Thomas Keller on Odyssey

 

Ps- I will write a review of Whisper vs Seabourn’s OSQ ships soon.

Look forward to reading your review Markham. Enjoy your cruise.

Look forward to reading your review Markham. Enjoy your cruise.

We saw your ship in Quebec. We also missed the Madelyn Islands as well as Bar Harbor and Salem and the Boston alternative. We are wondering if we’ll ever get to Charleston. We still haven’t left St. John, because the port is currently closed. You’ll probably pass us by on your way to NY, even though you are starting out further north...

To sort of get back on topic: Strip/shell/loin steak very good in the dining room last night. Looking forward to TK fried chicken night in the Colonnade tomorrow. What do people think of the clam bake?

Linda

Re multiple reservations at TK..... we were offered reservations for almost every night except the last 3. Apparently passengers wait until the end to figure out they'd like to go. You can always check with the breakfast & lunch host on duty at Colonnade the day you wake up & think you'd like to give it a try. We all have an opinion on the quality/quantity of the food or if there are or aren't anchovies in the salad. The only opinion that matters is yours so give it a shot - not much to lose. Just remind the wine steward that you are happy with the included wines & you won't get the sales pitch. Now that we are back in the real world, I just wish those were our only major problems!

Nowornever, You make such a good point. If only the details of a vacation days on a cruise ship were our only problems! How great would that be! Shortly after getting back home after our last cruise, we found ourselves wishing we were back on the ship! Yes, an evening at the TK Grill would be great!

Perhaps we hesitated too long. It look like the grill was available every night of our cruise. Today, when I try to book, the only seating time available any night was 615. We generally prefer to eat later.

Right now, we have reservations for the second night of the cruise precisely so we can check out whether we’d want to return. Do you think it’s likely that later reservations might open up? (Our’s is the 12 night Caribbean cruise leaving 11/12).

Thanks

Should anyone be interested (and I know it’s off topic), I just posted a review of Silversea’s Whisper on their board. It contrasts what I experienced with what I know of the Odyssey class (OSQ) ships.

Happy and healthy sailing!

Should anyone be interested (and I know it’s off topic), I just posted a review of Silversea’s Whisper on their board. It contrasts what I experienced with what I know of the Odyssey class (OSQ) ships.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

It's an excellent and balanced review. Kudos to Markham. We have about 500 days with Seabourn, love the Odyssey class ships, Seabourn Square, and the past passenger benefit program, but we find the food on SS to be better, love Pommery and Heidseck champagne, really like that the MDR is open for lunch on port days, and the lunch/dinner menus are better quality and have much more variety than Seabourn. We love the interactive TV system on Seabourn. SS's past passenger program is pretty good (free laundry after 100 days). All in all, both lines are very good, but we don't like the direction than Seabourn is taking and therefore SS is now our go to luxury cruise line (don't like Crystal - most cabins are way too small and ships are too large and we don't like Regent as their per diem costs are way too high due to "free" shore excursions as we much prefer exploring ports on our own).

At the end of the day, it's what you like that's important and we all have different likes and dislikes. Being on a cruise ship is far better than a day at work or for that matter being at at home.

Happy sailing to all!

DCCruiser, Aside from more choice, how do you find the food on SS better than SB? We sailed on Silversea Shadow, but it has been some years. Back when we sailed, they had a wonderful spa option on the menu in the MDR--and I ordered it every night. I hear that there is no longer a spa option on the menu. I found the food on Seabourn's Encore to be good. I did note that the choices were not all that plentiful, but I was not disappointed. (After all, I was not cooking and everything tasted very good.)

My concern about going back to SS is that, from the reports I've read, it seems a bit staid. I'm not overly concerned about the dress code as it is easy to conform to that--but would I miss some of the other aspects on SB. Of course the Encore is the only SB ship I've sailed, but I did love the Observation Bar and the wonderful Thomas Keller Grill Bar. The entertainment was also plentiful and we enjoyed it when we attended. The Rock the Boat Party was great. I might miss these things.

In summary, the descriptions of Silversea make it sound very quiet and still. Not that Seabourn is rollicking, but it did seem to have some life.

DCCruiser, Aside from more choice, how do you find the food on SS better than SB? We sailed on Silversea Shadow, but it has been some years. Back when we sailed, they had a wonderful spa option on the menu in the MDR--and I ordered it every night. I hear that there is no longer a spa option on the menu. I found the food on Seabourn's Encore to be good. I did note that the choices were not all that plentiful, but I was not disappointed. (After all, I was not cooking and everything tasted very good.)

 

My concern about going back to SS is that, from the reports I've read, it seems a bit staid. I'm not overly concerned about the dress code as it is easy to conform to that--but would I miss some of the other aspects on SB. Of course the Encore is the only SB ship I've sailed, but I did love the Observation Bar and the wonderful Thomas Keller Grill Bar. The entertainment was also plentiful and we enjoyed it when we attended. The Rock the Boat Party was great. I might miss these things.

 

In summary, the descriptions of Silversea make it sound very quiet and still. Not that Seabourn is rollicking, but it did seem to have some life.

We love the SS dress code and hate Seabourn's dress code. The fact that Seabourn closes the MDR for lunch during port days is very disappointing. We like to get off the ship 9 AM and walk around to explore the port and then come back to have a nice lunch in the MDR - can't do this on Seabourn. Also, during sea days, the MDR on SS has a great menu with lots of variety whereas Seabourn has reduced the number of items to the point it's like OK if you want us to have the MDR open for lunch on sea days, we are limiting it so you will not longer go and we can close it down. Also, SS will make fresh pasta in La Terrazza for lunch (and dinner). We also find that SS has many more items on the dinner menu than Seabourn does. Lastly, although we have not been on the Encore, we did not like the TK selections on the MDR menu (often the items we no longer available as we dine late) and we have no desire to dine "familty" style in the Colonnade on TK nights.

That said both lines are very good, bur Seabourn Square, the Observation Lounge, the interactive TV system, and the past passenger program are way better. However, SS offers free laundry after 100 days along with a 5% discount, and given that they are a privately owned company they have much more latitude than a publically traded company., A prime example is the complimentary wines - SS has a dedicated wine ambassador who buys quite of bit of local European wines from small vineyards vis-a-vis Seabourn's corporate (i.e., Carnival) IDIQ contracts.

Lastly, we find that SS does a better job and has more flexibility with buying local products, especially, fresh fish. Just our opinion. It's all good and both lines are better than being home doing your laundry, cleaning your house, fixing your meals, and making your own drinks.

Thank you DCCruiser. I totally agree with you on the MDR being the place we would like to have lunch at least PART of the time! I did enjoy lunch on the patio outside of The Colonnade on the Encore. It was extremely pleasant--and with a better menu, I would prefer that to the dining room.

We never went to the Colonnade on TK family nights--so I never saw what that was like. We were eating in the MDR. We either had our breakfast in the MDR or Room Service, so I never saw the buffet breakfast in the Colonnade either. We did enjoy one dinner on the pool deck patio. It was beef short ribs--and was quite good.

I WAS surprised on embarkation day to see how casually passengers were dressed for the Encore. And the same sort of dress did persist throughout the cruise. I do believe that people were dressed appropriately in the MDR for dinner. I did not notice others in the evening. I'll have to pay more attention next time.

I agree with you about the local wines being a better choice than contract wines.

Thank you for your explanations. We will probably take another SS cruise in the future so that we can make our own comparisons. However, I don't think it will be the Silver Muse as their dining situation seems a bit chaotic.

I would like your advice please

 

 

"what is New York Strip"?

 

Maureen and Jon

Hello MandJ. I cannot see if anybody actually answered your question, so I shall seek to do so. Different cuts of meat - especially beef - have varying names between UK, America and elsewhere. My understanding of the strip steak, which is cut from the short loin (behind the ribs and towards the rear of the cow), is what we in UK call sirloin and the French call faux-filet. But American chefs and menus use sirloin to describe what we more normally think of as rump steak.

Hope that helps. You'll love it - but take care if you have a normal European-sized appetite you may well find the Keller Grill portions (especially the steaks and chops) rather large! On Quest this year, after our first experience, we tended to order a shared main course in most cases and found this perfectly adequate for our appetites.

They were still serving lobster in the grill - but, unfortunately, not Thermidor - more a kind of risotto.

Further point - if you have not yet found out about a $400 on board credit as first time Seabourners, check the thread at the top of this section.

I am sure you will love Seabourn - after 200 days we still do.

Best wishes

Thank you so much for this clear response! Thank you, yes a kind person has organised the onboard credit for us, we are very lucky all round.

We are sailing on the 12th November and we are so looking forward to the cruise.

Maureen and Jon

I’m sitting on Carambola Beach, St. Kitt’s right now on Odyssey’s “Caviar in the Surf” day. I just ate a wonderful lunch (salads, grilled lobster, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, desserts, ice creams, etc.) and had a fabulous Thomas Keller Grill dinner last night. I had read less than stellar reviews about the lamb and steaks so we ordered the Dover sole that came with a delicious butter, lemon, caper, parsley sauce. For our appetizers we ordered a crab cake (I didn’t see or taste any filler in it) and clam chowder. Both were excellent. We both ordered the glazed carrots in a citrus butter sauce for an entree side dish and they were also very good although several carrots were too hard to easily stab with a fork. We tried four desserts and rank them in this order: dark choc. cake (you can really taste the “bitterness” of the dark chocolate after a second or two), coconut cake and lemon sorbet (very tart, as it should be) tied for second and the lemon meringue tart was average. It was our best meal so far on the ship by far. We want to go again for the exact same items. We were told to come by at 6 PM and we could probably be seated if we were out by 7:30. That wouldn’t be a problem at all for that delicious meal!! We didn’t have any of the cocktails but they sounded interesting on the menu and the bartender was making them very meticulously.

I’m sitting on Carambola Beach, St. Kitt’s right now on Odyssey’s “Caviar in the Surf” day. I just ate a wonderful lunch (salads, grilled lobster, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, desserts, ice creams, etc.) and had a fabulous Thomas Keller Grill dinner last night. I had read less than stellar reviews about the lamb and steaks so we ordered the Dover sole that came with a delicious butter, lemon, caper, parsley sauce. For our appetizers we ordered a crab cake (I didn’t see or taste any filler in it) and clam chowder. Both were excellent. We both ordered the glazed carrots in a citrus butter sauce for an entree side dish and they were also very good although several carrots were too hard to easily stab with a fork. We tried four desserts and rank them in this order: dark choc. cake (you can really taste the “bitterness” of the dark chocolate after a second or two), coconut cake and lemon sorbet (very tart, as it should be) tied for second and the lemon meringue tart was average. It was our best meal so far on the ship by far. We want to go again for the exact same items. We were told to come by at 6 PM and we could probably be seated if we were out by 7:30. That wouldn’t be a problem at all for that delicious meal!! We didn’t have any of the cocktails but they sounded interesting on the menu and the bartender was making them very meticulously.

Is Carambola Beach a beach day like Labadee is?

LadyVol1,

Your post about caviar in the surf day and the TK grill dinner have made me full of anticipation for our upcoming Quest, Sojourn and Odyssey cruises. There is no other line that I know of that delivers the warm hospitality and excitement that Seabourn does!

We are on Quest soon for the Christmas Antarctica cruise with our 12 friends. No doubt in my mind that Seabourn will tee up caviar and TK and everything else - so as to merit the “trip of a lifetime” boast. In fact, one couple in our gang was on the same cruise 2 years ago. Another couple we saw last week in NYC is going in Dec., 2018 with other friends who can now spare the time away from the holiday at home tradition.

Thanks for the lift today which your message gives me!

Happy and healthy cruising!

Is Carambola Beach a beach day like Labadee is?

The 12-day itinerary I’m on right now doesn’t include Labadee so I can’t help you.

We are on Quest soon for the Christmas Antarctica cruise with our 12 friends.

markham - My husband and I will be on the Quest, too, for Christmas and New Year’s. This 12-day Caribbean cruise was my first on Seabourn. My 89-year old mother wanted a cruise so I made it happen. The Christmas one will be my husband’s first Seabourn. I’ll be able to share what I learned from this cruise with him in Antarctica. This photo is way off topic, but here’s yesterday’s caviar in the surf!

Hello cruisers,

Don't wish to intrude, but are you the sailing that was the first ship into St. Thomas this week? How was the island?

Many thanks,

Yes, we were the FIRST ship in St. Thomas. My mom (89, wheelchair) and I just visited the port shops. Half were open. I talked to one passenger that did the Seabourn $29 “beach break” that was added as an excursion option the day before we arrived and he said the debris that he saw was awful. We talked to two shopkeepers at port. One was still without electricity at her home and the other got “some water” but said she was okay.

There were shuttles to downtown but I don’t know if they were free or not.

The post office a block from the ship was open so I mailed some postcards.

In St. Thomas my Sprint cell service was “1X” (unusable) and has been 3G at all the other ports with the exception of Guadeloupe and Martinique which were “No Service”, probably due to being “European”.

I’m sitting on Carambola Beach, St. Kitt’s right now on Odyssey’s “Caviar in the Surf” day. I just ate a wonderful lunch (salads, grilled lobster, burgers, hot dogs, chicken, fish, desserts, ice creams, etc.)

LadyVol1, can you tell me more about what is available on shore at the Seabourn stop on Carambola Beach in St Kitts? Loungers, umbrellas,etc? We’ve got that port on our December Sojourn itinerary and I️ don’t have a good feel for what to expect. Are there other people nearby or does Seabourn have the whole beach? Is it crowded; do we need to tender early to get a good spot? I’d love to hear more about that day. Thanks!

Seabourn has plenty of chaise loungers with umbrellas (2 chaises per umbrella). You don’t get a little table, though. Seabourn towels are available as soon as you get off the tender. I went on the tender after the “open tender” announcement since I didn’t want to stand in line for a tender ticket to get there earlier. The water sports that you have to sign a waiver for once on the beach and then wear a wristband for consisted of pedal boats and kayaks.

Lunch is under a huge tent on a plywood floor. Otherwise you’ll be in sand the whole time. The bathrooms are nice since they are part of Carambola Resort. Seabourn has a full bar, too, under a smaller tent.

When I was at Carambola in February while on a Celebrity cruise, there were other vacationers enjoying the beach but the Seabourn area is “private” and other vacationers won’t really bother you.

There is no reason to take any money with you on the Carambola Beach day unless you want to buy souvenirs from the resort. Enjoy!

Thank you! You’ve given me all the information I️ wanted. Looking forward to a great cruise.

Hello MandJ. I cannot see if anybody actually answered your question, so I shall seek to do so. Different cuts of meat - especially beef - have varying names between UK, America and elsewhere. My understanding of the strip steak, which is cut from the short loin (behind the ribs and towards the rear of the cow), is what we in UK call sirloin and the French call faux-filet. But American chefs and menus use sirloin to describe what we more normally think of as rump steak.

 

 

 

Hope that helps. You'll love it - but take care if you have a normal European-sized appetite you may well find the Keller Grill portions (especially the steaks and chops) rather large! On Quest this year, after our first experience, we tended to order a shared main course in most cases and found this perfectly adequate for our appetites.

 

 

 

They were still serving lobster in the grill - but, unfortunately, not Thermidor - more a kind of risotto.

 

 

 

Further point - if you have not yet found out about a $400 on board credit as first time Seabourners, check the thread at the top of this section.

 

 

 

I am sure you will love Seabourn - after 200 days we still do.

 

 

 

Best wishes

I defer to your knowledge of cow anatomy and butchering, but can add a further detail: 'New York' strip means boneless. 'Kansas City' strip is on the bone. This isn't universal, and apparently in KC you will find strip steaks both with and without the bone, and here in NY we generally call the boneless version a 'shell steak' -- but elsewhere I believe the geographical terms are applied in this way as a shorthand. Anytime you see food with a geographic adjective, you can guess that the locals do not call it that [e.g. 'English muffins']

In NY, when you go to the best steak houses(Sparks, Keens, Bobby Vans, The Palm) you order the sirloin. Otherwise known as the NY Strip. Boneless is best and slice it yourself. Peter Luger will slice it for you but they also serve “steak for five”. Get your own steak. Slice it yourself. Get it done the way you like not the way the other four people like it. If you need steak sauce or additional seasoning it’s not done properly.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Getting someone to slice your steak for you,that's what I call a luxury

Sent from my SM-G955F using Forums mobile app

Getting someone to slice your steak for you,that's what I call a luxury.

One of our favorite places to almost always eat at least once on trips to Paris and Mexico City is Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecote. No menus (until you get to dessert), which would make it a nightmare for some folks, as the only entree is steak frites. The steak is sliced for you and topped with a delicious green herb sauce.

My mouth is watering at the thought even though I was just there a week ago!

One of our favorite places to almost always eat at least once on trips to Paris and Mexico City is Le Relais de Venise L’Entrecote.

Jeni - there are also two in London: one in Soho, the other at Canary Wharf. My first experience was at the one in Barcelona - disappointed to see from their website it is now "permanently closed".