From the Seabourn President.

[Mr Luxury]

13 hours ago, markham said:

Cruiseej,

 

You have the facts and I wish the gist was otherwise. Natalya is a most valuable asset to Carnival. Without any doubt she takes the presidency of Seabourn to a completely new level.
 

I hope for the good of the Seabourn brand she is widely supported so that she can lead it into its next iteration. That might, in time, include new ships with superior designs to compete with Silversea’s and Regent’s latest classic ships- 5 beauties between 2022-2023. And Seabourn has some of the most personable shipboard staff and crew, and now she is attempting to improve the quality and efficiency of the land operations. So much to do…
 

We hope to continue to sail with them for years to come. Carnival simply has to support Natalya’s across-the-board initiatives with proper resourcing.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

If only we could do something about the guests Markham.

[saminina]

21 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

IBut Seabourn is still run as a subsidiary of Holland America, and Leahy reports to the Holland America Line president. I don't think she could separate Seabourn HQ from Holland America. 

She certainly comes with a visible energy level higher than the two that preceded her.  Until separation from HAL happens, SB as a brand will never recover.  I can picture her in a meeting getting beaten down, putting up a fight for what is right, and ending up like Meadows.   On her worst day she will outperform her immediate predecessor for passenger causes.   Just an opinion from a person that lost interest in Seabourn the day after HAL took over the kitchen.

 

The competition for good help....... and passengers, is so great SB will need adjustments to thrive.

[Cantara24]

35 minutes ago, saminina said:

She certainly comes with a visible energy level higher than the two that preceded her.  Until separation from HAL happens, SB as a brand will never recover.  I can picture her in a meeting getting beaten down, putting up a fight for what is right, and ending up like Meadows.   On her worst day she will outperform her immediate predecessor for passenger causes.   Just an opinion from a person that lost interest in Seabourn the day after HAL took over the kitchen.

 

The competition for good help....... and passengers, is so great SB will need adjustments to thrive.

 

I agree with your thinking, the HAL factor is a problem.

 

But, I am hoping that this is more of a logistics thing versus “brand” dilution.

 

I remain positive on what the new president is out to achieve. Guess we’ll find out, for us, April 2024.

[hoya68]

On 7/9/2023 at 4:15 PM, ON cruiser said:

I would believe that if you go on a SS cruise, you will meet many very nice people, just as on SB or Regent. As you note, SLSD, its a very small percentage who post on-line, and even if some are "snarky" on line, they may be lovely in person. I would not sweat that too much. It would be a pleasure to meet you and Markham some day...if the stars align. 

 

While I would return to SB at some point, especially given the improvements being implemented, I would also try SS if the pricing and itinerary are right. We looked at the 2025 SS LA-Hawaii return to Vancouver but, once tours and biz class air was added in, this became a far more pricey proposition than a Regent cruise also in Spring 2025 which we were also eying. 

 

As for the Regent "vibe", we've met many lovely folk on our cruises with whom we chummed around. Dress code on Regent is country club casual--I typically wear a sports jacket most nights to dinner, because I choose to, and I estimate that, on average, 35-50% of gents do so. Yet on cruises of 15 days and less there is no "formal optional" night (having noted that, one can still dress up a tad on any night and, if going to a specialty restaurant, many guys do wear a jacket and some add a tie). Yet most nights, a lot of gents wear a pair of nice slacks and a collared shirt--which is all that is required. No jeans after 6PM, unless one is dining outside. 

 

We find the food quality and service on Regent, especially thinking of our two most recent cruses post-covid, as overall excellent. And, my wife and I can be hard to impress, too. 

 

Frankly, on none of these lines will someone usually have a bad time (allowing that at times things can go wrong, anywhere).  I would sail on any of these three lines, so let, as someone else noted, the itinerary, all in pricing, and convenient timing of the cruise be your "tie-breakers".

 

Trying to decide which of several luxury lines to travel...a nice "problem" to have. We should all count our blessings.   

 

[hoya68]

Our only experience was on SS was an Antarctic cruise last November. It was the worst cruise my wife have ever experienced. COVID was rampant because of poor protocols. The passengers ranged from over-entitled to dull. Our first cruise without having a meaningful conversation with any passengers. The expedition staff was basically an amateur clown show. We got a little tired of the fact that by night eighteen the restaurant host was still asking us for our room number. Most staff were ok, few superlative. The food was ok at best. Can't wait to get back to Seabourn in January and to try to see Antarctica properly. Some of our cruises on Seabourn have been better than others but we have always enjoyed good company and good food. We have never left a Seabourn ship saying never again.

[hoya68]

On 7/12/2023 at 2:55 PM, markham said:

This learning tour of the ships by Natalya Leahy has certainly been instructive for all of us!

 

Maybe she will find it expedient for her to clean house so a new set of people take responsibility for delivering the “it’s your moment” stuff. It may mean recruiting and paying more or moving HQ to a location that is better resourced than Seattle. No matter what the senior management has a lot to answer for given all the slippage over the past years, arguably starting well before Covid.

 

Just sayin’

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

[Shipless in Seattle]

I’ve enjoyed reading all these posts and some of the back-and-forth. A couple of you need an act at the Apollo. We have 100+ days each on Seabourn Silversea and Regent each and love all three for different reasons. I spent a lot of time on Holland in the 90s but ships are too big for me. I started sailing Regent (Radisson) back in 2000 and Silversea in 2004 than Seaborn ~2010. We love being on a ship.  A cruise has always been a specific snapshot moment in time of a line so sometimes you have not so good experience on one cruise just because the captain isn’t the best or the financial condition of the cruise line isn’t as good or the food isn’t optimal but I’ve always tried to I have a good time and find the things I i like. The main thing on all of them is the staffs are so attentive to help you have a good experience. The more you sail a particular cruise line the more you get to know the staff from multiple cruises  I remember one cruise on Regent a long time ago. We had a knock at the door early in the cruise, and it was a housekeeper who had been our housekeeper a year before on another cruise. She was in tears really sad because she had tried to switch her floor so she could be our housekeeper again because she liked us so much but couldn’t . Still makes me feel humble today that she wanted to clean up after me. The staff on these lines have always treated us with absolute genuine emotion that is probably one of the biggest pluses of being on any of them.  Seabourn Silversea and Regent. The holy trinity of cruising 🙂  I have no issues with booking any of them and find them all amazing.! 
cheers Kent & Jeffrey 

[frantic36]

7 hours ago, Shipless in Seattle said:

I’ve enjoyed reading all these posts and some of the back-and-forth. A couple of you need an act at the Apollo. We have 100+ days each on Seabourn Silversea and Regent each and love all three for different reasons. I spent a lot of time on Holland in the 90s but ships are too big for me. I started sailing Regent (Radisson) back in 2000 and Silversea in 2004 than Seaborn ~2010. We love being on a ship.  A cruise has always been a specific snapshot moment in time of a line so sometimes you have not so good experience on one cruise just because the captain isn’t the best or the financial condition of the cruise line isn’t as good or the food isn’t optimal but I’ve always tried to I have a good time and find the things I i like. The main thing on all of them is the staffs are so attentive to help you have a good experience. The more you sail a particular cruise line the more you get to know the staff from multiple cruises  I remember one cruise on Regent a long time ago. We had a knock at the door early in the cruise, and it was a housekeeper who had been our housekeeper a year before on another cruise. She was in tears really sad because she had tried to switch her floor so she could be our housekeeper again because she liked us so much but couldn’t . Still makes me feel humble today that she wanted to clean up after me. The staff on these lines have always treated us with absolute genuine emotion that is probably one of the biggest pluses of being on any of them.  Seabourn Silversea and Regent. The holy trinity of cruising 🙂  I have no issues with booking any of them and find them all amazing.! 
cheers Kent & Jeffrey 

 

What a wonderful and humble attitude and I applaud you.🙂

[whogo]

8 hours ago, Shipless in Seattle said:

She was in tears really sad because she had tried to switch her floor so she could be our housekeeper again because she liked us so much but couldn’t .

That is creepy.

[lincslady]

It's only creepy if the passengers had given her a huge tip last time, and she was perhaps hoping for another, as most Seabourn travellers do not give tips unless it is a donation to the crew fund.

[Khareef]

10 minutes ago, lincslady said:

It's only creepy if the passengers had given her a huge tip last time, and she was perhaps hoping for another, as most Seabourn travellers do not give tips unless it is a donation to the crew fund.

That's one the reason people choose ultra lux lines, everything is included  and you don't have the tipping non sense that goes on on other lines or the million different packages or the hard sale everywhere.... To be honest, as a European tipping has gone out of hands all together in the USA, even take away/street food places  throw you in your face a 20% tipping which is ridiculous really. It is not tipping anymore, it is an added tax.

[SLSD]

36 minutes ago, Khareef said:

That's one the reason people choose ultra lux lines, everything is included  and you don't have the tipping non sense that goes on on other lines or the million different packages or the hard sale everywhere.... To be honest, as a European tipping has gone out of hands all together in the USA, even take away/street food places  throw you in your face a 20% tipping which is ridiculous really. It is not tipping anymore, it is an added tax.

I agree that tipping is out of hand in the US.  We go to a Taco place where you pick up your food at the counter--no wait service--and there is a place on the bill for a tip.  The real issue is that  many people are not paid a living wage in the United States.  

 

[FlyerTalker]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

The real issue is that  many people are not paid a living wage in the United States. 

 

Time for some Econ 101 about wages.

 

 

[skybluewaters]

5 hours ago, lincslady said:

...as most Seabourn travellers do not give tips unless it is a donation to the crew fund.

 

Although we can't know with certainty, I believe most Seabourn passengers do tip extra.  On the penultimate day of a cruise, I see lots of "handshakes" from the passengers to the room attendants, the bartenders, waiters, some of the entertainers, etc.  It's only natural to want to go above and beyond, even if it is already included. 

[Mr Luxury]

57 minutes ago, skybluewaters said:

 

Although we can't know with certainty, I believe most Seabourn passengers do tip extra.  On the penultimate day of a cruise, I see lots of "handshakes" from the passengers to the room attendants, the bartenders, waiters, some of the entertainers, etc.  It's only natural to want to go above and beyond, even if it is already included. 

I am one who does not.

I go to Seabourn Square usually on the second day of the cruise and make a donation to the crew welfare fund so that all can benefit.

 

[Mauzac]

11 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

I am one who does not.

I go to Seabourn Square usually on the second day of the cruise and make a donation to the crew welfare fund so that all can benefit.

 

 

Ditto.   But towards the end of the cruise.  There are so many wonderful staff we don't see and they need appreciation too.

I always remember Captain Tim Roberts and other officers doing a Q&A session talking about the wonderful crew.  And he said that every day he goes to the Laundry room to check how the crew down there are doing because they work shifts covering 24/7 and are some of the hardest working on the ship.  We don't see them but we sure appreciate them!  😊

[Mr Luxury]

15 minutes ago, Mauzac said:

 

Ditto.   But towards the end of the cruise.  There are so many wonderful staff we don't see and they need appreciation too.

I always remember Captain Tim Roberts and other officers doing a Q&A session talking about the wonderful crew.  And he said that every day he goes to the Laundry room to check how the crew down there are doing because they work shifts covering 24/7 and are some of the hardest working on the ship.  We don't see them but we sure appreciate them!  😊

Every day Tim used to go to the laundry to see when his shirts would be ready.😀

[Khareef]

12 hours ago, Mr Luxury said:

I am one who does not.

I go to Seabourn Square usually on the second day of the cruise and make a donation to the crew welfare fund so that all can benefit.

 

That's probably the best way, most of the staff is nice and kind and it would be difficult  to tip just a few.

[Mr Luxury]

1 hour ago, Khareef said:

That's probably the best way, most of the staff is nice and kind and it would be difficult  to tip just a few.

That's my theory