Pricing for Frequent Cruisers

[I'llBeCruisin']

I saw a few post about this on a different thread, but thought this merited it's own discussion. I am very disappointed about the new pricing policy for Venetian members who have reached 100 or 250 days. I am a Venetian member with 500 days on Silversea. In the past, this qualified me for 10% off any cruise. This discount was taken off the published fare. Now they have changed that to take it off the discounted fare. In essence, my discount has dropped from 10% to 4%. How can they do this to loyal cruisers?!!! I have stayed loyal to Siversea throughout all the cuts and the hard times and this is the way they return the favor?!! I think I have had it if things do not change. Seabourn has built 2 beautiful new ships similar to Silversea. I think we will have to change cruise lines. It is such a shame! Where is the loyalty from Silversea?

[Host Dan]

I saw a few post about this on a different thread' date=' but thought this merited it's own discussion. I am very disappointed about the new pricing policy for Venetian members who have reached 100 or 250 days. I am a Venetian member with 500 days on Silversea. In the past, this qualified me for 10% off any cruise. This discount was taken off the published fare. Now they have changed that to take it off the discounted fare. In essence, my discount has dropped from 10% to 4%. How can they do this to loyal cruisers?!!! I have stayed loyal to Siversea throughout all the cuts and the hard times and this is the way they return the favor?!! I think I have had it if things do not change. Seabourn has built 2 beautiful new ships similar to Silversea. I think we will have to change cruise lines. It is such a shame! Where is the loyalty from Silversea?[/quote']

I'm not familiar with the discount policy, so please forgive me if I don't "get it". Was the policy 10% off the published fare, then that number would be deducted from a sale rate? i.e. $10,000 fare = $1,000 credit, you find the same voyage for $8,000 they still credit the $1,000? Now it would be $800?

 

Host Dan

[I'llBeCruisin']

The policy before was 10% off the published fare. So if a cruise was 10000 and had a silver sailing of 60% off, you would get 70% off the price of the cruise. The cruise would cost $3000. Now, they take the 60% off which is $4000 then apply 10% off which is $400. The final cost of the cruise is $3600.

[swindy]

When you factor in that Venetian Sailings discount, Onboard Discounts and Back to Back discounts will all also be deducted from the discounted fare then the difference will be considerable.......

[cmhmarine]

So a difference of 600 dollars would make switch cruise lines from a line that has made you return for 500+ days???

 

Eiter discount is pretty large and I agree that maintaining loyal customers is a big part of longevity in business, but wouldent one expect price increases from time to time?

 

I do not expect the places I frequent to keep the "price" or "discount" the same forever for me no matter how often I use their business.

 

I am loyal to places and servies I like, but eventually the business increases prices which is passed on to new and old customers alike.

[ReadyToPack]

I too am very upset with the new policy. And no, it's not just $600, that was a small example. Let's take a real world example. Let's say we want to cruise the Med in back to back cruises on the new ship...let's say voyages 5014-5015 in a midship verandah. The first leg is a Venetian cruise. The published fare is 14995 pp or approx 30000 for two. Now apply the discounts before and after the new pricing policy. You would get a 5-10% cruise (for this sake let's say 10%). You also get a 5% since it a venetian cruise and 10% for having over 250 days. So it is a total of 25% off. In the old pricing policy, you would add this to the silver savings of 60% for a total of 85% off. The price would be $4500. The new pricing would give you $9000. This is a difference of $4500 just for one leg. The difference in pricing for the second leg is approx $3050. So for one cruise of 16 days, you are losing $7550. This is a reason to leave a cruise line!

[dougburns]

I guess I don't thoroughly understand the problem here. It was my impression that in order to get Venetian Society discounts the cruise had to be labeled as a society cruise. When the cruise is already discounted 60% I didn't think Society savings came into the equation. My main experience is with Regent and that's how it worked there. It didn't matter how many nights you had with the line. That gave you various perks once you got aboard. Am I missing something here? Personally, I think SS is doing a great job with the new pricing and I think it will bring a lot more people to the line. We are converts to SS from Regent and, while we really liked Regent, we much prefer SS now. I guess it's the old story that you can't please all of the people all of the time.

[swindy]

With respect, this isn't about what Regent do....it's about what Silversea have always done to reward their frequent and loyal guests.

[meow!]

In the old pricing policy, you would add this to the silver savings of 60% for a total of 85% off.

In real life, unless you have a gift voucher, are a lecturer, a gentleman host, a travel agent/commentator or have some functions on board, has anyone got 85% discount?

[mdmourges]

It's like anything else in life, if you don't like the bottom line price, regardless how they come up with it, vote with your wallet.

 

Mark

[scandun]

In real life, unless you have a gift voucher, are a lecturer, a gentleman host, a travel agent/commentator or have some functions on board, has anyone got 85% discount?

 

 

Totally agree, and plus the free air, that makes a free cruise, can't be better!

[wripro]

Readytopack,

 

It's been my impression that a silver savings cruise price preempts any other savings SS may have offered on a particular cruise. Have you ever actually received the kind of discount you describe (85%) or are you just making your own calculations based on what you think you should be getting?

[swindy]

Can't say I have ever been able to total up the discounts to 85% but Venetian Sailings discounts and 100 or 250 day discounts have always been ADDITIONALto Silver Sailings. As said previously the programmes were to recognise and reward loyal guests.

[ReadyToPack]

I have never gotten 85% discount before, but I have gotten 78%. So this is real world pricing. My biggest problem with this and what most of you aren't seeing is not for the new promotion of 60%. Silversea will probably keep this new way of discounting even after the 60% goes away. If this remains in effect, when we are back to normal pricing, we are all losing alot of money!!!

 

Cruisers past 250 days get a 10% on every cruise, even if it is a silver sailing. You can also get combo cruise savings and on board savings. This will effect everyone, not only those who have made 100 or 200 days since everyone would get the other discounts including venetian cruises!!!

[cmhmarine]

I too am very upset with the new policy. And no, it's not just $600, that was a small example. Let's take a real world example. Let's say we want to cruise the Med in back to back cruises on the new ship...let's say voyages 5014-5015 in a midship verandah. The first leg is a Venetian cruise. The published fare is 14995 pp or approx 30000 for two. Now apply the discounts before and after the new pricing policy. You would get a 5-10% cruise (for this sake let's say 10%). You also get a 5% since it a venetian cruise and 10% for having over 250 days. So it is a total of 25% off. In the old pricing policy, you would add this to the silver savings of 60% for a total of 85% off. The price would be $4500. The new pricing would give you $9000. This is a difference of $4500 just for one leg. The difference in pricing for the second leg is approx $3050. So for one cruise of 16 days, you are losing $7550. This is a reason to leave a cruise line!

 

You are not losing 7550. You are paying more for a product that once cost you less.

 

I have never gotten 85% discount before, but I have gotten 78%. So this is real world pricing. My biggest problem with this and what most of you aren't seeing is not for the new promotion of 60%. Silversea will probably keep this new way of discounting even after the 60% goes away. If this remains in effect, when we are back to normal pricing, we are all losing alot of money!!!

 

Cruisers past 250 days get a 10% on every cruise, even if it is a silver sailing. You can also get combo cruise savings and on board savings. This will effect everyone, not only those who have made 100 or 200 days since everyone would get the other discounts including venetian cruises!!!

 

 

85% is not real world pricing if no one can get it. Since you have said that you get 78% that is real world.

[scandun]

But where is it saying that the various discounts are from now on off the discounted prices instead of published fares ?

[ReadyToPack]

I have not seen anything in writing about the change in pricing, but they are doing it!

 

 

 

85% is not real world pricing if no one can get it. Since you have said that you get 78% that is real world.

 

 

The point is that in the past, you would have gotten the 85%, now you cannot.

 

As I stated before, I agree that when they are having the 60% promotion, they might not be able to apply all discounts as in the past. But this is going to be huge in the future!!!

[wripro]

The only option then is to take your business elsewhere, I guess. If enough long time customers start disappearing maybe they'll reconsider. I'd make sure your TA lets SS know exactly how unhappy you are.

[I'llBeCruisin']

Yes, I think that is the case. It's just breaks my heart though! But, I believe loyalty should go both ways. I had heard that Silversea monitors this board so this is one of the reasons I posted. I thought someone from the company would see our disappointment and reconsider.

[I'llBeCruisin']

I want to start off by saying how much I love the onboard experience of Silversea. The crew is superb and it is a great product. This is why I keep going back. The problem I am having now is with the management. When I first started cruising in 2005. Each cruise came with air, a pre-night hotel stay, transfers, and a silversea experience. Many, many cruises offered either free or drastically reduced business class air. The single supplement was usually 125%. In fact, I think there was a policy that it would never go over 150%. There was not difference in price between midship and other verandas. When they added the Shadow and Whisper, there was no Terrace suites, they were charged as Vista suites. If you booked a cruise and later the price was reduced, you were entitled to the discount if you contacted your travel agent for it. Caviar was free and abundant.

 

All of these things have changed, and not for the better. I never said anything because I realized Silversea was going through some rough times. I stayed loyal to Silversea and continued to book at least 3-4 cruises a year even in 2001.

 

Now I realize, alot of you are happy with the new fares. They include air...of course, not from my city. I had 4 cruises booked for 2010, none of them came back cheaper. I believe this is due to the new way of applying my 10% discount for having 250 days. This new pricing specifically targets cruisers with over 250 days.

 

I also realize that Silversea must raise prices occasionally to stay in business. But make these increases across the board, don't take it out on those that have gotten you through the rough times!! I believe that Silversea is insulting us by lowering rates for new bookings only and not letting those who have paid in advance have these discounts. I am glad they are not doing this with the new promotion. But this has happened to me on my last 3 cruises. I am insulted that they allow a new cruiser to pay significantly less when I have booked and paid a months or years in advance.

 

This new pricing policy that targets cruisers with more than 100 days is my final straw. I felt I had to speak out. It is my hope that others who read this will also respond. Maybe Silversea will read this and change the new policy!!! Help me make a change! I do not want to leave Silversea, but I might have to if no one listens. Let's all make a stand!

[swindy]

I absolutely agree with all the above comments. Is this really how Silversea should be treating loyal guests?

[meow!]

When I first started cruising in 2005. Each cruise came with air' date=' a pre-night hotel stay, transfers, and a silversea experience. Many, many cruises offered either free or drastically reduced business class air. The single supplement was usually 125%.[/quote']From the events you describe, perhaps you mean 1995, even 2000 but not 2005! When we had our first Mexican Riviera voyage in 2004 aboard the Shadow, we got none of those benefits.

[I'llBeCruisin']

You are right. Sorry, I meant 1995.

[wripro]

The air, hotel and transfers provided with cruises when SS first started sailing were not free, they were included and could be eliminated for a hefty credit just as air can today. I sailed the Cloud in June 1994 and saved almost $2000 off their rate by doing my own air and hotel. What was great back then was that travel insurance was also included but that didn't last long.

[kasurg]

Agree. We are 200 days and are very disappointed. We are reconsidering future

cruises.