Confrontation

[rols]

We are. Fantastic ship. Best stateroom we have been in. Seriously comfy bed. Very very low key entrance to the ship. Very few kids on board which we had been fearing based on reactions here.

 

Unfortunately the food and service in the restaurant venues we have been to has been very underwhelming.

 

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That cheese does look a little forlorn. Which ship are you on? We're a week away from 14 nights on Encore and rather looking forward to it. Seabourn has never yet disappointed us on the food or service front, I hope they aren't just about to set a new trend.

[SLSD]

Pavovsky, Which ship are you on? About the Napa burger. I never noticed them being salty--and I am very salt averse. I DID notice food in the TK Grill being very salty for my taste--especially the chicken. But, as we all know, food tastes are very subjective. If your main dish was really dreadful, it should have been sent back to the kitchen. Hopefully things will improve for you! I am assuming it is very good news that there are not many children aboard. Are you in the Med.?

[Bestie098]

Agreed the service at the restaurant has been a bit of a mixed bag. Once chased down, they have been very polite. Our swordfish was also way too salty and I returned half of it unfinished. Winners were the jumbo prawns in TK, the lobster wasn’t too bad. Venison has been over cooked although the duck, which I suspect was sous vide has been delightful.

 

And Nikolai who is going back to the Quest for Antartica does fantastic ice cocktails up on the sky bar. Raspberry and apricot creation is going down a treat given it’s hot and humid.

 

 

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[Pavovsky]

Pavovsky, Which ship are you on? About the Napa burger. I never noticed them being salty--and I am very salt averse. I DID notice food in the TK Grill being very salty for my taste--especially the chicken. But, as we all know, food tastes are very subjective. If your main dish was really dreadful, it should have been sent back to the kitchen. Hopefully things will improve for you! I am assuming it is very good news that there are not many children aboard. Are you in the Med.?

 

 

 

We are on the Odyssey - 14 day Greek islands, Sicily and Malta.

 

Unfortunately it was not possible to get the attention of the waiter to send it back. When they took it away they said they would tell the chef. As I said underwhelming food and service in the Restaurant. the next course should have been perfect - which it was not. We did complain on exiting but not sure it will have done any good.

 

The waiter taking the order was quite rude and snappy. Food came out too fast and when we asked to slow it down they were not very happy.

 

On a positive note, lunch in the colonnade today was really excellent.

 

 

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[lincslady]

We seem to have almost returned to the original reason for this thread!

 

Sorry to hear that Odyssey is not performing as well as usual - ? new staff on board perhaps. The 'cheese board' does look tatty; one thing many lines do not do well. The cheese is usually frozen or deep chilled, and they tend to expect you to want a tiny bit of several different types of cheese, not at all the way most Brits. prefer it. When my DH asked for just blue Stilton a while ago he got the same sort of thing, four or five tiny slices obviously from a mixed cheese portion.

[Pavovsky]

We seem to have almost returned to the original reason for this thread!

 

Sorry to hear that Odyssey is not performing as well as usual - ? new staff on board perhaps. The 'cheese board' does look tatty; one thing many lines do not do well. The cheese is usually frozen or deep chilled, and they tend to expect you to want a tiny bit of several different types of cheese, not at all the way most Brits. prefer it. When my DH asked for just blue Stilton a while ago he got the same sort of thing, four or five tiny slices obviously from a mixed cheese portion.

 

 

 

Our last cruise was on Celebrity Reflection and we dined in Murano most nights. The food there was outstanding - the cheese trolley was exceptional - especially the Epoisse which melts when kept at room temperature.

 

I did overhear at lunch that there was a big crew changeover so perhaps new staff and adjusting staff. Might try Colonnade for dinner as they seemed to be very well run.

 

 

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[SLSD]

So--did you just order a few pieces of one cheese instead of the cheese tray on the menu? We had the cheese tray a couple of times (shared with others) and it was very artfully served. I don't think we were ever offered or served a bread basket in the MDR. But then again, we don't usually have bread with our meals. I do hope the dining improves for you in the MDR as it was so well done on the Ovation in June. Best rib eye steak I can ever remember being served and so large I only ate 1/4 of it.

 

The good news for you on this voyage is that you don't seem to be dealing with large family groups with lots of children!

 

I do agree with you that drink service at the Patio Pool Grill is not always intuitive. But we did find the Pool Bar itself to be very well done. Often, the main bartender would come to wherever we were sitting and ask if we would like something from the bar. The breakdown seemed to be the wait staff in that area at lunchtime. I've wondered if this is where they put their less experienced staff.

[Pavovsky]

The cheeses were listed individually on the menu. Agree on the patio grill wait staff. Hoping it might be better for dinner.

 

And yes great news not having big family groups.

 

 

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[SLSD]

OK. They could do a lot better serving an individual cheese!

[Pavovsky]

Perhaps they should ensure that the individual cheese they do serve is of a requisite standard.

Edited August 12, 2018 by Pavovsky

[Heather White]

We are. Fantastic ship. Best stateroom we have been in. Seriously comfy bed. Very very low key entrance to the ship. Very few kids on board which we had been fearing based on reactions here.

 

Unfortunately the food and service in the restaurant venues we have been to has been very underwhelming. Napa burger had way too much salt in the meat mix - drinks service was mediocre (quicker to go to the bar), after impressive starters the main course in the restaurant was dreadful - dry and over cooked. The cheese was practically frozen and service was rushed. Neither offered or provided with bread and consistently had to request water. Hoping that it will improve.

 

 

 

 

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We were on the same cruise on Odyssey in July and would agree with everything Pavovsky wrote, both positive and negative. Service in the MDR varied according to the allocated wait staff. Service in the Patio Grill was very haphasard. We were on Odyssey this time last year and the food in the MDR in July was definitely not as good. I do believe that a lot of the staff are new.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Pavovsky, who is the food and beverage manager? I am afraid he/she needs a talking to. We are due on in a few weeks and it sounds like a few people need a kick, rubbish food is not acceptable.

[Heather White]

Food and Beverage Manager July 14 to 28 was Paolo Testa.

[MightyQuinn]

If we plan to have a cheese course (almost always) we tell the server at the beginning of the meal. That way, they can get the cheese to an appropriate temp by the time we're ready for it. I realize we shouldn't have to do this on a luxury line but it works for us.

[galeforce9]

Please can you tell me who the chef is? I do not except this. Having come from the last two cruises on Quest in the last year with Jes in Antarctica and Chris Graham on the Vikings Part One. Both British and both excellent. In comparison food on the Sojourn in Alaska last year (August, after Jes disembarked, was abysmal). I believe the chef makes a huge difference. I have a vested interest as I am on Odyssey for 18 nights in 10 weeks. I am already planning another Live on Board thread so I will be reporting frankly on here, dish by dish if I have to. Thanks.

[brontosphere]

I look forward to the thread galeforce9, hope you have a great cruise!

[galeforce9]

I look forward to the thread galeforce9, hope you have a great cruise!

 

 

 

Thank you!

[Pavovsky]

Food and Beverage Manager July 14 to 28 was Paolo Testa.

 

 

Same guy as now.

 

 

 

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[Pavovsky]

To add:

 

A really fantastic meal tonight. Spanish night in the Colonnade - fish soup, lobster and avocado and a rib eye perfectly cooked followed up with crema Catalina - slightly rushed service but we were late down. My wife had the Paella which was also excellent.

 

The Italian chef came out at the end of the meal to meet everyone. I think he mentioned to someone else that 140 of the passengers ate there tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

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[galeforce9]

To add:

 

A really fantastic meal tonight. Spanish night in the Colonnade - fish soup, lobster and avocado and a rib eye perfectly cooked followed up with crema Catalina - slightly rushed service but we were late down. My wife had the Paella which was also excellent.

 

The Italian chef came out at the end of the meal to meet everyone. I think he mentioned to someone else that 140 of the passengers ate there tonight.

 

 

 

 

 

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Thanks Pavovsky and great you had a fantastic meal but the number dining there is probably a reflection of how bad the restaurant has become. If you could find out the chef’s name please I would be very grateful.

[SLSD]

I really think that each ship and voyage is different depending on who is in charge. On our June Ovation voyage the MDR was exceptional most of the time. If the MDR is lacking, I do think it is worth letting guest services know of your disappointment. Glad to hear that the Colonnade was excellent.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

We now know the f&b manager, who you should make well aware of the issues in the MDR. If nobody says anything, how can things be improved? Seabourn is not a cheap vacation, and for the food in the MDR and patio to be poor, well that is unacceptable, but we still don't know who the chef is? Thanks

[lincslady]

Deja vu here, I think. Sounds just like how it was on the smaller ships before the launch and afterwards for a while, of Encore. My hunch is that once again experienced staff have been taken off them to make sure Ovation had an excellent start, and Seabourn do not recruit/train enough new people to keep the 3 sisters staffed as efficiently as they should be.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Not good enough, if they are getting a new ship then they know in plenty of time! They still charge the same fares, this should not STILL be happening.

[Heather White]

We now know the f&b manager, who you should make well aware of the issues in the MDR. If nobody says anything, how can things be improved? Seabourn is not a cheap vacation, and for the food in the MDR and patio to be poor, well that is unacceptable, but we still don't know who the chef is? Thanks

 

 

The Executive Chef is Giuseppe Pareti.