whystayhome

Agree you should do both…but #1 seems like a more interesting itinerary. Istanbul is spectacular and Ephesus is a must see.  Delis (Mykonos) is very interesting.  Although, Syracuse and Valletta are pretty nifty, I would still go with the first one.

it’s a win/win no matte4 which one you pick

linda

Once you hit 140 nights after the May 23 cruise, call Seabourn and ask to have your free week bonus  credited to the October cruise.  They'll tell you how to get this accomplished - I'm not sure but I think I had to send someone an email.

Seabourn will credit you for 7 days on the October voyage by calculating the cost on the October voyage for the average of the cabins you paid up front to sail in - no upgrade or upsell credit goes into the calculation  So, if you typically paid for V3 cabins, they will credit you for the cost of a week in a V3 cabin on that cruise. 

We have another free week coming, but we are probably not going to use it on our next cruise because we got a ridiculously low weekly price for 5 weeks on board so will save our free week for another 2-week cruise we booked where the weekly rate is much higher.

Hope this helps.

Linda

I still have one of the old $400 [four hundred dollar] referral coupons.

If you are sailing on or before August 1 2023, just send me the following information and you will enjoy $400 extra OBC.

Name

Booking Number

Sailing Date

Address

EMAIL Address

My email address:  LSMEADEPHD [at] AOL [dot] com

Thanks for playing.  And if you have any questions about Seabourn, I'll be happy to try to answer them.

Linda

Years ago I had booked a veranda guarantee and was upgraded - for free - to an owner's suite.  Have never gotten a complimentary upgrade since.

LINDA

Just off 3 weeks on Ovation (and still jet lagged). July 9-16 somewhere around 170 guests. July 16-30, about 500. The first week the service was so good it was almost annoying 🙂

Linda

In Santorini you can pick up a boat at the tender dock for about 15-20 euro that takes you to Oia, where you are met by a bus that takes you along the winding road that goes up to the village.  The boats run fairly often. You can walk around Oia for 1-3 hours and pick up a dedicated bus back to Fira for the trip down to the tender dock via the cable car.  Or, you can take the path down that the donkeys use, if you don't mind walking through what is essentially a donkey potty.

Linda

Hi.  I am doing that one, too, and am expecting great things.  We did a lot of zodiac tours in Antarctica and they were spectacular.  See you on board.

Linda

Hello Flyer Talker et.al.

I took the Seabourn flights because 1) we wanted to fly in the day of the cruise, 2) I couldn’t get a nonstop in business with FF miles, 3) Seabourn’s price was the same as what I could get on SAS and as an added and important “convenience,” they were including the transfers, so for that reason I booked through them, 4) I assumed they would accommodate us between landing and boarding, 5) If there were a problem with the flights I figured it would be Seabourn’s headache, not ours.
 

This was important because we were on the March 2020 Australia cruise to nowhere and had to scramble like maniacs to get a flight back to the US when we were put off the ship a week early in Adelaide instead of Sydney because of the pandemic. People who had flights through Seabourn were automatically re-booked and didn’t have to think.

I called Seabourn again to whine about my 5 hours at the Copenhagen airport. The phone rep at first insisted we would be given a day room at a hotel, but I convinced her to check and when she got back to me she seemed shocked that wouldn’t be happening. The new info was that we would be met at baggage claim when we get in and then given a voucher for a meal and further instructions about our transfer to the ship.    Maybe we would be left at the airport for 5+ hours (new boarding time, 2:20); maybe we would be taken to a hotel lounge. Basically, Seabourn didn’t  seem to know what is going to be happening at the airport. It will apparently be left up to the transfer company AKA passenger wranglers to inform us about the drill Saturday morning/early afternoon.

We are currently out of the country. When we get back later this week, I will call Seabourn again, see what fairytale they offer this time, and look into changing our flight to arrive in Copenhagen the day before embarkation.

Linda

One of the best things I ever bought was a European plug/voltage outlet strip that has 6 multi-country outlets and also has 5 USB ports.  I got it on Amazon and it was not that expensive.  It has been invaluable, particularly on long land trips, as it accommodates 2 ipads, 2 iphones, 2 kindles, 2 apple watches, our toothbrush charger, and the battery chargers for my 2 cameras - essentially my entire personal item. For cruise-only vacations, I bring a multi USB port charger and a simpler outlet strip for the camera batteries and anything else that has a plug.

Linda

On 6/7/2022 at 1:52 AM, marazul said:

I am on the Ovation. Last night was formal night.  Maybe 20% of men wore tuxes in the Restaurant. Just about all wore a jacket.

 

There are only 355 pax on board this week.  

 Off topic, but who is the Cruise Director?

Linda

Typically the excursions are not of the large group variety with full buses. We have had Seabourn excursions that were just us and two other couples.

Linda

23 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

In that almost all flights from North America arrive in most European cities in the early morning hours, typically between 7 am and 9 am — and in this case at 7:15 am in Copenhagen — are you saying that despite included transfers, most people find themselves on their own upon arrival? And have to wait around the airport for hours until meeting a representative for the transfer? 

That is what I was told when I called.  The phone rep was apologetic, tried to be helpful, consulted a supervisor, and that was the story.  We’re on our own until the transport company’s representative will be at baggage claim “around noon.”  What I am really peeved about is that we were not told that we would be playing “Where’s Waldo?” on embarkation day, and had I not been wondering what they would do with us until our boarding time of 2:00, we would never have known prior to arriving in Copenhagen. I booked the flights through Seabourn specifically because  of the convenience of the included transfers.  Had I known what the story wound be in advance, I would have booked the flights independently and flown into Copenhagen the night day before.

Note: We typically don’t arrive on embarkation day, but we have spent enough time in Copenhagen in the past.

Linda

What I found out a few minutes ago is that even though we are getting into Copenhagen at 7:15AM, there won't be a Seabourn rep even at the airport until "around noon." Silly me assumed they would meet us with open arms once we got through immigration, given that we booked our flights through them.  Nope, we are on our own until they show up.  Apparently Seabourn had no plans to inform us or anyone else that there would be no one there to greet/pick us up/ direct us until 5 hours after our flight got in.  I could picture us, tired, wandering around the airport, dragging our suitcases, getting into an argument, etc. Not a great start.

 

Linda

 

Just off the Apex, which I believe is similar to the Edge. We booked at the last minute, so we were limited with respect to cabin availability.  The  ship is fairly new, has an interesting decor, and was absolutely immaculate.  
 

It took a few days to get over culture shock:  we are not used to loud, frenetic fun.  But, if you work on it, you can find a quiet place to have a drink or read.

The entry level cabins are much smaller than Seabourn’s standard cabins. We were in a “balcony,” which was really just a room with a floor to ceiling window that opened.  Our cabin did not have a bathtub and there were no toiletries, but the shower was probably twice the size of the typical Seabourn shower.

There was quite a range in our fellow passengers, from people who seemed to be similar to a typical Seabourn crowd to many who were…not.  
 

The food was hit or miss, but the servers in the dining room and bar were attentive.  The wines on the premium list were generally inferior to the included wines on Seabourn.  We met a couple who had access to the “Blu” restaurant but were eating in the main dining rooms because they said the food was better in those venues. We did a champagne dinner in the steak house, and it was pretty good, although the filet could have been a little more tender.

The entertainment was disappointing.  The comedian and magician were awful.  We wondered what happened to the vaunted production shows, but eventually learned through the grapevine that those performers were in COVID quarantine.  There didn’t seem to be very much to do during the day unless you wanted to pay extra for some activities or sit in the casino.  We felt that the company goal was to nickel-and-dime people to death.
 

The pool area was very crowded and it was hard to get a lounge chair if you got there after 9AM.  The pool was also very small given the passenger load, and at times it got excessively crowded.

In summary, our first choice will always be Seabourn, but we really didn’t suffer on the Apex.  If there were a good buy on a convenient sailing at a convenient time, we might consider sailing with Celebrity again.  For now, I’m hoping that our third attempt at July’s 3-week Norway/Baltic cruise, with its greatly amended itinerary (including a change today!) will go forward.

linda

We love the ice cream sundae, glazed carrots, sautéd spinach, creamed spinach, AND the caesar salad.  We also like the sole and the lobster, but are not crazy about the roast chicken. The steaks have always been good. A lot depends on who is in the kitchen.  One cruise everything was drowning in butter to the point that it was not enhancing the dishes at all.

So far as getting a reservation is concerned, we prebook our allotted weekly meals on line and if we feel like it, we stop by the host stand when they first open and ask if we can be accommodated that night. Often, we are able to get in either that night or the next.

We prefer the more intimate atmosphere on the Odyssey class ships to the larger grill on the big girls, but it always makes for a very pleasant evening.

Save room for the sundae!

Linda

What I do is when I get on board, I ask to transfer the pre-booked shore excursions to my onboard account and ask that they refund my credit card.  What they do instead is credit my onboard account for the amount I charged to my card in advance of the cruise, transfer that amount of my OBC to "refundable," and keep the charges on my credit card.  It's easier for them. Then, at the end of the cruise, I request the left over, refundable OBC to be returned to me in cash before we disembark. I have done this many times.  An added benefit - I get to keep the 3x points for the travel expense for the amount I charged to my credit card and go home with a pocket full of moola.

Linda

Southern Comfort has always been available on the ship.  On one cruise, the bar staff told me I was the ONLY one asking for it. You can also ask for a bottle of it in your room once you are aboard.

Linda

We are starting with the Baltic and then doing the 2-week Norway itinerary.  Final cancellation is coming up.  I called Seabourn and asked if they were extending final cancellation.  No information.  I asked what the cost would be if we dropped the Baltic and just did the Norway portion of the cruise.  Are you ready for this?  We would be wait-listed for Norway, even though there's a cabin with our name on it for that portion of the cruise.  I couldn't believe it!

Linda

Back to what not to miss...

SEABOURN SQUARE: The grandmother's cake is a total winner.  Also, the little sandwiches they have there at lunch time are quite good if you want something light. The hot chocolate can be made out of hot frothy milk and a big chocolate lolly pop - make sure to specify that you want that version.

TK GRILL:  My recommendations - Caesar salad made table side, filet of sole, wilted spinach, carrots, and the ice cream sundae.  The lobster Newburgh is also usually quite good.  I'm not a fan of the whole roasted chicken, but some people really like it. Filets are always great, and appear to be better quality than what is served in MDR. The cookies they hand out after dinner are the best on the ship and make a great breakfast the next morning.

COLONNADE: The special TK nights are usually winners - particularly when they have the steak. I prefer the lunchtime buffet there to the buffet offerings on Crystal, particularly if you can snag an outdoor table.

POOL GRILL:  French fries! Pizza is not bad either.

MDR:  Lamb and scallops are our favorites, but the portions tend to be skimpy.  We always ask for a double portion when we order those.

Iramack - we will also be on the 7/16 Fjords adventure, getting on the week before in Stockholm, if the world is still in one piece. We are traveling with another couple and may be looking for 2 more people to share private tours.  Please let me know if you are interested - LSMEADEPHD [at] AOL [dot] com

Linda

I posted a review called "Notes from a Seabourn Refugee" on the Crystal board August 18, 2021 and did not get flamed!  For some bizarro reason, I can't copy and paste the whole thing here it here, but it shouldn't be that hard to find. This is the beginning of the review. Hope it helps you.

 There is a  lot more information in the original post...

Linda

HI

I have a number of $400 referral coupons left and Seabourn Club says they will still honor them.

Just had another cruise cancelled, but  have one booked for July 2022.

So...if you are interested in four hundred dollars of on-board credit, and are planning to sail before July 2022, please email me and we can make this happen.

Thank you and welcome to Seabourn

Linda

Lsmeadephd  [at]  aol [dot] com

For special occasions, we arrange our favorite menu and wines the day before and have dinner served course-by-course on our balcony.  Very romantic - not that there's a whole lot of that left after 46 years :-].

Linda

We were on for 18 days R/T Athens in October and yes, we were cancelled as well.  The question is which of the 4 options to take.  The comparable cruises in 2021 and 2022 do not fit the dates we are available.  The refund would be OK, or should we let Seabourn hang onto out ~$5000 deposit for a year in exchange for getting another $500 FCC?  What is everyone thinking of doing?

Linda

Fugue for tin horns

Linda

Although we always make reservations in advance on line, we have always had good luck stopping by the TK grill and asking if there were any openings. On one cruise, we got in so many times that by the third week we got tired of the sole, sundae, filets, sides, etc. and stuck to the main restaurant and colonnade for a few days.

Linda