Odyssey, is my expectation already too high?

[Stefan_Cruise]

I have not sailed on the Odyssey yet, but sailed on the Encore last September. Many of the posts I read here were negative about the Encore. I was a bit concerned, to say the least. All that melted away once we got onboard. It was a wonderful cruise on a great ship. Don't put much stock in negative comments, or if you must, zero in on what exactly the complaint was. Often, your circumstances will not be the same and you will see things differently. Have a wonderful time on your cruise. I know it is going to be great.

We cruised on the Encore in June 2017 and the Encore was not up to Seabourn Standards (3*food and service).

[SLSD]

Stefan, We were on a different Encore cruise--Sept/October ad thought the standards of service were exceptional. Food is so subjective. I was not a fan of all the food offerings, but that does not mean they were substandard. I tend to like light, lower calorie food and not much of that was served.

[dalliowner]

I do think you must have sailed on both to be able to compare ?:)

[SLSD]

I wasn't comparing. I was merely speaking about our experience. Service was impeccable. In other words, all of our needs and wants were met very very quickly--no waiting, no mistakes, great cheerfulness. I don't need to compare to recognize great service.

[Stefan_Cruise]

I wasn't comparing. I was merely speaking about our experience. Service was impeccable. In other words, all of our needs and wants were met very very quickly--no waiting, no mistakes, great cheerfulness. I don't need to compare to recognize great service.

One time we waited 45 minutes at the Patio Grill for a steak and than it was the wrong one. On the other day we waited 20 minuten if a waiter came and asked! Our room steward ask just one time on a 7 day cruise if everything is ok!:confused:

[marazul]

Our room steward ask just one time on a 7 day cruise if everything is ok!:confused:

 

The expectation in European service is that "everything is ok" and if you should find fault, it is up to you to complain. That's why in French restaurants (unless it is a tourist trap) you are never pestered and interrupted throughout your meal by people asking if everything is ok.

[SLSD]

Stefan_Cruise, It sounds like you had a very different experience on Encore from our experience. We had no mistakes and never had to wait. Perhaps it was a different crew---or a more experienced crew by the time we sailed. And, I would never wait that long for an order. I'm always willing to speak up if something is wrong.

[sfvoyage]

Our room steward ask just one time on a 7 day cruise if everything is ok!:confused:

 

On all my SB days, I've never once been asked by any room stewardess if everything is OK. I've almost always had excellent service - letting them know exactly what my preferences are on Day One and communicating with them via friendly chats and notes on a regular basis.

[RustyRollock]

I wasn't comparing. I was merely speaking about our experience. Service was impeccable. In other words, all of our needs and wants were met very very quickly--no waiting, no mistakes, great cheerfulness. I don't need to compare to recognize great service.

 

But this thread/discussion is about Odyssey. If you have only ever sailed on Encore - once - I doubt with respect that you can really form an opinion. Encore and Odyssey are different beasts.

[SLSD]

Yes, they are different ships--but the same cruise line. Usually, the theme is that Seabourn is declining. My point is that service on Encore (when we sailed) was superb. That's all.

[Colgal]

My comment to all of the above is that it appears that a lack of consistency in the newly released Encore product is apparent and must also be surfacing in the O class ships as well. I don't believe it is solely a question of "glass half full" vs "glass half empty." Obviously there have been enough negative comments, mine included, which highlight the shortcomings of a larger ship/smaller footprint in Encore. After our last experience on Encore I am reluctant to revisit the O class ships as well.

 

 

The concept that "food is subjective" sounds great- except when you are dining on "fishy fish" and tired of steak, steak and more steak during your cruise. Our dining room experience was less than expected, both in food and service, and highly disappointing in comparison to three previous cruises. We certainly did not book our Encore cruise with negative "preconceived" notions. We hoped that it would be as wonderful as our previous experiences, but sadly, it was so mediocre in comparison.

 

So are we to believe that what we experienced in past sailings is just a memory, never to repeat itself, or was it just an anomaly? Do I choose to take another "chance" and spend time and money to find out that Seabourn is not what we experienced in the past? Tough decision- too many other vacation options. I believe that Seabourn should have reached out to us after we sent in our review- and I believe their silence is an indication of "we really don't care"-too bad.

[SLSD]

If that is your experience, you should certainly pursue different vacation options. That being said, I did not have any fishy fish---(and I hate fishy fish). I only had steak twice in a 10 day cruise--but I had other choices. Perhaps you are right--that Seabourn has become inconsistent, since your experience was so different from mine.

[Roxburgh]

With 13 Seabourn cruises under the belt and 13 reviews written, Seabourn have never "reached out" to us afterwards. But I do not believe that it is because they "really don't care". On the contrary, we have seen evidence that they have acted on our comments most notably when one young crew member thanked us personally for her promotion, no doubt based on reviews from our previous cruise both from us and from others.

 

When you have 1200 or so reviews coming in every two or three weeks from several ships, you look for trends which can identify problems and areas for improvement. You also identify the things that are being done well and staff who are clearly impressing. What does not tend to happen is to act on individual reviews and especially if they are an outlier.

 

We don't know what the overall trend was for Encore reviews. If they were broadly critical then I have no doubt that Seabourn will be acting on them. Of course the only way to know is to book another cruise.

 

Things are never as they were in the past but our last cruise on Sojourn was as good as any we have had with Seabourn. But, then, I have never met a steak or a lamb chop that I didn't like.

[Stefan_Cruise]

My comment to all of the above is that it appears that a lack of consistency in the newly released Encore product is apparent and must also be surfacing in the O class ships as well. I don't believe it is solely a question of "glass half full" vs "glass half empty." Obviously there have been enough negative comments, mine included, which highlight the shortcomings of a larger ship/smaller footprint in Encore. After our last experience on Encore I am reluctant to revisit the O class ships as well.

This was not just my opinion! I talked with a lot of guest travelling frequently with Seabourn! And everyone had the same meaning (food and service not up to Seabourn standards)! The first time Seabourn-guests havn´t noticed the difference!

 

Next years I will not go back to Seabourn - we will do a transatlantic crossing on board the new Regent Explorer! There was a great special a few days ago!

[Colgal]

If that is your experience, you should certainly pursue different vacation options. That being said, I did not have any fishy fish---(and I hate fishy fish). I only had steak twice in a 10 day cruise--but I had other choices. Perhaps you are right--that Seabourn has become inconsistent, since your experience was so different from mine.

 

Exactly my point! Inconsistencies should not happen on a luxury line- and we were not "nitpicking". Three previous cruises met or exceeded a standard of excellence while our 4th cruise on Encore disappointed. We also heard numerous other passengers complain about the food and service- it wasn't just our experience. Believe me, I would much rather disembark with reluctance than with relief! Vacation time is precious and it is more than frustrating to second guess or regret one's choices.

 

I hope that Seabourn will focus on the complaints and diminish the anxiety of new cruisers by improving its product with consistency and quality. It should not be a "luck of the draw" experience.

[ChancerandDancer]

The expectation in European service is that "everything is ok" and if you should find fault, it is up to you to complain. That's why in French restaurants (unless it is a tourist trap) you are never pestered and interrupted throughout your meal by people asking if everything is ok.

 

Spot On, I totally agree with this. I really dislike being asked all the time 'is everything is ok ' If there is a problem then I ask quietly and gently for it to be resolved. That always works,

[purpleally]

Back to a Odyssey. We just got home from our December 5 cruise and it was wonderful! Way better than our Sojourn a year ago

No restrictions on champagne nor caviar nor ice cream nor French fries or anything!

Chef Tom (29 years old) was wonderful. We found a handful of staff who got to know us, in fact, went out of their way to call us by name after seeing us two days in a row. Han, Obar morning coffee, Janis Obar bartender helped me pick "a usual" and that, along with my name was automatic

Head bartender Martin was amazing. He was everywhere. Ask him how he is, great answer!

Our room stewardess, perfect, any request was met with overboard response.

Great service, food, and staff

[Roxburgh]

Back to a Odyssey. We just got home from our December 5 cruise and it was wonderful! Way better than our Sojourn a year ago

No restrictions on champagne nor caviar nor ice cream nor French fries or anything!

Chef Tom (29 years old) was wonderful. We found a handful of staff who got to know us, in fact, went out of their way to call us by name after seeing us two days in a row. Han, Obar morning coffee, Janis Obar bartender helped me pick "a usual" and that, along with my name was automatic

Head bartender Martin was amazing. He was everywhere. Ask him how he is, great answer!

Our room stewardess, perfect, any request was met with overboard response.

Great service, food, and staff

 

Martin is one of those Seabourn crew members who has a following. We were on one cruise - before he was head bartender - where he was switched out of the Observation to another bar on a normal staff rotation. There was a near mutiny which might have become a real one had he not been sent back to the Observation post haste.

[Nashna]

Back to a Odyssey. We just got home from our December 5 cruise and it was wonderful! Way better than our Sojourn a year ago

No restrictions on champagne nor caviar nor ice cream nor French fries or anything!

Chef Tom (29 years old) was wonderful. We found a handful of staff who got to know us, in fact, went out of their way to call us by name after seeing us two days in a row. Han, Obar morning coffee, Janis Obar bartender helped me pick "a usual" and that, along with my name was automatic

Head bartender Martin was amazing. He was everywhere. Ask him how he is, great answer!

Our room stewardess, perfect, any request was met with overboard response.

Great service, food, and staff

 

Thank you for your review of your Odyssey December 5th cruise. We are looking forward to our January 6th Odyssey cruise. I truly hope that our experiences are as positive as yours.

[jenidallas]

Martin is one of those Seabourn crew members who has a following. We were on one cruise - before he was head bartender - where he was switched out of the Observation to another bar on a normal staff rotation. There was a near mutiny which might have become a real one had he not been sent back to the Observation post haste.

 

Indeed! I am glad he's back to full speed after his injury sidelined him for a few months. He is one I'm very much looking forward to catching up with next week onboard!

[billichka]

Also just left the Odyssey December 5 sailing. Having not sailed since 2014 we were wary of negative comments about cutbacks and changes however we had a most wonderful cruise and will not be waiting so long for our next voyage!

 

A highlight was the Carambola beach day - BBQ lobster at a beach club with caviar in the surf and water sports and massages!

 

Many staff made the effort to learn our names and preferences, small things like this really made the cruise special.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[purpleally]

Martin is one of those Seabourn crew members who has a following. We were on one cruise - before he was head bartender - where he was switched out of the Observation to another bar on a normal staff rotation. There was a near mutiny which might have become a real one had he not been sent back to the Observation post haste.

 

I can imagine! He is a gem. Reminds me of Karl. Everywhere at once

Martin came out to the embarkation waiting area and passed out water bottles, started to rain one evening while having dinner at patio grill, he ran upstairs and removed cushions!

[Mr. Manhattan]

Back to a Odyssey. We just got home from our December 5 cruise and it was wonderful! Way better than our Sojourn a year ago

No restrictions on champagne nor caviar nor ice cream nor French fries or anything!

Chef Tom (29 years old) was wonderful. We found a handful of staff who got to know us, in fact, went out of their way to call us by name after seeing us two days in a row. Han, Obar morning coffee, Janis Obar bartender helped me pick "a usual" and that, along with my name was automatic

Head bartender Martin was amazing. He was everywhere. Ask him how he is, great answer!

Our room stewardess, perfect, any request was met with overboard response.

Great service, food, and staff

 

Same experience here. We couldn't imagine a better cruise. Exceeded all expectations.