Colgal

We just returned from an 11 night cruise on the Spirit where we enjoyed the dining immensely.

This was our 3rd Silversea cruise but we had not returned in 10 years because the dining was not up to par on the previous journeys. We switched to Seabourn and took 5 cruises where the food was good to 

not so good.

we felt that our recent experience on the Spirit was the best so far and the extra fare for La Dame, Seishin and Indochine worth the additional cost.

Thank you-it does make a difference so ill bring a few more things!😁

We are looking forward to boarding the Spirit on June 1 and were wondering about laundry- is there a set fee for a bag of laundry or is every piece itemized?

Seabourn allows its guests to stuff a laundry bag with as much as it can hold for $50 but we have not sailed on Silversea in a few years and I am being mindful of my packing-thank you!

We finally resolved the air issue by paying for one ticket and using AMEX points for the other. It’s been quite an

ordeal because of the limited available seats at a certain price or point value and some snafus with the airline that were finally resolved after a great deal of effort on our part.

Living in Arizona and trying to go abroad without a stop on the east coast  became a challenge as non-domestic carriers 

do not cooperate as willingly with our preferred domestic airlines and the ticket prices and availability reflected that situation.  The multi-city itinerary also complicated the pricing structure but spending quite a few hours on the phone finally resulted in an acceptable outbound route through SLC with a return through LAX which avoided a long transcontinental flight.

If we had been able to receive a competitive quote theough Silversea we would have taken it but it was always a moving target 

by the time they contacted our agent and then the overcharges escalated. We are very  relieved that our booking is finally completed and looking forward to our cruise-it’s been 10 years since Silverseas as we have been sailing on Seabourn and we are excited to be going aboard!

My DH spent quite a while with a SS rep this afternoon but we could not come to a satisfactory solution to the flights and $$.

The air portion for business class is much more than the SS credit and all the flights with better connections are not available....

we would rather switch gears than fly at inconvenient times in addition to paying surcharges. Its just not worth it.

Our TA has more than 25 years in the business and has extensive experience with SS... we finally went directly to them (SS) today but their Rep basically offered a few deals that came back to us with little to no improvement,

Oh well~ a week lost but I am much more educated!

2 hours ago, rpfarris said:

ColGal, do you live near Phoenix?  I live south of Tucson, so I'm flying from Tucson to Barcelona, and I'm routing through Atlanta.  My original airline was Delta, but I have miles on AA so I asked my TA to switch to AA which she did, for the ~$150 deviation fee.

 

The point being that you don't have to fly Iberia or KLM.  You can take a hop to TUS and get a new set of airline choices.

 

BTW, I'm cruising 3914 - 3919 on the Shadow, are we going to be shipmates?

 

Hi rpfarris- we are from phoenix and about to blow off the Spirit cruise. We have been trying to get air since Monday and the SS travel agent responds once a day to our TA’s questions and requests. 

The back and forth has cost us two flights so far and now SS wants us to take a flight from LAX to BCN that will get us in about midnight. Not acceptable, particularly since we are paying out of pocket for our PHX to LAX airfare, as well as an upcharge for deviatiin etc. Can’t figure out why we aren’t allowed to speak to the travel person at SS directly. All this week there have been errors and now the availability of their ration of seats in business class is declining.

We are totally exasperated and  plan to shut this down if we do not get a reasonable response by this afternoon. Highly unlikely we wil pursue SS again after all this.

Thank you for the responses. Our TA did not mention a hotel or transfers so we will inquire about that as well.

The only available flight that offers us a leg from the US to Europe is an Iberia or KLM flight out of LAX.  A flight from PHX requires a stop on the East coast and we are not interested in a 5 hour domestic flight befefore boarding for Europe. We will also be required to book and  pay for a roundtrip between PHX and LAX in order to fly nonstop to MAD or BCN-an additional unexpected cost in addition to the upcharge for business class. Disappointing and unexpected .

Anyone taking advantage of the cruise promotion that includes business class airfare to Europe?

We are fine with the cruise price but trying to book a business class upgrade is getting interesting. Our TA is working with Silverseas on the air booking

and we are trying to fly from Phx to Lhr and then Bcn on British Airways. They are routing us through IAD- a long cross country flight- with United - and the air

differential is negligible in comparison.

We will also have to pay a surcharge with any of these fares. I have never done an air inclusive before and am trying to figure out the process- would appreciate hearing frommany other cruisers who have gone this route.

If that is your experience, you should certainly pursue different vacation options. That being said, I did not have any fishy fish---(and I hate fishy fish). I only had steak twice in a 10 day cruise--but I had other choices. Perhaps you are right--that Seabourn has become inconsistent, since your experience was so different from mine.

Exactly my point! Inconsistencies should not happen on a luxury line- and we were not "nitpicking". Three previous cruises met or exceeded a standard of excellence while our 4th cruise on Encore disappointed. We also heard numerous other passengers complain about the food and service- it wasn't just our experience. Believe me, I would much rather disembark with reluctance than with relief! Vacation time is precious and it is more than frustrating to second guess or regret one's choices.

I hope that Seabourn will focus on the complaints and diminish the anxiety of new cruisers by improving its product with consistency and quality. It should not be a "luck of the draw" experience.

My comment to all of the above is that it appears that a lack of consistency in the newly released Encore product is apparent and must also be surfacing in the O class ships as well. I don't believe it is solely a question of "glass half full" vs "glass half empty." Obviously there have been enough negative comments, mine included, which highlight the shortcomings of a larger ship/smaller footprint in Encore. After our last experience on Encore I am reluctant to revisit the O class ships as well.

The concept that "food is subjective" sounds great- except when you are dining on "fishy fish" and tired of steak, steak and more steak during your cruise. Our dining room experience was less than expected, both in food and service, and highly disappointing in comparison to three previous cruises. We certainly did not book our Encore cruise with negative "preconceived" notions. We hoped that it would be as wonderful as our previous experiences, but sadly, it was so mediocre in comparison.

So are we to believe that what we experienced in past sailings is just a memory, never to repeat itself, or was it just an anomaly? Do I choose to take another "chance" and spend time and money to find out that Seabourn is not what we experienced in the past? Tough decision- too many other vacation options. I believe that Seabourn should have reached out to us after we sent in our review- and I believe their silence is an indication of "we really don't care"-too bad.

SLSD- I did read your post and the point should probably be "why does a past cruiser feel differently about the line they were pleased with on previous cruises".

Encore was a new venture for Seabourn and I don't believe it delivered for us. The quality was lacking-if there are numerous passengers who feel the way that we did at the end of their cruise then obviously something went wrong. I don't recall as much negativity about the triplets or the O class ships. If I had never cruised on Seabourn I would have no point of comparison- but 3 prior and excellent vacations were replaced with a rather mediocre experience and "THAT" needs to be addressed.

Perhaps there are crew changes which affect food and service on different itineraries-( it's never happened in the past, ) but I believe that there has been some focus on economizing which is distasteful. New cruisers to seabourn may not know what the previous product offered but we remember and that is why we express ourselves.

I think that opinions should be treated as an important input- for instance, there are numerous websites geared to Restaurant, hotel etc reviews- do you discount those that are not aligned with yours? Is there a common thread? Lately there have been more negative comments about Encore which translates to a less than satisfactory experience- could it have been a "bad" week? Perhaps- but do you offer a less than consistent product and expect satisfied customers- I think not.

CC is a venue for those of us who feel that improvement is important- our critiques can contribute to a more rewarding experience for all. My concern is that Seabourn did not respond to my post-cruise review. I believe that most businesses would have reached out to allay concerns about a future cruise and they did not- i have no reason to believe that they care... so sad.

I am feeling a very strong need to reply to the individuals who feel that ANY negativity is unacceptable. Cruise Critic can and does foster opinion- if you choose to see things one way then you should not not engage on this forum.

I expressed my disappointment in my last cruise on Encore and I am not a " negative" or "difficult to please individual". My previous cruises were wonderful which explains why I returned; however, I do not believe that I should accept a lower standard than I previously enjoyed. The food on our Encore cruise was substandard and and the service about 50% of past cruises- should I shrug my shoulders and say "whatever"? Reviews benefit everyone- the cruise line "learns" about its customer experiences and can attempt to evaluate common concerns.

I have a difficult time with those who lump us into a category of chronic complainers or consumers who can't be pleased- I was a huge cheerleader for Seabourn until my recent experience and feel that the line is slipping- my comments should beaddressed by management. No one responded to my post -cruise review which is rather bothersome- every customer counts and their opinions should be heard.

If Seabourn is trying a new business "model" to determine whether their customer base will tolerate lower standards then it is up to all of us to express our opinions and key the chips fall- I just don't appreciate being labeled a curmudgeon for having a different viewpoint!

Perhaps we are caught in the midst of a re-branding process. Yes, Seabourn was more expensive in the past and we were willing to pay because it was wonderful -A to Z. At present, however, we are looking at spacious accomodations , spotty service and average to below average dining- not exactly an experience to be enthusiastically embraced.

I am not seeking a "value" line and it would appear that Seabourn's direction may be moving to a middle of the road demographic- similar to the all-inclusive resort experience. Unfortunately a passenger cannot "correct" their dining options while aboard - and Seabourn always focused on that element in addition to its personalized service. If it isn't financially feasible to provide a "luxury" cruise without raising the cruise rate and management opts to focus on filling up the ship then they have opted for a new and different product- so be it.

I will be most interested to see what transpires with the forthcoming Ritz Carlton product- it will likely be pricey but hopefully offers the luxury that previously existed on Seabourn.

SLSD- we cruised at the end of May. Our 4th seabourn cruise- we previously sailed the Quest, Sojourn, and the Legend. We have also sailed on Silverseas in Alaska and the Med- (never again!)

The food in the MDR was steak centric in its offerings and we typically do not eat red meat more than once a week. We tried the fish and it was either bland and uninspired or worse yet-fishy. The service was friendly but not as professional as in the last and trying to get a wine refill was also an effort. The Colonnade offerings at lunch were not what we remembered, and quite repetitive. They even "ran out " of blue cheese and ranch dressing one afternoon. We ordered room service 3 different mornings and our breakfast arrived at a lukewarm temperature and was always missing an element.

We found the pool service to be inattentive- we usually walked up to the bar to place an order because the wait staff was generally on overload due to passing pre-made cocktails that were not appealing. We noticed that many of the guests were drinking wine or beer- the cocktails just did not taste as they should.

By the third day of our cruise we were no longer looking forward to the dining options and we ordered a "Special" dinner which was executed and served beautifully- but that was one evening. I felt uncomfortable about a special request for every evening after that and we begged the hostess at Keller to allow us to dine a 2nd time. We were finally permitted

To dine a second time but it was a struggle and almost not worth the effort.

The highlight of our cruise was our room stewardess- she was exceptionally attentive and we brought her daily "gifts" from our shore excursions such as cookies etc. - she was the vestige of superlative service we remembered from the past.

We were such advocates of the Seabourn line and are so disappointed about its current state. There are too many critiques in circulation to ignore the obvious nature of diminishing returns and we will wait until the issues are addressed before we cruise again. In August we opted for two weeks in Paris rather than another Seabourn cruise- their loss.

It is really disheartening to watch a top-drawer product such as Seabourn become a mediocre vestige of itself.

Bottom line cost-cutting can only be employed for the short term and then it impacts the overall satisfaction of the product. Seabourn offered a unique niche- wonderful accommodations, dining and service. Our last cruise on Encore was so disappointing that it will be difficult to contemplate another sailing. The food was so unpalatable (with the exception of a special request evening) and the included wines were mediocre at best- not exactly a "luxury experience". I am not certain which "market" demographic they are attempting to attract but it certainly will not be our $$$.

Perhaps the business model does not work any longer for smaller ships with great dining and service but I certainly cannot consider another venture with Seabourn until they deliver- in 7 years they have gone from a ten to a 4 on the satisfaction scale and I cannot be enthusiastic about the "new" Seabourn standard. By the way, our post-cruise survey comments were never acknowledged by anyone at Seabourn- very telling!

Last Year we were aboard for an 11 night cruise in the Med and there were 3 families. One had a 3 year old we rarely saw but the other two families monopolized the pool and spa with cartwheels and pool games much to the consternation of many guests.

One little girl was an "only" whose parents sought refuge in the poolside covered couch and rarely attended to their daughter- it was almost as if they were hoping to have "alone time" while she tried to meet everyone on deck- young or old. She was 5 years old- younger than the other children, and clearly bored.

I just don't understand the concept of children on this cruise line- gosh knows my husband and I spent many vacations in child and young-adult settings knowing that our daughter would have a great time and we need not worry about offending anyone. She is now grown and we have lots of time to indulge in adult-only vacations but at least we spent time with her in age- appropriate (and Fun) environments during her youth. My message is that children grow up quickly- enjoy them and let them enjoy their family time in the best setting.

We cruised Seabourn four times and three cruises out of four were stellar- unfortunately our last cruise was on the Encore and we are highly reluctant to cruise again... not certain if it's Seabourn in general or just Encore.

The food was less than average in preparation and presentation and with the exception of TK and two "special " dinner menu requests it could be considered unpalatable. I don't understand the phrase "food is subjective" - yes , some prep and presentation is "over the top" but when it is inedible???? And the wine offerings so mediocre that you are forced to spend more $$$ just to enjoy a decent wine? I am not an overly critical diner but the Encore offerings tested my patience, I am seriously questioning which market they are appealing to- not everyone is looking for the AI experience at the cost of decent dining.

We had such a wonderful stewardess on our recent cruise and left "treats" for her in our cabin (with a thank you note attached) and she was thrilled. It was so easy to bring her a bag of special candy or cookies from our daily outings ashore and another way to thank her for being so attentive.

We always request that a mattress "topper " be added as well as a top sheet- the fluffy duvet is much too warm

Perhaps the food situation was impacted by numbers- the Encore was fully booked during our cruise and the MDR was very busy. Trying to provide freshly prepared food for a crowded dining room may have been challenging, at the very least. We had one "special order " dinner which was prepared perfectly- unfortunately every other evening was mediocre to poor. TK was likely to offer us the best experience due to the smaller number of diners- and the service was most definitely more polished. Quest, Sojourn and Legend delivered a much better dining experience and size may have been a factor. I only hope that cost cutting isn't responsible for the average food and service- if so, then many past cruisers will choose a different way to spend their time and money. Many of the passengers on our cruise also expressed their disappointment with Encore at various times and I can only hope that management will take note and make the necessary changes.

We "camped out" at the TK bar at least 4 nights in a row trying to secure a second reservation at the TK grille. We found the offerings in the main dining room to be so mediocre and the buffet theme nights in the Colonnade not to our liking . A few tables were always available but the hostess would not seat us- we were supposedly waitlisted but could not secure a table until the second to the last night of our cruise. It brings to mind the all-inclusive concept in Mexico- tables are available in the "reservation only"restaurants but management preferred that you dined in the less expensive, buffet restaurants. I think that diners are being turned away because the food offerings at the TK Grille are of a higher quality- we enjoyed a delicious Dover sole and the steaks were definitely better than those served in the Restaurant. Very frustrated by the Encore experience.

We shared the same cruise and also have the same opinion that Encore is not up to previous Seabourn standards-the extra passenger load seems to be taking its toll.

The Colonnade was always busy at breakfast and lunch and the staff had a difficult time. Service was not swift or attentive - it was clear that they were a bit overwhelmed.

The buffet was not very creative and the food rather tasteless- The Restaurant food was quite limited in selection and unless a special request was made it tasted like the mass produced product it was. We had three good meals- two from the TK Grille and one special request- the rest were bland and boring/ too repetitive.

We started ordering room service breakfast because of the crowding in the Colonnade and our omelettes/pancakes were dry and often missing ingredients. The coffee could also be improved upon and running out of OJ is rediculous.

The pool deck has one row of loungers in the shade- less than we have experienced on previous cruises, and the area was extremely crowded even with 7 ports of call. The Encore increased its passenger load but maintained a footprint similar to its other 3 ships which results in inadequate space and the ship seemed to be understaffed to meet the needs of its guests.

We cruised on the Legend, Quest and Sojourn prior to this recent cruise and would not cruise Seabourn again if this had been our first experience. A decline in the quality of food, wine and service were noticeable and I am hoping that this is not the Seabourn of the future.

I started this thread and am happy to reply that our suite, 724, was very quiet on our 11 night Mediterranean cruise.

That being said, there were several families aboard and had they occupied the connecting suite it may not have been so pleasant. We were grateful that we had no noise from either side of our suite!

IS R2 still around on the Sojourn? We enjoyed a few dinners in that venue while on the Quest a few years ago. The policy was to make one reservation per 7 nights but we found that if we appeared at the door about 8 pm they could often accommodate us. Some of the meals were more memorable than others but overall was very nice. We really enjoyed the MDR as well and they were kind enough to remember that the Grand Marnier soufflé was our favorite dessert.