Silversea vs Seabourn air

[hsheffield]

so far I have booked and paid for 5 SS cruises. all except the last one (Sept. 22) canceled. the first two I was able to get the flights I wanted. The last 3 there have been issues with Silverair. I'm trying to get the Sept 22 flights straitened out which were booked without asking me anything. Not dates, not airlines-nothing.  I've written multiple times to my travel agent who's taken weeks to respond and basically says she's heard nothing from SS. I can't tell if it's an issue with her or if Silverair is just that difficult. I know that airlines are recovering from the pandemic but I would think I'd at least be able to get the dates I'd like. 

 

It's gotten to be so frustrating that I'm thinking of changing over to Seabourn. Does anyone know if they even help with airline tickets? Are they more responsive? Do they have business class upgrades? (we're older and really want a lie flat bed on the flight over)

 

I have zero cruise experience (despite my best efforts!!) so feel free to enlighten me if I'd be making a big mistake. 

[rkacruiser]

19 minutes ago, hsheffield said:

I've written multiple times to my travel agent who's taken weeks to respond and basically says she's heard nothing from SS

 

I wish I could offer you advice about your flight situation, but, I have no experience with air arrangements through either Silverseas or Seabourn.  I do think you have made a poor choice of a travel agent since the agent is providing you with such poor service.  A good agent will not take "weeks to respond" to a client, even if she has "heard nothing from Silverseas".  My question to her would be "why haven't you contacted them"?  

[hsheffield]

she says that they only can be contacted by email and that they haven't responded....

 

[rkacruiser]

5 minutes ago, hsheffield said:

she says that they only can be contacted by email and that they haven't responded....

 

 

Just checked the Silverseas website.  "For reservations and information", the number listed is 1-888-978-4070.

 

Most travel agents have a phone number(s)? that are just for travel agents' use in addition to a phone number that you and I can call.  

[Hlitner]

Regarding Seabourn, they have a decent air system.  You can access their internal search engine and choose your own a flight, airports, class, etc.  if you want hand holding you can call Seabourn directly and deal with their regular reservations folks or ask to speak directly to their air department folks.

 

Hank

[turtlemichael]

It's time to consider a new travel agent. My experience with Silverair is to have a response to a query through the TA within 48 hours.

Edited May 8, 2022 by turtlemichael

[Gourmet Gal]

3 hours ago, Hlitner said:

Regarding Seabourn, they have a decent air system.  You can access their internal search engine and choose your own a flight, airports, class, etc.  if you want hand holding you can call Seabourn directly and deal with their regular reservations folks or ask to speak directly to their air department folks.

 

Hank

Impressive.

[Hlitner]

7 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Impressive.

Seabourn, Princess and HAL (and possibly Cunard) all use a similar search/booking engine for flights.  With Seabourn you must have a booking number and have paid the initial deposit in order to get access.  It is convenient and provides a wide choice (with various pricing) of airlines, airports, etc.  it makes it easy to fly in early or home late.  Our recent Seabourn cruise ended in Monte Carlo a couple of weeks ago.  We used the booking engine to grab a business class flight home from Prague in another week so we are now driving around Eastern Europe.  Our one way business class flight cost us only about $1000 back to Washington DC.  The booking engine usually has terrific international first/business class deals.  Domestic is often not a good deal.

 

We have sometimes saved enough money on our bus class tickets that it paid for the cost of a Princess cruise in Europe.  I do not know why SS, Oceania and some others do not offer similar pricing and decent booking engines.

 

Hank

[hsheffield]

wow! fantastic replies you guys. super helpful. I've spent the last 3 years trying to go on a Silversea cruise but this air issue is a deal breaker for me. what you describe on seaboard is exactly the kind of experience I'm looking to have. 

 

now I have some thinking to do...stay on the Moon cruise I've booked for September and book my next cruises on Seabourn. Or do I cancel and just start all over with Seabourn? 

 

It also sounds like I need a new travel agent. I'm open to suggestions...hsheffield@aol.com

[alc13]

We used Silversea air on our upcoming cruise because the fare was so good.  In the end it seems to have worked out, but the experience was mostly annoying.  All communication had to go through the Silversea agent (we booked directly), and he was unresponsive most of the time.  Most notable was the flight we were "booked" on that didn't exist...  I would think twice before doing it again.

[Gourmet Gal]

I have also had mixed results with SS air.  Recently the choice of airlines has been more limited than in the past and I was just not able to book a route that worked for us.  I’m just not willing to wake up at 2:30 AM to make a flight at the end of a relaxing vacation no matter the savings.

[cruiseej]

18 hours ago, hsheffield said:

she says that they only can be contacted by email

 

18 hours ago, rkacruiser said:

Most travel agents have a phone number(s)? that are just for travel agents' use

 

@rkacruiser I ink your information or past experience is out of date. Our travel agent, who is a longtime experienced top seller with Silversea, recently told me that they can no longer call the Silversea air department at all; all communication is via email. 

 

We are trying to pay the deviation fee to secure flights for our Antarctica cruise in December. Where they would previously book beginning about 270 days in advance, we've been informed that they will now only do so starting at 160 days in advance, so we're still waiting.  

[Bearsparents]

This is our first SS cruise.  We chose the D2D option, honestly, because I was lazy and did not want to hassle with booking things.  We got our flights in the last couple of days.  First they actually booked the incorrect date for flying home.  They have since corrected that as of this morning.  However these flight times SUCK.  I have a request into to TA so I hope we can get some better flights without paying the deviation fee.  
 

I have been on other cruise lines, but always booked the other parts myself.  I am not sure if this is typical but right now SS is not looking so fantastic.  It may be my only SS cruise.

[Mr Luxury]

Switch to Seabourn and change your Travel Agent.

You'll be much better off.

Never a problem with Business class with Seabourn air and I have the best Travel Agent who gets things done instantly.

[Gourmet Gal]

SS has so many nice ships now with great food and service.  It’s a shame the customer service off-ship is so bad.  You really need a TA to assist with, ahem, navigating.

 

FWIW my TA has reported 2 hour phone wait times on other cruise lines.  Staffing is a problem everywhere.

Edited May 8, 2022 by Gourmet Gal

[WesW]

Our TA works well with Silver Air and generally get us the BC Air we request at least six months out.  On those exceptions that their Air is unacceptable, we pay a fee for the air of our choice--usually Delta (living here  in metro Atlanta).

 

Mr. Luxury; A TA friend of yours no longer on CC, today elsewhere, said "Princess. Holland America and Seabourn Air is like going from frying pan (Silver Air) to the Fire (Seabourn Air)," and he probably books more Seabourn, and Seabourn with Air than any US Agent. He said, since they combined the three air departments the competence is, "terribly degraded."

Edited May 8, 2022 by WesW

[hsheffield]

Very helpful to know WesW. Thanks so much for sharing.

[rkacruiser]

6 hours ago, cruiseej said:

I ink your information or past experience is out of date. 

 

Could be and, if so, I apologize.  I know only what I know.  

[Gourmet Gal]

6 hours ago, WesW said:

Our TA works well with Silver Air and generally get us the BC Air we request at least six months out.  On those exceptions that their Air is unacceptable, we pay a fee for the air of our choice--usually Delta (living here  in metro Atlanta).

 

Mr. Luxury; A TA friend of yours no longer on CC, today elsewhere, said "Princess. Holland America and Seabourn Air is like going from frying pan (Silver Air) to the Fire (Seabourn Air)," and he probably books more Seabourn, and Seabourn with Air than any US Agent. He said, since they combined the three air departments the competence is, "terribly degraded."

SS does not necessarily contract with all major airlines now and it is becoming increasingly difficult to book the airline of your choice even with paying a deviation fee.

[Mr Luxury]

20 hours ago, WesW said:

Our TA works well with Silver Air and generally get us the BC Air we request at least six months out.  On those exceptions that their Air is unacceptable, we pay a fee for the air of our choice--usually Delta (living here  in metro Atlanta).

 

Mr. Luxury; A TA friend of yours no longer on CC, today elsewhere, said "Princess. Holland America and Seabourn Air is like going from frying pan (Silver Air) to the Fire (Seabourn Air)," and he probably books more Seabourn, and Seabourn with Air than any US Agent. He said, since they combined the three air departments the competence is, "terribly degraded."

Hi Wes,

If it is the TA that I am thinking of,I understand that he is no longer able to sell Seabourn cruises.

I always get a price for Seabourn or Silversea air and then compare with what I am able to get myself.

Sometimes the cruise line air is very good value and sometimes it is not.

 

[cruiseej]

On 5/8/2022 at 11:24 AM, cruiseej said:

We are trying to pay the deviation fee to secure flights for our Antarctica cruise in December. Where they would previously book beginning about 270 days in advance, we've been informed that they will now only do so starting at 160 days in advance, so we're still waiting.

 

I wanted to correct my previous post, which I typed too quickly from memory. Re-reading my most recent emails with my TA, she told me last month that while Silversea Air in the past started custom air bookings at 270 days in advance, they now do it only 200-160 days in advance. But she did state that even for her as a longtime luxury cruise TA, "it is not possible to speak with their air department; the only communication possible is through email."

[alc13]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

 "it is not possible to speak with their air department; the only communication possible is through email."

Given our bizarre experiences, I’m not sure an air department even exists.

[Dolcevita Diva]

3 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

I wanted to correct my previous post, which I typed too quickly from memory. Re-reading my most recent emails with my TA, she told me last month that while Silversea Air in the past started custom air bookings at 270 days in advance, they now do it only 200-160 days in advance. But she did state that even for her as a longtime luxury cruise TA, "it is not possible to speak with their air department; the only communication possible is through email."

My TA has been able to speak with Silversea Air,  but said that it is very difficult to reach anyone.  When Last week, he patched me into the call when he was able to reach an agent to discuss alternate options.

 

[hsheffield]

the saga continues....

 

first off, I checked my email and I requested Delta flights at the time of booking in February '22.

 

as I said before, without notifying me, SS booked me on other airlines for dates I didn't want. 

 

last week SS finally came back with seats they were able to get on Delta on the dates I wanted for the outgoing leg but not the return. 

 

However, in order to get these one way seats, I was asked to pay an additional $2600/person.  

 

Has anyone else been asked to pay a similar fee?  

 

I thought we might have to pay the deviation fee, but $5200 extra seems ridiculous. 

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

Have you compared fares if you just have your T/A book your flights?  There would be a credit back from  SS for the unused air portion.