Lexcruiser

I fax (more secure than email) the single page of the account statement showing the CCL holding with all other identifying information, other than my name, blacked out.  It usually takes a couple of weeks for the credit to be applied.  

When disembarking at Galataport in Istanbul, how far is it from the ship to the port exit?  Any issues for persons with limited mobility?  If using a taxi, do you have to exit the port or is there a taxi rank before the exit?  Are there any difficulties in handling luggage from wherever it is picked up in the terminal to the port exit?  Are porters available?  The videos of the port show quite a few escalators; are there also elevators?  If anyone has used Luggage Forward to ship bags home, where are the bags dropped off?  Any problems there?  Thanks for your assistance.

When disembarking at Galataport in Istanbul, how far is it from the ship to the port exit?  Any issues for persons with limited mobility?  If using a taxi, do you have to exit the port or is there a taxi rank before the exit?  Are there any difficulties in handling luggage from wherever it is picked up in the terminal to the port exit?  Are porters available?  The videos of the port show quite a few escalators; are there also elevators?  If anyone has used Luggage Forward to ship bags home, where are the bags dropped off?  Any problems there?  Thanks for your assistance.

When disembarking at Galataport in Istanbul, how far is it from the ship to the port exit?  Any issues for persons with limited mobility?  If using a taxi, do you have to exit the port or is there a taxi rank before the exit?  Are there any difficulties in handling luggage from wherever it is picked up in the terminal to the port exit?  Are porters available?  The videos of the port show quite a few escalators; are there also elevators?  If anyone has used Luggage Forward to ship bags home, where are the bags dropped off?  Any problems there?  Thanks for your assistance.

Is a private transfer from the Venice airport to the Hotel Grande Italia in Chioggia door-to-door?  Any recommendations for transfer companies appreciated.

We are also on the Beyond.  While the ship is beautiful and the staff seems anxious to please, there are several issues which make this cruise disappointing. The first was the luggage drop off in Barcelona. Knowing that most of the passengers will ignore the times given for embarkation, celebrity needs to do a better job of handling arriving passengers and their luggage. Since everyone shows up at the earliest possible time, the lines are ridiculous. once inside the port, the check in with fairly well but the confusion outside does not leave a good first impression.  The ship is short on staff and that is nowhere more apparent than in the bars. On our first night aboard, we went to the hyped Martini bar (which is a poor replacement for the ice bar).  After waiting 20 minutes with no server in flight, I decided to try to fly down one of the two bartenders.  Picture trying to flag a cab in New York City at rush-hour. My attempts were unsuccessful, but our party managed to find a server who took our orders and then disappeared for almost 30 minutes. When she returned, the very dry Bombay Sapphire martini with olives that I had ordered had changed into a glass of vermouth with no discernible gin and a lemon peel.  Other bars on the ship have presented similar problems. We also dislike  the dining arrangements on Celebrity.  We find the menus unimaginative with the main dining restaurants having only two or three choices that vary from day to day and the remainder is the always available selections. The room service menu is pitifully small which is just as well because we never had a room service order which arrived less than an hour from the time it was placed with the food being lukewarm or cold. We were very dissatisfied with the policy for the specialty restaurants. If you book the specialty restaurant package pre-cruise, you are not permitted to make restaurant reservations until you board the ship. By then, any reasonable time for dining is unavailable. Curiously, when we first boarded the ship I spoke to the maître d’ at the steakhouse and was told that the only opening available was that night at 8:00 PM. We took it, and when we appeared the restaurant was almost completely empty. On the positive side, the ship is well appointed. We like the layout of our concierge’s class state room although the closet is a bit small. The staff has been very friendly, but clearly needs some seasoning. With these in the other problems mentioned by other posters, I think celebrities claim to be a luxury cruise line may be a bit premature.

I am aware that I need to complete the ArriveCan app prior to flying into Vancouver for my cruise.  If I fly into Vancouver on August 24, but don't board the ship until August 26, do I need to complete ArriveCan a second time prior to embarkation?

If I missed this, sorry.  (1) If booked in a Concierge Class cabin, and I buy the 3 night speciality restaurant package, can I make those reservations on-line or do I have to wait until after I've boarded? If only after boarding and I can't get reservations can I cancel the speciality restaurant package and be reimbursed?  

I'm seeing fewer tuxedos over the last few years.  On our Med cruise last August I would guess the ratio was 70/30 in favor of dark business suits.  You definitely will not feel out of place.

We've done a lot of Seabourn cruises and never had an upgrade offer.  Is this something new?  I would be interested in the experience of others.

We've always board around noon and head directly to the Colonnade for a leisurely lunch while our room is being readied.  

We have used this service for our last 5-6 cruises, including trips to various ports in Europe and Australia/New Zealand.  We've never had a problem.  The luggage is always picked up on time and has been delivered to our stateroom prior to departure.  As others have noted, it's not cheap but we find the cost justified by the convenience.

A very dry Bombay Sapphire martini up with a twist is always appropriate.  Insist that it be served in a traditional martini glass.  If you're in the mood for bourbon, try a sidecar.

On 9/16/2019 at 2:05 PM, wesport said:

If you click on Set Sail event, then your geographical area, cruises are listed with promo items. Each cruise is different. 

I got a Seabourn email yesterday promoting the Set Sail event and listing cruises, one of which was a segment of the 2020 World Cruise.  However, when you go to the cruise there are no promos listed.  Very misleading.

Depending on one's Seabourn activity, it might make sense to purchase the minimum 100 shares for the shareholder OBC and the 4.5% dividend.  

I agree that the Seabourn casino is not the place for a serious gambler.  The odds are seriously stacked against you and the recreational players can be trying.  It can be a pleasant diversion to be occasionally enjoyed.

BJ on Seabourn is always interesting because of the novice players.   I thought I had seen everything until our recent Med cruise on Encore when a gentleman told the dealer to hit his two face cards.  We (the rest of the table and the dealer) implored him to reconsider, but he became angry and insisted on another card.  He got it, he busted of course, and most of the other players immediately got up and left the table.  

I've been following the pricing of the 2020 World Cruise segments and they have held steady.  Given Seabourn's pricing on past cruises, I had expected to see some reduction or at least the offering of various inducements i.e. cabin upgrades, OBC, internet packages, etc.  Perhaps some of the TA's have heard rumblings and passed them on to others.  If anyone has any information, it would be appreciated.  

U.S. dollars.  

Carnival requests that the documentation be faxed or mailed to Seabourn.  I found faxing to be the most efficient--the number is 206-501-2900.  The mail address is Seabourn Reservations, 450 Third Avenue, W., Seattle, WA 98119.

We've never done an OB booking, but are considering it.  Does Seabourn Club status play any part in cabin assignments?  Will Seabourn assign the highest available category or is it completely random?  Previous posts suggest most OB assignments have been in the range of V4-6.  Does anyone have experience with either higher or lower assignments.  Any other experiences with OB are appreciated.

We just returned from two weeks on Encore.  We booked TKG the first night and ate there a second time later in the cruise.  Service and ambiance were excellent.  The main dishes ranged from good to excellent, but the sides were uniformly disappointing.  The roast chicken was probably the best main dish.  The steaks were good, but were not as good as those I've had in several stateside steak houses.  Frankly, my impression overall is that TKG does not match the hype.  

Just received a promotional email from Seabourn announcing a 5% discount on selected cruises if you are a Seabourn Club member.  Is this in addition to the 5% discount you receive if you make a future cruise deposit while on-board?

You receive 1 Seabourn Club Point for each $500 in onboard spending.  Are points based on total spending or spending after applicable onboard credit is deducted?

We are on Seabourn Encore Barcelona to Barcelona in August.  Can someone advise the port terminal used by Seabourn and recommend a private transfer company from the port to the airport.  Thanks.