So how much do they spend on spirits? - I'm going to tell you

[Winner]

Thanks so much for the Brazil tips, Phil. Those Amazon bugs sound positively Amazonian!! (I know, bad pun). We have sailed with Carol many times--I think she is one of the outstanding tour managers in the business, but I didn't know of her "addiction"--I will certainly remember to feed it. Thanks again!

[Heads !!!!]

Thanks so much for the Brazil tips, Phil. Those Amazon bugs sound positively Amazonian!! (I know, bad pun). We have sailed with Carol many times--I think she is one of the outstanding tour managers in the business, but I didn't know of her "addiction"--I will certainly remember to feed it. Thanks again!

 

The bugs are scary first time you see them. Just be careful not to leave your balcony open. You'll see when the ship moors up that the Indians will come out in their canoes to the back of the ship and wait for people to throw things down to them. If you have any old clothes left after the Tsumani appeal then take them with you and throw them down to the Indians. That way you'll have plenty of space left in your suitcases for the wonderful souvenirs you'll buy.

 

One other bit of advice - take a can of bug spray. If you buy anything like fabrics then seal it up in a plastic bag with a good squirt of bug spray then leave it for a couple of days. That way any little fleas or ticks that are hidden in it won't go home with you.

 

Carol is indeed one of the best in the business and a really sweet person as well. She's having a few technical problems on board at the moment which I'm trying to help her with but hopefully they'll be sorted by the time you join. South America is not the easiest place to get spare parts and I know she will REALLY appreciate the popcorn as she is VERY stressed out. Just make sure it is the cinnabons flavour Orville Redenbacher's as that is far and away her favourite.

 

Phil

[niborHS]

What a strange follow-up to the original thread, but it has been something to read. My husband and I are starting to look into other cruise linesnow that our youngest son will be in college soon. We have been on 12 cruises with our boys, and prefer the 6 on Celebrity to any others. As far as cost goes, we usually book a suite of some sort, so I guess once we add the cost of tips and drinks to that, we certainly would spend about the same. As far as peoples comments about 14 day cruises, its not a class thing, and its ,ay not be cost either. My usband and I both have careers that make it too difficult to take that much time off at once, or at least cause too much stress for us to do it. We've done 10 or 12 days when we add in a holiday, but that sometimes is tough too. That is the stage of life we are in, we do not get set "vacation" time, and I am sure our clients appreciate it. We take various vacations during the year, plus with my husband's speaking engagements and conferences, he is away even more. My real question is, how much better are we really going to think Seabourn is? Have any of you sailed Crystal and Raddisson, and are they comparable? When it comes to the wine served with dinner, will it compare to what we usually bring from home and pay a corkage fee for? If not, can we bring our own and pay corkage?

Thanks all.

[Winner]

My husband and I have sailed RSSC once and Crystal twice. Are they comparable? Not for us.

 

Both have larger ships; although each line touts its service, we think Seabourn's service is the best: within hours onboard everyone addresses you by name, and after one cruise on one of the triplets, you are greeted as a member of the family upon embarkation on your next cruise with that ship.

 

The food on Seabourn is superior to both lines, perhaps because with only 208 guests everything can be cooked to order and special requests are easily accomodated.

 

If you wish evening entertainment, other than a concert violinist or pianist, Seabourn is not for you. If you wish a commercial with your massage, Seabourn is not for you. If you wish to pay for your cocktails (other than at the dinner table, as RSSC enthusiasts like), Seabourn is not for you.

 

If you wish to be pampered, treated like a favorite friend, travel with soon-to-be friends, and feast on creations of the best chefs afloat, then Seabourn IS for you.

[bldsld]

We strayed from Seabourn this past summer (huge mistake!) and sailed on Crystal. We thought the entire Crystal experience, from service to food to cabins, was hideous. The whole experience felt mass market compared to the intimacy and friendliness of Seabourn, and the diapered infants in the hot tub was but one example of many that left much to be desired.

 

There is just no way to compare the lines: Crystal has a confusing and intrusive tipping policy; Seabourn is all-inclusive. Crystal has one of two assigned dinner seatings; Seabourn is open seating throughout the evening. Crystal requires one to sign for alcoholic drinks; Seabourn's is all-inclusive. Crystal's cabins are small; Seabourn's suites are lovely and spacious. And, for those of us who like to order breakfast, or any other meal for that matter, ensuite, Crystal has no dedicated room service---your stewardess brings the food, and it's generally not what you ordered, slapped on a cafeteria tray that generally gets left on your bed, or the floor, due to lack of sufficient space to dine.

 

If I haven't made my point "crystal clear", you just need to try Seabourn to see for yourself. If you do, you likely will become a diehard Seabournite and will find it hard to sail anything else again.

 

So, welcome aboard! :-)

 

Denyse

[bgood]

Regarding the wines they pour on Seabourn--they are pretty darn good. However before you tote your own, you ought to know that they have a very good list of wines for sale and according to others on this board, they sell them at prices that are comparable to what you'll pay at a retail wine shop ashore--not in a restaurant. So maybe skip the corkage and buy what you want on board.

 

bgood

[curiousx]

I've been following a thread on the Silversea board, part of which deals with the fate of the opened spirit bottles that are left behind in the passengers' suites. Posters have suggested variously that they are recirculated into the ship's bars, that they are sent to the crew's bars or that they are dumped out, to conform with health regulations.

 

What happens on Seabourn ? Perhaps Heads can tell us ?

[CruisinMatt]

Alcohol kills germs doesn't it? ;) JUST KIDDING - that's horrible - perhaps just a vicious rumour?

[Heads !!!!]

I've been following a thread on the Silversea board, part of which deals with the fate of the opened spirit bottles that are left behind in the passengers' suites. Posters have suggested variously that they are recirculated into the ship's bars, that they are sent to the crew's bars or that they are dumped out, to conform with health regulations.

 

What happens on Seabourn ? Perhaps Heads can tell us ?

 

Sorry, I have no idea. I was a stage manager for my sins and not a bar manager.

 

What I can tell you is that Seabourn are very strict on health regulations so, if the regs say that they are disposed of, then disposed of they will be. They certainly don't go to the crew as anyone caught with a bottle is on the next plane home.

 

On another note, I ship out on Thursday to my new ship so won't be posting here until July when I get home. Happy cruising to all of you while I'm gone.

 

Phil