Automatic charity charge?

[brimary]

Just off the Shadow August 6th. The process was as described on these boards, including the bracelets delivered to the room.

 

Just off the Cloud 13 August great cruise but nothing changed re donation automaticaly appearing on account.Delete at Reception when checking in - no problem.

[DGF]

Thanks for the heads up. Will immediately on arrival have it deleted from our account on principle, then will get some literature on the charity, and make a decision before the end of the cruise

 

If it is something we can support will add it to the list of the charitable donations we already do

 

DEAN

[WinWin]

We just returned from a Venice/Athens voyage on the Silver Spirit. About mid-way through the cruise, we returned to our suite one evening to find a glossy brochure about the charity, a letter giving us more detail on it (and also how to remove the charge if we chose to), and two grey plastic bracelets (like the yellow Lance Armstrong or the pink breast cancer ones), for us to wear if we donated to the charity. My DH promptly went to the reception desk, explained that we preferred to choose our own charities, asked that the charity charge be removed, and gave them back the bracelets. Not a problem at all. It was graciously done! The removal of the charge was reflected on our final statement. I still feel we should not have had to spend our vacation time removing this sort of charge they arbitrarily placed on our account, but nonetheless, Jeorge was completely professional about removing it.

[unfathomable]

I may have missed this, but has anybody observed other guests actually wearing the wristbands?

[Scotspea]

From the puffed up outrage shown by many of these posts, a charity to supply on board heart support equipment might be more appropriate!

The level of anger and language used is way out of proportion to the average $20 contribution.

I agree it's not the best way to collect but an opt-in scheme would have been ignored by most.

If it is easier for people to swap cruise lines than to stop at the reception area to politely opt-out, as I will, they must, in my view, have strange values.

 

:p

[Observer]

From the puffed up outrage shown by many of these posts, a charity to supply on board heart support equipment might be more appropriate!

The level of anger and language used is way out of proportion to the average $20 contribution.

I agree it's not the best way to collect but an opt-in scheme would have been ignored by most.

If it is easier for people to swap cruise lines than to stop at the reception area to politely opt-out, as I will, they must, in my view, have strange values.

 

:p

 

Scotspea: Please refrain from introducing sanity into this thread. Your comments are entirely inconsistent with the tenor of this thread and are thus doubtless out of place. :)

[wripro]

By that logic, CC would be completely eliminated.

[ronjo]

Just returned from the Spirit and there was a $7 per person charge on the statement that was delivered to the suite during the last night on board. We expected it and had no problem making the donation. You can elect not to make the donation by just notifying the reception desk.

[BILLP1]

Maybe this is a U.S. thing. We are not use to having money billed to our accounts that we have not pre approved. Just ask before adding the charge to our account if we would like to donate to this charity. You could also put a donation box in the lobby area or in the casino .

[Scotspea]

As a Scotsman I can refute the suggestion that 'it's an American thing'. My sporran is tight shut to such overtures!

I just think most of the reaction is way over the top when there is a simple opt out.

OBSERVER, at least I enjoyed the irony!;)

[TLCOhio]

I may have missed this, but has anybody observed other guests actually wearing the wristbands?

 

I never saw anyone wearing such a wristband on our July 1-16 cruise.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[newlondon]

Scotspea, You and Observer renew my faith that sanity does exist. I have kept pace with this thread and have declined to join the outrage about a basically good thing nobody is forced to do. Love Observer's humor:D

[wripro]

I guess some people wouldn't mind if their governments simply added a couple of thousand dollars or pounds to their tax bills without notifying them in order to feed hungry children. It's a good thing to feed hungry children, right? And having to go to the trouble of informing them you do not want this added expense should not be a problem when the bill comes on tax day. God knows people have nothing better to do with their time!

[WinWin]

LOL - wipro! Our thoughts exactly!

[WinWin]

Apologies....wripro...!

[jgrahamiii]

I guess some people wouldn't mind if their governments simply added a couple of thousand dollars or pounds to their tax bills without notifying them in order to feed hungry children. It's a good thing to feed hungry children, right? And having to go to the trouble of informing them you do not want this added expense should not be a problem when the bill comes on tax day. God knows people have nothing better to do with their time!

But the government already does this. It's called Welfare (or any of a number of other programs). And there's no way to opt out! But let's not go there....

[wripro]

You get the point!

[Silver Spectre]

In this instance just how are Silversea differentiating themselves from the High Street 'chugger'. (chugger = charity mugger).

 

The flyer was in our recently arrived silver box. My wife saw it, ignored the content and had no idea that an automatic contribution would be added to her account.

 

I just wonder how many other guests will not read the insert and end up being surprised and annoyed by their final shipboard account.

[Ainhoa]

As a way of collecting for charity, this seems to be the latest thing. We ate in our local Italian restaurant (UK) last night, and on checking the bill there was a 20p charge to something called the Willow Foundation, which I assume is a charity (I assume, because there was no information about it anywhere). Now no-one is going to make a fuss about 20p (and I would have been quite happy even if I had been asked did I want to make this tiny donation) but it is a bit like holding your purse out and asking a complete stranger to take what they want. Perhaps it's an Italian thing?

[Scotspea]

I guess some people wouldn't mind if their governments simply added a couple of thousand dollars or pounds to their tax bills without notifying them in order to feed hungry children. It's a good thing to feed hungry children, right? And having to go to the trouble of informing them you do not want this added expense should not be a problem when the bill comes on tax day. God knows people have nothing better to do with their time!

 

How dreadful, I didn't realise they were adding thousands of dollars to our account. I thought in all innocence that it was just around twenty!

I shall now become one of the red faced, high blood pressure brigade and depart to Carnival after a stiff letter to the chairman of Silversea.:rolleyes:

[dougburns]

I really don't understand why everyone is making such an issue of this. SS tells you about it in your cruise docs. If you don't want to participate just go to Reception and tell them. The word travels fast, so no one should be caught unawares.

[TLCOhio]

I really don't understand why everyone is making such an issue of this. SS tells you about it in your cruise docs. If you don't want to participate just go to Reception and tell them. The word travels fast, so no one should be caught unawares.

 

Only a small percentage of those sailing Silversea read these boards and are aware of what is happening in this area. The "for your convenience" trick wording is actually pretty hidden at the very end of one bland little print item you get with lots and lots of other papers and boring documents.

 

From my travel and other business experiences, nobody else has the ARROGANCE to stick on an ADDED, EXTRA CHANGE to your bill without your advance permission and authorization. Who else plays these types of games? It like what a slick, silent pick-pocket would do. Does that make you happy and satisfied?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For more details, great visuals, etc., from our July 1-16 Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle Silver Cloud experiences:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[Observer]

Only a small percentage of those sailing Silversea read these boards and are aware of what is happening in this area. The "for your convenience" trick wording is actually pretty hidden at the very end of one bland little print item you get with lots and lots of other papers and boring documents.

 

As I understand the situation, passengers receive a further and unmistakable notification mid-cruise, where a brochure and bracelets are placed in the suite. How can one not notice bracelets on the bed? It's not as if SS is hiding the initiative. Characterizing SS as a slick, silent pick-pocket seems a bit much to me. I am no fan of this initiative, and I can imagine going to reception and having the charge removed on my forthcoming SS cruise. However, *all* passengers (and not merely those who read CC) should be aware of the initiative when they return to their suites one evening and find the materials on their beds.

[cruzemaven]

I saw it, I posted it and then never got around to visiting reception to cancel it. I know that several other couples that we were traveling with also never "bothered" to cancel....and that is what Silversea is probably counting on.

[wripro]

Scotspea,

 

I wasn't referring to the amount (which I exagerated to make a point) but the principle, to which you seem to have no objection. I do.