Misleading Advertising

[5waldos]

Having booked a cruise in advance, the price has dropped by nearly $1,000 a person. I put in a request to have the fare met, based on what I had read on the webpage. They are denying it because they say that it only applies to a particular kind of fare (D to D)- not mine (P to P). But on the page it says the following:

Silversea Fare Guarantee Programme

Silversea Fare Guarantee Programme provides guests with the peace of mind in knowing that when they plan ahead and book early, not only will they be able to reserve their desired suite, but they can also benefit from any future reduction for their voyage, upon request. All voyages are eligible. Requests for reimbursement received on or after the sailing date will be denied. Reimbursement provided under this guarantee will be in the form of a shipboard credit, suite upgrade, future cruise credit, fare reduction or other method. Silversea reserves the sole right to determine the method of reimbursement made to guests.

Bottom of page-Footnote:

Onboard Savings Programme, Terms & Conditions: Up to 5% Savings is only applicable to bookings made by the Future Cruise Manager whilst the guest is on board. 5% Savings is guaranteed and only applicable to open booking deposit options that are converted to an actual voyage within 6 months of the floating deposit being made by the Future Cruise Manager. Offer valid on new on board bookings only. Offer applies to all suite categories and all guests on the booking. Some voyages will be noted as black out voyages and the savings cannot be applied. Offer is combinable with other publicly available promotional programmes such as but not limited to Venetian Society & Combination Savings. Offer is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn or modified at any time without notice. Click here for complete Terms & Conditions. Ships' registry: Bahamas.

When you follow the link, this is what it says, about 3 pages in:
“Fare Guarantee” Policy
Policy applying only to “Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares”.
Within this policy, guests will be eligible for reimbursement if the fare for their particular voyage and suite category is reduced after they have made a booking and deposit with XXX. Requests for reimbursement received on or after the sailing date will be denied. Reimbursement provided under this guarantee will be in the form of a shipboard credit, suite upgrade, future cruise credit, fare reduction or other method. Silversea reserves the sole right to determine the method of reimbursement made to guests. The amount of reimbursement the guests receive will be determined by the difference between the fare actually paid by the guest and the fare displayed on XXX.com the day the request is received is by Silversda This policy does not apply to clients willing to switch their existing “Door-to-Door” booking into a “Port-to-Port” reservation.

I feel like they have been intentionally misleading. The footnote with the link has to do with another program and does not mention the fare guarantee policy at all. And yes, it is in the small print pages in but if this program is only for certain fares, it seems to me that they should be more specific. Or at least point you to the small print as they do with the Onboard Savings Program- telling you to review the Terms and Conditions. Certainly based on the page where they discuss this there is no indication of it being limited. Nor is there any mention of this on my contract. 

[Gourmet Gal]

Is it not listed anywhere in the T&C for your fare?  If not then you should have a case but if they still balk I wouldn’t blame you for cancelling the booking…if that’s even possible with P2P.  Seems confusing and not a motivator to book with SS.

[5waldos]

2 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Is it not listed anywhere in the T&C for your fare?  If not then you should have a case but if they still balk I wouldn’t blame you for cancelling the booking…if that’s even possible with P2P.  Seems confusing and not a motivator to book with SS.

Not possible to cancel. It does not specify in the information on my fare but there is a note- look further at specific programs. That is where there is (finally) the information that it is only for D to D fare. So yes, buried in the T&C it does specify this limitation but they certainly do not make it obvious. 

[jollyjones]

Sorry you’re not able to benefit from a price drop, the limitations on the benefits attached to, and what you can do with, a P2P fare are why I only book D2D.

And SS air isn’t even available to me here in Bermuda, I have to take the credits and do all my flights, hotels and transfers myself so in effect I have a P2P cruise at a D2D price!

You can bet that when SS first brought in these fare structures, I looked very closely at the P2P T&Cs to see if the lower price would be for me, but I soon figured that I’d be sticking with D2D to retain the T&Cs to which I am accustomed. 
 

[canderson]

Our cabin class for our Nov 23 TA has been sold out for months, so even with D2D, no chance of seeing prices move ... even though they have for other classes.

[5waldos]

I find it sad that SS has to be deceptive like this. And frankly don't quite understand why the fare offer is limited to D to D. The fare drop is on the cruise part of the cost- not the airfare or transportation to the airport or other things that the D to D offers. But that is their choice of course, which is fine. But they should be up front about what they are offering- they will meet fare reductions IF you have booked the D to D. One of the things you lose if you go with the P to P. Or, for advertising purposes, one of the advantages of booking the D to D. But that, again, is their choice and their right. But don't mislead the customer- and I certainly found their wording to be misleading and to have no mention of this limitation until very deeply into the T&C despite them mentioning limitations and telling you to look further or other offers. At the very least they should have the note to "See T&C for Details and limitations" attached to the offer. 

[jollyjones]

 

Caveat Emptor

 

[labrasett]

23 hours ago, 5waldos said:

Having booked a cruise in advance, the price has dropped by nearly $1,000 a person. I put in a request to have the fare met, based on what I had read on the webpage. They are denying it because they say that it only applies to a particular kind of fare (D to D)- not mine (P to P). But on the page it says the following:

Silversea Fare Guarantee Programme

Silversea Fare Guarantee Programme provides guests with the peace of mind in knowing that when they plan ahead and book early, not only will they be able to reserve their desired suite, but they can also benefit from any future reduction for their voyage, upon request. All voyages are eligible. Requests for reimbursement received on or after the sailing date will be denied. Reimbursement provided under this guarantee will be in the form of a shipboard credit, suite upgrade, future cruise credit, fare reduction or other method. Silversea reserves the sole right to determine the method of reimbursement made to guests.

Bottom of page-Footnote:

Onboard Savings Programme, Terms & Conditions: Up to 5% Savings is only applicable to bookings made by the Future Cruise Manager whilst the guest is on board. 5% Savings is guaranteed and only applicable to open booking deposit options that are converted to an actual voyage within 6 months of the floating deposit being made by the Future Cruise Manager. Offer valid on new on board bookings only. Offer applies to all suite categories and all guests on the booking. Some voyages will be noted as black out voyages and the savings cannot be applied. Offer is combinable with other publicly available promotional programmes such as but not limited to Venetian Society & Combination Savings. Offer is capacity controlled and may be withdrawn or modified at any time without notice. Click here for complete Terms & Conditions. Ships' registry: Bahamas.

When you follow the link, this is what it says, about 3 pages in:
“Fare Guarantee” Policy
Policy applying only to “Door-to-Door All-Inclusive fares”.
Within this policy, guests will be eligible for reimbursement if the fare for their particular voyage and suite category is reduced after they have made a booking and deposit with XXX. Requests for reimbursement received on or after the sailing date will be denied. Reimbursement provided under this guarantee will be in the form of a shipboard credit, suite upgrade, future cruise credit, fare reduction or other method. Silversea reserves the sole right to determine the method of reimbursement made to guests. The amount of reimbursement the guests receive will be determined by the difference between the fare actually paid by the guest and the fare displayed on XXX.com the day the request is received is by Silversda This policy does not apply to clients willing to switch their existing “Door-to-Door” booking into a “Port-to-Port” reservation.

I feel like they have been intentionally misleading. The footnote with the link has to do with another program and does not mention the fare guarantee policy at all. And yes, it is in the small print pages in but if this program is only for certain fares, it seems to me that they should be more specific. Or at least point you to the small print as they do with the Onboard Savings Program- telling you to review the Terms and Conditions. Certainly based on the page where they discuss this there is no indication of it being limited. Nor is there any mention of this on my contract. 

 

It looks to me as if this may have been a booking through a TA ("l... and the fare display on XXX.com......").   If so then it is possible you have already received some other benefit from your reservation but you should get your TA on to it and it is for them to provide an explanation to you if my thoughts about a TA's involvement are correct.   

 

[labrasett]

21 hours ago, jollyjones said:

Sorry you’re not able to benefit from a price drop, the limitations on the benefits attached to, and what you can do with, a P2P fare are why I only book D2D.

And SS air isn’t even available to me here in Bermuda, I have to take the credits and do all my flights, hotels and transfers myself so in effect I have a P2P cruise at a D2D price!

You can bet that when SS first brought in these fare structures, I looked very closely at the P2P T&Cs to see if the lower price would be for me, but I soon figured that I’d be sticking with D2D to retain the T&Cs to which I am accustomed. 
 

I suspect the lack of air is already factored into the price you pay as a Bermuda originating customer, the prices do vary according to the originating territory, some with what is obviously a higher attributable air cost element and some trips from some places just dont do air at all.

 

[jollyjones]

As I mentioned, I take the credits - I am quoted the full fare, then I take an air credit, the executive transfer credit, and my personal discounts (Venetian, onboard booking, I always book onboard) so yes, of course my final fare accounts for not using SS air. 
But the air credit from SS doesn’t usually come anywhere close to my actual airfare, so it would seem to make sense to take the P2P much lower fare … until you read the T&Cs. 

Edited April 26, 2023 by jollyjones

[econprofessor]

My first time on Silversea was last year, to Alaska.  I booked a Port-to-Port fare.  My Silversea representative explained the differences between Port-to-Port and Door-to-Door pricing, including the fact that you could not take advantage of any price drops.  I am not sure why you didn't get the same treatment.

[5waldos]

We booked directly with SS but were not alerted to this difference, which is too bad. 

[frankhi]

5 hours ago, 5waldos said:

We booked directly with SS but were not alerted to this difference, which is too bad. 

Sorry, just to be clear,  are you saying you booked P2P directly with SS, and, now, the P2P price with SS is less than what you paid?

[5waldos]

1 minute ago, frankhi said:

Sorry, just to be clear,  are you saying you booked P2P directly with SS, and, now, the P2P price with SS is less than what you paid?

Yes- exactly. By nearly $1,000 each. 

[frankhi]

Wow, did you prepay and get a prepay discount?

[5waldos]

Yes. Pretty much the same offer SS keeps extending. 

[frankhi]

36 minutes ago, 5waldos said:

Yes. Pretty much the same offer SS keeps extending. 

So now your P2P prepaid with the prepaid discount is ~1k/pp more then current p2p prepaid offer? I can see why you are upset. Have the increased the prepay discount?

[5waldos]

Same deal, same discounts extended beyond what they said when we booked, now a great deal less expensive. And no- it is the base price which has dropped, 

Edited April 28, 2023 by 5waldos

[Travel2Learn]

I also was stung and stunned by the refusal to honor the lower fare when prices were reduced. Of a 64 day cruise, with 4 segments, 2 of the segments now have lower fares that I can not get. The first segment is on a separate booking.  The 15% cancelation fee for port to port is written on the booking document.  Taking a15% loss would be less than the savings in the new pricing.  However, the hidden terms do not allow canceling and rebooking!  The other segment is combined with 2 other segments, and that also can not be rebooked.  Port to port pricing was advertised as a way to pay less when air and transfers were not wanted.  Why would I want or need air and transfers for all segments on a B2B2B2B cruise?  I was not informed port to port was not covered if the price went down, nor have I heard of price reductions not being honored by other 6 star cruise lines prior to full payment.  When I asked for the full disclosure, I was sent a link to a file 42 pages long.  This situation gives Silversea a very bad image and has an impact upon my choices for future cruises.  I expected more integrity from Silversea. 

 

Making matters worse, on April 11, 2023 I was notified the first segment's itinerary has changed.  7 of the original 9 ports have changed.  Instead of Aqaba to Mumbai, the segment changed to Dubai to Mumbai. Egypt and Jeddah are no longer on the itinerary.   Silversea is still working out the details for the 4 day pre-cruise land tour that was supposed to be Amman to Agaba.  What a mess!  

 

 

[golfguyhhi]

This thread should be required reading for anyone contemplating booking a cruise with SilverSeas.  I will point to it whenever anyone asks me why I've only cruised once on SS and never gone back.

[A Tucson Guy]

If you give SS your money, they don't care how you spell it!

[Gourmet Gal]

The inability to cancel and rebook is especially galling.

[labrasett]

On 5/3/2023 at 8:32 PM, golfguyhhi said:

This thread should be required reading for anyone contemplating booking a cruise with SilverSeas.  I will point to it whenever anyone asks me why I've only cruised once on SS and never gone back.

Hope you are happy elsewhere.  Many of us are very happy and very accepting of the multifarious changes that first Covid and subsequently world unrest is causing to itineraries.

 

[Aussieflyer]

On 5/5/2023 at 4:47 AM, Gourmet Gal said:

The inability to cancel and rebook is especially galling.

This is quite a common restriction in our part of the world on a number of different cruise lines.  There are often sales for new bookings only so it's a bit of a gamble but "you pays your money and you takes your chances" as they say. Also it is common that if you cancel you will lose all the deposit. SS is not so bad.

[5waldos]

14 hours ago, Aussieflyer said:

This is quite a common restriction in our part of the world on a number of different cruise lines.  There are often sales for new bookings only so it's a bit of a gamble but "you pays your money and you takes your chances" as they say. Also it is common that if you cancel you will lose all the deposit. SS is not so bad.

I would lose the entire fare. 

 

I can abide by restrictions that they are up front with. I knew, for example, that the fare we booked could not be cancelled. It is the restrictions that are hidden away that I find upsetting. If there are BIG restrictions on an offer, they need to put an asterisk by the offer and a note saying that you need to check the Terms and Conditions to fully understand what we are offering. They do this for many of the offers- for example at the very bottom of the web page where this is not done for the price dropping offer, they do just that for another offer.