Seabourn pricing !

[Mr Luxury]

Exactly the problem we have from Australia. The increase in fare price is way more than the cruise price difference.

 

 

 

If you know which cruise you want to go on then book early and get your flight sorted as early as you can.

Waiting to book the cruise to see if the price goes down I think is a mistake and just makes the flights more expensive and more scarce.

 

 

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[wripro]

Seabourn used to refund you if the price dropped now they like to give you OBC but it is up to you to keep checking the prices as they won't automatically give you the OBC

 

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If the price drops before final payment the right TA will get you the lower price. After final payment it will probably be OBC.

[Mr Luxury]

Things have been changing at Seabourn in the last year Henry

They are pretty firm with offering OBC even with the intervention of well known and established Seabourn specialist TAs

 

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[Chairsin]

And Wripro is talking about booking with a US TA whereas Mr L is talking about using a UK TA -different rules apply.

 

 

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[SLSD]

What are the different rules for US TAs vs. UK TAs, Charisin?

[Thecat123]

And Wripro is talking about booking with a US TA whereas Mr L is talking about using a UK TA -different rules apply.

 

 

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We have the same rules down this way as Mr L I think

I am wondering if Seabourn have changed the booking rules over the years?

We were one of the first to book Antarctica with Seabourn, as Seabourn NZ didn't know when bookings were going to open, I learned about Seabourn was going to Antarctica through CC. I paid a deposit and had a cruise price quote. Seabourn decided that they could put another 100?, I can't remember the correct numbers or correct dollar value, on the cruise from the orginal number they were going to take, 200? and lift it to 300? I think and they could still get it to work getting people ashore, 100 people limit at one time. Results I got a call do I want to be upgraded to a better cabin or I would I like Seabourn to take $2500 each? off the quoted price when the final payment was due. Which I took.

With the cruise from Bali to Sydney early Dec we paid the $600 deposit, we did have a future cruise deposit already each, early May as Seabourn had specials on for their 30th birthday and had a quoted price which I thought was a little expensive but we had wanted to do this cruise for sometime

With this Dec cruise the price has dropped about $4000 each for the same cabin and OBC before the final payment was due from our quoted price.

For us to get that price drop, through our travel agent, Seabourn Australia wanted to make the Dec cruise a new booking and we would lose our deposit to get that price drop which I was prepared to do. Our TA did come up with an arrangement with Seabourn to get a better price for us in the end.

I thought the way Seabourn handled the Antarctica cruise was fair but not the Bali Sydney cruise. I have always looked at once I have paid the final payment if the cruise price goes up I win If the price goes down I lose, I can't have it both ways. If I had found out about this big price drop after I had made the final payment I would have been very unhappy.

I will be very careful in the future about booking early

[Chairsin]

It has to do with different consumer protection laws at play in the US and UK. My bookings with my UK TA cannot be canceled * once booked. Were I to do so it would carry a penalty of ten percent of the gross fare - increasing on a set scale over time. For me this is a nonissue since I’m not the type of person to casually book a cruise with the idea that I could cancel if I change my mind.

 

* as I said technically you cannot cancel but there is a provision now that if I cancel 90 days prior to the cruise and book another cruise(at an equal or greater cost) I can transfer my deposit and avoid any penalty.

 

 

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[Stickman1990]

It has to do with different consumer protection laws at play in the US and UK. My bookings with my UK TA cannot be canceled * once booked. Were I to do so it would carry a penalty of ten percent of the gross fare - increasing on a set scale over time

 

 

That’s pretty severe in terms of a 10% charge even for cancelation a long way out - plus I assume any penalty the cruise line impose as well or is it one or the other? - so what’s the upside from a consumer perspective?

[Chairsin]

This is what Seabourn charges- not my TA. As to the upside my TA gives me a ten percent discount. I do pay in GBP so obviously there is some currency risk. But what I appreciate most about my UK TA is the excellent service I receive. Prompt attention to my inquiries and going to bat with my with Seabourn when there has been as issue.

 

 

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[Stickman1990]

This is what Seabourn charges- not my TA. As to the upside my TA gives me a ten percent discount. I do pay in GBP so obviously there is some currency risk

 

 

 

Thanks for clarifying. So it’s a Seabourn charge - interestingly Crystal have just introduced a non refundable element to 2020 and on bookings - but like Seabourn you can use it towards a future cruise (one change only allowed). So it’s interesting these sorts of charges are spreading across the high end lines

 

Crystals non refundable charges are specific amounts versus percentages:

 

• 
   
  
• For cancelled bookings, a non-refundable administrative fee will be issued in the form of a Future Cruise Credit*, per guest, as follows:
   
  
  • 
     
    
  • $100 on ocean sailings 13 days or less
     
    
  • $200 on ocean sailings 14-21 days
     
    
  • $500 on ocean sailings 22 days or longer
     
    
  • $500 on yacht expedition and river sailings regardless of length
     
    

   

The reality is that some level of OBC or rebate is given regardless of the UK cancellation policy so I’m not sure I’d count that 10% or however much people get (which comes from the agents commission as opposed to an extra gift from Seabourn) as an upside to the cancellation charge applied in the UK

 

Similarly we all expect our TAs to go into bat for us and be knowledgeable - otherwise smart people like us would be changing TAs

Edited October 6, 2018 by Stickman1990

[wripro]

Yes, I was talking about a US based TA, not a UK one.

 

And I know of at least four or five instances in the last few months where fares went down prior to final payment and were adjusted.

[dalliowner]

My Cruise on the Encore next April now shows V3 cabins as more expensive than V4 and V5  . Who knows how they calculate this ??

[jenidallas]

5 hours ago, dalliowner said:

My Cruise on the Encore next April now shows V3 cabins as more expensive than V4 and V5  . Who knows how they calculate this ??

They are probably running a 3 class Veranda Suite upgrade special (whereas V1=V4, V2=V5, V3=V6).  When I’ve searched those before, pricing has often been adjusted to compensate for this.

[2SailingNomads]

On ‎10‎/‎6‎/‎2018 at 2:55 PM, Chairsin said:

[…] My bookings with my UK TA cannot be canceled * once booked. Were I to do so it would carry a penalty of ten percent of the gross fare - increasing on a set scale over time. For me this is a nonissue since I’m not the type of person to casually book a cruise with the idea that I could cancel if I change my mind.

I think this is a great point, like you Chairsin, we only book a cruise we have every expectation of taking.  It seems many people book as an "option" and then cancel before penalties begin.  If there was a financial disincentive to doing that there would likely be less up and down swings in the price.    We also use a UK agent and I don't have a problem with the idea that should we have to cancel (due to unforeseen issues, not that we found something we like better) before the final payment date we can move the deposit to another cruise.  

[SLSD]

Just an hour ago, I got an email from our TA saying that SB is offering that for $300/per person we could upgrade from our veranda guarantee to a V4.  We have declined.  

[Tom504]

Since we still have a child in college who loves to be home for the Christmas season, it will be some time before we will face the upsurge in pricing for that time of year, but I totally believe those who suggest prices increase at high holiday seasons. 

 

I also thought the Frank del Rio piece was interesting. There may be ‘brinksmanship’ in his words, but the target market of Seabourn is not, in my view, the ultra wealthy. I suspect the market will include greater numbers of refugees from the 3,000+ ships especially as intelligent people price out the nickel-and-dime approach of these lines and tentatively step into the waters of a Seabourn or Regent or Silversea or Crystal. 

 

I was in the pool at the FS K’Olina last summer when my extroverted self started a chat with a man who is an executive with FS at their property in San Francisco. He noted that FS and RC and other higher end chain hotels are all doing very well indeed these days; hotel pricing in SF, particularly, has skyrocketed in recent years. Yet he acknowledged that they all know they are riding a wave. The problem, he said, is that waves flatten out while new hotels — or cruise ships — take years to bring online. 

 

I’m on a committee that oversees my religious denomination’s financial investments. We recently had an annual visit with the top national executives of the ‘in-house’ company that invests and manages these funds. They suggested that the market is seriously over-valued and expect a serious downturn in the next 12-18 months. I’ve heard the same from our personal financial people. All to say that pricing will remain competitive ‘within’ the market segment but it may also be that Seabourn et al are feeling their sea legs and pricing now for an expected downturn. 

[2SailingNomads]

Sorry but not sure what the point Tom504 is making, beyond the cut to the chase after 4 paragraphs of TMI, that he is predicting based on his take due to his out going personality to engage people that an economic down turn is imminent. has to do with the fact that this thread started about the up tick in pricing around holiday cruises.   And to the original premise, well it has always been the case so long as I have observed unless the cruise for some reason does not sell well and then there are last minute prices drops.  But by then, you will pay mucho for airfare and/or not be able to use FF miles.

[Williwannago]

Well this has been an interesting thread, we are booked on SB for this years holidays specifically because we saw a significant price drop around late August. Both start and finish are non stop flights with our airline still priced well, so we booked. This will be our 2nd with SB our 5th cruise, let’s not talk about the 1st but the other 2 were on Crystal and we figure between these two companies we can find an agreeable passage to interesting places for years to come. 

Aloha,

willi

[2SailingNomads]

Here's to hoping you enjoy your cruise and good for you snagging the price drop.  One has ot be diligent in that regard, especially around the end of year holidays.  I know one itinerary I would have loved to join friends on, but can't due to other things, has dropped significantly.  

[Tom504]

2SailingNomads -- Give it a rest ... people share their opinions, and so if you don't value them, keep it to yourself and not ruin the party for the rest. Opinions are just that. You seem to have a high opinion of your opinion of others. I was speaking to my experience and sharing my opinion. Try to be nice. Might grow on you.

 

Williwannago -- I too hope you enjoy your cruise and I would love to hear about your first; pvt message if you prefer.

[Williwannago]

14 hours ago, Tom504 said:

 -- I too hope you enjoy your cruise and I would love to hear about your first; pvt message if you prefer.

 

Thanks, it was a long time ago, inside room, huge ship, but we had fun; walking out on the veranda on our next cruise changed our lives. 

Happy Sailing!

[Kauaijim]

I agree that this thread has been interesting. After 5 SB trips in 3 years , doing antarctica, NZ and route of the Vikings etc we have been struggling looking for another must do trip. We have since done 2 Kalos golf trips, one on the sail boat Sea Cloud2, which was great. What with the constant mailings from SB etc and "special deals " its hard to say where pricing really is with more luxury inventory coming on.