Ronster737

Thank you Ronster, that is very helpful. We are considering doing Star Pride [oddly, ex-Seabourn!] for Iceland and they are much cheaper than Ponant or Scenic so the question was how they compare -- what I'm sensing is not quite the same level of luxury but perhaps more value at the end of the day.

 

Now as to your cruise on Avalon: you will probably have a good time, but this is an odd choice because Avalon is very much middle of the road among river cruise lines. Based on your preferences here, you would prefer the more luxury river lines: Crystal (new but so far so good), Tauck, Uniworld (but look at the decor before you book, some are very turned off), Scenic -- and in the same vein as Windstar: AMAwaterways (which is our favorite on the same 'enough luxury and more value' proposition).

Now that you mention it, our first two fabulous cruises were on the now WindStar smaller Seabourn boats. Our Avalon is on a newer vessels and rated in the high nineties about people liking it. Sad to see some of the newer Seabourn ships in the lower 70%. For the prices they charge it should be an embarrassment to the line. But if people keep showing up, why not?

I don't need the newest boat, fanciest food, etc. I just expect what I paid for. We did an owners suite on Royal Caribbean last spring and I had zero complaints, because I paid for Royal Carribean. I just think Seabourn is resting on their laurels as far as bookings go. After our first two experiences I recommended them plenty of times to friends and coworkers. Been awhile since I could do so in good conscience.

Well, truthfully, we like Windstar. My wife had surgery last New Years on her arm. A few days later the doc cleared her to fly and we were on a 7 day Windstar out of SXM. Granted we were on the same boat a few months prior out of Venice but the service the staff provided couldn't have been more attentive.

Almost every time she sat down a staff member was there with a pillow for her arm, she had an officer following her around for breakfast and lunch with a plate at the buffet. I offered, but they insisted. The little things.

Leave the tux at home (I like the formal night being ex-mil) and more relaxed. Slightly lower expectations on WindStar but never a complaint. Food not quite a good but great and also what you expect. Not as luxurious a boat, but not wondering what will go wrong today is a great way to enjoy a week or two on a ship.

It seems to me the complaints are now expected, promises made and then repeat is the business model. Synergies! Don't get me wrong, most will enjoy Seabourn. The service industry in general has been training the public to expect less for quite awhile.

We are trying an Avalon European waterways cruise early Oct....the reviews are amazing. We wanted to do the Seabourn 10 day Canada but just couldn't after last time. We want to like them, we are low maintenance cruisers. Although it might not sound like it on here. :)

Just started a few years ago.....so 3 Seabourn......4 Windstar, 1 RYC, 1 SilverSea....Avalon early next month. We LIKE cruising. The one thing we noticed on SilverSea....above the beautiful boat....were the 100% of the meals overshadowed by people hollering at the Management about some failures of service. This seems to be the new Seabourn.

If I am at formal night, decked out in my Armani Tux, looking fine..... I should not have to return my food because it went cold waiting 20 minutes for some horseradish. Should I just suck it up and eat what I didn't order? On Carnaval, probably....but I don't go on Carnaval.

Seabourn did give us a bottle of mid range wine for the crappy toilet incident....I would have rather not had to deal with. The third cruise on Seabourn was a totally different experience than 1 and 2. I vote with my wallet.

Synergies, great B school term! They sysnergized themselves into a mediocre line branded as an ultra lux experience. The cost cuts are obvious.....apples to apples they went from great to a Royal Caribbean type line with fewer passengers.

Your experience with your bathroom would bother me too. That being said, we have had nothing but exceptional service on our Seabourn cruises, including our last on the Quest in June/July of this year. Our stewardesses have been fabulous and the service we have received everywhere on board has been excellent. We have been on 4 Seabourn cruises (many more on other lines) and we have another booked next spring. I have to believe your experience was an unfortunate anomaly.

Of course it was an anomaly. The original Seabourn cruises we took were absolutely perfect. The last one started with this and didn't get any better. Explaining how to make simple drinks to a bartender, having other bartenders tell us no to certain requests, long waits for cold food....food going cold while waiting for forgotten requested items....all adds up to obvious deterioration of service. Our first Seabourn cruise was so spectactualer we did it again 3 weeks later. Our last one will keep us away until we read that issues have been addressed. I would look on Facebook Seabourn group for more info.

About the crappy toilet....we had to request a bathroom cleaning three times on our first day before it was done. We did get to listen to the staff gagging while it was being cleaned so I surmised they saw it the first time and just didn't want to clean it. Who would? But if it is your job to clean a suite....then get to it.

I travel a lot for work. One of my favorites is a limo company in New York State somewheres. They have a crappy old Chevy that is black. They put a limo label on the door. Doesn't make it one.

The wife and I just booked a cruise. Seabourn was available but we went another direction. After our last cruise on Seabourn and witnessing the service level deterioration first hand....we truly said 'never again'.

It all started with a day of attempting to get someone to remove the caked on fecal matter from our suite toilet....we had just arrived to this surprise. They are now just a luxury cruise poser. I am sure someone was told to cut costs to increase profits....they are a shadow of their former selves.