Host Dan

I leave home in a week to join SDII for its repositioning cruise.  One can only wonder as we sail towards warmer seas if they will have the slide available!

I plan to publish a travel logue, so stay tuned!

Thanks for the clarification!  Hopefully no grumpy people onboard!

It's coming up fast!  I can't wait to board!

22 minutes ago, kjbacon said:

After running wild in circles up and down the corridors for a good hour, we plan to take the SB shuttle into town and tour around, including the Naval Museum. Just had 10 days stuck in my room so a vehement no to 3 hours stuck in traffic!

I'm so glad that you will be back cruising properly!

I was very disappointed to hear that they already ran out of Bordeaux.  Surely they could have held back a few bottles for you!  

I look forward to more of your posts!

29 minutes ago, Mahogany said:

Host Dan, do you know why it was available to me?

I have no idea.  The website itself was online, you just couldn't post.  This was towards the end of the cruise that I confirmed that CC was not available.

On 7/5/2022 at 6:21 PM, Mahogany said:

There was ONE poster who said Cruise Critic was banned! I was on Odyssey for 33 days April/May, and Cruise Critic was alive and well. Sounds like you were searching for that one poster to offer your criticism. We can always find internet substantiation for our views. "THAT says it all". Sorry if that seems harsh, but...

I'm the ONE who reported that Cruise Critic was off line for my Odyssey Panama Canal cruise.  As a 20 year " cheerleader " for SB, I felt it was important that people get my honest opinion.  Good or BAD.

I booked first class / business tickets from Tampa to Malaga on American.  My itinerary is Tampa to Nashville, first class on AA,  Nashville to London-Heathrow, business on British Air, then London-Heathrow, business BA to Malaga Spain.  Will I be able to use the AA clubs in Tampa and Nashville, and the BA lounge in London?  Very confusing!  

Thanks, and apologies if this has been asked before!

13 minutes ago, lincslady said:

 

 

I hope  Head Office are reading this, and all other similar reviews, as they really should take some of the ships out of action until they have got suitable staff suitably trained.  Otherwise their reputation will be in tatters.

Wow!  Definitely not what one would expect on SB.  I was hoping the issues were from just the Odyssey.  I guess its ship wide.  Very sad.

12 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

 

 

12 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

So if the crew know who participates at the beginning of the cruise,is this a way of getting better service? I see tipping anyone before they do a service as a bribe. What a horrible position to be in for the crew member,forever at a ‘beck and call’...

 

I think you have it backwards.  The promise of a tip at the end is far more a "bribe" than knowing a guest contributed to the fund at the beginning.  On that note, remember this fund is for all emp!oyees, not just servers.

I would think that SB would always win out compared to SS (having been a SB enthusiast for years.). Not so.  Was on SS Spirit in December and just off SB Odyssey last month.  The food and service on SS was far superior. IMHO

4 minutes ago, Mr Luxury said:

 

I have even been known to remove items myself if I notice that sort of behaviour and give the items to reception.

I've done the same thing, many times.  (After quite a bit of time has gone by, of course.)  For a very brief time, there were signs reminding guests that if they did not return to the saved lounge within 1/2 hour, their possessions would be behind the bar.

This was short lived.

15 minutes ago, 2SailingNomads said:

I would have had a word or two with the Hotel Manager.  That crew member was clearly accepting money to provide preferential service.  Years ago a crew member, who was a long time employee, told me that the crew can accept tips but are supposed to put them into the crew welfare fund.  I do not know if that really was the case or still is, but it seems reasonable to me.   

When I started sailing on SB I approached a crew member with a tip, and he not only refused,  but said he could be fired for accepting one.  Times have changed!

33 minutes ago, rkacruiser said:

 

This is what a hotel's room service does.  Do you know why your Club does this?

 

 

Is there a reason why you do this at the beginning of a cruise?  

Yes, so its out of the way.  One less thing to think about.

Thanks Chris for posting!

I look forward to more day-by-day reports!

I always contribute money to the Crew Welfare Fund at the beginning of the cruise.  This way all employees benefit.  The crew knows what guests participate.  Tipping individually on SB can lead to a slippery slope of expectation.

1 hour ago, LMB01 said:

 

thought you might enjoy this from our holiday cruise this past December 

security asked her 3 times to get down

 

this is going through the Panama Canal 

My word.  You can dress them up........ 😅

19 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

One cruise.  Two articles…

 

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/women/life/two-weeks-luxury-realised-stresses-glitches-regular-life-make/

More of a pedestrian blog IMHO.

33 minutes ago, JohnandEllie said:

https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/wrong-theres-reason-old-people-102001382.html

 

Free on Yahoo, read the comments.

Thank you for posting a better way to read the review!

18 minutes ago, whogo said:

I found the Katie Glass review of her Odyssey 14 day Caribbean cruise which Fletcher mentioned: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/cruises/articles/wrong-reason-old-people-travel-way/

 

I assume the review is behind a paywall. I took out a free trial subscription.

I enjoyed reading about Katie's first go round with SB.  There is nothing like having no expectations, and being pleasantly surprised with the outcome.  Oh, to be  SB newbie again....  That said, I'm not a newbie, with 290 days sailed on SB.  She barely reported on the food and dinner venues.  Why not?  The foodie experience is a huge part of the SB experience!  All in all, I'm glad she and her friend had a great time!  I'm sure the officers would have had a fit to see her friend posing for a photo while sitting on the hand rail!  Who does that?

BTW, the article is accessible by signing up for a trial subscription.  The way to get around this is to go through the motion of signing up, then when asked for CC info, simply hit the back button, and the article will be unlocked.

I'm booked on the November transatlantic crossing.  I've done 8 crossings on the SB triplets and never had a problem.  The Atlantic crossings always seemed pretty calm, for the most part!

Fingers and toers crossed!

Thank you!  I booked on deck 3, purchased my flights, and have something to look forward to!

I have a suite (in steerage) booking on hold for this cruise.  This would be the first time sailing as a solo, so I'm wondering if typically the TA crossings have friendly passengers and staff!  I've done 8 crossings on the little Seabourn ships  (now Windstar) and loved every one!  The last time I was onboard was in 1998 when SDII was Seabourn Goddess II, so its been awhile.  I plan on getting to Malaga the day before (after traveling for 18 hours).  Is there a preferred hotel that SD uses?

Anyway, as soon as I talk myself out of the first class sticker shock (airlines), I plan on biting the bullet!  Getting back on the ship has been on my bucket list for a very long time.

Happy Friday all!

Thank you for the info!  I love transatlantic crossings!

I have GOT to get back onboard!  Its been too many years.  Anyone know what the single supplement is?  Caribbean cruise most likely.

Very smart tip!

15 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Wow!  That is incredible.  I know that sometime the staff resorts to shopping in local grocery stores for specific items.  Perhaps grapefruit is not one of them.  I find the logistics of provisioning a ship to be fascinating.  One of the staff members explained to me that most everything comes to the ship from specific companies who contract to provision the ship.  I'm sure these have been difficult times for provisions and perhaps a cash shortage is part of that too.  Not a good sign.  

Speaking of provisioning, the diamond concierge, Lesly, contacted me prior to the cruise, and asked if I'd like something special for the trip.  I asked if they could have my favorite Kombucha onboard.  To my amazement, there were 24 bottles available in the fridge!  Definitely the best Kombucha I've ever had.  I understand NCL has this on their ships, on tap, for specialty cocktails, or just for a refreshing non-alcoholic beverage.  Here is a link to their website: 

Https://www.motherkombucha.com