Fuming. I'm on Whisper March 20 going through the Red Sea (NOT)

[mumcat]

We are booked on the recently cancelled cruise from Singapore to Mumbai on Whisper. Obviously it's very annoying , especially as the reason given was 'safety and security of guests and crew' when we weren't going anywhere near the Red Sea / Suez. I believe the real reason is to give enough time to sail around Africa to get to dry dock in the Med. Why couldn't they just say that. 

We will receive a full refund of the cruise fare plus Euro450pp  for air travel fees. That will cover barely 50% of our air costs. Then we can have 20% reduction in a future cruise but we must book by February 29. IMO we should be given longer to decide especially given the state of travel these days. For instance, Silver Dawn and Whisper are both doing the Mumbai to Singapore itinerary departing Mumbai on December 4 2024. I would be happy to book either but, both ships will  be coming to Mumbai from the Med. If sailing through the canal and Red Seas still continues to be impossible there is a very real possibility that these cruises will also be cancelled unless they cancel several cruises in the Med at the end of that season. Obviously I have way too much time on my hands to think about this but as I am no longer getting ready to sail in a few weeks, I will no doubt continue until I calm down!

[david63]

4 hours ago, mumcat said:

I believe the real reason is to give enough time to sail around Africa to get to dry dock in the Med.

That may be part of the reason but I was told by a SS representative that other cruises have also been cancelled that are going in that area.

[mumcat]

2 minutes ago, david63 said:

That may be part of the reason but I was told by a SS representative that other cruises have also been cancelled that are going in that area.

Mumbai / Singapore aren't near the Red Sea. It doesn't encourage me to rebook anything at the moment.

[FlyerTalker]

13 minutes ago, mumcat said:

Mumbai / Singapore aren't near the Red Sea. It doesn't encourage me to rebook anything at the moment.

 

Going north to Mumbai adds to the distance and time then needed to go back southbound to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

 

As it is, there are weeks being added to the time to get to the Med, and going to India would just make it longer.

 

[mumcat]

4 minutes ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Going north to Mumbai adds to the distance and time then needed to go back southbound to sail around the Cape of Good Hope.

 

As it is, there are weeks being added to the time to get to the Med, and going to India would just make it longer.

 

My original point was that our cruise does not go near the Red Sea so their excuse of our safety does not make sense. I would rather they had been truthful. 

[FlyerTalker]

38 minutes ago, mumcat said:

My original point was that our cruise does not go near the Red Sea so their excuse of our safety does not make sense. I would rather they had been truthful. 

 

Safety for guests overall.  It's not just about your cruise.

 

[mumcat]

1 hour ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Safety for guests overall.  It's not just about your cruise.

 

We seem to be talking at cross-purposes. I'm done.

[bitob]

1 hour ago, mumcat said:

We seem to be talking at cross-purposes. I'm done.

I agree. the cancellation of your cruise (which i predicted) is the only way they can get to drydock on time. Nothing to do with safety   Once they cancelled my red sea cruise your cruise was doomed

Edited February 11 by bitob

[mumcat]

8 minutes ago, bitob said:

I agree. the cancellation of your cruise (which i predicted) is the only way they can get to drydock on time. Nothing to do with safety   Once they cancelled my red sea cruise your cruise was doomed

Thanks for understanding my point and, sympathy for your cancelled cruise. 

[canderson]

15 minutes ago, bitob said:

I agree. the cancellation of your cruise (which i predicted) is the only way they can get to drydock on time. Nothing to do with safety   Once they cancelled my red sea cruise your cruise was doomed

A line can't just show up for drydock when it's convenient.  Those schedules are exceptionally tight.  Mandated periodic inspections during drydock are a safety issue.

[david63]

27 minutes ago, canderson said:

A line can't just show up for drydock when it's convenient.  Those schedules are exceptionally tight.  Mandated periodic inspections during drydock are a safety issue.

Yes but the actual time needed in dry dock is comparability short in comparison to the length of time that Whisper was in for refit. Half of the refit could have been done on the way round by flying the contractors out to say Mumbai and then finishing the work off in dry dock.

 

Anyway that does not explain why other ships in the fleet have had cruises cancelled when they were in that general area if it is not for safety reasons.

[PaulMCO]

1 hour ago, david63 said:

Yes but the actual time needed in dry dock is comparability short in comparison to the length of time that Whisper was in for refit. Half of the refit could have been done on the way round by flying the contractors out to say Mumbai and then finishing the work off in dry dock.

 

Anyway that does not explain why other ships in the fleet have had cruises cancelled when they were in that general area if it is not for safety reasons.

Contractors with material...  How would that work???

[daddyo]

We’re on the Whisper now.  I asked the Captain last week if they were going to make the dry dock. He looked at me like a cow looking at a passing train. I can sympathize with those that have been cancelled and believe that the decision could have been made much earlier. But, talking to the crew; most will disembark in Singapore with no further wages when they were going to be on until Athens. Those that remain on board will be on reduced wages as there are no passengers on board. They will suffer to a much larger degree than Silversea passengers.

[david63]

2 hours ago, PaulMCO said:

Contractors with material...  How would that work???

There are several options. One is that the contractors strip out everything that needs to be stripped out so that when at dry dock it is just a question of putting the new stuff in. Another is to ship a few containers out to some convenient point and then load them on board to continue the work.

 

Heard the saying "where there is a will there is a way"?

Edited February 11 by david63

[PaulMCO]

3 hours ago, david63 said:

There are several options. One is that the contractors strip out everything that needs to be stripped out so that when at dry dock it is just a question of putting the new stuff in. Another is to ship a few containers out to some convenient point and then load them on board to continue the work.

 

Heard the saying "where there is a will there is a way"?

A few containers???   This not a cosmetic drydock.   At lot of the work that will be done to Whisper is structural and not just cosmetic. It will be Shadowized with the deck 5 atrium area completely gutted. 

[labrasett]

20 hours ago, daddyo said:

We’re on the Whisper now.  I asked the Captain last week if they were going to make the dry dock. He looked at me like a cow looking at a passing train. I can sympathize with those that have been cancelled and believe that the decision could have been made much earlier. But, talking to the crew; most will disembark in Singapore with no further wages when they were going to be on until Athens. Those that remain on board will be on reduced wages as there are no passengers on board. They will suffer to a much larger degree than Silversea passengers.

I absolutely cannot reconcile "the Captain looked at me like a cow looking at a passing train".  The current captain on the Whisper is the epitome of a gentleman and he is charming.   I am glad you have noted that the crew will suffer much more than passengers.   There is so much "me" amongst disappointed passengers at the moment.   Stuff happens and SSC are having to make the best of a bad job.

 

[Silver Spectre]

My understanding is that the marine insurance situation changed as soon as the Houthis started attacking shipping. This dictated the ability of lines to travel through the Red Sea and thus re-routing of SS’s ships would have been decided weeks ago. All that has happened since is just poor corporate communication and cheese paring of compensation.

[david63]

2 hours ago, Silver Spectre said:

poor corporate communication and cheese paring of compensation

Which is just typical when the bean counter get involved

[daddyo]

On 2/12/2024 at 11:31 AM, labrasett said:

I absolutely cannot reconcile "the Captain looked at me like a cow looking at a passing train".  The current captain on the Whisper is the epitome of a gentleman and he is charming.   I am glad you have noted that the crew will suffer much more than passengers.   There is so much "me" amongst disappointed passengers at the moment.   Stuff happens and SSC are having to make the best of a bad job.

 

Back home now.  Had a great trip. We had dinner with the Captain very early in the cruise.  He was cordial and certainly competent.  My comment about the cow, meant that he knew, I knew, he knew they were going to cancel upcoming coming voyages but obviously could not tell me.  Hence, the statement.  I apologize if  that blew anyone's "skirt up".

[jpalbny]

3 hours ago, daddyo said:

My comment about the cow, meant that he knew, I knew, he knew they were going to cancel upcoming coming voyages but obviously could not tell me.  Hence, the statement.  I apologize if  that blew anyone's "skirt up".

 

And here I thought it was a reference to an old Don Henley song...

 

Welcome home and glad you had a nice trip!

[daddyo]

2 hours ago, jpalbny said:

 

And here I thought it was a reference to an old Don Henley song...

 

Welcome home and glad you had a nice trip!

It was, 1987! You might be the only one that had a clue!.

[Silver Spectre]

9 hours ago, daddyo said:

It was, 1987! You might be the only one that had a clue!.

It’s amazing how often folks get the wrong end of the stick on here. Your ‘clue’ is very much appreciated.

[FlyerTalker]

17 hours ago, daddyo said:

It was, 1987! You might be the only one that had a clue!.

 

Superb reference.  I'm geezer enough to remember when it came out.

 

 

[daddyo]

Don Henley- album: End of the Innocence 

Song-  If dirt were dollars

great album

[jpalbny]

17 minutes ago, daddyo said:

Don Henley- album: End of the Innocence 

Song-  If dirt were dollars

great album

 

I have it on my phone; had to listen to it yesterday after your post.