New Cruise Award Protocol

[Iamboatman]

The problem, as I see it, is two-fold: (1) there will always be a group that is just outside the comfort zone, so moving the deadline to accommodate that group, and then the next, results in no deadline; and, (2) PR is not going to be affected by a limited number of people because there will be another limited number of people (see point 1) that will have the same argument.

 

As far as splitting 20 vs 24 months, come on. Shall we count days better yet? And what if the cruise you want starts early in January 2010, should Seabourn be similar in approach and shut the door?

 

Hey, I want free stuff and, selfishly, I like it when people pay for cruises as I don't make a penny on the freebies. But when reasonableness is lost in order to make a point, it just loses not only its value, it creates unnecessary animus that shuts doors that otherwise might be quietly opened.

[wripro]

Some people will defend Seabourn no matter what. Nobody is a bigger SB fan than I but that doesn't mean everything they do is right.

[GrannyLorr]

Sailed days are exactly that, days you've sailed. Starting from scratch makes asolutely no sense....

 

Host Dan

 

Well as Matt said somewhere else "Granny aint so dumb"........think I was closer to the mark after all! :D

[Host Dan]

Well as Matt said somewhere else "Granny aint so dumb"........think I was closer to the mark after all! :D

I think there was confusion regarding sail days and award days! :D

 

Host Dan

[GrannyLorr]

The first pin is when you get to 100 days. I think the next is 200 but not sure above that..

 

I dont remember anything after 200 days either....those who had sailed more than 200 were "recognised" and mentioned at the Club Reception....and some were given flowers......

[4kitties]

Iamboatman said "And, seriously, how many people book how many cruises just for the free cruise? I bet not many..."

 

Isn't that the point of the incentives....to encourage loyalty and bookings?

[Iamboatman]

I do not believe everything Seabourn does is wonderful, but if I understand its logic and accept the fact that it is the way it is, I can either moan about it (or worse) or I can try to be productive going forward. (As I intimated, threats of bad PR don't do much good in actual fact, so why rant or pursue it?) BTW, Seabourn didn't ask me if I liked the plan. In fact, the plan was posted here before I even knew about it.

 

Without exception I have never had a client say I need to book a cruise so that I can vest in my free cruise. (That may now change in the short term, obviously.) What I see, from clients around the world, is that they take the cruises they want and when they vest (or are close to doing it), they organize their free cruise. No one has ever said to me it motivated them to cruise more on Seabourn. (I actually have a number of clients that cruise Seabourn often and didn't even know about the benefit.)

 

So, if giving folks almost 2 years to vest and take a free 14 day cruise is insufficient is 2.5 years, 3 years, a lifetime the right amount of time??? Should there be cruises taken before the 2009 deadline count one way, but those taken after the deadline work another? The permutations are many...and there will be some people that will benefit more from one permutation than from another. So do I really want to debate that point or, all of a sudden, focus on how unfair Seabourn supposedly is because it is going to give me a shorter free cruise because it has taken me 3, 5, 7 years to earn it? I don't, but others are free to. (Just don't attack me for taking that approach...just as I don't attack anyone for taking their's.)

 

So, is it a shame that Seabourn will be reducing its benefit in about 2 years? Yes. Do I want my days to vest in a 14 day cruise? Yes. Do I think it is reasonable for that option to remain open as long as I am breathing? No. (BTW, I will not vest in a free 14 day cruise under the announced changes.) Nonetheless, I understand it and I do not expect any company with a profit motive to work around me to that extent. New ships cost money and more people are focused on them rather than a longer free cruise. The best staff in the business cost more money too and more people focus on them. Do you want that staff eliminated ala Regent so that you can maintain your 14 day free cruise for as long as you want (insert whatever plan or Seabourn attribute you want)? My guess is not.

 

It is a matter of balance and putting my efforts and perspective into being productive...and being realistic. To each his/her own.

 

As for the benefit, it remains - as I understand it - the most generous frequent guest program in the business.

[Prunella]

At the moment because we have two crossing booked for 2009, we will have almost reached our target 140 days after November 2009, so if we book another cruise between now and then we will qualify for the free cruise. My question is are be able to choose to take it over the Christmas period (2009) or is that not allowed?

[Daneite]

At the moment because we have two crossing booked for 2009, we will have almost reached our target 140 days after November 2009, so if we book another cruise between now and then we will qualify for the free cruise. My question is are be able to choose to take it over the Christmas period (2009) or is that not allowed?

The problem you will face is that until you have sailed the 140 days you cannot book your free cruise and by the time you have completed the task availability will be gone!! Seabourn did allow a certain person on here to book his cruise and pay the deposit and then refunded the deposit when he qualified, BUT there are only so many places on each cruise for free ones and I think the end of 2009 will be very popular for the free ones now!! I would contact Seabourn directly and ask them the question.

As for not booking cruises solely to qualify for the free one, I agree we have not done it solely for that reason but it has certainly been a huge incentive to commit us to stay with Seabourn, when you get to 75 days or so and realise you are more than halfway there, you look at other cruiselines and think, maybe not.

We are unhappy about the changes and I feel it within my right to come on here and voice my opinion, this is a discussion board after all and we are discussing our thought on this matter, it is only natural that we feel agrieved, we have had something taken away and cannot do anything about it. Being told that the new policy is still the best one out there does not help!! At the end of 2009 we will have over 80 days towards our third free cruise, all of which were booked under the old award scheme! So we feel happy that we have already received two 14 day cruises and a little sad that there will be no more. I am sure it will take us longer to qualify for the next one though as it is not as big an incentive, we can now feel free to try the other offers that we receive daily via email. Only time will tell if this has an impact on seabourn bookings, in this period of Seabourn sailing with full ships and carrying waitlists for lots of cruises they obviously feel they do not need as high an incentive, but please do not ask me to be happy about it.

Kathryn & Brian

[johnnycruise]

It would make more sense to require the free cruise to be booked by the deadline rather than commenced by the deadline - I certainly empathize with anyone who reaches the 140 day threshold in late 2009.

[DP]

I am still confused. I will have 140 days at the end of May 2009. Since my usual Category is A and that is what you get for your conplimentary cruise the chances of my being able to find a cruise after May and before 2010 in A category are very slim.

 

So can I book a cruise and pay full deposit before I reach 140 days and then after May 2009 have Seabourn refund my deposit on booked cruise which I now want to turn into my complimentary cruise?

[Iamboatman]

I think this is a good place to voice disappointment...and being one who is also disappointed I can (and do) commiserate. I was just responding to the comment that I supposedly think Seabourn can do no wrong and providing my though process as to how I am looking moving forward.

[DP]

Does anyone know if I can book a cruise prior to completing my 140 days and then get a refund of my paid deposit once 140 days are completed?

[Iamboatman]

I don't have a definitive answer for you. Probably the best thing to do is work through your travel agent sooner rather than later.

[JaneBP]

>So can I book a cruise and pay full deposit before I reach 140 days and then after May 2009 have Seabourn refund my deposit on booked cruise which I now want to turn into my complimentary cruise?"

 

I did that. However, the category I wanted was not available, so I ended up paying the difference between what was allowed and what was available. Since I already paid the deposit, it was easy and there was a little leftover. I should think if you can select a '09 cruise for the right category, book that and then you'll be set. It was a lovely loyalty cruise.

[wripro]

Daneite,

 

That is my point exactly. Prunella will have accumulated 140 days by the end of 2009 but will not be able to take the 14 day cruise. That is why I felt it would be fairer to set the new limits but give loyal passengers another year, or six months at least to take the free cruise.

[Iamboatman]

While I don't disagree that would be nice, did you consider that giving about a year's notice (to May 2009) and an additional over six months to take the cruise (December 2009) does the same thing...By pushing it out another 6 months, as I said would be the argument of the next group, then the following next group would be unhappy, etc.

[Daneite]

Surely this would work! Anyone who has already (before the new rules were announced) accumalated days towards their 140 day free cruise should be entitled to continue and get the 14 day free cruise as they have done the days under the old scheme. Once they have taken their free cruise they start the new system, 140 days for a 7 day free cruise. Any new Seabourn bookings after the new scheme was announced should be on the 7 days free cruise for sailing 140 days as that is the conditions they book under. What is fairer and more simple than that? Then everyone gets what they signed up for.

Kathryn & Brian

[Iamboatman]

Other than things like someone with a single 7 day cruise vesting for the next 10 years, it might make sense.

 

Keep in mind - and I hate to say Seabourn and airlines in the same breath - that airlines change the rules as to frequent flier miles (expirations, changes in miles needed, capacity controls, etc.) and Seabourn could have chosen any of these options (presumably looking at, and rejected, them) and came up with the result...which is still an extraordinarily generous benefit.

 

Let's face it, we can discuss a hundred different permutations and they aren't going to change what has been done or make the people that don't fit within a particular permutation happy.

 

It is a bummer and disappointing, but it is what it is.

[Harvey2442]

I fully agree with what Daneite has said that is the fair way to make the change and no one is disadvantaged.

 

What is important her is not only fairness to passenger who have booked a cruise and should have an award policy which matches the conditions when they booked also at stake is the integrity of Seabourn. Its in that integrity that todate Seabourn has built its reputaion. To risk loosing this now with new ships in the offing is a strange way of doing business. The new rule may well be the best in the business but that is not the point the trust we all have had in the Seabourn product is now being put at risk.

 

If the scheme is implimented in the way it is understood it will as has already been pointed out her make those who loose out most try other lines at a time when there are more berths to fill.

[tulip 1]

I have been told the following by my travel agent who contacted Seabourn:

 

You must reach your 140 days before the 31st December 2009. Any days sailed on the Oddessey also qualify towards the 140 days.

Knowing that we will reach the 140 days target in november 2009, we have been told that we can 'book' our complimentary cruise now, even for 2010.

However you cannot use the complementary cruise on the 'new' ship unless the cruise is after the 24th april 2010, however you can book on the 3 sisters anytime.

You can book now,pay the deposit, and when you have sailed the 140 days in full, before 31st december 2009, you can turn this booking into your complimentary cruise and the deposit will be refunded (minus some minor Port Carges). You have to do this before the 31st december 2009.

 

I know this may all be very confusing after reading all the above comments, but this is the information I have been given.

[norm2002]

Assuming this is Seabourn's consistent policy, this sounds a very fair way of dealing with the transition.

[seapenarth]

I have been told the following by my travel agent who contacted Seabourn:

 

You must reach your 140 days before the 31st December 2009. Any days sailed on the Oddessey also qualify towards the 140 days.

Knowing that we will reach the 140 days target in november 2009, we have been told that we can 'book' our complimentary cruise now, even for 2010.

However you cannot use the complementary cruise on the 'new' ship unless the cruise is after the 24th april 2010, however you can book on the 3 sisters anytime.

You can book now,pay the deposit, and when you have sailed the 140 days in full, before 31st december 2009, you can turn this booking into your complimentary cruise and the deposit will be refunded (minus some minor Port Carges). You have to do this before the 31st december 2009.

 

I know this may all be very confusing after reading all the above comments, but this is the information I have been given.

Seabourn website/club members/benefits says from Jan1 2010 7 day award for 140 days sailing.

[tulip 1]

Ignore my comments in my last message.

I have now been told that this information is not correct either.

Seabourn UK seems to be as confused on this matter. Hopefully I will get a final correct answer in due course. Very, very confusing.

[Prunella]

Ignore my comments in my last message.

I have now been told that this information is not correct either.

Seabourn UK seems to be as confused on this matter. Hopefully I will get a final correct answer in due course. Very, very confusing.

 

How very disappointing, I was hoping that we would get the same information from our cruise agent, after all if we have qualified for our 140 days in November 2009 but unable to have the time to take the award cruise by the end of 2009 it seems like we have been "short changed" by Seabourn and I for one feel very aggrieved about it. It is very confusing.