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"discount" negated by price increase


meow!
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We have received a mass circulation e-mail from Silversea, which offered a "10% discount" on most voyages in this and next year. We have been booked (and paid 25% deposit) on the Montreal to Fort Lauderdale two-week voyage at the end of September next year aboard the Muse. So we checked with our agent. It turns out that Silversea has increased the base price, such that if we take their 10% "deal", we will only save $2, and we have to make full payment within this month. Of course we rejected the change.

 

This must be the usual "cruise line language"!

Edited by meow!
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Wow! Only $2? We took the deal on the cruise prior to yours with the 10% discount and saved a lot. How long ago did you book? We only booked about a couple of months ago. I guess I shouldn't be shocked that the fares went up, but 10% is a lot, especially since the 2017 Muse sailings haven't been available that long, correct? We actually got a better deal directly with SS than our usual cruise agency. We were able to secure a cabin that was not even available through our agent's or internet inventory. We also got our 5% Venetian discount and an additional $975 OBC.

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Don't get too wound up. This is soooo typical, been through this many times with Silversea. They figure out the market and play it like a Stradivarius...

 

 

Them, and every other cruise line (and airline).

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Them, and every other cruise line (and airline).

 

The above discussion should reasonably lead to a related topic, what is there to cause general fare increases? Not inflation, which is way below 10%, and with fuel cost the lowest it has been for many years, and other currencies, including the euro substantially depreciating against the US$, there is no cost justification at all. (Many foreign employees will beg for jobs paying fewer US$ per month for that matter).

 

The only reason will be cruise lines (or air lines) see that customers are willing and able to pay more, so why not take it while they can. On the web, we can see dozens and dozens of new ships of different sizes being built. Isn't it that we have just come out of poor economic conditions just a couple of years ago? Can some of you enlighten us?

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  • 2 weeks later...
So the 10% savings applies to cruises already booked, not just new bookings?

We have a Silver Explorer cruise booked in 2017. Thank you.

 

How the 10% pay in full by April 30 discount applies depends on when you booked. We booked three back to back segments for 2017 while aboard the Spirit last October. Deposits are paid. But Silversea subsequently raised the price of the cruises. To get the new discount they insist on basing it on the new price, then recalculating the other discounts we received, and ELIMINATING our on board booking discount. The end result is a few dollars savings, not at all worth paying in full many months early. So, calculate carefully.

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How the 10% pay in full by April 30 discount applies depends on when you booked. We booked three back to back segments for 2017 while aboard the Spirit last October. Deposits are paid. But Silversea subsequently raised the price of the cruises. To get the new discount they insist on basing it on the new price, then recalculating the other discounts we received, and ELIMINATING our on board booking discount. The end result is a few dollars savings, not at all worth paying in full many months early. So, calculate carefully.

 

What you have experienced is the same as our original posting ... meow!

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How the 10% pay in full by April 30 discount applies depends on when you booked. We booked three back to back segments for 2017 while aboard the Spirit last October. Deposits are paid. But Silversea subsequently raised the price of the cruises. To get the new discount they insist on basing it on the new price, then recalculating the other discounts we received, and ELIMINATING our on board booking discount. The end result is a few dollars savings, not at all worth paying in full many months early. So, calculate carefully.

 

I just cannot see any benefit in this unless you happen to book immediately after a price hike. This is just a slap in the face to those who either through loyalty or being able to make long term plans are booking a year or more in advance. I costed our Nov Wind crossing and it would be more expensive to use the 10% advance payment.

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I always wonder when full payment is demanded immediately if the company needs cash. Why else, if the same cancellation penalties obtain?

 

My thoughts were much the same, I wondered how much financial stress they might be in with the building of Muse etc.

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