Port to port vs Door to door??

[RetiredandTravel]

It looks like D2D & P2P now have the same cancellation policy.  Previously 15% was lost immediately with P2P and the entire scale was steeper.  P2P just doesn't include air & transfers.  This is very similar to how Regent prices (w/o the names).  Its a big improvement to P2P IMO, we always make our own flights & transfers.  Glad we are already booked, prices are much higher.

[RetiredandTravel]

It appears to me that P2P & D2D now have the same cancellation policy.  P2P just doesn't inlude air & transfers, thats why there is no air credit for D2D.  Thats a big improvement to P2P IMO.  This is similar to how Regent prices (w/o the names).

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand-cruise/sydney-to-auckland-sn250105016.html

 

In case you missed it the first time.🙄

Edited March 19 by RetiredandTravel

[Gourmet Gal]

35 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

It appears to me that P2P & D2D now have the same cancellation policy.  P2P just doesn't inlude air & transfers, thats why there is no air credit for D2D.  Thats a big improvement to P2P IMO.  This is similar to how Regent prices (w/o the names).

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand-cruise/sydney-to-auckland-sn250105016.html

 

In case you missed it the first time.🙄

SS needs to update their website to reflect the lack of air credit.  If you follow your links the landing page still makes it sound like there’s an option to cancel the air portion.

[RetiredandTravel]

5 minutes ago, Gourmet Gal said:

SS needs to update their website to reflect the lack of air credit.  If you follow your links the landing page still makes it sound like there’s an option to cancel the air portion.

 

 

I only see that they can give an air credit at SS discretion with no amount specified in D2D.  I agree that its a big change to their model and should be described better.  I haven't seen an "essential" fare more than 4-5 months out, just filling the ships.  P2P looks to me like D2D with the air & transfer credits now.

 

[Dolcevita Diva]

17 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

Wow…true dat!  Just checked the cruises I have in the pipeline and they have increased - the P2P that I just booked about 3 weeks ago went up 32%.

 

Definite increases.  I had a few potentials under consideration besides those already booked and every one of them has increased quite a bit.  And the new Essentials fares seem to be the same price (or close) to the recent P2P fares on those voyages.

[Gourmet Gal]

11 minutes ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

 

I only see that they can give an air credit at SS discretion with no amount specified in D2D.  I agree that its a big change to their model and should be described better.  I haven't seen an "essential" fare more than 4-5 months out, just filling the ships.  P2P looks to me like D2D with the air & transfer credits now.

 

 

[RetiredandTravel]

Sort of splitting hairs here because P2P is now D2D with the air credit but I guess you are talking about "guests not utilizing the promotional air offer".  Not sure if that means one can elect to get the credit (P2P) or live in a city not in the air program or something else.  In the past the credit amount was specified.

 

 

Edited March 19 by RetiredandTravel

[Port Power]

4 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

It appears to me that P2P & D2D now have the same cancellation policy.  P2P just doesn't inlude air & transfers, thats why there is no air credit for D2D.  Thats a big improvement to P2P IMO.  This is similar to how Regent prices (w/o the names).

 

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/australia-new-zealand-cruise/sydney-to-auckland-sn250105016.html

 

In case you missed it the first time.🙄

On this SYD-AKL cruise in January next year, the solo fare is exactly the same as that if two people.  The fare includes two return business class flights, so not even a reduction of the second return flight SS won’t even be booking or paying for!  You can see why P2P is much better for us solo cruisers.

[turtlemichael]

I think that the new structure of fares is superior and cleaner than the one it replaces, I have two provisos. Using the previous name for a different type of fare now is sure to give rise to initial confusion. Second, as always it depends on the dollars they charge for these new fares.

[Port Power]

9 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

I think that the new structure of fares is superior and cleaner than the one it replaces, I have two provisos. Using the previous name for a different type of fare now is sure to give rise to initial confusion. Second, as always it depends on the dollars they charge for these new fares.

It has already been shown in the previous several posts that fares have increased significantly.  That detracts greatly from the better structured format.

[DavyWavey70]

14 minutes ago, turtlemichael said:

I think that the new structure of fares is superior and cleaner than the one it replaces, I have two provisos. Using the previous name for a different type of fare now is sure to give rise to initial confusion. Second, as always it depends on the dollars they charge for these new fares.

It certainly seams to streamline things and will hopefully lead to a better process. It’s only to be expected that the new Essential fares are offering a lot less (excursions, penalties etc) for the same price that they were included with before onP2P. I, For one, am glad that you can now book without excursions but the fact that you are paying the same price that you would have paid last month with excursions, unfortunately triggers my olfactory sensors. It saddens me immensely to witness this apparent Silversea Slalom as they dodge the poles on their way down. 

[drron29]

And there are a lot of other problems on our current voyage including scrubbing all our restaurant bookings.

No fruit bowl.

No nuts and dried fruit.

Think we must be the guinea pigs for the essentials fare.

[Host Jazzbeau]

1 hour ago, DavyWavey70 said:

It saddens me immensely to witness this apparent Silversea Slalom as they dodge the poles on their way down.

It appears to me that they are hoisting themselves on each of the poles rather than dodging them...

[DavyWavey70]

9 minutes ago, drron29 said:

And there are a lot of other problems on our current voyage including scrubbing all our restaurant bookings.

No fruit bowl.

No nuts and dried fruit.

Think we must be the guinea pigs for the essentials fare.

Do you at least still get the M&Ms? (I know you met Mysty and Myster recently but I meant the bags of chocklitty things)? 

[DavyWavey70]

3 minutes ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

It appears to me that they are hoisting themselves on each of the poles rather than dodging them...

I’m a bit dumbfounded Jazz tbh. I Know we all need to expect a certain “alignment” after an acquisition but I’m truly horrified to be watching the daily c*ckups, gaffs, degradation and diminishment of a previously incredible line. In the last couple of weeks we’ve seen the ridiculous photo opportunity debacle, the last moment cancellations of cruises due to circumstances beyond the lines control but of which they were extremely aware of months ago, an appointment of an “investor relations person” whose sole purpose seems to be to bring the line into line, begging letters from the HD (I Didn’t take offence from that letter until I reached the line about the suggested daily amounts), the “not” proof read flyer that stated that essential fares didn’t include butlers, Wi-Fi, gratuities etc), not to mention the recent “you can’t eat your caviar here” incident in the lounge, diminishing standards of food quality and all of this with complete radio silence from the previously proactive and wonderful Barbara Muckerman. I Understand that she maybe can’t engage as she used to before her promotion and have valued her responses hugely in the past but SS seems to be imploding. please Barbara M, put our minds at rest and tell us what has happened to our beloved line. 

[Gourmet Gal]

7 hours ago, RetiredandTravel said:

 

 

I only see that they can give an air credit at SS discretion with no amount specified in D2D.  I agree that its a big change to their model and should be described better.  I haven't seen an "essential" fare more than 4-5 months out, just filling the ships.  P2P looks to me like D2D with the air & transfer credits now.

 

 I have an SS cruise booked for 2026 and am now concerned that by the time it rolls around the downward slide will be so steep and into the gutter that I may not recognize what used to be a nice line.  It seems they are shifting their target audience to a less luxury-minded customer. But is a similar shift happening over at SB and Regent?

[drron29]

1 hour ago, DavyWavey70 said:

Do you at least still get the M&Ms? (I know you met Mysty and Myster recently but I meant the bags of chocklitty things)? 

No they had gone on our last cruise. When you arrive in the suite there is still a bottle of champagne and the 9 little bits of chocolate in a box. No other edibles at all.

 

And I am wondering whether the lobster tail and caviar are going to disappear as they have disappeared from the Everyday menu.

[Tothesunset]

3 hours ago, drron29 said:

No they had gone on our last cruise. 

So it seems, the way things are going, SS is less M&M, more like S&M. 

[RetiredandTravel]

7 hours ago, Gourmet Gal said:

 I have an SS cruise booked for 2026 and am now concerned that by the time it rolls around the downward slide will be so steep and into the gutter that I may not recognize what used to be a nice line.  It seems they are shifting their target audience to a less luxury-minded customer. But is a similar shift happening over at SB and Regent?

 

I don't really follow SB and haven't been on Regent since 2019.  My impression from people's experiences reporting on CC for Regent is similar to SS.  We first took Regent in 2016 shortly after they were purchased my Norwegian.  The service on Regent was extraordinary.  Many of the employees were career Regent employees with 10+ years at the firm, they seemed to love working for Regent and took great pride in their work.  I don't think thats the case anymore and that's a big difference.

 

Our first SS cruise is in 2 months and have to say our expectations have been reduced.  We have always taken land based vacation but as we have aged combined with geographical considerations cruising now makes more sense.  If the quality gap between land vs cruise vacations gets to large we'll just stay with land based.

 

 

[Gourmet Gal]

Same here.  Most of our travel is still land-based but we enjoy a cruise now and then.  I’ll be very curious about Four Seasons yacht…still waiting to see if Ritz Carlton works out the kinks.  Beginning to look at Scenic Ocean.

[ak1004]

11 hours ago, DavyWavey70 said:

I’m a bit dumbfounded Jazz tbh. I Know we all need to expect a certain “alignment” after an acquisition but I’m truly horrified to be watching the daily c*ckups, gaffs, degradation and diminishment of a previously incredible line. In the last couple of weeks we’ve seen the ridiculous photo opportunity debacle, the last moment cancellations of cruises due to circumstances beyond the lines control but of which they were extremely aware of months ago, an appointment of an “investor relations person” whose sole purpose seems to be to bring the line into line, begging letters from the HD (I Didn’t take offence from that letter until I reached the line about the suggested daily amounts), the “not” proof read flyer that stated that essential fares didn’t include butlers, Wi-Fi, gratuities etc), not to mention the recent “you can’t eat your caviar here” incident in the lounge, diminishing standards of food quality and all of this with complete radio silence from the previously proactive and wonderful Barbara Muckerman. I Understand that she maybe can’t engage as she used to before her promotion and have valued her responses hugely in the past but SS seems to be imploding. please Barbara M, put our minds at rest and tell us what has happened to our beloved line. 

 

I think there is a huge disconnect between corporate actions and on board experience, and this is true for most lines. Just look at Oceania, Regent etc.

 

We did 2 SS cruises so far, both post Covid. I cannot compare to what it was before Covid and before the acquisition, but overall we had a great time. It was not perfect, we did notice some service issues, but we would gladly sail on SS again given the right itinerary and pricing. Food was not as good as O in my opinion, but still very good overall.

 

So I guess it's all relative - people who can compare with how it was few years ago, probably notice some cutbacks, but this is probably true for all lines.

 

P.S. What was the “you can’t eat your caviar here” incident in the lounge?

[DavyWavey70]

2 hours ago, ak1004 said:

P.S. What was the “you can’t eat your caviar here” incident in the lounge?

Reported in the other place recently that somebodies Butler took Caviar to the lounge for them and they were told that they weren't allowed to eat caviar in there any more (despite the Butler offering to serve it) so it was left on the bar wasted instead. 

[AtlantaCruiser72]

Here is the updated fare flyer as promised

FLYER_THE_LUXURY_OF_CHOICE_GBL_SA2401197592 (8).pdf

[southerngoose]

At least they ran spell check this go around.

[gnome12]

I don't see ANY mention that gratuities are included anywhere in this document