whystayhome

Typically the excursions are not of the large group variety with full buses. We have had Seabourn excursions that were just us and two other couples.

Linda

23 hours ago, cruiseej said:

 

In that almost all flights from North America arrive in most European cities in the early morning hours, typically between 7 am and 9 am — and in this case at 7:15 am in Copenhagen — are you saying that despite included transfers, most people find themselves on their own upon arrival? And have to wait around the airport for hours until meeting a representative for the transfer? 

That is what I was told when I called.  The phone rep was apologetic, tried to be helpful, consulted a supervisor, and that was the story.  We’re on our own until the transport company’s representative will be at baggage claim “around noon.”  What I am really peeved about is that we were not told that we would be playing “Where’s Waldo?” on embarkation day, and had I not been wondering what they would do with us until our boarding time of 2:00, we would never have known prior to arriving in Copenhagen. I booked the flights through Seabourn specifically because  of the convenience of the included transfers.  Had I known what the story wound be in advance, I would have booked the flights independently and flown into Copenhagen the night day before.

Note: We typically don’t arrive on embarkation day, but we have spent enough time in Copenhagen in the past.

Linda

What I found out a few minutes ago is that even though we are getting into Copenhagen at 7:15AM, there won't be a Seabourn rep even at the airport until "around noon." Silly me assumed they would meet us with open arms once we got through immigration, given that we booked our flights through them.  Nope, we are on our own until they show up.  Apparently Seabourn had no plans to inform us or anyone else that there would be no one there to greet/pick us up/ direct us until 5 hours after our flight got in.  I could picture us, tired, wandering around the airport, dragging our suitcases, getting into an argument, etc. Not a great start.

 

Linda

 

Just off the Apex, which I believe is similar to the Edge. We booked at the last minute, so we were limited with respect to cabin availability.  The  ship is fairly new, has an interesting decor, and was absolutely immaculate.  
 

It took a few days to get over culture shock:  we are not used to loud, frenetic fun.  But, if you work on it, you can find a quiet place to have a drink or read.

The entry level cabins are much smaller than Seabourn’s standard cabins. We were in a “balcony,” which was really just a room with a floor to ceiling window that opened.  Our cabin did not have a bathtub and there were no toiletries, but the shower was probably twice the size of the typical Seabourn shower.

There was quite a range in our fellow passengers, from people who seemed to be similar to a typical Seabourn crowd to many who were…not.  
 

The food was hit or miss, but the servers in the dining room and bar were attentive.  The wines on the premium list were generally inferior to the included wines on Seabourn.  We met a couple who had access to the “Blu” restaurant but were eating in the main dining rooms because they said the food was better in those venues. We did a champagne dinner in the steak house, and it was pretty good, although the filet could have been a little more tender.

The entertainment was disappointing.  The comedian and magician were awful.  We wondered what happened to the vaunted production shows, but eventually learned through the grapevine that those performers were in COVID quarantine.  There didn’t seem to be very much to do during the day unless you wanted to pay extra for some activities or sit in the casino.  We felt that the company goal was to nickel-and-dime people to death.
 

The pool area was very crowded and it was hard to get a lounge chair if you got there after 9AM.  The pool was also very small given the passenger load, and at times it got excessively crowded.

In summary, our first choice will always be Seabourn, but we really didn’t suffer on the Apex.  If there were a good buy on a convenient sailing at a convenient time, we might consider sailing with Celebrity again.  For now, I’m hoping that our third attempt at July’s 3-week Norway/Baltic cruise, with its greatly amended itinerary (including a change today!) will go forward.

linda

We love the ice cream sundae, glazed carrots, sautéd spinach, creamed spinach, AND the caesar salad.  We also like the sole and the lobster, but are not crazy about the roast chicken. The steaks have always been good. A lot depends on who is in the kitchen.  One cruise everything was drowning in butter to the point that it was not enhancing the dishes at all.

So far as getting a reservation is concerned, we prebook our allotted weekly meals on line and if we feel like it, we stop by the host stand when they first open and ask if we can be accommodated that night. Often, we are able to get in either that night or the next.

We prefer the more intimate atmosphere on the Odyssey class ships to the larger grill on the big girls, but it always makes for a very pleasant evening.

Save room for the sundae!

Linda

What I do is when I get on board, I ask to transfer the pre-booked shore excursions to my onboard account and ask that they refund my credit card.  What they do instead is credit my onboard account for the amount I charged to my card in advance of the cruise, transfer that amount of my OBC to "refundable," and keep the charges on my credit card.  It's easier for them. Then, at the end of the cruise, I request the left over, refundable OBC to be returned to me in cash before we disembark. I have done this many times.  An added benefit - I get to keep the 3x points for the travel expense for the amount I charged to my credit card and go home with a pocket full of moola.

Linda

Southern Comfort has always been available on the ship.  On one cruise, the bar staff told me I was the ONLY one asking for it. You can also ask for a bottle of it in your room once you are aboard.

Linda

We are starting with the Baltic and then doing the 2-week Norway itinerary.  Final cancellation is coming up.  I called Seabourn and asked if they were extending final cancellation.  No information.  I asked what the cost would be if we dropped the Baltic and just did the Norway portion of the cruise.  Are you ready for this?  We would be wait-listed for Norway, even though there's a cabin with our name on it for that portion of the cruise.  I couldn't believe it!

Linda

Back to what not to miss...

SEABOURN SQUARE: The grandmother's cake is a total winner.  Also, the little sandwiches they have there at lunch time are quite good if you want something light. The hot chocolate can be made out of hot frothy milk and a big chocolate lolly pop - make sure to specify that you want that version.

TK GRILL:  My recommendations - Caesar salad made table side, filet of sole, wilted spinach, carrots, and the ice cream sundae.  The lobster Newburgh is also usually quite good.  I'm not a fan of the whole roasted chicken, but some people really like it. Filets are always great, and appear to be better quality than what is served in MDR. The cookies they hand out after dinner are the best on the ship and make a great breakfast the next morning.

COLONNADE: The special TK nights are usually winners - particularly when they have the steak. I prefer the lunchtime buffet there to the buffet offerings on Crystal, particularly if you can snag an outdoor table.

POOL GRILL:  French fries! Pizza is not bad either.

MDR:  Lamb and scallops are our favorites, but the portions tend to be skimpy.  We always ask for a double portion when we order those.

Iramack - we will also be on the 7/16 Fjords adventure, getting on the week before in Stockholm, if the world is still in one piece. We are traveling with another couple and may be looking for 2 more people to share private tours.  Please let me know if you are interested - LSMEADEPHD [at] AOL [dot] com

Linda

I posted a review called "Notes from a Seabourn Refugee" on the Crystal board August 18, 2021 and did not get flamed!  For some bizarro reason, I can't copy and paste the whole thing here it here, but it shouldn't be that hard to find. This is the beginning of the review. Hope it helps you.

 There is a  lot more information in the original post...

Linda

HI

I have a number of $400 referral coupons left and Seabourn Club says they will still honor them.

Just had another cruise cancelled, but  have one booked for July 2022.

So...if you are interested in four hundred dollars of on-board credit, and are planning to sail before July 2022, please email me and we can make this happen.

Thank you and welcome to Seabourn

Linda

Lsmeadephd  [at]  aol [dot] com

For special occasions, we arrange our favorite menu and wines the day before and have dinner served course-by-course on our balcony.  Very romantic - not that there's a whole lot of that left after 46 years :-].

Linda

We were on for 18 days R/T Athens in October and yes, we were cancelled as well.  The question is which of the 4 options to take.  The comparable cruises in 2021 and 2022 do not fit the dates we are available.  The refund would be OK, or should we let Seabourn hang onto out ~$5000 deposit for a year in exchange for getting another $500 FCC?  What is everyone thinking of doing?

Linda

Fugue for tin horns

Linda

Although we always make reservations in advance on line, we have always had good luck stopping by the TK grill and asking if there were any openings. On one cruise, we got in so many times that by the third week we got tired of the sole, sundae, filets, sides, etc. and stuck to the main restaurant and colonnade for a few days.

Linda

On 4/27/2021 at 3:38 PM, jenidallas said:

My favorite and a special request I’ll make for a pre-order treat.  When they offer it on the menu, I have a salad and two soufflés as my entree and I’m a happy girl!

What a great idea!  The twice baked goat cheese soufflé is something I dream about...

The big advantage of the Seabourn penthouse, aside from the size of the cabin of course, is that the toilet is separate from the rest of the bathroom. The owner's suite, as 2 bathrooms, which for some people can be a real marriage saver.

We have had course-by-course dinners served on our balcony on many Seabourn cruises in regular veranda cabins. In the penthouse and owner's suite, the living room is conducive to hosting friends you made on board for a cocktail party or for dinner

We enjoyed our time on Silversea, but did not see how having a butler made much of a difference.

Whatever you pick, you can't go wrong!

Linda

We're fully vaccinated [YAY!] and don't mind wearing a mask.  What bothered me was the comment about "encouraging" passengers to stay within their own group.  One of the things I really enjoy on Seabourn is the opportunity to meet so many wonderful people, some of whom I have maintained lasting friendships with.  Also, we have been eating together almost every night for 45 years and understandably prefer to mix things up a little when we cruise. We particularly look forward to the hosted tables with officers and entertainers [especially the magicians].

It will be interesting to read the reports of onboard life from people who sail when the ships get moving again in May (?).

Linda

We have had 3 cruises cancelled by Seabourn in the past 9 months, plus I was on the Australian cruise to nowhere last March that ended a week early.  It broke my heart, but I just cancelled the 21-day Norway/Baltic cruise we had scheduled for July 2021 in advance of final cancellation. Even if the cruise were to go, we don't think it would be the typical Seabourn experience [e.g., stay in your own cohort] and we were concerned about some ports not allowing the ship to dock as was part of the problem with the Australia voyage. According to the Seabourn rep who cancelled our booking, there are still about 50 veranda cabins available, so if a virus-related miracle occurs, we may try to rebook closer to sailing.  Just in case, I'm not cancelling my flights or before and after hotels yet, but I think we will be landlocked for another year.

Linda

Hi Gary

Yes, I’ve asked My TA to get a detailed accounting.  And even if we do owe them the money...let’s see, we waited 8 months to be reimbursed, so maybe Seabourn would like to see what that’s like.

Linda

Caffeine Free diet coke addict here- even for breakfast. Yes, they have Coke products. They do their best to keep me happy, and on most cruises they manage to provide CFDC.  Our stewardess usually hides a cache under our bed to replenish our fridge.  If they don't have CFDC in one venue, they send people other places to scrounge it up for me.  On some European itineraries, they have only coke zero - yuk - but they are so apologetic, I can't get too annoyed. On one cruise, they told me I was the only one on board drinking CFDC, and as soon as they saw me coming, they made sure to crack out the CFDC. They even kept a supply in the Colonnade for me.  We would grab a table at breakfast, and by the time we returned to our seats from the buffet, there it was.

I love the crew.

Linda

We finally got a check [it took 6+ months] for the $9,000+ that we incurred in extra expenses after being thrown of the ship mid-cruise in Adelaide.  Then, a few days later, I got a bill from Seabourn for ~$1,000, saying we had been over reimbursed for some on-board expenses that had been refunded twice, according to their accounting department.  No explanation of the alleged double refunds - just a demand for payment.  TA is working on it.

A more pressing question:  Will my July 30, 2021 Alaska cruise happen, or is this just a pipe dream?

Linda

Thanks klkaylor78 for the information about the FCC section of My Account.  Could not find it on my iPad, so trooped on over to the desk top and had no problem seeing it.  BUT...the amount listed was clearly incorrect. Tried to check my husband's account and was told his account didn't exist. I really want them to get their act together so I can use a "free" week and all the FCC we are due to book next summer's cruise around Norway.

One step forward, two steps back...

Linda

Remind me never to call Seabourn on the weekend! The representative I spoke to was, to be charitable, rather crabby.  She said she could not give me any information about the $9000 reimbursement for additional costs associated with flight changes, hotels, etc. that is in the wind.  I had received an email 2 weeks ago from Seabourn Guest Relations asking if we wanted cash or FCC, and I immediately sent back an email specifying cash and got a form email response back, so I was curious about whether my preference had been recorded.

I told her I was looking to book something else and wanted to make sure the FCC issue was settled, as at one point I was told that I had a $3,000 credit on my account and at another point I was told that was being reviewed. She said that because we elected a CASH refund for the days we had missed when we were forced to disembark in Adelaide as opposed to Sydney because of the virus, the 50% FCC credit we were promised in addition to the cash refund [as opposed to taking the whole refund of 175% in FCC] had been cancelled and we were out of luck. 

I asked about speaking to a supervisor, but was told that isn't possible on a weekend. She also told me not to bother calling Monday because that's their busiest day and I would never get to talk to a supervisor if I did. She also told me there is no way to call guest relations directly.

I will try calling Tuesday, but if that doesn't work, I'll try to get my travel agent on it.

I am getting annoyed.

I was referring to the cruises that were cancelled.  So far, we have been "made whole" on the future cruise deposits as well as the prebooked excursions on one of the future cruises, and for the 6 days we missed on board and the excursions we missed as a result of the abrupt termination of the cruise in Adelaide instead of Sydney ~a week later.

Seabourn recently sent me an email accepting the amount they should reimburse us for the increased cost of business class tickets back to the US booked at the last minute [less the refund we got from Etihad for the return portion of our ticket], a flight to Melbourne from Adelaide, hotels in Adelaide and Melbourne, food, and Ubers.

We also tried to get reimbursed by our travel insurance for the costs associated with trip interruption, figuring Seabourn would never come through, but have been turned down once.  My state's insurance commissioner has gotten involved and told me that we should expect the cruise line and the insurance company to point fingers at one another in a dance that could last forever. So, it was a pleasant surprise to hear from Seabourn suggesting they would reimburse us.

We shall see.

The thing that is driving me nuts is that random amounts have been posted to three different credit cards, so it has been a little complicated to track the refunds. One refund on Amex had the explanation that it was for a week on board in July 2021 - I can't figure that one out.

As far as the future cruise credit is concerned, I am getting tired of chasing that down, as the amount varies significantly depending on which agent answers the phone.  We had a similar situation with the reimbursement for the missed days; the first agent quoted us a figure nearly equal to the entire cruise cost and we were elated.  A month or so later, the bubble burst.

The issue now is when we will be able to cruise again.

Linda