A New Approach to Single Rates

[cruiseyguy]

As single sailors know, Seabourn's 110% & 125% single rates are long gone. However, as the three new & larger ships go into service it seems reasonable to assume that more "Vacancy" signs will appear on the older triplets. Would solo sailors be willing to pay their entire cruise fare upfront & non-refundable in exchange for a 110% or 125% single fare on the older triplets?

[Martita B.]

cruiseyguy

I would certainly be willing to pay upfront cruise fare in exchange for the 110% on the older Sister's.:p

Martita B.

[seapenarth]

As single sailors know, Seabourn's 110% & 125% single rates are long gone. However, as the three new & larger ships go into service it seems reasonable to assume that more "Vacancy" signs will appear on the older triplets. Would solo sailors be willing to pay their entire cruise fare upfront & non-refundable in exchange for a 110% or 125% single fare on the older triplets?

 

Will double rates be 190% ;)

[cruiseyguy]

seapenarth-Sure, how about 175% if you're willing to pay it all upfront with no refund? This approach gives something tangible to both parties--the cruise line gets "solid" cash upfront and, in exchange, the passenger gets a significant benefit. The airlines (!) and some online travel sites do this now.

[SantaAna,CA]

I found a 125% solo fare on the Panama canal cruise and I've booked a Caribbean cruise December of 2009 (on the Spirit) at the 125% rate as well. Frankly....if the (single supplement) fares abandon the 125% all together, my Seabourn cruise days may be numbered!

 

Since I have the habit of changing my mind (slight understatement), I'd have to be darn sure of my choice before booking a non refundable fare; so many things can come up. However, if they offered 110% nonrefundable, wow...that would be great. Even I could commit for that one. Is this your idea or have you heard rumblings from Seabourn?

 

Jane

[cruiseyguy]

My idea, SantAna,CA, although Seabourn is free to adopt it. Maybe Martita can get some of her contacts at Blue Lagoon to mull it over. Bookings are probably still too strong to make the idea attractive now but the next few years may be a different story. I think the single rate would have to be 110% to make the risk worth taking for most sailors, although travel insurance mitigates that risk somewhat.

[Bluewatercruizer]

Great idea, Cruiseyguy! I also think they could even reduce the 5% onboard discount if I could get the 110% rate :) . Also, they could tie discounts to booking B2B, discount airfare upgrades or a million other ways. Cruise industry is nothing if not creative!

 

I would like to view cruises with the different single rates on the website but this would require more site maintenance so don't know if they would consider that.

 

Don't know why but paying more than 125% just sticks in my craw - even if the cruise is discounted 50% already. It's the principle of the matter :(. Due to the larger size, Crystal always had much more liberal singles policies and often ran 2-for-1 deals and discounts for B2B (ahhhhhhh!)

 

I agree that I think we MIGHT see some rates on the triplets after the new ships come online -- I would guess that many long-time Seabournites are likely to try the new ones (this happened on Crystal first with Symphany then with Serenity -- ironically, many of us long-time Crystal people have gone back to Symphony due to crew and ship's atmosphere -- I still miss Harmony for same reasons!)

 

Martita - what's your thinking on bookings for 2009/10 on Pride and Spirit, particularly? I see some interesting "do-ings" with how they're positioning them.

 

Marga

[Martita B.]

Marga

As the Pride will go to Asia and the Spirit coming to the America's I've already booked (again we are talking grabbing an A Cat. early) a few voyages. I had planned on booking the Spirit TA from Lisbon to Ft. Laud. in Nov. 2009 but I'll be aboard the Odyssey. (TA)

I am hoping when the Odyssey is out, up and sailing we will see a few good rates for we solo Sailor's on the Sister's.

It also irks me when we're ask to pay 175% ~~

Martita B.

[O2BatSea]

It also irks me when we're ask to pay 175% ~~

Martita B.

 

Earlier this year, I seriously considered selling my retail store and cruising on Seabourn until I ran out of the proceeds from that. When I called Blue Lagoon, the BEST deal they could give me was 175% as a single passenger, and I could only stay onboard for 201 days on the Pride before she had a private charter and they would throw me off. Yikes!! I would have thought that I would get a much better deal booking for that long, and I didn't even care which ship I was on either, but they didn't see it that way. It came to $187,000 :eek: so I politely declined the booking!

 

Maybe I should get a job onboard instead :rolleyes:

[Winner]

Cruiseyguy--from your mouth to Seabourn's ear (wishful thinking)! I'd be the first in line to fully pay my cruise in advance for 110% single supplement, but I don't think our dreams will come true. Odyssey, as the new kid on the block, should be well booked; however, the triplets have a super loyal following and will probably retain that once the first Odyssey excitement has settled down. I will always love the current yachts and plan to sail them as long as they are seaworthy and would love to so so at 110%!!

 

Winnie

[seapenarth]

Cruiseyguy--from your mouth to Seabourn's ear (wishful thinking)! I'd be the first in line to fully pay my cruise in advance for 110% single supplement, but I don't think our dreams will come true. Odyssey, as the new kid on the block, should be well booked; however, the triplets have a super loyal following and will probably retain that once the first Odyssey excitement has settled down. I will always love the current yachts and plan to sail them as long as they are seaworthy and would love to so so at 110%!!

 

Winnie

 

I think they wii try much harder to charter the sisters to balance a falling demand.

[Martita B.]

As the Seabourn Triplets are the perfect size for charters my opinion is "the powers that be" will certainly go after this market in the future.

The past several months both the Spirit and the Legend have had numerous charters.

Happy week!

MB

[SeabournGirl]

I have been checking into fractional ownership of cruise condos, and don't really like the concept of how those particular ships are run - it's more like a floating condo where everyone has their own kitchen, pays for everything (shows, meals, drinks, etc) alacarte and there is very little socialization amongst the 'passengers'. Think of it like a floating condo building - where most people don't know their neighbors.

 

Maybe Seabourn could turn one of the triplets into a fractional ownership line but still keep the same wonderful crew, ammenities, atmosphere, etc as it is now, and we would 'own' our two weeks, month, three months, or whatever. The feature I REALLY like about that concept is the fact that they stay in most ports three to four days, allowing you to really get to know the region and go off on longer mini trips.

 

I would buy into that in a heartbeat!!! Are you listening Seabourn???