Grand Pacific Voyage Greetings from the Shadow

[shipsmail]

Yesterday we boarded the SHADOW for her fourth leg of the Grand Pacific Voyage in Singapore. There are only 162 passengers onboard for this cruise and on the third leg (SYD to SIN) the number was only 138. Good for those onboard, but difficult for the economics of the cruise line.

[meow!]

And imagine they will have the newbuild Spirit soon. The present economic tsunami has no end in the foreseeable future. Not just for Silversea, but for all cruise lines with newbuilds, the future is even bleaker!

[Goldens4]

Just wondering due to ships being 1/2 full or less this year on certain voyages, if SS will cancel some of these in 2010?

[endosunshine]

Perhaps they will institute a policy that if a certain voyage is not at least X percent booked, then it will be cancelled. Those px that did book could be allowed to switch to something else.:confused:

[cb at sea]

I would LOVE to sail on a ship that isn't full--now THAT's a luxury!

[ging466]

Perhaps they will institute a policy that if a certain voyage is not at least X percent booked, then it will be cancelled. Those px that did book could be allowed to switch to something else.:confused:

 

How about dropping the prices or the single supplement for solo travellers? Or better 'special' deals for Venetian Society members.

 

Cancelling cruises could be a problem because in many instances people cannot cancel their airline flights without a penalty.

 

We don't want our favourite cruiseline to fail - so what is the answer?

 

Cheers

Ging466

[duct tape]

The answer is...show up. We are leaving Sunday for the Middle East so we can go thru the Suez Canal on a practically empty ship! Wish us luck!

[duct tape]

Keep it coming!! Who is the Capt, HD, CD. etc??

[meow!]

The answer is...show up. We are leaving Sunday for the Middle East so we can go thru the Suez Canal on a practically empty ship! Wish us luck!

Is there going to be a warship escort for your cruise? Unlike the Suez, there should be no pirates for the grand Pacific voyage!

[simonv]

I'd think cancelling is more expensive than running a half empty ship. Whether the ship is working or not, they have to pay the staff and the maintenance. It cost money to dock the unused ship somewhere, too. I don't know what % is their breakeven point, but my guess is quite a bit below 50%. I'm guessing that a 50% occupancy covers the cost of running the ship and gives them not much but some profit. The occupancy rate has to go down quite a bit more for them to cancel a cruise. They did that after the 9/11 by dry docking them.

[shipsmail]

Keep it coming!! Who is the Capt, HD, CD. etc??

 

Capt. Angelo A.Corsaro.

CD Fernando de Oliveira

HD Michele Maglione

 

Greetings from Saigon!

[duct tape]

Terrific crew!

[wripro]

These half empty ships are the reason SS is now extending the $1000 OBC to more cruises and have extended the booking deadline to the end of July. I hope it works because there is only so long they can continue to subsidize vacant ships. If not my prediction is not that they'll cancel cruises but they'll take one or two ships out of commission until the economy rebounds. With the Spirit coming in December that's another 540 berths to fill each cruise.

[meow!]

I hope it works because there is only so long they can continue to subsidize vacant ships. If not my prediction is not that they'll cancel cruises but they'll take one or two ships out of commission until the economy rebounds. With the Spirit coming in December that's another 540 berths to fill each cruise.

Agreed, that was what we suggested a month ago.

[simonv]

If not my prediction is not that they'll cancel cruises but they'll take one or two ships out of commission until the economy rebounds.

 

That's what they did after the 9/11. I would be curious to know at what point it cheaper to take ships out of commission than running it. What's there breakeven point? Does anyone know?

[Observer]

How about dropping the prices or the single supplement for solo travellers? Or better 'special' deals for Venetian Society members.

 

Cancelling cruises could be a problem because in many instances people cannot cancel their airline flights without a penalty.

 

We don't want our favourite cruiseline to fail - so what is the answer?

 

Cheers

Ging466

 

 

Amen regarding the single supplement.

 

I could not find the supplement for the cruise on which OP is sailing. But the lowest supplement for the next leg is 75%.

 

RSSC (which to my mind has a very comparable product) generally has a 40% supplement.

 

I have lots of nights on Silversea. However, I will not pay these very high single supplements.

 

I do not see why SS would not prefer to have a passenger paying, say, 140% for a suite than having the suite sail empty.

[avalon1025]

I saw a 25% single supplement for an Alaska cruise and signed right up...lowering single supplements is a great way to fill the ships up...

[oregon50]

Circle Pacific itinerary, the per diem for singles has been over $1000/day.

[MrsWaldo]

OK, just maybe if SS had let me know via email and offered 50% off (or even more;)) I might have jumped at the Syd Sing leg... and I have subscribed for venetians..

 

Free accom (friend) in Sing and airline points home would have made it a very good offer.

 

instead i get snail mail for cruises that will cost me more to get to than to sail on...

 

Surely a buttock on the bed at 50% off is better than sailing more than 50% empty??

[duct tape]

I think this thread got WAY off point!

[DebbieH103]

I don't think they want to cheapen the product. What I saw on my cruise was reduced menus and stuff, and I will look for them to cut down staff to have a more realistic staff to guest ratio that 2 to 1. The far east always sails light. What they will likely do in the future is redirect itineraries, but that stuff will probably happen for 2011. With the 25% single supplements on Spirit and the newness idea, I think it will be the easiest to fill...for now.

[wripro]

Debbie, can you please be a bit more specific by what you mean when you say "reduced menus and stuff?" Have they cut down on services too? And what kinds of things have they cut from the menu? Thanks.

[Alipius]

It may have gone way off point, duct tape, but it's the most interesting thread I've read in a long time: and you probably agree.

 

More please...

[shipsmail]

Menues are like on other cruises with Silversea ships IMO. I cannot see them reduced. Service is great. Ship is in very good condition.

The cruise consultant was not very open in informing me about reduced prices and booking situation in my first conversation. But she said that with extended payment discount the booking went much better for 2010. I do not know if this is true.

[DebbieH103]

I posted all the menus from my cruise, and they were definitely reduced. Quality was the same, but there was one soup instead of two, maybe one less entree or whatever, and they were not showing the page with the things you could get every day like the spring rolls, shrimp cocktail, etc. However, if you asked, all of that was available. Service was fabulous, one of the best ever, and quality was super high. I am just saying if you have 160 instead of 360, of course you can expect they may have a slightly smaller menu. Everyone does it, but they still do the special requests in a day, and they have new things and many old favorites, too. What I was trying to say is that if they have whatever it is, 3 entrees instead of 4 or whatever (knowing in the back of our minds the steak, salmon, etc. is still there), that is better than suddenly serving Olive Garden quality or something. I would not worry about a thing.