Open booking

[Silver Spectre]

I seem to remember Silversea allowing an open booking in the past. The cruise consultant on the Whisper says it doesn’t exist. Has anyone ever booked an open booking on SS or is my memory playing tricks.

[DCCruiser57]

You could always do an open booking.  The future cruise consultant is an idiot.  She has always been that way the entire WC.

[Silver Spectre]

6 minutes ago, DCCruiser57 said:

You could always do an open booking.  The future cruise consultant is an idiot.  She has always been that way the entire WC.

Thanks.

[WesW]

Mr. Silversea; as DCCruiser57 says above SS has an open booking option.  Below is what Cruise Critic has written on Silversea as part of a summary of most cruises lines Open Booking policies:

 

Silversea gives a 5 percent discount when booking a specific sailing or putting down a deposit on any future cruise. If you book a future voyage while onboard, you can put down a floating deposit of $1,000 per person, which secures the 5 percent savings if you convert it to an actual voyage within six months of initiating the booking. If you do not apply the deposit to an actual voyage, you can request to have it refunded in full.

 

If I have time, will check with our TA to make sure the policy has not changed and post accordingly.

 

[Silver Spectre]

1 hour ago, WesW said:

Mr. Silversea; as DCCruiser57 says above SS has an open booking option.  Below is what Cruise Critic has written on Silversea as part of a summary of most cruises lines Open Booking policies:

 

Silversea gives a 5 percent discount when booking a specific sailing or putting down a deposit on any future cruise. If you book a future voyage while onboard, you can put down a floating deposit of $1,000 per person, which secures the 5 percent savings if you convert it to an actual voyage within six months of initiating the booking. If you do not apply the deposit to an actual voyage, you can request to have it refunded in full.

 

If I have time, will check with our TA to make sure the policy has not changed and post accordingly.

 

Thanks Wes, the above was for another guest who I told about the open booking and the response was to her.

[Observer]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

Thanks Wes, the above was for another guest who I told about the open booking and the response was to her.

 

There must be a misunderstanding or some distortion in passing on this misinformation.  Surely the cruise consultant is not that clueless.

Edited May 14, 2019 by Observer

[Unibok]

5 hours ago, DCCruiser57 said:

You could always do an open booking.  The future cruise consultant is an idiot.  She has always been that way the entire WC.

 

Someone might have said this earlier in the thread, but who has been been the CC for this WC?

[wripro]

I have always found that whatever a cruise consultant onboard tells you needs to be double and triple checked.

[les37b]

7 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

I seem to remember Silversea allowing an open booking in the past. The cruise consultant on the Whisper says it doesn’t exist. Has anyone ever booked an open booking on SS or is my memory playing tricks.

 

The Wind consultant 2 weeks ago (doesn't time fly!) was going to do my second one as an open booking with a deposit of £800pp if my memory serves. The intention was to "use it" when the next brochure is out in September /  October and was valid for 6 months and kept the on board 5% live and valid. In the end she talked me round to making an actual booking with a 25% deposit for April 2021 as this way the discount never dies, though obviously if I don't go on to book, I'll lose £150 as opposed to a full refund with the open option. The reason I did this was purely because if the brochure was released in late October, it would be too late. No big deal either was as I will be making a booking on day 1 no doubt! (Won't be in 738 again though!!!)

[Stumblefoot]

Mr. Silver,

If the Cruse Consultant isn't allowing an open booking that SS has allowed for years as an open 6-month time frame, have your friend make a booking on a super cheap voyage and pay the 25% deposit within 7-days.  Then, they will have until 120 days prior to sailing to switch that booking to a voyage they prefer.  

This method is typically cheaper than an open booking and provides a passenger with the ultimate in long-term flexibility.  In our case, this past February we booked a late 2020 Venetian voyage, paid the $875 deposit, captured the on-board booking discount, and have until Jul 28, 2020 to change to a different voyage.  This allows us to wait and see what voyages are released this coming September for the fall of 2021 voyages, as well as what is released next April for the winter of 2022 before making our intentions known.

[Silver Spectre]

33 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Mr. Silver,

If the Cruse Consultant isn't allowing an open booking that SS has allowed for years as an open 6-month time frame, have your friend make a booking on a super cheap voyage and pay the 25% deposit within 7-days.  Then, they will have until 120 days prior to sailing to switch that booking to a voyage they prefer.  

This method is typically cheaper than an open booking and provides a passenger with the ultimate in long-term flexibility.  In our case, this past February we booked a late 2020 Venetian voyage, paid the $875 deposit, captured the on-board booking discount, and have until Jul 28, 2020 to change to a different voyage.  This allows us to wait and see what voyages are released this coming September for the fall of 2021 voyages, as well as what is released next April for the winter of 2022 before making our intentions known.

This effectively what she ended up doing, but thanks for the reminder Stumblefoot.

[FAP16]

We just got off the Muse 2 weeks ago and were able to do an open booking while on board. ($1000 per passenger deposit). Sometimes the other method works out to be less money up front but make sure you add any insurance you want up front because may be difficult to add after you do the original booking. 

[Master Echo]

Just seen this thread, so apologies for my tardiness.

 

I have previously used the open booking facility and also booked a 'cheap' long-dated cruise.

 

My reason for posting however, was to flag up whether Silversea would reject an open booking at the expiry of six months.  My feeling is that open bookings are likely to be allowed to run on beyond the official period, especially if new itineraries are imminent.

 

Anyone who books direct with Silversea may wish to raise this with their usual cruise consultant for clarification.

 

Kindest regards

 

Master Echo

[Silver Spectre]

What was particularly weird was that after denying that open bookings existed, on the penultimate day there was a Cruise Consultant promo on the inside of the Chronicles, for would you believe it, open bookings.