Sailing on the Muse

[wanderingnsw]

Hello, I'm looking into sailing to Alaska on the Muse this summer. I was searching the site directly and it seems like the only rooms still available are on decks 8, 7, and 6. They're all rooms next to the elevators (836, 864, 766, etc). Is this a bad idea to book? Are there hidden rooms I just can't find on the website? Or is it really that booked up? 

 

(I know I'm starting this late, but we just found out my husband will have a significant amount of time off work in July and decided to go for it and try to book a trip). 

 

Tha

[Stumblefoot]

What website are you referring to?

[wanderingnsw]

12 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

What website are you referring to?

The Silver Sea website. silversea.com

[jollyjones]

I think those of us with a longer SS cruising history are confused because in the past one could only get to a screen on the SS website that said something like “call for a quote”, you couldn’t see what cabins were available or make a booking.
 

But now you (maybe) can!

 

 I just tried to make a (mock) booking and could go right through the process to get a price, choose a cabin, and on to a screen to enter my name etc. I stopped at that point but there was every indication I could go on and make the whole booking! Myself!!

SS has made an IT advance!

Stunned!

 

[Stumblefoot]

56 minutes ago, jollyjones said:

SS has made an IT advance!

Stunned!

Well, I’ll be damned.  Unbelievable really.
 

Tried the same thing as you, Jolly, with similar results.  The only thing I noticed looking at 10 different ships / voyages was that the system seems to assign, or only offer, the least desirable suites.  I have a hard time believing there are only one or two suites available on these voyages out well into 2024, so imagine SS is holding the best cabins for TA’s.

[eastwoodboy]

Have had 766 a couple of times and would be my cabin of choice. No noise problems.

[Port Power]

21 hours ago, wanderingnsw said:

Hello, I'm looking into sailing to Alaska on the Muse this summer. I was searching the site directly and it seems like the only rooms still available are on decks 8, 7, and 6. They're all rooms next to the elevators (836, 864, 766, etc). Is this a bad idea to book? Are there hidden rooms I just can't find on the website? Or is it really that booked up? 

 

(I know I'm starting this late, but we just found out my husband will have a significant amount of time off work in July and decided to go for it and try to book a trip). 

 

Tha

There are no noise issues near the elevators.  You may be looking at the cruise that goes on to Japan, another reason the ship might be full.

[Port Power]

4 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Well, I’ll be damned.  Unbelievable really.
 

Tried the same thing as you, Jolly, with similar results.  The only thing I noticed looking at 10 different ships / voyages was that the system seems to assign, or only offer, the least desirable suites.  I have a hard time believing there are only one or two suites available on these voyages out well into 2024, so imagine SS is holding the best cabins for TA’s.

I have nearly always been able to continue on the suite selection on the S/S website, just ignoring the “call to quote” notice.  And I could select the same suite on both the S/S website and the TA’s.  I know TAs are given an allocation, but possibly just a quantity rather than actual numbered suites?

[Stumblefoot]

1 hour ago, Port Power said:

I have nearly always been able to continue on the suite selection on the S/S website, just ignoring the “call to quote” notice.  And I could select the same suite on both the S/S website and the TA’s.  I know TAs are given an allocation, but possibly just a quantity rather than actual numbered suites?

Possibly. But, I have no idea.

 

And, until today, I have never seen the ability to select a voyage, much less a suite, on the SS website.

[Port Power]

44 minutes ago, Stumblefoot said:

Possibly. But, I have no idea.

 

And, until today, I have never seen the ability to select a voyage, much less a suite, on the SS website.

Different countries, different methods.

[jollyjones]

8 hours ago, Port Power said:

Different countries, different methods.

 

Yes, but what we are saying is that this is something totally new for the US SS website.

SS has actually improved it's online facilities.

Which is what has surprised us.

[Port Power]

1 hour ago, jollyjones said:

 

Yes, but what we are saying is that this is something totally new for the US SS website.

SS has actually improved its online facilities.

Which is what has surprised us.

Yes, I understood that.

Edited February 2, 2023 by Port Power

[les37b]

1 hour ago, jollyjones said:

 

Yes, but what we are saying is that this is something totally new for the US SS website.

SS has actually improved it's online facilities.

Which is what has surprised us.

 

Its the same for the UK site too. Not seen it before.

 

Interestingly on checking, it caused me to notice pretty much all the Dawn upcoming Caribbean cruises are fully booked and showing waitlisted in all categories. My Muse Japan cruise, the choices until superior balcony level or above is all GTY.

[MrsWaldo]

Maybe we were Guinea pigs….

 

Definitely could do it in late 2019

 

I plugged my cruise for next year through and using the exact same parameters for booking, my cruise now costs  more than 2x what if did when I booked.  
 

I have to wonder if an agent would make it cheaper……

Edited February 2, 2023 by MrsWaldo

[Stumblefoot]

3 hours ago, MrsWaldo said:

I have to wonder if an agent would make it cheaper……

Are you asking if a TA would make the price that is now 2X greater than when you booked, cheaper than when you first booked?
 

I have never known an agent who can change the actual fare charged.  OBC, cash back, etc., yes.  But, lowering the actual fare, no.  So, I don't know how any agent could possibly reduce the cost of your cruise below what you paid for it previously at this stage.

[les37b]

11 hours ago, Stumblefoot said:

Are you asking if a TA would make the price that is now 2X greater than when you booked, cheaper than when you first booked?
 

I have never known an agent who can change the actual fare charged.  OBC, cash back, etc., yes.  But, lowering the actual fare, no.  So, I don't know how any agent could possibly reduce the cost of your cruise below what you paid for it previously at this stage.

I think they said cheaper then the now current advertised price, not the fare from 2019.

 

The agent I have in the UK gives 10% off the advertised cruise fare for SS which also includes bookings made onboard and transferred.

[wanderingnsw]

So are we saying these might be the only rooms available? Or that a TA might have more options? 

[Port Power]

8 minutes ago, wanderingnsw said:

So are we saying these might be the only rooms available? Or that a TA might have more options? 

Either, or.  Check the website of an online TA for comparison.

[MrsWaldo]

19 hours ago, les37b said:

I think they said cheaper then the now current advertised price, not the fare from 2019.

 

The agent I have in the UK gives 10% off the advertised cruise fare for SS which also includes bookings made onboard and transferred.

Cheaper than the website shows...

 

There is a huge price differential

 

I'm paying 11,600 solo.  Website tells me it is 20,400!  Maybe it is just the bonus of booking in the deepest depth of Covid... I just wonder if the website is actually logging in the fact that I am 1 despite the changing of pax numbers.  I know the solo discount is gone.  But...

 

I'm sorry I wasn't totally clear...the book online all the way through was there in 2019.  At that point in time, going to SS, Virtuoso or a private TA had an overall saving of $500 on the website quote irrespective .  

 

This was the cruise I did GTY for Jan 2020 for 2 pax and able to add the third at a later date if required.

 

 

[Port Power]

5 minutes ago, MrsWaldo said:

Cheaper than the website shows...

 

There is a huge price differential

 

I'm paying 11,600 solo.  Website tells me it is 20,400!  Maybe it is just the bonus of booking in the deepest depth of Covid... I just wonder if the website is actually logging in the fact that I am 1 despite the changing of pax numbers.  I know the solo discount is gone.  But...

 

I'm sorry I wasn't totally clear...the book online all the way through was there in 2019.  At that point in time, going to SS, Virtuoso or a private TA had an overall saving of $500 on the website quote irrespective .  

 

This was the cruise I did GTY for Jan 2020 for 2 pax and able to add the third at a later date if required.

 

 

Prices always go up after release date.  I booked an Antarctica cruise for only 25% single supplement.  That is no longer the case and the solo price is now about 80% more.  After booking,  I check occasionally in case the price drops. Otherwise I just congratulate myself on booking at the right time and don’t care what the current price might be. Having a cruise deferred for two years but the price remaining the same is win, win!   I really don’t know what you are trying to do here if you are not actually making another booking?

[MrsWaldo]

28 minutes ago, Port Power said:

Prices always go up after release date.  I booked an Antarctica cruise for only 25% single supplement.  That is no longer the case and the solo price is now about 80% more.  After booking,  I check occasionally in case the price drops. Otherwise I just congratulate myself on booking at the right time and don’t care what the current price might be. Having a cruise deferred for two years but the price remaining the same is win, win!   I really don’t know what you are trying to do here if you are not actually making another booking?

Always check...

 

My 2020 one dropped $3000 a few weeks out...  so I got extra OBC.  If I hadn't checked I would not have known and well....

 

Unfortunately IMHO a few times the price has dropped on release because demand was low

 

Its like toilet paper, eggs, tissues or any of those other special commodities

 

Should add the price only rose in the last few weeks, so quite some time after release

 

 

Edited February 4, 2023 by MrsWaldo

[Stumblefoot]

On 2/3/2023 at 11:53 PM, MrsWaldo said:

My 2020 one dropped $3000 a few weeks out...  so I got extra OBC.

Probably a stupid question, but I love learning from others, so why did you take OBC rather than the $3,000 lower price since SS has a Fare Guarantee program?  
 

I realize SS doesn’t make it easy as it’s up to the passenger to notify SS of the reduced fare and file a claim prior to sailing.  But, IMHO, I’d much rather have the cash to do with as I please versus an OBC that has to be used on board and only during the voyage. 

[MrsWaldo]

1 hour ago, Stumblefoot said:

Probably a stupid question, but I love learning from others, so why did you take OBC rather than the $3,000 lower price since SS has a Fare Guarantee program?  
 

I realize SS doesn’t make it easy as it’s up to the passenger to notify SS of the reduced fare and file a claim prior to sailing.  But, IMHO, I’d much rather have the cash to do with as I please versus an OBC that has to be used on board and only during the voyage. 

I thought I would get the difference too.  I wasn't given the option of refund or OBC.  I suspect as I was gty and i got a massive upgrade that was their "fare" justification.  Trying to communicate with there particular agent, especially over the Australian Christmas break was nigh on impossible and TBH due to other side issues I didnt have the staying power at the time to push the point.

 When I was onboard the were a lot of SS Australian based staff..........  who had never cruised with SS before

[Stumblefoot]

5 minutes ago, MrsWaldo said:

I thought I would get the difference too.  I wasn't given the option of refund or OBC.

Thanks for the context.

Yes, upgraded suites is another way SS can honor their fare guarantee without offering a refund, or paying OBC, according to their T&C’s.  Obviously, upgrading the suite doesn’t cost SS a dime, especially on a voyage that didn’t sell well.