Darspurs

27 minutes ago, PH2 said:

 

As an aside, why do so many people buy the 2 device WiFi? I've been on a couple of cruises (including Celebrity) where it's no big deal to switch devices (for me, phone to laptop and back) - that's part of the 1 device access, it's just one device at a time. This didn't change, did it?

Probably because lots of people are like me and go from phone to Ipad often and are too lazy to log off and log on. No excuses from me just pure laziness.

1 hour ago, Travelexpert35 said:

Is the Blue Chip membership number different than your Captains Club number? I used to get some offers as well during the Pandemic but no more. I’m only Pearl status.

same number

36 minutes ago, hopeless holiday booker said:

Please explain what you mean.  How did you get a Blue chip free cruise certificate.  Never heard of these?  How did you enjoy your cruise?

The Ascent was fabulous. I play a fair bit in the casino but I wouldn't describe myself as a high roller.

On the last night I was advised by the casino hostess that I had been awarded a free cruise through the Blue Chip Club.

It is not the greatest deal for those in the UK as the cruise has to be taken within 6 months and as we are doing a 13 night cruise around Japan in May, we couldn't really do another cruise before August so I opted for one from Athens.

If you are in the USA it is a brilliant deal because so many of the cruises on the list that you can get online from the blue chip club go from US ports. Also a number of the cruises were for inside or oceanview cabins and I will only sail in a balcony cabin.

Anyway it is not the cruise that I would have taken but even with flights it still works out a cheap holiday and I cancelled a holiday (non cruise) that I had booked for September so it works for us.

I will be interested to see if I get another one offered after my Japan cruise.

I was recently on the Ascent and I got a Blue chip free cruise certificate. Being in the UK for us to go to the USA costs a lot so we looked at the list and there were a few cruises in Europe which are a lot easier for us to get to. So we have booked a week of Greek Islands for August.

36 minutes ago, SLSD said:

I'm sure that up to today everyone here might have considered me to be a total Seabourn cheerleader.  That has never been the case.  While the service has been impeccable for us this voyage, I do have a couple of observations which are less than complimentary.  First, the towels in the bathroom are not great at all.  They are small, thin, and scratchy.  If we had such towels in our own home, they would have been replaced some time ago.  

 

Also, while our excursions have had excellent guides and have been enjoyable experiences, the buses have been too full.  Every bus we have been on has been almost if not completely full. This is not ideal, especially at a time when there is still the Covid virus everywhere.  I would have expected SB to arrange for less crowded excursions.  If they were asked, they might say that this is what is available.  I haven't asked, so I don't know.  I will be leaving a comments in the comment boxes at Seabourn Square.  

 

I don't have any other complaints--so other than one poor meal, the towels and crowded buses, everything has been as expected and quite nice.  

We did our first Seabourn cruise last month for my 70th on the Encore. It lived up to or exceeded our expectations in all respects. After our first bath/shower we asked our cabin attendant whether they had larger towels and for therest of the cruise we had 4 larger fluffy towels in our bathroom every day.

1 hour ago, kjbacon said:

How far in advance of a cruise can TK and shorex be booked? My travel agent contacted seabourn and she tells me they said there’s no precise time. I’m thinking that can’t be right. Thanks in advance.

I booked TK last September, the day after booking my cruise on the Encore, which I went on last month.

Last week on the Encore an officer came in with champagne for everyone in the launderette. 
 

1 hour ago, bitob said:

I will add my 2 stateroom attendants are fantastic. I’ve had issues with this before on seabourn

 

the food and entertainment has been fabulous. Much better than it ever was imo 

 

we picked this cruise for the itinerary: small islands in Greece and Turkey. No disappointments. Loving the cruise 

I joined the Encore yesterday for 14 days. My 24th cruise but first on Seabourn I must say I am very impressed with everything so far and it is my 70th birthday today and the gifts in my cabin and decorations are fantastic. BTW I am in 935 two cabins away from the pool apart from going to and from the tender today I haven’t had to move more than about 100 feet 😁

There is quite a big difference in tipping between the UK and USA. In restaurants in the UK 10-12.5% is usually added to the bill whereas I find when in the USA they recommend 18-22%.

I have always tended to give taxi drivers around 10% of the fare rounding it upto the nearest. I would have thought a similar percentage on a tour.

Can someone please confirm for the Encore please.

Flamin_June I just wondered whether you are a novelist, I have never seen such descriptive writing as yours other than in books. I can picture everything through your words and I have not yet taken my first Seabourn cruise - 35 days to go and counting 😀

1 minute ago, glsebs said:

I have done some research, but I can’t find the answer to this question. Does the Encore have night lights in the bathroom or do I need to take some along?

 

Thanks.

 

 

I have no idea as I am going on my first Seabourn cruise in May. Years ago I always took a small torch with me but nowdays everyone has a mobile phone which has a light on it so I wouldn't worry.

23 minutes ago, SLSD said:

I find myself being very envious of couples where the husband delights in trip planning.  Our first cruise, many years ago now, was with such a couple.  The husband planned every private tour, every restaurant and hotel.  It was seamless and wonderful. One can dream.  

I plan all our holidays and details, of course I discuss with my wife before I book. Its probably because I am an Accountant so stuck behind a screen most of the time, whereas my wife is a hairdresser so not able to look at screens or hold on to phone calls during the day.

Shark B8 just call Beetroot what I call it - The Devils Food.

I am on the Encore for two weeks with a stop every day 7th to 21st May. We also may not get off every day or get off for a stroll for an hour and come back to the ship. We only ever have a snack for lunch so it won't affect me if the restaurant is closed.

My cruise ends in Athens on a Sunday and I didn't risk booking an early flight home settled for a 16.40 flight.

3 minutes ago, tjcox9 said:

The article I read  said that Carnival and Aida ships would be the first of the Carnival Corp lines to get it. I'd imagine Seabourn will be down the line quite a way, but may be wrong. 😉

Shame I am due on my first Seabourn cruise on 7th May. I was on the Celebrity Beyond in November and the Starlink Internet was so good I could watch a live soccer game from the UK in the middle of the Caribbean Sea with no buffering.

2 hours ago, osmoses12 said:

Hi,

I have one referral credit left for $250 on board credit. If you have booked your first cruise on Seabourn and are sailing on or before 10th December 2023, drop me an e-mail slgl@talktalk.net  and we can start the simple process.

Dont miss out.

Cheers,

Steve

Hi Steve, I just sent you an email.

Times have changed, some will think for the better and some for the worse. In London these days virtually every top restaurant allows jeans and you see very few under 50's dressed in anything else.

My son is head of Europe for a large American Broking company, he is 40 and wears jeans to work every day. Ties are virtually never worn these days.

I prefer to wear jeans but on my cruise scheduled for May I will have trousers, jackets and jeans with me and I will evaluate how people dress on the first couple of nights, if virtually no one is wearing jeans then I won't. I just don't like to look out of place.

Funny story on our first cruise in 1996 (Royal Caribbean) my father in law who had been on a few cruises before us told me to hire a white dinner jacket as the men wore these in the Caribbean. Well I was about the only one apart from the staff and at the first cocktail party all I had was people coming up to me asking for a drink - I never wore a white dinner jacket again.

Mine is showing my two reservations for two correctly.

8 hours ago, SLSD said:

We also won't book way in the future due to the caution of my business bankruptcy attorney husband.  

SLSD, As an accountant, with experience in UK insolvency, I can see no reason why not to book something 'way' in the future. The worst that can happen is that you can lose your deposit.  By not booking far in advance you may not be able to get what you want.

I am in the UK going on the Encore on 7th May and seeing this thread I looked at my cruise planner and my booking had disappeared.

I phoned the UK office and the girl said since computer changes the bookings are not showing on peoples planners but she checked and my reservation is 100% there in their system.

20 minutes ago, Silkroad said:

Did you have rough seas during your cruise? Those of us who have experienced the unusually loud noises have noted that they occurred only when skirting a storm. By the way, we kept the IV doors open. This was not rattling doors, furniture or shade. It was loud banging and knocking in the ceiling of the cabin. It occurred one night of 15. The other 14 nights were quiet.

The cruise was pretty calm, I didn't notice any rough seas, despite a lot of rain.

I have seen reports from people complaining about the creaking on our cruise so it has to be:-

Certain areas

Certain cabins

Or somehow the internal doors not shut/open properly, the balcony window not sealing properly when closed etc.

We were on the Beyond 10/26 NY to FL. Cabin 7232 IV.

I am the lightest sleeper and being a man of that age I need the bathroom between 2 and 4 times a night. 

I Have done 23 cruises and this cabin was definitely the quietest I have ever been in. Virtually no creaking at all.

We never closed the folding doors which can seperate the 'veranda' from the rest of the cabin. I wonder if closing them or not ensuring that they are folded open securely causes creaking.

Calm Down Dear,  I have just read this whole thread plus your review for which I am grateful. I have booked a very similar 14 day cruise from and back to Athens on the Encore in May, although most of the ports are different. The cruise is over my 70th birthday although I consider myself to act and like things those of a slightly younger age like. I decided that I wanted to go on a better quality cruise than my previous 20 something cruises as a treat to myself.

Last week we got off of a 9 night cruise from New York to Fort Lauderdale on the newest Celebrity ship 'The Beyond'. The cost was less than 30% of the cost of our proposed Seabourn cruise although 9 nights against 14. The cabin was similar to what we have booked, maybe a little smaller, although no bathtub which I love as personally I dislike showers. Also flights from London to the USA were obviously more than to Athens.

On the Beyond we had to pay additinally for specialty restaurants around $60 per head per meal. Yes I could tell they were slightly understaffed but the service was still pretty good. The production shows and guest entertainers were probably the best I have come across on a cruise. Plus of course so many more things to do onboard if that is your desire.

The food was very good in general but not to the standard we had on Oceania which was our last cruise prior to Covid. Drinks were included and we had no problem getting drinks. I am not a wine drinker, occassionally I enjoy a cocktail but my drink of choice is Johnny Walker Black Label I usually had about 3 a day but each one must have been equivalent to a quadruple, no mixer just lots of ice.

When I was looking for a cruise for this birthday I wanted to be where the weather should be warmish, shorts in the day weather etc. I know weather is never guaranteed the first 6 days of our Beyond cruise were rainy including the Souhern Caribbean and only the last two days were sunny and two days thereafter in Florida. 

I am hoping I have made the right decision having booked this cruise and the service and faults you and others have highlighted will improve by May.

One question, and I know it is the question that so many ask, but for men in the evening do they really have to wear long sleeve shirts or are short sleeve shirts or polo shirts acceptable when dining in the evenings (not the formal nights obviously)?