Seabourn - in the Med - food......and the rest

We are not cruise experts - only 4 in the past - 1 silver sea, 2 regent, and 1 seabourn. However we have traveled extensively all over the world in both high end resorts and hotels and adventure travel. I'd like to give some feedback on seabourn. We are on a 21 day med cruise and 1 week into the cruise. We have some positives and some things that really eyed improvement.

Positives:

Room fantastic - PHSpa suite - 1090 - love the room, the shower is particularly terrific. Love the corner and everything about this room. One of our favorite cruise rooms ever.

Marina days - fabulous, really great. Better than when they had the small netted area.

Caviar - although not the best quality, really good. The best food offering.

Room cleaning and service - very good, we use the " clean the room sign" when we leave and it's always done before we return.

Ship - beautiful, love the spaces, design, etc. great job on this ( similar to odessey we were on previously).

Needs improvement -:

Food - really disappointing. The biggest issue. We remember decent food and sometimes really good from our previous Seabourn cruise ( it was 2012) and now it is very disappointing. What happened? frozen food, off color vegetables, nothing is great, we are happy if something is fair...We are in the med where the local food sources are great. We realize it is feeding a large group of people and don't expect excellence, but would expect at least "fair" not poor.

MDR - closed every day for lunch. Actually we were disappointed at first, but given the quality of the food ( lack thereof), we have gone out in the ports almost every day, because the food is quite disappointing. The Columnade is crowded and hard to find a nice table for 2 to have a relaxing lunch unless you get there very early. And the buffet options are really quite marginal. Soggy lettuce for the hand tossed Caesar salad. I know we are from California, but soggy lettuce is not great.

Service - mixed - sometimes great, other times really poor. I feel like some ( not all)of the staff just wants to go home or have a break. Also feel like when we order room service ( usually breakfast) they kind of sigh like not them again.... Makes us uncomfortable as not used to this on other lines or hotels. But some of the staff really terrific - it's really a mixed bag!

Wines - well some decent and some really poor. I do think they could have a bit higher end, but I know they have to make money! Even the " for pay " are not outstanding ( we are from California), but we have found things that are very drinkable, just not great. The for pay gas some great things and some nit so great things. Again, we are in the med, and can buy our own which we have done in several ports!

Spa - we walk through there several times a day to our room. I had a facial on our recent sea day. Let's just say even with 14 + days to go, I won't be giving anymore treatments....

Having said this we love our room and much of the service is great - just overall service is mixed. Food is the biggest disappointment. We don't expect it to be Michelin 3 star or even 1 star, but it the high level of salt and poor quality of ingredients given we are in the med is just too bad. I guess I have changed my mind about wanting the MDR open at lunch as just much better to eat lunch I the towns we visit - of course I should have known having been to many if them!

I am surprised on the food. We have been on Quest and Odyssey. We thought the food was wonderful! After sailing on Silversea- and then Seabourn we would only cruise on Seabourn now. What ship are you on?

Who is the Chef? I think you should go speak to him about your concerns.

As far as service, you should go speak to Hotel Manager.

We found by asking for the same waiter teams in MDR- they get to know you and your preferences. You may want to try that.

On our past Seabourn cruises we had exceptionally service, wonderful staff and amazing food!

It's always difficult to know how to respond to posts such as these.

The main thing is, OP should be voicing their concerns to those onboard, the ones who can actually make a difference to this experience in the remaining 14 days of the cruise.

Ok so they're not going to get MDR opened up at lunch time, but the other areas that are disappointing should be discussed and dealt with. I'm especially bothered that the OP seems to be feeling like they're getting some attitude from the crew. The HD should be made aware of this asap.

Not the Seabourn that I recognise at all, and it's a pity when someone has a bad experience like this.

I'd also like to know which ship this is and who is captain.

We are not cruise experts - only 4 in the past - 1 silver sea, 2 regent, and 1 seabourn. However we have traveled extensively all over the world in both high end resorts and hotels and adventure travel. I'd like to give some feedback on seabourn. We are on a 21 day med cruise and 1 week into the cruise. We have some positives and some things that really eyed improvement.

 

Positives:

 

Room fantastic - PHSpa suite - 1090 - love the room, the shower is particularly terrific. Love the corner and everything about this room. One of our favorite cruise rooms ever.

Marina days - fabulous, really great. Better than when they had the small netted area.

Caviar - although not the best quality, really good. The best food offering.

Room cleaning and service - very good, we use the " clean the room sign" when we leave and it's always done before we return.

 

Ship - beautiful, love the spaces, design, etc. great job on this ( similar to odessey we were on previously).

 

Needs improvement -:

 

Food - really disappointing. The biggest issue. We remember decent food and sometimes really good from our previous Seabourn cruise ( it was 2012) and now it is very disappointing. What happened? frozen food, off color vegetables, nothing is great, we are happy if something is fair...We are in the med where the local food sources are great. We realize it is feeding a large group of people and don't expect excellence, but would expect at least "fair" not poor.

 

MDR - closed every day for lunch. Actually we were disappointed at first, but given the quality of the food ( lack thereof), we have gone out in the ports almost every day, because the food is quite disappointing. The Columnade is crowded and hard to find a nice table for 2 to have a relaxing lunch unless you get there very early. And the buffet options are really quite marginal. Soggy lettuce for the hand tossed Caesar salad. I know we are from California, but soggy lettuce is not great.

Service - mixed - sometimes great, other times really poor. I feel like some ( not all)of the staff just wants to go home or have a break. Also feel like when we order room service ( usually breakfast) they kind of sigh like not them again.... Makes us uncomfortable as not used to this on other lines or hotels. But some of the staff really terrific - it's really a mixed bag!

 

Wines - well some decent and some really poor. I do think they could have a bit higher end, but I know they have to make money! Even the " for pay " are not outstanding ( we are from California), but we have found things that are very drinkable, just not great. The for pay gas some great things and some nit so great things. Again, we are in the med, and can buy our own which we have done in several ports!

 

Spa - we walk through there several times a day to our room. I had a facial on our recent sea day. Let's just say even with 14 + days to go, I won't be giving anymore treatments....

 

Having said this we love our room and much of the service is great - just overall service is mixed. Food is the biggest disappointment. We don't expect it to be Michelin 3 star or even 1 star, but it the high level of salt and poor quality of ingredients given we are in the med is just too bad. I guess I have changed my mind about wanting the MDR open at lunch as just much better to eat lunch I the towns we visit - of course I should have known having been to many if them!

I am not sure which ship kej1 is on but I suspect it is on Sojourn, which I am sailing on currently. I know food is subjective and I am not eating from their plate so they might be getting different food to me but let me say what we have experienced which is been wonderful.

Very fresh vegetables and salad especially a mix of crisp lettuce types and capsicums etc. A large variety of fresh fruit at breakfast including a large basket of cherries which is constantly replenished.

We went shopping with the chef in Livorno and at lunch we were served fresh grilled sardines in the Colonnade along with a wonderful fresh salad. The next day for lunch in the Colonnade was Mussels with white wine or Vongole also brought the day before but left overnight to soak out the grit. We had lunch ashore that day but people we spoke too who had eaten on board said it was wonderful.

The next day at the patio grill they were serving crayfish cooked with butter garlic and parsley. I actually went to the Colonnade as well for a salad and had a wonderful mix of Radicchio, Butter leaf and a couple of others, plus crisp pancetta, tomatoes, capsicum and olives. Chef Tom had made some infused oil...one with chilli and one with rosemary. A splash of the rosemary infused oil and some good balsamic and I was very happy.

We are doing another shopping with the chef at Gardinia Naxos/Catania and are looking forward to it as Chef Neal is very entertaining and educational.

But this our experience only and others obviously may differ.

Julie

So that's the way it's gonna be, huh frantic36?

On yet another Seabourn cruise and this time it's without us?

So... We have a score to settle and will do so when we see you on Odyssey this winter. That's our winter and not yours, just to be clear, since this is your winter. But not in Livorno.

See you and K then. We will be with the gang from Sojourn from last winter and look forward to that champagne tasting you so cleverly organized!

Happy sailing!

I am not sure which ship kej1 is on but I suspect it is on Sojourn, which I am sailing on currently. I know food is subjective and I am not eating from their plate so they might be getting different food to me but let me say what we have experienced which is been wonderful.

 

Very fresh vegetables and salad especially a mix of crisp lettuce types and capsicums etc. A large variety of fresh fruit at breakfast including a large basket of cherries which is constantly replenished.

 

We went shopping with the chef in Livorno and at lunch we were served fresh grilled sardines in the Colonnade along with a wonderful fresh salad. The next day for lunch in the Colonnade was Mussels with white wine or Vongole also brought the day before but left overnight to soak out the grit. We had lunch ashore that day but people we spoke too who had eaten on board said it was wonderful.

 

The next day at the patio grill they were serving crayfish cooked with butter garlic and parsley. I actually went to the Colonnade as well for a salad and had a wonderful mix of Radicchio, Butter leaf and a couple of others, plus crisp pancetta, tomatoes, capsicum and olives. Chef Tom had made some infused oil...one with chilli and one with rosemary. A splash of the rosemary infused oil and some good balsamic and I was very happy.

 

We are doing another shopping with the chef at Gardinia Naxos/Catania and are looking forward to it as Chef Neal is very entertaining and educational.

 

But this our experience only and others obviously may differ.

 

Julie

This sounds wonderful Julie! I was very impressed by Chef Neal, who was on Sojourn at Christmas South Africa (I think I remember reading your posts in January and you embarked in Cape Town as we disembarked).

We're back onboard in about 6 weeks, I'm hoping the food is as good as you're experiencing.

OP, are you on Sojourn or Odyssey?

I am aboard Sojourn now and agree with Julie's assessment. This is our third Seabourn cruise--our second in the Med with Chef Neal Breen--and we are very impressed with the variety of foods presented, and the quality of ingredients. Taste is subjective, of course, but I am not seeing any decline in standards.

We have had two minor service issues, both rectified after we mentioned them.

One was almost comical. Guest services contacted us three times--by phone, by handwritten note, and in person-- to ask how they could accommodate our special diet requests. But we hadn't made any such requests. Their persistence was admirable....I hope they were able to determine the correct party.

Kej1 - I have 2 suggestions for you. 1) go to Seabourn Square and print out this page, put it in an envelope with your suite number and send it to the hotel manager (that way you won't need to spend too much of your precious vacation time composing a letter)

2) ask the restaurant manager if they are opening restaurant 2 this sailing for the passengers disappointed with the closing of the MDR at lunch. That was the case on the Quest last May.

Good luck, and try to enjoy your cruise.

Frantic36 - for your shopping with the chef in Catania, wear closed shoes that you don't mind getting soaked with water from the melted ice and fish blood. Also beware of pickpockets. You will definately see some interesting things.

If it's 21 days it's more likely Odyssey is it not as that does 7 day legs?

If it's 21 days it's more likely Odyssey is it not as that does 7 day legs?

Could be, but Sojourn is currently on an 11 day, and its next is 10 days, so 21 days there.

Hoping OP comes back to tell us either way!

It is the Sojourn

Food is so subjective.

I am also from California and I found the food good for a cruise ship. I eat out a lot in what are considered trendy higher end LA restaurants. I don't expect ship food prepared for hundreds to be as good. I think it's about expectations.

The OP is correct about the wine. I would find one or two drinkable, and on a longer cruise they would run out of those wines. I expected that once in Europe that they would bring new local wines aboard, they didn't. They had wine shipped from the US ( I was told by a bartender ).

I ended up buying a bottle per day in port for dinner by week three.

My experience on the Sojourn a few weeks ago was very different than the OP. The majority of the meals were great, the chef would go into local ports to source fresh ingredients and prepare them in the Collonade at lunch or for dinner. Wines were fine and the Bar Manager ((Jovan...not sure if I remember his name correctly), would buy local wines in port. As an example he brought a local Cotes de Provence while in Marseilles and also some Spanish wines while in Barcelona. Our stewardess also sourced a different Cotes de Provence for our suite. Sometimes you just had to ask what was "new" on the list based on what you liked. Once you found one, they would always make sure it was available by the pool, or in any of the restaurants. Both Josef and Ana who serve in the Collanade would see us and automatically have the wine we liked available without us asking! All of the crew provided the same high level of service so I can't imagine the service standards have slipped in just a few weeks.

... Once you found one, they would always make sure it was available by the pool, or in any of the restaurants

That is part of the SB experience, let someone know what you like, even if they never saw you have it before and until you disembark they will always have it available for you - assuming it is not depleted, maybe by you:).

I just disembarked Sojourn amd must report that there was no clotted cream at tea on the last two days. :eek:

I just disembarked Sojourn amd must report that there was no clotted cream at tea on the last two days. :eek:

Your arteries are thankful.

We are not cruise experts - only 4 in the past - 1 silver sea, 2 regent, and 1 seabourn. However we have traveled extensively all over the world in both high end resorts and hotels and adventure travel. I'd like to give some feedback on seabourn. We are on a 21 day med cruise and 1 week into the cruise. We have some positives and some things that really eyed improvement.

 

Positives:

 

Room fantastic - PHSpa suite - 1090 - love the room, the shower is particularly terrific. Love the corner and everything about this room. One of our favorite cruise rooms ever.

Marina days - fabulous, really great. Better than when they had the small netted area.

Caviar - although not the best quality, really good. The best food offering.

Room cleaning and service - very good, we use the " clean the room sign" when we leave and it's always done before we return.

 

Ship - beautiful, love the spaces, design, etc. great job on this ( similar to odessey we were on previously).

 

Needs improvement -:

 

Food - really disappointing. The biggest issue. We remember decent food and sometimes really good from our previous Seabourn cruise ( it was 2012) and now it is very disappointing. What happened? frozen food, off color vegetables, nothing is great, we are happy if something is fair...We are in the med where the local food sources are great. We realize it is feeding a large group of people and don't expect excellence, but would expect at least "fair" not poor.

 

MDR - closed every day for lunch. Actually we were disappointed at first, but given the quality of the food ( lack thereof), we have gone out in the ports almost every day, because the food is quite disappointing. The Columnade is crowded and hard to find a nice table for 2 to have a relaxing lunch unless you get there very early. And the buffet options are really quite marginal. Soggy lettuce for the hand tossed Caesar salad. I know we are from California, but soggy lettuce is not great.

Service - mixed - sometimes great, other times really poor. I feel like some ( not all)of the staff just wants to go home or have a break. Also feel like when we order room service ( usually breakfast) they kind of sigh like not them again.... Makes us uncomfortable as not used to this on other lines or hotels. But some of the staff really terrific - it's really a mixed bag!

 

Wines - well some decent and some really poor. I do think they could have a bit higher end, but I know they have to make money! Even the " for pay " are not outstanding ( we are from California), but we have found things that are very drinkable, just not great. The for pay gas some great things and some nit so great things. Again, we are in the med, and can buy our own which we have done in several ports!

 

Spa - we walk through there several times a day to our room. I had a facial on our recent sea day. Let's just say even with 14 + days to go, I won't be giving anymore treatments....

 

Having said this we love our room and much of the service is great - just overall service is mixed. Food is the biggest disappointment. We don't expect it to be Michelin 3 star or even 1 star, but it the high level of salt and poor quality of ingredients given we are in the med is just too bad. I guess I have changed my mind about wanting the MDR open at lunch as just much better to eat lunch I the towns we visit - of course I should have known having been to many if them!

Hey Kej1

On my last cruise (the med april 2015 ) with Sojourn we had the same remarks.

But,be prepared that some people, (the SB cheerleaders ) had the contrary exp.and on a remark about vegetables,they will ask You;how many peas were on Your plate,oh You did not count,so what are You talking about?In their opinion ;its SB. so it MUST be good

Did You talked with the chef,who was the chef,did You talked with the MD.....etc..........We did, and the only thing he did was disappear with a "sorry "

Concerning the wine:in YOUR OPINION, he was really poor,but some will say, that it was the best poor wine they ever had.

A long time ago i red a commend of an American " lady " who stated:be very picky,send a few plates back and led them know that You are not pleased with this and that,they will know You are not a grey mouse.

Why did she said that?

Because she exp.that all pax are equel,but some are more equel than others?

Food:You don't expect excellence!!!!!!

Why not?They claime it,and they charge you for it.

Other lux lines can do it.

note that only Sojourn is not always excellent.

Keep on cruising

Your arteries are thankful.

Tastebuds not so much.;)

I would never belittle or chastise someone for criticising on here. The reason I and many others joined the forum was to warn people of a bad experience.

Food is a wholly subjective subject. The OP sounds well rounded (not in the physical sense!), with reasonable expectations. I really would urge you to voice your concerns to the powers that be on board. I truly believe they will do whatever is in their power to turn the situation around.

Like Nigella we were also on Sojourn with chef Neal over the festive period and found him to be a wonderful asset to Seabourn and someone who definitely enhanced our trip. I spoke with him on several occasions and he caught me in the Colonnade on more than one occasion to make sure I tried a couple of dishes he was proud of or thought I might like.

As for being a Seaborn fanboy, well yes, I suppose I am but only because I judge as I find and thus far haven't been disappointed. Like the OP I hope I'm reasonable in terms of my expectations. I think we are fairly undemanding and try to go with the flow wherever possible. When in Rome....

Once again I do urge you to have a few words onboard in the hope of improving your experience.

Henry :)

My guess is kej1 has gotten things worked out since we haven't had any news since the original post. He's/she's selfishly enjoying their vacation while we're all stuck at home pathetically waiting for an update.;). Hope you're having fun.

I hope this is not too blunt, you have explained quite eloquently and politely to many people on here where you feel things are going wrong, truthfully you may as well not have bothered because it does not really matter, no one on this forum can do anything that will be of any help to you whatsoever..........you are on your well earned vacation, please go along to the offices on deck 5 and ask to see the Hotel manager now, I feel that you should do this because the Hotman can and will listen to your concerns that you are experiencing, they do want you to have a fabulous holiday. You are not being rude or vindictive, you are just not quite enjoying your stay......I can't see what you have to loose.....on one hand two more weeks of mediocrity and on the other....things may get better.

Please let us know what you decide.

My guess is kej1 has gotten things worked out since we haven't had any news since the original post. He's/she's selfishly enjoying their vacation while we're all stuck at home pathetically waiting for an update.;). Hope you're having fun.

I wish that we had a "Like" button on this board, Les Picantins post sums the situation up beautifully. :)

hello

The fact that he posted a comment like this DURING his cruise,is a proof for me that he is VERY frustrated about the food and drinks.

The best advice has been given here ON THIS FORUM"raise Your voise "

But maybe he did that already and they were a little deaf on this side,so thry again on the other side.I hope it helps,because 1/3 of Your cruise is already gone.

Somebody told me that everything concerning the food is DICTATED TO DETAIL BY HQ.So, if so the chef can't do mutch about it.

In this case,correct me when i am wrong,the chef is no longer a chef,but a "cook"who works in a ship's galley.So i do not see that he can present a plate (dish ) to be proud off,or he diserves a gr.award in the category non fiction.

I hope sincerely that the second leg will be be mutch better,because buying Your food and beverage ashore is not my idea of a relaxing cruise.When You book a cruise with SEABOURN You assume that You by a exl.product.Not so in YOUR CASE,and i think that SB lost a costumer.

Its a pity for YOU AND for SB.

Looking forword too the end of the story.

Succes

Regards

Sounds like you're taking a lot of pleasure in the OP's post, lis1407. Hope I'm wrong!

Wripro,

I am glad that someone made sense of it.

Happy sailing!