Jump to content

First timer questions


teamflames
 Share

Recommended Posts

Hi all,

We are very excited as just made our first Seabourn booking. We will be on the Ovation from Dubai to Singapore on Dec 4th. We have done about 15 cruises most of them on the main lines.

The roll call is very quiet.

Initial questions:

Can we book flights through the Seabourn website? We did speak to reservations and were told we can but I cannot find any link other than the one that tells me to call.

Can we make online reservations at the sushi? It appears we can only make one for TK grill.

Is it still the case you can order caviar as and when you like?

On a hot cruise like this would jackets be normal for men at night?

Indian visas for Australians - have any fellow Aussies done this? If so have you done evisa or traditional?

Any other tips would be kindly appreciated

Regards

James and Fleur

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yes, you can order caviar anytime you like. And yes, men will still be wearing jackets in the MDR.

 

Our TA arranged our SB flights for our last voyage, so I don't know about doing that on the website.

 

My comments: enjoy tea at 4pm in the Observation Bar. Enjoy before dinner drinks in the TK Grill Lounge (even if you are not dining there on a particular evening). Consider playing Trivia since you will have a lot of sea days. If you are very very fortunate Handre will be your cruise director and he is pure entertainment at trivia.

 

Enjoy breakfast in the MDR if that is offered---lunch as well. It is a very quiet serene experience.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Roll calls for Seabourn cruises are often quiet, it seems that most SB passengers aren't aware of Cruise Critic.

 

There's no need to make a reservation for the Sushi restaurant - it's open dining like the other venues with the exception of TK Grill.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello Teamflames. I can’t help with all your questions, but here are my thoughts on some:

 

You can’t make online reservations for the sushi restaurant, but you can make them when you’re aboard the ship. And, while you are limited to one online reservation for TK, you can book additional reservations when you’re aboard. Call or stop by Guest Services in Seabourn Square when you’re aboard to book reservations.

 

Men are only required to wear jackets in the main restaurant (“The Restaurant”) on formal-optional nights. On other nights, a collared shirt and slacks are fine.

 

In the other (more casual) dining venues, jackets aren’t required. Especially in outdoor dining venues, many/most men don’t wear jackets.

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise on the Ovation. We sailed on Ovation in May and really enjoyed it. Be sure to try Earth and Ocean during you cruise — it’s a new outdoor dining option that’s open in the evening.

 

We sailed your itinerary two years ago, and were astonished at the complexities of getting Indian visas (we’re from the US). Be aware that some Indian visas are valid only for arrival by air. So — I urge you to focus on the fine print to ensure that you get the right type of visa for arrival by sea.

 

 

Best,

 

Anne

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

You can’t make online reservations for the sushi restaurant, but you can make them when you’re aboard the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

Anne

 

 

Oops, so apparently I gave misinformation in my reply.

I wasn't aware that reservations are required for Sushi.

Sorry to the OP !

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hi James and Fleur,

 

I hope you enjoy your cruise on Seabourn. My answers are in red below.....

 

Hi all,

We are very excited as just made our first Seabourn booking. We will be on the Ovation from Dubai to Singapore on Dec 4th. We have done about 15 cruises most of them on the main lines.

The roll call is very quiet. Roll calls are usually quiet but if you have any queries on ports feel free to ask as a few posting on this board have done this cruise route. The video Henry posted in the Athens - Dubai thread includes some of the Dubai - Singapore Ports of call including the beach day at Sir Bani Yas Island.

Initial questions:

 

Can we book flights through the Seabourn website? We did speak to reservations and were told we can but I cannot find any link other than the one that tells me to call. Can't help as we book independently.

Can we make online reservations at the sushi? It appears we can only make one for TK grill. No reservations at Sushi. What we have done in the past is if they were full still ask wait time and if it was reasonable go have a drink in the TK Bar which is right next door. When the table was free they came and got us.

Is it still the case you can order caviar as and when you like? Caviar is still available, we ordered it twice this July with our pre-dinner drinks. We pre-ordered the day before but you can order that day. If it is busy allow for some delay. They will give you a time frame if you ask.

On a hot cruise like this would jackets be normal for men at night? Jackets will still be seen in the MDR especially on Formal night but on other nights maybe not so much. In the other restaurants it will be a definite mix and on the Patio Grill and Colonnade much less likely.

 

Indian visas for Australians - have any fellow Aussies done this? If so have you done evisa or traditional? We are here in Perth and have a Indian Visa Service here in the city and so found it easy to do ourselves. If you are in Perth I can give more detail how we did it. I know others use e-visa and have been happy with the service.

I hope you have an enjoyable time. We haven't sailed on Ovation yet but friends who have said she was lovely. We will get to check her out in January.

Any other tips would be kindly appreciated. My only other tip is though Seabourn is a luxury line things can go wrong, stuff happens. If there is a problem they will try to fix it, but let them know. If you write a note and drop it off someone from Guest services will get back to you if you don't want to wait if they are busy.

Regards

James and Fleur

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums

 

I hope this helps.

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About ordering caviar, we have never ordered ahead of time and have waited 20 minutes at the most for it to arrive after ordering. We ordered it with friends i the Obersvation at the 5pm hour. We also ordered it as a first course ( to be shared with friends) in the MDR

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DC Traveller, interesting you were able to make bookings onboard Ovation for Sushi. When we asked on Encore in July it was still a no reservation affair. And I knew and was friendly with the head restaurant manager so that wasn't an issue. Hmmm.....I wonder if this will be changed.

 

I forgot Patio is now called Earth and Ocean on Ovation.....I am really looking forward to checking that out in January. Any tips for getting tables there?

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We were on the Ovation for the month of June. No reservations required at Earth and Ocean. We only dined there one evening, but wish we had dined there more often. Many evenings, we were meeting friends for dinner in other venues. Since ours was a Baltic cruise, some nights were a bit chilly. We LOVED Earth and Ocean. Go there early in your voyage and go early if you think there will be a shortage of tables.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

DC Traveller, interesting you were able to make bookings onboard Ovation for Sushi. When we asked on Encore in July it was still a no reservation affair. And I knew and was friendly with the head restaurant manager so that wasn't an issue. Hmmm.....I wonder if this will be changed.

 

I forgot Patio is now called Earth and Ocean on Ovation.....I am really looking forward to checking that out in January. Any tips for getting tables there?

 

Julie

 

I admit that I'm in a grump today as far as Seabourn is concerned..

But have to say that I'm not impressed that they've introduced another dining venue that will need reservations. One of the reasons we left Silversea was that the MDR was the only option left if one didn't want to make reservations in advance. Is SB going the same way, slowly but surely?

 

I see you're on Ovation in January Julie, we disembark in Hong Kong on the 5th, are you getting on then?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

About ordering caviar, we have never ordered ahead of time and have waited 20 minutes at the most for it to arrive after ordering. We ordered it with friends i the Obersvation at the 5pm hour. We also ordered it as a first course ( to be shared with friends) in the MDR

 

Hi SLSD, good to know it didn't take too long. We pre-ordered because we were having it with friends and a special bottle of champagne at 7.15pm in the Obs Bar. We were unsure of possible delays as it is at one of the busiest times.

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I admit that I'm in a grump today as far as Seabourn is concerned..

But have to say that I'm not impressed that they've introduced another dining venue that will need reservations. One of the reasons we left Silversea was that the MDR was the only option left if one didn't want to make reservations in advance. Is SB going the same way, slowly but surely?

 

I see you're on Ovation in January Julie, we disembark in Hong Kong on the 5th, are you getting on then?

 

Hi Isklaar, No we are boarding in Singapore on the 19th. Sorry we will miss you.

 

DC Traveller thanks for coming back and letting us know it is still no reservations in Sushi.

 

Julie

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm not aware that any restaurant other than the TK Grill needs advance reservations, Isklaar. I think you just need to relax and enjoy your upcoming cruise. I wish that we were going to be onboard to guide you through it. We had a fabulous time on the Ovation!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Re Earth and Ocean — if you want an early dinner, it’s best to get there at or shortly after opening. The venue has proved very popular, especially on warm evenings.

 

We'll take that advice to heart. Do they run just one seating so it's arrive early or go elsewhere, or do the tables clear at some point and allow another batch of diners to partake?

 

Car comes in 18 hours and we'll be on the way. Better start packing.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks all for the clarification about Sushi. I had been on the undrstanding that reservations were not required so it was disappointing to read that they were, Good to know that's not the case.

 

Rols= have a fabulous cruise. Very much looking forward to reading your thoughts.

 

Julie - we will hopefully catch up with you on another cruise!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks everyone for your great answers. We are very excited to be trying SB, my parents still rave about their experiences.

Good to hear I could survive without a jacket, we are permanent travellers and effectively live out of a suitcase so are very limited in what we carry.

The food options sound divine, glad to hear most of it is open seating as allows us to stay flexible.

Just found the official Evisa website for India and it specifically mentions the sea ports we are visiting so that makes life easier.

I am sure we will return with more questions.

Thanks

James

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello

 

Greetings from fellow Australians and currently onboard in the Med on Encore.

 

On a hot cruise (and temperatures have been 30+ and humid), a jacket is entirely optional except in the main dining room on formal night. Quite a number of people wear “anything with a collared shirt” from dress shirts and sports jackets to a short sleeved polo and linen pants.

 

Nobody, and I mean nobody has commented on anyone else’s dress code and after the first night or two, have stopped noticing. The majority tend to be a long sleeved dress or business shirt and long pants for men and a nice dress/blouse + skirt for ladies regardless of venue after 6pm and people have left to get “changed” at this time. Boat shoes and loafers are also worn commonly.

 

You won’t need a Jacket but a sports jacket wont’ go amiss and easily carried.

 

Not many are in a tuxedo although they did all come out on formal night.

 

During the day, it’s whatever you want as comfortable although short of the pool deck, I haven’t spotted a singlet.

 

Indian Visa - apply as you would normally and have it in your passport? Well in advance?

 

You can order caviar when and if you like. The other day, we asked for caviar without the condiments to go as a “side”. Several tables, particularly the Japanese contingent have been taking to ordering it as a second course. It’s not on any menu but can be ordered whenever. We’ve done 2am and breakfast, lunch, evening etc...

 

You can also mix/match at dinner. Liked the basil sorbet that went with the first course? We had two scoops of it for dessert. Like the main choices? Asked for them as two entree sized courses.

 

We’ve taken to half serve of ramen (small bowl) ; plate of the pork gyoza and the mushrooms on their own for lunch as our favourite custom menu.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I know, you can only book air reservations directly with Seabourn. If you booked through a travel agent, the travel agent will have to contact Seabourn for air reservations. I have not bee able to find way to book air online through the Seabourn website

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As far as I know, you can only book air reservations directly with Seabourn. If you booked through a travel agent, the travel agent will have to contact Seabourn for air reservations. I have not bee able to find way to book air online through the Seabourn website

 

 

 

Seems that way to me as well so not sure why the Seabourn Air rep told me to do it online and only call back if I had any problems. Just booked it independently, thanks to that ITA matrix found a great deal.

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch using Forums

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hello

 

Greetings from fellow Australians and currently onboard in the Med on Encore.

 

On a hot cruise (and temperatures have been 30+ and humid), a jacket is entirely optional except in the main dining room on formal night. Quite a number of people wear “anything with a collared shirt” from dress shirts and sports jackets to a short sleeved polo and linen pants.

 

Nobody, and I mean nobody has commented on anyone else’s dress code and after the first night or two, have stopped noticing. The majority tend to be a long sleeved dress or business shirt and long pants for men and a nice dress/blouse + skirt for ladies regardless of venue after 6pm and people have left to get “changed” at this time. Boat shoes and loafers are also worn commonly.

 

You won’t need a Jacket but a sports jacket wont’ go amiss and easily carried.

 

Not many are in a tuxedo although they did all come out on formal night.

 

During the day, it’s whatever you want as comfortable although short of the pool deck, I haven’t spotted a singlet.

 

Indian Visa - apply as you would normally and have it in your passport? Well in advance?

 

You can order caviar when and if you like. The other day, we asked for caviar without the condiments to go as a “side”. Several tables, particularly the Japanese contingent have been taking to ordering it as a second course. It’s not on any menu but can be ordered whenever. We’ve done 2am and breakfast, lunch, evening etc...

 

You can also mix/match at dinner. Liked the basil sorbet that went with the first course? We had two scoops of it for dessert. Like the main choices? Asked for them as two entree sized courses.

 

We’ve taken to half serve of ramen (small bowl) ; plate of the pork gyoza and the mushrooms on their own for lunch as our favourite custom menu.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

 

 

Hope your having a great cruise, thanks for all the tips.

 

 

 

Sent from my iPod touch 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...