restaurant advanced booking period

Hi,

We are booked on our first SilverSea cruise in December. As the preparation time is also part of the fun, we would like to book excursions and make dinner reservations in advance on the website.

Up until yesterday, the system said, for both excursions and dinner reservations, that the period one can make a booking/reservation is between 120 and 7 days before the cruise. So we've been counting days ;-)

Suddenly, yesterday the information changed. For 1 port they added possible shore excursions, so it looks like they are building the itinerary in the system.

Odd was though that for restaurant reservations, the advance booking period changed to 60-7 days in advance, it stayed 120-7 for shore excursions.

I searched the forum but only got information on the 120-7 day period.

Could anyone confirm/deny the 60-7 day period for restaurant reservations?

Thanks

Boudewijn

We've just had a similar experience for our cruise in November. I made all our restaurant bookings as soon as the 120 day window opened up.

I logged on again a couple days later to change one or two, only to see that the restaurant window had changed to 60 days out. So I didn't change anything, for fear of losing the lot.

The website has undergone some other modifications in the last few days so perhaps it's all a work in progress.

What's mildly irritating to me is that the shore excursions don't seem to have been completely loaded as yet. Perhaps Silversea is working on it but it seems quite ridiculous to me that we can take a Silversea minibus tour (6 people only - sold out) to Luxor for $2,500 per person (!!!) but a group coach excursion is not available.

I'd have thought Egypt would be crawling with coach companies looking for fares... as I say, perhaps Silversea is working on it.

We've just had a similar experience for our cruise in November. I made all our restaurant bookings as soon as the 120 day window opened up.

 

I logged on again a couple days later to change one or two, only to see that the restaurant window had changed to 60 days out. So I didn't change anything, for fear of losing the lot.

 

The website has undergone some other modifications in the last few days so perhaps it's all a work in progress.

 

What's mildly irritating to me is that the shore excursions don't seem to have been completely loaded as yet. Perhaps Silversea is working on it but it seems quite ridiculous to me that we can take a Silversea minibus tour (6 people only - sold out) to Luxor for $2,500 per person (!!!) but a group coach excursion is not available.

 

I'd have thought Egypt would be crawling with coach companies looking for fares... as I say, perhaps Silversea is working on it.

I think they are still working on it - I have been watching closely as I want to go to Petra and that has only just appeared so I've booked it this morning. There's definitely more tours available today than there were a few days ago.

I know Regent does it, I know Crystal does it, I know Oceania does it, I know Silversea does it BUT I find the whole concept of having to make restaurant reservations online two to four months before sailing completely inconsistent with a luxury experience. I understand they need to do it in order to give everyone an equal chance to experience the alternative restaurants but I still do not like it. I don't want to have to decide months in advance where I will feel like dining on any particular night. On this issue only Seabourn gets it right.

I tried yesterday and it was restricting restaurant reservations to 60 days out.

I don't want to have to decide months in advance where I will feel like dining on any particular night.

Would generally agree but do wish to make an exception for a birthday or wedding anniversary.

I know Regent does it, I know Crystal does it, I know Oceania does it, I know Silversea does it BUT I find the whole concept of having to make restaurant reservations online two to four months before sailing completely inconsistent with a luxury experience. I understand they need to do it in order to give everyone an equal chance to experience the alternative restaurants but I still do not like it. I don't want to have to decide months in advance where I will feel like dining on any particular night. On this issue only Seabourn gets it right.

Thank you! And I thought I was alone in this view. I agree with you 100%.

I tried yesterday and it was restricting restaurant reservations to 60 days out.

I just logged onto my account and my reservation bookings are still there. I booked them 83 days prior to our trip. We have 72 days to go. :confused:

Did they just disappear on yours?

Oddly enough it changed back to a period of 120 days. Ah well, we'll see

I think they are still working on it - I have been watching closely as I want to go to Petra and that has only just appeared so I've booked it this morning. There's definitely more tours available today than there were a few days ago.

All the excursions seem to be loaded now. DH pleased because El Alamein is an option now whereas it wasn't earlier :)

You're the only other poster I know of on this cruise (there are three of us) or I would have started a Meet and Mingle.

You're the only other poster I know of on this cruise (there are three of us) or I would have started a Meet and Mingle.

Good job you didn't waste your time - I never go to them even when I'm cruising other lines on much bigger ships.

One of the pleasures of Silversea is that it is so easy to meet everyone anyway. I expect I'll be the only solo woman cruiser from Bermuda on the ship so I won't be hard to find, the "Bermuda' on the front of my tee shirt might be a clue ....