Restaurant: Breakfast & Lunch?

[MARIANH]

I contacted a couple of agents to see if they could tell me what was going on. I've posted their replies below and, as you can see,it would appear some Seabourn staff are giving differing answers:

 

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Thanks for your inquiry. After speaking with Seabourn directly, I would be happy to clarify the "rumors". Over the last several months, Seabourn has noticed that only on "port days", sometimes only 5-6 people were utilizing the main dining room for breakfast. During lunch time, most guests were ashore and no one was utilizing the main dining room. Certainly, days at sea are much different and guests will have access to the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

 

Therefore, Seabourn is going to experiment by offering...ONLY on port days - "MENU" service in the Colonnade Café for breakfast and lunch, with the option for their upscale buffet service. Seabourn advised they will be closing monitoring this and asking the guests for the opinions during this time.''

 

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''I spoke with Seabourn a few minutes ago. According to the rep that I spoke with not serving breakfast and lunch in the main dining room was an experiment that was in place only for the summer. They assured me that full service is available now at all meals.''

 

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Utterly confusing. What on earth is going on.

 

Host Dan, What can you do for us? This is damaging Seabourns repution and potentially losing them many customers.

 

Thanks.

[Host Dan]

Utterly confusing. What on earth is going on.

 

Host Dan, What can you do for us? This is damaging Seabourns repution and potentially losing them many customers.

 

Thanks.

Let me see if I can somehow get a definative answer on this.

 

Host Dan

[Host Dan]

Ok,

Basically nothing has changed since I posted the other day with the response from Seabourn. There is no definative policy or standard of procedure on this issue, and the powers-that-be are working on this to see what may or may not change in the future. That said, at this time, the main dining room is closed, everyday, for breakfast and lunch on Sojourn and Odyssey. This policy, however, in NO WAY affects Legend, Spirit and Pride.

 

Host Dan

[Winner]

Host Dan--- the upcoming Sojourn Maiden Trans-Atlantic crossing is planning (at this time) to open The Restaurant for all three meals, which you message contrdicts???

 

Jane BP---Sky Grill is not open on port days. I have been told it is a safety issue.

[Martita B.]

Winnie

Yes, this was the answer I received from the Sojourn Hotel MG. I am guessing that both Crossing's (Sojourn and Odyssey) will have the dining room open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Logical as we won't be dining shoreside!:confused:

MB

[Host Dan]

I just received word that the "experiment" is now isolated to Odyssey, and no other ships...

 

Host Dan

[cands]

Time for my 2 cents worth.

 

We have a total of 70 days on Spirit and Pride. We have enjoyed our Restaurant lunches on almost every sea day and quite a lot of the port days too.

 

We enjoy the peace and quiet and the excellent food and service.

 

A closed Restaurant at lunchtime means we will not consider Seabourn for future cruises.

 

How do the accountants like that?:(

 

Steve and Chris

[markham]

I have to think that this experiment will be abandoned on Odyssey before more people become irritated with it. Passengers on these ships want choice of dining venue and posters have shown that there is a wide range of interests and expectations among them:

 

- Breakfast for some is a quiet spot in The Restaurant for a soft start of the day

- Lunch for some in the dining room is a pleasant departure from the frenetic activity of Trivia and they want to flow from one location to another without any concern about the availability of seating in the Colonnade

- The Restaurant is the choice for some at lunchtime for meals even in port. Many passengers like the quiet pace, the service and opportunity to chat with wait staff

 

Keeping all venues open helps ensure that no particular place is too busy for a sophisticated dining and social experience.

 

If it ain't broke don't fix it, as the saying goes...

 

Over to you, Seabourn Management

[dalliowner]

I have a last got an answer from Seabourn over the size of the Colonnade, it seats 138 inside so how do they think 450 people could be served Breakfast or Lunch when the weather is not good enough to sit outside.

 

The other thing is how the PR in Seabourn is not working , when they cannot give clear information as to what they are doing. I am now told the experiment is only on the Odysses and only for 7 days or less cruises and not in area`s like the Baltic. Please Seabourn be open and honest over what you are doing or you are going to loose a lot of bookings.:(

[MARIANH]

I have a last got an answer from Seabourn over the size of the Colonnade, it seats 138 inside so how do they think 450 people could be served Breakfast or Lunch when the weather is not good enough to sit outside.

 

The other thing is how the PR in Seabourn is not working , when they cannot give clear information as to what they are doing. I am now told the experiment is only on the Odysses and only for 7 days or less cruises and not in area`s like the Baltic. Please Seabourn be open and honest over what you are doing or you are going to loose a lot of bookings.:(

 

I am reminded of the 1920's cartoon - " What a way to run a railroad!".

 

Anyone know ( or think they know) when the experiment will finish?

[Host Dan]

Now that the experiment is down to 1 ship- I think the end may be very close...

 

Host Dan

[MARIANH]

Now that the experiment is down to 1 ship- I think the end may be very close...

 

Host Dan

 

Thanks be.

 

And thanks to you Dan for getting behind the wall and giving us facts.

[lord of the seas]

The end of the experiment is nigh!!

[wripro]

Not a moment too soon!

[MARIANH]

Not a moment too soon!

 

A miracle - we agree at last. Could this be a new beginning? ;)

[daveoc]

I'll be happier when we get confirmation from cruisers that the 'experiment' HAS finished.

[annon2010]

I think the experiment excuse was actually a little white lie. Seabourn is under staffed, I was told that they took a lot of new crew on who did not renew their contracts after their first rotation as it was too hard and exacting compared to other cruise lines. On our Athens to Venice cruise aboard Odyssey there were staff that not only was that there first Seabourn cruise it was in fact their first cruise ship ever. When I did the bridge tour on the notice board it said POB - guests 458 - crew 324 a lower percentage than the one advertised, I am pretty sure the restaurant was closed because either they did not have the staff to open it or were trying to lighten the load on what staff they do have to stop the resigning. During my cruise the service was excellent but at times if you looked closely you could see they were hard pressed and occasionally were short tempered amongst themselves. However, even these small problems have not deflected from my overall happiness with my cruise and I am already looking to return to Seabourn very soon, and my dilemma (what a dilemma) is whether to return to one of the new ships or try one of the sisters.

[Delboy1]

When we were on Oddysey last year we were surprised when we came down for breakfast in the Restaurant to be told brusquely that we should be having breakfast in the Collonade. This obviously did reduce the numbers on subsequent mornings. We always had lunch in the Restaurant as the menues were wider than the Collonade and more peaceful. Our next cruise is a transatlantic on Legend and I hope all venues will be available. We could all protest by having room service for breakfast and lunch!

[Host Dan]

All venues are available on the smaller triplets.

 

Host Dan

[JaneBP]

>"we were surprised when we came down for breakfast in the Restaurant to be told brusquely that we should be having breakfast in the Colonnade."

 

I am surprised there was no written communication about this change to the cruisers. I am sure a carefully worded note could make the discomfort a bit smoother, whether or not it was due to staffing or a real desire to allocate resources in a more efficient way.

[Pennypocket]

One more cruise line off the list. With the huge number of ships to fill forcing every line to down market and the general dumbing down of societal norms, it will soon be impossible to find any line that offers a first class sail. It just may be time to look into aquiring a house boy, a maid and a cook and be done with having to wonder what I will get after I pay a bundle.

[curlyQ]

Talk about hitting the nail on the head! I could not agree more.

[dalliowner]

Perhaps anyone sailing on the Odyssey over the next couple of months could keep us informed if the MDR is being closed. As Seabourn has never announced the closure I am sure they will not announce any change of heart:confused:

[markham]

Everyone who has posted already would like to know what is the policy of opening The Restaurant for breakfast and lunch on Odyssey.

 

Host Dan, it's been a few days now since the last post. What have you learned from Seabourn's Hotel Management?

[Host Dan]

Everyone who has posted already would like to know what is the policy of opening The Restaurant for breakfast and lunch on Odyssey.

 

Host Dan, it's been a few days now since the last post. What have you learned from Seabourn's Hotel Management?

I have no reason to believe that anything has changed on Odyssey.

 

Host Dan