Jump to content

Seabourn Encore - The Retreat


cruising kirby
 Share

Recommended Posts

My husband and I recently spent a day in The Retreat onSeabourn Encore, and thought it might be helpful to share my experience to assist anyone else who may be contemplating shelling out the USD249 (port day)or USD349 (sea day).

 

 

I booked The Retreat before the cruise on the Seabournwebsite, for the only sea day on a 10 night itinerary. I had heard horror stories about how busy the main pool deck on Encore gets on sea days, and it is my husbands birthday while we are away, so I thought, what the heck, I might as well spoil him and give this Retreat “thing” a go. There was very little information about what we could expect, other than special canapes and upgraded champagne/wines, so it was with a little trepidation that we “crossed over” into the inner sanctum about 9.30am on our special Retreat day.

 

 

There were 6 couples, including us, on the day. With 16 cabanas and a total capacity of 32 people, the place was virtually empty. Apparently the area operates well below full most days, sometimes it is completely empty. Actually I would hate to be there if it was full. The enclosed area would be stifling I would think with that many people.

 

 

My initial impression of the cabana was that is seemed a nice comfortable area, a large lounge, big screen TV, private dining table,fridge and cabinet, and outside two padded deck chairs. A smiling attendant came over and explained how everything worked, took a drink order and gave us the food/drinks menu. Other than the cabanas and deckchairs there were several shared seating areas as well as the large central spa that looks to take about 8 comfortably, although capacity was not tested on our day there. In fact, as the temperature was about 30 degrees C, the spa was not that inviting, and this is a potential risk for anyone thinking of booking The Retreat during the summer. The temperature of the water wasn’t as hot as a spa normally is, but it wasn’t refreshing on a hot day. The whole area of The Retreat is shaded, but with virtually no gaps around the outside, there is little air flow so it got quite steamy and uncomfortable. There is a fan inside the cabana, but sitting inside that area to cool down didn’t seem inviting to us. So we slipped down to the main pool to have a swim and came back up to The Retreat, hmmmmm that seemed a bit silly after paying all that money!!!!

 

 

No-one used their TV’s (why would you, you can watch in your cabin).

 

 

As far as food goes, The Retreat menu is quite limited and didn’t seem at all special. The salads in the Colonnade had offered more variety and interest in our opinion. For example, Nicoise, Caesar, Smoked Salmon and a BLT salad were on offer – nice but not outstanding. You could also order burgers and hot dogs and club sandwiches, none of which appealed to me. They are available daily from the Patio so it surprised me that they would include such basic offerings in The Retreat. There was a fish and meat main course available that matched the type of meal you would get for lunch in the Colonnade.

 

 

Drinks offered a bit more interest. There were a few cocktails we didn’t try butwere apparently only available in The Retreat. We are champagne drinkers and went straight for the Bollinger. After one glass each we were immediately offereda full unopened bottle to share, which we happily accepted. There was a nice Chateaneuf du Pape BlancChapoutier and a Cloudy Bay from NZ, and a Etude Pinor Noir and Chianti Classicoas well. The drinks were free flowing allday and service was very good.

 

 

We ordered caviar about 4.00pm. At that time all but one other couple hadleft. Interesting I thought. The caviar wasn’t advertised, just like elsewhereon the ship, and it occurred to me that they could have included it as standard fare, given the “exclusivity” The Retreat is supposed to provide.

 

 

We left about 4.30pm, content courtesy of the Bollinger, but scratching our heads as to what extra services/experiences we had just paid for. In the end I think we got value from the Bollinger, the staff were lovely and attentive (but we have received excellent service everywhere on the ship) and it was nice not having to battlefor a deck chair on the pool deck on what was a busy day, but really would I doit again? Definitely not!

 

 

Like many others who have argued that the concept of The Retreat is not the Seabourn way, I have to agree. There were lots of people who stumbled upon the area while we were there and wandered in, probably enticed by the spare deck chairs and serene environment. I honestly felt really uncomfortable when the staff politely turned them away, after all The Retreat is exclusive, and not everyone can just bowl on in………………………

 

 

In my opinion, the Seabourn way is that the ship belongs to everyone, there is no separation of class, we are as one. I hope Seabourn soon sees The Retreat as a bad idea, and opens up the space for other shared uses.

 

 

Sorry this has been so long, I am happy to answer any specific questions.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks for taking the trouble to report on the Retreat - I think the first time anyone has. It does sound almost exactly as most people thought it would be, and for almost everybody not worth the extra.

 

I feel sure the concept will be changed in due course.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

cruising kirby,

 

I too appreciate the effort you have made to report on your personal experiences as a user of the Retreat.

 

It is certainly not "the Seabourn way" but somehow got approved by Seabourn management and installed by contractors who were delighted with the deal and are going to town again on the Ovation due in May, 2018. That much was obvious to me on the Encore's maiden voyage when I questioned that it's a retreat from what exactly- given that Encore is not a Holland America mass market or Carnival fun ship. What a waste of space and what a discredit to the Seabourn brand. Sometime you just have to wonder...

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We have yet to sail on the Encore so I cannot speak from experience, but your final conclusion summed it up well, cruising kirby. Even if somehow offered a free day at the Retreat, we would not take advantage of it just because it is so contrary to all things "Seabourn". I wonder how long this face off between Seabourn (or is it Carnival?) and its customers is going to drag on before management finally capitulates.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What a waste of space and what a discredit to the Seabourn brand. Sometime you just have to wonder.

Yep!

 

Too bad there are no Like or Heart ❤️ buttons on CC. It might help everyone to convey how they feel about things.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for this interesting insight, cruising kirby. It's how I imagined it would be. I'm guessing that someone in Senior Management had a bad idea - but is not ready to admit it. As Markham has already commented, what is the point of having a 'Retreat' when you are already on board a Seabourn ship anyway.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Having read all the discussion about the Retreat, we went to have a quick look. It was as Kirby describes only completely deserted. We couldn't see any reason to spend any time there, let alone pay for it, and so when we were offered a complimentary day there later in the cruise we politely declined the "privilege".

 

The only time we saw the Retreat with actual guests was when a rowdy wedding group took it over and partied hard which at least meant their fellow passengers were spared their drunken behaviour. I felt very sorry for the staff.

 

Whoever came up with this misguided concept obviously doesn't understand the Seabourn culture and clientele.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Rusty, sounds like the same wedding group I heard about at its conception and I then feared for the poor staff and every other passenger. SB is not large enough for these parties not to have a massive impact on others.

 

Sounds like the retreat will no doubt in some point in the furture be changing to something else then!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What ever your views on the the retreat, and clearly there isn't a great deal of love lost for it on here, I don't think it's a bad idea to have a space away from other guests which can be used to house large groups travelling together, unhappy guests in need of some TLC & so on.

 

The size of Seabourn ships makes them particularly appealing to organisations or groups wanting exclusive hire or to keep in touch with their guests. On a larger ship they would evaporate.

 

Is the Retreat something we've felt the need to invest in? No but then I don't drink champagne and we travel with an under 18 year old who wouldn't be allowed in. I don't object to those who do use it and didn't miss the space on our Encore trip. Maybe our next cruise on Sojourn will remind me what I'm missing up there :)

 

 

Henry :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If anyone has been keeping up with the new Silversea ship, the Silver Muse, they will know that SS attempted a dining policy where you had to make reservations for all your dinners months in advance in one of their restaurants as there was no main dining room. In addition each restaurant had a different dress code so you could see people dressed in tuxedos and khakis on the same night. Obviously this was a mistake and people complained so SS has changed that policy to a common dress code and less restrictive reservations policies. In other words, they recognized the mistake and are rectifying it. Seabourn needs to do the same thing with the Retreat. Someone somewhere in Seattle must have thought this was a good idea. That person should be transferred to a different department. Right after, like Silversea, he rectifies his mistake.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would guess that this idea may have been put forward by Mr.Tihany, who normally apparently does hotel designs. I can imagine that it could work in hotels, very different from a ship, especially Seabourn ships, and for whatever reason SB management agreed to it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What ever your views on the the retreat, and clearly there isn't a great deal of love lost for it on here, I don't think it's a bad idea to have a space away from other guests which can be used to house large groups travelling together, unhappy guests in need of some TLC & so on.

 

The size of Seabourn ships makes them particularly appealing to organisations or groups wanting exclusive hire or to keep in touch with their guests. On a larger ship they would evaporate.

 

Is the Retreat something we've felt the need to invest in? No but then I don't drink champagne and we travel with an under 18 year old who wouldn't be allowed in. I don't object to those who do use it and didn't miss the space on our Encore trip. Maybe our next cruise on Sojourn will remind me what I'm missing up there :)

 

 

Henry :)

 

 

 

Henry,

It looks like the only thing that you will be missing is $249 on a port day and $349 on a sea day.

It's a disgraceful decision from Seabourn and should be done away with immediately.

The only use that I can see for it is for a crew party or why not hold the equally dreadful Block Party up there so that those who want to can go there in their bathrobes and meet each other and leave those of us that want to get ready in our suites to go for cocktails and dinner.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited by Mr Luxury
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr Luxury,

 

Great post about using the Retreat for those Howdy Doody git to know yer neighber block parties. (Whose idea were they anyway?)

 

And Lincslady, I doubt Adam Tihany had anything to do with this Retreat concept. He is a top end designer and the design of the Retreat is

poorly conceived and boring, to say the least. So not his style. And it would ruin his brand, just as this failure of imagination is tarnishing that of Seabourn. This is plainly a very bad group think committee decision... Seabourn is not a mainline hotel chain or Holland America ship where you will pay up to avoid the kiddies and hoi polloi. I mean really... The whole ship is about luxury, service and space. So you should not need to rent some of that out for a day.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Mr Luxury,

 

Great post about using the Retreat for those Howdy Doody git to know yer neighber block parties. (Whose idea were they anyway?)

 

And Lincslady, I doubt Adam Tihany had anything to do with this Retreat concept. He is a top end designer and the design of the Retreat is

poorly conceived and boring, to say the least. So not his style. And it would ruin his brand, just as this failure of imagination is tarnishing that of Seabourn. This is plainly a very bad group think committee decision... Seabourn is not a mainline hotel chain or Holland America ship where you will pay up to avoid the kiddies and hoi polloi. I mean really... The whole ship is about luxury, service and space. So you should not need to rent some of that out for a day.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

 

 

Markham

 

I agree with your thoughts about the retreat and mr luxurys and lincslady. However, I believe mr tihany was instrumental in the design of the mandarin oriental Las Vegas, where I have stayed a few times and which has many luxury cabanas around the pool, complete with TVs, sofas, drinks etc, all yours for an extortionate price, which, needless to say we were not willing to pay!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

galeforce9,

 

Your comment linking Adam Tihany to the landside Mandarin Oriental Las Vegas pool area is food for thought. Is the cabana installation there called "The Retreat" and if so is it attributed to him? That would make a difference.

 

But until someone gets it from him or from a Seabourn official the admission that "he's the one", I prefer to believe he would not lend his creative talents to a jacuzzi surrounded by 15 or so airless cabanas with no views of the ocean, on deck 12 in a rather remote part of the ship, one suitable for miniature golf and shuffle board (as on the other Seabourn ship) and 3 decks away from the pool on deck 9. I have to think that Adam Tihany is too smart for that.

 

And here is another point, albeit a minor one. If the Retreat is a concept that's "owned" by Adam Tihany he would want to manage it, just as Thomas Keller does with his restaurants on Seabourn ships. The fact that the Ody class ships show "The Retreat" on their deck plans on deck 11 when there is nothing there but deck sports shows that Seabourn owns the concept and they apply it, and the concept behind, it kinda randomly. Unless, of course, they intend to remove the deck sports on the 3 ships, block the decks off to hoi polloi, and jam in another bunch of cabanas around a new jacuzzi installation.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Seabourn clearly owns the Retreat concept. Tihany is only just a designer and like any designer, he is paid by his client, Seabourn, who would have approved all conceptual designs as well as actual installation. If you have ever employed an architect and/or designer you will know that they get things wrong from time to time and need supervision. At the end of the day, final decisions would have been made by Seabourn.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That's easy. Get rid of the Retreat and setup shuffle board, miniature golf and putting, and maybe some deck chairs. So everyone can use the deck.

Of course the jacuzzi can stay and maybe a tribute plaque next to it commemorating those who figured it all out.

 

Happy and healthy cruising!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

What about a giant glass house with sofas and extraction fans that could cope with a heavy smoke presence.

Perhaps Seabourn could make it a smoke free ship and charge smokers to use the facility.

I propose that they call it "The Smokehouse"

That's how they can make money out of this area rather than a place to store empty cabanas.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Please sign in to comment

You will be able to leave a comment after signing in



Sign In Now
 Share

  • Forum Jump
    • Categories
      • Welcome to Cruise Critic
      • New Cruisers
      • Cruise Lines “A – O”
      • Cruise Lines “P – Z”
      • River Cruising
      • ROLL CALLS
      • Digital Photography & Cruise Technology
      • Special Interest Cruising
      • Cruise Discussion Topics
      • UK Cruising
      • Australia & New Zealand Cruisers
      • Canadian Cruisers
      • North American Homeports
      • Ports of Call
      • Cruise Conversations
×
×
  • Create New...