Discounts and SeaDream Club benefits?

[Host Dan]

Hi Folks!

 

I went ahead and cancelled the spring crossing, as my roomate, who is new to cruising, gets motion sickness.  I had booked the crossing onboard, and enjoyed some nice discounts.  I switched to a carribean 7 day cruise as a replacement for the crossing.  The price is about the same, with the newly booked cruise quite a higher price per day.

Heres what transferred to my new booking:

 

On board booking discount.  SD will not honor this discount.

Friends and Family discount for my "newbie" roommate.  SD will not honor this either.

SD did, however, charge me $400 for cancelling the spring crossing, even though I replaced the cruise with another, more expensive cruise.

 

So, in a nut shell, My cruise fare for the new cruise is brochure rate, plus port fee and $400 penalty for cancelling the crossing, to go on a 7 day cruise.

 

I was so excited to bring my friend on his first real cruise.  Now I feel like crap over the whole thing.  It wouldn't be such a sting, had I not enjoyed the previous discounts on the crossing fare.

 

Any thoughts?  Thanks for letting me complain!

[garysarah]

Yep, hey won't transfer the onboard booking discount.  For future reference,  you might do the 10% open booking instead. F&F for newbie...probably because it's the same room?  The $400 charge makes no sense to me. Should be far enough out that it would be $50 rebooking fee per person.  I also assume they wouldn't give him the booking discount since he wasnt on the trip? (That has also happened to me)  The TA crossing is generally 1/2 the per day price. I will say that for as much as we love the ship and crew and their customer service is fantastic, the customer service from the front office is not of the caliber and their rules are very strict,  as you have found.

[Host Dan]

17 hours ago, garysarah said:

Yep, hey won't transfer the onboard booking discount.  For future reference,  you might do the 10% open booking instead. F&F for newbie...probably because it's the same room?  The $400 charge makes no sense to me. Should be far enough out that it would be $50 rebooking fee per person.  I also assume they wouldn't give him the booking discount since he wasnt on the trip? (That has also happened to me)  The TA crossing is generally 1/2 the per day price. I will say that for as much as we love the ship and crew and their customer service is fantastic, the customer service from the front office is not of the caliber and their rules are very strict,  as you have found.

Oh well,

Live and learn!

[Host Dan]

The latest "rub" from SD customer service...   Asked for bed to be separated, found out that my room has a murphy bed, and cannot be turned into 2 beds.  They will, however. move us to a room on deck 3 that has a normal set up... for an additional $400.00.  WOW!  Kind of sad, really.  It was on my bucket list to go back to SeaDream, and I was so happy on the fall crossing 2022. It had been so long since I was onboard. Fall crossing 2023 wasn't as good, but I blamed it on the virtual empty ship.  The cruise that I booked onboard (spring crossing) was stripped of all onboard discounts, F and F discount, and a $200 per person penalty when I switched to a shorter, more expensive cruise.  (Boarding in a month). 

 

Having over 350 days on Seabourn, I think I will be going back to booking Seabourn and many of the new luxury ships. 

 

What SeaDream lacks in new builds, should be reflected in excellent customer service at all levels.  Unfortunately this is not the case.  How very sad.  It will take a special cruise for me to ever recommend or re-book SeaDream.  We shall see in just a few short weeks.  

 

I will definitely report back my onboard experience.

 

Till then!

[ho-hum]

Really ……. 

Edited March 1 by ho-hum

[Host Dan]

As I was looking over my final cruise docs from SD, I noticed that my suite is NOT listed as a murphy bed only.  (Notice the difference between affected suites on SDI and SDII)  I assumed the rep made a mistake, and quoted SDII.  My TA called, and was told that it was an error, and that, indeed, my suite is Murphy bed only.  A pretty substantial mistake, I'd say.  My TA was told that initially when the suite was booked, SD relies on the TA community to educate the client on such matters.  My TA had absolutely no idea that my suite was inferior. How in the world would he know that?  The only reference he had was the brochure from SD, and it was wrong!  SD did offer to move us to a normal suite, only as a paid upgrade. 

 

Hopefully this will be a lesson for future guests.  I'm done worrying about the details, and am looking forward to the service one comes to expect, onboard.

[WanderingTravels]

On 3/7/2024 at 1:48 PM, Host Dan said:

As I was looking over my final cruise docs from SD, I noticed that my suite is NOT listed as a murphy bed only.  (Notice the difference between affected suites on SDI and SDII)  I assumed the rep made a mistake, and quoted SDII.  My TA called, and was told that it was an error, and that, indeed, my suite is Murphy bed only.  A pretty substantial mistake, I'd say.  My TA was told that initially when the suite was booked, SD relies on the TA community to educate the client on such matters.  My TA had absolutely no idea that my suite was inferior. How in the world would he know that?  The only reference he had was the brochure from SD, and it was wrong!  SD did offer to move us to a normal suite, only as a paid upgrade. 

 

Hopefully this will be a lesson for future guests.  I'm done worrying about the details, and am looking forward to the service one comes to expect, onboard.

 

VERY unfair for SD to point fingers at the travel agent, shameful!  

[Host Dan]

15 hours ago, WanderingTravels said:

 

VERY unfair for SD to point fingers at the travel agent, shameful!  

Agree!  Especially when the literature is incorrect. Apparently the SD rep will be on my cruise.  I'm sure he won't have a Murphy bed!!  Lol!

[knotheadusc]

I had no idea that there are any Murphy beds on SeaDream!  Wow!

Edited March 11 by knotheadusc

[cabosal1]

I've been on more than a dozen SD cruises and NEVER heard of, saw or experienced a Murphy Bed ( And have stayed on floors 2, 3 &4). 

[ctbjr1309]

Commodore Suites are created by combining specific adjacent suites on Decks 2 and 3 (for example 204/206, 304/306, 317/319, etc),  They are identified on the Deck Plans on the SD website (https://seadream.com/yachts/deck-plans) by diagonal lines drawn through 2 adjacent staterooms.

 

In one of each Commodore Suite there is a Murphy bed that can be retracted into the wall when the suite is part of a Commodore and can be used as a bed when the stateroom is not part of a Commodore and is a standalone stateroom.

 

I'm not sure which of the staterooms have Murphy beds and I'm not sure that there is a practical difference as I haven't heard anybody comment negatively about there experience being in a stateroom featuring a Murphy Bed.  Nevertheless, one would think that SD would have that information and publish it but I guess not....

[TrapperZimmy]

I guess the big difference is if you wanted separated twin beds, as Dan apparently was expecting.  I wonder if there is some consistency as to where the Murphy is located in all rooms, like either the forward or the aft room.  The only thing SD says on the website is that some rooms have a permanent queen bed.

Edited March 12 by TrapperZimmy
edit for typos

[Jim Avery]

When in one of the Murphy beds my legs halfway between knee and ankles hangs over the end.  Also they transfer motion rather well.  

[TrapperZimmy]

To which motion are you referring, Jim?

[Jim Avery]

Ha, people to people.  Not the motion of the ocean. I wiggle, Lois pops me in the head...🥃

[Host Dan]

The day has arrived!  My friend and I get onboard in a couple hours.  I tried to make Balinese bed reservations via email to the concierge, but was told to immediately go to the concierge desk after checking in to make the arrangements.  Must be in-person, and is on a first come, first served policy.  Fingers crossed. 

 

I had to laugh, as I received an email that the Owners suite  was available at a huge discount of an additional $6100.  Add the $8000 already spent, and the fare doesn't seem that attractive, although it probably doesn't have a Murphy bed to deal with!

 

I'm forgoing the WiFi package this cruise, so will report when and if WiFi is available in port.  Worse  comes to worse, will report next week, after disembarkation.

 

Happy Easter!

 

[garysarah]

Actually...the beds in those suites can't be separated either!!!

Edited March 30 by garysarah

[ho-hum]

"Balinese bed reservations" ?  You're kidding right ?

[Jim Avery]

Yours is always available Mr. Hum.🍸

[ho-hum]

1 hour ago, Jim Avery said:

Yours is always available Mr. Hum.🍸

Hum knows a man

Edited April 7 by ho-hum

[Host Dan]

On 4/7/2024 at 5:57 AM, ho-hum said:

"Balinese bed reservations" ?  You're kidding right ?

Not at all!  Sleeping under the stars.  Was able to nab the bed in the front of the ship. Really spectacular!

[ho-hum]

Oh I see….

 

 

Edited April 8 by ho-hum

[ho-hum]

2 hours ago, Host Dan said:

Not at all!  Sleeping under the stars.  Was able to nab the bed in the front of the ship. Really spectacular!

You didn’t say at night originally .…… geddit now