Silver Moon sailing January 6

[Carebeau]

So - I have been in touch with SS & my agent. 
Offer is for a full refund + 20% off a future 2024 cruise - refund will unbelievably take 30-45 days - but I guess it will come via the TA. 
Fortunately we booked flights etc as a package through SS - so it should be quite straightforward - sounds like if you booked your own flights & tours etc you will need to progress this through SS guest relations & provide receipts. 
This will all be clarified in correspondence from SS - directly or via your TA. 
Hope this helps - I rang SS direct to begin with 

best of luck 🤞 

[midfield anchor]

Thank you for your helpful response, Carebeau.

[travelfan20]

 

 

Do you think the Silver Moon will still be on schedule for cruises after Dubai?

TLCOhio's  comments of "wow" are on the mark  , its either with out guests  heading south or back to the Med 

 

We are booked Feb 29 Singapore to Hong Hong 

Edited January 9 by travelfan20
spelling

[Perfect50]

30 minutes ago, Carebeau said:

So - I have been in touch with SS & my agent. 
Offer is for a full refund + 20% off a future 2024 cruise - refund will unbelievably take 30-45 days - but I guess it will come via the TA. 
Fortunately we booked flights etc as a package through SS - so it should be quite straightforward - sounds like if you booked your own flights & tours etc you will need to progress this through SS guest relations & provide receipts. 
This will all be clarified in correspondence from SS - directly or via your TA. 
Hope this helps - I rang SS direct to begin with 

best of luck 🤞 

Thank you, this is helpful 👍

[mandymay]

Have just spoken to Silversea, all Silver Moon pax will disembark,

Muscat to Dubai will sale passenger-less.

Onward from Dubai will sail as scheduled.

Should any one wish to cancel, no refund available.

[travelfan20]

Mandymay , thanks very much for sharing this 

[TLCOhio]

45 minutes ago, travelfan20 said:

Do you think the Silver Moon will still be on schedule for cruises after Dubai?   TLCOhio's  comments of "wow" are on the mark  , its either with out guests  heading south or back to the Med   We are booked Feb 29 Singapore to Hong Hong 

 

My strong betting/speculation on the next steps is for dumping the passengers back in Jordan and then going crew-only down the Red Sea, circling Yemen and going up the Sea of Aden towards Muscat, Oman.  That gets them there on Jan. 16 and the schedule pretty back on schedule, maybe??  

 

To go back to the Med and do a circumnavigation of Africa would take too, too much time and fuel.  A massive number of paid-up and full cruises by the Silver Moon would have to be scrubbed, etc., under that option.  

 

As someone who has followed these serious questions since mid October, I am still amazed as to how and why Silversea has "managed" this challenge.  We all knew this "situation" was coming.  

 

The old saying about "Silence Is Golden" does not apply here.  

 

Will be interested to see a copy of the letter that Silversea gave to the passengers currently on the Silver Moon.  How do you nicely say "We goofed and are so sorry"?

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio   

 

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[TLCOhio]

6 minutes ago, mandymay said:

Have just spoken to Silversea, all Silver Moon pax will disembark, Muscat to Dubai will sale passenger-less.  Onward from Dubai will sail as scheduled.  Should any one wish to cancel, no refund available.

 

Sorry, had not seen this above posting when I wrote my reply.  Still interested as to how Silversea will explain this situation in writing, especially to passengers currently on the Silver Moon and for those scheduled Muscat to Dubai.  Very unique and sad situation.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[cbachell]

They told us who were going all the way from Aqaba to Dubai that our Muscat to Dubai leg has been cancelled. 

[cbachell]

Here is the letter I got this afternoon. 

[57 varieties]

That is similar to the original itinerary for this cruise! What a shambles.

[mancunian]

 My guess is that SS has discovered far too late in the day that their insurance will not cover them for passengers.  Do you think they will fly the crew from Aquaba to Dubai and just do the trip with a skeleton crew

 

I bet the captain who went off on 8 December as we embarked is relieved.

[gypsyjennifer1]

58 minutes ago, 57 varieties said:

That is similar to the original itinerary for this cruise! What a shambles.

absolutely not similar. original was One port in Egypt and then on to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Why would u think it's similar doing 3 ports in Egypt backing in the sun on some beach and then returning to Aqaba.  enough, be sensitive with your comments as its frustrating enough being on this cruise and sharing

 

[gypsyjennifer1]

10 minutes ago, gypsyjennifer1 said:

absolutely not similar. original was One port in Egypt and then on to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Why would u think it's similar doing 3 ports in Egypt backing in the sun on some beach and then returning to Aqaba.  enough, be sensitive with your comments as its frustrating enough being on this cruise and sharing

 

I am have been trying to give you helpful information ahead of what Silversea is advising you.

 

[9stilton]

2 minutes ago, gypsyjennifer1 said:

I am have been trying to give you helpful information ahead of what Silversea is advising you.

 

Thank you for your information and willingness to share.   I hope you can make the most of the sorry situation that you are in.

Needless to say Silversea have not handled matters at all well and no doubt many will bear that in mind in the future. 

[wyocruiser]

Gypsyjennifer1 - I also truly appreciate the information you are sharing! Without your messages, most of us would not have a clue what is happening and how future sailings may be affected!!

[TLCOhio]

1 hour ago, cbachell said:

Here is the letter I got this afternoon. 

 

Appreciate these details and follow-ups, including this actual letter from the Captain.  Agree with wyocruiser as to how beneficial have been these various info items shared.   Understand fully the huge frustrations for gypsyjennifer1 and the others affected.  Not a good situation, nor handled very well by Silversea.  

 

Based on our late 2018 experiences, missing Salalah, Oman, is not a major loss.  BUT, we super loved our time in Muscat.  Luxor could be, maybe, a super, world-class stop, especially if you can work-out the logistics and be overnight there in that fascinating and historic Egypt city on the famed Nile.  Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, was rather "average" for us, but there are some snorkeling options that could be of interest for some.    

 

Keep up the great sharing!  As of now, Silversea is still showing that Jan. 16-26, Muscat to Dubai sailing as being open and available for booking.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

[gypsyjennifer1]

18 minutes ago, TLCOhio said:

 

Appreciate these details and follow-ups, including this actual letter from the Captain.  Agree with wyocruiser as to how beneficial have been these various info items shared.   Understand fully the huge frustrations for gypsyjennifer1 and the others affected.  Not a good situation, nor handled very well by Silversea.  

 

Based on our late 2018 experiences, missing Salalah, Oman, is not a major loss.  BUT, we super loved our time in Muscat.  Luxor could be, maybe, a super, world-class stop, especially if you can work-out the logistics and be overnight there in that fascinating and historic Egypt city on the famed Nile.  Sharm El Sheikh, Egypt, was rather "average" for us, but there are some snorkeling options that could be of interest for some.    

 

Keep up the great sharing!  As of now, Silversea is still showing that Jan. 16-26, Muscat to Dubai sailing as being open and available for booking.  

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

oh yes received the excursions for the change of itinerary - great  - but have to pay a lot of extra money to do these un-anticiipated excursions. or unless  want to sunbake on the beach. security for Egypt has increased and Silversea cancelled Egypt of this reason,  and oops now we are going to 3 ports in Egypt and we have to now pay more for our excursions

???? yes frustrated

 

[Skyhigh]

5 hours ago, gypsyjennifer1 said:

absolutely not similar. original was One port in Egypt and then on to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Why would u think it's similar doing 3 ports in Egypt backing in the sun on some beach and then returning to Aqaba.  enough, be sensitive with your comments as its frustrating enough being on this cruise and sharing

 

The original version of the Jan 6 segment was a 10 day Aqaba to Aqaba with multiple stops in Egypt instead of Salalah and Muscat.  People who had booked this trip have already been compensated when the trip was changed to end in Muscat, so yes, those people are now getting something close to what they originally booked.  Still uncertainty though about the change in travel plans for returning home after the trip ends.  

[Tahoe Boater]

8 hours ago, cbachell said:

Here is the letter I got this afternoon. 

Thank you for sharing this information as our sailing is scheduled to transit the same area northbound in March.  Its a terrible situation and ee all feel so bad for you all on board. 

[57 varieties]

8 hours ago, gypsyjennifer1 said:

absolutely not similar. original was One port in Egypt and then on to Saudi Arabia and Oman. Why would u think it's similar doing 3 ports in Egypt backing in the sun on some beach and then returning to Aqaba.  enough, be sensitive with your comments as its frustrating enough being on this cruise and sharing

 

When I booked over a year ago it was a round trip from Aqaba to Aqaba with two stops in Egypt, Sharm, Jeddah and Yanbu. Then it was altered to Aqaba to Muscat with no Egypt.

[fdnycruiser]

20 hours ago, 57 varieties said:

That is similar to the original itinerary for this cruise! What a shambles.

 57, you are correct. It was originally Aquaba to Aquaba and included Egypt. We were booked on it and the one after.  We cancelled when Egypt was dropped from the itinerary.The original roll call is still posted 

[TLCOhio]

14 hours ago, Tahoe Boater said:

Thank you for sharing this information as our sailing is scheduled to transit the same area northbound in March.  Its a terrible situation and ee all feel so bad for you all on board. 

 

Appreciate these continued helpful follow-ups and information as to these "challenges" for the Silver Moon and passengers now in the Red Sea.  Keep it coming.  Look forward to learning more from those on the Silver Moon.  Below is the latest map showing this ship now sailing northbound.

 

From the Wall Street Journal this morning, they had this headline: “U.S., U.K. Warships Shoot Down Houthi Barrage in Red Sea" with this sub-headline:  "Latest attacks come as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken tries to prevent Gaza war morphing into regional conflict.”

 

Here are more of their reporting highlights: “U.S. and British warships shot down one the largest barrages of missiles and drones fired by Yemen’s Houthi rebels into the crucial Red Sea shipping lane while U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken continued his efforts to prevent the conflict in Gaza from escalating into a broader regional war.  The overnight Houthi attack came a week after the U.S. and an international coalition warned that continued attacks by the Iran-backed rebels would come at a cost. The U.S. military has prepared options to strike the group. The barrage, including 18 drones, two cruise missiles and one ballistic missile, caused no damage or injuries.”

 

WOW!  This is a serious amount of firepower from the rebels being directed at ships in this troubled region.  

 

Here is another item of "context" and background from this WSJ reporting/story: "The continued attacks have caused international shipping companies to reroute voyages from the Red Sea to around Southern Africa instead and brought the Houthis to the forefront of several Iranian-backed groups in the region that the U.S. says have sought to turn the conflict in Gaza into a broader war."

 

Full story at:

https://www.wsj.com/world/middle-east/houthis-launch-fresh-red-sea-barrage-as-blinken-tries-to-contain-gaza-war-91fed4fb?mod=hp_lead_pos6

 

THANKS!  Enjoy!  Terry in Ohio

 

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[Dolcevita Diva]

 

These latest developments reinforce the wisdom of the itinerary change and cancellation of the next leg.  Frankly, Silversea would be foolish to move the Silver Moon to Dubai though these waters even with a skeleton crew. 

 

Iran claims it has seized US oil tanker off coast of Oman in chilling escalation (msn.com)

[SaltyCroc]

I note with interest that the Silver Moon is this morning (my time) head back north to most likely exit the Red Sea entirely through the Suez Canal.  Discretion is indeed the better part of valour when it comes to dueling and sailing through a de-facto war zone.

 

My wife and I are scheduled to board the QM2 in Dubai in early-April and the sail around through the Red Sea and Suez Canal.  There seems little chance that hostilities will be resolved by then.  The Spring 2024 passenger ship season through the Red Sea begins in earnest in mid-March and ends in late-April.  I doubt very much that much sailing will actually occur this year.  However, most cruise lines will do exactly what the accountants at Royal Caribbean have done with the Silver Moon, and that is cancel the trip at the last minute.  This is an exercise in revenue maximisation.  And the minute you make major changes, passengers will cancel.  So the cruise lines wait until the very last minute.  I expect us to be sitting in a hotel room in Dubai when we get an email telling us the QM2 will not be arriving in Dubai (the Strait of Hormuz is too close to Iran for a ship owned by a US Corporation).

 

This episode has been very poorly handled by Silver Sea who could have and should have cancelled this cruise before it left Athens. It has set a poor precedent for the industry, but it is a precedent nonetheless.  My heart goes out to all the inconvenienced people out there.