Silversea Air Screws Up Again

[Daveywavey70]

15 hours ago, Capri73 said:

Davey are  you looking to book SS again? We have had nothing but issues so have decided to move on.Do not consider Taulk they were worse than a Carnival cruise.In the past Taulk was wonderful cutbacks since Covid were so bad we did not know it was a Taulk trip except for the price.

Hi Capri, Ive been thinking about it. I'm working around specific dates in January and the Spirit one just fits in with my dates. I'm thinking now though maybe not. Hope you are both keeping well xxx

[les37b]

Had a reply, which is still a mixed bag. 

 

The inbound flight has now been agreed as they managed to find the guest details I told them was on this flight so they are now OK to offer it. Pleased it's sorted, but that reply doesn't inspire. 

 

The outbound they are sticking with the same line as before, but added BA don't fly to Osaka so it's not available. BA don't fly to Anchorage either, but that codeshare was fine.... Just as it was with the original offering I was on until 1 month ago. ie JAL operated but BA codeshare. Looking on ba.com, there are 20 flight options available from LHR to Osaka, some are BA operated to Tokyo... But they are still saying no contract with BA. 

 

I don't get it. What's the odds other SS guests are on the flight I wanted! 

 

They have however offered an Emirates flight which doesn't arrive in Osaka until late evening, which if we have to take, we will, but would prefer to get there early morning like the BA option does. 

 

Maybe I should just fly BA to Tokyo and bullet train to Osaka. Now that would be fun! 

 

What is the UK deviation fee these days? 

 

Still not hot the quote for the early arrival with the SS Hotel, which Im surprised they are offering flights until these charges are agreed. 

 

[les37b]

Hmmm. Well I posted yesterday to state that we have our flights mostly resolved with the unknown on hotel cost outstanding. 

 

Ive just had a call from the travel agent who asked have we cancelled Japan and booked something in 2024 on Silver Ray. She said all my details are no longer on this cruise. I've no idea what's happened and it's absolutely nothing I've asked for and zero interest in going from Southampton to Lisbon for 12 nights vice 16 to Japan. 

 

my.silversea confirms what she had stated. 

 

So a cruise booked and paid in full originally made in 2019 has now been moved without my knowledge or consent to a cruise I've no interest in. 

 

It gets more embarrassing by the minute. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[chrism23]

When I started this thread I didn't imagine the response it would get.  If this small sample of clients on Cruise Critic willing to take the time to share their experiences is any indication then,  SS is having major  issues with its Air Department that need to be quickly remedied or they will be losing customers in droves in real difficult market.  

 

But....after posting I spent some time talking with my CC at SS and lo and behold everything worked out, says Chris holding his breath because we don't sail until the end of January out of Lima.

 

This experience has taught me one major lesson in dealing with SS, which I sort of knew before but is now totally confirmed.  It is absolutely essential with SS to develop as close a relationship as possible with your cruise consultant and keep that relationship going forward.  And try to get a CC that is based in Miami and has friends in the Air Division which is in the same building.  If you can do this, cultivate the relationship, your cruising life will be a lot simpler.  My CC has pulled out some near impossibilities, including our last return from Dublin in July, on Aer Lingus, after being told by SS it had severed its relationship with Aer Lingus (this was the Air Division)  and they had routed my return from Dublin, to Boston, through Frankfurt, which prompted my initial post.   And also prompted my CC to let loose a string of expletives about the Air Division.  I flew back on Aer Lingus.  For my next trip he conjured up a non-stop flight from JFK to Lima and a one stop in Miami back from Rio. Best I could possibly hope for.   By relationship building, I mean little things, that go above and beyond,  like I am going to take him and his partner out to dinner next time I pass through Miami.  (btw this will be my 8th cruise with SS).  Yelling at your CC is of course counter productive, and let him yell at their Air Division.  

 

Granted that flying in this brave new COVID is nerve fraying and difficult at best.  Some of the horror stories posted above make me cringe.  Some problems just can't be avoided.  But it helps immeasurably to have someone at SS on your side.  

 

 

[les37b]

48 minutes ago, chrism23 said:

When I started this thread I didn't imagine the response it would get.  If this small sample of clients on Cruise Critic willing to take the time to share their experiences is any indication then,  SS is having major  issues with its Air Department that need to be quickly remedied or they will be losing customers in droves in real difficult market.  

 

But....after posting I spent some time talking with my CC at SS and lo and behold everything worked out, says Chris holding his breath because we don't sail until the end of January out of Lima.

 

This experience has taught me one major lesson in dealing with SS, which I sort of knew before but is now totally confirmed.  It is absolutely essential with SS to develop as close a relationship as possible with your cruise consultant and keep that relationship going forward.  And try to get a CC that is based in Miami and has friends in the Air Division which is in the same building.  If you can do this, cultivate the relationship, your cruising life will be a lot simpler.  My CC has pulled out some near impossibilities, including our last return from Dublin in July, on Aer Lingus, after being told by SS it had severed its relationship with Aer Lingus (this was the Air Division)  and they had routed my return from Dublin, to Boston, through Frankfurt, which prompted my initial post.   And also prompted my CC to let loose a string of expletives about the Air Division.  I flew back on Aer Lingus.  For my next trip he conjured up a non-stop flight from JFK to Lima and a one stop in Miami back from Rio. Best I could possibly hope for.   By relationship building, I mean little things, that go above and beyond,  like I am going to take him and his partner out to dinner next time I pass through Miami.  (btw this will be my 8th cruise with SS).  Yelling at your CC is of course counter productive, and let him yell at their Air Division.  

 

Granted that flying in this brave new COVID is nerve fraying and difficult at best.  Some of the horror stories posted above make me cringe.  Some problems just can't be avoided.  But it helps immeasurably to have someone at SS on your side.  

 

 

 

The TA called them to finalise my flights and reinvoice  to include the extra nights hotel when they were told the news. Silversea claimed I had requested the change which I most certainly didn't. 

 

They've told them they need to investigate and listen to the calls and go through messages. I suspect and hoping it will all just be reversed, but I suspect the trips booked and now wait listed will be lost. I had also been given a GTY upgrade, which I'd be annoyed if that was taken away too. 

 

So now it's just a waiting game to hear the outcome. 

 

One thing is sure. I won't be sailing on an inaugural cruise I've no interest in. (I did most of the ports this year) its also down from 16 to 12 nights and almost a no fly cruise! Plus the Nova and Ray have no forward observation outside, so wont be sailing on either. 

 

So no idea who alterered but I don't think SilverAir have been involved in this. 

 

I agree with what you say about sticking with the same CC. We had the same consultant until his promotion this year and more than happy with our relationship. Pleased for him and promotion, but our loss. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Wow!  Les, so sorry to hear of your extreme difficulty getting your trip booked.  I just ain’t over ‘til it’s over!  Good luck.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, les37b said:

Plus the Nova and Ray have no forward observation outside, so wont be sailing on either.

Who told you that?  Forward observation is clearly shown on the deck plan, as well as pictures on the SS website.

[Gourmet Gal]

The Nova is a beautiful ship though a little larger than I like.  It looks like there’s an interior forward facing observation lounge but not exterior.  Where would that be?

[jotum]

I love the Silversea cruises...however their air department is the worst I have ever encountered.  I have been to about 100 countries using various cruise lines (including Silversea) and travel groups.  For an upcoming cruise I decided to use their door to door air plan. 

I got the air itinerary months in advance.  It showed flying from my local airport to the destination.  However when I looked at the airline site I could not find that flight.  Turns out they had booked from an airport miles away and misprinted that it was from here.  My travel agent contacted them and they corrected their mistake after a few calls.  At that time there were lots of seats available.  However the seats they assigned us to were often the next to last seats in the plane which was not desirable for comfort or especially with trying to get off quickly because they booked very short connection times.  I checked with the airlines to change the seats, but could not do it because the tickets had not been paid for yet.  My cruise fare including air has now been paid in full for about two months, but they are still sitting on the money and have not paid for the tickets so I could change seats.  My TA called and complained and they moved the seats up about 5 rows as seats are now getting scarce and in one case we are sitting in different rows on opposite sides of the plane.  I still have to wait for them to pay for the tickets so I can change seats with the airline.

I do not plan to ever use their air again.  I have booked another cruise for 2023.  Looking at similar cruises for this year and next, the door to door for that cruise is about $3000 more than port to port.  They are not offering an official port to port for the one in 2023 but will give a discount of about 1000 for the air and 100 for the concierge transfers.  Hence they get to keep the extra 2000 that they charge extra - door to door is a rip-off and the air service is terrible.  I can book flights myself for just under 900 and uber to and from the airport is about 50 total for the two of us instead of the 100pp they are giving credit for.

Silversea needs to correct their air department and set reasonable prices if they want to have any customers left.

[les37b]

9 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Wow!  Les, so sorry to hear of your extreme difficulty getting your trip booked.  I just ain’t over ‘til it’s over!  Good luck.

 

Yes, its only been ongoing since March 2019! 😅

 

 

7 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Who told you that?  Forward observation is clearly shown on the deck plan, as well as pictures on the SS website.

 

When the Nova photos were first published there was an interior viewing gallery but no external. The deck plans are a little confusing. Maybe its changed, but this was brought up when the Nova first appeared on here. All academic really - that booking in my.silversea currently is nothing to do with me! Just hope they put back my original booking as it was and finalise the flights properly. Hope I get an explanation also.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, les37b said:

All academic really…

Okay.  That’s good.  
 

When I read you forward observation comment “so wont be sailing on either” about Nova and Ray, I thought you were being serious.

[les37b]

5 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Okay.  That’s good.  
 

When I read you forward observation comment “so wont be sailing on either” about Nova and Ray, I thought you were being serious.

 

I was being serious.

 

My forward observation comment stated exterior and was referring to having the ability to film uninterrupted. (Which Gourmet Girl also understood and commented.) 

 

The only place that might be possible looking at the deck plans would be."the marquee" which mentions Al fresco but also states its using glass. If you look at the main image used on the website for silver nova, it's clear from the image shown, the view is behind a wall of glass. 

 

On every Silversea ship to date, there was been locations in the open for the public to stand, protected by rails enabling photography and filming (or just observe in the open.) 

 

You can't film or take photos through glass (without reflection or being completely clean so causing blurs) or attach a camera to leave and video port arrival and departures or anything interesting.

 

I appreciate that having that ability removed won't bother most, but it certainly does me so will stick with ships that offer it. The forward facing video produced and posted on here of the Panama canal for instance, wouldn't have been possible. 

 

Being larger will mean many won't choose them. I prefer smaller, but that wouldnt be an issue.... Filming is. 

 

Anyway, as stated. All academic, since I've no intention of sailing on the random cruise my booking has been transfered to. 

Edited November 27, 2022 by les37b

[les37b]

Thankfully the new Silver Ray booking has now disappeared and my original (plus the stop gap booking in case Silversea sold my spot) is now showing again. Silversea are still not saying why this happened and I have to say its really baffling. 

 

The booking has my same suite shown, but no flights and unfortunately all our excursions are also missing.  Some are now wait listed, so dissapointing we will lose something for someone's unexplainable error. I expect the flights will be there in a day or so. 

 

In the bigger picture relieved that we have our cruise back. 

 

I've still challenged their reply that BA don't fly to Japan, so hoping we can get on the early morning flight, but faling that they've given the much later arriving emirates flight which we are OK with. 

 

Never a dull moment with my bookings! 

[fudge]

We have business class flights with BA to Japan next September.

[Gourmet Gal]

4 hours ago, les37b said:

Thankfully the new Silver Ray booking has now disappeared and my original (plus the stop gap booking in case Silversea sold my spot) is now showing again. Silversea are still not saying why this happened and I have to say its really baffling. 

 

The booking has my same suite shown, but no flights and unfortunately all our excursions are also missing.  Some are now wait listed, so dissapointing we will lose something for someone's unexplainable error. I expect the flights will be there in a day or so. 

 

In the bigger picture relieved that we have our cruise back. 

 

I've still challenged their reply that BA don't fly to Japan, so hoping we can get on the early morning flight, but faling that they've given the much later arriving emirates flight which we are OK with. 

 

Never a dull moment with my bookings! 

Leading up to our Moon sailing in Sept. some of our excursion bookings disappeared and then were reinstated and it happened to others on our roll call.  I think they must have some computer glitches. Don’t panic yet.

Edited November 28, 2022 by Gourmet Gal

[les37b]

1 hour ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Leading up to our Moon sailing in Sept. some of our excursion bookings disappeared and then were reinstated and it happened to others on our roll call.  I think they must have some computer glitches. Don’t panic yet.

 

That did sound like a glitch.... I think mine is more like sabotage! 😂

 

No further changes yet but im comfortable now. We've got our extra night in osaka and fingers crossed the quoted charges remain as stated and flights not changed. 

Edited November 28, 2022 by les37b

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

8 minutes ago, les37b said:

I think mine is more like sabotage! 

I thought it was someone's sick sense of humor.  Don't like our flights? Well, we'll fix that and put you on a cruise that doesn't require you to fly to the point of embarkation.  On top of that, they pick the Ray's inaugural cruise which will probably be delayed.  Thankfully they've reinstated your original booking and hopefully they will do the right thing and find a place for you on the waitlisted excursions and get your flights straightened out.

[cruiseej]

@les37b If you review your corrspondence with Silversea, perhaps you'll find you wrote something where you were pleading with them to "shine even a small ray of sunshine on the possibility of the other flight" you were trying to get. "Oh, 'ray'?" the representative though, "I'll move him to the Ray… first cruise!" 😉 

[les37b]

Hurrah.  We are going to Japan again. Flights are all showing up now in my.silversea and whilst not 100% what we wanted (as we miss daytime in Osaka in day one... But happy enough. 

 

Excursions still not showing up.... Work in progress. Of the 3 bookings I have, this is the one I'm most looking forward to. 

 

I'd contemplated doing an overland on bullet trains if it wasn't resolved. Still fancy it. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Glad it’s working out.  I love Japan, you’ll have a great time.

[zqtchas]

5 hours ago, les37b said:

Hurrah.  We are going to Japan again. Flights are all showing up now in my.silversea and whilst not 100% what we wanted (as we miss daytime in Osaka in day one... But happy enough. 

 

Excursions still not showing up.... Work in progress. Of the 3 bookings I have, this is the one I'm most looking forward to. 

 

I'd contemplated doing an overland on bullet trains if it wasn't resolved. Still fancy it. 

I don't know what you do but we have been doing SS since 1999 and so far (☘️) have never had all the problems you're having.

[les37b]

7 hours ago, zqtchas said:

I don't know what you do but we have been doing SS since 1999 and so far (☘️) have never had all the problems you're having.

 

Nor me.... If you find out why, please let me know. 😅 No one at SS is claiming ownership for this unauthorised change, so expect I'll never find out. 

 

Luckily I printed off all my excursions, so will rebook the ones I can when I get home from my break away tonight and request SS un wait list the ones I was on and can't book through the website. 

[Catlover54]

21 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

Nor me.... If you find out why, please let me know. 😅 No one at SS is claiming ownership for this unauthorised change, so expect I'll never find out. 

 

Luckily I printed off all my excursions, so will rebook the ones I can when I get home from my break away tonight and request SS un wait list the ones I was on and can't book through the website. 

 

Are you feeling the "ultra-luxury"  of your cruising experience?  🙄

[les37b]

2 hours ago, Catlover54 said:

 

Are you feeling the "ultra-luxury"  of your cruising experience?  🙄

 

Yes.... We still have all our shoes! 😅

[CruzinFeraBruzin]

Cruise Critic just named Silversea as best luxury cruise line for 2022.  They obviously aren't reading this thread...