Booking December 2020 not available

[SSCAF001]

Hi there

do you whether booking a silversea cruise is not possible between December 2020 and spring 2021? I find it strange since cruises are again available from summer 2021? Any clue? I would like to know at least the proposed itinerary for festive season 2020/2021. Thanks. 

[SSCAF001]

No answer from anyone?

[cuddles115]

4 minutes ago, SSCAF001 said:

No answer from anyone?

Probably because this is a Seabourn site and NOT a Silversea.

[SSCAF001]

My mistake. I was obviously meaning a seabourn cruise not a Silversea one. So I am on the right forum! 

 

[markham]

There is now only one itinerary available on Seabourn for Nov., 2020 and that is for Ody. 

 

More for Ody for Nov and the other non-venture ships are due out soon according to Seattle. I am guessing within 2 weeks. My advice is to check with your TA and/or the website every few days.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[SSCAF001]

Thank you very much. I will check regularly in the coming days. 

[markham]

I know that the rerouting of the Nov and Dec 2019 Cuba cruises (now done) has brought knock on effects.

That is that Seabourn had to revise their plans for Cuba cruises they had been considering for late 2020 and the distraction took resources away from the rollout of all Nov 2020 and after cruise planning.

So I expect that we will not see the Nov 2020 and after cruise schedules for a couple of weeks yet.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[brittany12]

Yet SB takes a double page ad in the latest issue of Virtuoso magazine showing the route of its 2021 World Cruise starting Jan 2021. It says check with TA for details, but TAs have none. I suspect the Cuba thing did throw their timing off more than they expected.

[markham]

Yes, this is frustrating for everyone! The 2021 world cruise ad being published without any details shows that Seabourn was planning the Nov., 2020 and onward releases for this week at the latest. But this Cuba thing messed up the flow!

 

Nothing to do then but wait patiently. And hope that any other lines’ cruises which you were considering for that post Nov., 2021 period don’t sell quickly yet so you (and I) have time to consider Seabourn in the mix soonest! Cunard and Silversea are out there already.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Viking1966]

My understanding is the schedule will be out in August mainly due to the arrival of the new expedition ships in 2021 and 2022. I am sure the Cuba change also has an effect. Ody will of course be on a world cruise. My guess from talking with Seabourn is the Quest will see the biggest schedule change and this is taking Seabourn some time to figure out. I am anxiously waiting for the schedule to come out as I want to take an Antarctica cruise on the Quest in Nov 2020 before the expedition ships take over on much shorter cruises for the same price out of Ushuaia. 

 

[2SailingNomads]

Seabourn's schedule release has always been an issue for many as they historically have not gone out as far as other competitors, which for some means a choice between an ideal cabin on a different line or hoping Seabourn will offer an itinerary that appeals to them.  For us, as to date we have only sailed on Seabourn for ocean cruises so it has not been a problem, but as we also do land-based vacations that sometimes require booking far in advance if you want a particular house or condo it does affects us, although to a lesser extent.  We have friends we met on Seabourn a couple of years ago that have booked a cruise on a different line and asked us to consider joining them - in Nov 2020, but I am waiting to see what the Quest does post Nov 7th MIA arrival as I would love to do the itinerary it is doing this year but have another land-based trip already booked for this year. 

 

I'm certain Markham's take above is correct, they were not expecting the travel rules to Cuba to change and that was the proverbial monkey wrench, but at the same time why not have the schedule planned earlier as other lines do?  Crystal goes out until May 2022!!!  Both Silverseas and Regent May 2021, yet Seabourn except for the high priced Venture itineraries basically stops at Oct 2020.

[markham]

With regards to Viking1966’s post I CANNOT believe that Seabourn won’t get the post Oct, 2020 itineraries out until August! It would be commercially stupid and damaging to let this drag on much longer. 

 

Also, why do you, Viking66, believe Odyssey will be doing a world cruise that hasn’t been announced yet? Sojourn is the 2020 world cruise ship. Was Ody mentioned somewhere such as the Virtuoso magazine?

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Edited June 20, 2019 by markham

[markham]

PS- Seabourn in Southampton has told my TA that the second week of July is when the post-Oct. 2020 itineraries will be available.

 

”it could be worse”

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[dalliowner]

Has anybody booking a Seabourn cruise 12 months in advance ever found it fully booked. Also y

ou cannot book airline tickets over 12 months  away

[markham]

That’s not the point. I can book Seabourn’s direct competitors a few months before I can book Seabourn for post Oct., 2020 cruises, thereby giving me access to their best cabin inventories and maybe also their best pricing. Heck, even (ahem) Holland America offers a 2021 world cruise, not that I am interested or know how long it’s been offered. Surely Seabourn can do better!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Edited June 20, 2019 by markham

[SKP946]

Just a thought,🤔 we always seem to be fortunate in that our Seabourn ship is one of the only ships in port that day (except maybe busy changeover ports such as Rome or Barcelona) 

Maybe  Seabourn wait to see what ports all the other cruise ships have booked, then book the ports with the least number of ships in port on that day.🙄

[Viking1966]

Markham sorry I meant Sojourn !!!

 

[markham]

It seems to me that resourcing the department that sets itineraries sooner rather than later would be a priority. That’s how you compete against, well, your competition which is now, well, booking passengers for late 2020 and 2021! After all, if you are looking at a Nov., 2020 cruise on Seabourn only one Ody sailing is showing, and that is only 16 months away. All of Seabourn’s direct competitors have offered the end of 2020 for months, as well as world cruises etc in 2021 for a couple of months plus already,

 

Hanging back to see what other ships are berthing would be way down my list if I were trying to generate revenue and through it direction about my yields and margins. Releasing the schedules earlier means you have that much more time to revise your pricing strategy and all other aspects of your marketing. (You surely don’t want to have to resort to a “discount TA” to fill your ships when things are going less-than-well for whatever reason within mere months of the sailing, do you, as has been discussed on this thread.)

 

I know that Seabourn is usually later than most but that can change. And the change would give us an easier time deciding what cruise to book without the distraction. Who needs it? 

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[cruiseej]

On 6/19/2019 at 12:49 PM, Viking1966 said:

I am anxiously waiting for the schedule to come out as I want to take an Antarctica cruise on the Quest in Nov 2020 before the expedition ships take over on much shorter cruises for the same price out of Ushuaia. 

 

 

Just curious why you want to take Quest to Antarctica instead of Venture. Venture has some 10-day itineraries and a 12-day itinerary that has more days in the Antarctic than any other I can find. And the 20-day holiday trip which incorporates South Georgia island. Quest is a great ship, but with Quest having double the number of passengers, I assume passengers on Venture will get to do zodiac landings twice as often as those on Quest.

 

We'd really like to see South Georgia, but Seabourn's 20 and 21 day itineraries are a little too long and too pricey for us. We're debating Antarctic only on Venture or going to Silversea for their slightly shorter itinerary with includes South Georgia. 

[B-2-Bs Best!]

Somebody should be fired!

[Kate-AHF]

On 6/22/2019 at 7:05 PM, cruiseej said:

 

Just curious why you want to take Quest to Antarctica instead of Venture. Venture has some 10-day itineraries and a 12-day itinerary that has more days in the Antarctic than any other I can find. And the 20-day holiday trip which incorporates South Georgia island. Quest is a great ship, but with Quest having double the number of passengers, I assume passengers on Venture will get to do zodiac landings twice as often as those on Quest.

 

We'd really like to see South Georgia, but Seabourn's 20 and 21 day itineraries are a little too long and too pricey for us. We're debating Antarctic only on Venture or going to Silversea for their slightly shorter itinerary with includes South Georgia. 

 

For some people, a short visit to Antarctica is all that is desired.  And for some people, one landing a day is enough.  I get that, just like I get that other people want a far more immersive Antarctica experience.

[cruiseej]

@Kate-AHFMy understanding was that with 400 passengers and a max. of 100 allowed ashore at one time, not everyone got a landing every day on Quest -- but maybe I'm wrong about that. Whatever the exact rules, the numbers are certainly more favorable of a ship with nearly half the passengers. It's yet to be seen whether the level of luxury and service will be the same on the smaller ship.

 

We've only done one expedition cruise so far -- Greenland, on Silversea -- which was excellent. The food was a notch below Seabourn's, but still good, and staff and service was on a par.  Based on that experience I'm thinking I'd choose fewer passengers versus higher luxury if given the choice when choosing an Antarctica cruise. But we're still mulling over the many options out there. #GreatProblemToHave

[Kate-AHF]

I believe the intent is for everyone to get one landing per day.  The group to which you are assigned may not get to launch due to changing conditions, but in theory, everyone gets one landing per day.

 

You are absolutely correct in that your chances for landings are better on a smaller ship than Quest.  I don't really consider the Quest to be a true expedition ship, but a very good compromise between a drive-by and a true immersive Antarctic trip.  I have every confidence that the Seabourn experience on the new Venture will be as high as on the other ships, and possible higher, based on our past cruises on the old 208 pax triplets and the new ships.

 

FWIW, our TA has told us numerous times that nearly every one of his clients that sailed the Quest in Antarctica said their one regret was not doing this when they were younger.

[SLSD]

I have posted about this---but wanted to repeat it here--we were told by Seabourn's VP for Explorations that on the new Venture (and its subsequent sister ship), they will be equipped to take everyone for a landing at one time---to make sure that some do't miss out due to changing conditions.  

[SKP946]

4 hours ago, SLSD said:

I have posted about this---but wanted to repeat it here--we were told by Seabourn's VP for Explorations that on the new Venture (and its subsequent sister ship), they will be equipped to take everyone for a landing at one time---to make sure that some do't miss out due to changing conditions.  

 

Aren’t the new ships 200 pax ?

I thought the rule was no more than 100 ashore at any one time (not counting expedition team) ?