Dining - Odyssey - Evening hours of operation.....

^^^^^^^ THIS! Thank you.

I am sure I am not the only getting a bit bored with this thread. The dining hours suit nearly all the Seabourn passengers, and anyone who really needs something different has plenty of other lines to choose from. including some fairly small high class ones.

 

+2 BORING:mad:

Let's move on people:(

In southern Europe people tend to eat later at about 10pm should the restaurants therefore stay open til midnight for them ?

Ideally yes for us late eaters but I fully understand the need to achieve a compromise, and what they have now does that.

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It is possible to ignore/not open/not respond to threads in which one has no interest.....

It is possible to ignore/not open/not respond to threads in which one has no interest.....

^^^^^^^ THIS! Thank you.

It is possible to ignore/not open/not respond to threads in which one has no interest.....

Are you kidding? CC would close down without all the threads on dress codes, kids and other useless topics. People don't want to ignore subjects; they want to convince others that their point of view is the correct one.

Someone posted Conde Nast Travel readers ranked Seabourn first among small ships 200+ ; The same readers ranked Seabourn 7th Place for mid sized ships 500 passengers behind Crystal, Regent, Viking and others. Odyssey has 458 passengers while Encore and Ovation are 600 passengers. Unless the service is much worse on Seaborne's larger ships, when compared with similar size ships most passengers prefer the competition.

Seabourn has friendly servers, enjoyable entertainment, and good food in ratings. When readers compare the similar size ships competition they prefer the flexable dining options and early dinner options on the competition. Many have posted that those who don't want to dine late should travel on other ships. Conde Nast Travel readers have compared the other ships and like six of the lines better than Seabourn.

Nov. 2017 Page 74 Worlds Best Ratings--Mid Sized Ships-- Conde Nast Travel Magazine

Many who travel on many of the ships recommend that Seabourn improve their early dinner options. This would improve their ratings with many passengers. Do some of you think that it is the size of the ship that is the difference in readers rating, that people like the 458 passenger size but don't like the 600 passenger size????

Do some of you think that it is the size of the ship that is the difference in readers rating, that people like the 458 passenger size but don't like the 600 passenger size????

Probably more due to small sample size and small exposure to that demographic. At the time of survey Seabourn had just one ship in the larger ship category and that one ship hadn't been in service very long.

Blaze

Can you please tell me why you booked a Seabourn cruise when you have not even cruised yet and are already unhappy with their setup?

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I really have no interest in what magazines like Conde Nast have to say and I doubt that Seabourn have all that much interest either.

Every couple of weeks, Seabourn gets around 1500 comments cards from guests who have paid real money to travel on their vessels. Given that there is a high level of repeat guests, those are the opinions that really matter. If there was a demand in these comment cards for early dining options then I have no doubt that Seabourn would have obliged. The reality is that the demand is probably fairly minimal. Most Seabourn guests are happy with things the way they are.

Now you people can bang on about Conde Nast and early dining to your heart's content. But while Seabourn's ships are sailing at close to capacity and while there is minimal demand for early dining, it is simply not going to happen. In these circumstances and if early dining is really important to you then the best advice I can give is to try a cruise line that does offer it.

my recommendation was that a few of the staff serving drinks move to one of the dining rooms for an early dinner option.

the late dinner crowd were afraid their drink orders would be slow, if some of the staff were moved;but if some are eating early there will be less people ordering drinks in the bar; so it shouldn't affect the late dinner crowd

(and they may find their dinner service is better since the crowd will be spread out).

Chairsin posted I have not cruised which is not true. I have been on Crystal ships eight times as well as Seaborne a few months ago and have booked Seaborne again. ( I don't like the tone of some of these posts that no one can disagree with late dining or recommend any improvements for Seabourn) I like many things on both Crystal and Seaborne and find many passengers book on both lines. My recommendation was that they consider offering an early dinner option, which is popular on Crystal and other lines.

My recommendation is for improvement that more than a few agree with as readers of Conde Nast Travel readers rated Crystal, Regent, Viking and others higher based in part on early dining options offered.

Someone posted Conde Nast Travel readers ranked Seabourn first among small ships 200+ ; The same readers ranked Seabourn 7th Place for mid sized ships 500 passengers behind Crystal, Regent, Viking and others. Odyssey has 458 passengers while Encore and Ovation are 600 passengers. Unless the service is much worse on Seaborne's larger ships, when compared with similar size ships most passengers prefer the competition.

 

Seabourn has friendly servers, enjoyable entertainment, and good food in ratings. When readers compare the similar size ships competition they prefer the flexable dining options and early dinner options on the competition. Many have posted that those who don't want to dine late should travel on other ships. Conde Nast Travel readers have compared the other ships and like six of the lines better than Seabourn.

Nov. 2017 Page 74 Worlds Best Ratings--Mid Sized Ships-- Conde Nast Travel Magazine

 

Many who travel on many of the ships recommend that Seabourn improve their early dinner options. This would improve their ratings with many passengers. Do some of you think that it is the size of the ship that is the difference in readers rating, that people like the 458 passenger size but don't like the 600 passenger size????

"Someone" posted a very altered version of the CN survey that may not have had much to do with reality.:rolleyes:

Blaze,

My apologies - my post was poorly worded. I did know you had cruised before but given your on going angst over dining times I assumed the October cruise would be your first on Seabourn cruise.

So let me see if I have it correct now - you went on Seabourn and found the dining times were not your cup of tea so what did you do ? You booked another Seabourn cruise! Amazing!

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My recommendation was that they consider offering an early dinner option, which is popular on Crystal and other lines.

 

My recommendation is for improvement that more than a few agree with as readers of Conde Nast Travel readers rated Crystal, Regent, Viking and others higher based in part on early dining options offered.

Blaze -

no one on this board has the power to change dining times on Seabourn. You should address your request directly to Seabourn. They will determine whether anyone else shares your interest and they alone will decide whether or not to change dining times. I am sure others who feel the same have already addressed Seabourn about it. Your insistence on this board is not really productive and may prompt a lot of people to write Seabourn requesting a much later start to dining times.

Blaze,

My apologies - my post was poorly worded. I did know you had cruised before but given your on going angst over dining times I assumed the October cruise would be your first on Seabourn cruise.

 

So let me see if I have it correct now - you went on Seabourn and found the dining times were not your cup of tea so what did you do ? You booked another Seabourn cruise! Amazing!

 

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LOL

I agree, Amazing:rolleyes::').

Julie

LOL

I agree, Amazing:rolleyes::').

 

Julie

+1 - actually it is amazing how many people post so many negative things - for example a long thread that is updated daily that describes all the perceived issues the poster had on a recent cruise, yet they admitted they booked another one while on-board. Does not make a lot of sense to me, if you are not happy with a product, why continue to spend your $ with that business?

Blaze

Can you please tell me why you booked a Seabourn cruise when you have not even cruised yet and are already unhappy with their setup?

 

 

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+1 - actually it is amazing how many people post so many negative things - for example a long thread that is updated daily that describes all the perceived issues the poster had on a recent cruise, yet they admitted they booked another one while on-board. Does not make a lot of sense to me, if you are not happy with a product, why continue to spend your $ with that business?

From my report that you seem to have issue with -

No cruise has been perfect. Some have been closer than others. In my experience with Seabourn cruises this was the worst. In the past it has been the best (for me). I'd like to think this cruise was an aberration rather than a portent of things to come...

Further -

Everyone has different tastes and expectations. I'm happy that other people were able to get past the way Seabourn handled the notification of the deck work, the sounds/smells/closure from the work, the under staffing in venues and food issues.

Hope that helps.

Emperor, I enjoy your balanced posts describing great, good, bad, and ugly. I also like to hear other pax’ opinions, pro and con, about dining hours and other things, not just cheer-leading, and as others have said, those bored with it can skip reading them.

Ultimately we weigh risks, benefits, and alternatives when we travel (or do anything else for that matter) and anyone experienced knows you often have to make compromises. So even though a laundry person came into my suite on the Quest while I was in the bathtub to insist on talking to me about missing trousers, and there were other violations of the DND sign, plus some other problems, I am booked on another SB cruise because there was enough good or wonderful to favor SB for the itinerary and time of year I was interested in.

DH and I try to proactively make the best of any annoying situations traveling and have a good time anyway, while still noting problems for future reference, and so do most pax here.

Emperor, I enjoy your balanced posts describing great, good, bad, and ugly. I also like to hear other pax’ opinions, pro and con, about dining hours and other things, not just cheer-leading, and as others have said, those bored with it can skip reading them.

 

Ultimately we weigh risks, benefits, and alternatives when we travel (or do anything else for that matter) and anyone experienced knows you often have to make compromises. So even though a laundry person came into my suite on the Quest while I was in the bathtub to insist on talking to me about missing trousers, and there were other violations of the DND sign, plus some other problems, I am booked on another SB cruise because there was enough good or wonderful to favor SB for the itinerary and time of year I was interested in.

 

DH and I try to proactively make the best of any annoying situations traveling and have a good time anyway, while still noting problems for future reference, and so do most pax here.

sorry to sidetrack- but that bathtub incident is kinda funny- have this image of a Lucille Ball skit with bubbles........am wondering though if you had been using the bathroom for other activities would they come in and chat?? ..... all this talk of dress code and then the staff are happy for you to wear your birthday suit..:)

..... all this talk of dress code and then the staff are happy for you to wear your birthday suit..:)

Of course, if the purpose is to deliver champagne and caviar for your bath then you'll have achieved the pinnacle of elegant casual. :cool:

Of course, if the purpose is to deliver champagne and caviar for your bath then you'll have achieved the pinnacle of elegant casual. :cool:

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Pavovsky, question is, if I had specifically *asked* them to deliver champagne and caviar to me in the bath, would they have done it? Or would it depend on if I were surrounded by modesty bubbles ? Would they send a female or male suite waiter to deliver it, and could I choose which one from a checklist?

These service issues on luxury ships can get tricky! :)

Pavovsky, question is, if I had specifically *asked* them to deliver champagne and caviar to me in the bath, would they have done it? Or would it depend on if I were surrounded by modesty bubbles ? Would they send a female or male suite waiter to deliver it, and could I choose which one from a checklist?

These service issues on luxury ships can get tricky! :)

maybe the waitress/waiter would be trained to come in with a blindfold? like dining in the dark in reverse?

would be a lot of effort keeping the modesty bubbles going - though am not a bath person so am wondering if they would deliver to the shower - you know a gentle knock on the door and hand in the champagne?