Seabourn Air programme

[minxtabb]

I've just booked the Panama cruise departing in November and have a quote for Seabourn Air Programme that is not wildly away from what I can get it for on the web directly, and includes a hotel for the first night.

 

Has anyone used Seabourn for air before? what is included - transfers from airport to hotel, then hotel to ship, and then ship to airport after the cruise? Which hotels do they use in Fort Lauderdale?

 

I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited about this cruise, we've been waiting to get on the right Seabourn cruise for some time now (have tried Silversea and liked very much) and to have one finally booked is thrilling!!

 

thanks

 

Roz

[Cruisewoman79]

I've just booked the Panama cruise departing in November and have a quote for Seabourn Air Programme that is not wildly away from what I can get it for on the web directly, and includes a hotel for the first night.

 

Has anyone used Seabourn for air before? what is included - transfers from airport to hotel, then hotel to ship, and then ship to airport after the cruise? Which hotels do they use in Fort Lauderdale?

 

I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited about this cruise, we've been waiting to get on the right Seabourn cruise for some time now (have tried Silversea and liked very much) and to have one finally booked is thrilling!!

 

thanks

 

Roz

Roz if you are using a TA they should tell you. If not just call Seabourn. They are very helpful. Yes, transfers are included. As for hotel they do seem expensive compared to what you can get on your own - Seabourn only uses good ones - The Atlantic Hotel (1st night @ $389 pp double occ.) or the Mandarin Oriental Miami (@ $445).

You will love Seabourn. Different than Silversea for sure.

[LaPaloma]

I've just booked the Panama cruise departing in November and have a quote for Seabourn Air Programme that is not wildly away from what I can get it for on the web directly, and includes a hotel for the first night.

 

Has anyone used Seabourn for air before? what is included - transfers from airport to hotel, then hotel to ship, and then ship to airport after the cruise? Which hotels do they use in Fort Lauderdale?

 

I'm SOOOOOOOOO excited about this cruise, we've been waiting to get on the right Seabourn cruise for some time now (have tried Silversea and liked very much) and to have one finally booked is thrilling!!

 

thanks

 

 

Roz

 

 

If this also includes transfers to the ship..it is all rather nice not to have to bother on your own..very convenient.

[PeaSea8ch]

Roz, you are going to have a blast on your PC cruise! I will be on the Trans-Atlantic crossing right before your PC cruise. In 2004, I did the B2B crosssing and PC cruises and had a fantastic time. :) LaPaloma is correct, if you book Seabourn air, transfers from airport to ship are included on embarkation and disembarkatin days ONLY. If you book a Seabourn hotel package it includes the room, American breakfast, services of a hospitality desk and transfers from airport to hotel and hotel to ship. If you book both Seabourn air and a hotel package, you will NOT be refunded for the duplicate transfers. In 2004, I did my own air and booked the post cruise hotel package with Seabourn.

 

That said and based on my experience in 2004, I would make the following recommendations: If the Seabourn air is close to what you can get on the web, do your own air. If all you need is a place to sleep in FLL before the cruise, book the FLL Embassy Suites as they have a web deal where for $6 p/p plus tips on top of the room rate, they will transfer you to the ship.

 

Depending on where home is, the connections out of San Jose (closest internatinal airport to Puerto Caldera where you disembark) are not the best and many passengers had to overnight in San Jose. The trek from Puerto Caldera to San Jose in central Costa Rica is about a 2 hour ride on a very curvy road in rugged terrain through a lush tropical rain forest - have yor camera handy as you will probably want to take a few snaps. Seabourn uses the San Jose Marriott, a lovely property that reminded me of the nereby coffee plantations and is located next to the airport. You will not hear jets taking off or landing at all hours of the day and night. Seabourn had passengers at another hotel not listed in the brochure but it was further away from the airport.

 

Seabourn's package rate for the hotel is a bit pricey IMHO. You can probably get a better rate online or with at TA so grab that. I recommmend purchasing a transfer onboard to get you from the ship to the hotel. The hotel offers free shuttle service to the airport - let the Bell Captain know your flight number when you check in and he will tell you when to have your luggage ready, when you will depart for the airport and the Bellboys will collect your luggage from your room and load it onto the shuttle van for you.

 

Finally, there is a $26 p/p (in 2004) airport departure tax that must be paid in either US$ or in Colones the local currency. I can't remember if they would or would not accept credit cards for this departure tax; however, if credit cards were accepted, there was a hefty fee tacked on. Check with the Shore Excurision Manager onboard for the current dearture tax amount, payment options and plan accordingly.

 

Welcome to Seabourn Cruise Line and Bon Voyage! :)

 

[minxtabb]

thanks so much for all your responses. I guess because we will be coming from the UK, Seabourn include the first night hotel accomodation in the fare, so its looking not a bad deal. Does anyone remember what the cost of the transfer only from Caldera to San Jose was?

 

Also, any recommendations for "must do" excursions? frustratingly, Seabourn have nothing on their site at the moment and I'm desperate to start doing some planning!!

 

thanks so much again

 

Roz

[PeaSea8ch]

Also, any recommendations for "must do" excursions? frustratingly, Seabourn have nothing on their site at the moment and I'm desperate to start doing some planning!!

Roz, About 3 months before your cruise, you will receive the "preliminary" cruise documentation booklet. This booklet contains your itinerary, tips about life onboard your Seabourn Yacht, offers for auxilliary services (door-to-door luggage, trip insurance, international cell phone rental) and detailed shore excursion information and prices so you can study and plan your adventures ashore. For mobility challenged passengers, each tour is rated for its difficulty and exertion level such as walking on uneven surfaces or long distances, negotiating a few steps versus climbing several flights of stairs, this sort of thing. These ratings are carefully assigned and I have never heard any passengeres complining that the tour was "too much" for them to handle. At the end of the shore excursion descriptions is the "fine print." Read the cancellation section carefully as depending when the tour was purchased and cancelled, the fee can be steep up to 100% of the tour price.

 

You will need to study this information carefully as there are similar tours offered on both the Atlantic and Pacific shores of Costa Rica so you will want to plan the best excursions right for you. As far as the tours go, Seabourn offers something for everyone! The standout tours for me were the rain forest canopy tour at 3 different elevations on a "skytram" in Puerto Moin, the Panama Canal museum in Fuerte Amador (the day after our transit) and the Pacific by outrigger canoe (paddle 1.5 miles each way to a secluded beach only accessible from the ocean for a snorkel (equipment porvided) and Seabourn box lunch and sun bathing or taking pictures in Puerto Quepos.

 

 

I know once you have been bitten by the Seabourn bug, patience is rather difficult.

[GrannyLorr]

 

I know once you have been bitten by the Seabourn bug, patience is rather difficult.

 

and there is no drug to cure it! :rolleyes:

[banditcat]

If you do Seabourn air the transfers are provided. We used Seabourn air for our Dec 05 trip to Costa Rica. We flew into San Jose and was met by a guide and our transportation to the hotel. Also the hotel was included in the quote for the air. In addition we had a tour guide from the hotel to the port in Caldera. All were very professional and made our trip most enjoyable.

 

Hannah

[PeaSea8ch]

If you do Seabourn air the transfers are provided. We used Seabourn air for our Dec 05 trip to Costa Rica. We flew into San Jose and was met by a guide and our transportation to the hotel. Also the hotel was included in the quote for the air. In addition we had a tour guide from the hotel to the port in Caldera. All were very professional and made our trip most enjoyable.

 

Hannah

I too echo Hannah's assessment of the company ShorEx who Seabourn uses for tours and meet & greet services in Costa Rica. The staff is very professional (they wear "uniforms" of khaki ShorEx slacks and polo shirts), well educated and very knowledgeable of the area of interest. The tours went off like clockwork and I completely enjoyed them.

[Tex805]

I've just booked the Panama cruise departing in November

 

Roz, if this is the trip leaving Ft.Lauderdale on November 21 (Legend), we will be on board, too. Also our first Seabourn trip, but from what I'm reading, it won't be our last. See you on board!

 

Frank

[Daneite]

minxtabb,

If this is your first Seabourn cruise, have you been referred? If not and you have not yet made your final payment email me at kathryn askham @ Gmail dotcom (remove spaces etc) and we could both benefit from $400 onboard credit.

You are going to love Seabourn, we have done both SB and Silversea and SB is truly something else.

We too are in the UK and when we have used Seabourn airfare (which generally works out at a good price for Fort Lauderdale) we have been placed at either embassy suites ot Hyatt regency pier 66, both of which are great hotels.

have a great cruise

kathryn