So, let’s call it “⅓ of “the Big One” - we’re back on World-Cruise-Sojourn!

[shark b8]

Aloha & ahoy there, CC’ers!  As promised (or threatened, depending on how you look at it) a few weeks ago…..we’re baaaaaaaaack.  We boarded the Sojourn a couple of hours ago, we arrived in Sydney over the weekend after the briefest of puddle-jumps (🙄).  Had a nice view from our hotel window (below)…..just before the skies opened up (while we were out at brunch) for a good ol’ fashioned midwest-style thunderstorm. A real “frog-strangler” as Andy Griffith would have said.  Thunder as loud as I’ve ever heard it.   It was glorious.  (and produced second pic, below)

 

So, we were originally scheduled for this cruise in 2021 (2022?) but it became a covid-cancellation, and thus was automatically re-scheduled.  This 2024 World Cruise is already underway, of course, started in L.A. over a month ago, hit some place called “Hawaii”, then several Pacific islands and New Zealand, we’re catching up with it here.  We’ll be on for the leg(s) through Shanghai, 50 days.  And Ross told us at the gangway that everything after Singapore (which included passage through the Red Sea) has been canceled, for obvious reasons.  I’m sure that has already been noted and widely discussed elsewhere on CC.

 

(And since you asked….the ship in the pic below is the “Resilent Lady”, a Virgin ship…..so to speak. 😉)

 

Hoping for the usual CC-fun - hit me with questions or whatever as we go, let’s please have a lively back-and-forth!

 

 

[lincslady]

Looking forward to  newsy reports from you - we don't seem to have had as many as usual recently on the Seabourn board.  Especially from my favourite SB ship, her first cruise was out of the UK, and we were on the second one. 

[shark b8]

We have a history that goes back a ways too - our first Seabourn was on the Spirit ( ! ) in 2013.  But then we did Singapore-Athens as our second Seabourn….on this here Sojourn.  A grand lady.

[frantic36]

I hope you have a wonderful cruise. We just disembarked after enjoying our segment from LA. 
The storm in Sydney yesterday was quite amazing especially the thunder and lightning. Friends joining the Odyssey had their flight delayed from Brisbane over 2 hours as a lightning strike damaged one of the tarmacs and caused electrical problems in one terminal.

[shark b8]

Hey frantic, do you know about pax count on the L.A.-Sydney part?  I usually ask around among the staff about occupancy-percentage, although I’m not entirely sure why.  I’d assume pretty close to capacity, as we’ve moved pretty far from the worst of the Covid days, and I’d guess more & more people are anxious to get their cruising shoes on again.

 

OK, we’re about to sail away, it wont be quite as spectacular as doing it after dark, with the Harbor Bridge and the Opera House lit up like Christmas, but fun none-the-less.   We’re all settled in, unpacked, standing order of champagne/caviar every night at 7:00p is in place.  Time to perform The Ritual Seabourn Sigh - that wonderful feeling that, for the foreseeable future anyway, all planning, logistics and travel-headaches are somebody *else’s* problem.  *SIGH*

[shark b8]

awwww, would you look at that.  Hello, old friend.

 

[shark b8]

We’ve sailed-away.  Where the heck is everybody?

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Better when sparkly at night, but still pretty great.

 

 

 

[Covepointcruiser]

The Virgin ship is almost the ugliest ship I have ever seen, hope it’s better on the inside.

Is Seabourn still serving the “green” caviar?   Have a great voyage.

[saminina]

For an accurate passenger count, ask at gangway when boarding at next stop.  

[shark b8]

During sailaway I chatted with Sean the Bar Manager (I think that’s his title) and asked about the count.  He said that when they first sailed from L.A., it was 387.  And going forward from now, he said he thought it was 330-something.  I would have guessed the opposite would be the case, more people boarding for Australia, Indonesia, Philippines etc, rather than for L.A./Hawaii/New Zealand (with lots of sea days), but what do I know.   ~75% capacity is fine with me!

Edited February 20 by shark b8

[shark b8]

In Sydney harbor, if you want to take a ferry ride, it’s not particularly difficult to find one.

 

[shark b8]

Morning #1.  Grapefruit juice, hot tea, eggs Benedict, watching a dolphin pod jump and splash and cavort in our wake - all from my favorite table on the ship.  All’s right with the world.

 

[shark b8]

3 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Is Seabourn still serving the “green” caviar?.

 

Hmmm, seems like the same stuff as always, although I don't think I’ve ever actually pursued what it is.  It won’t make anyone forget Alma Beluga, but pleasant enough.  Presumably sevruga.  I’ll ask. 

[breadandbutter]

16 hours ago, shark b8 said:

awwww, would you look at that.  Hello, old friend.

 

Just making  sure that you know it's possible to order 'double ' caviar?

 

[shark b8]

 

39 minutes ago, breadandbutter said:

….it's possible to order 'double ' caviar?

 

Yep, would definitely do that especially if we were ordering it as an appetizer in the MDR, something like that.  As it is, just having the small nightly nosh with champagne as we putter around and get ready for dinner, seems just about right.

[SLSD]

21 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Aloha & ahoy there, CC’ers!  As promised (or threatened, depending on how you look at it) a few weeks ago…..we’re baaaaaaaaack.  We boarded the Sojourn a couple of hours ago, we arrived in Sydney over the weekend after the briefest of puddle-jumps (🙄).  Had a nice view from our hotel window (below)…..just before the skies opened up (while we were out at brunch) for a good ol’ fashioned midwest-style thunderstorm. A real “frog-strangler” as Andy Griffith would have said.  Thunder as loud as I’ve ever heard it.   It was glorious.  (and produced second pic, below)

 

So, we were originally scheduled for this cruise in 2021 (2022?) but it became a covid-cancellation, and thus was automatically re-scheduled.  This 2024 World Cruise is already underway, of course, started in L.A. over a month ago, hit some place called “Hawaii”, then several Pacific islands and New Zealand, we’re catching up with it here.  We’ll be on for the leg(s) through Shanghai, 50 days.  And Ross told us at the gangway that everything after Singapore (which included passage through the Red Sea) has been canceled, for obvious reasons.  I’m sure that has already been noted and widely discussed elsewhere on CC.

 

(And since you asked….the ship in the pic below is the “Resilent Lady”, a Virgin ship…..so to speak. 😉)

 

Hoping for the usual CC-fun - hit me with questions or whatever as we go, let’s please have a lively back-and-forth!

 

 

Always happy to read your reports!

[frantic36]

13 hours ago, shark b8 said:

During sailaway I chatted with Sean the Bar Manager (I think that’s his title) and asked about the count.  He said that when they first sailed from L.A., it was 387.  And going forward from now, he said he thought it was 330-something.  I would have guessed the opposite would be the case, more people boarding for Australia, Indonesia, Philippines etc, rather than for L.A./Hawaii/New Zealand (with lots of sea days), but what do I know.   ~75% capacity is fine with me!

Sean is the Bar Manager and he is excellent. He has been with Seabourn starting with small ships but it was the first time we sailed with him. He is very precise so he would know. 
 

There were many Americans on our cruise and only 10 Australians which surprised us. I’m not surprised with lower numbers on your section as Australia & New Zealand know it is wet season so less likely to sail in this region as a gamble. We have done it and lucked out so I hope you are as lucky. Had no rain in Sydney today which hopefully is a good sign for you.

[shark b8]

Thanx frantic.  Very interesting insight about the weather factor.
 

Sean being the bar manager, I may go to him and ask about mezcal.  Have never tried it.  I make pretty good rocks-margaritas if I do say so myself, and I include a secret ingredient (I could tell you but then I’d have to kill you 😎). But I keep reading about tequila-ish cocktails being so much better with a mezcal base.  So much stuff to learn, so little time.

[johng75370]

11 hours ago, shark b8 said:

Sean being the bar manager

Assuming it's Sean Smit he's great - sailed with him a couple times before and he's one of the reasons we love coming back to Seabourn.  Thanks for taking us along!

[shark b8]

So, after a lazy sea day yesterday, we’ve arrived at Moreton island, an activity-rich playground.  Last year our parasailing here was canceled due to excessive wind, so we booked a helicopter ride instead.  Not entirely sure how all those things went together, but whatever.  Anyway, the parasailing worked out this time, it was great fun.  The second pic is Captain Sharkbait when he’s pretty high.   (oh stop it)

 

 

[shark b8]

Next up was Quad bikes.  Both hands on the handlebars at all times so no action-pix.  But it was great fun to zoom around the island, and race up and down the beach.  (Ok, “race” means…..a max of about 30mph)

 

 

[shark b8]

It really is a hoot - we are lucky & can see parasailers from our lanai all year round, and it’s particularly great to do during our whale season - about mid-Dec through March.  We asked about that, the guy said obvs their whale season was several months back, although one can still see dolphins from up there, if lucky.

 

 

 

[shark b8]

Dinner @ Earth & Ocean tonight, because they advertised miso cod.  We go back to Nobu Matsuhisa’s first restaurant on La Cienega Blvd in Beverly Hills, back in the 80’s.  Before the whole “miso-cod” craze, not sure when he presented that & when it arrived on the scene.  Anyway, our local sushi joint does it, we’ve had it in restaurants all over the map.  Seabourn E&O did it tonight, more cod than miso.  Pleasant enough, but needed more sauce/marinating….

 

 

 

 

Edited February 22 by shark b8

[shark b8]

Also Seabourn - maybe replace the E&O placemats, when they get all stringy around the edges?  I looked around, they’re pretty much all the same.  Little things, little things.