INCLUDED SHORE EXCURSIONS AND ROUNDTRIP AIR: SILVERSEA CRUISES BECOMES MORE ALL-INCLUSIVE THAN EVER

[les37b]

 

https://www.silversea.com/other-resources/press-releases/2020/November/silversea-cruises-becomes-more-all-inclusive-than-ever.html

 

 

Included with every voyage in Silversea's new collection of 2022/2023 itineraries, travellers will enjoy complimentary shore excursions in every port and included roundtrip air.

 

 

 

 

(Monaco -- November 19, 2020) Silversea Cruises is set to become more all-inclusive than ever, with the upcoming launch of its new 2022/2023 itineraries. For the first time in Silversea’s history, travellers will enjoy at least one complimentary shore excursion, from a range of experiences in every port of call, included with all voyages in the new itinerary collection—across the line’s entire fleet of 10 ultra-luxury ships. Enhancing Silversea’s all-inclusive offering further still—which is already among the most comprehensive at sea—all cruise fares will include roundtrip air and transfers, providing unprecedented value and convenience for guests.

“We are enhancing our already comprehensive all-inclusive offering for the convenience of our guests, while leveraging on our destination leadership to take travellers deeper into over 900 of the world’s most amazing destinations on included shore excursions,” says Roberto Martinoli, Silversea’s President and CEO. "Our expansive new collection of itineraries for 2022 and 2023, which will be the largest itinerary launch in Silversea’s history, features inspired voyages that have been carefully curated by our destination experts. With the inclusion of roundtrip air and transfers, we are further enriching our all-inclusive offering, which is among the most broad-ranging in the ultra-luxury cruise sector."

 

Setting sail between March 2022 and May 2023, Silversea’s new collection of voyages represents the cruise line’s largest-ever itinerary release, with almost 12% more itineraries compared to the previous launch. The new collection includes 315 voyages across all seven continents, calling in 669 destinations in 114 countries, with 61 maiden calls.

Travellers booked on these voyages will be able to reserve their included shore excursions—as well as bespoke ‘Silversea Selected’ shore excursions (available for an additional charge)—from 180 days before sailing by accessing my.silversea.com. The cruise line’s Venetian Society members will enjoy an additional 30 days to make their selection, reserving their chosen experiences from as early as 210 days ahead of sailing.

 

The inclusion of roundtrip air and transfers on all voyages will enhance the offering for guests. Business class upgrades are also included in selected destinations and on selected voyages, such as the cruise line’s World Cruises and Grand Voyages. Special savings in the form of ‘non-use air credit’ is offered to travellers who wish to make their own travel arrangements or to those travelling from excluded regions. Depending on Silversea’s air programme flight schedule, guests may also enjoy one or two hotel nights, or the use of a dayroom, included in the cruise fare.

 

In addition to some of the most spacious suites at sea (90% of which offer verandas), guests travelling aboard Silversea’s ships enjoy personalised service provided by nearly one crew member for every guest; onboard entertainment; as well as the following inclusions:

 

 

Moreover, as part of the most comprehensible all-inclusive expedition offering at sea, Silversea’s guests will also enjoy the following inclusions on expedition voyages:

 

• In-country flights on selected itineraries
• Highly-qualified Expedition Team, comprising experts in their field.
• Guided Zodiac, land and sea tours, as well as shore-side activities.
• Enrichment lectures by our Expedition Team
• Complimentary expedition parka in cold water regions
• Complimentary use of wetsuits and snorkelling equipment on selected voyages
• Complimentary backpack and water bottle

 

As Silversea’s cruise fares will henceforth reflect the inclusion of shore excursions and roundtrip air, our travel partners will be eligible for a higher overall commission per booking.

Part of an exclusive pre-sale, Silversea’s new 2022/2023 itineraries will go on sale to the cruise line’s Venetian Society members from December 1. General sales will open on December 10.

Travel partners are invited to attend live webinars on November 30/December 1 to learn about the highlights of Silversea’s new 2022/2023 itinerary collection. Sign up here:

Edited November 19, 2020 by les37b

[les37b]

Hmmm.... I am just meant to be finalising a Muse Sailing which I'm assuming will be part of this offer.....

 

Says details out on the 1 December.... I'd hate to miss out on a free trip in every port.

 

Hoping to get a call back later today (after SS accidentally didn't keep a reservation live while I was awaiting a couple of answers before confirming. This kinda stirs a hornets nest though with a May 22 sail date!

[Tothesunset]

Bet the prices rise to reflect the "free" excursions. 

[les37b]

14 minutes ago, Tothesunset said:

Bet the prices rise to reflect the "free" excursions. 

 

Absolutely.... But to be fair... It would also include Business air vice economy on the Tokyo cruise I am booking, so I can forgive the increase! (I hadn't really looked at the 3rd column and digest it.... just saw free excursions and was hooked! lol) 

 

The free excursions that were included in our last Asian trip were a bit meh... so maybe now a big deal. However, I'm half expecting leaving the ship in port will be on SS tours only, so maybe not such a bad thing.

[milepig]

The email I got wasn't nearly as descriptive.

 

We're booked in 2020 - does this only apply to new bookings? I have a call into my TA - it may be time to rebook - complicated since we're already using a FC credit toward this. There is also now a "double bonus" that includes $1,000 shipboard credit toward East Asia itins, which is what we're doing.

[milepig]

Just now, milepig said:

The email I got wasn't nearly as descriptive.

 

We're booked in 2020 - does this only apply to new bookings? I have a call into my TA - it may be time to rebook - complicated since we're already using a FC credit toward this. There is also now a "double bonus" that includes $1,000 shipboard credit toward East Asia itins, which is what we're doing.

Is the option to edit completely gone?  Make that 2022.

[Stumblefoot]

I'm curious how many folks here think including "free" excursions in every port is a good idea. 

 

Personally, we don't like it.  Included excursions is one of the reasons we never cruise with Regent since we don't like paying for services we don't utilize.  At least with "included" air, we can always get a credit back for declining the inclusion.  I assume that will not be the case with excursions, unfortunately.

[TxnAquarian]

21 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

I'm curious how many folks here think including "free" excursions in every port is a good idea. 

 

Personally, we don't like it.  Included excursions is one of the reasons we never cruise with Regent since we don't like paying for services we don't utilize.  At least with "included" air, we can always get a credit back for declining the inclusion.  I assume that will not be the case with excursions, unfortunately.

I’m really disappointed by this decision. I can totally understand that SS wants to find as much revenue as possible, but, depending on what the pricing looks like, this might be out of my league. I stopped sailing Regent in 2016 because the prices got too steep. And I find it silly to offer these ”included“ excursions, because I have never done an excursion in my life. Looks I’ll be sticking to Seabourn and Oceania - not that SS will miss me 😂 

[les37b]

17 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

I'm curious how many folks here think including "free" excursions in every port is a good idea. 

 

Personally, we don't like it.  Included excursions is one of the reasons we never cruise with Regent since we don't like paying for services we don't utilize.  At least with "included" air, we can always get a credit back for declining the inclusion.  I assume that will not be the case with excursions, unfortunately.

 

No i think I'm with you. We used the free trips in Vietnam and they weren't any good and as you've implied, nothing is ever free. 

 

When i first saw it, I was kinda hoping they were simply added to shat Id already paid for (so no extra cost.)

 

I pretty much always DIY, but with the new rules, it may well be an option lost or at least for a while.

 

 

[AtMaui]

I agree with TxnAquarian.  I was a Regent person until they started including excursions.  I do sometimes take the ship's excursion, but I also like to make my own or just walk around.  I understand doing the ship sponsored excursions during COVID but hopefully we will be passed that by  2022/2023.  

 

Also, wasn't there a survey from SS several years ago, asking if they should include excursions and it seemed like most people said no.

 

[Silver Spectre]

53 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

I'm curious how many folks here think including "free" excursions in every port is a good idea. 

 

Personally, we don't like it.  Included excursions is one of the reasons we never cruise with Regent since we don't like paying for services we don't utilize.  At least with "included" air, we can always get a credit back for declining the inclusion.  I assume that will not be the case with excursions, unfortunately.

I have to agree with you. IMHO this is a bad move.

[Observer]

Count out another former Regent guest who moved all travel to Silversea and Crystal when Regent began these unwanted inclusions (and greatly increased their single supplements).   For well-travelled people who have done the standard tours in many ports, this will be a huge turn-off.   It is for me.  

Edited November 19, 2020 by Observer

[drron29]

And I bet the bespoke "Silversea Selected" shore excursions won't be any cheaper than they were before this new policy meaning you basically will be paying twice for an excursion.

[milepig]

3 hours ago, milepig said:

The email I got wasn't nearly as descriptive.

 

We're booked in 2022 - does this only apply to new bookings? I have a call into my TA - it may be time to rebook - complicated since we're already using a FC credit toward this. There is also now a "double bonus" that includes $1,000 shipboard credit toward East Asia itins, which is what we're doing.

 

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, milepig said:

Is the option to edit completely gone?  Make that 2022.

 

No, the option to edit is still available.  I think you have something like 10-minutes to edit a post after submitting it.

[turtlemichael]

If I recall correctly, Regent included tours as a marketing tool in response to the fall in customers post 9/11. They were "included" at no change to the cruise price.  Very soon Regent's prices started to rise compared with Silversea and Seabourn. The quality too was not as good and they were overcrowded. It was one of the things that made us walk away from Regent towards Silversea.

 

My guess this is being done for several reasons now. One would be to get greater access to our dollars in that most people will not use an external tour operator if they already have an included tour. Further, this provides a control over guest activities in a world where covid still exists. It may be that you do the ship's tour or you stay on board though the press release does not say that.

 

To me, having travelled extensively like many here, this is a bad move which makes me less likely to cruise. JMHO.

[milepig]

47 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

 

No, the option to edit is still available.  I think you have something like 10-minutes to edit a post after submitting it.

But I can't find any button to allow that. Oh - top right, the third option is "edit".

Edited November 19, 2020 by milepig
Stupidity.

[Observer]

30 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

Further, this provides a control over guest activities in a world where covid still exists

It may be that you do the ship's tour or you stay on board though the press release does not say that.

 

If this were clearly announced as a temporary, COVID related provision, I would be sympathetic.  But this policy will be in effect into 2023.  One can assume/hope that COVID will be well under control by then.

 

Silversea has a loyal following of elderly (and not so elderly) guests who have been-there-done-that and are happy to stay onboard in port, enjoying the amenities of a nearly-empty ship.  Will there be fare reduction (as with waiving included air on many cruises now) for people who want to opt out of the all-inclusive version of Silversea?  Perhaps this could be a perk extended to Venetian Society members with lots of nights (and presumably lots of tours under their belts.)

 

My disappointment in this development is huge.

 

[turtlemichael]

1 hour ago, Observer said:

 

 Will there be fare reduction (as with waiving included air on many cruises now) for people who want to opt out of the all-inclusive version of Silversea?  Perhaps this could be a perk extended to Venetian Society members with lots of nights (and presumably lots of tours under their belts.)

 

My disappointment in this development is huge.

 

The announcement specifically mentions opting out of the included air (as you can now when air is included) but does not mention opting out of the tours. I may be wrong but I don't think there is an option to opt out of tours on Regent and, although I haven't done an expedition ship cruise, I don't think you can opt out of these on Silversea in return for a credit.  I think you have your answer.

[jpalbny]

2 hours ago, milepig said:

But I can't find any button to allow that. Oh - top right, the third option is "edit".

 

Don't feel bad. I missed it too, and quoted myself the first time I tried to edit one of my posts. Old habits die hard!

 

Oh yeah. We're not happy with included excursions either, though I guess in some ports it might be OK. We almost always DIY in Europe - this might be handy in other places where that's more difficult but we'll have to see. If this were just a temporary thing to provide reassurance for 2021, while presumably, the rules will be that you can't leave the ship unless with a ship's tour, that's one thing. If it's a permanent shift to this model...ugh.

 

This model works well with Expedition cruises but not so much for us with Classic itineraries.

Edited November 20, 2020 by jpalbny

[Observer]

1 hour ago, turtlemichael said:

The announcement specifically mentions opting out of the included air (as you can now when air is included) but does not mention opting out of the tours. I may be wrong but I don't think there is an option to opt out of tours on Regent and, although I haven't done an expedition ship cruise, I don't think you can opt out of these on Silversea in return for a credit.  I think you have your answer.

 

I think you are correct both about Regent (no opt out provision) and the expedition cruises.  But the entire point of the expedition cruises is the expedition experience, the exploration of remote and/or difficult-to-reach destinations.  I doubt one sees many walkers or canes or wheelchairs on expedition cruises.  They are hardly rare sights on Silversea "classic" cruises.

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

This model works well with Expedition cruises but not so much for us with Classic itineraries.

Wholeheartedly agree.  Two completely different products between the Expedition and Classic fleets.

[MBP&O2/O]

My initial and somewhat cynical thought was that the new prices would only show a slightly increased price that would not be enough to put people off. Then when they have 'hooked' the customer they can hike them at will?

[Fletcher]

I think the included excursions are welcome in some areas of the world where organising something independently might be tricky - I'm thinking of West Africa, for example, or some ports in Asia.  But in the Med and especially the Caribbean we much prefer to do our own thing, which often involves renting a car. So I'm not wholly in favour of Silversea's new policy.  

[Daveywavey70]

28 minutes ago, MBP&O2/O said:

My initial and somewhat cynical thought was that the new prices would only show a slightly increased price that would not be enough to put people off. Then when they have 'hooked' the customer they can hike them at will?

 

I was looking at the pricing a few days ago(just before the announcement) and was thinking they seem to have in reased quite a bit.