Ka Honu

You may be able to get some advantages just by calling your TA or PCC or you may have to cancel your original reservation and rebook to receive the reduced rate. A decent TA will advise you whether it's worthwhile (you may lose some amenities included in your original booking or pick up better ones with the newer rate). On our last HAL booking the rate dropped a few dollars and we were able to rebook the same suite at the lower rate and received free gratuities, internet, and Signature Beverage Package while giving up a free Pinnacle dinner .

Some days the magic works.

11 hours ago, kazu said:

Any of the top companies like SPB, TJ, Alla, etc are professionals at this and know their reputation hinges on their quality and the timeliness of return to the ship.  They’ve all been doing this a long time and know how to do it 😉 

Not to mention that most, if not all, of the folks on your tour (if it's booked with one of the named companies) will be from your ship. If there is a situation where the tour returns late it will be VERY unusual and probably fall in the "emergency" category. In that case, the ship will be notified and the captain will do everything he can to avoid leaving a large group of passengers stranded in Russia with the administrative and financial nightmare that involves. 

Jus' sayin'...

... and while we're talking about future cruise bookings, the "reduced deposit" is also kind of misleading. The $500 per person "deposit" you pay to reserve your cruise while aboard is not a reduced deposit but rather a "placeholder" fee credited to your account for that cruise. It is strictly a way for Seabourn to get some earnest money so they know that you intend to take a future cruise and will credit you with the Future Cruise Credit 5% discount. You are still liable for the rest of the advertised deposit for that cruise and will be billed accordingly.

The same holds true if you don't book a specific cruise but pay the fee so you will be able to get the Future Cruise Credit 5% discount when you make up your mind later. At that time, you will be billed for the deposit then in effect less $500 per person.

For example, on 24 November 2019, we booked a future cruise while aboard (as usual) and paid the $500 per person fee (also as usual). The very next day (25 November), Seabourn sent an invoice through our TA billing us $1850 due on 14 December 2019 for the remainder of the $2850 deposit for the cruise. Final payment date is in late March 2020.

At best, this procedure is misleading, irritating, borders on false advertising (again), and detracts from the brand image. There is no defensible reason that Seabourn can't accept the $500 as a true "reduced deposit" (great perk for loyal customers) and bill the remainder due on final payment date. 

Jus' sayin'...

According to the future cruise guy on our last cruise (November 2019) it's already built in (which, given the way their brochures and other pubs are worded, borders on false advertising). There may be a way to find the undiscounted price but I haven't discovered it (even when I log in anonymously using a VPN on a computer belonging to someone who has never sailed Seabourn).

They have blankets and heaters available so if it's not too windy/rainy you'll be okay.

2 hours ago, CruiserBruce said:

...the PVSA, which is about passengers (the "P" stands for "Passengers"), not the Jones Act...

My bad. In my defense, it's much easier for an old guy to remember "Jones Act" over "PVSA" and I'm all about easy (even when I'm wrong).

Thanks for the quick responses. We're primarily looking for availability of cosmetics, spirits, and tobacco products since we already know where to buy "Alaska stuff" should the need arise.

We're booked for a 7-night Seattle round trip to Alaska on Oosterdam with only one Canadian port call (a few hours one evening in Victoria, presumably to comply with Jones Act requirements). One of our group wondered if the usual HAL duty-free shopping for cosmetics, spirits, tobacco products, etc. would be available on board. Anyone got the scoop on this?

Thanks for your assistance.

As candylover says, if you select the excursion discount as a benefit and book excursions before boarding, you get the discounted price. If you decide not to take any Seabourn excursions you can always change your benefit selection at Seabourn Square. Usually one of us takes the excursion benefit when we register on line and if we decide otherwise, trade it in for a massage or something when we board.

Speaking of the "half massage" benefit, according to SWMBO it's not all that great in its own right. However, she combines it with a full (50-minute) massage and loves the resulting 75-minute session. Since the full massage is priced about 50% too high, the added "half massage" also makes the spa visit far more reasonable price-wise. That's my story, it's a good story, and I'm sticking to it.

Laundry is a great benefit - always our first choice. Some folks have reported bad experiences but we've never had a problem (knock wood). On a related note, I generally travel with a blazer for "dressier" occasions and find that Seabourn dry cleaning is as good as our local cleaner and much cheaper (and Seabourn picks up and delivers).

And that's all I know.

Just boarded Sojourn and found that the Coyam is available but no longer complimentary. 

20 minutes ago, sail7seas said:

 

No, Rich, I mean  the bottom of the page  🙂

 

 

 

If your screen/window is wide enough, they're on the side. The photos are the same across Cruise Critic regardless of line (or position on the page).

If you wanted to see more (but likely not all) HAL photos on HAL forum pages I suppose you could mount an attack where every HAL customer sends in photos of HAL trips every day. Or maybe not.

A "National Account Amenity" is usually a "freebie" from some group with which your travel agent is affiliated. In our case, the Signature Travel Network occasionally "sponsors" a cruise through their member agents and we typically get either a car & driver for one day or a $300 OBC.

20 hours ago, CruiserfaeFife said:

... what water activities are available at Ko Kood...? 

As I recall they had kayaks, water skis, stand-up paddleboards, snorkeling gear, small sailboats, banana boat float rides, and windsurfing boards.

We did this itinerary in February and had a great trip. Recommend a pre-cruise stay in Singapore if you haven't been there (If you have, you're probably already planning it). Too many things to see and do to list but a little research will give you some great ideas.

Laem Chaebang (Bangkok) - We had a group of 10 and rented a minibus through Seabourn to go into Bangkok. Comfortable way to deal with the trip and customize our itinerary. Cost was US$150pp. No worries about traffic and late return since we rented the van through Seabourn. One of our original couples had to cancel but we easily found several folks aboard who were eager to take the space.

Ko Kood - Caviar in the Surf with the attendant "barbeque" and water activities. Great day to hang out at the beach.

Sihanoukville - If you're not getting off to go to Angkor Wat, make it a "sea day." The Chinese are building about 100 casinos in what used to be a quaint "backpackers' port" but right now it's a very ugly, filthy town. As I told someone after my quick bus trip through the town to the small, dirty beach and back, "The last time I was in Cambodia, I got shot. This visit was only slightly less unpleasant."

Ho Chi Minh/Saigon - Great port call. We docked on the Saigon River near the Bến Nghé River (near the old customs house - now the Ho Chi Minh Museum). About a 20-minute walk into the heart of Saigon (Bến Thành Market). Many of the street names have changed and there's been a lot of renovation but the city is still recognizable and a great place to wander around in.  I had a car & driver one day to explore the area and walked around downtown the second day. Didn't really need a guided tour and didn't see any that were all that worthwhile. The most popular day trip seemed to be to the tunnels at Cu Chi but most folks who went weren't all that impressed and would have been better off exploring Saigon. OBTW, most people still refer to the former city of Saigon by its original name; Ho Chi Minh City is more often used to describe the combination of Saigon and the surrounding province (now officially all one municipality).

Da Nang - As recommended, take the day trip to Hoi An. Not a super big deal but interesting and gives you a chance to see some of the countryside as well as scenic & historic Hoi An itself.

Halong Bay  - We didn't see the point of spending 3 hours each way in a bus to spend 4-5 hours in Hanoi. The Donald and the Korean guy were there and we figured that might complicate the itinerary even more. The people I talked to who made the trip enjoyed it, however - not the first time I've ever been wrong.  We did cruise Halong Bay on an excursion and thoroughly enjoyed it (so my reputation wasn't totally trashed).

Hong Kong - I love Hong Kong but this may not be the time to plan a post-cruise visit. Jus' sayin'...

All in all, it was an excellent cruise. Ovation and Encore have both gone through growing pains but we'd sail on them any time.

12 hours ago, pnsnkr said:

Does TK Grill offer surf-and-turf?  

Not on the menu as such but you can make it happen if you're nice about it.

2 hours ago, texanaust said:

TK has a special steak in the Restaurant that is from part of the prime rib. I've forgotten the exact name../

I think you're referring to what they call "true rib-eye."

On 11/18/2018 at 5:19 PM, rols said:

It used to be from Black River caviar in Uruguay ...

On 11/19/2018 at 5:17 PM, raphael360 said:

 

The change from Black River to Sterling make sense now.  I could eat tons for Black River but started to get an allergic reaction to their Caviar in 2013.

9 hours ago, offtoalaska said:

Seabourn has announced the introduction of Regiis Ova caviar on its fleet ... Regiis Ova has selected Siberian Reserve (Acipenser Baerii) from a ... farm ... on the shore of the Rio Negro in Uruguay. 

The caviar has apparently come full circle (except for the part where we now call Black River by its Spanish name).

Jus' sayin'.

Can't help you with this one - I Googled the shirt (Balenciaga Tshirt Shirt) and am speechless.

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

Perhaps we made a mistake tipping our stewardess?  

It may not have been Seabourn policy but it was NOT a mistake since you made your choice based on your personal value system and desires.

The "mistake" comes in when someone makes choices (or attempts to influence others') choices based on gossip and peer pressure - neither of which should be part of any decision (except maybe the decision to find new people to gossip with).

I may or may not agree with your decision but it's not my business (or anyone else's) how someone chooses to reward what they consider service provided well past the "above and beyond" standard we rightfully expect on Seabourn.

19 minutes ago, florisdekort said:

... As soon as the first person tips and talks about it, others start feeling bad, awkward or cheap for not tipping and then it all goes downhill from there. 

Why does what someone chooses to do and broadcast, especially when in violation of line policy, affect someone else's behavior? If they can afford "luxury" cruises, you'd think they'd be adult enough to make such decisions based on their own standards without relying on peer pressure to make such decisions and would understand that it's a personal preference and should remain a PRIVATE decision.

My anecdotal observation seems to indicate that the guests who have the closest relationships with the crew (as individuals and as a whole) observe the policy, might contribute to the Crew Fund, and occasionally give usually small, non-cash gifts to favored employees and their families. Sounds reasonable to me but that's just my opinion (and doesn't necessarily mean that it is or isn't my personal choice).

Jus' sayin'...

When you book back-to-back they will try to keep you in the same cabin for both segments but there has to be one that meets your guarantee class and is available for both legs - not usually a problem but not guaranteed.

Normally, changeover day is a "normal" port call for "through passengers." They may or may not have a shuttle available (as they do for most port calls where the town is not adjacent to the port) but you should have regular access to shore and back aboard.

In general, you are no longer required to attend a second safety drill if you are within 30 days of the last one.

... and, not to pirate the thread, if you're ever in New Orleans, definitely go to the WWII museum. It's AMAZING!

On 5/27/2019 at 3:35 PM, florisdekort said:

On 5/27/2019 at 1:51 PM, 2SailingNomads said:

You would not want to drag luggage from there to the ship.  There were taxis  at the rail station.

 

It took us 5 minutes to wheel our luggage from the train station to the ship.  Incredibly easy. 

All righty then - thanks for the info. You Aussies are so hardy.

Looking forward to the train ride and am sure we'll be able to deal with whatever happens to the luggage.

We're taking the Alaska RR from Anchorage to Seward to board Sojourn in late August. We know it's only half a mile from Seward train station to the cruise port and that the city runs a free shuttle service every half hour or so. Just wondered if Seabourn also runs their own shuttle from the train station to the ship. Thanks.

I'm with wripro and Hoyaheel on this one. Either find an experienced, trustworthy TA who specializes in the line(s) you're booking and let them handle it start to finish or do it yourself the whole way. As Abe Lincoln purportedly said, "It is not best to swap horses while crossing the river."

Jus' sayin'...

My wife and two friends took a 3-day, 2-night Abercrombie and Kent tour of Sim Reap/Angkor Wat in February 2019 - left the ship in Sihanoukville and reboarded in Saigon. They loved it and it came in at about US$1,000 per person less than the Seabourn version. Transportation, lodging, private guides, most meals - all at least as good as or better than the ship's tour (which was a group of 50 or 60 as I recall). You might have to handle your own visas and will need a letter from Seabourn allowing you to disembark/reembark (all easily done).

In general, if the infrastructure is present, private tours are almost always better than those sourced through a cruise line. They're usually much less expensive and you have the luxury of not traveling in groups of 30-60. I don't have any specific recommendations for Vietnam and India but will say that toursbylocals.com have always done well by us.  

Our stewardess had no problem supplying Laphroaig in our cabin on Ovation in February.