sfvoyage

No point. I was just wondering how the match worked in addition to the status.

How does the status match work in regards to Seabourn club points? For those who qualified for a Diamond match, did Seabourn start them off with 0 club points or start/top them off - in case they have some SB club points to begin with - with 250 points, so that they will only need 400 more points to reach Diamond Elite?

Original TK contract took effect in 2015 and was renewed in 2020 during the early covid days prior to Rick Meadows' departure, hopefully for no longer than 5 years. I am also looking forward to a new concept and don't care about partnerships with celebrity chefs.

At the famous Tsukiji fish market in Tokyo, most fresh catch are quickly frozen and then distributed around Japan and the world, to be served at top restaurants. Foreign tourists can observe the frozen tuna auction site early mornings (not sure if that's still true due to covid).

Question about transport in Guam: I understand there is no Uber in Guam, and taxis are very expensive. There is, however, a local ride sharing app called Stroll. Any experience and recommendations for transport from Guam airport to Hyatt and also from Hyatt to the cruise terminal (Apra Harbour-Hagatna)? Are there local or shuttle buses?

a few images from the CCL's press release link: https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/n4tfiestfvt4mkdv1f559/h?dl=0&rlkey=kckpvt0tyqoj56mrf4rq06bu1

Here's another story listing a few new menu items: https://www.cruisehive.com/cruise-line-to-debut-new-24-hour-in-suite-dining-experience/103843

The other thing about inclusive excursions is that, in case of missed ports, you do not get a refund for the corresponding missed excursions. And we all know that missed ports happen occasionally due to weather and waves, etc. Aside from real expedition cruises (i.e. polar regions, Galapagos, etc.) for which inclusive excursions make sense, I do not want base pricing bundled with excursions.

Interesting point, but one I don't quite understand: The Retreat is only available on the Encore and Ovation, both of which feature only cabins with a balcony.

I doubt you will find natural wine happiness on Seabourn or any cruise line any time soon. I have been pestering Seabourn for non-alcoholic cocktails for over 5 years and was told the new program may finally be rolling out by year-end. On verra. Désolé de vous décourager... mais bonne chance ou plutôt bon courage!

Well, I can tell you that natural wines are a micro-niche in San Francisco and non-existent on Seabourn. None of the sommeliers on board will have much if any knowledge in this arena. If you want to drink your favorite natural wines, BYO or try to special request them in advance. And BTW, all the natural wines I've seen in my local wine stores are in a price range that is higher than the complimentary wines offered on Seabourn.

Are you being facetious? Even in the US, organic wine is a niche market, and natural wine (whose definition varies and is up to much debate) is a micro-niche market. I manage to find decent natural and organic wines in small local fancy neighborhood wine stores, but they are impossible or extremely hard to find in big box stores such as BevMo and supermarkets in San Francisco, let alone the rest of the US. I doubt anybody would have much luck in smaller ports in far flung corners of the world.

Does anyone know what "operational considerations" caused the East Greenland Experience to be dropped in June?

And currently on the Encore, no such announcement or mask requirement or advisory, even though there are more than 5 covid cases among the guests (including 2 trivia team mates in quarantine).

Word has it that one of the reasons she made an appearance on the ship was to try to appease a couple who was throwing a huge tantrum on board to senior management. (Our friends were on the same voyage and witnessed some of the drama created by this couple during the voyage.) In any case, thanks for your tips and advice - all good, fair and honest, and quite accurate.

Harbourfront cruise terminal (not the Marina Bay one)

I like my full year policy except for its limitation of 45 days maximum per trip. Are there other full year policies with a higher limit of # of days per trip?

Which ship will you sail on? The Retreat is only on Encore and Ovation.

Yes, if you log onto your seabourn account and go to 1) your booking, 2) Cruise activities, 3) The Retreat, you will see the pricing for Port Day and for Sea Day (for my upcoming cruise, it's $149 vs $249 per day per suite, not per person) and can book for specific dates.

Forgot to mention that The Retreat costs less on port days than sea days.

Krug is not the right price point for the Retreat. Seabourn will lose money. I think they started with Veuve Clicquot but perhaps someone who knows for sure can chime in.

I had Bollinger at the Retreat in 2021 and 2022. Is it now Pommery? The Retreat is for the whole day. Most guests start in the late morning and leave by late afternoon. Sometimes they do special pricing for the entire cruise (vs. a daily price).

The comparison (and debate) of the O-class vs. the bigger E-class ships has been discussed ad infinitum on this board over the years (just do a search). There seems to be just as many on both camps. I for one prefer the two bigger ships for their extra space and better artwork and, most importantly, the bigger and nicer TK Grill and TK Bar, the Sushi, all at the same level of service standards and intimacy. You will have to decide for yourself.

+1

This photo is showing Nicolas Feuillatte - quelle horreur! (For Seabourn newbies: Nicolas Feuillatte was the unpopular and disliked - and well hated by some - house champagne on Seabourn for many years and was finally replaced with Montaudon in 2019). Friends currently on the Encore and Quest are reporting Montaudon, so perhaps this is a temporary stopgap measure? Espérons-le.