Thanksgiving on Seabourn - glad you were aboard?

Hope all sailors have had a Happy Thanksgiving - those from the U.S. and of course, those from other countries participating in the festivities on board.

We have a cabin on hold for next year's Barcelona to Lisbon cruise on the Odyssey, so we will spend Thanksgiving on the ship. We were wondering how the holiday is celebrated on Seabourn. I imagine there is a traditional Thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings. Did it feel like Thanksgiving? Did you enjoy your holiday or did it feel like just another day at sea? We would love to hear about your experience/impression. Thank you.

I was on a Thanksgiving cruise last year. We actually got off and spend the night off the ship (it was an overnight port) but heard that turkey with the traditional accompaniments (including pumpkin pie) was one of the options that evening in the MDR and our American cruise director invited us to his table for the evening. Americans were less than 25% of the passenger mix onboard however so for many guests it was just another day!

Sorry, wrong thread.

Sorry, wrong thread.

Don't you like Turkey?

Of course I do. Had it last night on the Amazon. Mighty tasty.

Just back from the Quest where we spent Thanksgiving on the ship and just over a third of the passengers were from the US. The Colonnade had a reservations required traditional Thanksgiving dinner served family style ala the new Thomas Keller concept and we dined with another couple we'd come to know. Food was very good with only disappointment in the dessert. Only one option which was a thin wedge of a light pumpkin concoction. One person didn't like pumpkin at all and was told there was no other option, not even a scoop of ice cream. Hardly normal service for SB. The Restaurant offered a turkey entree on the menu but I think everyone who wanted traditional Thanksgiving, including many not from the US, came to the Colonnade and service did not seem up to par, perhaps because of the crowd.

Still, a nice Thanksgiving experience with someone else preparing it! There were Thanksgiving wishes from the staff.

We were on the Quest for Thanksgiving as well, and other than having a turkey dinner, it didn't feel as though we were celebrating the holiday. Very limited menu choices.

...other than having a turkey dinner, it didn't feel as though we were celebrating the holiday.

 

Surely if you want to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with all the things you normally do and eat at home....you stay at home! With perhaps 50% or more of the passengers on the ship not being from the US it would be a little bizarre to make a big thing of a holiday/celebration that is not relevant to the rest of the world...

Just back from the Quest where we spent Thanksgiving on the ship and just over a third of the passengers were from the US. The Colonnade had a reservations required traditional Thanksgiving dinner served family style ala the new Thomas Keller concept and we dined with another couple we'd come to know. Food was very good with only disappointment in the dessert. Only one option which was a thin wedge of a light pumpkin concoction. One person didn't like pumpkin at all and was told there was no other option, not even a scoop of ice cream. Hardly normal service for SB. The Restaurant offered a turkey entree on the menu but I think everyone who wanted traditional Thanksgiving, including many not from the US, came to the Colonnade and service did not seem up to par, perhaps because of the crowd.

 

Still, a nice Thanksgiving experience with someone else preparing it! There were Thanksgiving wishes from the staff.

This cruise goes from Barcelona to Morocco through the Canaries to Portugal.

Any comments on the seas/ weather that time of year? Is the Med still those beautiful blues and greens? Thanks for all the input. Linda

This cruise goes from Barcelona to Morocco through the Canaries to Portugal.

Any comments on the seas/ weather that time of year? Is the Med still those beautiful blues and greens? Thanks for all the input. Linda

Hi Linda!

Not to be too pedantic, but surely that itinerary is only going to consist of just a couple of days in the Med, the majority of it will be the Atlantic.

The Med in November, especially western Med, is unpredictable. The days can be quite warm and sunny or wet and stormy. Definitely cool in the evening.

Nobody can guess the sea conditions but I will say that the worst sea conditions I've experienced on cruises have both been in the Med.

Once you move down to southern Spain, eg Malaga and then out into the Atlantic, towards Morocco and the Canaries the weather is likely to be getting warmer and eventually in the mid to high 70s or warmer, with plenty of sunshine.

I'm going to guess that you have a port stop in Madeira. The weather in Madeira is totally unpredictable! Due to its location it tends to have its own climate. Temperature wise it will probably be high 60s to low 70s but could be sunny or rainy and usually breezy.

No idea about the climate in Lisbon, I've never been there!

We were on the Quest for Thanksgiving as well, and other than having a turkey dinner, it didn't feel as though we were celebrating the holiday. Very limited menu choices.

Same on the Odyssey this year. American friends persuaded me to try the Pumpkin Pyyye ( phonetic). It was truly awful. And no, it was not a TK version!

Same on the Odyssey this year. American friends persuaded me to try the Pumpkin Pyyye ( phonetic). It was truly awful. And no, it was not a TK version!

I have a confession. I'd never tried Pumpkin Pie, had never fancied it. Anyway, Christmas dinner on Sojourn last year I decided it was time to try it.

I loved it :eek:

I have a confession. I'd never tried Pumpkin Pie, had never fancied it. Anyway, Christmas dinner on Sojourn last year I decided it was time to try it.

I loved it :eek:

Just as the old adage says ( well sort of) - "One woman's meat is another man's poisson". No doubt applies also to TK concoctions

Just as the old adage says ( well sort of) - "One woman's meat is another man's poisson". No doubt applies also to TK concoctions

:)

I'll have to let you know about TK!

Hi Linda!

Not to be too pedantic, but surely that itinerary is only going to consist of just a couple of days in the Med, the majority of it will be in the Atlantic!

Yes, I know. It's just not the way I'm pitching this cruise to my husband! I suspect we say goodbye to the Med around Tangier.

My spouse isn't the best sailor and he enjoys lazing on deck, sunbathing. I did get him on a New England/Canada cruise in late October and there was not too much grousing about the chilly temperatures and the storm we hit, so I thought I would try this. (He is NOT a party to the upcoming Antarctica cruise).

I was in Lisbon in late March on a girlfriends trip and it was chilly and windy and it poured, but we still had fun. I'm hoping we will have a few nice days and it sounds like the weather might cooperate at least some of the time.

Thanks for the info. Linda

Yes, I know. It's just not the way I'm pitching this cruise to my husband! I suspect we say goodbye to the Med around Tangier.

 

My spouse isn't the best sailor and he enjoys lazing on deck, sunbathing. I did get him on a New England/Canada cruise in late October and there was not too much grousing about the chilly temperatures and the storm we hit, so I thought I would try this. (He is NOT a party to the upcoming Antarctica cruise).

 

I was in Lisbon in late March on a girlfriends trip and it was chilly and windy and it poured, but we still had fun. I'm hoping we will have a few nice days and it sounds like the weather might cooperate at least some of the time.

 

Thanks for the info. Linda

Oh you'll be fine I'm sure. :)

Of course what feels warm to me may not feel warm to you, if you live in Arizona or somewhere. That's why I tried to quote typical day time temperatures. But the Canary Islands in particular tend to be very pleasant at that time of year. If you can plan your excursions to get away from the very touristy areas each of the islands has something to offer.

I'm with your husband on Antarctica. I would love to go, but I love the sun too much and can't imagine using my holiday time from work to go somewhere cold. Now if I could do Antartica followed immediately by 3 weeks in the Caribbean, that would work. :)

I'm with your husband on Antarctica. I would love to go, but I love the sun too much and can't imagine using my holiday time from work to go somewhere cold. Now if I could do Antartica followed immediately by 3 weeks in the Caribbean, that would work. :)

Antarctica is my retirement present to myself. I had to retire to be able to have enough free time to go. I'll be traveling with my SIL as my BIL doesn't want to go either. It'll be girls (ha!) going wild. Linda