Seabourn Air Credit question

[DISNEY GIRL]

Hello all - this is the first time I have booked with Seabourn, its the most expensive cruise we have booked, to date, but so far have been truly disappointed with them.    Firstly, they have already allocated me the worst cabin on the ship (although I did book at GTY category, but on other ships, the cabin is not allocated until the last minute, which I quite understand).

 

Also, Seabourn are offering free wifi, some OBC and £400 air credit per guest.   We are flying into Miami from London (return) using our BA Airmiles, so will not be using the air credit, BUT, our cruise leaves Miami, but then arrives in San Juan, so I have to get AA flights from San Juan back to Miami, but apparently and quite conveniently, Seabourn are saying that the £400 air credit only applies to flights to and from the UK?????  The internal flights are only £189 each, so we are not asking for the full amount.

 

Does anyone know where I can find the terms and conditions of this Air Credit, so I can check.

 

Like I say, soooo disappointed with Seabourn, so far...

 

Sandy

[Isklaar]

 I would think that  your TA should have explained the Ts&Cs to you in depth before confirming your booking.

I'm assuming from reading your post  that the TA didn't book your flights but as they did sell the cruise they should have been clear about any additional benefits. 

 

 Air Credit usually applies to SB Air (ie not self booked)  and from designated 'gateway' airports. So for UK customers examples would be flights departing from and returning to Heathrow/Gatwick and some of the regional airports.

That said, the Ts & Cs that apply can be changed from time to time.

As an example : My UK TA's website makes clear that e.g in November this year, on Sojourn's departure 16 November 2020 the benefit works as follows: 

Up to £400GBP Air Credit per guest (When booking a Seabourn flight package)

 

 

 I'm very surprised that you already have your suite allocation for your cruise which I'm assuming is a Caribbean cruise in November?  How did you learn about the allocation? Was it from your TA or did you see it yourself when you logged into your account on the SB website?

Over the last 5 years the majority of my SB bookings have been on a GTY basis and I've only ever received the allocation at 14 days or less before sail date. (Incidentally have never been disappointed with the allocation, which has been V5/V6 each time.)

 

Is this early allocation  a new policy for SB? Do any other posters have knowledge of this change?

 

I'm sorry that you're so disappointed with SB at this point. Hopefully you will be won over once the cruise begins!

 

Edited June 15, 2020 by Isklaar

[tigger8792]

We leave on December 26th they have already allocated our cabin. I called my TA and she said I can be put on a list for a better cabin once the cruise gets close. 

[Isklaar]

33 minutes ago, tigger8792 said:

We leave on December 26th they have already allocated our cabin. I called my TA and she said I can be put on a list for a better cabin once the cruise gets close. 

 

Thank you for the information!. I'll be very interested to see how this new system (to me at least) pans out. Big change as I said, we've always had a much later allocation. Last time it was around 7 days before sailing which is about the average for us. In an odd way the anticipation of allocation used to add to the pre-cruise excitement!

Edited June 15, 2020 by Isklaar

[johng75370]

3 hours ago, Isklaar said:

Big change as I said, we've always had a much later allocation. Last time it was around 7 days before sailing which is about the average for us.

 

I’ve had the same previous experiences, but when we booked the Nov 16 MIA-SJU on Sojourn over a month ago we got assigned our OB gty the same day (and in basic V1).  Was a bit miffed to be honest, but had read in other threads here that Seabourn and Silversea are doing this possibly to keep the better cabins available for sale given how much FCC is floating around.  Actually not unhappy with the cabin, more the process (booked a gty on Regent recently for later this year, and it is holding at unassigned). Like you, have always looked forward to the assignment close to departure.  

 

9 hours ago, DISNEY GIRL said:

Like I say, soooo disappointed with Seabourn, so far...

 

As you may have read here Sandy, the off-ship experience is not always the best with Seabourn, but we’ve found that on-ship they deliver to all their “brand promises” and more. Hope your experience gets better!

Edited June 15, 2020 by johng75370

[Covepointcruiser]

You pay significantly less for a guarantee.   It makes sense to assign you to a V 1 cabin to keep the higher cabins open to those passengers willing to pay for them.    If you don’t like Seabourn’s treatment maybe you should cancel and try another line.

[SLSD]

Here is something that would concern me if I were you:  https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/06/14/exclusive-no-summer-holidays-us-months-says-americas-top-public/  Travel to the United States from the UK is currently banned and may remain so until there is a vaccine--according to this article.  I do not know what Seabourn's refund policy would be in this case.  Consult with your travel agent.  This makes your airline credit questions look comparatively minor.  I hope all goes well.  

 

Now, when I try to read the article, it says you need to sign on for a free trial.  I have read the article--and it does say that travel from the UK may be banned until there is a vaccine.  When that will be is a total unknown.  THEN, IF there is a vaccine, I am assuming you would have to have it before you can fly.  Then the questions are:  is the vaccine safe?  Is it effective?  Is it available and so on.  

Edited June 15, 2020 by SLSD

[DISNEY GIRL]

5 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

You pay significantly less for a guarantee.   It makes sense to assign you to a V 1 cabin to keep the higher cabins open to those passengers willing to pay for them.    If you don’t like Seabourn’s treatment maybe you should cancel and try another line.

 

I agree with you entirely about the GTY category.  But the spirit on this category, I assumed, was that they have every right to put me in the worst cabin, if the sailing was full and I would get this allocated 7 days beforehand - I would totally understand.  My complaint is that my cabin was allocated in April, 7 months before sailing, so if the ship is only half full (for example) would I still be in the worst cabin - so why allocate now, why not allocate 7 days before????

[dalliowner]

As this will be your first Seabourn voyage  could you tell us what cabin you think is the worse on the ship ?  I have sailed many times on every deck but have never had a bad cabin.