Soon to be Live from the Encore

Great pictures, looking forward to joining next week...

Great pictures, looking forward to joining next week...

Hope you enjoy it as much as we are.

After dining at the TK grill, on deck outside SB Square watching the sunset while leaving Saint Tropez.

Hard to get better than this. (IMHO I think some look too hard for fault rather than enjoying the moment).

I agree with you and great pictures:p

Some cabin photos and info on power outlets.

On power outlets, they all seem to charge devices when the room is powered down (card is removed from the slot at the door). There are also lots of them (each outlet has both US and European). Above the cabinet either side of the bed, above the cabinet at the end of the bed, above the vanity cabinet and under the glass table in the sitting area.

I don't see too much change in the suites but I do like the glass top table.

Besides the larger TV screen, one very good aspect of the Encore's standard suites is that the sofa is a good 1-2 feet large longer than what you find on the Odyssey class ships. An adult can lie down on it.

Happy and healthy cruising!

Thanks A.S. Henry, we went to Sushi Bar for dinner tonight and thoroughly enjoyed it. Arrived about 7:30pm and got a table but soon after they were flowing in. It certainly is very popular and after eating there I can see why. Norika served us and she was a delight

Besides the larger TV screen, one very good aspect of the Encore's standard suites is that the sofa is a good 1-2 feet large longer than what you find on the Odyssey class ships. An adult can lie down on it.

 

Happy and healthy cruising!

I have probably said this before, although the sofa is longer, it still looks cheap to me. It should be a proper upholstered sofa with seat and back cushions ( as well as accent pillows). Also, instead of being so long, there should be a side table at least on one side with a lamp on the table. Otherwise it just looks like a sofa "bench" that you would expect in a waiting room. But the Odyssey class ships sofa is really no better, so I'm not sure what the Seabourn sofa designers were thinking. Must be a matter of differing tastes!

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Great pics ab21au we are loving the cruise. The food has been delicious. We had the good fortune to go on the Chefs' Shopping tour in Palamos and Sete. They were both great mouth watering excursions. Kurt has now left us and David a Scottish Exec Chef has taken over.

Great pics ab21au we are loving the cruise. The food has been delicious. We had the good fortune to go on the Chefs' Shopping tour in Palamos and Sete. They were both great mouth watering excursions. Kurt has now left us and David a Scottish Exec Chef has taken over.

So mince, tatties and neeps for dinner. :D

Great pics ab21au we are loving the cruise. The food has been delicious. We had the good fortune to go on the Chefs' Shopping tour in Palamos and Sete. They were both great mouth watering excursions. Kurt has now left us and David a Scottish Exec Chef has taken over.

Yes Capt. Mark said that the other night. Kurt had taught him well as the food quality is as good. We did the kayaking in Sète so missed the Chefs' shopping but have nothing planned for Palamos so hopefully it will be on again and we can catch it then (when they a stocking up for the next cruise from Barcelona 🙁 this means ours will be ending).

Today in L'ile Rousse we did the villages SB tour and it was good. To me L'ile Rousse is quaint but nothing special compared to other ports. It's all about the hilltop villages.

2nd in trivia today (unfortunately but so close). Really enjoying trivia but half the fun is Handre explaining the prize for the winning team.

The food in the MDR tonight was excellent. Sat in a different section and the crew serving there were lovely, just as in the other locations. DW just said to me she would put this cruise above the others we have had (and we loved those).

So mince, tatties and neeps for dinner. :D

No. Haggis, neeps and tatties;p

How does one schedule shopping with the chef? Is there a few for this? Don't see it listed as an excursion.

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No not listed as an excursion and not on every cruise. If you inquire when you board you will likely be told to look at your Herald every night as it will be announced 24-48 hours ahead. There are certain ports, especially in the Med, that are frequently used. There is no charge but but they do limit it to 12-20 or so passengers so be sure to sign up as soon as it is announced.

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On our 18 day cruise when boarding no Port was designated for the Shopping with the Chef Tour. We were placed on a waiting list and consequently advise officially the evening prior that you were invited to join the shopping tour.

The ports for our adventure were Palamos, wonderful, with Kurt and David and Sete with David and Frank, inspiring and informative.

No tatties for chip butties purchased.

The quality of fresh food purchases made was amazing. It goes without saying that the Cuisine onboard prepared by Kurt, David and team was delicious. Both gentlemen, Executive Chef's are true experts in their field. Chef's Dinners we experienced from both Chefs were most enjoyable. Not so our Thomas Keller dinner, I can see that some folk may enjoy the ambiance and theatre in this restaurant, but not for the dining, in our opinion. Seabourn is savvy, I am sure it could do better with the great Chef's they have onboard. Give them a little more license to show their prowess.

Thanks koalapanda for the tip. We have been added to the list for the next SWTC and will be advised when it is.

Hope you enjoyed the cruise as much as we are enjoying ours. We were told that all except about 100 disembarked with you in Rome and looking at the faces that I do not recognize, that seems correct.

You are welcome ab21au. No doubt you recognised us, it is a pity we did not meet, or did we ? Thank you, we enjoyed our 18 day Rome to Rome Cruise immensley. There are accolades galore to bestow on the wonderful Staff and Crew who made the journey exceptional. Encore is a very elegant, graceful, comfortable ship. Seabourn style....belliisimo.

Leaving on the Encore tomorrow from Barcelona.

 

This post is to say thanks to Flamin_june for the tip on the Hotel 1898 and the terrace rooms. Have been here for 6 nights and it has been perfect. You wouldn't believe it could be so central on La Rambla and yet so quiet.

 

 

Barcelona is a fabulous city but now looking forward to the Encore for 20 days.

Hi, I am also staying at the 1898 so good to hear you like it! We have suite with a pool booked! Leaving on a 20 day cruise myself starting 8/15.

How are the beds on Encore? Any better than the other seabourn vessels?

You are welcome ab21au. No doubt you recognised us, it is a pity we did not meet, or did we ? Thank you, we enjoyed our 18 day Rome to Rome Cruise immensley. There are accolades galore to bestow on the wonderful Staff and Crew who made the journey exceptional. Encore is a very elegant, graceful, comfortable ship. Seabourn style....belliisimo.

How was the bed on encore? better than the other seabourn ships? I have always found their beds uncomfortable.....

We are on the Encore in Malta today and the beds and the bedding are the most comfortable we have had on Seabourn ships and other people we have met have commented the same. I know everyone's bed requirements are different but we are extremely happy with this bed we have in our suite.

Thanks for the feedback and the nice photos!

Disembarked today :( What a fabulous cruise, so much so I didn't want to leave the ship. I will do a full review but there is very little that I could fault in 20 days. The crew were the best I have ever experienced (all the crew) even the stewardesses who were not attending our cabin were so friendly. The tender guys and gals (and we tendered a lot) were excellent, always upbeat and did their job wonderfully.

Food - I thought the fabulous food may change once Kurt left but chef David provided equally fabulous food. The MDR and Colonnade crew are also top class. On previous cruises, there has been one or two not so friendly but not on this cruise.

About to board the plane for the trip home so will report further later.

We have just finished two back to back cruises on the Encore, one just the two of us and the second with our daughter, son in law and two grandchildren (we wouldn't usually travel at this time of the year). They were like two completely different cruises. The service and food on both were excellent. The difference was in the passengers. The first segment only had twenty two children and you would have hardly known they were there. Standard of dress was extremely high. Unfortunately the second segment was not the same. It was the fullest the Encore has ever been (592) and it showed. The one sea day was a nightmare what with the deck space being that much smaller than the other ships but 100 more people.

It should have been obvious to the powers that be.

There were 60 children on board and a lot of very large families, mainly Spanish speaking, and very noisy. It was a shame that our family had to experience the second leg and not the first, although, as first time SB cruisers, they still thought it was wonderful! The standard of dress during the second cruise was much lower than in the first cruise. People coming to Trivia in swimsuits wrapped in towels being just one example.

We spent one day in The Retreat the first segment and I found it unbearably hot. There were two other cabanas occupied. What a waste of space. (Steve please note).

There were only three Diamond Elite couples on board, including us, and a dozen or so Diamond members. Lots of first time SB cruisers. Maybe thats why we got such excellent service!