Seabourn, Windstar or Oceania for Summer 2012

Seabourn, Windstar or Oceania for Summer 2012 Trying to determine what cruise ship to sail with this upcoming Summer 2012.

Are choices are: Windstar, Oceania or Seabourn.

Two years ago (2010), my wife and I had a wonderful experience for our Honeymoon on the Seabourn Legend. It was an amazing experience! Last year (2011) we returned back to the Seabourn Legend but found the experience somewhat disappointing (poor service). We believe that since Seabourn launched the Quest... less emphasis and attention was given to the Legend; since it's an older ship.

So for this upcoming Summer we're trying to decide on a cruise line.

Our choices are:

• Windstar Windsurf
  
• Oceania Marina
  
• Seabourn Quest
  
• Seabourn Legend (give it another shot).
  

We are in our late 30's early 40's and like the smaller ships that tend to be quieter; but like to meet other interesting people as well. We have met some great people on the Seabourn. It's just our last trip was disappointing... but we haven't given up on the brand totally.

Anyone been on the Seabourn Quest or Seabourn Legend recently? What are the thoughts of the overall Windstar or Oceania experience?

Oceania is a bigger ship and has some great deals being advertised right now. At the same time... I don't want to spend my vacation with kids running around around the ship being loud and crazy. We want to relax, unwind, sight see, meet new people and celebrate the time off.

Appreciate your insight.

Thank you

Hi there,

I can only comment on Windstar and Oceania. We have not been on Seabourn. You can see by the number of cruises we have taken on Windstar, that we are big fans. We will be on the Wind Surf (newly refurbished) next Friday in the BVI.

I am assuming that you will be traveling in Europe. They are actually offering some percs on hotel rooms before or after and transfers. We have taken both the Surf and Spirit(smaller ship) in Europe. We love the size of these ships and the informality. The crew are very attentive and well trained. Food is excellent. The land tours are moderately priced and well done. There will not be children on these ships, as they really do not offer activities for them. Can't say that for the others, since many families travel in the summer. As far as Oceania is concerned, we took the Regatta in February 2011, and were disappointed in the size of the rooms, and deck space. The Marina is larger, brand new, with larger rooms and the space ratio is better. We are looking at Marina (or the sister ship Riviera, just being launched in April) for a trip in the fall, as well as Crystal and Wind Star. Hope this is helpful!

Tough choice. They are all good. What they have in common is that they are all small ships. We've been on all three. Seabourn's clientelle is a bit older, a bit wealthier and a bit stuffier. The service and food are great. Almost all cabins are suites. While it is casual, it is less casual than the other two. And Seabourn had (at least when we were on it) had a formal night!

Oceana's rooms are smaller, even the ones with balconies. The bathrooms are a tight squeeze. service is quite good, but there can be as many as 650 passengers.

Windstar is totally different. Much smaller; really casual during the day. But you have to know that there's nothing to do at night except for dinner and listening to some music. No shows (we is fine with me). Checking in at Windstar takes literally a minute or two. All rooms are the same unless you get a suite, which is just two rooms with the wall removed. But my wife liked that she had her own bathroom.

The food on Windstar is probably not as fancy or creative as Seabourn or Oceania, but it is good.There's no tipping on Seabourn (of course, it's somehow rolled into your fare), but it is expected on Windstar.

Hope this helps

Hi, MiniSchnauser:

We have sailed both Seabourn and Windstar in the past year, and I have to agree with andionli--the Seabourn clientele is older (most above 60), wealthier, and "stuffier." The dress code is de rigueur Boca Raton chic to formal at all times. Many of the guests love to drink morning, noon, and night, so they like the free alcohol policy. The High Tea in the afternoon is fantastic; the food is excellent; you can request anything, and the chef will get it to you some time during the cruise (i.e. my DH wanted a lamb burger, and got one!)

The Windstar clientele is 30-60 something, primarily upper middle class, and not "stuffy." The dress code onboard is casual to smart casual--tuxes are not allowed :D. There is a free non-alcohol drink policy (all water, cokes, non-alcoholic Drinks-of-the-Day, etc.), so serious/over drinking is not prevalent. The Windstar cruiser is, for the most part, fit and athletic, enjoys swimming, sailing, scuba diving, etc., likes small ports, few crowds, reading while sunbathing, and watching the sunset hit the sails at night.

IMHO, the Windstar cruiser is far friendlier; is more open to meeting new people and going to new places, and likes small, friendly ships where s/he can go chat with the captain and officers at most any time--and on the bridge. We are booked for a Venice to Rome this summer, and a Panama Canal passthrough this December. Cannot wait! :)

Although Windstar is our favorite line, our cruise last May on the Legend may have been our best one ever. We had wonderful service, food, ports, and weather. Our fellow passengers were a lot of fun and by no means older and stuffier than those on Windstar. We've enjoyed Oceania too.

As far as kids running around, that's a gamble. We encountered that on Oceania over the holidays and on Windstar last summer.

I haven't sailed Windstar or Oceania, but have researched them thoroughly as I have very strongly considered sailing with them in the past.

I haven't sailed on the Quest, but have tried her sister ship, the Odyssey and it was a decadent experience. If the Quest is maintained in the same was as the Odyssey, which I'm sure she is, I wouldn't worry at all- it was a wonderful cruise where the crew went above and beyond anything that was required from them, always with a caring smile. From the dining to the service, to the laundry to the top quality entertainment, everything was spectacular. In terms of kids running around though, you need to note that the new Seabourn trio do 7 night cruises during the summer, and so do attract a younger clientele. On my cruise there was only three young kids (there is a new kids club on the newer ships during summer), but there were a good amount of teenagers (I was one of them). Two twins were very disruptive- attempting to kiss stewardesses, swearing in corridors past midnight, their father was a man who was very full of it and let them run loose- but these were the exception. It shouldn't stop you from cruising on the new Odyssey class- give it a go. I would definitely choose Seabourn over Oceania if the prices are within a $1,000 of each other.

The Legend will be doing longer 10 night cruisers, and so you might find a slightly older passenger demographic onboard. I am sure that on the new Oceania twins during Summer time there will also be a good amount of under 18s as the ships are ''chic'' and not niche, if you see where I'm going and so are likely to attract a wider range of people.

With Windstar, which I hope to sail on this year, there will be a distinct difference from either the big O or Seabourn- for Seabourn at the least, is a main stream ultra-luxury line- mainstream not in the sense that its Carnival, but its base product comes from what a main stream ship such as Carnival Dream would offer and then refines it to the maximum- there is still a show, evening entertaintment, etc, just of a much higher quality. From my understanding Windstar is different to this- the evening entertainment at night might be a piano playing or perhaps line dancing crew but that is it (correct me if I am wrong)- you will not get a ''big ship'' experience refined to ultra-luxury standards, but a whole new experience with new character. If you want/ don't mind this, then perhaps Windstar would be better suited. Also, a Windstar cruise runs half the price of a Seabourn itinerary of the same length, so you have a great value.

The probable reason for the Legend's deterioration is the fact that Seabourn has been hiring a lot more crew lately- they will need a tad of time to be able to get their personal standards back up to the more senior crew, but as the vast majority of the old crew have moved to the Odyssey trio, you should find no such problem on the Quest.

Lastly, may I reccomend posting this in both the Seabourn forum and big O forum to get their perspective on it as well.

Well I have experience with the 3 companies

- Windstar: ms Windstar (148 pax) in 2008 Dubrovnik - Venice. Windstar is still deep in my hart! They way that the staff is on board. You can be invited to see the bridge when walking there in the evening. The Captain was omnipresent with the passengers, food was excellent. Cabins large in size for such a ship. Very good program.

Note that the Windsurf is a different ship. It is the former Clubmed 1 and has double of passengers (312 pax).

- Oceania: ms Nautica (680 pax) Istanbul - Rome in 2009. There are 2 major qualities of Oceania. The top quality of the food. Restaurants under the lead of Jacques Pepin (former chef of the French president Mitterand). Speciality restaurants which need reservation but à no supplement or reservation fee.

The second is the program quality. Look the time that the ships stay in ports! In important places they can stay extra night(s) For example St Petersburg 3 days. They have the best schedule for the Black Sea and are the only ones with really a complete one!!!

A bit negative is that they can be quite bureaucratic if you ask something diffferent (even small items) . Seems that they have to ask all to the CEO in Miami! But overall an excellent company

Note: The Marina is the new ship (2011) of approx 1250 pax. A bit bigger in size, but had the occasion to visit the ship in Zeebrugge last year. Actually very nice. The sistership Riviera should enter service soon but some delay at the yard.

- Seabourn: Seabourn Spirit last year 2011 Venice - Venice ( Ravenna and croatian costa). I choose definitely the "old" serie with only 208 pax. Not the new 450 pax ship which I find to big to Seabourn standards.

Of course with an All-inclusive (all drinks and tips) it is a bit difficult to compare to the previous ones. Service is above all standards. Great suites.

Well the biggest problem is to empty yous glass of Champagne or wine.... because they are there to fill it again without you have to ask! (I do not complain!)

So I understand that you have a difficult choice!

Little extra remark regarding your "complained" about the lack of service on Seabourn.

There have been over a rather short period some problems with staff. Don't forget that a company which operates 3 x 208 = 624 passengers over 3 ships has been grown in one year with 3 x 450 = 1350 pax.

They had to take experienced staff partly away for the new ones and of course replace the empty spaces with new people!

A similar problem occured last year on Oceania in lesser level with the Marina entering the fleet of ttl 2040 pax increasing it with 1250!

Anyway on the Seabourn Spirit half July 2011 we did not have any problem at all