whystayhome

My favorite Seabourn cruise is the next one!  Seriously though, Antarctica. Would love to do it again. Would recommend starting in Chile because once you have seen Antarctica, the fjords/glaciers don’t seem that impressive.

Linda 

No pool. Just a water feature

We are also on the November 28 sailing. Like everyone else who booked, we were willing to pay the premium for the Cuba experience. Will wait until it’s close to the 4 months before date to see what’s up at that point. Do not want to pay so much for a plain Jane Caribbean cruise. 

Linda

20 hours ago, galeforce9 said:

Hi Linda.  Hope you had a decent journey home.

 

We did this a couple of years ago on Sojourn.  I believe but can’t fully remember that the deposits had to be in their name (brother and father).  It was made easier in that we bought the deposits on a Sojourn cruise then applied them immediately at the future cruise desk to a booking on Sojourn six weeks later.  We transferred the booking to our ta when we got home. 

Hi Eleanor

Overall, it was a wonderful trip, wasn’t it?  I still can’t believe the intensity of the rain in Provence.  

When I did Antarctica in Jan 2017 with my SIL, she was able to buy a future cruise deposit in her husband’s name, even though he was not with us.  When I bought the FCD in May 2018, I was told one could no longer purchase them in other people’s names, but was assured that there would be no problem applying it to my children’s fare so long as they sailed with us. We’ll see what Seabourn mission control says.

On to new drama.  We were planning to have the whole family in the San Francisco Bay Area for Thanksgiving, but my daughter (the one who was sailing with us for the first portion of the cruise) told us the press is not exaggerating; the air is so bad we should not come.  Very disappointed and sad for the people in Northern California.

Our best to your family

Linda

Thanks for the information.  Just got off the Odyssey and was talking to a crew member about how I had never seen anyone obnoxiously drunk on the ship. She commented that we must go to bed early (we do).

Linda

Here are excerpts [identifying information deleted] of a letter I sent to Richard Meadows and copied to Seabourn Club about inaccurate information I was given on board about future cruise deposits:

"Dear Mr. Meadows,

What happened to the complimentary Sancerre and the Cotes du Rhone? These are the wines I usually request.

Linda

We always book a veranda guarantee and have never wound up in a V1 or V2. This past May, we got bumped up to the owner’s suite on deck 6 forward. Yes, the anchor is loud when it goes down and the noise seems to go on forever. Had we paid full fare for the suite we would have been annoyed, but considering that the list price for the owner’s suite was nearly 3x what we paid for our guarantee, we sucked it up. We are wondering what we will get for our upcoming cruise in October, but are not counting on lightening’s striking twice.

Linda

Here is a different question: we are traveling with another couple. Does anyone ever do a hosted table with another couple they know? The ones we have been to - when traveling as a twosome - were great, but usually tables for 7 or eight.

 

 

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We have done cruises with another couple and to the best of my recollection,they almost always included the four of us in the invitation and never seated any of us next to each other.

We were disappointed in the food on Oceania, perhaps because it had been so hyped. On our one sailing on the Riviera, the specialty restaurants were a real disappointment and a lot of people were complaining about the quality. We preferred the MDR offerings, although they were not all that exciting. But that was just one experience, and our friends who have sailed Oceania have consistently raved about the food.

We like the food on Crystal very much in the MDR and the specialty restaurants. The pool grill is fair.

We have noticed a slight decline in the food choices on Seabourn over the years, but overall, we have been very satisfied. Generally, be love the TK grill, but on one sailing, everything in that venue seemed to have too much butter in it. Colonnade service at breakfast and lunch across ships has consistently needed improvement in the past few years.

And, of course, every ship can have an off day/cruise.

Linda

We outgrew Royal Caribbean and have friends who swear by Celebrity but when we got them aboard Seabourn for lunch they were blown away by the difference. On Seabourn everyone gets the red carpet rolled out rather than a select few.

 

The passengers are also quite different, it's all about conversations rather than getting drunk together. There are celebrations and dancing, more so on our last cruise with Cruise Director Ross Roberts who was great fun, but at no point does the tannoy announce the next "must attend" event.

 

This was our Seabourn Sojourn Caribbean holiday over Christmas and the new year.

 

vWEwoHP5Pkc

 

Also on Seabourn you don't need to chase suites, the standard cabin is around 300 sq ft compared to 180 sq ft on a standard Celebrity balcony cabin and features separate bath / shower, his & hers / his & his / hers & hers sinks, walk in wardrobe and dining area.

 

All your drinks etc are inclusive other than a selection of very high end beverages (think Louis XIII cognac) and a selection of premium wines to go with the dozen or so included wines.

 

Henry :)

Good summary. We have quite a few days on Seabourn (best cruise so far, Antarctica), so agree completely. We will be on again in October for 18 days and are taking along one of our daughters and her husband: they may be too young for Seabourn - we shall see.

I booked the Calebrity cruise impulsively, about 2 weeks before sailing , as an offer came through for a balcony cabin that I couldn’t refuse. It amounted to about as much for a week on the Equinox as a day can cost on Seabourn. We had never tried Celebrity before. As I noted above, it was OK. A friend who goes on Celebrity said that Caribbean cruises are a “different animal,” so I was wondering if a short cruise on the Caribbean on Seabourn has the same atmosphere as the usual European/Middle East/South America adventures. Thanks for the information.

Linda

Which ship?

I was on a Seabourn Odyssey Caribbean cruise last January and it was civilized fun. I don't know what you are looking for, but I saw everybody enjoying it. Not Carnival type of fun, mind you.

Looking for “civilized”.... We seemed like misfits on Celebrity as we don’t need or like loud “fun;” we like peace and thoughtful conversation. We weren’t interested in drinking all day, gambling, ear splitting music, and/or having inane, shouted (have to shout over the music) conversations in the very crowded pool. It seemed like all of the activities were geared around alcohol. (We are not teetotalers by any means).

We were thinking may be the Caribbean brings out the adolescent in cruisers. Thinking we’re just getting old and cranky and wondered whether we would find the typical Seabourn atmosphere on a Caribbean itinerary. Thanks for the reassurance.

Linda

Just back from 7-night Caribbean on Celebrity. It was OK. Wondering what quickie Caribbean’s on Seabourn are like. Is it the usual passenger mix/vibe, or is it noisier, younger, more of a party crowd, etc.? Thanks.

Linda

We are Dr. Linda and Mr. Philip SAMELASTNAME. We use my email address for Seabourn. I get separate offers and surveys in both our names sent to my email account. Invitations on board are addressed to both of us, using separate titles. The phone reps and crew [cruise director, Seabourn Square, dining room, cabin attendant] always call me Dr., not Mrs., once they have my face/name figured out, although I introduce myself as Linda SAMELASTNAME. They also seem to catch on to my name faster than my husband's.

I think the crew are wonderful and have never experienced patronizing or chauvinism, just wonderful service and what seems like genuine concern and caring.

Linda

Nice is beautiful, but we have been there a number of times so we stayed in St. Paul de Vence last month - it was really lovely. We took an UBER to the Odyssey. It worked out just fine.

In the past, we picked up a car from Avis and drove from Monaco to Nice. It was really difficult getting out of Monaco, even with navigation. However, the advantage of having a car is you can easily visit Eze, which is breathtaking, on your way to the ship. The restaurant at the top of the village has wonderful views.

Enjoy yourselves.

Linda

Just back from 12 days on the Odyssey. In Zadar, there were fellows waiting on the dock offering a trip to Krka Park, including the boat ride on the lake plus a tour of Zadar for 25€ a piece. The guys with the tour signs and a desk further along the pier wanted 55€ each and I’m not sure if that included the boat ride but they gave you some sort of lunch. The 4 of us walked around the town and enjoyed ourselves, but I wish we had gone to Krka Park (I was outvoted).

When you walk to the end of the town to the old gate, there is a lovely park with plenty of places to sit in the shade and have a drink.

BTW, it was really hot in the Med in early June.

Linda

I got a second upgrade this week. Now we’re in an owner’s suite. Can’t figure out why we were given this gift, but not complaining. Maybe when we get to the dock Miponday, there’ll be a third surprise...

Linda

Hi

 

Anyone had any upsell offers to Penthouse or above in last few months?

If yes, could you give me an indication of length of cruise and prices.

Thank you.

We were offered upsells to penthouse, owner’s suite and wintergarden suite twice on this Monday’s 12-day Odyssey cruise (Monaco-Venice). The price was lower the second time around, still nearly $2000 each for the penthouse and a hefty amount for the top suites (still quite a bit cheaper than booking them outright). Recently, there was an offer for $800 each for an upgrade to a V5/6 and we were tempted. However, we ignored the offer and were placed in a V6 anyway.

Linda

Another vote for Antarctica. Best cruise ever. If you ask the crew, they will all agree that it is the best itinerary.

I would like to go again, but this time I would want to start in Chile and work my way east. After you see Antarctica, the rest of the trip is a bit anticlimactic, so I would see the Chilean fjords first and let the excitement build as you start meeting the incredible icebergs and getting to know the penguins. The light is incredible - it’s impossible to take a bad picture. Linda

Hello. We have booked this cruise as well. I loved the new ports the ship will visit. We have never been disappointed with a Seabourn excursion, but often we join up with others we meet on cruise critic for private tours.

Looking forward to meeting you on board.

Linda and Phil

We have taken 2 "free" Runnerbean tours in Barcelona - the Gaudi tour and the Gothic quarter walk. Both are fabulous and give you a terrific overview. The Gaudi tour was particularly spectacular; among other things, we learned how to use the metro. Have fun.

For the mosque in Muscat, women’s ankles and wrists must be covered and translucent tops are not allowed, so forget gauzy linen tops. Even though it was 115 degrees when we were there, all the women had to be completely covered. Surprised no one fainted! Linda

It was less strenuous than I thought it would be. Easier than navigating cobblestones.

Usually we book a veranda guarantee and have never been disappointed. On our Antarctica cruise this past January we booked deck 4 midship for the location. This cost more than a veranda guarantee. When we got on, we had been “upgraded” to deck 5 in the prow. Very unhappy. Several hours of assertive whining later, pointing out we had paid more for our selected cabin than the one they put us in, we wound up deck 8 mid ship.