Silversea Marketing for Cruises from December 2021

[Stickman1990]

59 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

The Silverseas fare was 2.5 times the Princess fare on a pp per day  basis. That's not good value for money no matter how good the ship is.

So what was the per diem charge you were using? 
What category of Silversea cabin were you using?

I'm not sure that Silversea will ever come down to Princess prices - they operate in different parts of the market and deliver different products in terms of service (crew/passenger ratio and associate space in public areas) and dining options. I can’t compare directly but I wonder if the quality of beverages included on Princess matches Silversea? 

[OzKiwiJJ]

54 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

So what was the per diem charge you were using? 
What category of Silversea cabin were you using?

I'm not sure that Silversea will ever come down to Princess prices - they operate in different parts of the market and deliver different products in terms of service (crew/passenger ratio and associate space in public areas) and dining options. I can’t compare directly but I wonder if the quality of beverages included on Princess matches Silversea? 

The Club Class Mini Suite on Princess, which is a midships cabins with sofa and shower over bath, was $378pp per day with the drinks/internet inclusion.

 

I compared it against the cheapest Silversea balcony suite class, which appear to be forward so not quite a match. That worked out at $981 pp per day. If I used the fare for a midships balcony suite it rose to $1031pp per day.

 

That's one hell of a difference and I doubt I would see that difference in terms of added value.

 

I don't mind paying a certain amount extra for a more upmarket cruise, after all we did book two Crystal cruises, but I just can't see where the extra added value would show.

 

 

[Aussieflyer]

I had a look at the cruises and IMO there has been a large jump in fares. We’ve been on SS a few times and with the exception of their expedition ships, pricing has been around $650 - $700 pppd. These cruises on offer are more like $1K pppd. Either SS is hoping to cash in or there is an issue with the number of pax they would be allowed to sail with. 

[cruisingaussies]

13 minutes ago, Aussieflyer said:

I had a look at the cruises and IMO there has been a large jump in fares. We’ve been on SS a few times and with the exception of their expedition ships, pricing has been around $650 - $700 pppd. These cruises on offer are more like $1K pppd. Either SS is hoping to cash in or there is an issue with the number of pax they would be allowed to sail with. 

The agent I spoke with said they will be sailing at 40% capacity. 

[Stickman1990]

After seeing this comment from the Queensland Premier yesterday I’m less confident these will happen as she’s adopting her usual insular approach. Of course she has shown she can change her mind and policies like the wind!

 

 

This announcement today by the Queensland Premier doesn’t auger well for the proposed Silversea cruise in December - she’s talking Queensland only cruises to start with 

 

“Ms Palaszczuk said the state government would work with the cruising industry to allow some Queensland-based small cruise holidays from next year when the vaccination rates hit 80 per cent.

“I’ll put that to national cabinet as well, but I honestly think that is a great option for Queenslanders who are fully vaccinated to actually trial some smaller cruises up and down the Queensland coast,” she said.”

 

https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/queensland-cruising-industry-could-be-restarted-as-state-records-local-case-20210923-p58u2k.html?fbclid=IwAR2OofiF26VQb6XcBvoraxD0YABz6aruErrpm6XEaKj3aqiYOGXs_-5v5MI

[Stickman1990]

7 minutes ago, cruisingaussies said:

The agent I spoke with said they will be sailing at 40% capacity. 

i wouldn’t mind that - hopefully they can get to that level which would be around 240 guests. Some other lines I follow are only getting around 20-25% on their current Caribbean cruises - that would be too much like a ghost ship for my liking 

 

I see from your signature file you were on 2018 - Seabourn Encore Bali to Sydney - so were we - perhaps we met on that cruise?

[cruisingaussies]

19 minutes ago, Stickman1990 said:

i wouldn’t mind that - hopefully they can get to that level which would be around 240 guests. Some other lines I follow are only getting around 20-25% on their current Caribbean cruises - that would be too much like a ghost ship for my liking 

 

I see from your signature file you were on 2018 - Seabourn Encore Bali to Sydney - so were we - perhaps we met on that cruise?

As for the Qld premier, as you say that woman changes her statements like the wind. My opinion of her is unprintable!!

Yes we were on that Seabourn cruise, I thought your name was familiar.  I seem to remember a meeting of a few CC people and perhaps we met there.

As for the December cruise, we can only hope. Forty percent occupation is fine with us. 

[ollyoeno]

Its unfair to lay blame with AP - fair play to her for trying to do something about the problem. Dan Tehan and Joel Katz should resign.

 

It's worth remembering that Tehan made comments at a News International conference saying he "supported cruises resuming, including flights to regional ports, as they bring in regional tourism" and then retracted the statement when he got told to shut up by the cabinet!

 

Personally, I'm very pessimistic about cruises resuming in December in the basis that international crew have been vaccinated with vaccines other than Astrazennaca, Pfizer and Moderna. In the UK, there was a two month period where crew had to re-jab, so if we're not hearing about that now, there's no chance that international crew would be ready for December.

 

Edit: De-politicised my remarks ;)

Edited September 26, 2021 by ollyoeno

[gogo65]

On 9/22/2021 at 7:49 PM, OzKiwiJJ said:

The Club Class Mini Suite on Princess, which is a midships cabins with sofa and shower over bath, was $378pp per day with the drinks/internet inclusion.

 

I compared it against the cheapest Silversea balcony suite class, which appear to be forward so not quite a match. That worked out at $981 pp per day. If I used the fare for a midships balcony suite it rose to $1031pp per day.

 

That's one hell of a difference and I doubt I would see that difference in terms of added value.

 

I don't mind paying a certain amount extra for a more upmarket cruise, after all we did book two Crystal cruises, but I just can't see where the extra added value would show.

 

 

We also looked at booking one of the SS cruises once announced thinking the prices may be reasonable, but there is no way I’m paying $1000pn to go to Newcastle. We've got a $4k credit to use up, so would of been perfect if the prices were reasonable 

I know there are many SS diehards, so perhaps that’s who they are aiming for.

We've done one on Silver Cloud and honestly didn’t find it amazing, it was nice.

I dont believe the service and amenities reflect the price they are asking, obviously other do.

[Stickman1990]

Positive comments today - a glimmer of hope (and that's all it is...)

 

Federal Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Sunday

 

“I expect to be able to make a decision on cruise ships in the coming weeks once we’ve got the medical information, but it will require at least one state or territory to partner on that,” he said.

“We’re working with a number of states and territories, we’ll let them make their own considerations. But, we would like to see cruising back on before Christmas.”

 

https://www.smh.com.au/national/nsw/hunt-flags-cruise-ships-to-return-to-australian-shores-before-christmas-20211114-p598tl.html

 

Now just what that means for Silverseas and other cruise lines plans - who knows?

[OzKiwiJJ]

Silversea has the best chance I think, Terry.

[Aussieflyer]

We can but hope. Silver Muse is still mooching off the west  coast of US.

[ollyoeno]

It's going to be a costing exercise, nothing more, nothing less. Expect $20,000 cabins.

[Aussieflyer]

36 minutes ago, ollyoeno said:

It's going to be a costing exercise, nothing more, nothing less. Expect $20,000 cabins.

That's not what's on their website. A number of the itineraries are short 6 day ones. A reasonable cabin with balcony is about $5K per person for these. Not cheap but not overly outrageous. Compared to a booking (cancelled) for December 2020 it was still in the ballpark per day.

[ollyoeno]

1 minute ago, Aussieflyer said:

That's not what's on their website. A number of the itineraries are short 6 day ones. A reasonable cabin with balcony is about $5K per person for these. Not cheap but not overly outrageous. Compared to a booking (cancelled) for December 2020 it was still in the ballpark per day.

 

Consider me booked!

[Aussieflyer]

We have a 6 day out of ADL booked but of course up in the air at the moment. 

[ollyoeno]

44 minutes ago, Aussieflyer said:

We have a 6 day out of ADL booked but of course up in the air at the moment. 

 

Here's hoping she goes. 

 

Like everyone else I am a bit confused about the requirements placed upon the states for resuming cruises. I thought it was the Health Minister of the state, now it appears its Greg Hunt (the federal minister), or am I wrong? 

[Aussieflyer]

The Fed minister for health has to determine the biosecurity emergency regulations will not be extended ( or the cruising part) then it’s a state matter, so both involved in the mix. 

[Stickman1990]

Well I think today's announcements by the Minister of Health pretty much guarantees these planned cruises by Silversea are now toast!

 

https://cruisepassenger.com.au/news/seven-days-out-from-the-end-of-australias-cruise-ban-heres-the-latest-on-what-may-happen