Has Silversea Changed Their Pricing Offers?

[WesW]

Yes, a veranda...understand your situation may be different with conversion rates

changing...we watch the value of the Euro daily, as we have our annual hiking trip to the Dolomites in September..since mid May our hotel/rental car price has gone up 10% with the fall of the dollarvs Euro..good luck

[swindy]

I think Silversea have taken this repricing as an opportunity to review it's currency rates!!!

[MMDown Under]

Yes, a veranda...understand your situation may be different with conversion rates

changing...we watch the value of the Euro daily, as we have our annual hiking trip to the Dolomites in September..since mid May our hotel/rental car price has gone up 10% with the fall of the dollarvs Euro..good luck

 

We are watching the conversion rates closely also, as our dollar has been falling again. Last year, it fell from .92c to .60cUS.

 

(Off topic. As I have just recommended to my younger daughter that she do a hiking trip in the Dolomites, could you please suggest hikes. We spent Christmas in the Dolomites with our elder daughter.)

[dougburns]

Just talked to our T/A and SS has refunded the cruise differential($156) and the airfare differential($1000). Have to change our hotel reservation and air schedule though. We were traveling from PHX on 30 Dec(Wed) to arrive LIS 31 Dec and spend 3 nights at Lapa Palace. Continental doesn't operate that route any longer on Tues and Wed, so we're traveling on 31 Dec to arrive LIS 1 Jan and we're taking the SS 2 night pre-cruise at The Four Seasons the Ritz. SS is slowly working their way thru the bookings and they are doing what they said they would do.

[WesW]

Doug, good to hear you got a timely SS refund as well...only wish we had less than 176 days before boarding the Spirit.

 

MMDownunder...glad to...Host Dan pls excuse the short detour on this thread.

 

For the 12/25 years we have stayed at the best family run hotel in

Corvara (Dolomites), pls see http://www.sporthotel-panorama.com then

click on what past guests have said for our review.

 

FYI, have posted Dolomite/Corvara pictures on FB here:

 

http://www.facebook.com/home.php?ref=home#/album.php?aid=2011775&id=1039868706

 

For general hiking in the Dolomites pls check this site:

 

http://www.alta-badia.org/en/sport-offers/

 

 

For hikes that start from Corvara our favorite is Piz Boe..from Corvara, take

the lift Boe up the mountain then follow the well marked trail--a demanding

hike that ends at Rigugio Hutte Capanna Fassa, the top of Piz Boe 3152m.

Pls check this site:

 

http://www.summitpost.org/mountain/rock/150827/piz-bo.html

 

Your Daughter is in for a very special treat; spectacular views, wonderful/warm

Italian people, delicious food & wine.

[ging466]

I think Silversea have taken this repricing as an opportunity to review it's currency rates!!!

 

 

Hi swindy

Not sure of your situation but may I suggest that you use an American TA and pay in USD rather than GBP. I discovered that if I pay in USD rather than getting a quote from an Aussie TA and paying in AUD, I save quite a bit of money on the exchange rate. The Aussie TA seems to calculate at a less favourable rate. The other nice thing is that I can cancel any time up to the 3 month cut off and get my deposit back, no questions asked. All the TAs that I have used in Australia charge an administration fee and then want you to rebook another cruise with the old deposit.

 

As I said, not sure of your situation but as SS charge in USD it's nice to know exactly what exchange rate you are getting.

 

Cheers

ging466

[luvs2cruiseanytime]

I just joined on the recommendation of someone we met on a cruise. I have been reading about the pricing and thought we too would get a better deal. Friends of ours are joining us on a sailing on the Spirit in April and it would cost us MORE to “convert” to the new pricing structure even with our rebate from our agent! Almost $300.00p.p.more with the air credit!! Now, maybe it is because we have over 250 days on SS? Our agent sent us a breakdown of the original pricing, and what it would be with the “new” pricing. SS is really not giving away anything. They neglected to say in the ad our 10% VS is now based the fare once everything else is deducted, or that they raised the retail rates, and the onboard savings will now only apply to certain sailings! Yes, we took advantage of their XAPB when the time came. I do know from my agent that SS is buried trying to get the bookings converted, and also figuring out if it is better for a booking to stay put or convert. Sure looked enticing, but did not help us. Possibly it works best for cruisers who do not have the additional sea days. Who knows! We do love SS though! Great website! Keep up the great work!

[swindy]

The biggest issue for me is not that we don't benefit from the new Savings......

 

I feel very disappointed that Silversea is penalising loyal guests with the new pricing. Previously after 250 days you had "earned" an additional discount of 10% off the Published Fare. If it is now applied to the discounted fare then it could only be worth 4% on some sailings.

So what does that say to all those guests who have stayed loyal and travelled for years with Silversea?

 

I'd like to ask if Steve Tucker is reading the boards lately?

[Goldens4]

OK. Here is what I discovered. We are booked this year on the Shadow for Thanksgiving for 10 days. We received 50%, airfare credit, and the $1000 SB credit. I looked at the SS website for the same cruise for 2010. Even with the 60%, our 2009 is less expensive. Go figure.

[wripro]

These 60% off sales were probably dreamed up by the same marketing person who gave us butler service for everyone.

[MMDown Under]

MMDownunder...glad to...

 

Thank you so much for the information, which I have passed on to both our daughters.

[travelingduo]

This is what I posted on another thread:

We had booked and paid in full for two upcoming cruises (Spirit in April of 10 and Shadow in October of 10). Both sailings are now offering free air and lower fares. Our TA called SS and they immediately adjusted our fares (reduced by $1800) and added on the free air! No arguments, no fuss, no problem. I am so pleased that SS is different than all the rest. SS has earned my loyalty.

[swindy]

This is what I posted on another thread:

We had booked and paid in full for two upcoming cruises (Spirit in April of 10 and Shadow in October of 10). Both sailings are now offering free air and lower fares. Our TA called SS and they immediately adjusted our fares (reduced by $1800) and added on the free air! No arguments, no fuss, no problem. I am so pleased that SS is different than all the rest. SS has earned my loyalty.

 

I can understand why you are pleased but not all guests are benefitting from the changes.

[cmhmarine]

I can understand why you are pleased but not all guests are benefitting from the changes.

 

Examples??

[swindy]

Neither of the 2010 voyages we have booked have attracted any refunds.

Also, as stated in this and another thread, "earned" VS discounts will be deducted from the net fare rather than the gross fare which has always been the practice.

[Mike2131]

Examples??

Our PA II cruise went up over $700 pp with the higher brochure fares. The API discount was reinstated, but the higher brochure fare resulted in higher prices across the board. We booked under the previous pricing with the API incentive. We will stay with the structure we booked under and pay by the due date to preserve the savings.

 

I know expedition cruises are a different animal, but it is a little disappointing. I am just glad we booked early.

[MJN1]

My TA just e-mailed me with a US-$ 18.-- (yes, EIGHTEEN DOLLARS!) refund for our May 2010 cruise on the Spirit. Yes, SS now offers a 60% discount (vs. 35% EBI + 15% APB = 50% before), but they also increased the published list price by 25%!

In addition, like for everyone else who booked previously and paid in full 12 months before the cruise, they have my money for a year...

Creative - yes, smart - NO! :mad:

[travelingduo]

MJN1, that is too bad. Are you getting the free air? Is it possible that there are different fares for you in the UK? I think it would be embarrassing to refund such a paltry amount. :eek:

[MJN1]

travelingduo,

we got $ 800 p.p. off instead off free air before and this has not changed. SS now offered $ 125 p.p. ship board credit or to return my money (minus deposit) for time being. Still have to work out which way to go.

My TA used "tricky and stupid" in describing this move by SS. One does wonder if anyone at SS had thought this through...:confused:

[Jade13]

What exactly is the issue here? My understanding is that if a fare is 50% off you can not combine other offers. For example, we were under a 50% off fare but could not also get the New to Silver Seas OBC. Well, our TA did get some OBC worked out but that had to do with another issue that the cruise we wanted not being available when we went to book as stateroom availability is not listed in real time. So, we picked a diffrent itinerary.

[Wellseasoned]

Jade, your understanding of the previous policy is not correct. For example, on our upcoming Spirit transatlantic, there was a 50% reduction for early payment by March 31 (later changed to May 31). But there was an additional 5% off the full BROCHURE price if you have sailed 100 days, or 10% off BROCHURE if you have sailed 250 days. Had this been a Venetian cruise, the Venetian discount would also have applied off the full BROCHURE price. In the NEW system, the BROCHURE prices have increased, the 60% discounts are based on those NEW prices, and the additional discounts are based on the 60% discount prices, NOT on the NEW full BROCHURE prices. The bottom line is that the new ultimate price for frequent floaters usually increases.

[Mike2131]

Jade, your understanding of the previous policy is not correct. For example, on our upcoming Spirit transatlantic, there was a 50% reduction for early payment by March 31 (later changed to May 31). But there was an additional 5% off the full BROCHURE price if you have sailed 100 days, or 10% off BROCHURE if you have sailed 250 days. Had this been a Venetian cruise, the Venetian discount would also have applied off the full BROCHURE price. In the NEW system, the BROCHURE prices have increased, the 60% discounts are based on those NEW prices, and the additional discounts are based on the 60% discount prices, NOT on the NEW full BROCHURE prices. The bottom line is that the new ultimate price for frequent floaters usually increases.

I can certainly understand the frustration of many of the loyal Silversea clients. On a lighter note, I love the term "frequent floaters".