Very disappointing change in policy

[galeforce9]

Complain all you want then. It won't do a bit of good.

 

 

Might make me feel better though.

 

 

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[galeforce9]

galeforce, Seabourn Club will very likely forward your email to Guest Relations, and it could take time to get a reply. I'd send a copy of it direct to guestrelations @ usual email suffix so they pick it up quicker.

 

Really hope you find some satisfactory resolution and thanks for letting us know about this.

 

 

Thanks for the tip. Now forwarded to them.

 

 

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[Laylam]

https://www.seabourn.com/Savings-Program?legacy=true

 

This new policy seems to fly in the face of the above, where Seabourn claims to "..........reward their guests who book as early as possible with optimum upfront savings............"

[markham]

I suppose what we can deduce from this line in terms of

the new reality is that sure, you get a good price at the time of early booking, but ONLY relative to prices other people might pay at some other time. It does not say that early bookers will continue to enjoy such advantageous pricing. You are left to draw your own conclusions and by staying vague about pricing policy gives Seabourn all the leeway they seek.

 

So now we have a pricing policy that offers advantageous pricing to anyone who shows up when prices drop and he/she happens to grab the offer. No thought at all for those who did Seabourn the favor of early booking and setting the pace of selling those cabins.

 

This is a revenue maximizing tactic that may fail should we, who have routinely booked very early, step away. Which means that Seabourn has played their hand and it's our turn to choose. Of course, very early booking still works for those who are NOT price sensitive or aware.

Good for them.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[galeforce9]

Further update. I've just checked and they have already reassigned my booking to a v1 with no discussion on cabin number inspite of being offered a you choose v2 and refused an OB. And to add insult to injury guess what cabin has been assigned from a midships A1. 502 at the very front of the ship with a miniscule balcony and at the mercy of the drake shake. It just gets better and better

 

 

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[galeforce9]

Further update. I've just checked and they have already reassigned my booking to a v1 with no discussion on cabin number inspite of being offered a you choose v2 and refused an OB. And to add insult to injury guess what cabin has been assigned from a midships A1. 502 at the very front of the ship with a miniscule balcony and at the mercy of the drake shake. It just gets better and better

 

 

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Oh and of course I wasn't even notified. Found out by chance. I expect my chosen cabin will have been resold by the time seabourn opens tomorrow.

 

 

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[Les Picantins]

It is very unusual that they have already assigned your suite number. Typically this is done less than 2 weeks before sailing. Something strange is going on in Seattle.

[galeforce9]

It is very unusual that they have already assigned your suite number. Typically this is done less than 2 weeks before sailing. Something strange is going on in Seattle.

 

 

I wasn't even in an unassigned suite but a chosen (by me) A1!

 

 

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[lincslady]

Wow - if all that you say is true, galeforce (and I have no reason not to believe that it is) then this just sounds like spitefulness!! I have never known a so-called OB to be allocated so many months before. And such a poor one.

 

I suppose there is no chance you can cancel, book the Antarctic with someone else, and use your deposit for another SB cruise?

[galeforce9]

Wow - if all that you say is true, galeforce (and I have no reason not to believe that it is) then this just sounds like spitefulness!! I have never known a so-called OB to be allocated so many months before. And such a poor one.

 

I suppose there is no chance you can cancel, book the Antarctic with someone else, and use your deposit for another SB cruise?

 

 

It wasn't even OB. I booked a specific a1!

 

 

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[lincslady]

Yes, I know - but this has been given to you as an OB, since you obviously did not choose it! I presume you found this out on the Manage my Booking? Unless there is some plausible explanation by SB, which I cannot imagine, it beggars belief. The previously warm feelings which many frequent customers - many of whom do read and post on CC - had for SB will evaporate pretty quickly. Hope Seattle realise this.

[galeforce9]

Yes, I know - but this has been given to you as an OB, since you obviously did not choose it! I presume you found this out on the Manage my Booking? Unless there is some plausible explanation by SB, which I cannot imagine, it beggars belief. The previously warm feelings which many frequent customers - many of whom do read and post on CC - had for SB will evaporate pretty quickly. Hope Seattle realise this.

 

 

The reading ta called this morning and said oh just letting you know they've put you in a v1. It's definitely not OB. I told him in no uncertain terms that I didn't want the worst v1 on the ship and that I expected him to be aware that it wasn't a great move but to be frank he had no idea. I asked to be restored to the a1 booked and that I will deal with guest relations directly

 

 

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[Laylam]

Wow - if all that you say is true, galeforce (and I have no reason not to believe that it is) then this just sounds like spitefulness!! I have never known a so-called OB to be allocated so many months before. And such a poor one.

 

I suppose there is no chance you can cancel, book the Antarctic with someone else, and use your deposit for another SB cruise?

YES lincslady, that is what I was thinking - try the Bournemouth option.

[ct-andy]

Same here, my last cruise before 90 days final payment.

 

"I have just spoken to Seabourn and they are unable to change the price because the promotions for new bookings only.

 

I do apologise Seabourn normally allow us to change the costing but on this occasion they are not."

 

 

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[lincslady]

Yes, sadly the whole pricing policy seems to have changed, and most of the prices have gone up as well. The Seabourn attitude seems to have gone a lot 'harder'. I can remember getting a lower price honoured in the past, but more recently at least an offer of a good upgrade and maybe some onboard credit -neither of which cost SB much if anything, but at least softened the blow. This passenger booked a very long time in advance, and the cost of this particular cruise has gone down appreciably - and it is a very expensive cruise anyway.

[rallydave]

Not sure what is going on with U.K. customers and Seabourn but DW an I are on this sailing as well as the previous from Miami and when I noticed the price drop last week, contacted our US based TA and that afternoon had a revised booking with a $5k decrease and $400 pp OBC. this after a $12k decrease in December. Strange way for a company to do business.

 

Galeforce still waiting to hear back from you regarding tours from discussions on roll call. Hope you get this all straightened out.

[Laylam]

Not sure what is going on with U.K. customers and Seabourn but DW an I are on this sailing as well as the previous from Miami and when I noticed the price drop last week, contacted our US based TA and that afternoon had a revised booking with a $5k decrease and $400 pp OBC. this after a $12k decrease in December. Strange way for a company to do business.

 

Galeforce still waiting to hear back from you regarding tours from discussions on roll call. Hope you get this all straightened out.

That is VERY interesting. It seems strange that Seabourn would have a different policy for particular nationalities.

[sfvoyage]

Not sure what is going on with U.K. customers and Seabourn but DW an I are on this sailing as well as the previous from Miami and when I noticed the price drop last week, contacted our US based TA and that afternoon had a revised booking with a $5k decrease and $400 pp OBC. this after a $12k decrease in December. Strange way for a company to do business.

 

Galeforce still waiting to hear back from you regarding tours from discussions on roll call. Hope you get this all straightened out.

 

That is VERY interesting. It seems strange that Seabourn would have a different policy for particular nationalities.

 

SB's US policy is indeed different from SB's UK policy, but their US policy hasn't changed. We pay 25% deposit, which is fully refundable before the penalty period kicks in, which is 4 or 5 months prior to embarkation, depending on length of cruise.

 

If a cruise price drops prior to the penalty period, US customers can always cancel and rebook with no penalty. However, even this doesn't always work: if the cruise is sold out, you are out of luck. Or if your desired category is sold out, you'll have to book another category at the new price, which may or may not be advantageous.

 

 

Once you're within the penalty period, SB will not refund the price difference. The best they'll do may be to offer an upgrade and/or onboard credit. This policy has been in place for many years; as early as in 2010, I met SB diamond members on board who mentioned that SB would only give them an upgrade to partially compensate for the subsequent price drop but would not issue any refund.

 

I am surprised to hear that, until recently, UK customers could get price adjustments so easily.

 

In any case, I agree with others who have mentioned that this particular issue should be handled privately between the OP, SB and the travel agent.

[Laylam]

I contacted Seabourn's Sydney office, asking if there had been a change in policy, as I had read on here there had been. The reply in part reads,

 

Thank you for contacting Seabourn.

 

The information you have seen is not correct.

 

Whilst a booking is outside cancellation period and there is still availability, Seabourn can change to the lower promotion price in most cases. Of course this will always depend on the individual circumstances of the booking and voyage.

 

Once inside the cancellation fee period, Seabourn is unable to reduce pricing, however we look at other options on a case by case basis to see what other options are available.

 

I understand the OP's cruise is still 7 months away, well outside the cancellation period.

 

_______________________________________________________________________

[ab21au]

While I think it is unfortunate for early bookings, and maybe there needs to be some rule for bookings made say 12months in advance, the cruise I have booked and paid $13k for is now selling for $19k for the same category. I would not want SB to ask me for the difference.

[Isklaar]

Well, this change in SB policy whether official or not has made me extremely reluctant to book future cruises well in advance.

 

We pay a hefty non returnable deposit here in the UK - I'm fully aware that we have more comprehensive overall consumer protection and non returnable deposits are just one downside to that.

Seabourn's flexibility in making like for like price reductions when requested is something that I've appreciated very much in the past.

However, now that SB has apparently changed that, and with Seabourn's pricing in the UK being all over the place currently, as discussed elsewhere, I'll be very wary of making months in advance bookings in future. From what I've seen here, SB knows it has its UK customers over a barrel on this one.

[marama]

Yes indeed, this thread serves as a cautionary warning to us all - which is perhaps a good reason for keeping it here on the Seabourn Board.

[RustyRollock]

As I say, the "Carnival rot" is setting in. Death by a thousand cuts..

[Chairsin]

Laylam

We are talking about the policy in the UK not Australia or the US or anywhere else. What your TA told your for Australia may be correct --- but doesn't affect the OP or other U.K. Bookings. In the U.K. once you book you make a 10 percent non refundable deposit. This is different from the US where your deposit is refundable if you cancel within a few month period prior to the cruise.

 

 

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[lincslady]

Surely the main issue here is that it seems that whereas clients in the USA and maybe elsewhere can have reductions applied to their cruises, well before final payment date, those who book in the UK cannot. I believe UK clients pay a lower deposit, but cannot get it back, merely probably have it transferred with some restrictions to another cruise, whereas USA clients can have the whole of their deposit back.

 

On the face of it, unless there is something else behind it, the difference between the OP's situation and that of the American client seems very unfair to the UK client. And it did look as if the allocation of the poorest V1 suite for this cruise, at this early date, seemed rather mean.

 

Hoping to hear the final outcome.