This is Hyatt Regency Osaka Hospitality room for Silversea guests whose 24 hour flight back to UK is not until 11.45 pm !!!!

[Aussieflyer]

2 hours ago, drron29 said:

We have never used SS hotels or flights. We much prefer choosing our own.

We had a booking for D2D out of Dublin in June this year but cancelled it as we just were not totally keen. From the posts I have seen, I think it was a wise decision, We have a Dec P2P on Muse instead. 

[crusinbanjo]

10 hours ago, drron29 said:

We have never used SS hotels or flights. We much prefer choosing our own.

We have used SS flights and sometimes they are quite good, but I always make the comparison and book what is in our best interest.  As far as hotels, we have used SS for a pre or post, same reasoning applies. And always, I am not hesitant to book our own hotels and / or flights if what’s on offer from any cruise line is not best for us.  Like you, I prefer to know what to expect.  The day use room show in this thread I would totally avoid, even if we had to pay extra.

[canderson]

16 minutes ago, crusinbanjo said:

And always, I am not hesitant to book our own hotels and / or flights if what’s on offer from any cruise line is not best for us.  Like you, I prefer to know what to expect.

If I understand correctly (1st timer with SS here), I shouldn't expect to know what flights they've selected until 60 days or less prior to our Nov '23 cruise.  That's a bit late to be looking at alternatives, much later than we're accustomed to on other lines, and the business air credit is only about $1,500 pp.  How/when do you discover what's "on offer"?  I will say that the pre-cruise hotel they've chosen is first rate, though our TA is struggling to get them to commit to 4 nights vs. 3 for some reason.

[crusinbanjo]

3 hours ago, canderson said:

If I understand correctly (1st timer with SS here), I shouldn't expect to know what flights they've selected until 60 days or less prior to our Nov '23 cruise.  That's a bit late to be looking at alternatives, much later than we're accustomed to on other lines, and the business air credit is only about $1,500 pp.  How/when do you discover what's "on offer"?  I will say that the pre-cruise hotel they've chosen is first rate, though our TA is struggling to get them to commit to 4 nights vs. 3 for some reason.

I usually ask my SS person, and I have flight my preferred flights ready to compare.  I don’t think I have ever waited until 60 days out to find out what flights are offered.  For Mrs Banjo and I we have taken the SS air sometimes, other times we get a deviation, (extra cost), and still other times just book air ourselves.

 

 Our upcoming cruise, Copenhagen to Copenhagen we are booking our own hotel for a pre stay, and our own air, because I can get direct flights, (not offered by SS this time).  When we went Hong Kong to Singapore, (pre Covid), we convinced SS to book some direct flights to Boston that I found that they were not offering.  My attitude is simple, if you don’t ask, the answer is always no….  So I always ask for what I want.

[canderson]

21 minutes ago, crusinbanjo said:

I usually ask my SS person, and I have flight my preferred flights ready to compare.  I don’t think I have ever waited until 60 days out to find out what flights are offered.  For Mrs Banjo and I we have taken the SS air sometimes, other times we get a deviation, (extra cost), and still other times just book air ourselves.

Granted, we're still a ways out (7 months), but all that shows up in our booking are the transfers to/from airports, but no flights.  Do those just normally populate in "My Bookings" at the my.silversea.com site once they are established?  Should I make contact and preemptively suggest my own preferred flights, or wait until Silversea comes up with something, and counter that if necessary?  This is our first time with SS for any of this planning stuff.  VERY different from other lines we've worked with in the past.

 

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, canderson said:

…the business air credit is only about $1,500 pp.

Are you sure it’s a business air credit if you don’t take their flights?  If so, which voyage? The reason I ask is because I have only seen free economy flights on voyages for the next two years with paid upgrades available.

[canderson]

2 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Are you sure it’s a business air credit if you don’t take their flights?  If so, which voyage? The reason I ask is because I have only seen free economy flights on voyages for the next two years with paid upgrades available.

Yes, I believe so.  We're on the Dawn TA in November.  Here's the relevant piece of the invoice from SS.  The air promotion is priced separately, so if we don't take them, the price of the cruise would come down by $1,598 pp.

 

 

[Lvshack]

We have always used silversea air included .. since my medical issues we now only cruise Europe...( Never get  tired of sailing around the fabulous Mediterranean..) for us the business class flights ( well club Europe 😂) is a good price when you include use of the private lounges.. transfers from airport to ship & ship to airport.. we are on the moon in Oct & our travel agent advised us 26th Jan our flight ref number...when I went into my silversea log in it was all there ...I'm can't speak for others from over the pond how it works but maybe for us this side it maybe a lot easier to organise...only 2 - 4 hours flight maximum..

[Stumblefoot]

7 minutes ago, canderson said:

Yes, I believe so.  We're on the Dawn TA in November.  Here's the relevant piece of the invoice from SS.  The air promotion is priced separately, so if we don't take them, the price of the cruise would come down by $1,598 pp.

 

 

Thx.  Now I understand that you paid for the business class upgrade.  It wasn’t included in the cruise fare as I assumed previously.

 

What many SS passengers do that don’t use SS Air is take the air credit.  So, rather than paying $1,598/pp for the air upgrade, they take a $750/pp air credit directly off their invoice.

[canderson]

7 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Thx.  Now I understand that you paid for the business class upgrade.  It wasn’t included in the cruise fare as I assumed previously.

 

What many SS passengers do that don’t use SS Air is take the air credit.  So, rather than paying $1,598/pp for the air upgrade, they take a $750/pp air credit directly off their invoice.

So you're saying that if we can't come to terms on flights, it's actually $2,348 pp that would be discounted?  Or that we can chip in to make up the difference between preferred flights and the $2,348, which amounts to the same thing?

[Stumblefoot]

Just now, canderson said:

So you're saying that if we can't come to terms on flights, it's actually $2,348 pp that would be discounted?  Or that we can chip in to make up the difference between preferred flights and the $2,348, which amounts to the same thing?

No, I’m not saying that.  And, I didn’t mean to imply the same as I have absolutely no idea what happens to the money you’ve already paid for air since we never use SS Air.  

This is why I was asking if it really was a business air credit you cited. And, now I know it wasn’t, because it was a fee you paid.  As such, I have no idea what happens if you refuse to take any of the flights offered by SS and chose to make your own flight arrangements.  My assumption is that at a minimum what you already paid would be refunded. But, I have no idea if they would also refund you an additional $750pp air credit.

[Salbags58]

On 4/12/2023 at 7:02 AM, phillipahain said:

From 10.30am this morning when we arrived    to about 12.30 am   there was   water, coffee , a few cookies , muffins and tiny pain au chocolate 

 

From therein absolutely nothing !!! 

 

Who booked the flights ?     Silversea and this is their hospitality !! 

 

 

 

 

 

obviously a very disappointing end to your trip, but more importantly how was the cruise?  We are doing 9 days Tokyo to tokyo next April so would value your insight into your Japan cruise

[phillipahain]

4 hours ago, Salbags58 said:

 

 

obviously a very disappointing end to your trip, but more importantly how was the cruise?  We are doing 9 days Tokyo to tokyo next April so would value your insight into your Japan cruise

Need to know which ports are on your cruise and what you expect to be able to see?  .....the food and staff on board were great ...the organisation or transfers to and from airports was a shambles and the tours were rather lacklustre although we were lucky and had excellent English speaking guides not so for all ....if you really want to see the incredibleold Architecture, buildings, culture that was Japan i would suggest your much better off on a full land tour ....luckily years ago we flew into Tokyo and saw the ancient sights then did bullet train to Kyoto, Nara and the real treat was Golden Pavillion ...somehow this much awaited cruise left us rather deflated because now so much of Japan is a concrete jungle 

[Salbags58]

Oh dear not what I wanted to hear.  We are doing our own flights and transfers and having a couple of days pre cruise in Tokyo so hopefully will mitigate the bad transfer bit etc.

 

Must admit our cruise sounds quite good as takes in a lot of the places we quite wanted to see including Kyoto.

 

okyo, Japan

10/04

-

At Sea

11/04

08:00 - 23:00

Osaka, Japan

12/04

-

At Sea

13/04

08:00 - 18:00

Hiroshima, Japan

14/04

09:00 - 18:00

Fukuoka

15/04

09:00 - 18:00

Busan, South Korea

16/04

08:00 - 19:00

Nagasaki

17/04

08:00 - 17:00

Kagoshima

18/04

-

At Sea

19/04

07:00 -

Tokyo, Japan

[Salbags58]

Anyone got any knowledge or input from n the above itinerary?

[phillipahain]

6 hours ago, Salbags58 said:

Anyone got any knowledge or input from n the above itinerary?

What do you want to know ? 

[Salbags58]

Any must do or see on our destination stops.  Also have 2 nights pre cruise in Tokyo and were thinking of getting the bullet train to somewhere for the experience ?

[phillipahain]

1 hour ago, Salbags58 said:

Any must do or see on our destination stops.  Also have 2 nights pre cruise in Tokyo and were thinking of getting the bullet train to somewhere for the experience ?

The absolute must see is KYOTO and NARA we did that years ago on Bullet Train from Tokyo   Golden Pavillion especially is not to be missed 

[MrsWaldo]

Seasoned Japan by land traveller here... Mr Waldo used to go each year for a sporting event.

 

If you have only 2 nights pre cruise in Tokyo and nothing post then send those 2 nights in Tokyo.

 

It will be during Cherry Blossom (Hanami) so it will be very busy.  A tour of the Imperial Palace is actually well with it, you usually need to book as soon as tour bookings open.  Not too far away is Ueno Park.  It houses an art gallery and museum. There is also the Zoo, but I would give it a miss.  The little market nearby can be interesting.

 

You also need to see the district around Shibuya Crossing.  This is where you find  Harajuku Girls, some of the anime/cos play dressed people.  Nearby on Ometesando there are some good souvenir shops, Kiddieland etc.  Meiji shrine is right behind.  If you plan to do a number of temples on your trip, buy a little book that the monks will do a calligraphy on a page at each.  It isnt cheap, ranges in price from 700Y up, but it makes a cool and unique souvenir. 

https://www.tokyoweekender.com/art_and_culture/japanese-culture/a-beginners-guide-to-goshuincho-how-to-get-one-and-how-to-use-it/

 

As a foodie, I also like the area around Kappabashi.  

 

If you want to day trip, go down to Kamakura

 

The Osaka stop is ideal for your Kyoto visit and why most cruises stop there. 10 mins by Shinkansen.

A day in Kyoto.  Do the Philosophers Path, and have lunch on one of the bamboo platforms that are suspended over the river.

 

 

Kagoshima/Fukuoka  are  all about The Volcanoes and Hot Springs.  Fukuoka is good to walk around and look at the old town etc.  We tend to stay out in Kitakyushu.

 

 

Hiroshima is al about the Peace Park, although going down to Miyajima Island can also be worthwhile.  Check the tides though.  The floating tori are the big attraction and if the tide is wrong.  

 

Cant help with Nagasaki.  Not been on my radar.

 

[canderson]

2 hours ago, MrsWaldo said:

Seasoned Japan by land traveller here... Mr Waldo used to go each year for a sporting event.

That sporting event didn't used to include an American fellow by the name Akebono, did it? 😁

I was there when he made yokozuna back in early '93.  Poor guy is in pretty rough shape these days.

 

[MrsWaldo]

3 minutes ago, canderson said:

That sporting event didn't used to include an American fellow by the name Akebono, did it? 😁

I was there when he made yokozuna back in early '93.  Poor guy is in pretty rough shape these days.

 

Nope...

 

 

 

[Salbags58]

Many thanks for the replies people, great info.  Much appreciated