Restaurant: Breakfast & Lunch?

[Observer]

In another thread on this board, the poster of an (excellent!) review stated that the Odyssey Restaurant was closed for breakfast and lunch.

 

Several CC members share my sense that this move -- if it is fleet-wide -- greatly diminishes the Seabourn experience. On most days, I take breakfast and lunch at the buffet. However, I do enjoy the occasional breakfast or lunch in the Restaurant.

 

Could other CC members who have sailed Seabourn very recently report on their experience regarding availability of the Restaurant for breakfast and lunch?

[GrannyLorr]

I have just had an email from friends who are onboard the Odyssey at the moment and I asked them the same question......yes the Restaurant is only open for dinner. We ALWAYS have breakfast in the Restaurant...its nice and quiet and peaceful and you usually have the same waitstaff for weeks at a time.....we enjoy getting to know them better that way. However I can see that if the Restaurant is under attended it would make sense not to open it. HOWEVER, I am hoping this is only happening on the BIG ships, as our next cruise is on the Pride.....hope we can dine in our usual manner! :D

[dalliowner]

What happens when the weather is inclemment ?? I can not see the colonnade seating 300 to 400 for breakfast all inside. I sailed with P&O years ago when they did this and there were queues for 30 to 40 minutes for lunch and have never sailed with them again.

 

I have emailed the Club but as yet have not received a reply:(

[Martita B.]

Both the Odyssey & the Sojourn have upcoming Transatlantic Crossings ~I can not imagine the dining room being closed for breakfast/lunch during these 12/13 day sea voyages.

Perhaps if a sailing is 'port intensive and guests choose the Sky Grille, the Colonade or dine shoreside I can understand the restaurant being closed for lunch on these particular days.

I have made a contact and hope to report "good news" when I receive an answer as to "open or closed" ~~

Martita B.

[Martita B.]

I just received the answer:

"the restaurant will certainly be open for breakfast, lunch and dinner on the Sojourn Nov TA Crossing ~~"

 

This is good news!:p

Martita B

[ravenclaw]

Thanks Martita...good news indeed !

I also e-mailed the Club earlier but no reply yet..We'll be on the Sojourn T/A segment so that's covered but wondering/waiting for reply as to the other Sojourn segments we have booked, pre and post T/A crossing.

[Martita B.]

Adriana (Club MG) sometime is delayed in answering e-mails ~

I would make a wager as to the Sojourn restaurant being open for all three meals ~ just my opinion.

MB

[jrmuk]

I can confirm that during my 2 week Istanbul to Venice cruise the mdr was closed for both breakfast and lunch the entire cruise. I complained to the guest services manager and she said that it was a head office decision, she told me she had reported back to head office that she had received some negative feed back from onboard guests but that didn’t really help me. I think the colonnade is a very high quality buffet restaurant and it does offer some specials that will be brought to your table, but it is a buffet restaurant and if you want sit down to an a la carte meal this is not the place. I would add that there were plenty who quite frankly didn’t care at all (probably the majority) but I felt somewhat let down and have since written to the head of guest relations in Miami to express my dissatisfaction.

What a shame that my first post since returning from what was a truly magnificent and wonderful cruise was a negative one. I shall try to write a mini review of my own but after anon2010’s I fear it will be somewhat second rate.

[JaneBP]

Perhaps Restaurant '2' could be adapted for lunch for those who do not care for the Colonnade or Patio Grill.

[Columbia Cruisers]

Martha,

We are happy to hear this good news about The Restaurant being open for breakfast and lunch on the TA crossing. On another note, I just learned the sad news about your cats -- I am so sorry. We have two, but well remember the loss of our others through the years.

Jane & Jim

[MARIANH]

Perhaps Restaurant '2' could be adapted for lunch for those who do not care for the Colonnade or Patio Grill.

 

Or maybe opened for smokers and/or children?

[Martita B.]

On topic: Yes, we'll enjoy the lovely dining room during both days and evenings on the Nov.Crossing ~if you haven't sailed with Hubert, Hotel MG....you're in for a REAL treat! Hubert came from Silversea and is one of the best Hot Men I've sailed with ~I don't think the man sleeps as he's a'round and a'bout all hours. Very down to earth and most charming:p

Off topic: Thank you so much for your kind message ~I'm still reeling with grief. Tiger was 16 and sweet tiny Lucy was 13 ~ neither, sick. I must look forward.....but I miss them everyday, terribly! They were my best friends!

See 'ya at our Sail-a-bration in Lisboa!

MB

[Roxburgh]

Perhaps Restaurant '2' could be adapted for lunch for those who do not care for the Colonnade or Patio Grill.

 

Or even just open a small section of the MDR.

[daveoc]

Oh dear, this is really bad news.

 

We are on the Sojourn in a few weeks and having all three meals of the day in the main dining room is, for us, a highlight of the cruise.

 

Sad, maybe, but we enjoy being served good food by attentive staff in a nice area.

 

I know the Colonnade is open but in truth it is not as nice to sit in as the main restaurant and the choice of items that you can order from the menu is limited. So, it pretty much becomes a buffet meal for breakfast and lunch.

 

That's not what we were expecting and it has really taken away the excitement we had for the cruise.

[wripro]

So it seems the crossing is now an exception rather than the rule. Very disconcerting.

[Martita B.]

Guests can always call Guest Relations, Miami Corp. and inquire as to the Dining Room hours on both the Odyssey and the Sojourn sailings.

I actually do not feel the dining rooms will close for breakfast-lunch on too many cruises ~~ certainly hope not!:eek:

MB

[A Tucson Guy]

I just called Guest Relations and spoke with the Manager. Yes, the Restaurant is closed for lunch and dinner right now on both big ships. He said they are trying this because very few people are using the Restaurant during the day. He did say the the Collinade Restaurant does serve ala cart. This Restaurant hours may change with colder weather.

 

Guests can always call Guest Relations, Miami Corp. and inquire as to the Dining Room hours on both the Odyssey and the Sojourn sailings.

I actually do not feel the dining rooms will close for breakfast-lunch on too many cruises ~~ certainly hope not!:eek:

MB

[ravenclaw]

Following is the answer I received earlier today in response to my inquiry about The Restaurant dining options from the Seabourn Club. I inquired about both the Odyssey & Sojourn, but they addressed only the Sojourn which I guess they related my e-mail to my Sojourn booking numbers. I assume the same applies for the Odyssey.

 

" Please be advised that The Restaurant on board the Sojourn is open throughout the day on different set hours for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. "

[MARIANH]

Following is the answer I received earlier today in response to my inquiry about The Restaurant dining options from the Seabourn Club. I inquired about both the Odyssey & Sojourn, but they addressed only the Sojourn which I guess they related my e-mail to my Sojourn booking numbers. I assume the same applies for the Odyssey.

 

" Please be advised that The Restaurant on board the Sojourn is open throughout the day on different set hours for Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. "

 

There are two threads running currently on this controversial issue with conflicting messages.

 

Host Dan. Please can you establish the definitive position and advise?

[Host Dan]

There are two threads running currently on this controversial issue with conflicting messages.

 

Host Dan. Please can you establish the definitive position and advise?

Let me see what I can find out...

 

Host Dan

[Island Cruiser]

As I said on the other thread, we were seriously considering booking our first Seabourn cruise until this issue emerged. That is now on hold. A very important part of luxury cruising for us is the dining experience. We live, by choice, in the sticks. We don't go out to dinner. We thoroughly enjoy eating at home. So when we cruise we relish the opportunity to enjoy fine dining at breakfast and lunch as well as in the evening. We almost never order from room service. And unless we are in a hurry, we avoid the buffet/cafeteria however nice it is. Clearly, we are in the minority on every luxury cruise we have booked because passengers vote with their feet and a large majority prefer the buffet at breakfast and lunch. That's fine. But if Seabourn nixes fine dining for breakfast and lunch or worse says "maybe or maybe not, you'll find out when you board the ship," we'll stick with the competition, thank you. I have a hard time understanding why keeping the main dining room open is a serious staffing issue. If only a couple of dozen couples show up, you reduce the number of waiters assigned to that venue and detail the others to the cafeteria. Since the galley is staffed to handle room service, providing service to a couple of dozen tables in the main dining room shouldn't be a massive additional challenge. I just don't get it. And I won't pay luxury cruise prices to be forced to eat in the buffet/cafeteria twice a day, even a very nice buffet/cafeteria.

[dalliowner]

Have received the following reply from the club

 

Thank you for your email.

 

That must have been either an error or there must have been some sort of maintenance taking place at the time (very unlikely). The main Restaurant is opened through out the day during special hours for Breakfast, Lunch, and Dinner.

 

We thank you for your inquiry, should you have any further questions please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Thank you,

Have a wonderful day.

 

Seabourn Club Services

 

 

Will have to wait and see ?????

[markham]

I cannot imagine what that message from Seabourn Club Services means since everything that the Hotel Manager directs in the various Odyssey and Sojourn restaurants is deliberate and considered. On that basis his Seabourn Square staff, who explained in an earlier post that they were aware of some disgruntlement regarding the closure of The Restaurant for breakfast and lunch, is being done on a trial basis as Seabourn weighs its options.

 

Moving on, and for what it is worth, my personal view as someone who almost never ate either meal there during 80 days on Odyssey is that Seabourn is behaving wisely with this trial. Having those 2 meals staffed everyday and having that large kitchen ready for full operation when I imagine fewer than 20 or 30 people appear is wasteful and even gloomy. No operation can afford to overlook possible cost savings these days. Upon reflection my own experience shows that over the past 10 years Seabourn has been more and more competitive when pricing its cruises; I would hate to see that end or reverse unless Seabourn has to do so to maintain its margins.

 

I am sure that Seabourn will always try to offer the best possible experience to its customers. They will, no doubt, make some accommodations to those who want a full sit down-only breakfast and lunch service somehow. We will

have to wait and see. That said, I hope that they continue with the terrific Galley Lunch in The Restaurant as they close the Colonnade on those days.

 

Regards

[MARIANH]

I cannot imagine what that message from Seabourn Club Services means since everything that the Hotel Manager directs in the various Odyssey and Sojourn restaurants is deliberate and considered. On that basis his Seabourn Square staff, who explained in an earlier post that they were aware of some disgruntlement regarding the closure of The Restaurant for breakfast and lunch, is being done on a trial basis as Seabourn weighs its options.

 

Moving on, and for what it is worth, my personal view as someone who almost never ate either meal there during 80 days on Odyssey is that Seabourn is behaving wisely with this trial. Having those 2 meals staffed everyday and having that large kitchen ready for full operation when I imagine fewer than 20 or 30 people appear is wasteful and even gloomy. No operation can afford to overlook possible cost savings these days. Upon reflection my own experience shows that over the past 10 years Seabourn has been more and more competitive when pricing its cruises; I would hate to see that end or reverse unless Seabourn has to do so to maintain its margins.

 

I am sure that Seabourn will always try to offer the best possible experience to its customers. They will, no doubt, make some accommodations to those who want a full sit down-only breakfast and lunch service somehow. We will

have to wait and see. That said, I hope that they continue with the terrific Galley Lunch in The Restaurant as they close the Colonnade on those days.

 

Regards

 

However poster #21 would seem to have a good point. We still wait for Host Dan's report as to the "official" Seabourn position. It is just possible that the ships have taken a unilateral decision re closures without HQ being in the loop. Communication, communication , communication!

[Host Dan]

Here is the official word on the Restaurant situation. It is, indeed, closed for breakfast and lunch due to lack of use by the guests. This summer, restaurant attendance was closely monitored, and it appears that no more than an average 6 or 7 guests would attend breakfast and lunch in this venue. The waste of manpower, food and the lack of ambiance of an empty room has led Seabourn to EXPERIMENT this closure. That said, experiment is the operative word, as this policy is on a trial basis. Seabourn will be more than happy to re-open the Restaurant if guests will come and use it.

 

Host Dan