frequent traveler

I am afraid as a non smoker the new Seabourn policy will keep us away from that line but Windstar is looking worth a shot. If ZQ Vol could travel in the shoulder or off season I wouldn't consider anything but SD, our late May 2010 B2b Greece to Istanbul was magical.

So you can no longer trust that your (expensive) voyage will be the exclusive experience they fraudulently promote (you mean the advertising is'nt truthful ? oh do grow up !) and then what can you do about it ?

Apart from my strong recommendation to complain to your TRAVEL AGENT you can consider:

1. Going elsewhere (several companies appear to be offering bespoke voyages) but the Sea Dream crew are unique and irreplaceable (it would never be the same though would it ?).

2. Avoid school holidays.

3. Expose yourself less to the risk by doing fewer voyages.

4. Request that your travel agent, makes enquiries before booking just how many children will be travelling as well as large groups both presently and prior to your voyage. Requesting Miami to contact the agent should the situation change.

5. Finally carry a taser or cattle prod at all times onboard (be sure to keep settings on low)

 

As has been mentioned before, by directing your complaints and concerns via a travel agent to Miami, you will be doing the crew a favour too.

Do you think this is what these young men signed up for ?

They didnt know they were also expected to be nannies too !

Avoiding school holidays was going to be our primary line of defense but I like #5 in your list. I guess I would definitely have to check luggage since TSA should not let through security ;) a word of warning after your final payment is made SD may run a discounted fare that attracts families with small children. That was our case last year. Not only were they paying $1,000 less per week per person but they got to torture full freight passengers. I have bought cancel for any reason travel insurance in the past when I thought job demands could interfere. This will become mandatory with SD in the future so it really becomes a price point decision whether SD or something else for a holiday.

While I don't like these incidents in the pool/hot tub, I believe SD is handling in accordance with health & safety rules - you have to drain, clean, refill, drain and refill. That's why most places, including ships that accomodate toddlers and infants have "kiddie pools" that are easy to clean and bar toddlers and infants from the other pools. Since SD management won't bar from pool - and how can a low level crew member be expected to do so when management won't, other passengers are subjected to problems caused.

What other cruise lines have kid restrictions that folks can share with the rest of us to consider? After posting from SD1 the other night when kids were in the salon jumping on furniture we retired to our room. Three or four times in the span of 10-15 minutes after 1030 PM several kids were again running up and down the hall on deck 3. I finally called concierge desk to complain and it stopped. Yesterday you guessed it per earlier emails a kid pooped in the jacuzzi which is a first for us but others have said it has happened before. They have to drain it sanitize it and fill it then empty it twice. My wife asked if the parents had apologized and the crew shook his head to say no they hadn't. I've decided even when they are well behaved they don't belong on SD given the nature of the ship and what this type of voyage should be about. Besides if a kid thinks SD is a normal vacation they will have twisted values and not have anything to look forward to as an adult. I feel the same way when I see lots of kids in first or business class on a flight.

so sorry it happened to you - we stayed out of the hot tub and pool most of the 2nd week of our B2B last summer on SD I Venice -Dubrovnik - Athens for the same reason. Several times the hot tub was unavailable and drained, then refilled and the engineers checked repeatedly. And that's why we won't go back during summer months and other school holidays. Doesn't reduce the risk of toddlers during non-school holidays but with fewer on board, lessens the likelihood of such an incident. We've shifted to bigger ships with adults only facilities during the holidays much as I hate anything but SD because our 2nd wk last summer was ruined. At least on the bigger ships I can get a cabin with a balcony to escape to, adults only pools, and have 24 hr room service with a real menu and even with a bar bill, cost much less than SD. And I agree with on kids in business class - had 2 crying babies on my last flight from ATL to Santiago in business class - if the parents had had to buy tickets for them, I bet they wouldn't have been there. Of course it was better than the return trip where unfortunately, a man died during the night.

Good luck with the rest of the trip.

FT

Jim, has your TA asked about the children on board?

Frustrations by regular SD clientele with Miami appears to be reaching critical levels on the subject of irresponsible parents and their disruptive children.

 

We can moan as much as we like but for God's sake "shoot off" an email to your TRAVEL AGENT (never book directly with SD: complaining as a single passenger is a complete waste of time. believe me) and do the following:

1. Register complaints of unacceptable situations.

2. Demand a statement of:

- children policy

- what precautions are taken to cater for children that minimise disturbance to passengers

- what actions are taken if parents ignore reasonable responsibility of their children

- whether known irresponsible parents are allowed to make future bookings.

Over 10 years , I have had two TAs who specialize in luxury cruises get very frustrated with the lack of responsiveness from SD management. I know we can't post names of TAs here but if you can point me in the direction of one who can get a response from SD on this issue I will gladly post my e-mail address. Since after multiple crossings, spending Christmas and Easter, 2 BtB in the Med, and I've lost count of the Caribbean voyages, and 2 Company charters, the last one I signed the contact for, gets no response on this issue, I would love some help. To paraphrase one of my favorite characters, "Frankly, my dear, I don't (think SD management) gives a da*# (since children pay full fares).

Notice I say management , it can be really tough on the crew when hellions are on board. They hate it as much as we do.

Until more of us walk, and it was painful to stay away from SD this year after 21 days last year, nothing will change. Right now we can travel primarily in the school holidays and I can spend a lot less money to have a balcony to retreat to if out of control kids snorkel in the hot tub until the last two days of a SD voyage.

FT

SD is governed (1) by the country where it's flagged and (2) maritime law. Stopping in ports subjects it to certain regulations of those countries (such as public health and safety) but it can target its market as all adult. If it were a ferry providing a service to the public it's different. We have had a number of voyages with well mannered children aboard but two with hellions and disappearing parents, both during school holidays. So while I adore SD we will only sail during shoulder or off season unless SD develops a policy of refunds when children are booked.

PS in our cases the crew could not rein the children because the parents didn't see anything wrong with the behavior and the captain did not intervene soon enough.

FT

I am pretty sure from talking to several travel agents that SD pays close to, if not the, lowest commissions in the industry. And SD does its own "mass discounting" e-mail distributions to those on its marketing lists (sometimes I get one, sometimes I don't) but I have been on a SD voyage that had a light load and was filled during the last week with heavily discounted fares.

I agree with Zimmy-kids are going back to school, businesses are working on year end results so a charter would seem unlikely and repositioning increases airfare as split jaw tickets can be expensive if you don't know how to work the system. I would book this one if the time worked for us.

Go for it.

FT

I have made several crossings after dry docks. No issues whatsoever. These started immediately after completion of the dry dock and there were no delays. One time I got to Lisbon a couple of days early and while sight seeing saw SD II out of the water (at least I think it was Lisbon! If someone else on that voyage remembers it differently, please correct me)

FT

I guess it was a fluke last time because the leg from the Azores was smooth sailing and hot! We skirted around the Bay of Biscay. I like to choose my stateroom, so when I booked 2 weeks ago Deck 2 was full (but still offering GTY), only 317 forward available on Deck 3. Didn't ask about Deck 4. I am looking forward to this, some people we met last time want to meet us in London. You do meet great people on SD, FT ;) One day we'll sail together!

You know to check back after final payments are due right? Sometimes, life interferes, people have to cancel and voila- your preferred cabin becomes available. Definitely on a crossing, just in case of roughness ( only time i've experienced even a bit was sailing out of Lisbon), non commodore on Deck 2 is my favorite. A deck 4 cabin doubles my spa bill on crossings:)

And yes we will :) keeping my eye on a Bridgetown round trip next spring (funny with all the ports, fees are less than the crossing!)

FT

GTY fares are $2799 right now, with the 25% Single supplement and additional fees of $630, while it is 15 days on SD, I remember my last crossing just a few years not being near that cost (and with the economy global inflation isn't to blame) for almost as long. I would likely do if heading from the Canary Islands westward in the fall but heading North in the spring? $300 per day. I'm glad for SD that this crossing is so popular- I got an e-mail from SD a couple of weeks ago it was 50% booked but I can spend some quality time on the beach while you are rocking and rolling up North. I'll be looking for the daily updates though.

I can't believe you talked DH into doing this! That's amazing. I would really like to sail into London but I'm not kidding about despising the single supplement. I have to get over that to book.

FT

Trying to talk DJ's DH into this one but I suspect it won't happen as doesn't want to "lose" a hour every couple of days.

 

Guess I will have to look at the single supplement rate:confused:

I was telling Mr. LePisto that as one of the "old-timers" who had done a number of crossings without a single supplement, even though its only 25%, it just irked me to pay it. It was implemented because couples traveling together requested adjacent halves of a Commodore and so got a suite at a really great discount. However since I will truly be traveling without DH due to school schedule I won't be cheating to get a Commodore!

FT

Pretty much amateur hour by SD on not having pre and post-cruise land options available by now, but that's why they're not making as much money as they could. Guess they're already too profitable.

 

In any event, here's what we have booked for DR:

 

- AA biz class air bought recently on sale as several here have mentioned;

- Pre-cruise Los Suenos Marriott Ocean and Golf Resort in Herredura for 2 nights. Premium Ocean View room for $184 per night;

- Post-cruise Marriott Hotel San Jose for 1 night. Pool view room for $154 per night;

- Private van transportation for two to Los Suenos, then to Caldera to ship, then from Caldera to Marriott San Jose for $350.

I will put in my 2 cents for the 4 Seasons - we did a corporate event there (in fact it was the year after we did SD) and we couldn't have asked for more. For those of you going from December on- that's the peak season and you want confirmed well organized companies. it takes volume and long standing relationships to get priority. We didn't have one complaint about any of the excursions or tours through 4 Seasons and airport transfers were right on schedule and comfortable.

FT

Based on this review, you might be in store for some microwaved specialties: http://voices.yahoo.com/norwegian-cruises-just-bit-short-everything-11928135.html?cat=16

I was on that same Thanksgiving voyage as the reviewer and ate almost every breakfast and lunch at Cagneys no rush like at dinner and no microwaves for the entrees. This was one of the best features of the week.

Home ...

While it won't be live I'm sure it will take several postings to get everything up. And ZQVOL has lots more pictures that he wanted to edit so stay tuned. There will be more but for now pesky things like laundry and two weeks of mail intervene.

FT

Now THAT is being addicted :D

 

Vandrefalk

Or insane

FT

When you're selling your house but all you can think about is planning your next SD trip! ;)

That's a real addiction - selling your house to go on SD;)

FT

FT, thought we were on in November??:eek::D

no cafeine when I typed this am . . .. forgive me. thinking about when we could do the Panama canal but probably going to have to pass - betting the owner will be on board then!

We booked November 30th.:D Understand bookings are going quickly and we have long wanted SD to do this region. It is a long way off but that gives more time to pay the bill.:eek::D

and you can cancel and rebook on board when on board in Dec to get that 15% Discount!

FT

Just had an email saying they will be out "next week". :D

J.

I am still waiting for this e-mail. I am at least 2 days behind you on the "distribution" list which I don't get. Thought I understood technology . . .

You check the SD board several times daily to see if new Costa Rica trips have come out and cross your fingers that the price doesn't skyrocket between now and July when you can get your on board booking discount!

That would likely be this one:

 

SeaDream I Voyage # 11310

Not even close! Hasn't been released yet but panama canal is on the bucket list.

you know where you are going to be during the winter of 2013 . . . without even seeing the itinerary.

FT

you have all most vacation days spoken for but when Disney Jen begs you to consider a fall TransAtlantic, you plan a business trip for weekend international travel to accrue enough time for another crossing:rolleyes: