Modern A/V on Encore?

Can anyone who's travelled on Encore tell us if the in-room entertainment / audio visual equipment has moved a little closer to up-to-date yet? Does the TV have some external inputs available, like HDMI, are there USB charging ports in the room?

We were surprised when Silversea's Silver Spirit arrived on the scene nearly 10 years ago it had a full complement of A/V ports built into the space over the desk, allowing you to plug in a laptop via HDMI and watch whatever you liked via the TV, plus play music, charge USB devices.

Retrofitting something like that into the already-built ships was never going to be a cost-effective option, however we had hoped a new build Seabourn ship would have some of it.

What's in the suites on Encore?

Hi Rols - I can confirm that there are no HDMI inputs on the TVs we had on Encore last week - the only way to get an external source picture to the screen is to use mirror cast from your phone if that option is fitted. Surprisingly - no USB charging points anywhere in the cabin and painfully slow either.

Guess it's back to looking at the views instead.

Hi Rols - I can confirm that there are no HDMI inputs on the TVs we had on Encore last week - the only way to get an external source picture to the screen is to use mirror cast from your phone if that option is fitted. Surprisingly - no USB charging points anywhere in the cabin and painfully slow either.

Guess it's back to looking at the views instead.

Thanks for that. We usually bring a couple of series of something we've not caught up on and watch a little before bedtime, or if it gets really hot in the afternoon (translation: drank too much NF at lunchtime), hide in the cool and watch something funny. It's handy to be able to toss that onto the TV instead of watching on a laptop but .. we shall plan accordingly.

Seabourn must have had to go out of their way to find TVs without external inputs on them these days!

The TVs are designed to be used as part of the infotainment offering in much the same way a computer monitor supports the computer. Give the large number of free to view films available on demand I'm not entirely sure why you'd feel the need to tap into the TV with an outside source?

The USB charging points are a different matter and were much appreciated on Sojourn following the recent re-fit. I suspect they will be fitted to Encore retrospectively at some point.

Henry :)

The TVs are designed to be used as part of the infotainment offering in much the same way a computer monitor supports the computer. Give the large number of free to view films available on demand I'm not entirely sure why you'd feel the need to tap into the TV with an outside source?

 

The USB charging points are a different matter and were much appreciated on Sojourn following the recent re-fit. I suspect they will be fitted to Encore retrospectively at some point.

 

Henry :)

egads - they retrofitted USB points to Sojourn and didn't put them on the new build. I do wonder sometimes about the decision making processes. Never mind, they have put in the laundry room and indeed USB will probably follow one day and we're still looking forward to the ship.

We're always pretty caught up on films, movie watching is a national pastime here in Singapore; however we're always 2 seasons behind on a load of TV and 30-45 minute shows are quite easily digested before an afternoon nap so we tend to do a huge Amazon Prime/Apple TV/whatever dump before leaving and catch up on board. Nothing quite like a TV show with your caviar, better still if you can throw it onto the TV and not watch on a laptop. But these are 1st world problems and I suspect we'll survive quite nicely. Only 190 days to go .. if I save a dollar a day we'll nearly have enough for a day in the retreat (no I'm just messin' with you).

Henry, where are the USB charging points? Have they added a few to the cabins?

They have added USB charging points to Sojourn during the Secember '17 refit.

There are point either side of the bed by the small bedside drawers and also above the mini bar refrigerator (from memory).

In hindsight it is a curious ommision on Encore and not something which would have cost fortunes in the general scheme of things but these things happen. I guess their focus was on general finish and decor which is superb. The designer possibly didn't take input from someone with a technical bent.

I also wonder if Seabourn sometimes mis-read their clientele relying too heavily on feedback from a select group of very senior cruisers who might have both feet in the past.

The reality is that whilst a small handful of guests fit that mould far more are new to Seabourn or returning cruisers much further down the loyalty programme and dare I say it younger in age who embrace their technology. Phones, cameras, iPads, headphones, Kindles, the list goes on all rely on USB as an industry standard worldwide compatible means of re-charging.

Clearly it wouldn't prevent me taking a cruise but it was a much appreciated little extra on Sojourn and possibly something worth rolling out pre-refit on other ships.

Henry :)