Questionnaire from Silversea

Agree that the survey was not constructed well. I don't see, however, why there should be such bitterness about a commercial venture trying to maximize their returns. I would add the benies for $500 in a heartbeat since shipping luggage and personal transfers would be way more than that. $2500, in your dreams SS.

My personal preference wasn't even there-free business class air. I know you pay for it one way or the other, but in order to be competitive the top companies either have to negotiate lower fares with the airlines or eat a little of the cost.

Agree that the survey was not constructed well. I don't see, however, why there should be such bitterness about a commercial venture trying to maximize their returns. I would add the benies for $500 in a heartbeat since shipping luggage and personal transfers would be way more than that. $2500, in your dreams SS.

My personal preference wasn't even there-free business class air. I know you pay for it one way or the other, but in order to be competitive the top companies either have to negotiate lower fares with the airlines or eat a little of the cost.

I totally agree. Those would be high on my wish list. Personal transfers are of little value to us since we always arrive several days in advance of a sailing unless that could be accommodated.

I received a questionnaire from Silversea today which asked, among other things, how much I would be willing to pay for a variety of "upgrades" such as free luggage shipping, premium wi-fi, fruit and canapes in the suite, logo items, private dinners with the captain and officers, special tours on land, special enrichment on shipboard, free laundry, etc. I am greatly disappointed to see that they are considering creating a 2 class system where passengers are treated quite differently depending on how much extra they are willing to pay. The only thing of interest to me is the luggage shipping, and I would not be willing to pay SS more than I could pay to do it myself. I fear this is yet another way they are trying to downgrade the basic experience.

An interesting development which must be related to the takeover of SS by a mass market cruise line.Apart from free luggage transportation to and from ship to home which we arrange ourselves the remainder has always been received within the price.A sad development for old fashioned SS cruisers like us!

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An interesting development which must be related to the takeover of SS by a mass market cruise line.Apart from free luggage transportation to and from ship to home which we arrange ourselves the remainder has always been received within the price.A sad development for old fashioned SS cruisers like us!

 

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I am surprised to see your observation that, apart from luggage shipment, "the remainder has always been received within the price." Perhaps they are all included for guests in the very top end suites. Or for full WC guests (where luggage shipment is also included.) But for those in ordinary cabins, a number of these offerings would be new. So perhaps not so sad. :)

I am surprised to see your observation that, apart from luggage shipment, "the remainder has always been received within the price." Perhaps they are all included for guests in the very top end suites. Or for full WC guests (where luggage shipment is also included.) But for those in ordinary cabins, a number of these offerings would be new. So perhaps not so sad. :)

Perhaps if the questionnaire established what cruise line the participant last travelled with and what grade of suite they last purchased the positioning and segmentation of response groups might be slightly more useful in making rational and informed conclusions about who might buy what package and at what incremental price.

My Husband and I (I'm not Her Majesty) loved the deal- pay a fee for boarding early and could pay an extra fee for disembarking later. This meant that we could go direct to the Airport a couple of hours before our flight home AND embark the ship rather than hang around waiting for the time to board. There must be a reason why but we were never told why the new arrangements of "You are Off" or don't arrive until "we are ready"

So many changes that so many of us wonder is the Silversea we used to know ever be like it was a few years ago

To change the subject, had lunch today with a friend who sails on Silversea I thinkmust have been tied up next to the Belfast at Tower Bridge. Passengers were treated to lunch and a tour of the Royal Geographic Society Headquarters in London. More than impressed to say the least - thats a plus for a lot of negatives re SS lately.

Mrscrab, we are on Silver Wind in September, ending at Tower Bridge. One of our disembarkation day options is also that tour of the RGS HQ. And it's at no additional cost, so we were very excited to sign up. Definitely looking forward to that visit. We love the docking location, tying up to the Belfast.

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I will be on The Wind in September as the second segment of a b2b. I disembark on the 18th. Any chance of our paths crossing? I have enjoyed your CC posts and would love to meet you both. I’ll buy you a drink!

I will be on The Wind in September as the second segment of a b2b. I disembark on the 18th. Any chance of our paths crossing? I have enjoyed your CC posts and would love to meet you both. I’ll buy you a drink!

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If one looks at the first question, it implies to me that Silversea is interested in the opinion of someone who has booked an inside cabin on Costa but isn’t interested in the views of a Seadream customer.

If one looks at the first question, it implies to me that Silversea is interested in the opinion of someone who has booked an inside cabin on Costa but isn’t interested in the views of a Seadream customer.

I have booked an inside cabin on Costa; and have never been on Seadream.... yet didn't get the survey. :rolleyes:

I have booked an inside cabin on Costa; and have never been on Seadream.... yet didn't get the survey. :rolleyes:

I don’t think you should fret about being missed.:)

The issue is that Silversea are presumably anxious to secure the views of people that have taken or have plans to take a cruise to the value of $8000. To me that seems obvious. Seeking the views of people that have never or will never be able to afford such a cruise - who may be higher in volume than those with enough cash for an expensive cruise - seems rather odd to me and I cannot think of how mixing all their views in with everyone elses into an enormous soup provides you with useful targetted data.

I cannot see how they can drill down to those relevant views of relatively wealthy people from that first question.

There is a very good maxim in market research. GIGO. Garbage In Garbage Out.

Seems we are just cannon fodder (-100 days) , we did not get the questionnaire either.

I wonder how they decide who may give them the answers they seek.

Maybe I will complain...

Here is the offer Silversea made in 2004 for early boarding/late disembarkation. It was discontinued and apparently was not workable. So perks for a premium have precedent.

EARLY EMBARKATION: Silversa is pleased to offer you the opportunity to board our ships prior to standard embarkation hours. You will be able to board the ship as early as 10:30 AM, have lunch and relax onboard. Every effort will be made to have your suite available upon arrival, but if it is not, you are still free to enjoy all public areas. Pre-registration for Early Embarkation is required a minimum of 7 days prior to departure.

LATE DISEMBARKATION: Instead of disembarking at standard disembarkation hours, you will be able to remain abooard the ship as late as 5 PM (subject to ship's sailing time), have lunch and relax prior to heading home. Arrangements for Late Disembarkation must be made on board through the Concierge at least 24 hours prior to disembarkation.

PRICING FROM $100 PER PERSON PER DAY: Venetian Society members who have reached the 250-day milestone will receive Early Embarkation and Late Disembarkation privileges free of charge.

I don’t think you should fret about being missed.:)

I'm not losing and sleep over it. ;)

The issue is that Silversea are presumably anxious to secure the views of people that have taken or have plans to take a cruise to the value of $8000.

That explains why I was not consulted - I paid $12,375 for my currently booked SS cruise. :)

I'm not losing and sleep over it. ;)

 

That explains why I was not consulted - I paid $12,375 for my currently booked SS cruise. :)

Bill, the questionaire is as I said before - is fatally flawed.

The first flaw starts before it starts! The first thing the survey does is to announce who the survey sponsor is ie Silversea rather than withold that information as most professionals would know to do. It then offers $250 incentive.

The one thing that Silversea does better than anything else they do and that is brochures. There are few that don’t enjoy SS brochures. And they are free. I suspect that most are taken by aspirants who will never buy a Silversea cruise. The vast majority of the list will probsbly be poor aspirationals.

So most of the people receiving the survey will be probably be relatively poor aspirants. They will see the survey is sponsored by Silversea and there might be $250 if they are lucky. They are asked to tick which cruise lines they have been on. Even a monkey under those circumstances would be an idiot not to tick “Silversea” . It is like asking a few thousand bike owners to help you specify the dashboard of a Rolls Royce.

That is why you never tell people who the sponsor of a conjoint analysis is as it automatically produces a GIGO process.

I have a strong interest in Antarctica cruises and signed up to the Silversea mailing list for that reason. Some Silversea cruises would be less than I've paid for a cruise. On the other hand that intriguing Northeast Passage cruise would be a lot more. I did receive this survey.

The proposed cruise in my case was a 16-day cruise for $18,000 (destination I don't recall), which is outside the envelope I have in mind. I think Verandas on the current menu of "Antarctica" cruises (grand tour of some large portion of South America with an interval in Antarctic Peninsula) can be had for $13,000 so I was not impressed by the price point. Like one of you above I rejected both choices of each pair.

I don't know if I read the survey right; I thought it was suggesting that you'd have the base price or the higher price available to book at any given time, and asking which you would book.

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