November 2019 Odyssey Transatlantic sold out??

My husband and I have had our eye on the November 2019 Odyssey transatlantic from Lisbon to celebrate our 25th anniversary. Went online to book this cruise and it is sold out. Just can’t imagine it being sold out 14 months ahead of time especially when the same cruise has plenty of availability for this November.

Thought I’d look for any perspectives on here before I call. Cruise Critic usually knows more that the cruise line phone folks.

Thank you!

Why go online and book any cruise? Use a specialist TA, get real information, a lower price, and someone to go to bat for you should you have an issue with the cruise line.

That’s why TAs represent such value.

Happy and healthy sailing!

Online is never a real indication of what's going on as Markham says always use a specialist TA when you book

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They are changing the itinerary, we were looking at this and the follow on cruise a couple of months ago, the transatlantic ended in Miami and the follow on began in St Maarten, we were asked to wait until they had changed it to book, still waiting but it now looks as though they are doing something about it.

I happen to have booked this 2019 crossing on board Quest last month and then had the Cruise Sales Specialist Mark (great guy- smart and personable, btw) pass it over to my TA whose record Mark had from our on board profile. I laughed about the disconnect of ending in Miami and starting the next day hundreds of miles away. Seabourn has known about their website accuracy problem with this matter for weeks. Now if they would just make it clearer online. But never mind... TAs know better. Go ahead, call one, and book!

Happy and healthy sailing!

I happen to have booked this 2019 crossing on board Quest last month and then had the Cruise Sales Specialist Mark (great guy- smart and personable, btw) pass it over to my TA whose record Mark had from our on board profile. I laughed about the disconnect of ending in Miami and starting the next day hundreds of miles away. Seabourn has known about their website accuracy problem with this matter for weeks. Now if they would just make it clearer online. But never mind... TAs know better. Go ahead, call one, and book!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Interesting! I knew there had to be a reason for the “sold out” notice. Can you recommend a TA?

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Unfortunately it is against CC policy for posters to mentions TA’s.

But I can confirm what others here have stated that a good TA may well save you money but that is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes using a good TA to book a cruise. Mine (UK based even though I live in the US) has managed to resolve many issues over the past 10 years. Without them I might still be battling with Seabourn bureaucracy.

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Here on cruise critic there are cruise deals, if you use a luxory line TA you should find a good one for Seabourn.

I am booked on the November 2-15, 2019 transatlantic from Lisbon to Miami. I called Seabourn this morning and was told that the St. Maarten to Barbados cruise, November 16-23 is accepting reservations. I asked how this was possible and the agent didn't have an answer. Odyssey will have to cover 1200 miles in about 30 hours or so.

If Seabourn is amending the itinerary, the information hasn't made it down to the level of reservations agents.

The crossing in 2019 goes from Lisbon to Sint Maartin and onward from there. Hence the confusion.

You were possibly speaking with a person from HAL who hasn’t seen this itinerary changed from a Miami arrival to St Maartin booked by a colleague or asked a supervisor. If you used a TA who earns commission from Seabourn and who, in turn, reduced your fare by some of it as a benefit to you, you would have received that bonus and better service. My view is cruise lines are not in the sales business and offer no value to the customer at that stage.

Enjoy that crossing and the cruise(s) that follow. Some very interesting and enjoyable people will be accompanying you. That is a promise! Chosen or considering your Lisbon hotel yet?

Happy and healthy sailing!

The crossing in 2019 goes from Lisbon to Sint Maartin and onward from there. Hence the confusion.

 

 

 

You were possibly speaking with a person from HAL who hasn’t seen this itinerary changed from a Miami arrival to St Maartin booked by a colleague or asked a supervisor. If you used a TA who earns commission from Seabourn and who, in turn, reduced your fare by some of it as a benefit to you, you would have received that bonus and better service. My view is cruise lines are not in the sales business and offer no value to the customer at that stage.

 

 

 

Enjoy that crossing and the cruise(s) that follow. Some very interesting and enjoyable people will be accompanying you. That is a promise! Chosen or considering your Lisbon hotel yet?

 

 

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

I’m tempted by the company,does it go around the Caribbean for a week after

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I happen to have booked this 2019 crossing on board Quest last month and then had the Cruise Sales Specialist Mark (great guy- smart and personable, btw) pass it over to my TA whose record Mark had from our on board profile. I laughed about the disconnect of ending in Miami and starting the next day hundreds of miles away. Seabourn has known about their website accuracy problem with this matter for weeks. Now if they would just make it clearer online. But never mind... TAs know better. Go ahead, call one, and book!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Markham

It was a couple of months ago when we tried to book and queried the end port of the transatlantic and embark port of the follow on, out TA was told to ask us to wait until they had corrected this, we talked to the cruise sales on Odyssey and she is querying it with Seabourn but asked us to contact ou TA again which we have done, Seabourn told them that they are still loading the new itinerary but can’t say when it will be done and we just have to wait. Hopefully cruse sales specialist will have better luck! I thought you used the same TA as us the “Royal “ one in Reading?

Yes, I use the very royal one there and they are on the ball, being the largest and all... That said the Seabourn confirmation from Seabourn for the crossing says Lisbon to Miami, 2-15 Nov 2019 and the next one says Philipsburg to Philipsburg, 16-30 Nov. I guess sooner or later Seabourn will send a corrected transatlantic confirmation.

It has to be soon and before December, 2018 or people who book a Seabourn cruise to Miami will have a claim on Seabourn for messing up homeward airfares booked during/after Dec., 2018 (when air bookings open) from Miami! Those tickets won’t fly them out of Philipsburg, will they?

Happy and healthy sailing!

Markham

Which route will you take from Philipsburg if you are coming back to LHR

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Mr Luxury,

Too early to say about the 2019 flights from Philipsburg. But for the Dec., 2018 flights from Barbados we will fly to MIA and connect to LHR. The times (but not amount of time), flight classes and price are attractive relative to the 2 nonstop Barbados to LHR flights per day. So I will check on 2019 in a few months including connections via MIA. (I don’t believe there are any nonstop flights anyway from there.)

Happy and healthy sailing!

Thanks Markham

I think Amsterdam is an option for St Maarten

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Of course there are far fewer flight options than if the ship had arrived in MIA. From St. Maarten/St. Martin, Air France has nonstops to CDG, and United, American and Delta have nonstops to ATL, EWR, JFK, MIA, and Charlotte with connections to LHR. Unfortunately, the infrastructure in St. Martin/St. Maarten was heavily damaged during the 2017 hurricane season and the island is still recovering from the widespread devastation. The relatively new and efficient airport is still in the process of being rebuilt. By November 2019, the island should be back on its feet, assuming there are no more "hurricanes of the century" between now and then.

My wife and I are booked on the transatlantic Lisbon to Miami, which we did while on the Ovation in May of this year. When we noticed that this cruise was showing sold out, we contacted our TA to see what was happening since this was very surprising to have this cruise sold out at this time. She contacted Seabourn and was told that the ship was simply booked out. No mention of itinerary change or any other issue such as a large private booking. Having just seen this thread, I personally called Seabourn about it. They are clueless.

My wife and I are also booked on the 2019 Lisbon to Miami transatlantic. I got the same story, via my TA, from Seabourn that the trip is simply booked out . . . . . but nobody I've spoken to believes that to be true. I guess we must just wait and see when the story changes. To be honest the simplicity of the travel arrangements for this trip appealed to me so I'm unsure what the options may be after the 'reveal'. Do you think it will be a case of take it or leave it or would alternate cruises be offered? If anyone has had a similar experience or opinion on how these things are usually managed I would love to hear them - Thanks in advance.

Just got word and it all appears to be sorting itself out now!

My (excellent) TA confirms the Nov 2019 crossing will be Lisbon-Miami, not that you’d know from the woeful Seabourn website where the cruise isn’t listed at all!

Odyssey arrives in St.Maarten on November 16.

Barbados, Dominica, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis have been added. San Juan has been dropped. There are now 7 sea days.

It is 1224 miles (by air) from Miami to St Maarten. Assuming Odyssey arrives on schedule in Miami at 7 AM on Nov 15, and that she then departs Miami by 5 pm on Nov 15, it is physically impossible for Odyssey to then arrive in St Maarten on Nov 16. That is, unless Odyssey can cruise more than 1224 miles in less than 30 hours --- which requires an average cruising speed of more than 40 mph. Uh.... no.

Whatever TA or Seabourn rep is telling anyone that this is going to occur is either totally misinformed or is just making it up. The only way that Odyssey arrives in St. Maarten on Nov 16 is if the route from Lisbon has been changed to bypass Miami and go direct to St. Maarten..

Was just called by my TA regarding the Nov 2, 2019 transatlantic on Odyssey. This Lisbon transatlantic departure will go to St. Maarten, NOT Miami, and will arrive on Nov. 16th. We are offered the following options from Seabourn:

1. Keep the booking of our same suite at the prior fare (note that this transatlantic crossing is 1 day longer than the original itinerary), and receive a $400 per person OBC.
   
2. Cancel the booking for a full refund.
   
3. Change the booking to any other cruise and receive: a) A 10% reduction in the posted fare for the newly selected cruise, and b) A $400 per person OBC for the newly selected cruise
   

We know we will not be keeping our booking on this revised transatlantic itinerary, but we haven't decided whether to do #2 or #3. So it's back to the cruise calendar for us ................

Was just called by my TA regarding the Nov 2, 2019 transatlantic on Odyssey. This Lisbon transatlantic departure will go to St. Maarten, NOT Miami, and will arrive on Nov. 16th. We are offered the following options from Seabourn:

 

1. Keep the booking of our same suite at the prior fare (note that this transatlantic crossing is 1 day longer than the original itinerary), and receive a $400 per person OBC.
   
2. Cancel the booking for a full refund.
   
3. Change the booking to any other cruise and receive: a) A 10% reduction in the posted fare for the newly selected cruise, and b) A $400 per person OBC for the newly selected cruise
   

We know we will not be keeping our booking on this revised transatlantic itinerary, but we haven't decided whether to do #2 or #3. So it's back to the cruise calendar for us ................

I received a similar communication from my TA with the exception of the amount of OBC which they have stated for Options 1 or 3 to be:

• USD $100 per person/$200 per suite for Ocean-View/Veranda
  
• USD $200 per person/$400 per suite for Penthouse/Premium Suites