We are returning to Norway next summer--on Seabourn's Sojourn--to beat the heat in Texas

[SLSD]

This has been a brutal summer in Texas.  I'm sure everyone has seen the news.  We are staying indoors with the exception of brief forays to the grocery store or to visit friends.  Yesterday, we booked a 28 day Seabourn cruise for next summer.  And yes, it is Norway again, but we are adding Iceland this time.  Reading our poster MaryOGreen's wonderful blog The Modern Postcard has convinced me we can return to Norway and have all new experiences.  

 

I tried to convince Mr. SLSD to try Silversea, but he resisted.  I gave him all the arguments, but he was not having it.  For starters, he is put off with the idea of the butler.  We HAVE cruised Silversea in the past and he flat out prefers Seabourn.  Not even the charms of the new Silversea Dawn could budge him.  So--Sojourn, here we come, but not until next July.  Hopefully, a month out of the brutal heat will make summer 2024 survivable.  And yes, we feel very very fortunate to be able to sail on Seabourn 

 

We have spent a good amount of time in London.  One of our sons lived there for several years with our now daughter in law.  Visits from us were in order--and have loved visiting London, but would like to experience some of the countryside--or at least a small town or village within a reasonable distance of the port at Dover.  I seem to remember that some of you here, in this forum, had suggestions for either a country inn or hotel to stay in out from Dover.  I've searched, but haven't been able to find that reference in our Seabourn forum.   I would be so appreciative if one of you remembers that conversation and the names of the recommended lodging places.  

 

Meanwhile, I need to start a letter writing campaign to the new president of Seabourn asking that the Restaurant on Seabourn's Sojourn  open for breakfast and lunch on this 28 day cruise.  

 

After this next cruise, our calendar will be more open--but the only truly cool weather cruises I see during the summer are Norway, Iceland and Alaska.  Any other ideas for the next one?

Edited August 4, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

What about staying in the village of Rye?  Are any of you from the UK familiar with Rye?  I actually have a couple of pieces of pottery from Rye Pottery which I have owned for years. 

 

 

[Island2Dweller]

Rye is indeed very pretty. Slightly easier to get to from Dover is the seaside town of Deal, only 15 minutes by train from Dover.  Bus service also available or if you prefer taxi it's less than ten miles so that won't break the bank

[Sunprince]

Congrats on your booking!  For next cruise, consider Iceland to Montreal and Montreal to New York. Cooler weather cruises for sure!

[SLSD]

10 minutes ago, Sunprince said:

Congrats on your booking!  For next cruise, consider Iceland to Montreal and Montreal to New York. Cooler weather cruises for sure!

We looked at that itinerary.  We have children in NYC--so that would be an appealing place to disembark.  Thank you for the suggestion.  

Edited August 4, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

51 minutes ago, Island2Dweller said:

Rye is indeed very pretty. Slightly easier to get to from Dover is the seaside town of Deal, only 15 minutes by train from Dover.  Bus service also available or if you prefer taxi it's less than ten miles so that won't break the bank

I'll take a look at Deal.  We don't mind booking a car.  We once took the bus from Heathrow to Oxford--going back, we booked a car.  Keep the suggestions coming!  

Edited August 4, 2023 by SLSD

[markandjie]

2 hours ago, SLSD said:

 

I tried to convince Mr. SLSD to try Silversea, but he resisted

 

Based on our first 24 hours on the Muse, I have to say I agree with him. Very very small sample size, but underwhelming in many ways both large and small. Will share more after giving it the full week. 

[skybluewaters]

4 minutes ago, markandjie said:

 

Based on our first 24 hours on the Muse, I have to say I agree with him. Very very small sample size, but underwhelming in many ways both large and small. Will share more after giving it the full week. 

 

Thank you...I look forward to your observations.

[SLSD]

By the way, our travel agent (Virtuoso) tells us that we booked the very last Veranda on our itinerary.  We don't love our suite location.  We are on the waitlist for another suite.  It is ok if we have to stay with this suite.  There are only a few Vista suites left.  So surprising to me as our cruise on Ovation this summer was not full.  

 

Another person on our cruise (the first 14 days of it) tells us that there were very few Verandas left last February when they booked.  Once again, so surprised.  Am I just out in left field to be surprised? 

 

Edited August 4, 2023 by SLSD

[Covepointcruiser]

Will you still take this cruise if the restaurant is not open for Breakfast and Lunch on port days?   Do the management at Seabourn usually follow your requests?

[SLSD]

21 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Will you still take this cruise if the restaurant is not open for Breakfast and Lunch on port days?   Do the management at Seabourn usually follow your requests?

 

21 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Will you still take this cruise if the restaurant is not open for Breakfast and Lunch on port days?   Do the management at Seabourn usually follow your requests?

Yes we will.  We are experts at a work around.  But, should we have to work around on a luxury cruise line?  So--we don't do buffets in our regular land life and we don't do them on cruises either. 

 

Are you suggesting that we are being impudent to consider writing a letter?  Would you not write a letter with a suggestion that would make your cruise much better? We are all different.  We all value different things on a cruise.  

Edited August 4, 2023 by SLSD

[caviarforme]

Seems we may be embarking at Dover as you disembark on 24th August 2024? Shame we will miss you, as I would have been the other gentleman in a jacket in the MDR!  After a very very hot May & June here in the UK - it is now unseasonably "cold", grey and wet! Just what you may be looking for.

 

We are looking forward to Iceland and for once not having to fly - Dover is about a 2 hour drive for us.

 

Dover is in the county of Kent, known as the Garden of England, with wonderful  scenery once you get off the main roads, and also full of rural villages and historic towns (e.g. Canterbury) . Get a car and travel at your own pace, and you will  have the choice of great small and large city and country hotels.

 

Dover itself will be busy in August - with English Channel traffic, which is likely to be "stacked up" as a result of new visa and entry requirements being introduced by Europe as a penalty for the UK leaving the EU.

 

I am sure I can give you some suggestions if you specify your likes and dislikes

[SLSD]

2 hours ago, caviarforme said:

Seems we may be embarking at Dover as you disembark on 24th August 2024? Shame we will miss you, as I would have been the other gentleman in a jacket in the MDR!  After a very very hot May & June here in the UK - it is now unseasonably "cold", grey and wet! Just what you may be looking for.

 

We are looking forward to Iceland and for once not having to fly - Dover is about a 2 hour drive for us.

 

Dover is in the county of Kent, known as the Garden of England, with wonderful  scenery once you get off the main roads, and also full of rural villages and historic towns (e.g. Canterbury) . Get a car and travel at your own pace, and you will  have the choice of great small and large city and country hotels.

 

Dover itself will be busy in August - with English Channel traffic, which is likely to be "stacked up" as a result of new visa and entry requirements being introduced by Europe as a penalty for the UK leaving the EU.

 

I am sure I can give you some suggestions if you specify your likes and dislikes

We won't be driving in the UK.  We've discussed this thoroughly and I don't think we would be safe drivers due to the differences in sides of the road and sides of the car for the driver.  We think it would be too stressful.  I know many Americans DO drive, including a friend of ours who we think is a terrible driver in the US!  We wouldn't want to put anyone at risk--ourselves or someone else.  

 

As far as our preferences.  We would not feel a need to go and do everything that could be done in just a couple of days before the cruise.  We would enjoy strolling through a town like Canterbury or Rye--enjoying lunch in a pub, seeing whatever sights there were to see (such in in Canterbury).  We would like a comfortable place to stay--that serves a good breakfast.  We'll figure out a way to see the countryside.  We haven't decided yet how many days pre-cruise to enjoy.  Probably no more than two full days.  

[highplanesdrifters]

19 hours ago, SLSD said:

And yes, it is Norway again, but we are adding Iceland this time. 

SLSD - we have returned to Norway, Iceland and Greenland numerous times. Each time has been different and wonderful.  What a wonderful place to spend time in the summer!  Enjoy!

 

Now if we can only get this darn high pressure system to dissipate. 

[caviarforme]

SLSD - i feel your biggest problem may be the move to Buffet breakfast in UK hotels. For culture I feel Canterbury may be ideal for you - and if you looked at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge (canterburycathedrallodge dot org) you will be in the grounds of the cathedral and centre of the town, with Breakfast "cooked to order".

 

Also, Rail from London to Canterbury is good and on to Dover by rail is less than 30 minutes

Edited August 5, 2023 by caviarforme

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, caviarforme said:

SLSD - i feel your biggest problem may be the move to Buffet breakfast in UK hotels. For culture I feel Canterbury may be ideal for you - and if you looked at the Canterbury Cathedral Lodge (canterburycathedrallodge dot org) you will be in the grounds of the cathedral and centre of the town, with Breakfast "cooked to order".

 

Also, Rail from London to Canterbury is good and on to Dover by rail is less than 30 minutes

If there is a buffet breakfast in a hotel--we do partake if that is the choice.  But, have no desire to have that as our only option on a luxury cruise line.  There is a difference.  

 

Thank you for the additional info about Canterbury--I'm beginning to think it is where we would like to be.  We always enjoy cultural sites and would enjoy the cathedral and all connected.  

[ON cruiser]

18 hours ago, SLSD said:

 

Yes we will.  We are experts at a work around.  But, should we have to work around on a luxury cruise line?  So--we don't do buffets in our regular land life and we don't do them on cruises either. 

 

Are you suggesting that we are being impudent to consider writing a letter?  Would you not write a letter with a suggestion that would make your cruise much better? We are all different.  We all value different things on a cruise.  

 

[ON cruiser]

In answer to the OP’s question, in my view, you are certainly Not being “impudent” to inform SB executives of what you like, and why. I also share your opinion on having more choices for breakfast and lunch. A self-defined luxury line should offer such choices. 
 

Just curious, if I may ask the OP, if Regent was in your consideration for a cruise? That line does offer the dining room (or specialty restaurants) for lunch and the Dining room for sit-down breakfast.

[SLSD]

22 minutes ago, ON cruiser said:

In answer to the OP’s question, in my view, you are certainly Not being “impudent” to inform SB executives of what you like, and why. I also share your opinion on having more choices for breakfast and lunch. A self-defined luxury line should offer such choices. 
 

Just curious, if I may ask the OP, if Regent was in your consideration for a cruise? That line does offer the dining room (or specialty restaurants) for lunch and the Dining room for sit-down breakfast.

I have looked at Regent.  My husband really likes Seabourn and wants to stay with it.  Perhaps we will try it another time.  Their dining looks appealing.  I don't particularly like other things about the line---included excursions/air, etc.  The same with Silversea even though there are some options.  

[ON cruiser]

Thanks for responding.

 

On the included Biz class air for Europe/ international, one can opt out and get a credit. Currently, while we’ve opted out in the past, given the high price of biz class,  I’m content with Regent picking my flight, with the modest fee to deviate if desired.

 

Re shore excursions, many might agree with you. Yet equally many have had quite good included tours. There is also extra cost options, for which “funny money” ( AKA SBC) can be used. 
 

Yet I do appreciate sticking to the known or comfort zone. Enjoy your upcoming cruise!

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, ON cruiser said:

Thanks for responding.

 

On the included Biz class air for Europe/ international, one can opt out and get a credit. Currently, while we’ve opted out in the past, given the high price of biz class,  I’m content with Regent picking my flight, with the modest fee to deviate if desired.

 

Re shore excursions, many might agree with you. Yet equally many have had quite good included tours. There is also extra cost options, for which “funny money” ( AKA SBC) can be used. 
 

Yet I do appreciate sticking to the known or comfort zone. Enjoy your upcoming cruise!

I think it's the comfort zone that Mr. SLSD enjoys--knowing the ship(s), knowing the drill.  There will be more cruises in the future.  

[maryogreen]

@SLSD I'm delighted to have provided some inspiration for a return visit to Norway! I agree with you that there is so much to see and do that you will not be repeating excursions from our June cruise. Iceland will be a great new addition to the itinerary!

Mary

www.themodernpostcard.com

[2SailingNomads]

Iceland is amazing, have been there twice on 2 cruises each to different multiple ports and spent 2 days post cruise a week ago in Reykjavik after disembarking the Ovation and will be back next month at the end of another cruise.

 

We also now live in a place where in the summer the heat is oppressive so going for part of the summer where temps are not over 100F is appealing.  Miss living in Park City this time of year.

[nancygp]

Susan,

 

so happy we will meet up next year on the first half of your cruise.  We were without internet most of today as we’re in a glacier and fjord area..so happy you booked such a great itinerary

we might return to Norway in 2025

 

Nancy

Edited August 5, 2023 by nancygp

[SLSD]

18 minutes ago, nancygp said:

Susan,

 

so happy we will meet up next year on the first half of your cruise.  We were without internet most of today as we’re in a glacier and fjord area..so happy you booked such a great itinerary

we might return to Norway in 2025

 

Nancy

I'm happy we are going to meet as well.  Something to look forward to in addition to the cruise itself.  I think it is a great itinerary.