hadn't heard this. Our airlines have though as no direct flights to DPS. however the OTAs are offering flights with 1 stop somewhere with at least 12 hour lay overs. hope people actually read the details.