Today 2020-2021 Winter Itineraries released

[Tothesunset]

All good stuff, Les. 

 

Keep that suite tidy, won't you? 

[Stumblefoot]

19 minutes ago, les37b said:

She has said TA bookings are notoriously slow to fill but thinks it's probable it won't make 1 May without an increase. I'm not taking any chances but do think think that's unlikely.

I don’t know your CC, but if she’s truly not pulling your leg about about a March 2021 TA price increase in 4-days, then I say she’s crazy.  Willing to bet a cool Benjamin on it too.

[Observer]

29 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

I don’t know your CC, but if she’s truly not pulling your leg about about a March 2021 TA price increase in 4-days, then I say she’s crazy.  Willing to bet a cool Benjamin on it too.

 

Could it be that the CC is predicting that the 10% early booking/payment discount will disappear?  It is set to "expire" at the end of April.  It has been consistently extended, but who knows what RCCL has in mind......

[Tothesunset]

Well, I shall find out in 4 days' time! 

[Stumblefoot]

36 minutes ago, Observer said:

 

Could it be that the CC is predicting that the 10% early booking/payment discount will disappear?  It is set to "expire" at the end of April.  It has been consistently extended, but who knows what RCCL has in mind......

Observer, you definitely could be right!  Although based on the price creep we’ve seen in fares, I think removing the 10% EBB would really impact SS’s business, at least in the short-term.  As a result, not sure RCL would be willing to take the hit to their stock price.  

 

So, I my bet with ol’ LesB still stands. 😁 I have full confidence ToTheSunset will get the same deal.

[les37b]

The Cruise consultant on board told me the one I’ve picked is selling well and thinks it will rise in price.

 

i can’t see the early booking bonus will go..... the only reason you book early and pay in full is for that 10 %. People might still book, but if there is no incentive to pay in full, no one will.

 

Edited April 27, 2019 by les37b

[Observer]

36 minutes ago, les37b said:

i can’t see the early booking bonus will go..... the only reason you book early and pay in full is for that 10 %. People might still book, but if there is no incentive to pay in full, no one will.

 

 

I certainly like the EBB and would miss it if it went away.  But this program clearly costs SS money.  

 

The program is relatively new (and I do not know any other luxury line that offers such a substantial discount -- retaining reasonable cancellation policies), and for years I and others booked early to lock in a cabin/good fare, knowing that with robust sales the fares might increase.  (In my case, a particular concern was the single supplement which could rise from 50 -- or even 25 -- percent to 100%.)  

 

To be sure, these early EBB payments help cash flow and help slightly reduce RCL's need to borrow money on markets.  But it's hard for me to imagine that they are paying 10% interest on corporate debt.

 

To repeat:  I hope the EBB remains!!!  But I would not be shocked if it disappeared.

Edited April 27, 2019 by Observer

[jollyjones]

12 hours ago, les37b said:

The Cruise consultant on board told me the one I’ve picked is selling well and thinks it will rise in price.

 

i can’t see the early booking bonus will go..... the only reason you book early and pay in full is for that 10 %. People might still book, but if there is no incentive to pay in full, no one will.

 

 

I've bought this same TA on the Moon, paid in full - at under $350 per diem solo occupancy verandah it's a good price. I book early to get the best location suite within a category so I can go with a cheaper category; I pay in full for the 10% EBB - I have found SS to be prompt in refunding money for a cancellation or a price drop (yes, that does happen) so I don't feel it's an unacceptable gamble paying it all so early. 

The dates of the Shadow crossing a month later suit me better but I'm just finishing up 20 days on the Wind and have come to the conclusion that she's too small, I want to get back on the big girls. It's not so much the size, it's the lack of choice of eateries, and the claustrophobic main bar - I'm in the minority but I so much prefer Dolce Vita. (That's for trivia - I usually drink in Panorama).

The Shadow may be better if they do put in an Arts cafe, we'll see.

I'm doing the Moon TA the other way Nov 2020 (along with others ...) so I hope the Moon lives up to it's hype.

 

PS It may be a small or non-existent contributor to sales, but I'd suspect people are psychologically less likely to cancel a fully paid cruise than one still requiring a hefty payment?

Edited April 28, 2019 by jollyjones

[MBP&O2/O]

I am hoping the next batch of schedules are released before October. We are on the Shadow late October, so it would be nice to try and book on board and get the ball moving so to speak😀 Assuming I have read it correctly that is ... % discount for booking on board? % discount for early payment, and ... fingers crossed a % discount for Venetians, which offerings seem to be very few and far between.

My Yorkshire roots coming to the fore and looking for money off 😀

 

 

[les37b]

1 hour ago, MBP&O2/O said:

I am hoping the next batch of schedules are released before October. We are on the Shadow late October, so it would be nice to try and book on board and get the ball moving so to speak😀 Assuming I have read it correctly that is ... % discount for booking on board? % discount for early payment, and ... fingers crossed a % discount for Venetians, which offerings seem to be very few and far between.

My Yorkshire roots coming to the fore and looking for money off 😀

 

 

Indeed. We hit the jackpot this time. Not only the new itinerary released while onboard and the 10% EB and onboard 5% the one we chose is VS and we've been put in touch with an agent who we can get a further 10% too. We will probably take a £1000 reduction on the flights too as it's only a one way TA.

 

I did suggest losing Indochine meant I'd probably not book the Moon, but it's a deal I can't pass on.

 

I may also take an option on a further booking yet to be decided as a deposit only and use when the next brochure comes out. I'm expecting I will break the two years in advance limit I've just fallen a few days short of! That one will bring along the free laundry fairy! 

[Tothesunset]

Les, I'd be grateful to know the agent you've been put in touch with. I know you can't tell me on here but if you could leave a note with the butler to pass on to me on Tuesday I would be most appreciative. 

 

Now in the radisson blu at Heathrow. Plan to fall through the doors of the Virgin Clubhouse when it opens tomorrow at 7am so we get nearly 3 hrs to eat and drink their very decent comestibles before the flight to Miami. 

 

 

[les37b]

1 minute ago, Tothesunset said:

Les, I'd be grateful to know the agent you've been put in touch with. I know you can't tell me on here but if you could leave a note with the butler to pass on to me on Tuesday I would be most appreciative. 

 

Now in the radisson blu at Heathrow. Plan to fall through the doors of the Virgin Clubhouse when it opens tomorrow at 7am so we get nearly 3 hrs to eat and drink their very decent comestibles before the flight to Miami. 

 

 

 

Alternatively I could hide somewhere for you to search! 😂

 

No problem. I am actually still waiting for their confirmation... but they did confirm that’s what they always give to the couple who told us and she should be able to do it for us also. 

 

If you want to email... I use a throway email address on here silversea@mail.co.uk ... you’ll need to do that anyway so I can forward any photos captured at Tower Bridge. There’s likely to be a bit of a gathering at the front port corner where i’ll Concentrate on clicking away! 

 

Following on on from my previous post, the consultant on board thinks it’s highly unlikely that SS will remove the 10% EB. Let’s hope that’s the case as I do think SS gain a huge amount of in the distant early bookings from their customer base because it’s there.

[Observer]

2 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

I am hoping the next batch of schedules are released before October. We are on the Shadow late October, so it would be nice to try and book on board and get the ball moving so to speak😀 Assuming I have read it correctly that is ... % discount for booking on board? % discount for early payment, and ... fingers crossed a % discount for Venetians, which offerings seem to be very few and far between.

My Yorkshire roots coming to the fore and looking for money off 😀

 

 

 

There is no shame in "looking for money off," and one doesn't have to be from Yorkshire to do so.

 

An insurance policy for you -- if the schedule comes out after your late October Shadow cruise -- would be for you to secure one or more onboard open bookings.  They are good for six months, cost $1000 each, are fully refundable or applicable to a future booking, and entitle the holder to a further 5% discount on any cruise.

 

I trust you are aware that the discounts are applied consecutively.  That is, assume you have three 5% discounts.  They do not take 15% off the base fare.  Instead, they take 5% off the base fare (using your first discount).  Then 5% off the remaining balance (second discount).  And 5% off the balance after the second discount was taken (third discount).  So the net result is something short of the 15% you might expect with three 5% discounts.  

[Tothesunset]

Better than a poke in t'eye wi' a blunt stick, tha knows. 

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

I am hoping the next batch of schedules are released before October.

You’ll be in good shape MBP&O2/O as the fall schedule release has always been in mid-September.

[spinnaker2]

On 4/24/2019 at 6:00 AM, WesW said:

The 2020-2021 winter itineraries were released today for Venetian Society members to book from April 24-May 6.The itineraries (54) are available to general public for booking beginning on May 7th.   If we were not doing the Moon TA, might have considered the Muse in Nov 2020 going to The Kimberly but for only one day.  As Stumblefoot said, hopefully the Silver Dawn will be used for The Kimberly.  Highlights:

 

From a 69-day circle South America, a 50-day Australia to enjoying cherry blossom in Japan, we give you more choice and more ports than ever before. Looking set to be some of our most memorable voyages ever, not only are we taking you to the authentic beauty of the world, we are taking you there in authentic luxury! Get ready for the happy juxtaposition of neon jungles in Tokyo, meandering though tiny islands in the South Pacific, peaceful paradises in Yangon and forbidden cities in Beijing. But that’s not all! Ten Cuba voyages will have you taking advantage of Silversea’s superb people to people programme. Not forgetting the fabled shores of the Mediterranean and the infection pulse of the Caribbean and you have a wealth of dream destinations to choose from! If travel more is on your wish list, then you have come to the right place. Let’s get ready to travel! 
 

winter-itineraries-2020-2021-DM.pdf 35.29 MB · 75 downloads

I can not download this!!! Help!

[MBP&O2/O]

Observer .... Interesting options! Thanks.

I was aware of the the discount calculations but even so it is still not to be sniffed at.

We are undecided as to where to go at the moment ... I fancy the Singapore / HK itineraries, combined with a trip to Xian but (a) the extra expense could make that prohibitive, and (b) the new regs for UK citizens and visa’s for China mean you need a degree in hoop jumping!

We have also been considering the east coast of Africa .... 

Decisions decisons 🙄

[Stumblefoot]

2 hours ago, spinnaker2 said:

I can not download this!!! Help!

Spins, the PDF is just a summary of the voyages by ship and a lot of marketing gloss.  All of the itineraries have been loaded on the SS website, so the PDF isn’t necessary.  BTW... I like the new functionality recently added to the SS website allowing one to search by multiple months and ships which makes it very easy to see all of the new winter itineraries.

[Observer]

8 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

BTW... I like the new functionality recently added to the SS website allowing one to search by multiple months and ships which makes it very easy to see all of the new winter itineraries.

 

Agreed.  It is a very nice enhancement.  Thanks, Silversea.  Is such a sentiment permitted here?🤓

[Stumblefoot]

10 hours ago, les37b said:

I did suggest losing Indochine meant I'd probably not book the Moon, but it's a deal I can't pass on.

Ha!  It’s amazing how a little discounting can change one’s mind about a ship that isn’t even built yet.  Just 6 short weeks ago you wrote, “...the removal of Indochine is a deal breaker (I’d chose Muse and Spirit for this reason.) and it begs the question what they will be serving in LOCAL.” 😁  So, glad to see you’ve changed your mind about the Moon in such a short time.  Just wish you had selected the 2020 TA instead. 

[les37b]

20 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Ha!  It’s amazing how a little discounting can change one’s mind about a ship that isn’t even built yet.  Just 6 short weeks ago you wrote, “...the removal of Indochine is a deal breaker (I’d chose Muse and Spirit for this reason.) and it begs the question what they will be serving in LOCAL.” 😁  So, glad to see you’ve changed your mind about the Moon in such a short time.  Just wish you had selected the 2020 TA instead. 

 

I hear what you say, though I’d never said “never” and I was spelling out my preference. And the price it came out at, it would have been rude not to book.

[Tothesunset]

36 minutes ago, les37b said:

 

I hear what you say, though I’d never said “never” and I was spelling out my preference. And the price it came out at, it would have been rude not to book.

If it were any cheaper, Les, they'd be paying you! 

[les37b]

1 hour ago, Tothesunset said:

If it were any cheaper, Les, they'd be paying you! 

 

Funny you should say that...... you might recognise some of the clips used in the Northern Europe promotion on the website. 😁

[Unibok]

On 4/29/2019 at 6:26 PM, les37b said:

 

Funny you should say that...... you might recognise some of the clips used in the Northern Europe promotion on the website. 😁

 

Those gorgeous shots of Tower Bridge? Nice work, Les!

 

As for the future winter sailings, I just noticed something the rest of you may have picked up on already: only the larger ships will be doing traditional cruising in Asia for the next two winters (both 19-20 and 20-21). Why does this matter? Because the Muse and Spirit are too big to be able to dock in town at ports like Ho Chi Minh City or Bangkok. Some of the future sailings have 3 days in HCMC, but the ship will have to be docked well down the Saigon River, and passengers will face long drives to get to the city. The Shadow and Whisper were small enough to dock in town, but the Shadow will be spending the next two winters in Caribbean and South America and the Whisper occupied with the World Cruise. I have to admit, I'm glad I explored Vietnam while the Shadow was still sailing there.

[les37b]

You’re right. I’d not be interested in ports where you have a journey in that could have been avoided. Silversea have sold themselves on that principle.

 

Yes to your question, plus the one before.