If you're a frequent Silversea passenger, read this!

[QueSeraSera]

On 5/11/2022 at 2:54 PM, mancunian said:

This topic is really depressing.

Yeah, don't think I want to follow this one too long.

Part of the reason we cruise with Silversea is to get away from all the nickel and diming BS.

It seems like our favorite (and so far, only cruise line) needs to remember the KISS principle.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

[les37b]

On 5/10/2022 at 7:55 AM, Tothesunset said:

The D2D v P2P pricing is a horror show. It's the reason we have 2 future cruises booked, neither with SS. 

 

Until they come to their senses on this I'm sure we aren't alone in looking elsewhere. 

 

You're most certainly not. 

 

I don't want a price hike for a limo, for excursions I don't want and flights I have no control over and be penalised for this...... And not happy at losing the 10 or 20% EBB either. Whilst I did make a further booking in January using the credit we were given (I could have taken cash instead but felt we owed in the end as an appreciation of the care we received.) There needs to be a big turnaround to get another I'm afraid.

 

That said, I think all CL are making changes that are not welcome.

[Dolcevita Diva]

23 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

Yeah, don't think I want to follow this one too long.

Part of the reason we cruise with Silversea is to get away from all the nickel and diming BS.

It seems like our favorite (and so far, only cruise line) needs to remember the KISS principle.

Keep It Simple, Stupid

In all fairness, that may be why they set up the Door-to-Door program, seeking to offer an all-included option.  But the current framework isn't working.   

 

Since Silversea does not directly control execution of those elements (flights, the shore excursion, car service, etc.), some passengers are also reporting a less-than-optimal experience with those elements for which SS is charging a premium with the D2D package.

 

 

Edited May 13, 2022 by Dolcevita Diva

[tgh]

Begs the question.. Is the brand being trashed ?
The family built a huge bank of brownie points over many years.
The depth of this loyalty is arguably more fragile with a HNW clientele who are not inclined to suffer being conned and can afford to find the quality they seek elsewhere.
Of course there is a volume market for "faux" luxury and perhaps this is where the brand is heading.

 

[QueSeraSera]

33 minutes ago, tgh said:

Is the brand being trashed ?

Gosh I hope not

[billdip]

Door to Door does not seem to be a good value. Booked a port to port cruise and could not get 5% for over 100 nights. The day I booked, got a brochure that reviewed Venetian Society benefits including the 5% discount. It stated all cruises, without any disqualifiers. Didn't matter. No discount. 

[newbet]

The last cruise I took in 2021, the flight was awesome and the service outstanding.  Now it looks like the wonderful cruise my granddaughter and I were to take on May 26th won't happen because I stupidly decided to do door-to-door and they have cancelled my flight to Vancouver.  After 5 hours holding for Alaska Air, I find that the ticked was refunded to Silversea along with the upgrade to comfort economy which I paid for. .  It's back to Oceania for me.  How to tell my granddaughter that we are not going and grandma just got bilked about ten grand by Silversea.

[markham]

tgh,

 

You coined the phrase and I have to agree. The Silversea brand is being trashed by thoughtless staff  there. They are apparently oblivious and disrespectful of past passengers who have earned the Venetian discount and are unwilling to see it go. After all, we all know or can easily find out how Silverseas' chief rivals price their cruises. No where else eg Seabourn do we see such a scam. We refuse to be fooled by this DTD nonsense.

 

Did anyone at Silversea do market research? Do they take us for sheep?

 

It seems that the Chief Commercial Officer Barbara Muckermann, who is not only accountable to Silversea itself but to us passengers has well, has a lot to answer for. I am waiting to see what it is. Can she justify this and/or climb down with some modifications?

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Tothesunset]

In trying to scam huge amounts from passengers with this D2D v PTP nonsense I wonder how many current Venetians they have lost compared to the number of new passengers gained who probably are less likely to see the penalties in the new fare structure?

 

Sadly, our days of buying the cruise then arranging our own travel and accom have ended - at least with SS. We are not ingenues who need to have D2D at a silly mark-up nor are we daft enough to book P2P with the, frankly, disgraceful deposit terms and Venetian savings loss. 

 

We are both really sad to say farewell to the line which has given us over 200 days of great cruising but we would be even sadder to be taken for fools by handing over cash to SS when there are other lines ready and able to accommodate our needs. 

 

Once P2P returns with previous deposit rules and Venetian savings we will look again; if D2D persists but at sensible rates we will look again. 

 

It's all so desperately sad and unnecessary. 

[ronrick1943]

It sounds like SS needs to get their act together—-I’ve got two cruises booked and reading all of this concerns me.

[Gourmet Gal]

Luckily I booked our upcoming cruise before this ridiculous program.  And it’s a good thing because I was not happy with the SS Air options and ended up booking our own.  We prepaid for the cruise with a 10% discount.  Is that program no longer be offered?  We also referred another couple and received a small bonus.  Is that gone, too?

 

Anyway, we mostly do land-based trips so cruising is a very small part of our travel.  But I will not be considering SS unless there are some changes to this craziness.

[FauxNom]

On 5/16/2022 at 4:46 AM, Tothesunset said:

Once P2P returns with previous deposit rules and Venetian savings we will look again; if D2D persists but at sensible rates we will look again. 

Exactly ^. It's not that D2D is inherently bad: some folks want the full meal deal. I personally like to book my own air, normally, and I appreciate that Silversea is using P2P as a way to discount cruises that might not be selling well. But why punish those who take the P2P option by whittling away the Venetian discount, onboard booking discount, etc.?

[CJANDH]

Is nobody at Silversea HQ monitoring this thread? If they are, they are seeing the destruction of their brand in front of their very eyes. Some of their most loyal and long standing customers are vowing to abandon Silversea because of an ill thought out pricing policy change and perceived disregard for customer needs. As a retired marketing executive, I see this as the "vortex to doom" that has ruined the reputation of many brands that refused to listen to feedback from their customers.

 

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

We prepaid for the cruise with a 10% discount.  Is that program no longer be offered?

Correct.  It was discontinued upon the release of the current fare program.

 

2 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

We also referred another couple and received a small bonus.  Is that gone, too?

No.  That program is still available.

 

1 hour ago, CJANDH said:

Is nobody at Silversea HQ monitoring this thread? If they are, they are seeing the destruction of their brand in front of their very eyes.

As has been stated often before, yes, multiple SS personnel monitor this forum daily.

 

But, no, the brand is not being destroyed before anyone’s eyes.  The SS brand is healthy as ever.  You have to remember, less than one-tenth of one percent of SS passengers even participate in this forum and likely even less know it exists. So, one cannot project the demise of a brand from a mere handful of complaints.

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, CJANDH said:

Is nobody at Silversea HQ monitoring this thread? If they are, they are seeing the destruction of their brand in front of their very eyes. Some of their most loyal and long standing customers are vowing to abandon Silversea because of an ill thought out pricing policy change and perceived disregard for customer needs. As a retired marketing executive, I see this as the "vortex to doom" that has ruined the reputation of many brands that refused to listen to feedback from their customers.

 

Unfortunately SS marketing is being run with ‘tin ears’. We and many others have been providing feedback to SS, via consultants and direct to BM herself. Currently I cannot think of anything that has been picked up and implemented, apart from the re-instatement of caviar, and the rumour is that RCL did that.

[Gourmet Gal]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

Correct.  It was discontinued upon the release of the current fare program.

 

No.  That program is still available.

 

As has been stated often before, yes, multiple SS personnel monitor this forum daily.

 

But, no, the brand is not being destroyed before anyone’s eyes.  The SS brand is healthy as ever.  You have to remember, less than one-tenth of one percent of SS passengers even participate in this forum and likely even less know it exists. So, one cannot project the demise of a brand from a mere handful of complaints.

Whether potential cruisers are here on CC or not doesn’t mean they don’t have common sense and can see the problems with this pricing scheme.

[Stumblefoot]

36 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Whether potential cruisers are here on CC or not doesn’t mean they don’t have common sense and can see the problems with this pricing scheme.

Sorry GourmetGal, but your response is not what my reply to CJANDH answered.

 

Obviously, I agree with your comment about common sense relative to the pricing scheme, especially since I was the first to point out its issues all those months ago when introduced.  But, there is zero evidence the brand is being destroyed before our very eyes.  To say otherwise is just not supported by data at this point.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Stumblefoot

[Gourmet Gal]

Yes, point made.

[turtlemichael]

9 hours ago, CJANDH said:

Is nobody at Silversea HQ monitoring this thread? If they are, they are seeing the destruction of their brand in front of their very eyes. Some of their most loyal and long standing customers are vowing to abandon Silversea because of an ill thought out pricing policy change and perceived disregard for customer needs. As a retired marketing executive, I see this as the "vortex to doom" that has ruined the reputation of many brands that refused to listen to feedback from their customers.

 

I'd expect that the test they would use would be the effect that the changes have on the number of new bookings, return bookings and the bottom line. They will be the criteria, The will tolerate the shouting and complaints if the bottom line benefits. They should be monitoring closely.

[Tothesunset]

New passengers to SS almost certainly won't compare SS now to SS then and will make their choices without prejudice. I suspect old-timers, like many on here, feel that the pricing changes have penalised those that like to arrange their own travel or offer a D2D plan that is often anything but and is expensive based on the prices of 2 or 3 years ago. 

 

As long as cabins are filled I doubt that we shall return to the previous pricing structure. If they lose fewer Ventians than they gain in new custom then they clearly won't change. 

 

Rather than complain (that's a bit disingenuous because I am complaining) we've moved our custom elsewhere that offers us better value for our needs. And for that I feel truly saddened. 

[les37b]

2 hours ago, Tothesunset said:

New passengers to SS almost certainly won't compare SS now to SS then and will make their choices without prejudice. I suspect old-timers, like many on here, feel that the pricing changes have penalised those that like to arrange their own travel or offer a D2D plan that is often anything but and is expensive based on the prices of 2 or 3 years ago. 

 

As long as cabins are filled I doubt that we shall return to the previous pricing structure. If they lose fewer Ventians than they gain in new custom then they clearly won't change. 

 

Rather than complain (that's a bit disingenuous because I am complaining) we've moved our custom elsewhere that offers us better value for our needs. And for that I feel truly saddened. 

 

Going forward, unless something gives, it's the same for us. I've got 6 in the pipeline. 3 are with SS. I pretty much always have taken advantage of booking on board. I shall see what it brings on the next sailings in March and April next year, but similarly saddened it will be goodbye.

 

Interestingly though, my Japan cruise I should be on now, we replaced with one on Azamara (who I have to admit are not covering themselves in glory right now!), I would have picked a heavily discounted SS D2D Western Baltic cruise on the Moon instead of the booing made. Obviously that's a "late booking" but nonetheless, deals are available (and I know you love a bargain! lol) Nothing to do with the 10% discount company I mentioned.... But a different one  I will ping over so you can see there may be possibilities after all!

[highplanesdrifters]

HELLO SILVERSEA! If you're reading this......  Like Les I also have 6 in the pipe, 3 on Silversea.  Once my FCCs are used up I will shift all trips to your competitors, of which there are more everyday. End this ridiculous D2D pricing and the penalty laden P2P.

[rosepark]

6 hours ago, les37b said:

 

 I would have picked a heavily discounted SS D2D Western Baltic cruise on the Moon instead of the booing made. Obviously that's a "late booking" but nonetheless, deals are available (and I know you love a bargain! lol) Nothing to do with the 10% discount company I mentioned.... But a different one  I will ping over so you can see there may be possibilities after all!

We are looking at one of those ones Les. I'd be interested to know the company to which you refer? I know you can't  give the name but a hint would be useful. Many thanks.

Rp

[jimdee3636]

It's often pointed out---correctly---that those who post on Cruise Critic are only a tiny percentage of those who have taken cruises. But CC "regulars" are often people who cruise more often (sometimes a lot more often) than the overall cruise population, and are typically the "go to" people for cruise advice and recommendations from friends, relatives, neighbors, and co-workers. In that sense, CC regulars can, and often do, exert an oversize influence. I'm saying this because of the many people who say that Silversea and other lines can't be bothered by what a "vocal minority" of cruisers say. If that's true, the cruise lines are foolishly shortsighted. Most of us aren't so blindly loyal to Silversea (or any other line) that we won't take our business elsewhere if things deteriorate.

[les37b]

1 hour ago, rosepark said:

We are looking at one of those ones Les. I'd be interested to know the company to which you refer? I know you can't  give the name but a hint would be useful. Many thanks.

Rp

 

You could give me six stars if you work it out!

 

If only you could see my email address, I could forward you the email.