Whisper World Cruise 2021

[Silver Spectre]

I am somewhat surprised to see that all the segments for the 2021 Whisper World Cruise are available for booking on the website, and thoroughly amazed to receive an ROL brochure this morning offering the very first segment from Ft Lauderdale to Lima in conjunction with a trip to Machu Picchu with Cox and Kings.

 

I suspect that bookings must be way down, and if I was on for the full WC I wouldn’t exactly be overjoyed that the very first segment is being flogged off like this!

[Stumblefoot]

45 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

...if I was on for the full WC I wouldn’t exactly be overjoyed that the very first segment is being flogged off like this!

 

I'll tell you what would tick me off if I were on for the full WC is the fact that now, anyone can book the entire WC on a segment by segment basis at a price that is -12.2% less than the full WC price.

 

45 minutes ago, Silver Spectre said:

I suspect that bookings must be way down...

 

When one considers the world cruise market is extremely small, I'd say there are two key factors impacting SS's 2021 offering.

1. They have probably exceeded what the market will bear for the # of days at sea as 150 days seems like the longest I ever remember SS offering.
2. The Expedition world cruise is impacting the classic feet world cruise bookings.  I have no doubt the Cloud is cannibalizing the Whisper's bookings.

In the end, while I'm sure SS hopes to sell more full world cruise cabins than ever before in aggregate between the two ships, in all actuality, they could fewer cabins and earn a great deal more revenue considering the Expedition world cruise is priced 36.8% higher than the Classic world cruise.  And, this analysis doesn't even include the incremental revenue that will be generated by single or back-to-back segment cruisers.  Regardless, I imagine the strategy to capture more of the world cruise market by expanding to two world cruises will be validated.

[Observer]

1 hour ago, Silver Spectre said:

.... thoroughly amazed to receive an ROL brochure this morning offering the very first segment from Ft Lauderdale to Lima in conjunction with a trip to Machu Picchu with Cox and Kings.....

 

Cox and Kings is a provider of luxury travel with a clientele like that of Silversea.  Your concern may prove to be moot, however; I believe Cox and Kings is facing some financial challenges. 

[Observer]

12 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

 

I'll tell you what would tick me off if I were on for the full WC is the fact that now, anyone can book the entire WC on a segment by segment basis at a price that is -12.2% less than the full WC price.

 

 

I understand your feelings.  However, it is worth noting that there are a number of inclusions with the full WC fare that would be absent if one booked segment-by-segment.  It may well be that guests don't want/need some or all of these inclusions (e.g., visa service, luggage shipment, business class airfare, OBC, medical services, etc.)  But they should be calculated in the comparison.

 

I agree that 150 days is much too long.

[Silver Spectre]

32 minutes ago, Observer said:

 

 

I agree that 150 days is much too long.

That was the strongest feedback when the CEO did a Q&A at the end of this year’s WC.

[Stumblefoot]

4 hours ago, Observer said:

I understand your feelings.  However, it is worth noting that there are a number of inclusions with the full WC fare that would be absent if one booked segment-by-segment.  

 

Good point!  And, it's funny you mentioned it.  I thought I had written about the very point you make, but looking back, clearly what I was thinking about in my head didn't get translated from pen to computer.  

[SWFLAOK]

On 8/5/2019 at 11:36 AM, Silver Spectre said:

I am somewhat surprised to see that all the segments for the 2021 Whisper World Cruise are available for booking on the website, and thoroughly amazed to receive an ROL brochure this morning offering the very first segment from Ft Lauderdale to Lima in conjunction with a trip to Machu Picchu with Cox and Kings.

 

I suspect that bookings must be way down, and if I was on for the full WC I wouldn’t exactly be overjoyed that the very first segment is being flogged off like this!

I am somewhat surprised to see that on August 5th all segments were available. On August 4th, we tried to book Fort Lauderdale to Auckland, and it was unavailable. We contacted our cruise TA, and she told us every cabin level was wait listed. We asked for the wait list, but aren't optimistic. It would be our second cruise on Silver Whisper, and we loved it. Are we missing something?

[turtlemichael]

6 hours ago, SWFLAOK said:

I am somewhat surprised to see that on August 5th all segments were available. On August 4th, we tried to book Fort Lauderdale to Auckland, and it was unavailable. We contacted our cruise TA, and she told us every cabin level was wait listed. We asked for the wait list, but aren't optimistic. It would be our second cruise on Silver Whisper, and we loved it. Are we missing something?

To state the obvious, have you asked your TA again? All segments look as if they are available ( I am looking from Thailand), not merely waitlisted at the moment. A phone call to SS to clarify might be an idea.

Edited August 24, 2019 by turtlemichael

[crusinbanjo]

Mrs Banjo and I are also looking to book the Ft Lauderdale to Auckland segment and as of right now the website still shows all categories available.  Will be calling our SilverSea Personal Cruise Consultant, ( whoooah), on Monday to try and book this.  I’ll report  back

[SWFLAOK]

Thanks for the info. Our cruise travel agent has been great for our other cruises, and we have come to trust her. We have booked with her before on SilverSea. But I sent a request for a quote to SilverSea on their website,  and we'll see what happens.

[SWFLAOK]

17 hours ago, turtlemichael said:

To state the obvious, have you asked your TA again? All segments look as if they are available ( I am looking from Thailand), not merely waitlisted at the moment. A phone call to SS to clarify might be an idea.

I just got off the phone with SS. The Lima to Auckland segment is completely sold out. We had already put down money to waitlist it, but it seems unlikely, as the world tour is There are 9 cabins onboard available from Fort Lauderdale to Lima. So apparently, the 2021 world tour is extremely popular.

[SWFLAOK]

4 hours ago, crusinbanjo said:

Mrs Banjo and I are also looking to book the Ft Lauderdale to Auckland segment and as of right now the website still shows all categories available.  Will be calling our SilverSea Personal Cruise Consultant, ( whoooah), on Monday to try and book this.  I’ll report  back

If you only want to go to Lima, you have a choice of 9 cabins left, but SilverSea just told me that Lima to Auckland it all waitlisted, and we're already on that list.

[Stumblefoot]

4 minutes ago, SWFLAOK said:

I just got off the phone with SS. The Lima to Auckland segment is completely sold out. 

That's weird as the website shows every cabin has availability other than the Owner's Suite.

 

Edited August 25, 2019 by Stumblefoot
Added Image

[turtlemichael]

Yes, very hard to understand why it is listed for general sale if it is sold out.  The advice I had was this world cruise is not selling as well as they had hoped.  It has more competition now.  Waitlisting for the segment is probably a reasonable idea as SS will release it if they determine they are not going to sell out to world cruisers.  I do recall that the trans-Pacific leg, (the segment from Papeete to Sydney)   was one of the most popular of the 2019 WC.

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, turtlemichael said:

I do recall that the trans-Pacific leg, (the segment from Papeete to Sydney)   was one of the most popular of the 2019 WC.

 

What was it about that leg that was so alluring?

[turtlemichael]

On 8/25/2019 at 10:49 AM, Stumblefoot said:

 

What was it about that leg that was so alluring?

Some unspoiled islands, romantic, good weather (unless you meet a cyclone at that time of year).The Tahitian destinations are all "allure."

[dawntrdr]

On ‎8‎/‎24‎/‎2019 at 9:52 PM, turtlemichael said:

Yes, very hard to understand why it is listed for general sale if it is sold out.  The advice I had was this world cruise is not selling as well as they had hoped.  It has more competition now.  Waitlisting for the segment is probably a reasonable idea as SS will release it if they determine they are not going to sell out to world cruisers.  I do recall that the trans-Pacific leg, (the segment from Papeete to Sydney)   was one of the most popular of the 2019 WC.

 

I agree with Turtlemichael - don't lose hope because you are waitlisted.  I contacted my SS consultant to get a reservation on a segment of the 2021 Expedition WC.  All staterooms were shown as available on the website, but the consultant told me that all were "sold out" except for a handful (5-6) of  basic verandas.  This was almost two years in advance of sailing and the cruise had just been listed, so I was a little dismayed until I remembered that it was a World Cruise, and therefore they are sensible to hold back the more desirable cabins for people who want to buy multiple segments.  I would certainly appreciate that if I were in a position to make a longer voyage.  After a certain period, it is definitely possible that more cabins will become available.  I reserved one of the available ones and waitlisted for my preferred one.  A lot can happen in two years!  On the bright side, I only had to prepay the discounted fare for the less expensive cabin while I wait. 

 

 

[crusinbanjo]

Mrs Banjo and I are wait listed for the Lima to Auckland segment as well.  Our cruise consultant, (whooooo, sounds so impressive), told us that the waitlist should clear early next week.  She said they are holding cabins back to balance world cruise pax vs segment pax.  Don’t know how true that is, but that’s their story, and they’re sticking to it.

[crusinbanjo]

I was notified today that Mrs Banjo and I were cleared from the waitlist for the Ft Lauderdale to Aukland segments of the 2021 world cruise.  So we will be on board in a veranda suite..  Whoooo Hoooo!

[crusinbanjo]

On 8/26/2019 at 2:07 AM, turtlemichael said:

Some unspoiled islands, romantic, good weather (unless you meet a cyclone at that time of year).The Tahitian destinations are all "allure."

Also Easter Island is what did it for Mrs Banjo and Myself.

 

[brimary]

Received today the individual brochures for the annual World Cruise for 2021  plus an Expedition World Cruise also for 2021 .I consider the World Cruise at 150 days is far too long but even more incomprehensible is the 168 day duration of the First Expedition World Cruise which probably would attract a younger person who is more likely to be from the working rather than the retired population.

Both these World Cruises are far too long and will probably result in further early advertising of individual segments.What is the SS top management thinking about or is it RCC calling the shots  to increase income at every opportunity despite the consequences for SS regulars,sorry used to be SS regulars!

[Stumblefoot]

9 hours ago, brimary said:

...but even more incomprehensible is the 168 day duration of the First Expedition World Cruise which probably would attract a younger person who is more likely to be from the working rather than the retired population.

 

Who in the working population has the time to take off nearly a half-a-year for an expedition cruise?  Plus, at that price point?  My bet is that they are no longer working and were either an entrepreneur who sold their business or comes from family trust fund money. 😁

[SWFLAOK]

There are many young people with that kind of money who will take a half year expedition cruise. They have money from working for a few years at a Silicon Valley company, paying them 250K each, while they live with parents, or they might make less but can take out a large college loan while living with parents and taking courses online. They will be the ones dressed scantily and taking selfies and video that they post online every time they have enough bandwith to upload updates to their blogs while on the cruise.  We just saw quite a number of young couples like this in Fiji. And we know a number of couples our age, who are the parents of these younger couples, who let them save their money to experience something early in life that their parents will never feel able to afford for themselves. 

There are also many people who have worked for 30 years in a government job that payed relatively well, and provided a good pension with healthcare benefits. They're in their 50's and have the money (if they planned well) to splurge on a world cruise while they're still young enough to take the "strenuous" excursions.