Who is the best person to complain to?

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Hi all, I just wondered if anyone could provide me with the details of who to complain to, regarding the introduction of 8 new passengers to SS, and SS not willing to provide ANY form of onboard credit via the venitian society rules or any other. The group all new to SS have come from Seabourn and Regent to try SS and have spent in excess of $60,000 dollars on new bookings, and SS are not willing to even provide $250 of OBC to the introducer! I think this is VERY poor, and all they are saying is that all of the travellers are new to ss, and until they have sailed once, they will not provide any obc.

Surely they should think a bit outside the box on this one, all the travellers are private individuals NOT a company?Do you think the TA should provide something?

 

Thanks

[Mahogany]

I agree. When I tried Seabourn (after being a loyal Regent sailor) for the first time last year, I received a shipboard credit for trying Seabourn.

[WesW]

pasted below are the rule for the Friends of the (Venetian) Society program..key

point, is the "introducer" must be a Venetian member who is sponsoring friends on

the same SS cruise..if the cruise is not a Venetian Voyage, then SS will double

the number of days on your voyage and credit to your Venetian account.

 

I have received timely feedback when I have a question/concern to:

informationdesk@silversea.com

 

Hope this helps.

 

Friends of the Society® Programme

Introduce your friends to Silversea and they will also enjoy special privileges and savings when you travel together. When your friends sail with you, as a sponsoring Venetian Society member, you will receive bonus rewards including a USD$250 Onboard Spending Credit per suite on designated Venetian Society voyages and the opportunity to earn double rewards days on all voyages. Restrictions apply.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Thanks for both of your replies!

Colonel, I have contacted the general office for info at SS and they are insisting the introducer has to have sailed previously with SS, even though all of the other criteria are met.So theoretically, they could have spend $1500 EACH and get $250 Obc, but a spend of $60,000 doesn't warrent this, ridiculous!!!!

 

Is there anyone higher up, I could write to,I think this requires a little more expertise!!

 

Thanks

[wripro]

Try Frank Sansome, head of guest relations. I'm sure you can write to him at Silversea in Miami. I'm not sure it will help since the rules clearly state the referrer must be a past passenger. Still it can't hurt to try and make your case.

[WesW]

Agree with Henry (Wripro) you can reach Frank at:

 

Frank Sansone Director of Venetian Society and Guest Relations

 

 

+1.954.522.2299 franks@silverseacruises.com

 

Silversea Cruises 110 E Broward Blvd Suite Fl 23

Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301-3512

USA

[meow!]

Perhaps you should think of getting group travel discount instead of Venetian benefits?

[Emtbsam]

Just a thought - why don't you book a quick cruise on SS prior to that sailing with your friends! It might almost pay for itself. September 24 LA to LA still has a lot of room on it.

[dougburns]

If you , as the introducer, have not sailed with SS previously then you are not a Venetian Society member and do not rate society benefits, such as those referenced by Wes. I believe you're off base on this one. Just go and enjoy your cruise!

[billcrooz]

couldn't have said it better !

[Tillylovesseabourn]

If you , as the introducer, have not sailed with SS previously then you are not a Venetian Society member and do not rate society benefits, such as those referenced by Wes. I believe you're off base on this one. Just go and enjoy your cruise!

 

This query is on behalf of some friends I am booking for, what you say is all very well, but for that level of spend for new customers, I don't think its out of order to get some form of incentive, venetian society or not.

 

I'm sure most people on this forum would have something to say if they had been offered no group discount/venetian society/incentive with that level of spend!;)

[LaPaloma]

This query is on behalf of some friends I am booking for, what you say is all very well, but for that level of spend for new customers, I don't think its out of order to get some form of incentive, venetian society or not.

 

I'm sure most people on this forum would have something to say if they had been offered no group discount/venetian society/incentive with that level of spend!;)

 

You should really take heed of the advise that the TA should give the group a discount for traveling together..and you as the group leader should get a bit better deal.

[meow!]

You should really take heed of the advise that the TA should give the group a discount for traveling together..and you as the group leader should get a bit better deal.

Makes good sense, especially since the TA only serves as a full service agent for one ticket, and merely as ticketing agent for the rest of the tickets!

[wripro]

If your TA is making the commission on four suites he/she is the one who should compensate you for bringing HIM/HER all that business.

[oregon50]

The original post made little sense to me when it was read before any replies were written. Venetian Society, Frank Sansome, guest relations....none have anything to do with what you are asking.

It's the travel agent and perhaps the SS sales rep that could have done something for your group.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Thanks for your replies, a letter has been sent to the proprietor of the TA's, you are definately right in saying it is TA I should approach.

 

FYI I have had the SS area sales rep contact me about this, and he claims there is nothing he can do for me!!!! I 'll bet some small TA's don't put that much new business SS's way, in a short period of time! SS rep was I thought the man to approach but I found him to be very unhelpful and inflexible, Basically he claimed he had no say, and could not do anything special for me!

Thanks again, I will let you know the outcome!:)

[Keith1010]

Thanks for your replies, a letter has been sent to the proprietor of the TA's, you are definately right in saying it is TA I should approach.

 

FYI I have had the SS area sales rep contact me about this, and he claims there is nothing he can do for me!!!! I 'll bet some small TA's don't put that much new business SS's way, in a short period of time! SS rep was I thought the man to approach but I found him to be very unhelpful and inflexible, Basically he claimed he had no say, and could not do anything special for me!

Thanks again, I will let you know the outcome!:)

 

Honestly, for this level of business you should work with the TA. The TA should do quite a bit for all of you and if it was the sponsor which resulted in all of these bookings for the TA the sponsor should get the benefit.

 

I think that Silverseas response to you is the correct one. I know people who have sailed on World Cruises for the first time on a cruise line and have spent something like $150K. They did not get the benefit of a past cruiser discount. I don't think it is right for the cruise line to adjust their rules in this case because in the end where does one draw the line.

 

Again, I look to the TA to do something for the sponsor rather than Silversea. I realize that is not what you want to hear but that is what I think is fair to everyone.

 

Keith

[Jade13]

Thanks for both of your replies!

Colonel, I have contacted the general office for info at SS and they are insisting the introducer has to have sailed previously with SS, even though all of the other criteria are met.So theoretically, they could have spend $1500 EACH and get $250 Obc, but a spend of $60,000 doesn't warrent this, ridiculous!!!!

 

Is there anyone higher up, I could write to,I think this requires a little more expertise!!

 

Thanks

 

I have a question? Was the cruise already discounted? I couldn't get the "New to SilverSeas" OBC because our cruise was discounted by 50%.

 

My TA was able to get some OBC I requested and I'm still not clear if it came out of their commission or from SilverSeas. This was requested because of a mess-up when their Sales Rep in Miami went to book me for a cruise and suddenly the cabin was not available and I was put on a wait list and TA I enlisted to help said there was likely no chance of getting on that ship as their was a waitlist for that category and 2 more. I switched cruises and itinerary. This was after talking to same Rep a number of times that week and they failed to tell me I could have a courtesy hold for 7 days (While I tried to figure out the air).

 

But my point is that they do not want to combine OBC with half off sales. They are in the business to make money.

 

SilverSeas has dug themselves into a hole offering 50% off Sales, 60% off Sales, 5% off for repeat passengers, $250 OBC or so for New to SilverSeas (but conditions) and so on.

[Jade13]

Honestly, for this level of business you should work with the TA. The TA should do quite a bit for all of you and if it was the sponsor which resulted in all of these bookings for the TA the sponsor should get the benefit.

 

I think that Silverseas response to you is the correct one. I know people who have sailed on World Cruises for the first time on a cruise line and have spent something like $150K. They did not get the benefit of a past cruiser discount. I don't think it is right for the cruise line to adjust their rules in this case because in the end where does one draw the line.

 

Again, I look to the TA to do something for the sponsor rather than Silversea. I realize that is not what you want to hear but that is what I think is fair to everyone.

 

Keith

 

Agree with Keith.

 

There are consolidator TA's out there that will get you OBC, usually it's a portion of their commission they give up. The cruiseline Reps can not compete with outside TA's.

 

This has nothing to do with past passenger discounts.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Hi Jade, to answer your question, there was some discount but not to that degree, and I think as other posters have said with the size of the booking it is the TA who is at fault on this level and should provide some sort of recompense after all, 10% or 60% discount he/she is still making his cut and profits from x 8 new customers and their future bookings!

 

Thanks for your comments

[meow!]

I know people who have sailed on World Cruises for the first time on a cruise line and have spent something like $150K. They did not get the benefit of a past cruiser discount.

Not exactly, a world cruise is always divided into sections, and you are automatically a Venetian member from the second section on. On the other hand, world cruises (and most sections) are not Venetian Society sailings, and therefore whether you are a Venetian member or not does not make a difference. (In fact, for world cruise sections, the majority of them are more expensive per diem than comparable voyages in time and location, for some reason!)

[umtali]

I admire your nerve even suggesting such a thing. My wife and I have sailed many cruises on one particular cruise line, when we sailed for the first time on Silversea the thought of approaching the company and saying "hello!! here we are, what can you give us?" did not enter our mind. I find the subject tacky and cheap.

[meow!]

I admire your nerve even suggesting such a thing. .

Would you kindly explain to whom and on which topic are you referring this to? We don't catch what you are getting at!

[azgkrudi]

Would you kindly explain to whom and on which topic are you referring this to? We don't catch what you are getting at!

 

I think they are referring to the original post on this thread...