Mid-30s couple considering Seabourn

Hi all,

My wife and I are looking for cruises to Egypt to check the Pyramids off our bucket list. Seabourn has a great itinerary in March and while I'm not sure we can get the time off of work, it's exciting enough for me to search here and also make a post.

1) Are excursions included, like Regent? If not, what sort of prices can be expected?

2) What is small-ship life like, compared to the ~2500 passengers from Celebrity M-class ships that I'm familiar with?

3) I know I'm fine on large ships but get seasick on catamarans and small boats. Do the Seabourn ships have stabilizers and are they large enough to not rock too much? The Sojourn appears to be 32000 GT compared to the 90000GT of Celebrity ships. In comparable seas, how does the small ship handle normal sea motion? I know I'm on a ship and expect to feel the waves, but I like cruising more than my inner-ear does.

Thanks for the advice.

Excursions are not included (imo a good thing as imo Regent vastly over charges). Prices range from ~125 on up depending on how long or extravagant. Most people on this board would say to skip the ships tours and go with a private guide (I've bucked that trend and been happy to wish I hadn't as a result).

I haven't been on the ship you're referring to, just its smaller sister. Most of the entertainment is meeting and conversing with other passengers. There's also the casino and pre and post music/shows. During the day they do play trivia (sea days only :() also baggo, shuffleboard and mini putt. Further they have lecturers for the areas you'll be visitng. If you can make your own entertainment you'll be fine. I don't know if they do it on that cruise but the ships have a water sports platform that you can use for swimming (a small hole/cage thing), kayaking, use of a banana boat and I can't remember if they had wetjets/seadoo type craft for passenger use or not.

The only time I had an issue with the ships motion (again the ship I was on is smaller than the one you're considering) was going across the English channel (imo a wee bit rougher than the med).

I can really only answer 2+ 3

we crossed the drake passage with a big swell and I was fine.

OTOH 30ft swells in the north sea made me queasy ( not a SB ship)

Small ship… getting on and off is a breeze out longest queue was a tender port and we waited 7 minutes (yes i did time it) Its intimate, but you can still escape those people on board who are not in your demographic

NO way would I go with any bigger than the 450.. suites etc do it for me

Egypt is well worth the visit. But I would consider a three day direct holiday in Cairo with a reputable tour operator A&K, Thomas Cook etc rather than a cruise. If the ship ports at Alexandria its a very long drive to the Pyramids.....better to enjoy at your leisure

On Spirit now. Had a rough 48 hours down to Madeira from Cartagena. The last 24 hours were 5 metre swell average, up to 7 metres with up to a 50 knot wind. We have a cabin up front and it was big dipper like with a circular motion then a thud every 10 seconds or so as the ship crashed down. I'm a good sailor and it was more tiring than anything. Some crew and passengers were on patches. I have to say that this is definitely the exception to most days at sea and of course you are looking at the big sisters which should cope a bit better. I say try it!

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Hi Mike

We have spent alot of time in the middle east I would suggest you fly and stay rather than cruise ,cruise ports in Egypt and Jordan are a long way from historic sights

Hi there Mike.

As to whether a cruise is the best way to see the sights, well that's for you to decide but you're not a cruise virgin so you know how it works in terms of seeing the various ports of call.

Maybe you take a cruise and if you like the area come back another time to spend an extended period there.

In terms of Seabourn as a cruise line:

The short answer is you will love it given your cruising history. It's everything Celebrity tries to be only much, much better. I would stick to the larger ships, we cruised Sojourn and found the modern decor and general ship layout made for an easy transition from larger mainstream ships. Whilst true Seabourn fan boys and girls love the small ships I think I would struggle with the fact they are older and smaller.

The demographic on board will be much older than you but age is only a number. We met some great people and made entertaining conversation. I had written off the entertainment on the grounds it would be aimed at old people and far too amateur compared to the larger ships. I was wrong to do so. We enjoyed some excellent entertainment and the ship's cast & singers punched well above their weight in terms of numbers & facilities.

The service is spectacular. Everything you read in the sales blurb really is true. It isn't marketing exaggeration. We did a Royal Caribbean family cruise in the summer (we've also done Celebrity) and constantly found ourselves referring back to the Seabourn experience.

I presume you are looking at the Mumbai departure cruise. We also looked at that because I could get free premium flights but they were withdrawn so we are doing Christmas on Sojourn instead and Thailand in April.

I was sceptical prior to our first cruise with SB last year. Get something booked - the Mumbai cruise is good value in terms of cost per day so a chance to experience SB.

Henry :)

Just to add to what has been said, last month we did the Athens/Mumbai on the Odyssey. Wonderful cruise but you should be aware that the port of Safaga in Egypt is a four-hour drive to Luxor. Many of us took the overnight package. Aqaba in Jordan is a good two to three hour drive from Petra. We had a rest stop halfway back from Petra to Aqaba and were surprised and delighted to find Seabourn staff waiting for us with cold towels, champagne and caviar. Delightful.

Aqaba in Jordan is a good two to three hour drive from Petra. We had a rest stop halfway back from Petra to Aqaba and were surprised and delighted to find Seabourn staff waiting for us with cold towels, champagne and caviar. Delightful.

How 'very Seabourn'!

If you visit Egypt as part of a cruise you will spend 90% of your time in tour buses, rattling across the desert in armed convoys, and only 10% of your time will be spent at the places you want to see. Egypt is definitely a place for land-based trips and has fabulous hotels in Cairo and Luxor etc. Because of the political instability (caused by cruise companies serving caviar and champagne on Islamic soil;)), there are fewer tourists swarming over the famous archaeological wonders. Now is a great time to visit.

The larger Seabourn ships (Odessey, Sojourn and Quest) are all stablished and great in most of the conditions you are likely to encounter. We have been on all (including the smaller ships) and done the cruise through the Suez with overnight stay in Luxor etc. This element was actually subcontracted by Seabourn to A&K, so everything was well done.

The trip is well worth doing and the drive through the desert an interesting element. Given that tourism is down, access to the key sites is also relatively easy.

As to the cost of the tours, if you are doing this itinerary they are reasonable and probably the only way to go. The attention to the security elements is, of itself, interesting and something which you will remember without it being a negative.

Four years ago, my wife and I were in the exact same situation as you. We decided to give Seabourn a chance. We cruised on the Sojourn. Big mistake. For us, the most important factors in a vacation are food quality and comfort, and Seabourn was below average in both. We have cruised with Celebrity twice, so I have a good basis of comparison. As far as food goes, the Seabourn buffet and MDR are better than the equivalent venues on Celebrity, however, the food quality in the specialty restaurants on the Celebrity ships was far better than what was offered in any venue on the Sojourn. If you like good wine, you will be extremely disappointed with the included wines on Seabourn. The comfort of the cabins was similar between the two lines, but neither approach the luxury found on other high end cruise lines or hotels.

As for your specific questions

Excursions are not included, and they were mostly misses. We have done essentially the same itinerary on seven different lines, and the excursions offered by Seabourn on this itinerary were below average.

I find small ship life to be boring. The entertainment is minimal. It is all about having conversations with your fellow passengers or watching programs on the television in your stateroom. You might find it hard to relate to a group of people whose children will be significantly older than you two. The casino is a joke and is rarely used. Compared to Celebrity, the quality and variety of shows and other entertainment are quite poor on Seabourn. If you are at all an active person, Seabourn is the wrong cruise line.

During our ten days, the weather was quite good. No rain and mild winds. Nonetheless, there is a big difference in the stability of an M class and the Sojourn. You will notice a lot more motion on the Sojourn. My wife has rarely, if ever, felt queasy on any of our other 17 cruises, but felt ill twice on the Sojourn due to motion sickness.

I would highly encourage you to take the advice that several others have offered. If you want to see Egypt, go by land and stay in nice hotels.

Four years ago, my wife and I were in the exact same situation as you. We decided to give Seabourn a chance. We cruised on the Sojourn. Big mistake. For us, the most important factors in a vacation are food quality and comfort, and Seabourn was below average in both. We have cruised with Celebrity twice, so I have a good basis of comparison. As far as food goes, the Seabourn buffet and MDR are better than the equivalent venues on Celebrity, however, the food quality in the specialty restaurants on the Celebrity ships was far better than what was offered in any venue on the Sojourn. If you like good wine, you will be extremely disappointed with the included wines on Seabourn. The comfort of the cabins was similar between the two lines, but neither approach the luxury found on other high end cruise lines or hotels.

 

As for your specific questions

 

Excursions are not included, and they were mostly misses. We have done essentially the same itinerary on seven different lines, and the excursions offered by Seabourn on this itinerary were below average.

 

I find small ship life to be boring. The entertainment is minimal. It is all about having conversations with your fellow passengers or watching programs on the television in your stateroom. You might find it hard to relate to a group of people whose children will be significantly older than you two. The casino is a joke and is rarely used. Compared to Celebrity, the quality and variety of shows and other entertainment are quite poor on Seabourn. If you are at all an active person, Seabourn is the wrong cruise line.

 

During our ten days, the weather was quite good. No rain and mild winds. Nonetheless, there is a big difference in the stability of an M class and the Sojourn. You will notice a lot more motion on the Sojourn. My wife has rarely, if ever, felt queasy on any of our other 17 cruises, but felt ill twice on the Sojourn due to motion sickness.

 

I would highly encourage you to take the advice that several others have offered. If you want to see Egypt, go by land and stay in nice hotels.

18 Cruises and this is your first post???

Only discovered cruise critic a few months ago and have been lurking trying to get a sense of the objectivity of the forums.

Only responded because of the similar circumstances with OP.

Will likely be my last post because my sense is that these boards are more for cruising enthusiasts rather than a source of objective comparison. Will stick to the Berlitz guides for standardized reviews across lines.

I'm 42 and about to take my fourth Seabourn cruise. I find the Seabourn clientele delightful. On an Odyssey class ship it seems like I find passengers with whom I share common interests quickly. For me, they are usually by the pool or enjoying after dinner life in The Club or chatting in Seabourn Square. I tend to shy away from all the "activities" on larger ships with other lines - not really my thing all that organized fun.

I think it's a matter of personal preference, not age, that dictates what I find enjoyable. And likewise, it's a matter of common interest, not age, that dictates which passengers I find enjoyable. I've actively avoided certain passengers my own age because I found them uninteresting. And I've actively sought the company of some twice my age because they were fascinating.

Well said, jenindallas.

Only discovered cruise critic a few months ago and have been lurking trying to get a sense of the objectivity of the forums.

 

Only responded because of the similar circumstances with OP.

 

Will likely be my last post because my sense is that these boards are more for cruising enthusiasts rather than a source of objective comparison. Will stick to the Berlitz guides for standardized reviews across lines.

There are indeed many fan boys and girls on here but there is also some very valuable and objective content.

All I can say is that my first cruise experience with Seabourn last year was very different to yours. Whilst not as young as the OP we were younger than most and our 13 year old daughter was the youngest full fare paying guest. She enjoyed much of the entertainment and was instrumental in our decision to re-board in a few weeks.

I did write a much fuller response but unfortunately it got lost when I was logged out of the site. To précis I have cruised Celebrity, my loyalty status with Royal Caribbean affords me reciprocal benefits with Celebrity.

Murano was indeed superb although we did pay for the privilege with some skilful up selling by the Maître d. Restaurant 2 didn't have the same imact but that is more to do with the excellence of the main restaurant.

The food stations in the Ocean view Cafe (Celebrity's Colonnade) were atrocious. Seemingly identical stations with subtly different foods necessitating a MENSA test to create your ideal plate. When there was fish at the fish & chip station there were no chips, when the chips did finally arrive the fish was long gone.

180 sq ft cabin on Celebrity with a walk in shower. 300 sq ft cabin on Seabourn with his & hers sinks, a bath and separate walk in shower.

The difference in real estate price between sea and soil means comparison between land and sea base accommodation serves little use. I'm not sure why you would try to compare? My bed at home is much bigger than the last upper class aircraft bunk I slept in but I do understand why.

I have no reason to jump to the defence of Seabourn but I would hate to see someone miss out on an opportunity based on your writing given how strongly I disagree with the content.

Henry :)

I'm 42 and about to take my fourth Seabourn cruise. I find the Seabourn clientele delightful. On an Odyssey class ship it seems like I find passengers with whom I share common interests quickly. For me, they are usually by the pool or enjoying after dinner life in The Club or chatting in Seabourn Square. I tend to shy away from all the "activities" on larger ships with other lines - not really my thing all that organized fun.

 

I think it's a matter of personal preference, not age, that dictates what I find enjoyable. And likewise, it's a matter of common interest, not age, that dictates which passengers I find enjoyable. I've actively avoided certain passengers my own age because I found them uninteresting. And I've actively sought the company of some twice my age because they were fascinating.

I totally agree with jenidallas. I think it is a case of finding out what suits your cruising style the best. I started sailing Seabourn a few years ago at 51.

I have tried larger ships with a lot more activities and they were wasted on me as I prefer organising my own activities........both on and off the ship. But I know planned activities are important to other people and that is fine as well. :)

I think food is subjective. On our last Seabourn Legend cruise we know one couple who complained about the food on the ship a lot. Whereas ourselves and others we sailed with thought it was some of the best food we had enjoyed on a cruise.

With regards to the Egypt question and possibly using a different tour operator. We are using Abercrombie & Kent to help organise most of our private excursions in South Africa and so far they have been very good to deal with. I can let you know in January how their actual excursions turned out for us.

Will likely be my last post because my sense is that these boards are more for cruising enthusiasts rather than a source of objective comparison.

I've just re read your post. If you're planning a touring holiday of European capital cities or a Tibetan retreat before conquering the Himalayas there are much better websites.

Cruise critic isn't really intended as a platform to discuss the relative merits betwixt land and sea rather the nuances that separate the various passenger lines.

Henry :)

The comfort of the cabins was similar between the two lines, but neither approach the luxury found on other high end cruise lines or hotels.

We would be interested in what "other high end cruise lines" you are using for comparison?

Only discovered cruise critic a few months ago and have been lurking trying to get a sense of the objectivity of the forums.

 

Only responded because of the similar circumstances with OP.

 

Will likely be my last post because my sense is that these boards are more for cruising enthusiasts rather than a source of objective comparison. Will stick to the Berlitz guides for standardized reviews across lines.

Anyone looking for "objective" comments does not go to site called Cruise "Critic."

Anyone looking for "objective" comments does not go to site called Cruise "Critic."

:rolleyes:

Helpful as always.