Mahogany

48 minutes ago, stan01 said:

I suspect if they had used the tenders not the zodiacs there would be other people complaining that the zodiacs sat unused on an expedition cruise.  Seabourn seems to be pretty coy about where the zodiacs and submarine can be used; they know upfront where they are not legally allowed or the conditions generally are not conducive.  I'm not surprised to hear the submarines were not used on a repositioning cruise where they might be less familiar with the water conditions in each location.

My cruise was not a repositioning or "expedition" itinerary, just an expedition ship. See Post #24. I didn't expect the zodiacs to be used on that itinerary but was disappointed the submarines could not be used anywhere.

42 minutes ago, Port Power said:

 

Notwithstanding your other comments, I think one of the pleasures of dining is to sit after the meal and enjoy conversation. Perhaps with another wine, a coffee or a port/liqueur.

My interpretation of Bohaiboy's comment was that they were sitting around talking waiting for food, not AFTER the food.

2 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Many years ago we went to a very fancy restaurant in New York called Lutece.  We were staying at a hotel called the Mayfair Regent and the night we went to Lutece the restaurant in our hotel fed Woody Allen and Mia Farrow.  Pity we missed them.  

The night I went to Lutece, Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward were there. Shows how long ago that was!

Really? Your booking decisions are made by an individual music player?

I just returned from 26 days on Venture from The Gambia to London along the Atlantic coast. I've sailed extensively on SS, SB, and Regent, several cruises on Odyssey, Ovation and Encore. This was a non-expedition itinerary, so I don't know how I should have researched this, as some posters say. But I was disappointed in no submarine excursions (though I did have dinner with a few submarine drivers 🤔).

When we were anchored, we took Zodiacs ashore to meet our excursions, which as stated above, required life jackets which were discarded ashore to be picked up for the trip back to the ship. Wind and salt spray. When I asked why tenders weren't being used, the answer was, "But you wouldn't have this experience "; I expect Zodiacs on polar itineraries, not on this. Tenders too expensive? More fun to make multiple trips in Zodiacs so those submarine drivers have something to do?

BTW, crew as always, friendly and accommodating, if a bit stressed at times. And yes, few passengers in Colonnade at night. Maybe Seabourn's future is in expedition sailing, but not mine. I've done all that. Seabourn: build a new classic ship!

On 4/26/2024 at 11:11 AM, Mahogany said:

I didn't find that on two cruises on the Dawn last year. Yes, RCCL has been in charge for several years.

But I hate the 3-tier pricing system at SS.!

1 hour ago, Emdee said:

Been three times…love it. For me better than the old Crystal but we are still itinerary driven and cruising around 4 knee replacements lol. 

May I ask what suite category you were in "three times...love it"? Because I am disappointed in the standard balcony size on Crystal (as opposed to SS, SB, Regent), and the larger suites are very expensive.

37 minutes ago, Carolfay said:

Much the same situation aboard Silversea, as Royal Caribbean is now calling the shots.

I didn't find that on two cruises on the Dawn last year. Yes, RCCL has been in charge for several years.

On 4/23/2024 at 12:37 PM, FlyerTalker said:

KEF is super easy for getting to town.  Almost everyone uses the Flybus or Flybus+ service.  Private transfers at KEF are mostly used by folks who enjoy setting Benjamins on fire. (Meaning you'll pay about 10x the Flybus)

 

With both the SS transfer or the Flybus, you'll be on a nice bus for a comfortable ride.  One nice thing about Flybus is that they run pretty much continuously, plus they have excellent wifi onboard.

 

 

2 hours ago, saminina said:

Wish I had know of FlyBus last year.  Took a taxi, which SS reimbursed. 

Doesn't the Flybus take you to a Reykjavik bus terminal, and then you have to get a taxi to hotel or ship?

I may have missed it, but has this subject ever been revisited by the OP? Did he/she just rant and disappear?

Just now, Mahogany said:

I know, fat chance Seabourn clients were going to keep mum!

The only change I would accept would be no liquor in the suite, since it's so easy to get a drink.

2 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

It seemed to me that they were floating ideas that seems to reflect approaches that Regent, Viking and Oceania use.

 

Since they requested that we not discuss the substance and specifics of the questions, I will honor their wishes and say no more.

 

 

I know, fat chance Seabourn clients were going to keep mum!

Most (all?) items left on loungers are NOT in the valuable category, unless the book is a priceless manuscript 😀. So Regent’s liability may be minimal.

I agree OP’s letter may have been so arrogant as to be ignored. But a word while onboard, stressing satisfying the majority at the risk of offending the minority , might be more successful in dedicating a staff member to “police” the area.

4 hours ago, markandjie said:

Yes they do, and they are high quality. In the past on other SB ships I've been disappointed with the binoculars, but not so on venture. Note there's only a single pair.

Thanks, I'm only a single person!😁

Do the entry-level suites on Venture include binoculars for use during the cruise?

8 hours ago, Lois R said:

Good morning Hank, that is what I am doing........JFK to LISBON through SS.

Lois, are you flying TAP?

Do you think it is fair to compare steak on a cruise ship to "better land steak houses"?

10 hours ago, pappy1022 said:

I agree with your assessment on the restaurants. Prime 7 was the most disappointing and Compass Rose was better than Prime 7 when it came to steaks and lobsters. Doesn’t make any sense. 

Do you think the meat was the same quality and just cooked better in CR? You're right, it doesn't make sense that the steakhouse wouldn't have the best meat on board.

3 hours ago, toad90 said:

 

The times that changed are in bold. Arrival in FFL did not change for Ascent. However - worse than itinerary change, now there is a Legionella outbreak? 

 

 

Dear Guest,

Your health and safety are always our top priority, and in an abundance of caution, we are reaching out as the CDC has advised that while they are unsure where exposed, three guests who sailed on Celebrity Ascent were later diagnosed with a respiratory illness known as Legionella. 

In response to this, before your sailing, we immediately implemented heightened sanitation protocols and followed all CDC remediation guidance, as precautionary measures.

At this time, we are only contacting you for awareness. 

It’s important to know that Legionella is not contagious from person to person. It is contracted by inhaling water droplets from a source containing the bacteria, which can be found throughout the world in any environment containing water – ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, as well as municipal water systems, fountains, and whirlpools. Most healthy people exposed to Legionella do not get sick. Symptoms include cough, shortness of breath, fever, muscle aches and headaches. If you experience these symptoms before, during or after your sailing please reach out to your preferred medical professional or our medical team onboard. 

Both Celebrity Cruises and the CDC work hard to protect the health of guests and crew. If you have questions about Legionella, contact your local or state health department or CDC at 1-800-CDC-INFO (1-800-232-4636) or visit cdc.gov/legionella. For questions about this situation or other questions related to travel on the Celebrity Ascent, please contact Celebrity Cruises at (888) 727-4907.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard soon.

Sincerely, 

Celebrity Cruises

Sorry, I now realize that was the Ascent itinerary.

22 hours ago, toad90 said:

Celebrity Ascent guest here - this is what I received today. Curious how much photography and video production will be going on if they're willing to cause delays like this I'd bet there will be more going on... Production crew(s) are probably onboard for other stuff as well. 

 

 

Dear Guest,

We can’t wait to welcome you aboard Celebrity Ascent®! Before we sail away, we have some news to share.

On March 13th we will be taking part in a unique photo opportunity off the coast of St. Thomas. For the first time ever, Royal Caribbean Group’s three newest ships, Celebrity Ascent, Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, and Silversea’sSilver Nova, will come together at sea. We will be documenting this historic event.

To facilitate this rare meet up, some of our arrival and departure times have been adjusted, even adding some extra time in San Juan, as shown below.

If you want to be part of this momentous occasion, stop by Café al Bacio for a beverage and a bite, and join us on Wednesday from 6:00 AM to 8:00 AM on Deck 15. The sunrise will be breathtaking at the Rooftop Garden where you'll be able to snap some shots of all three marvels at sea.

Here is the updated itinerary for your convenience.

Day	Port of Call	Arrival	Departure
Sun	Fort Lauderdale, Florida		3:30 PM
Mon	At Sea
Tue	San Juan, Puerto Rico	2:30 PM	10:00 PM
Wed	Tortola, British Virgin Islands	10:00 AM	7:00 PM
Thu	Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis	7:00 AM	5:00 PM
Fri	At Sea
Sat	At Sea
Sun	Fort Lauderdale, Florida	7:00 AM

This is the updated itinerary, but arrival in FLL is still stated as 7:00AM?

8 hours ago, ho-hum said:

I have it from various authorities that tipping is included….but please accept this THANKYOU CARD (whether it’s upside down or not: it’s the thought that counts)

oh that didn’t work out !,

 

 

Does this card include money? 😀And I assume you include the crew member's name somewhere?

22 hours ago, Gpilon said:

January 2024?

Booked in January for May

22 hours ago, Pcardad said:

Out of curiosity, I looked up a taxi ($125) and a 4 star hotel ($175 to $250) for July in Iceland.....it looks doable to me but I am sure your TA would know for certain.

I am paying Euro 375 without breakfast, the Marriott Edition was close to $1000. If you want something downtown, you'll pay more than $250, and doesn't Regent normally provide 5*, not 4* hotels?

18 hours ago, cruiseluv said:

People are already doing that .

How does that work? Are people doing that with Regent?

3 hours ago, markandjie said:

 

I feel like pre-COVID the pricing was much more in line with booking on your own. Perhaps a small mark-up but one that was easily overcome by having Gold status. Now it seems they are marked up 1.5-2x the price and it doesn't really make sense to book thru the ship at all.

Except for the ease of maybe canceling onboard