Copenhagen to Copenhagen June 11-25 Sailing The Coast of Norway

[MrToblerone]

I know what you mean about coughing nowadays ,you feel like you have to explain yourself.

My husband and I wore masks mostly last year but it did create a barrier and its the first cruise where we didn't really make friends ,although it was nice.

[Mahogany]

You spelled Loula's name correctly. I was on a B2B April-May, and John Barron was on the first leg, and Loula began her first stint as CD on the second leg. A delight, especially when she is hosting a table of widows, very attentive, and loads of energy. A few days into her first efforts as CD, a passenger quite unexpectedly came up to her and said, "You are a stupid little girl!" Can you imagine? He should have been booted off the ship!

[ab21au]

Unfortunately it takes all types. (I heard someone abusing Handre once and you could not get a nicer person or more experienced.) 

[SLSD]

4 hours ago, Mahogany said:

You spelled Loula's name correctly. I was on a B2B April-May, and John Barron was on the first leg, and Loula began her first stint as CD on the second leg. A delight, especially when she is hosting a table of widows, very attentive, and loads of energy. A few days into her first efforts as CD, a passenger quite unexpectedly came up to her and said, "You are a stupid little girl!" Can you imagine? He should have been booted off the ship!

What a horrible thing to say to someone.  The boorish behavior of some always amazes me.  Hopefully we won't see much of that this trip.  

[SLSD]

53 minutes ago, ab21au said:

Unfortunately it takes all types. (I heard someone abusing Handre once and you could not get a nicer person or more experienced.) 

Oh my!  And yes, Handre is the best of the best as everyone knows.  I'm sure he has seen all kinds of behavior.  

[SLSD]

5 hours ago, MrToblerone said:

I know what you mean about coughing nowadays ,you feel like you have to explain yourself.

My husband and I wore masks mostly last year but it did create a barrier and its the first cruise where we didn't really make friends ,although it was nice.

We are hoping for the best when it comes to Covid.  We brought masks of course, but I have seen absolutely no one wearing them on the ship yet.  

[MrToblerone]

If you have had covid in the last three months you should be fine I hear.

[SLSD]

Just now, MrToblerone said:

If you have had covid in the last three months you should be fine I hear.

We had Covid last September, so we are a bit out of the three month zone unfortunately. 

[MrToblerone]

Just enjoy your cruise ! 

[2SailingNomads]

59 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Oh my!  And yes, Handre is the best of the best as everyone knows.  I'm sure he has seen all kinds of behavior.  

I beg to differ, David E - who before your relatively recent time on Seabourn, David going back to the little sisters was the best, and Jan (interesting history between the two of them) same little Sisters, but agree Handre is an excellent 3rd given Heather and Nick left years ago.

[SLSD]

11 minutes ago, 2SailingNomads said:

I beg to differ, David E - who before your relatively recent time on Seabourn, David going back to the little sisters was the best, and Jan (interesting history between the two of them) same little Sisters, but agree Handre is an excellent 3rd given Heather and Nick left years ago.

I meant the best of the best in terms of his kindness and demeanor.  It was really meant as a compliment to him instead of a comparison to others.  But, your point is well taken.  Before Mr. SLSD retired, we couldn't really plan long range travel very much as he always had court dates that were impossible to plan in advance.  

Edited June 12, 2023 by SLSD

[2SailingNomads]

I agree Handre is a very nice person, my point was that IMO and others he is not the best CD Seabourn ever had, and it took 3 cruises (we found him to be a bit aloof) until he made an effort to know us unlike David E, Heather, Nick, Jan et al.

 

[2SailingNomads]

David E knew knew our name the next morning on the Legend after talking to us for less than 5 minutes at sail away.  When we boarded the Pride 2 years later he knew us but not our name and went to get our passport info. (We all had  good laugh at that fumble)  Spent many times on other cruise with him on and off ship and was there for him in his last days, won't go into that.  

Edited June 12, 2023 by 2SailingNomads

[SLSD]

9 minutes ago, 2SailingNomads said:

David E knew knew our name the next morning on the Legend after talking to us for less than 5 minutes at sail away.  When we boarded the Pride 2 years later he knew us but not our name and went to get our passport info. (We all had  good laugh at that fumble)  Spent many times on other cruise with him on and off ship and was there for him in his last days, won't go into that.  

I'm sure we have all had different experiences and it is wonderful that you had such a close relationship.  It is so tough to lose friends.  

Edited June 12, 2023 by SLSD

[2SailingNomads]

How is the food, included wines, service? We will be on in 4 weeks from today.

[SLSD]

8 minutes ago, 2SailingNomads said:

How is the food, included wines, service? We will be on in 4 weeks from today.

We just boarded yesterday, so I don't think I can give a qualified opinion yet about the food.  The service has been great.  As I explained above, we got "adopted" by a waiter a lunch on the Colonnade Patio who asked us to request him in The Restaurant at dinner.  We did exactly that and the service was superb.  His name is Cristian and he has been with Seabourn since before Covid.  He told us that he is hoping to be assigned to Venture.  Last night's dinner was good.  Mr. SLSD had a chicken entree and I had "the chef's special" which involved cod.  I liked it. For dessert I had the lemon curd tart and Mr. SLSD had the warm berry cobbler. 

 

Hopefully, I'll get my devices working better for me later today so that I can post some photos of food, menus, and such.  I'm not the best when it comes to adapting to Seabourn's wifi and figuring everything out.  I may have to go in for remedial tutoring.  

 

We are very casual wine drinkers.  Yesterday, I had the Clarandelle White Bordeaux which I. have enjoyed on previous cruises.  Perhaps I will get a list of the included wines at some point.  

[lincslady]

Pleased you have had a good start, and have found a special waiter - it shouldn't matter, but it is nice.  Looking forward to further reports.

 

Regarding Cruise Directors (or whatever they are now called)  I remember Jan, Handre, and David E - all lovely people, slightly different in personality, naturally,  but I really would not like to say that any one was the 'best'.

[SLSD]

I'll be careful from here on out employing the word "best".  

Here's a few things we have learned so far on this voyage.  The guest count is 540 according to Wien Oban, the Restaurant Director.  I hope I have his first name spelled correctly.   He told us at breakfast today that this is 140 more than the last cruise.  300+  had dinner in the Restaurant last night and all went well he said.  He says that he has an excellent team right now.  So no--it should not matter who your waiter is--but we like Cristian very much. 

 

We heard today that The Restaurant is going to be open everyday for breakfast and for lunch.  Another guest told us this--but she had been told by a staff member.  Of course  it is only open for an hour for each meal--8am-9am for breakfast and 12:30-1:30 for lunch.  I don't know that we will be on board every day to take advantage of these times--but I was happy to hear this.  

 

Today, we did go to The Restaurant for breakfast.  The service was wonderful and the food was very good.  I had the western omelette with emmenthaler cheese on the side and Mr. SLSD had French toast and sausage links.   

 

 

Edited June 12, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

Here is today's Herald--June 12, 2023 which is a sea day.  

[lincslady]

I wasn't criticising anyone in particular about the use of 'best'. I too have a favourite who I think of as the 'best', but I suspect it is largely to do with someone whose personality type appeals to you more than others, for all of us, and another who I don't  like who is very popular. Just like our friends. It is better though not to say so here, I suppose, as they might just possibly be reading these reports!

 

That breakfast looks good to those of us who are having to make our own.  Enjoy all the pampering.

[Techno123]

@LMB01 we will see you onboard 😁 And thank you @SLSD for your trip report - it is great to know what to expect.

Edited June 12, 2023 by Techno123

[SLSD]

14 minutes ago, lincslady said:

I wasn't criticising anyone in particular about the use of 'best'. I too have a favourite who I think of as the 'best', but I suspect it is largely to do with someone whose personality type appeals to you more than others, for all of us, and another who I don't  like who is very popular. Just like our friends. It is better though not to say so here, I suppose, as they might just possibly be reading these reports!

 

That breakfast looks good to those of us who are having to make our own.  Enjoy all the pampering.

For the record, we have liked ALL the Cruise Directors (now Entertainment Directors) we have had in the past.  All have made our cruises interesting, fun, and special.  

[frantic36]

2 hours ago, SLSD said:

 

We heard today that The Restaurant is going to be open everyday for breakfast and for lunch.  Another guest told us this--but she had been told by a staff member.  Of course  it is only open for an hour for each meal--8am-9am for breakfast and 12:30-1:30 for lunch.  I don't know that we will be on board every day to take advantage of these times--but I was happy to hear this. 

 

I am pleased for you and others that enjoy the restaurant as I know it has been a concern. We did use it quite a bit for lunch on our Quest cruise which was a change for us. We started using as the whether got to cold for the Colonnade and then it had become a bit of a habit as the weather warmed. 

 

I am wondering if it is open for our warm weather cruise later this year whether we maintain the habit?

[SLSD]

This has been an enjoyable sea day so far.  We attended a lecture this morning on the history of the Vikings.  The presenter was a specialist in Russian History who imparted so new insights.  While I knew of the range of the Vikings concerning Europe, I had not realize that they also left a legacy in what is now Russia.  The evidence is archaeological and language.  Some of the classic Russian. names come from Scandanavia with some changes. An example would be Helga/Olga.  The lecture was accompanied by very clear slides of maps and artifacts.  The Viking "era" ended with William the Conquerer in 1066--a very important date.  We look forward to subsequent lecturers by this presenter.  

 

 

IMG_5297.HEIC

[galeforce9]

16 hours ago, SLSD said:

  Our waiter was Cristian.  Cristian is living in Peru when he is not on a Seabourn ship.  At the end of our meal, he asked if we would ask for one of his tables in The Restaurant if we were dining there tonight.  We asked for his table--he escorted me to the table and proceeded to give us great service throughout the meal.  I forgot to photograph our meal, but did get a photo of Mr. SLSD's dessert which I will post in a bit.  

 

SLSD. Really enjoying your reports so far. Please continue. I believe we may have encountered Cristian on a previous trip.  We had a fabulous waiter from Peru in November 

2015 on our Suez Canal cruise on Sojourn.    We sat in his area every night.  He would tell us pretty much what were the best items on the menu in his opinion. We are foodies and usually good at making our own decisions but his suggestions were great.  Service was excellent too.  We even met him in Petra when the staff has their own trip.  Of course, I can’t fully remember his name and I could be mistaken!