Cruises for 2010

[ging466]

What is the consensus regarding full payment 12 months in advance? Is everyone prepared to pay earlier to get the discount in these uncertain economic times? I'm looking at the Spirit's transatlantic in October next year but I'm just not sure about paying 12 months in advance.

 

I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

 

Cheers

Ging466

[MMDown Under]

What is the consensus regarding full payment 12 months in advance? Is everyone prepared to pay earlier to get the discount in these uncertain economic times? I'm looking at the Spirit's transatlantic in October next year but I'm just not sure about paying 12 months in advance.

 

I'd be interested to hear everyone's thoughts on this.

 

Cheers

Ging466

 

I'm a newbie on this thread, but I wouldn't make full payment 12 months in advance, in these economic times.

[dougburns]

Don't know about you, but I can't get a return on my money at 15% anywhere else. If you have the money and you want to do a quality cruise you should make the payment. We are for the 3 Jan 2010 Spirit. The money is fully refundable up to 120 days prior to the cruise. I really don't have any concerns about the solvency of SS and consider this a good investment.

[WesW]

Concur with Doug's rationale..plus, if you have concern with SS's financial solvency, you can purchase Tvl Insurance with Financial Default coverage (we did) either at the time of booking for some policies or just before final pay (with others)...we're also on the Sprit for the maiden TA and will be making final pay at the end of the month.

[meow!]

For ANY cruise line, use a major credit card for all payments. We paid Renaissance our deposit in 2001, when that cruise line went under, the credit card company gave us back every penny, and that was way before any court settlement.

 

P.S. If you use your American Express platinum card, you get $300 per cabin shipboard credit (on top of whatever the cruise line gives), a bottle of Dom Perignon, a bridge tour and dinner/cocktail with the captain, so why not just do that and you needn't worry about refunds upon insolvency.

[WesW]

Meow, good advice, we use AMX-P for all our cruise deposits--did not know

about their coverage for cruiselin insolvency...but we needed the travel insurance any way (med, trip interruption, med evac) ...what about changes in airfare (fees), would AMX cover?

[dougburns]

You might want to make the minimal investment in MedJet Assist in addition to regular insurance, such as CSA,etc. Regular insurance for med evac only gets you to the closest hospital, whereas MedJet Assist brings you from any hospital worldwide to your local hospital via medically staffed jet. It's well worth the cost. It's good as long as you're more than 150 miles from home and are hospitalized. We've had it for several years.

[meow!]

...what about changes in airfare (fees), would AMX cover?

Sorry, I don't think they would cover that!

[WesW]

Doug, good advice, thanks...will look into..r/wes

[RosseauGirl]

We booked our next trip on the Wind next May based on the boat and the itinerary (which was harder to put together than you'd think, but go figure). The free airfare AND the 15% XAPB made it even more attractive. We also pay for all of our trips on a major credit card (which garners us even more travel points) and we use a very reputable TA but I'm not worried about the solvency of this company at this time. Would I do this with a marginal cruise line? Probably not, but, that being said, I have also considered the fact that we wouldn't be destitute if this money was lost. Now ten years ago.....

 

Michele

[Caroldoll]

and getting the 15% as another poster said--you can't get it anywhere else. We are, however, purchasing the travel insurance that includes financial default. We also have Med-Assist--the one that gets you to your own hospital. It doesn't cost that much. I think this is a good program. It is a way to have passengers notice Silverseas who have bypassed it before. Great discount.

[WesW]

Carol, Rosseau Girl, completely agree, the XPB feature acted like a magnet and pulled us

in to book the Spirit's maiden TA.

 

Doug, checked with Travelex, and we also have 500K med evac on each of us which includes first evacuation to local hospital for immediate care, then if necessary evac

to the hospital where we reside. Did u get the nice brochure SS just sent listing

all 2010 sailings?

 

r/wes

[dusababy]

Dougburns

 

I've read your posts with interest and wonder if we haven't met in person on-board.

I too was on Shadow November/Mexican Riviera -- were you on first leg of World Cruise last year FLL/SAN? And I'm booked on Spirit Maiden.

I think that will be about my 25th cruise on SS -- like many -- I have so much invested wouldn't think of changing.

 

I do love Silversea !! Not perfect all the time -- but neither am I -- all the time:-)

 

from California

[dougburns]

Lynn and I were on the 9 Nov Shadow cruise. That was our first SS cruise and we enjoyed the ship/line very much. All of our prior cruises were on Regent.

[dusababy]

Thanks for response - I knew I'd read you a lot --

 

Looking forward to meeting you and Lynn on Spirit --

[dougburns]

Final payment made today for the Spirit TA next Jan 3. Now the long wait.

[dougburns]

Boy, what a con game Silversea is playing! We made our final payment 31 Mar and now the APB rate (good until 31 May) is exactly the same as the previous XAPB rate was. Our TA is contacting Silversea to ask for some kind of compensation. Hopefully, they will at least offer some shipboard credit. They will have had more than $18K of our money for 2 months longer than necessary. We're not happy campers at this time with Silversea!

[WesW]

Doug, spot on comments..we also made final pay for the Spirit TA, Monday--two months early to get the XAPB discount...so now SS is getting the asset mgmt accout

interest on your/our final pay $$ for two months and we are not...we're in

the same unhappy camp as Lynn and you...

[Wellseasoned]

Well, add me to the list. We also paid the crossing in full on 3/31. And since we're doing a back to back, we've also paid for Ft. Lauderdale to Barbados two months early. We're also not happy campers right now. I suppose the final insult would be a subsequent fare reduction for new bookings prior to the cruise.

[dougburns]

Much happier now! SS did give us a fair shipboard credit and we're satisfied with that. I'm a bit surprised that they had to extend the bonus period. I would have thought that the ship would have been totally booked by now. We're very much looking forward to the new ship after our wonderful experience aboard Shadow. Let's all hope for no glitches in the months to come before the cruise.

[swindy]

Much happier now! SS did give us a fair shipboard credit and we're satisfied with that. I'm a bit surprised that they had to extend the bonus period. I would have thought that the ship would have been totally booked by now. We're very much looking forward to the new ship after our wonderful experience aboard Shadow. Let's all hope for no glitches in the months to come before the cruise.

 

Hi Doug

 

As another guest who paid before the March 31st deadline I have been in touch with Silversea. They are denying that they have given an onboard credit to any passenger who did the same. Can you advise who offered it to you (if you have a name) or if you know of anyone else who has been given one.

I'm only expecting Silversea to treat all guests the same.

 

Thanks

[CASHIPman]

Hi Doug

 

As another guest who paid before the March 31st deadline I have been in touch with Silversea. They are denying that they have given an onboard credit to any passenger who did the same. Can you advise who offered it to you (if you have a name) or if you know of anyone else who has been given one.

I'm only expecting Silversea to treat all guests the same.

 

Thanks

 

Same here...Doug! If you have any details you can share I'd be most appreciative as well.

[dougburns]

All I can, or will, do is to advise you to go thru your TA on this issue. When I called SS on my own I had no success. Our TA took care of it.

[edu-sense]

We booked for October 2010 and saved 50% bringing the cost down to what we would pay for a 4 star ship with a similar size suite, so we now have the lux of a more prestige ship and cruise with all drinks included, we have now started looking for 2011 to see what offers are available, I think it is worth doing on a credit card and it gives you alot more time to get the balance paid.

[edu-sense]

I forgot to mention we also recieved $500 obc