Live from Quest, Barcelona to Montreal, July 22 to August 29

[travel4b]

5 hours ago, ejincali said:

We will be on Seabourn for the first time next March.  We don't like buffets, and that's what I thought the Colonnade was.  However, what you are posting looks like it was plated and served to you.

Breakfast and lunch have buffet set-ups, but dinner is table service.  

[kjbacon]

Yes, The Collonade is a combo buffet and table service at breakfast and lunch, all table service at dinner. The outside area is beautiful and well shaded.

 

Breakfast starts at 7:30 in the Collonade and 8:00 at the Patio. Dinner is at 6:00 in TK Grill and 7:00 everywhere else.

 

Our first shorex was only fair and I’m seriously hoping that today’s is better. We did a paella tasting tour in Valencia. Neither the bus nor the restaurant were air conditioned so we were one sweaty, uncomfortable group by the time we got back. Our guide was only so so at best. We took turns cooking over the intensely hot open fire. It was hard to eat lunch in that heat and on top if that, we were all disappointed in the quality of the paella. Lots of complimentary wine was helpful.

 

There is Covid on the ship and everything I know is from what I’ve seen and heard because there is no communication from SB about it. From my firsthand experience, I can say that SB is not taking a careful or conservative approach so if you have concerns in this area with your upcoming SB trip, you are right to be concerned.

 

Last night was formal night and we opted for the main dining room. We saw everything from a guy in jeans and sneakers to a guy in a tux. Most men had on slacks, open collared shirt without tie, and sports coat. Most of us had on a dress or pants suit, lots of classic black. 
 

Food was good to very good and the service was very good. Appetizers were the potato pancake with caviar and a blsck truffle risotto that was converted from a main to an app for us.

Main courses were lobster tails with subbed sides and beef Wellington.

Dessert was a trip if crème brûlée’s and was the best course.

 

Wine is really becoming an issue. The constant upsells are seriously irritating and we are beginning to realize that the upsell is the whole point and likely why the complimentary list is so weak. We have found one red that we enjoy and we were informed last night that they are almost out it. My husband asked if they could consider some wine replenishing, perhaps in our two days in Bordeaux and the sommelier told him that they had all the French wine they needed. Did I mention that it’s all about the upsell?

 

Today, tapas in Cartegena!

[frantic36]

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

From my firsthand experience, I can say that SB is not taking a careful or conservative approach so if you have concerns in this area with your upcoming SB trip, you are right to be concerned.

 

What exactly are you meaning by your firsthand experience? From our firsthand experience Seabourn are being very cautious. The weak link is other passengers. For example we noticed a lot of people disembarking to board buses in Tangier wearing masks but about third and we saw a lot of people getting off. I asked the Guest Services Manager as I wondered if this was an indication of more Covid onboard. She said no, it is because Tangier requires masks on all tour buses.

 

So I am wondering just how many tried to avoid wearing a mask even on the bus?

 

 

[travel4b]

Thanks for this ongoing post; I'm following it as we are planning to board in Dover.  A couple thoughts/reactions to comments above.  First, I agree completely that the wine upselling is quite annoying and should not be a part of the Seabourn experience.  We were on the Sojourn for twenty nights in June.  The one and only truly irritating thing during the whole time was the pest of a wine sommelier.  I finally had to very firmly dispatch him; after that he didn't even dare make eye contact!  Second, I was only aware of one Covid case on our cruise.  Seabourn was clear - on paper  - that masks were required on tenders and excursion buses.  In reality, 90+% of the passengers ignored this and I never saw any crew make any effort to enforce compliance.  (Granted, in June people weren't as tuned in to BA.5 as they are now).  I guess I am a bit sensitive to this as my partner and I both came down with Covid they after disembarking.  Despite being in his mid-60's and otherwise healthy he ended up in the the hospital for three days.  Who knows where or how we were infected; after all there were eighteen port calls.  However, I also wonder how many other disembarking passengers ended up sick?  I doubt we were the only ones.  In any case and certainly not to get into a mask debate but if you are assuming that Seabourn is enforcing their published protocols onboard our experience suggests they are not..  

Edited July 24, 2022 by travel4b
typo correction

[Isklaar]

Oh boy, the wine upselling appears to be a new thing. Previously only experienced it in TK, and only one time. I have no idea when our next cruise will happen but we won't take kindly to upselling if it comes across as it sounds when reading these posts!

[Mr Luxury]

I have always chosen wines from the list and very rarely drunk from the included pour.

Try to be upsold sometime,you will be drinking far better wine.

Edited July 24, 2022 by Mr Luxury

[Isklaar]

27 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

I have always chosen wines from the list and very rarely drunk from the included pour.

Try to be upsold sometime,you will be drinking far better wine.

 

We frequently select from the list,  especially at dinner, but I do not want to feel pressured to do so.

[Mahogany]

10 hours ago, kjbacon said:

Yes, The Collonade is a combo buffet and table service at breakfast and lunch, all table service at dinner. The outside area is beautiful and well shaded.

 

Breakfast starts at 7:30 in the Collonade and 8:00 at the Patio. Dinner is at 6:00 in TK Grill and 7:00 everywhere else.

 

Our first shorex was only fair and I’m seriously hoping that today’s is better. We did a paella tasting tour in Valencia. Neither the bus nor the restaurant were air conditioned so we were one sweaty, uncomfortable group by the time we got back. Our guide was only so so at best. We took turns cooking over the intensely hot open fire. It was hard to eat lunch in that heat and on top if that, we were all disappointed in the quality of the paella. Lots of complimentary wine was helpful.

 

There is Covid on the ship and everything I know is from what I’ve seen and heard because there is no communication from SB about it. From my firsthand experience, I can say that SB is not taking a careful or conservative approach so if you have concerns in this area with your upcoming SB trip, you are right to be concerned.

 

Last night was formal night and we opted for the main dining room. We saw everything from a guy in jeans and sneakers to a guy in a tux. Most men had on slacks, open collared shirt without tie, and sports coat. Most of us had on a dress or pants suit, lots of classic black. 
 

Food was good to very good and the service was very good. Appetizers were the potato pancake with caviar and a blsck truffle risotto that was converted from a main to an app for us.

Main courses were lobster tails with subbed sides and beef Wellington.

Dessert was a trip if crème brûlée’s and was the best course.

 

Wine is really becoming an issue. The constant upsells are seriously irritating and we are beginning to realize that the upsell is the whole point and likely why the complimentary list is so weak. We have found one red that we enjoy and we were informed last night that they are almost out it. My husband asked if they could consider some wine replenishing, perhaps in our two days in Bordeaux and the sommelier told him that they had all the French wine they needed. Did I mention that it’s all about the upsell?

 

Today, tapas in Cartegena!

In a prior post you admitted to being wine snobs. I don't think the complimentary wine list was designed for wine snobs. Perhaps what you describe as an upsell is just the sommelier trying to meet a wine snob's needs. I agree the complimentary list on my 33-day Odyssey cruise in April was not great, but we managed, and on a few nights, opted for a purchase. That's a choice you can make.

[travel4b]

20 minutes ago, Isklaar said:

 

We frequently select from the list,  especially at dinner, but I do not want to feel pressured to do so.

Exactly. I felt like they were selling time shares; after the third “no” I was done!

[lincslady]

Apart from once in the TK grill no sommelier has ever tried to persuade us to choose an upsell wine.  Maybe because we never said we could not find anything on the included list?  I would like to think that would be the reason for the pushing of paid for wines.

[travel4b]

1 minute ago, lincslady said:

Apart from once in the TK grill no sommelier has ever tried to persuade us to choose an upsell wine.  Maybe because we never said we could not find anything on the included list?  I would like to think that would be the reason for the pushing of paid for wines.

 Sadly, not now. We were perfectly happy with the included wines, but he still repeatedly pushed the wine club thing - and the wine pairing dinners. With so few passengers it’s not like he couldn’t remember us!  I have to assume they are on some type of commission or quota.  

[lincslady]

That is a shame.  Not having to think too hard or sign for anything is part of the pleasure of being on a Seabourn ship (Or indeed Silversea or Regent).  I would also assume that they must be on some sort of commission; distinctly unSeabourn in the past.

[marazul]

We were on the Ovation last August and this June. We were never approached for the upsell either at TK or the Restaurant.  We did ask for the premium wine list a few times.

Pre-covid we did experience the upsell a few times at TK. 

I see nothing wrong with being offered the wine list, but any upselI pressure is out of line.

[sfvoyage]

1 hour ago, travel4b said:

 Sadly, not now. We were perfectly happy with the included wines, but he still repeatedly pushed the wine club thing - and the wine pairing dinners. With so few passengers it’s not like he couldn’t remember us!  I have to assume they are on some type of commission or quota.  

What is his name?

 

For us, we've never had any wine upsell attempt, let alone pressure, over the years, not even in TK Grill.  Wonder if this is a new thing, or just the misguided efforts of one over-eager and rogue sommelier.

[SuffolkLady]

We have done six cruises with Seabourn. We have always found the sommeliers to be extremely helpful and know our preferences after discussions with them. We have never felt under any pressure to buy from the non included list unless we suggest it ourselves. 

[travel4b]

1 hour ago, sfvoyage said:

What is his name?

 

For us, we've never had any wine upsell attempt, let alone pressure, over the years, not even in TK Grill.  Wonder if this is a new thing, or just the misguided efforts of one over-eager and rogue sommelier.

That's a very good point.  Sorry I don't remember his name.  I didn't say anything to F&B management as I didn't want to get him in trouble, although perhaps that wasn't the wise decision.

 

[rkacruiser]

5 hours ago, travel4b said:

The one and only truly irritating thing during the whole time was the pest of a wine sommelier.  I finally had to very firmly dispatch him;

 

I have experienced such an individual and I did the same thing.  The person's attitude (or at least his approach to me) changed.  Regretfully, such "teaching" by a guest for some staff members is required sometimes.  

[SLSD]

5 hours ago, Isklaar said:

Oh boy, the wine upselling appears to be a new thing. Previously only experienced it in TK, and only one time. I have no idea when our next cruise will happen but we won't take kindly to upselling if it comes across as it sounds when reading these posts!

 

The same with us.  We have only experienced the wine upselling in the TK Grill on Sojourn--no where else on a SB ship.  I hope this is not a new norm.  We are not wine people  We try to find a palatable included wine and go on from there--requesting it at most meals.  

[kjbacon]

We had a lovely day yesterday, starting with a fabulous shorex in Cartegena. It was a walking tour to the Roman Theater and around the city sampling tapas with a knowledgeable guide that did a great job for us. The marble streets were amazing!

We sampled 4 deliciously different tapas, paired with sangria, and capped off with a complex, spiked coffee. We got in lots of steps in the heat but I am still going to be the size of a house by the time we get to

Montréal.

 

We relaxed at the pool and the spa for the afternoon before choosing The Collonade for dinner. We both had the grilled shrimp, tomato, and goat cheese appetizer, the rack of lamb with ratatouille, and the baklava. It was our best meal so far.

We were treated to a pod of dolphins as we sailed out of cartegena that I didn’t do a great job of capturing.

Ok, so let’s address some controversy. We are on a 6* luxury liner in a top suite so yes,  the wine should be drinkable. It doesn’t have to be outstanding but we have never had a problem finding a variety of drinkable wines on Regent. We finally found a rioja that we enjoyed, only for the sommelier to tell us that he is now out if it. Considering that we were in Spain when he told us that, well you figure out what that felt like from our chair. We also asked him if they could get any wine in Bordeaux and he said no, they had plenty of Bordeaux wine (all on the upsell list of course).

 

We are accustomed to an all inclusive experience on regent. Now, shorex is extra. Drinkable wine is extra. Spa serene area is extra. Laundry is extra. No butler here. So, we spoke to John Barton, CD and alum from Regent, and we felt truly listened to. He introduced us to the Hotel Director, who also listened with care and offered helpful solutions. We are feeling much better about things this morning.

Today is a sea day and our first reservation in TK Grill. We are very excited to pass through the straits of Gibraltar, despite the heavy fog.

[frantic36]

14 hours ago, Isklaar said:

 

We frequently select from the list,  especially at dinner, but I do not want to feel pressured to do so.

 

We are on Sojourn at the moment and have had no upsell pressure from the Sommelier the few days we were out on the ship. At Colonnade at lunch yesterday for about 1 hour there was a table set up with some wine and two assistant sommeliers where you could sign up for a degustation lunch next sea day. This wasn't what I call a pressure sale as you actually had to stop and ask about it, they didn't approach you at all.

[lincslady]

Mentioning the wine problem to John Barron was a good idea; sounds a bit as if it is just one person involved, and should by now be sorted.  Good to know that it is not a new Seabourn policy.

[Isklaar]

40 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

 

We are on Sojourn at the moment and have had no upsell pressure from the Sommelier the few days we were out on the ship. At Colonnade at lunch yesterday for about 1 hour there was a table set up with some wine and two assistant sommeliers where you could sign up for a degustation lunch next sea day. This wasn't what I call a pressure sale as you actually had to stop and ask about it, they didn't approach you at all.

 

That's in line with our previous experience, but of course for us the most recent  was two and a half years ago. 

We can usually find a couple of wines we enjoy from the included list. We drink those with lunch. For dinner we usually choose from the list. The head sommelier gets to know our taste in wine after a few days and  will sometimes make suggestions which is great as we're always open to trying something new.  

 

[kjbacon]

The fog cleared enough that we were able to enjoy the strait of Gibraltar!

Since it was later than usual, we tried The Patio for breakfast. They seemed very disorganized and appeared to be running late. Service was very slow. We sampled an avocado toast with hot sauce, eggs baked in tagine, and a breakfast burrito without salsa. No salsa? Everything was good except for the burrito and I have to say that the homemade hot sauce was the very best thing that I have tasted since boarding. It was exceptionally delicious!

 

 

[Fletcher]

@kjbacon Glad you liked Cartagena.  The Sojourn is there today and we will also be there on the Sojourn on a Monday in September when that nice Roman Theatre is closed.  

 

On the thwart subject of wine.  I've never experienced the 'upsell' nuisance on any Seabourn ship and hope we won't next time.  We have never bought 'better' wines because we've always been OK with the included ones - Oyster Bay level and suchlike.  Also, we don't think the food justifies the expense of a 'fine wine' especially at dinner, and extra-especially in the TK Grill.  Dinner is generally the weakest of the three meals in my view - breakfast is best of course.  And as for Bordeaux wines, the cheaper ones are usually very nasty, so we would always opt for South Africa, South America or NZ bottles.

 

I used to be a fairly serious collector of fine wine, partly because we had a Victorian house in London with a proper cellar.  We even stored wine for friends.  But gradually our taste for the stuff evaporated and we sold it all.  And there's another thing - fashions in food now veer towards 'tasting menus' which is all about small portions so a bottle of fancy wine isn't appropriate any more. In fact, with that sort of menu, water is the best option.

[toseaornottosea]

7 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Glad you liked Cartagena.  The Sojourn is there today and we will also be there on the Sojourn on a Monday in September when that nice Roman Theatre is closed.  

Fletcher, we were on the Ovation and in Cartagena on Monday, June 13th.  About a month earlier I had contacted the Cartagena tourist office to ask if due to the fact the ship would be in the port might they open the Roman Theatre and the other museums that are closed on Mondays.  I got a reply that sadly they would not be open.  BUT, then about a week before the 13th they emailed me that in fact the museums would be open on Monday the 13th. You might want to contact the tourist office for the date you will be there.  You might get lucky.  Good luck.