jondfk

A chilly day sailing north towards the cape. We braved the Retreat for a few hours, a shock to the system after a number of very pleasant days, huddled now on Observation watching the sea, anticipating lunch. Perhaps a few words about wine in the meanwhile. I’m no oenophile but do enjoy a variety of wines and regions. That said, I’ve been disappointed with all of the daily reds which have been largely Spanish (who make some great wines no doubt). The second choice is reliably better but still not great. Whites have been more varied from Austria and elsewhere in Europe, several have been very serviceable though none that I need to remember for home. There seems to be no list available though wines you enjoyed previously are poured again without complaint, though with a slight delay while retrieved. Somehow I expect to identify a favorite on the last evening when I’ll have no further opportunity to enjoy. I wonder whether this is usual for Seabourn? Meaning keeping the included wines under wraps? it’s no doubt easier to push a single red and white each day, but I for one would prefer a list of what’s on offer. I promised not to excessively compare SB to Oceania but in this regard Oceania are miles ahead, the wines by the glass are listed every day and the full list is always ready at hand, score one to Oceania (though I note that none of their wine is included in the base fare).

Day three, Ålesund Norway. A lovely day in a charming city. Ovation tied up more or less center of town for a stay that lasted until 10PM. We took a stroll around town, did a bit of shopping and returned for a very quiet late lunch in the Retreat. Evening brought a far quieter cocktail in Observation, we’ve reached that point now where the bartenders start to anticipate our orders, and we are developing preferences for who does what best. Our favorite, hands down, is William though I confess we’ve used neither of the poolside bartenders (yet) so perhaps the race shouldn’t be called just yet. We had our first real fail at dinner last evening Mrs ordered the steak with béarnaise sauce, which I had and loved on night one, the plate however was blazing hot resulting in the sauce breaking almost instantly creating a lumpy pool which covered the plate. Replacement sauce was delivered on the side but the dish was spoiled by the initial failure. Really, we should have asked for a fresh plate, or a replating of the original, next time… Perhaps a few words around room service breakfast which we enjoyed yesterday. Delivered precisely on time, and precisely according to our order form. Quality, good by room service standards though no meal with wheels is ever as good as one straight from the kitchen. Weather again spectacular though this morning of day 4 the wind has a bit of a bite, suspecting the shorts have to go for a few days.

Regarding the water onboard, please understand we are not particularly discriminating in this regard, we’ve found the bottled water in the room perfectly drinkable. The bottles don’t have any sort of seal aside from plastic on glass, some certainly do leak, one quite freely. Haven’t used the small bottle yet but I expect similar challenges. Knowing this we bought a collapsible bottle from Amazon before departure, this works fine, but it’s “collapsible” nature means it has little structural integrity, it doesn’t leak per se but if filled to the top you’ll inevitably squeeze a bit out when the lid is removed.

Personally I’m inclined to agree, but I happened into a conversation including Loula’s assistant yesterday where this vary comment was made, she replied (perhaps towing the company line) that the change actually better described the nature of their duties and how their talents are utilized. By the way, Melissa is a very charming a young lady from middle America she bubbles with enthusiasm. A treasure.

Some may have noticed I posted the proceeding the second morning, lost track of time to get it out before we had to leave the room to meet the captain, well actually to see him introduced at his cocktail party, a heavily attended event we joined in the Obs bar, the usual introductions were made to a packed house. This all put us a bit late to dinner, but we still found space in the section of our favorite server (Miguel from Portugal), far busier than the first night but Mrs loved the lobster and I the veal tenderloin. Again the red wine disappointed but after a longer than usual cocktail hour I took this as a sign to hit pause. Another superb nights sleep though we couldn’t manage to get the hallway foot lamp into automatic so it glowed all night, a bit of reeducation from the steward today…. We have ordered a light breakfast in today, this is something we never did in our first 30 or so cruises. We used the butler provided on Oceania to good effect when we sailed last year so decided to get the SB take as well. Woke up a bit earlier today and hit the Obs bar about 5:30 what a joy to find coffee ready well before the official 6:00 opening. The coffee is good too, okay not the same as fresh made in the Square but early morning I’m more interested in ready than perfect. Thats all for now, I’ll report again “tomorrow”.

Well, here’s todays update. First, regarding dinner last night, I can’t speak highly enough, everything, service, food and ambiance was perfect. Well, not quite true, I didn’t care for the red wine, a Shiraz, but this was instantly exchanged for a more pleasant Cab. I’m no real challenge in this regard, there’s always something I’ll drink, but I’m not shy about asking for something different. This was followed by the first full nights sleep since leaving home, fabulous. This morning our fridge had gone on the fritz it took three calls for a replacement, but it has now been swapped so my meds are no longer 59*. The rest of our minibar request arrived slightly later. We spent much of the day in the Retreat, there are 15 cabanas and I’d read that the area was little used, and indeed this ultimately may prove true for our port intensive cruise. Today however 11 of the 15 cabanas were booked keeping the small staff hopping all day. We ventured down to the restaurant for lunch joining about 100 others for a lovely light meal, our server told us that the prior sailing was the first to feature lunch on a daily basis, this looks to be true for us as well as the day 3 Herald has hours for the venue for breakfast, lunch and dinner, JOY!

Hmmm. Travelled by taxi from near Copenhagen airport, it took a bit to wrangle a cab, quite busy midday Sunday, additionally the route avoids the direct center of the city, but only just so slow going in, faster coming back out to the quay. The other large and behemoth ships were no factor at the quay road we turned right, they were both tied up along the pier to the left. Ovation looked like nothing more than a tender boat for MSC! Several busses had arrived ahead of us, another just after. Luggage drop off was the usual a bit chaotic the porter quite personable. The SB luggage tags were entirely unnecessary they immediately replaced them with a large tag with deck number and room in large magic marker. We hit the terminal door about 12:10, nobody could have cared less about our arrival time, in fact our boarding passes were never required. A slip of paper was issued with a bar code (presumably the same bar code as our boarding pass?) the paper was scanned at the top of the gangway. I would estimate there were about 300 people in the terminal when we arrived, boarding started about 12:20. The Colonnade was quite full with a queue back to the entrance when we arrived, we passed by and secured a couple of high stools near the exit aft. As I have written prior DW doesn’t do buffets, when we must, I provide collection service which was basically impossible today, instead we ordered off the daily menu, the wait for which was a bit long, but not unreasonable under the circumstances, the food itself was okay. Our server had his hands full, but a great attitude. Overall Colonnade was a success though surely not at its best. Suites we announced as ready as around 12:30, we departed lunch about 1:00. Luggage arrived by 2:30, just unpacking now. Our suite attendant hasn’t made an appearance yet which does strike me as surprising. None of our minibar requests have been met, no root beer, no club soda, both liquors changed to lesser versions of our request, is Amaretto really a substitute for Baileys, somebody obviously thinks so. We will see whether any or all of that can be corrected whenever we meet our attendant. So, first impressions, mixed. Embarkation was okay, we know best service comes late in the process, when we sail near home we aim for the pier at 3PM, Seabourn was neither better nor worse than others. Again, we know that first meal is reliably the worst (or at least the most chaotic) of any sailing but Seabourn managed this better than most, the smart decision though would have been to chill out until 1:00 or so and let the wave crest. Experienced SB sailors might well have headed for the Patio or the Square the former was nearly entirely empty as we passed through to our cabin, something we will check out on our August sailing on Odyssey. More tomorrow.

Okay, all ready to board tomorrow. We’ve been assigned 1pm which is no great disaster, following others experience on this board we planned to disregard this slightly aiming instead towards noonish. Today however Seabourn have sent me 4, no kidding, 4 reminders that I must not under arrive early and that I will surely be turned away should I be so bold as to try. A question then, is this (and by “this”) I mean 4 such reminders normal normal for SB? Are we “special” as first timers? Maybe they want to get all of their repeaters aboard first? Or perhaps they are warning off of general port congestion as MSC Euripa with her 6000pax is also turning over tomorrow? Sure, we can hang around the hotel for an extra hour, but….. Really just wondering how seriously to take the repeated reminders. Would really rather not be forced to stand around outside the terminal for an hour.

Three sailings on Regatta last year (2 of which were B2B) so two butlers. I too was a bit unsure how to use them, and two more different fellows you couldn’t find. The first guy was very personable but just reluctant to help even when directly ask, two examples, I asked for club soda in the minibar - he firmly insisted that the only sparkling water he could supply was the bottled variety from the machines on board, I had no particular objection except that the bottles don’t seal and the gas quite quickly escapes. I took to gathering a can of club soda every time I passed a bar, by the end on the cruise I had collected a stock of 12 which I lined up across the desk as a sort of object lesson. Second, I asked for lime wedges for said club soda, these were supplied, but never refreshed without an explicit request - in my mind simply returning the empty container should have been sufficient prompt. Butler number two stocked soda within 5 minutes of my request and, seeing me consume 3 each day took to keeping 4 in the fridge. Seeing I used all of the supplied limes on day 2 found a larger bowl which was refreshed daily onwards. This fellow also went so far as to lend me his personal USBC charging cable when I realized I left mine at home while unpacking. After repeated reassurances that it caused him no difficulty I cancelled my planned last minute run to the San Pedro Target to get one before sail away. Guess which guy got a very generous tip? People vary, especially in the service world.

I’ll add my underwhelmed voice to the cookie debate, on the other hand it’s not entirely bad that O found something I wouldn’t care for more of. The vast majority of what we’ve eaten has been good to excellent, alas, not the cookies. If money is the explanation it’s hard to understand the vastly superior cookies we’ve had on Princess over the years.

Okay, steps 1, 2 & 3 complete, we’ve arrived in Copenhagen! Remember when you heard this was going to be the summer of travel, no kidding, maximum crowds everywhere, but, staffing seemed up to the challenge. TSA line was short but slow, they opened a second one releasing the pressure. Planes full, likewise lounges etc, but everything worked as we had laid it out. Weather is absolutely spectacular today and looks to continue for the first days of our cruise. The last phone call I took before leaving home was from our SB cruise consultant (I know, I know, don’t book direct use your favorite TA), she phoned to confirm we were set to go, verified our flights for last minute changes, reviewed our liquor and other beverage requests, and confirmed our boarding time “but you can be a bit early” said she. Again impressed with her professionalism and record keeping. Tomorrow a bit of sightseeing and rearranging the luggage away from “airline” mode to “cruise ship” mode which mainly means putting first evening stuff and liquids into my carryon.

Well, it’s all done but the drive to the airport in the morning. Bags are packed, not closed yet for last minute items, flight checkin complete. To those already en route and those who will be following us by a bit, safe travels and easy connections. See everyone aboard on Sunday.

I’ve never actually sailed from Copenhagen before (but know the city fairly well). It looks like 3 very separate terminal buildings, the biggest challenge looks to be getting to the pier, though nothing is likely to be worse access wise than our home port of San Francisco.

Yes, I also found quay 331 listed elsewhere. MSC Euribia is in port the same day with pax capacity of 6000. How many will be boarding is unclear as MSC famously boards passengers in major ports nearly every day. Still, her 6000 passengers are a factor as those not boarding will doubtless be taking excursions in Copenhagen.

Sorry, meant to respond to this when you previously posted. The two ports (Orient quay and Ocean quay) are basically 90* from each other in the same area of town. I’ve been watching arrivals and departures for a few weeks (none SB) and have yet to see any ship use Orient quay though there are 3 ships in on our start date so, maybe… As for Covid boosters we too got the bivalent booster about 3 weeks ago. jon

Susan. I know what you mean. Our first cruise back was on O from Tahiti to LA in April of ‘22. As some may know French Polynesia was quite strict requiring vaccinations and day of flight negative test results. O also required testing prior to boarding, so, folks had a sense of invincibility with lots of socializing and very few masks, still by the time we reached LA 50 people were taken off by bunny suits. So yes, we socialize less than we would have in days gone by, no desire to go through another round. Also not willing to be self confined at home so it’s thoughtful choices for us.

I’ll be completely honest, in the before times we would have planned to arrive the afternoon prior (rather than two days ahead) sure, a day in Copenhagen will be nice, but we’d prefer be moving more or less directly from / to. Travel woes being what they are, extra time is essential. As you say, basically our only worry at this point. meanwhile the ship is sailing towards Oslo. See you on board!

Well, packing is basically complete, just the last lotions and potions. We used to travel with "just enough" of everything including meds. Nothing like 22 days experience in quarantine (see post #1) to reset your standards. Bring all of your Rx bottles, leave nothing at home. Just writing the note for the house / cat sitter. The Danish and Norwegian currency was in today's mail, so the list of "to do's" is down to a small handful. First flight (SFO - LHR) looks fully booked plus, but the weather looks good on both ends so hopefully all runs smoothly. We have a 3-hour layover in London which should be plenty (famous last words).

I'll look silly with the shorts I'm wearing on the plane though . . .

Packing for Norway, basically, bring everything. Weather forecast at the start in Copenhagen is quite nice, low 70s. Tomso however (and this isn’t nearly as far north as we will get) is a chilly 50. Soooo, shorts sure, but also rainwear, a heavy coat, gloves and hats. The question really is will the sport coat, mandated for two evenings, make it in the bag or not. That will be a last second decision. Our packing routine is, I go first and let her benefit from all of my inspirations. In our relationship I’m the clothes horse, she could get by on quite a bit less with some washing, I like variety. So, I’ll pack today, she tomorrow. The days tick by, the anticipation grows.

Our journey starts on Thursday the 8th with a flight from SFO to LHR with United and an onward connection with SAS. Having passed through Heathrow ~75 times in the past decade, I’m quite comfortable with the logistics and services. Though hotels abound in Copenhagen city proper we choose the Clarion at CPH airport for no reason beyond the expected jet lag upon arrival. Yes, the city is just 30 minutes further, but with 24 hours door to door from our home, the shortest path to a bed is desirable. Perhaps the most provocative advance decision we made was booking a full cruise slot in the retreat. We enjoy knowing we have a place that’s ours as we desire. I admit we took comments indicating deck loungers could be a challenge on Ovation with her extra deck of passengers seriously and didn’t want to quarrel over chairs (a Princess reference is perhaps helpful, we are devotees of their reserved Sanctuary always making it a priority to book, The Retreat looks to us like an extra special Sanctuary, and we were sold). We likewise noted negative views of the retreat concept. Still we came down in favor of making the booking and will share our impressions good or bad. So, here starts our story. Happy for any last minute suggestions from SB veterans and for any questions from other newbies like us. Jon

Finally, DW doesn’t drink any alcohol for medical reasons, I imbibe a bit, a cocktail by the pool and before dinner, a glass or two of wine, we won’t stress SB in this regard. DW does enjoy a few root beers here and there, we made an advance request which was confirmed in writing, a most impressive feat, which carries the expectation the fridge will be suitably stocked. Wi-Fi permitting expect a few words from me day by day. I won’t post any food porn, that’s just not my thing, but I will highlight meals or choices that especially impress or disappoint. Likewise onboard service.

It’s our intention to share our newbie experience as faithfully as we can, we don’t intend to debate with experienced Seabourn cruisers as to how things are supposed to be, or used to be, after all we have no ability to engage in such discussions. We will, where it’s appropriate, compare and contrast with our most recent experiences (mainly O) though the products do not carry either similar expectations or prices. A few other things to know, we arranged our own air, as we typically do. In these times of challenging travel we prefer keep control, also I have a lifetime of frequent flyer miles that we are steadily working through. We plan to arrive two days before the cruise departs to enjoy a bit of Copenhagen and start the jet lag adjustment clock. We’ve taken to arriving at the pier mid afternoon to avoid crowds and chaos though several folks on this board have suggested we should expect better from SB, always willing to benefit from the experience of others, we plan to arrive in time for lunch.

We, mid 60’s, recently retired, well traveled with about 35 previous cruises. We’ve sailed dozens of times on Princess graduating from carefully selected obstructed view cabins in early years to suites more recently - we’ve loved most but are less enamored as ship size has increased. We had the misfortune to be on Grand Princess at the very start of COVID landing us in isolation onboard for 8 days followed by 14 days at Travis AFB, though we’ve sailed with Princess since we may never be able to shake to experience fully. Enough about that. Since the restarts we’ve sailed Oceania thrice with very satisfactory results. A big upgrade compared to Princess. We likewise booked SB looking for an upgrade in the onboard experience. We recognize marketing hype, and have moderated our expectations to the post COVID compromises we’ve all come to expect, still, the hype and price paid do set high expectations. We are not difficult to please but also don’t expect too many reasonable requests to go wanting.

Well, the time finally approaches, we board Ovation a week from now for a two week sailing in Norway. We’ve never been here before, but have long yearned to take in the beauty. We booked this sailing just under two years ago in deep Covid, back then we wondered if it would really happen, the time passed ever so slowly. We’ve watched many videos regarding Seabourn, Ovation (and Encore), the food and cabins. Let’s say, we’re prepared!