Are flight itineraries stable using Silversea for flights & when can I pick seats?

[taylorcl]

I am in the process of booking flights using Silversea's business class deal ($499/leg from the US to the Mediterranean). The flight itinerary they made for us is ideal - I couldn't have picked a better set of flights myself. I did have to pay an extra $150 pp to use their flight "concierge" because we're flying in two days prior to embarkation, and flying out two days after debarkation. Silversea told me that they don't ticket these flights until 60 days prior to the cruise. As a backup, I've also used AA miles to book flights (which can be cancelled for a fee). Those flights cost a LOT of miles, though - 220,000, plus about $360 in fees, and there is a 6 hr and 45 minute layover in Madrid. Not ideal, which is why I looked into Silversea's deal.

 

Here are my questions:

1. I heard on one of the threads that there really is no "free" (or in my case, heavily discounted) airfare - there's always a catch. That made me wonder if the catch is that when they go to actually ticket the flights (just 2 months in advance), that the ones "reserved" now (6 months in advance) will be all gone, and a much less desirable itinerary will have to be chosen instead (like in a plane without lie-flat seats in business class, an essential element of the flight for both of us due to spine problems). Or, Silversea could just randomly change the flight itinerary for no reason - it states this in their Terms & Conditions. My question is whether an itinerary change (different flight times, routes or airlines) is likely to happen, in the experience of anyone who has used Silversea (or any other cruise line) for flights?

 

2. Second question: I wonder if the seat selection is also restricted to 60 days prior to the cruise (i.e., if that's when the ticket is issued, I'm guessing I can't pick seats until then, and of course, all the good ones will be gone). Anyone know how early I can pick seats after I give Silversea the go-ahead to "book" my flights (i.e., after I accept the itinerary they presented, which I have done).

 

I'm coming up on needing to make a decision about whether to give up my other flights (the ones that cost so many miles), so would love to hear input on this topic. Thank you in advance for your advice and experience!