Flights organised by Silverseas

[first time cruising]

Hi, we are planning a cruise from Lisbon to Athens for March  next year. Could anyone help that may have used the option of Silverseas arranging flights as part of the cruise package. We will be flying from Australia and nervous about airlines used and routes taken. Thanks

[Gourmet Gal]

First, try doing a simple search of this Silversea forum.  There are multiple threads discussing Silver Air in detail.  Then come back with any specific questions.  In short, my experience is that if you are willing to pay air deviation fees you may get acceptable routes and airlines though lately it’s been more difficult because of reduced airline offerings.

[les37b]

If you do take the deviation option, bare in mind if the cruise is cancelled or start or end points change, it's down to you.

 

My recent South American trip changed from Lima to Guayaquil and then to Santiago. All at no cost to me for the flight changes or transfers which was taken care of by Silversea. 

 

 

 

[Host Jazzbeau]

3 minutes ago, les37b said:

If you do take the deviation option, bare in mind if the cruise is cancelled or start or end points change, it's down to you.

Could you explain what this means?  I am considering taking Silversea Business upgrade for flights from US to AKL and return from SYD.  We would deviate by a few days on either end.  What would happen if NZ closes shop again?

[les37b]

38 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Could you explain what this means?  I am considering taking Silversea Business upgrade for flights from US to AKL and return from SYD.  We would deviate by a few days on either end.  What would happen if NZ closes shop again?

 

If you paid for your own flights and SS changed your cruise, it's down to you. If using SS air, it's down to SS.

 

UK adds £50pp to deviate to enable you to use your own flights or hotel pre or post cruise. Think the charge is once only for either or both ends.

 

If you are using airmiles, then I'm guessing you can recover if you have to cancel. On our last trip, the other party who had a similar experience to us, lost money but not all costs, to change. We were covered. There are pros and cons to both.

 

So in your case, you are using SS flights and the deviation is to stay longer? You would be covered. Only loss would be any hotel charges you might incur. If you stay longer, but use SS hotel offerings, there is no deviation charge. I did that in HK 4 years ago and it saved us a fortune. (SS wanted £200pn each pp.... We paid £100pn for a suite with a harbour view - saving us £1200 and better accomodation.)

 

The savings are there, it's the potential responsibility falling on you if changes do occur you need to weigh up.

 

Room with a view from our deviation....(shameless plug!).... Which was ultimately why the change was needed.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2022 by les37b

[Host Jazzbeau]

Thanks.  My plan is to stay at the Silversea hotels on my own dime except for the night before the cruise and the 1st night after the cruise (which I believe they include with the airfare).  I would book the hotels with cancellable rates.  I would expect to give up the transfer between airports and hotels but get the transfers between ship and hotels.  Is that how it would work?

[les37b]

1 minute ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

Thanks.  My plan is to stay at the Silversea hotels on my own dime except for the night before the cruise and the 1st night after the cruise (which I believe they include with the airfare).  I would book the hotels with cancellable rates.  I would expect to give up the transfer between airports and hotels but get the transfers between ship and hotels.  Is that how it would work?

 

Yes. In Hong Kong, we paid our own taxis from port to the hotel and then to the airport. 

 

In your case, part of the transfer I suspect would be included if you are staying the first night. Your changes won't benefit from transfers.

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

Other than possible savings, the cancellation policy for SS Air is the best.

[A Tucson Guy]

In this day and age, I will only let SS book my Bus. Air. Too many changes are possible.

[Gourmet Gal]

On my most recent booking I found the offering from SS really lacking so booked my own Biz to have the shortest routing on a preferred airline without having to get up at 2:30 AM.  We all have our priorities! 😊  We also all have our own tolerance for cancellations. From Europe we prefer a connection in the Shengen zone rather than the US so as not to have to claim our luggage and to avoid the risk of a non-Biz US connection.  SS does not guarantee the US legs in Biz and one would probably have to pay yet another deviation to get that.

[taxatty]

Here's a question for which I didn't find a clear answer on other threads or the SS T & Cs for SS Air. We've booked a 2023 Darwin R/T Kimberley SS cruise. We want to visit Adelaide and Melbourne before or after the cruise (we've seen much of the east coast and Uluru). Would an acceptable SS Air "deviation" include flying in or out of an airport other than DRW (here, MEL), and we pay out of pocket if needed to get to and from DRW?  If not, we'll probably take the flight credits and use airline miles.