JMO - Don't book early on Seabourn

Ditto! You made the right decision to cancel The Retreat, irrespective of whether you got a cruise price reduction/OBC compensation. The Retreat is highly over-rated!

Lots of threads on The Retreat, Seabourn have been pushing it very hard on our upcoming cruise, I think there are very few takers. Current pricing is $249 for a sea day, $149 for a port day or (this was new to me) $1299 for a 14 day package. That may be the price for this particular cruise for 14 days taking into account that we have no sea days or it may be their general price for 14 days. There was no mention of Bollinger on any of the options. Nor did it say whether that was per suite or per person.

Given there's no sea view, no breeze and the cruise is in the med mid summer, I think it would be an uncomfortable place to spend any time at all.

I actually think that Seabourn is being very generous offering a day at the retreat and paying me $249 for a sea day and $149 for a port day. Can't possibly imagine they mean it the other way around!!!!!

Choose a cruise you like. Decide if you can afford or want to pay the fare. Either book or do not according to your decision. And as all my friends in New Jersey will advise......fugedaboutit!

I agree with you about choosing a cruise you like. Yes, we could afford and was willing to pay the fare so we booked the category that we'd be happy with.

The price dropped over $1,000 two months later for the same category. This was almost a year before departure. At this point though, Seabourn offered a $1,000 off and what Seabourn considers a cabin upgrade. At this point too, Seabourn was offering a 3 category upgrade so the upgrade that they gave us was really nothing.

So to go from a price of $8,999 almost a year ahead to $7,499 for the same category today and $5,549 for a cabin category that wasn't offered to begin with tells me not to book with Seabourn early.

I actually think that Seabourn is being very generous offering a day at the retreat and paying me $249 for a sea day and $149 for a port day. Can't possibly imagine they mean it the other way around!!!!!

Have you read the reviews for the Retreat?

Should we also look at this from the other side. If Seabourn have 300 cabins to sell on a cruise and after some time they have only sold 270 should they reduce the price of all 300 or is it reasonable to try to sell the remaining 30 at a discount to fill the ship.

 

If you are in the States you can always cancel before final payment and re-book at no cost , here in the UK we would loose our 10pc deposit but that is our decision .

 

Just playing devils advocate :D

Some cruise lines do have a "Best Price Guarantee" that you don't have to ask for.

Have you read the reviews for the Retreat?

I think you missed the joke Wripro was making there.

Seabourn flatly refused my travel agent when she tried to look into a credit for the fare difference.

 

Be warned!

 

I cancelled my day in the retreat in retaliation. Think I’m no worse off

From what I've read about the Retreat, you are probably no worse off.

Seabourn flatly refused my travel agent when she tried to look into a credit for the fare difference.

 

Be warned!

 

I cancelled my day in the retreat in retaliation. Think I’m no worse off

From the reviews of the Retreat, you are more than likely no worse off.

From the reviews of the Retreat, you are more than likely no worse off.

.. and I just received my 5th pre-cruise email encouraging me to pre-book a day there. I can only think Seabourn is having serious issues selling it at all once anyone's on board and is hoping to catch a few punters doing their 'pre cruise bookings'.

Have you read the reviews for the Retreat?

Your point please?

As soon as I take my tongue out of my cheek I'll be sure and reread them.

.. and I just received my 5th pre-cruise email encouraging me to pre-book a day there. I can only think Seabourn is having serious issues selling it at all once anyone's on board and is hoping to catch a few punters doing their 'pre cruise bookings'.

Correct!!!! Anyone with the slightest of interest in trying The Retreat should definately wait until they are on board. There will be plenty of availability and you won't miss out. Go and check it out and it speaks for itself.

Deflated from the lack of "WOW", go back to your private balcony, order a bottle of champagne off the paid list (or just order a few glasses from the included list) , ring room service for caviar or something special, and enjoy the serenity! You will save a fortune and have a much better time.

Correct!!!! Anyone with the slightest of interest in trying The Retreat should definately wait until they are on board. There will be plenty of availability and you won't miss out. Go and check it out and it speaks for itself.

 

Deflated from the lack of "WOW", go back to your private balcony, order a bottle of champagne off the paid list (or just order a few glasses from the included list) , ring room service for caviar or something special, and enjoy the serenity! You will save a fortune and have a much better time.

And a sea view!!!!

We are on Ovation right now, on embarkation day The Retreat held an Open House which included a glass of the Retreat champagne, very nice. And a sales pitch for half days in The Retreat. Seeing as it’s Norway and quite cool around the pool, this might be the time to give The Retreat a try. Heard others in Seabourn Square booking a day or half day, seems the pitch is working.

So far our first Seabourn cruise has been meeting and in some cases exceeding expectations. Love the Seabourn Ventures program!

We are on Ovation right now, on embarkation day The Retreat held an Open House which included a glass of the Retreat champagne, very nice. And a sales pitch for half days in The Retreat. Seeing as it’s Norway and quite cool around the pool, this might be the time to give The Retreat a try. Heard others in Seabourn Square booking a day or half day, seems the pitch is working.

So far our first Seabourn cruise has been meeting and in some cases exceeding expectations. Love the Seabourn Ventures program!

I, too, was in the Retreat for the no-pressure sales pitch on the same embarkation day and was pleasantly surprised. It was not claustrophobic at all; in fact, it felt light and airy, with window view out to the sea in most (if not all) of the private cabanas. There is plenty of light and ventilation, thanks to the high rooftop opening. I don't understand all the doom and gloom from people who had never experienced this. And I did meet a couple who promptly booked this product for Day 2.

And a sea view!!!!

Sent from my SM-G955F using Forums mobile app

Only if Speed 2 is playing on the TV

 

Sent from my SM-G955F using Forums mobile app

It was on a couple of days ago, Film 4 I believe. Dreadful film. I may or may not have watched it.;)

I, too, was in the Retreat for the no-pressure sales pitch on the same embarkation day and was pleasantly surprised. It was not claustrophobic at all; in fact, it felt light and airy, with window view out to the sea in most (if not all) of the private cabanas. There is plenty of light and ventilation, thanks to the high rooftop opening. I don't understand all the doom and gloom from people who had never experienced this. And I did meet a couple who promptly booked this product for Day 2.

Perhaps they have changed the layout of the Retreat on the Ovation? Certainly on the Encore there was no sea view from any of the cabanas, and it was far too hot on a mild day, with the only air movement coming from the fans in the cabanas.

Perhaps they have changed the layout of the Retreat on the Ovation?

That could very well be the case; I'll ask.

The cabana that I was in and the other 3 or 4 that I could see all feature a picture window with shutters.

Apparently there have been other reconfigurations/improvements: The Club now features a full customer-facing bar, along with a bartender who has personality galore, is relatively new to Seabourn but not to the cruise industry, and is a lot of fun to interact with. The TK Grill has also been reconfigured, both in the dining room and the service area.

This belongs to a separate thread, but the Ovation is a real beauty, more spacious and elegant than ever, with none of the service degradation or intimacy compromise that the naysayers had complained about sight-unseen. In fact, the service has been spectacular and consistently so, and internet is blazingly fast. I was able to stream video and skype without any issue. (However, internet reception was spotty on day 2 or 3 around the fjords.) The ship never feels crowded, except at the Restaurant on a formal night and the Colonnade during breakfast or lunch, because few people want to sit outside due to the cold weather.

It is now my favorite Seabourn ship (not having yet been on the Encore).

We also loved the Ovation (embarked June 9th for 21 days). And, we enjoyed Encore last year.

Seabourn pricing is crazy and if one books early, one just might end up having paid too much. I say this based on two different bookings with Seabourn.

 

The exception to this would be a cruise itinerary that is very popular.

An update, I checked prices this morning (7/14) and for the lowest fare category it is now $6,799. So what goes way down, goes up too but not as much as the fare was almost a year ago.

I agree with you about choosing a cruise you like. Yes, we could afford and was willing to pay the fare so we booked the category that we'd be happy with.

 

The price dropped over $1,000 two months later for the same category. This was almost a year before departure. At this point though, Seabourn offered a $1,000 off and what Seabourn considers a cabin upgrade. At this point too, Seabourn was offering a 3 category upgrade so the upgrade that they gave us was really nothing.

 

So to go from a price of $8,999 almost a year ahead to $7,499 for the same category today and $5,549 for a cabin category that wasn't offered to begin with tells me not to book with Seabourn early.

As of 7/14, fare for lowest category is now $6,799. Go figure!

As of 7/14, fare for lowest category is now $6,799. Go figure!

Book early and sometimes the price goes down. Usually, Seabourn makes you whole one way or another.

Book early and sometimes the price goes up. I am sure that you will voluntarily pay the difference.