Alipius

I assume, now, Team Trivia is not a daily occurrence? 

I would do whatever required, should that be so, to be put on the wharf with my wife and our luggage.

[300 days, Diamond, male 71]

On more occasions than I can now recall, I have asked of she-who-does-our-room so nicely and smiles lots whether she is going ashore today and, if I get a Yes, we ask her to buy herself something for being so nice to us and then hand over $100 in the local currency (which I have got about me before leaving Perth and, and this is important, which she-who etc. may not be able to get at short notice). 

A day or two later I may make inquiries as to whether she was able to get something she liked and the inevitable answer is that she and Simone and inaudible went to a cafe/Bar and had a good time.  

Now, in recent years, the number of times that I have been able to spend $100 and, by myself, enable one, let alone three, younger ladies to have a good time of it are: 0.

And, on one occasion of fond memory, my wife and I while having mid-day beers in Hawaii, saw three-such having, nearby, the best fun with my $100.  I believe I had more fun knowing it to be so.  I seem to recall I saw other times...

So, you may, if male, want to do yourself a favour - and do so for the room-lady too.
 

On 12/21/2019 at 10:09 PM, Emperor Norton said:

Montaudon. 

Thank you, Emperor Norton: I'd never heard of it, but that is probably because it is only sold here by one vintner.  Here is their slightly edited review.   (And it gets great reviews on other sites too).

"Champagne Montaudon is one of the most exciting and individual of Champagne Houses. The cellars are located in Reims..  it is still owned by the founding family.... in the 1920's was the wine found in the top Caberet Clubs of Paris. In 1936, Josephine Baker signed a contract with Montaudon to supply her Caberet Clubs..
In the early 2000's, Montaudon N/V (non-vintage) out-ranked N/V styles from Louis Roederer, Pol Roger, Lanson, Veuve Cliquot & Moet Chandon in a Wine Spectator tasting. Minimum sweetening is carried out ....Generous creamy white mousse with exceptionally fine and very persistent bead. This is a hallmark of all Montaudon Champagnes. There is no sense of excessive acidity here. Very long aftertaste....

"... the new champagne (finally the NickF is gone!)"

And the new one is....

11 hours ago, margbem said:

 Apparently short shorts are ok in the restaurant for some.  

 

 

WHAT????? Men or women?!!

It offended me when someone wore a baseball cap all through dinner when we were on the Odyssey in October. I wish the Maitre 'D would enforce the dress code a little!

Baseball caps allowed in the Dining Room might possibly be for, say, a war-veteran with a head-wound; not for someone who is just brain deficient.   But I’ve seen them worn in circumstances in which they serve one useful purpose for me: they remove any thought of looking into what may be going on underneath: just like Birkenstocks remove any interest in what may be going on above.

5 hours ago, Videopark said:

 

I read somewhere that you may not get a bottle of Champagne delivered to your suite only glasses. Seems some pax loaded their suitcase so full with full bottles that they could not pick it up. 

 

Can you order bottles to a suite?

"Seems some pax loaded their suitcase so full with full bottles that they could not pick it up".  Well, these days you wheel it, not pick it up. And our suitcases are so full after a cruise that I'm leaving things behind.   And, what's the good of a suitcase half-full of the Nicholas if you're getting off in Singapore and then have to try to fly with it to, say, Sydney; or wherever?  I think we've got a cruise version of an urban-myth here.  Anyway, getting a bottle of a late- evening is snack: you just order a glass or two and then again and after a while a different waiter (it's always a different one) arrives with a bottle.

The only time I know of when it was taken off the ship in excess of a passenger's entitlement was mainly my doing.   Three to four years ago, the Quest managed to get us into South Georgia Island.  Young scientists from the research station who'd been there half a year or so came on board for lunch.  There is, of course, no store on the Island and we quickly learnt that the supply-ship delivers very little wine etc., if any and also that one of them was having a birthday that day.   I mentioned this in the Dining Room to a number of fellows I knew and after we  had gone back to our rooms and returned shortly we had two backpacks with three of the Nicholas in each.   Nothing leaves the Island: and so am delighted the six empties from that night are still there.

Emperor Norton: I can't thank you enough, informative and fun to read.

San Francisco 'land-locked'!? 

"Cruise ships arriving in San Francisco dock at the cruise port terminal between the Fisherman’s Wharf and the Bay Bridge at Pier 35 and Pier 27."

The Piers are just around the corner from The Bridge...If a bridge at the entrance locks off the sea..... then so is Sydney Harbour 'land-locked'.

 How can water be 'land-locked' if a Cruise ship can go in there!?   

Every single harbour is 'landlocked', at the back!

Anyway, if you go to the internet, you'll see the article chooses to define 'landlocked' as 'virtually enclosed': which is, for all practical purposes, the definition of a 'harbour'.

Those CDs can be so vexing sometimes... Some of them just don't get it about how seriously we take Team Trivia.

PS  Why doesn't Seabourn go to San Francisco?  It doesn't even go to Seattle (we were on the only time that, as far as I know,  it did, and that was so the Staff could have a party on board).

Flamin_June: you've certainly topped me! 

And such a knowledge of such a delighting world! the Greek gods etc and their heavenly doings... you’ve got me going there for a read!

Although in the world of today I like your 'becalmed and charmed' concept of "Seabourn Sargasso", Ms Alipius favours  the 'guaranteed more buck for your buck' of a “Seabourn Swell”: having been well and truly bucked on two Antarctic returns. 

The last lot of namings were lacklustre. Encore!  Ovation?!  OMG...

It might be useful to cut Seattle some slack and for us to come up with a few gems; if only so they don’t come up with any more of these. 
            
At the moment I don’t really have my same-sounding-yet-sea/relax-meaning-word brain going.

So, could only come up with ‘Seabourn Cerene’ and also ‘Seabourn Syzygy’ (look it up... and it’s the longest word with all consonants too; well, technically anyway).  

And for the Australians out there: the “Seabourn Cyalayta” ... (hint: say it fast)

C’mon, you know you can do better than me (and them)!

During the April 2019 Shanghai to Kobe, not one Officer came down to dinner during the 18 days. 

Heck: not even an Engineer..... (The highest ranking 'crew' we came across there was the Assistant Cruise Director, David: he was a total delight.)  

The Captain, Tim Roberts, lovely fellow though he is, was only seen when needs be at a function in the red-room along with the set-patter: and not once did see him 'around the ship' or even at the Galley Lunch (but he must have been there, surely!)    It truly was a surprise to finally see him near the gang-way as we 'disembarked'.

The Cruise Director I saw only at functions where he had to be: he's a cabaret fellow and doesn't seem to do 'off stage'; and not once did I see him 'around the ship' or,  again, even at the Galley lunch, except to do the: 'Three Cheers for the Cooks'.  (The food was indeed pretty good!)

Puts you off a bit and sort of let's you know what they think of us and they are actually running the place you're on so you can't help think; anyway, after 250+ days it now helps me to manage my money

I believe I have big reputation as a gawmand and wine conisewer among some of my mates. So, not to worry, after I get on the Sojourn on the 28th April in Shangers, you can expect the good oil from yours truly. Of course, I seem to recall you lot know a thing or two too ...

Pop-I: You write re a Post on embarkation-dilemnas and the need for a map showing place of same:

"Just got back. I would welcome jeans over khakis, leggings and chiffon dresses, and aloha shirts."

Is this Post of yours a refeshment-fuelled late-evening one (and thefore quite acceptable as such) or am I really missing something here?

SKP946: Thanks for the reminder.

And, as I also recall, it's a US one.

And, as I further recall, I left our US night-light (nite-lite?) behind last time and, on this next one coming up in three weeks, we're getting off in the US...

I posted this on 7th March, to a Thread which was something like: "Where do you get on in Singapore?" So, for a wider application, herewith:

The part of The Cruise which should be a delight is: getting-on-the-ship. But, boy-oh-boy: have we had some nightmares! You see it, the ship that is, and tell the taxi-driver to go there. (I know! I should have read the travel-docs; but, when there is get-on exurberance happening, a sprited fellow just doesn’t!)

When you get to where the ship is, you’re told: No: you have to go back: you have to go to what turns out to be some ancient warehouse 5Ks away (which your out-of-town taxidriver doesn’t know about) and you go around and around looking for it..... and then when all is sorted out and you are there processed by Seabourn a bus will take you back where you were two hours ago, eventually. Think Valpariso. We were lucky because we started out early on a lovely, lively Saturday a.m., and so the exasperation of the business of going about the backblocks of the hills of Valpariso sorta turned out to be fun?! (It was sunny and so, even if we did go past the same wedding church 5-6 times, and got to see them going in, and then 1.5 hours later see them all pour out out on the street.)

What about Buones(?) Airies? It has two places to which taxi-drivers take people who want to get on a largish boat: and, guess what?, the place the white ones (Seabourn etc) leaves from is not generally known, if at all.

First time: it really got nasty with out-of-town taxi fellow. Really. He was quite big and gaucho and driving up and down that four-lane two-way looking for it was a bit off-putting.

And, as for Bombay... we still talk about that the famous yellow gate! found (and only just found)after an hour's+ backward and forward along wharves.

In short, you are in the hands of a taxi-driver who may not be fully appraised of the place of which you are informing him, even if in detail. Indeed, he may not be able to read. That is: he hasn't got a clue where you want to go!

In short, again, Seabourn People: Map Please! Directions from the hotel staff don't always work. But, even a taxi fellow who can't read a word of whatever can usually follow a map, although, surprisingly, a lot of them make a big-deal out of trying to do so...

The part of The Cruise which should be a delight is: getting-on-the-ship. Boy-oh-boy: have we had some nightmares! You see it, the ship that is, and tell the taxi-driver to go there. (I know! I should have read the travel-docs; but, when there is get-on exurberance happening, a sprited fellow just doesn’t!)

When you get to where the ship is, you’re told: No: you have to go back: you have to go to what turns out to be some ancient warehouse 5Ks away (which your out-of-town taxidriver doesn’t know about) and you go around and around looking for it..... and then when all is sorted out and you are there processed by Seabourn a bus will take you back where you were two hours ago, eventually. Think Valpariso. We were lucky because we started out early on a lovely, lively Saturday a.m., and so the exasperation of the business of going about the backblocks of the hills of Valpariso sorta turned out to be fun?! (It was sunny and so, even if we did go past the same wedding church 5-6 times, and got to see them going in, and then 1.5 hours later see them all pour out out on the street.)

What about Buones Airies? It has two places to which taxi-drivers take people who want to get on largish boat: and, guess what?, the place the white ones leaves from is not generally known, if at all. First time: it really got nasty with out-of-town taxi fellow. Really. He was quite big and gaucho and driving up and down that four-lane two-way looking for it was a bit off-putting.

And, as for Bombay... we still talk about that the famous yellow gate!

In short, you are in the hands of a taxi-driver who may not be fully appraised of the place of which you are informing him, even if in detail. Indeed, he may not be able to read.

In short, Seaboun People: Map Please! Even a taxi fellow who can't read a word of whatever can follow a map..

Hosted Tables! What a disaster this can make of your night. How is it that a passenger affording a cabin can get to their 60-70's and agree to go on a hosted table possessing no capacity to provide some, any, even just a smidgeon, of enjoyment to the person next to them and for 2-3 hours just sit there, draining away the life-force of all but the most resilient. Time after time I’ve seen this. A timely question here?; a slight bon-mot about the gathering?: forget about it! A response to a light enquiry?: no way! Where have they been for 60-70 years!? The person sitting next them often has to turn, for any social engagement, to the other person, and do so totally, or, if necessary/possible, shout across the table. It’s draining. I don’t try to deal with it anymore. Within 5 minutes or so you just know whether your evening meal is going to be a painful thing; so, just get up and Go. To the colonnade or whatever. Wife’s got a headache, whatever. You won’t offend the life-force drainer(s): they really do believe that just by sitting there they’re the ones making the table a wonderful place to be. Mind you, you can also get really lucky: in a way that makes being at Dinner on Seabourn so worthwhile!

For those on board going into the town at Punta Arenas, may I suggest a purchase of the superbly crafted Three Penguins sheep-skin mat seemingly sold no-where else in S America but the Town Square (it's the bus deposit and pick-up).

Ours has Pride-o-Place on the bedroom floor. It is superb underfoot and looks truly wonderful, in my opinion.

Thank you so much for the Wine List: in 180+ I'd only heard about but never seen one of these and, so, will print out and have a good read.

HazelButtercup, Sweetie, I tried everything too and, like you seem to be, I'm fairly resourseful: however, complete failure for 21 days.

But, now, on reflection, there is probably only one way to kill the red light: masking tape/blu-tac etc.

Host Dan says: “Actually in this day and age, there really isn't a need for LGBT gatherings. Seabourn, among many other cruise lines, have very inclusive clientele.”

Daniel, some ‘clientele’ may be ‘inclusive’, but some ain’t. Let me explain.

On a 35-day cruise a couple of years ago, my wife and I quickly realised that the two most worthwhile dinner/pool deck companions on the ship were a gay male couple. These guys were fun, and so worthwhile. We sought out their company at every opportunity.

Then, early on, the hosted table invites started coming out. We always accept. We got one nearly every night. We tried to get them on our table. No success. Time went on. We asked them, 20 or so days in, what hosted tables they’d been invited to. Not one.

We made inquiries. You find out it is hard to find out who is in charge of such matters. But, in the end, there is a person. You ask and get told: “Oh, is that so; we’ll surely have to do something about that!” Next night, they are invited to a table hosted by one of the gay dancers etc. Nothing after that. So, we stopped accepting invites to hosted tables (probably, in the main, a good idea) and had dinner with them every night from thereon and this was indeed a good idea: it was fun.

But, during this time you still probe and then, right at the end, you find the reason why they don’t get hosted table invites and are told quite bluntly: some Americans might possibly find it difficult to be at a table with a gay person. It's a pity, for both sides.

First: always accept: and be there on time! But, if you have discovered that a fellow passenger(s) is particularly unlovely and you’ve found out their name (as you need to), be prepared: and go down properly dressed to the dining room at 7:00 when the staff are just standing around at the entrance and ask where the table is and they will always tell you and go there and have a look at where the place-cards are and if you don’t like where you are: move ‘em! Done it countless times: and always to good effect. The crew love it because they know it’s for the eventual good. One bad placement can ruin a table. But: protocol is that you can’t move the host and you can’t move a female away from a male host.

Second: yes, there are some difficult customers; but isn’t that a test of your life-skills? One night, I sat next to a totally deaf 85yo Aus male on my left and a pissed, loud-mouthed, male, 60's, Bourbon-drinker on my right. So, the RHS was out: it was getting worse by the sip. The LHS: I decided that if I couldn’t speak to him and have him hear me, then I could, well, listen. Over the next 30 mins I discovered he was an unknown power in the land in my own country who really did know everyone and during the rest of the night I got wonderful gossip to-die-for. All I had to do to get it was: say naught. And, because I was so socially skilful (by doing nothing), an invite to the Owner’s Suite for pre-dinner drinks the next night ensued, etc.

Third: you get to know who you really don’t need to say ‘Good Morning’ to.

What a pack o’ cheapskates! You go ashore, you find out what the best brew is and you buy a six, or two; you give ‘em to the Pool Deck bar-fellow while saying ‘keep a bottle for yourself’, and you have a frosty one with its exotic label poured at Lunch in the Sun: with beer afficionado around you who didn’t wondering what you got in a Port soon to be receding forever and you do it again in Hilo/Mykonos/Auckland .... or you can have some free Corona/Bud in your Suite pre-ordered.

I agree with all of what PaulaJK says: albeit, the doorman at the Hotel just might not know...

And you say you're only at the Hotel for the afternoon and evening: this is a truly great pity because in the morning the Breakfast includes what surely is the best Masala Dosa in the whole wide World. Once tried, it will likely have you trying to find its twin elsewhere and, for me, that has so far been fruitless. (And when I later read how the Dosa is produced, you understand why.)

PS: in an early sunny afternoon, a swim in that enormous Pool and a glassa Moet poolside is really worth it, IMHO. And, for men, you may find that a visit to Burlington Tailors in the Arcade is a delight: It's been seven years and I still get a comment about the quality of the fabric of the shirt...

You are quite right to be concernced, galeforce9. In fact, you should be more than concerned. We have done the Mumbai-embark bit twice now and it has been a disaster, both times. Why Seabourn doesn't provide a mini-map for the taxi-driver in the documents it sends (and which documents are otherwise quite useless once aboard), I don't know.

How can we explain to a driver, who doesn't really understand our description of a destination we've never been to and which he's never been to!? And taking cruise-people to a Ship is something he/she has probably never done before.

And, in Mumbai, there are many different 'gates'.

(It's not just Mumbai; Valparaiso in December 15 was an hour+ of driving around looking for the Terminal with an out-of-town-driver who was getting more and more......)

You get in a taxi and think it's all going to OK from there....

Get a map drawn! From anywhere, even from Seabourn (I got them to really pin-point it last time when leaving from Buenos Aires because there is a Ferry Terminal (to Uruguay) and an Overseas' one and the taxi-drivers mainly know the first and, so, the first time I did it it was a disaster.)

Hey, it's a coupla years ago, but my memory of a balcony room at Hotel San Giorgio is full of nothing but happiness. You sort of thought this is how it is meant to be: the Hotel's got lots of marble-glamour and a 2nd/3rd floor room overlooks the main Esplanade and the sea beyond; with lots of Trattoria nearby below on the street; the Quay and the Pool within eyesight across the Esplanade and, on some nights after midnight, the Esplanade becomes, well, lively. Very lively, and most enjoyably to see: the whole town seems to come out. It woke us up.

In the basement of the Hotel are Roman ruins, and on the Roof... well, it's worth the look.

And, in the morning, when you come to get on the Ship, you can do the very enjoyable and famous and leisurely "Civatavecchia-Walk" right from the front door: and joining lots of others trailling your luggage down to where you need to go, with the Ship (or the transit-bus) right in sight. What fun!

Get a front balcony room. You'll love it.

On an Antarctic 'expedition' a year ago, a 70's+ couple expressed quite some regret they were Deck 10 Front.

On one last month, a mid-60's couple who had been upgraded to Deck 10 near-Front expressed a wish that they had been downgraded to Deck 5, anywhere.

The large, mostly carpeted 'spiral' staircase is just fine and a lovely part of the social life of the Ship.

Between Deck 9 and Deck 5 it is wide and carpeted. From Deck 5 to Deck 4 it is wood and hence everyone is aware: and even in calm weather one takes care there. And when everyone is descending for dinner the sound of the mostly leather shoes on the wood (especially the heels) is just grand. I have never seen anyone slip in any part of this staircase (or heard of it), even in v. rough weather.