A dilemma re pricing...

[bottomfeeder]

I am always looking for a great next solo cruise, and I thought I had found one on Silversea.

 

Their website shows the September 12th Silver Muse sailing (#6925) with specials including a 25% solo supplement and free economy class airfare and 10% early booking bonus.  The web page for this sailing (I even read all the fine print!) indicates that all of these discounts are combinable.

 

Yet, when my travel agent called them (and called back and went to supervisors etc.) they tell her that the solo pricing does not include airfare and that it will cost me another $960 from a major airport.

 

I've seen on this board and the Solo board here at Cruise Critic people posting that they got a low solo supplement (or none at all) AND free airfare.

 

Is this typical of Silversea?  I'm really disappointed and feel like this is false advertising on their part.  Or am I missing something here?

[Stumblefoot]

Sure sounds strange bottomfeeder, but I can't speak from experience.  Of course, there is always the standard T&C's that provide enormous latitude to the company.
1. All fares indicated herein including air, are capacity controlled, subject to change at any time without notice and do not guarantee availability.
2. Special savings programs are all subject to change and / or cancellation without notice.
3. All schedules and terms and conditions are subject to change at any time.

 

Hopefully the solo cruisers here will chime in with their experience.

[WesW]

Am doing my first Solo cruise (wife gave me a kitchen pass) on the Shadow in about two+ weeks and booked with a $0 single supplement plus Free Econ air or reduced BC Air at $2499 each way.  BC Air was no longer available, but per offer did receive the  $1500 air credit.  Fortunately saved about $2K doing my own air, tho do not have SS transfers.

 

Don't understand your $960 charge unless the air carrier SS is using is charging this premium--but have not heard of $960 before.  Good luck at getting this resolved.

[les37b]

We’re you there when they called? 

 

Im sure other Solo fare travellers apart from Wes with his pass, will be able to quantify, but that notion makes zero sense and either SS got it wrong... or the agent not being entirely honest.

 

Why  not give SS a call direct for a price and if they try to say it’s extra, ask them why others get 0 supplement solo fares and free TA air fares.

 

I’ll be horrified if it is SS. 

[bottomfeeder]

I actually emailed with Silversea directly today (about 5 emails back and forth) to get a quote and then understand how their pricing worked on this quote.  And I'm good at math!  It's just the way they did it was, well, bizarre. 

 

Essentially they add the $960 for the "free" flight to your quote but then when you say you want to book your flight through them they take the $960 off.  If you say you don't want to book the flight through them they take $1,000 off.  So essentially you can book your flight with them, or pay $40 less and book it elsewhere.  Clearly it makes sense in that scenario to book the flight through them.

 

That was just one of the twisted pricing paths they went down.  I'm okay with what they did now that I understand it, though I still think it's kind of underhanded to advertise a sale price but then charge 25% of the full brochure price for the solo supplement.  In the grand scheme of things that difference isn't much, though.

 

And then I emailed my TA so she would understand the pricing too!  Now I just have to decide if the timing of this cruise can work with my job responsibilities...hmm...

 

Thanks all!