frantic36

@wishIweretravelling thank you for posting this. My concern has been the toiletry products with extremely small trace amounts ie Estee Lauder Serum. Like you we will be away for three months. So I think I will pack it and keep my fingers crossed. They are using DHL for us.

My husband does the same🙂. The flight attendants are always good enough to return it to him at the end of the flight without him needing to ask.

@wyattsaunt I am glad you had a good time on your cruise 😀. Thanks for letting us know your experience and it is a bit weird I agree what happened with your TK reservations. I have no experience with this issue as we only book for two. I responded to SLSD's comment because I have read she is searching social media to try to gauge whether she should return to Seabourn at all and I think that is not reliable. @SLSDto be honest I think many cruise lines have worrying debt however based on news articles I have read in Cruise Industry News and similar bookings are strong. In fact i was looking at a cruise in August 2024 and all high level suites were booked out and only a few verandah suites left.

SLSD I know you are just expressing your concerns but I have had multiple friends who are still on a Seabourn cruise or just got off and they have all enjoyed their cruises. In fact they have booked further cruises for 2023 and 2024. Everything wasn't exactly the same as there is still supply issues, though I remember that happening pre-Covid, and some places like Australia & New Zealand require masking it seems.But many things were just as good and the crew were still wonderful. Social media and I include Cruise Critic and the other Face place in that description, doesn't give you a full picture. For example prior to Covid I was on a December 2019 cruise where I had a great time but on social media there was many complaints and honestly if it wasn't for the fact on saw these people on the ship I would have thought they were on a different cruise. In fact my only complaint if I was going to complain, was my husband & I were in the retreat one day and we had to leave early because the Seabourn Sailors had a private event there and so they needed us out so they could set up for them.

They do have wine packages though if new to Seabourn I would wait onboard and get the included wine list before buying a package. We do buy a package but we tend to do long cruises so want to have more choice. Yes you can bring wine onboard and have done so especially in Europe. There is no added charge for doing so.

I think this really has become more port and cruise dependent. When we sailed in July 2022 it was more blazers and linen jackets in the Mediterranean and some long sleeved dress shirts in the main dining room on formal night. We have a Grand Voyage coming up around South America this January. The Gala Evening prior to boarding is designated as Formal and I know a special event in Rio de Janeiro is Formal. So my husband is bringing his tuxedo and I have some silk, long formal outfits to wear. We will wear them other Formal evenings as well. I will admit we like to dress up. My silk clothes don't weigh much and my husband has various jackets in various colours so we will dress up. We have learnt to dress how we want and let others do the same within the ship's guidelines.

That's fine for you. My point was I pack the same toiletries for multiple trips and have had no problem but now I have to check what small amount of alcohol maybe in there. So to be safe I have to buy my usual products in the USA and to be honest I don't find it cheaper to buy them there rather than bring them from home.

I have a few excursions booked for our upcoming January cruise and though my TK bookings weren't there my excursions were. I take a hard copy of confirmation emails for things I have booked. It may be old school and usually isn't needed but I am on computers enough and travel enough to know "stuff happens". Thanks for this suggestion. I checked Seabourn Source on my iPhone and I can see my upcoming cruise and itinerary. It is telling me I can't check everything until we are 14 days before our cruise. Is that what you had when you checked?

I agree there could be chaos on the ship so hopefully this is sorted soon. I called Seabourn Australia this morning because I thought I would check first and when they looked they confirmed all my original bookings and times were there. I have printed off a hard copy of my original confirmation details to take with me. I must admit I always do as I have had a couple of times previously when I have had a booking gone astray. Usually it is just one not all of them though 😁.

I have to agree with LMB01 sadly. We disembarked in Vancouver in 2017 and I distinctly remember it being one of the slowest ports organisation wise and that was due to the the Port Authorities not Seabourn. I remember standing with others waiting for bags to be brought out and three guys would push one large baggage trolley loaded with bags while others stood waiting with smaller trolleys obviously hoping someone would employ them to take bags out to transport, so they could get a tip. I was worried because we had a late morning tour booked and was concerned we would miss it. After this experience I am wary of Vancouver Port but loved the city.

You are so right fudge and I am sure there are many times my comments are cringe worthy and for that I apologise. My husband reminds me that emails and forums are not the best way to express nuance but still I try. This I do agree with and am looking forward to future cruises.

I am using Luggage Forward on a long cruise as part of our cruise package deal. I have to say it will be the first and last time I bother. These onerous restrictions on regular toiletry items that I have travelled over most parts of the world with no issue with on planes means I will likely have to buy everything I usually prefer when I get to Miami and then leave it behind. We have only 2 hours to get from international to domestic going via customs and immigration in both our SFO - MIA flights and IAH - SYD. So we are taking carry-on only to help to try and make our onward flights. So no way will I risk checking even a small bag. So I am one who says using Luggage Forward to ship luggage defeats the purpose of a less stress free holiday. Just needed to vent my frustration with Luggage Forward.

Unfortunately the weather over on the East coast of Australia and I would assume New Zealand has been terrible this year, totally unlike previous years. At the end of October we visited Lord Howe Island which is 1.5 hours flight from Sydney. The weather was so bad with wind, rain and cloud cover they suspended flights in and out for 4 days while we were there. I know that is no consolation to you but hopefully the weather will improve soon.

It is fine, we can have differing opinions about Crystal v Seabourn similarity.

Reading your history in Queens Grill and Crystal I can understand your disappointment . Since this closure on Seabourn dining rooms started happening prior to Covid I understand your hesitation but until Seabourn changes policy it is wise to be aware.

As I mentioned earlier masking is being strongly recommended but not mandated currently in Australia on public transport or anywhere apart from health services. So I guess your driver chose not to worry. Cruise lines want to keep sailing here and so they don't want bad publicity so I understand their caution as we were late here in Australia to accept a return to cruising.

Agree. I for one am glad you have joined us Nancy. Those from Crystal who don't like how different Seabourn is will probably be a one and done and then move on so it doesn't matter about the status match.

Thanks Floris. My bad assuming otherwise. I guess it is due to bad publicity due to Majestic Princess. Not surprising really when reading comments posted on some newspaper sites that are very negative towards cruises in general. Carnival and all cruise lines want to keep cruises being allowed to sail here in Australia. I have heard various State governments are encouraging mask wearing again on public transport and in crowded indoor spaces.

I was just notified that on Odyssey they have just been told that as from tomorrow they need to wear masks when indoors and on public transport. So it is obviously an Australian government requirement that has been put in place due to our current Covid surge. No blaming Seabourn here as the rules always are determined by the current rules of the country they are visiting.

Poodles and Bichon Frise do not shed so clothing is safe from the fur. However I am a major dog lover and agree that dogs should not be sitting on furniture like this.

Okay I think I might have a possible solution this rumour. A friend on Venture emailed today and mentioned that with all Covid passengers out of quarantine that all mask restrictions for crew and passengers are lifted. And it makes sense that sailing down to Antarctica they would want to extinguish Covid spreading quickly. So maybe this was mask requirements on Venture not Odyssey?

Saminina is known for being negative about cruises on Seabourn when posting on CC...and yet they still sail on them.

I have heard back from a friend on Odyssey. Apparently they were told they would have to wear masks on Norfolk Island but they weren't able to port there due to big swells so that didn't happen. There has been no requirement in New Zealand ports so no mask wearing. Whether that will change when they get to Australia since we are experiencing another Covid wave, they have no idea as yet.

I will check with friends we know on Odyssey who are in Auckland at the moment. I do know that as an Australian we can be very strict when we have a new wave through but don't judge countries on your own judgement. Here in Western Australia we are just being warned to take more precautions due to increased infection rates. I don't see how this is to be something to blame Seabourn about. P.S. I have sent the email but it is very late there and I am off to bed soon so it will take a few hours to get a reply.

I have done it on a pale pink and a slightly off-white and the off-white especially had a lovely pearlescent sheen. Better than I have achieved just using nail polish. I haven't tried it on a nude colour yet but that is my next experiment.