Automatic charity charge?

[basedow]

Perhaps someone can put up a poll on this issue?

[Cuizer2]

The majority of the people sailing on Silversea I assume have sufficient discretionary income to afford the $1.00 a day charity donation, (charge, fee, or whatever you want to call it) towards a commendable charitable purpose such the Maruzza Lefebvre D’Ovidio Foundation which puts a major part of its energy and resources into providing palliative care for children, babies and adolescents affected by incurable illness. Frankly I am sickened by those who whine incessantly about such a nominal "charitable charge" added to their bill; an amount that the majority of us, I again assume, is of no financial consequence, an amount I've paid for a cocktail in parts of Europe. I suspect these are also the same people that gripe about giving an extra tip to their cabin steward or donation to the ship crew fund. Get a life and be happy you can afford a wonderful cruise and don't worry so much about the "principle" of being charged for something you did not " authorize". The purpose is make it easy to donate for those that wouldn't think to do it on their own.

 

Tell you what. If you really believe what you just wrote, why don't you send me your credit card and I'll have you donating to lots of worthwhile charities that you can easily afford.

[Bon.Vivant]

Tell you what. If you really believe what you just wrote, why don't you send me your credit card and I'll have you donating to lots of worthwhile charities that you can easily afford.

 

So funny...and so apropos, I think ;). Thank you, Cuizer2 for a really good chuckle :).

[billcrooz]

The majority of the people sailing on Silversea I assume have sufficient discretionary income to afford the $1.00 a day charity donation, (charge, fee, or whatever you want to call it) towards a commendable charitable purpose such the Maruzza Lefebvre D’Ovidio Foundation which puts a major part of its energy and resources into providing palliative care for children, babies and adolescents affected by incurable illness. Frankly I am sickened by those who whine incessantly about such a nominal "charitable charge" added to their bill; an amount that the majority of us, I again assume, is of no financial consequence, an amount I've paid for a cocktail in parts of Europe. I suspect these are also the same people that gripe about giving an extra tip to their cabin steward or donation to the ship crew fund. Get a life and be happy you can afford a wonderful cruise and don't worry so much about the "principle" of being charged for something you did not " authorize". The purpose is make it easy to donate for those that wouldn't think to do it on their own.

 

gotta be a liberal !!:eek:

[Scotspea]

I understand, some of the attacks on the method of collection but I think it is extremely unfair to criticise either the charity or the founder. Some of posts are outrageous and, I would imagine, libelous.

I have stated that I too will not pay but admire the charity and what it is trying to achieve

[MARIANH]

Some of posts are outrageous and, I would imagine, libelous.

 

You can always complain to CC should you wish by clicking on the red triangle link at the top right hand of the post. Should CC think the posts breach guidelines , they can remove them. Has happened!

[irishteddybear]

I understand, some of the attacks on the method of collection but I think it is extremely unfair to criticise either the charity or the founder. Some of posts are outrageous and, I would imagine, libelous.

I have stated that I too will not pay but admire the charity and what it is trying to achieve

 

Well Said, Someone typing some sence on this thread for a change.

[white oak]

What's the saying, The last refuge of a scoundrel is patriotism. I say the last refuge of a specious argument is to extend it to its extremes. I tell you what, I'll give you my credit card if you'll recipr;)cate in kind. :D

[scapel]

What's the saying, The last refuge of a scoundrel is patriotism. I say the last refuge of a specious argument is to extend it to its extremes. I tell you what, I'll give you my credit card if you'll recipr;)cate in kind. :D

 

WOW! :eek:

I've heard of swapping room keys, but swapping credit cards brings this to a whole new level.:D

I'll swap mine with a $100 limit with yours with a $10,000 limit. I can be a lot more generous with other people's money.

[Observer]

I understand, some of the attacks on the method of collection but I think it is extremely unfair to criticise either the charity or the founder. Some of posts are outrageous and, I would imagine, libelous.

I have stated that I too will not pay but admire the charity and what it is trying to achieve

 

There you go again, Scotspea. Being reasonable and balanced. I have urged you to mend you ways and get into the spirit of things on CC. However, you simply don't listen.

[Silver Spectre]

Oh dear, no posts for 10 days now.

Is this topic dead, or are we exhausted by SS's refusal to listen.

[Cuizer2]

Oh dear, no posts for 10 days now.

Is this topic dead, or are we exhausted by SS's refusal to listen.

 

What has been said has been said. Ten days latter there is no new way to say it.

[Northerncheapo]

Just got off the Spirit yesterday, sitting here in Heathrow waiting for my flight to Toronto which is 4 hours delayed and thought I would check in....by the way, I cant figure out the keys for quotation marks or appostrophies, sorry,lol....

 

I did not want to contribute to this charity and emailed SS about 4 or 6 weeks ago asking for charge to be removed and they assured me they would.

 

Just to be safe, I also had my TA call and she assured me that the charge would be removed.

 

Arrived on the boat and registered my credit card and said, please dont add the charge and they said they wouldnt.

 

I asked for an update of my account on day 3 of cruise and there was two 7 dollar charges for the charity. I guess asking 3 times wasnt enough. Called accounting and asked for it to be removed, they assured me it would be. Got my final bill during the night before disembarking and once again, the two 7 dollar charges were there. It simply would not go away. I again called them and asked them to remove it and send a new bill, but it never appeared prior to our leaving the boat.

 

I guess Im calling ss tomorrow and figuring it out...blah.

[WesW]

Thanks for the charity charge update....How did you like your Spirit voyage?

[wripro]

We've heard from lots of people who said how easy it was to just go to Reception and ask for the charge to be removed. This is the first post which tells us that asking and receiving are two different things. I guess the boss' wife wants what she wants, passengers be damned!

[Wellseasoned]

We've heard from lots of people who said how easy it was to just go to Reception and ask for the charge to be removed. This is the first post which tells us that asking and receiving are two different things. I guess the boss' wife wants what she wants, passengers be damned!

 

On our recent back to back on the Spirit we asked that the charge be removed on the day of boarding. It was indeed removed. On the second cruise segment a charge for that leg appeared. I reminded reception and it was removed, no problem. So, if you are on a back to back, check your account during each segment.

[Rally]

On our recent back to back on the Spirit we asked that the charge be removed on the day of boarding. It was indeed removed. On the second cruise segment a charge for that leg appeared. I reminded reception and it was removed, no problem. So, if you are on a back to back, check your account during each segment.

On our recent voyage on Silver Cloud we asked that the charge be removed from our account on the second or third day. This voyage for us was three back-to-back segments and the charge was never again applied (without our asking.) By the way, just as there seems to always be two sides to every story . . . . . we met several people on board who were new to Silversea, who thought the charity thing was wonderful and were thrilled with the rubber bands.

[NJBelle]

All I know is that I want this to be either an "non-issue" when we cruise in July or I want it to be taken care of with a simple "I don't want this on my bill" when I check in. I will be watching this discussion - so far, I am not liking the way it is going....

[Rally]

All I know is that I want this to be either an "non-issue" when we cruise in July or I want it to be taken care of with a simple "I don't want this on my bill" when I check in. I will be watching this discussion - so far, I am not liking the way it is going....

 

No worries. "a simple "I don't want this on my bill" when I check in." is exactly the way it will work, and the reception staff will smile at you and say "thank you." They are used to it. No drama needed =)

[Kununoppin]

BTW, about 3 months ago, I sent a nice email to the Chairman's wife via her charity's web site, explaining to her the uproar that the automatic charge has caused. I provided a link to this board and suggested that this automatic charge might be hurting Silversea business. I never received a reply to my email, and there has been no change to the policy. That speaks volumes to me.

[Bon.Vivant]

No worries. "a simple "I don't want this on my bill" when I check in." is exactly the way it will work, and the reception staff will smile at you and say "thank you." They are used to it. No drama needed =)

 

I wonder if it's going to be that simple now. Northerncheapo, who was on a cruise two days ago, couldn't get the charge removed despite repeated requests. I hope they're not going to force us to deal with head office now to get these charges removed and reimbursed.:(

[BILLP1]

That would be my credit card company dealing with an unauthorized charge if it was not removed from my bill.

[brimary]

That would be my credit card company dealing with an unauthorized charge if it was not removed from my bill.

Can someone from Silversea Management team put an end to this misguided policy which is causing bad feeling towards Silversea.It is a criminal offence in the Uk to reove funds from an account without proper authority.The company should scrap this deceitful family policy forthwith.

[CatServants]

I wonder if it's going to be that simple now. Northerncheapo, who was on a cruise two days ago, couldn't get the charge removed despite repeated requests. I hope they're not going to force us to deal with head office now to get these charges removed and reimbursed.:(

 

Just got back from the Whisper last night. Simply asked at Reception when we first boarded that the charge not be placed on our account, the receptionist said no problem, and that was the end of it.

[Rally]

Just got back from the Whisper last night. Simply asked at Reception when we first boarded that the charge not be placed on our account, the receptionist said no problem, and that was the end of it.

 

Same for us. A simple request, at reception took care of it. Sometime these things are over-thought --- tell your TA, write to Sivlersea, write to the President! Just handle it quietly, politely, and it goes away. Or make a big fuss and . . . . what? More drama?