Review Legend June 30 -July 7

[DR John]

Just returned from our trip and back at work today. Makes me wish it was last week all over again.

Our trip turned out to be perfect except for a couple of rocky nights at sea ( not Seabourn's fault).

This was our 5th or 6th Seabourn cruise, and did not disappoint.We were a group of four couples and all were very happy.

The only issue we had was with a waiter that very subtly hinted for a tip. I found this to be in poor taste, but I guess nothing is perfect.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed the DJ etc. The food was as usual excellent as was the rest of the service.

The ship needs a slight facelift( don't we all), but that is a minor point.

We booked onboard for next summer. I am already looking forward to it

[james j feller]

DRJOHN,

 

I hope you told someone on the ship about that waiter,that is uncalled for.

 

JIM

[Host Dan]

Tipping is not required nor expected. The waiter should be reported.

 

Host Dan

[JaneBP]

But some waiters will 'lobby' for good ratings in the evaluation, which, while in good fun, can be annoying.

[CruisinMatt]

I have never experienced such a thing on Seabourn, how odd.

[Martita B.]

I've never ever experienced a waiter "subtly hinting" for a tip

either~~~

It is strange~~~

MB

[Cruisewoman79]

Me neither.

That is odd.

[djaaay]

I have only been on one Seabourn cruise so far and we were lobbied for a good evaluation by several crew members. They deserved one of course, but it was disappointing. We are cruising again in Oct. so I guess we weren't too offended. :)

[weewee]

On my trip through the Panama Canal last January three of the waiters on the Legend tried to lobby me on my evaluation.

[Grace Smith]

My husband and I were also on the June 30th Monte Carlo to Rome week. This was the second week of a back to back for us. Neither my husband or I ever felt pressure to tip any of the waiters or any of the staff, though they were all eager to please.

Some did solicit positive reviews on the score card addressed to Pamela Conover. Every company wants feedback. We gave ours, mostly positive...but also the negative, not to criticize, but to hopefully change things for the better.

The waiters are all so exceptional, that, where would you begin or end tipping? We didn't have one favorite, we had 25 favorites!

With very few exceptions, the Seabourn staff seemed to genuinely care about us.

We signed up for the Open Booking while on board. We can't wait til our next trip on Seabourn.

[lord of the seas]

I experienced the looking for tips routine on my Legend trip last year,but only with one waiter.

I do tip individual people who I think have given me that little bit extra in service and I give to the crew welfare fund also.

[Cruisewoman79]

I experienced the looking for tips routine on my Legend trip last year,but only with one waiter.

I do tip individual people who I think have given me that little bit extra in service and I give to the crew welfare fund also.

We always give to the crew welfare fund on Seabourn as we really feel they go the extra Nautical Mile!

[Martita B.]

I always leave a "love gift" for my Stewardess but as mentioned above there are too many Crew Members to remember and thank, so a number of us pool our funds/monies into one "envelope." I prepare a thank note, we all sign it and I leave it with the Crew Purser. A few times we've had enough in our appreciation fund to host a party for the entire Crew!! (Usually there are about 8 or so of us that

go in together) The Crew Purser tacks all "thank you" cards to the Crew Mess bulletin board. A few times I've received e-mail photos of these Crew Parties~~~

We not only want to thank the Maitre'D, Galley/kitchen worker's, bartender's, waiter's, etc. but the engine room boy's~~deck hands~~fellows in the laundry room and those sweet brass polisher's that work the allnight, "graveyard shift" keeping our brass shiny!

This "thank you" we think, is a good solution~~without exchanging monies.:)

Martita B.

[CruisinMatt]

I've also found that general kindness to the crew speaks louder than anything. I have witnessed passengers berating certain crew members (esp in the dining room) for even the slightest mix-up. Only once have I ever felt outrage toward a crew memeber and that person was an Asst CD. The hardworking staff that attend to our daily needs could never be nicer.

[Proper Lady]

We read with interest something Miss Martita B wrote about bringing small gifts aboard for the room stewardress, etc. and found that to be an excellent way to thank her for the many fine services she extended to us way above and beyond what is expected. Also giving to the Crew Fund as was also recommended by long time travelers on Seabourn is something which we and almost all of the passengers we encountered on our two previous cruises did without hesitation. The crews on the ships are incredible and so kind and helpful. One cannot say "well we pay so and so and therefore nothing else should ever be expected." We have heard (not many) more than one passenger say something that makes you wish you were not at that table to a crew member. So often a smile and a thank you goes a long way, but we still strongly believe that a nice contribution to the crew's fund cannot possibly do much harm. R'

[Martita B.]

The small gifts that I take to the Crew members are greatly appreciated~~usually lighted tiara's for the Stewardess's~~the

lighted bracelets for the others~~one year I took inexpensive paper crowns to all the Galley Boy's (which they loved wearing) And for years I took pre-paid WalMart telephone cards and gave to the Crew. I've chuckle when I think of boarding, walking to my Suite and meeting perhaps two deck hands~~they will run up, hug me and say, "Oh Miss Marta, did you bring us anything???" And OF COURSE, I did~~~the smiles on their sweet faces look akin to angels! These moments make my voyage complete~~~I consider the Crew part of my family~~~(yes, I spoil them ;) )

'Little things do mean alot~~always!

Martita B.

[DR John]

Just to clarify, I am quite aware of Seabourn's no tipping policy( my wife is a travel agent) and the value that the staff put on the evaluations.

We were a table of 8 at dinner each night and we all heard what the waiter said. Everyone came to the same conclusion with regard to his message.

This is a very small issue, and I would like to stress that the rest of the service and tripwas great.

I would not like to make a mountain out of a mole hill.