If I love the triplets will I like the Soujourn?

[Susan07470]

I am an ardent triplet lover. I have found an itinerary on the larger ships Chile to Argentina which appeals to me. My question- for this kind of a journey will I be happy on the Soujourn or should I look to Crystal?

[4kitties]

I am an ardent triplet lover. I have found an itinerary on the larger ships Chile to Argentina which appeals to me. My question- for this kind of a journey will I be happy on the Soujourn or should I look to Crystal?

 

Check out the thread entitled: First time with Seabourn. Hope this isn´t typical (1 2 3 ... Last Page) :(

[kiawahdon]

Check out the thread entitled: First time with Seabourn. Hope this isn´t typical (1 2 3 ... Last Page) :(

 

So I guess you will spend your time the next several months bashing Seabourn. While your review had some valid points, it was IMHO over the top in many respects . Not sure you would be satisfied on many ships. You made your verbose points, leave it alone.

[redheadednancy]

I am an ardent triplet lover. I have found an itinerary on the larger ships Chile to Argentina which appeals to me. My question- for this kind of a journey will I be happy on the Soujourn or should I look to Crystal?

 

I really don't know on this thread whether many people could tell you whether or not to look to Crystal. I think these posts are opinions and everyone has one. I also love the triplets but I'm going to try to Sojourn in December because I want to try one of the big girls. I still love the triplets for lots of reasons but I can assure you that after I do it, I won't be bashing the Sojourn or Seabourn. These posts are again, just opinions, and I take everyone's opinions for information only and then I go do it myself and see what works for me. Always amazes me when someone posts an opinion and then someone says "well I won't be sailing Seabourn" based on ONE person's view....makes me wonder how they get through the newspaper with so many opinions. On these boards there are as many people as feel one way as do another. You have to figure it out for yourself and that usually means giving it a try.

[writer100]

I am an ardent triplet lover. I have found an itinerary on the larger ships Chile to Argentina which appeals to me. My question- for this kind of a journey will I be happy on the Soujourn or should I look to Crystal?

Well, at least part of the adoration of the triplets rests on their small size.Since the Crystal vessels are twice the size of the Big Sisters, that may suggest something. Or nothing. The two different Seabourn ship sizes offer experiences that are, I would suggest, more similar than different. If "intimacy"--a word that is used in describing the triplets with a kind of holy intonation--is of supreme importance, than why would you choose Crystal? (Yes, I know they are more formal, which appeals to some. But Seabourn is now, across the board, less so.) Perhaps most relevantly,if you are pondering a long cruise--anything over a week--you will come to appreciate the multiple restaurant choices on the Big Sisters, and mourn their absence from the triplets. (Or at least we did.) Finally, you might want to see who the cruise director is. While the subject is tactfully avoided on these threads--except to praise the good ones--a not so good one can have a pervasively irritating effect, as we discovered on Odyssey. As for the rest--weather, passenger mix et al--you're in the hands of Neptune.

On the 4kitties/kiawahdon brouhaha, a few words for and against. Any and every poster should be able to express opinions freely. Whether at length, or briefly. That said, one must note that even in the context of 4kittles expensive loyalty--what was it, 170 sea days?-- the poster was anticipating a degree of personal service that many(?) of us would not. Still, it is clear that 4kitties felt, um, betrayed? But the very precision of her listed indictment suggests someone taking notes even while aboard to bolster a sense of continuing outrage. Sometimes too much documentation is, well, too much. Or to put it otherwise, stuff happens. Even on Seabourn.

[JaneBP]

I have friends who vow never to sail the triplets again after falling in love with the Odyssey and Sojourn. To each his own.

[Pipkins]

I am an ardent triplet lover. I have found an itinerary on the larger ships Chile to Argentina which appeals to me. My question- for this kind of a journey will I be happy on the Soujourn or should I look to Crystal?

 

Hello Susan - we too have been delighted with the smaller ships, except for one when they were training a lot of new staff prior to the launch of Odyssey.

 

We were concerned about vibration issues with Odyssey, so we joined Sojourn for her second trip - Dover to Dover - visiting some of the Northern Capitals just two months ago.

 

We had the most fantastic holiday - true, the destinations were wonderful, but it was the ship that blew us away! We booked the first grade of balcony - number 509. It was quiet, comfortable, and although slightly more narrow that the triplets, we thought the layout much improved. The bathroom magnificent, and the real balcony bliss.

 

Food? Well, one of our disappointments was the Restaurant. I found the temperature cold - and needed a wrap - the decor did not seem intimate and welcoming as on the triplets. Indeed, having taken formal/cocktail for me, and dinner jackets for my beloved, we only ate there three times during a fourteen night cruise. We loved the Colonnade in the evening. Did not eat at Restaurant 2 as we have always disliked the tasting menu. The informal eating on the pool deck had a limited menu, but made a nice change. We always breakfast in our room - room service was good, with just a couple of errors, quickly rectified with grace.

 

Seabourn Square serves lovely coffee and pastries/sandwiches - and there are some comfortable leather electric reclining chairs looking out to the stern, but still inside - with newspapers to hand - very relaxing after some busy sightseeing. Look out for these if you go....

 

We would certainly book Sojourn again, and are just considering a trip on Quest. However, we would not choose school holidays, as these days we try to avoid children!, and have heard they can be a problem, although there were only a couple or so on our cruise.

 

On final point - we paid the extra charge to use the exclusive Spa Retreat. It was great. However, on a couple of sea days, the soot falling made this unpleasant. How will they keep those lovely white beds clean worries me!

 

Hope this helps! Enjoy your cruise, whatever you choose.

[wripro]

If you love the triplets and are hesitant to sail on the larger SB ships which carry 450 passengers why would you look to Crystal which carries 1000? You will certainly get an experience closer to the triplets on Odyssey or Sojourn than you will on Crystal. That is not to say Crystal isn't a great cruise line but the ships are so much larger with assigned seating and no included tips or alcohol. (I know they have as you wish OBCs but you still have to sign for each and every thing.) It's a completely different experience.

[4kitties]

So I guess you will spend your time the next several months bashing Seabourn. While your review had some valid points, it was IMHO over the top in many respects . Not sure you would be satisfied on many ships. You made your verbose points, leave it alone.

 

I have no desire to “bash” Seabourn. The person asked whether, if she loved the little triplets, she would necessarily love the Sojourn. The answer to that question is “not necessarily” - as evidenced by my prior posting and the postings of others reviewing the Odyssey and the Sojourn.

As I said in my original post, we still have one month booked on the Sojourn and one month booked on the Spirit over the next 12 months. I am truly hoping that our recent experiences on the Sojourn were aberrational and that Seabourn will go back to being the Seabourn that we fell in love with on our first Seabourn cruise 3 years ago (and yes we have sailed 170 days since then).

As I said in my original post, I have never rated a Seabourn cruise below a perfect 10 before - and that includes our month long cruise on the Spirit this Spring, just a few months before our Sojourn cruise. Have all our prior cruises been “perfect” - with absolutely nothing going wrong? That is my recollection of them - of course there were probably one or two things that went wrong over the course of a month long cruise, but when everything is so magnificently wonderful, you simply don’t notice, remember or care about those one or two things.

When multiple things go wrong each day, you do notice and care. There was no growing sense of “outrage” - as one poster commented - just a growing sense of sadness and disbelief, and hope that somehow the situation could be rectified. We were not the only longtime Seabourn cruisers onboard who were dissatisfied - I frequently heard others say “this is not Seabourn.” And that best sums it up!

We are trying to figure out whether the problems we experienced on the Sojourn are (1) a recent launch of a new ship problem, (2) a system wide too-fast growth problem, (3) a different standard on the “big” Seabourn ships, or (4) a different standard on all of the Seabourn ships. If it is 1 or 2, then the problems will be solved with time - but only if someone mentions the fact that there are indeed problems! If it is 3, we will just avoid the bigger Seabourn ships and stick with the little triplets. If it is 4, I am going to be massively depressed - I can’t bear the thought that the perfect world that we experienced on all those days on the little triplets may no longer exist.

[lincslady]

Referring to 4kitties last posting, I am sure that the answer is simply no. 2 of her suggestions, and definitely not 3 or 4. I have read in the thread about restaurant opening for breakfast and lunch that the ship was simply short of waiting staff as some new recruits found the work and pace too hard (I am not surprised) and had left, leaving the ship short staffed. This is why I fear that for a while some cruises, in particular on the larger ships, may be patchy in terms of service until Seabourn have sufficient well trained staff to cope. On our trip on Sojourn in June the staffing was excellent.

[writer100]

4kitties, as the one who suggested your post radiated "outrage" allow me to explain my comments. I think when you ceremoniously list a series of things that went wrong, you quite humanly relive them and get angry all over again. Nothing wrong with that. If your recent Sojourn cruise was merely your second or third, you wouldn't have had quite the same reaction. But because you have invested a great deal of money and emotion in Seabourn, you obviously felt as though your trust had been betrayed. Traveling with a partner who requires special attention would only exacerbate your need for service, and equally, amplify your frustration when such service is denied. As I said, I think you have a perfect right to air your experiences, as should all posters.

The suggestion (by lincslady and others) that SB's problems are those of staff training may be perfectly valid. The one thing I recall from conversations with staff on such subjects is that the higher up the executive ladder on board, the shorter the contract. Thus--as I recall being told--the stewardesses sign a contract for six months, while the captains sign one for two months.So, while many of the crew may re-up, presumably many do not. No doubt some ccers will have more/better info on this, as it obviously impacts the service index.But as you will know better than I, every cruise is subject to multiple variables--weather, passenger composition, influence of cruise director (good and bad), ditto the hotel manager and on and on.

We all love to generalize. These posts are full of widespread assertions about every aspect of the Seabourn experience. But all of them are based on the subjective experiences of the posters. People do talk adoringly of the experiences on board the triplets. But we had an encounter on Legend--detailed too often to repeat yet again--that almost stained the cruise experience.

Also, perhaps we should remember that pax taking their first SB cruise may be thrilled with a level of service that is (perhaps) less than some here have experienced in the past. Of course, it it also possible that many inveterate posters are enthralled by a past which grows more special with each passing year.

[purpleally]

 

 

On final point - we paid the extra charge to use the exclusive Spa Retreat. It was great. However, on a couple of sea days, the soot falling made this unpleasant. How will they keep those lovely white beds clean worries me!

 

.

Can you tell me more about the Spa Retreat? How much and what do you receive? I tried to do this on Odyssey last year and they would not let me. Thanks

[Pipkins]

Can you tell me more about the Spa Retreat? How much and what do you receive? I tried to do this on Odyssey last year and they would not let me. Thanks

 

Hello Purpleally -

 

I have to ask! Why would they not let you? Was it fully subscribed?

 

Here is what we found, and our impressions:

 

We are not Spa users, but went through reception to get into the gym. On the second morning, spa staff approached with a 'special offer' of three hundred American dollars for the two of us, and showed us around the Retreat, explaining that we could always be assured of a sunbed, as subscription was limited...

 

I cannot say how much of a reduction this offer represented.

 

On our trip, it was very empty. Perhaps only half a dozen couples or so.

The area is designated 'quiet' and we found everybody complied. Smoking is also banned.

 

The inside area has a semi-circle of shaped wooden beds, which are most comfortable. They are heated from underneath - fantastic after sightseeing, and very good for a bad back! These beds look onto a small, shallow, circular pool - one side warm water and one very cold. I am afraid the technical name escapes me, but I seem to think there were minerals in the water which are supposed to rejuvenate tired feet - anyway, it felt good!

In addition there were two or three cocoon flat beds.

 

Adjacent were dry and steam saunas, with a wonderful shower.

 

Outside at this level were sun-beds, and some double upholstered beds with canopies to protect from the sun or breeze. (Looked like pram hoods!)

 

Out of reception there are stairs to a top deck with hot tub, and more sun-beds with an attractive tented area.

 

Bar staff take orders for drinks, and there is a supply of chilled bottled water and plenty of towels. No food is allowed.

 

Downsides: drink service depends who is on duty...

Smuts and soot can drift from the ship funnels. On two days we found we could not use the outside area - we are not wimps about a bit of soot - these were large chunks.../ We complained to spa staff, but they just shrugged it off, and really, apart from stopping the engines, there was nothing they could do!

 

..and how can I put this.....We think access to the retreat is (was) possible from a staircase out of the Colonnade. Certainly sometimes guests were wandering through and expressing surprise at this hitherto unknown deck.....O.K., we are all paying guests on the same ship, but as there is an extra charge to use the Retreat, then ...........mmmmmm...

 

Hope this helps.

[lincslady]

Referring back to Pipkins post (7) - we were on the same cruise (Hi Pipkins!) and enjoyed it equally. However, our 'lifestyle' on board is slightly different, so here is my impression. We did enjoy the restaurant in the evenings - it does look a bit white and cold, but we always had a table in one of the corners, which seems more intimate, and were lucky with excellent staff. We have breakfast in the Colonnade, which is definitely an improvement on the small veranda cafes. The buffet area is separate from the dining area by a walkway and low wall, which makes it seem less crowded, and the room itself is quieter (carpet) and with comfortable chairs. On our particular cruise the cooked items for breakfast, which you order, like eggs benedict, blueberry pancakes etc. were wonderful. We also enjoyed the patio grill on a lovely evening; the menu is simpler than the other venues, but well cooked and fresh - try the 'Nigerian shrimp'.

 

We were not sure if we would like the larger ship, but like most other people we were impressed, and enjoyed it hugely.

 

The South America trip should be marvellous - I would love to see the Chilean fjords, but it is a very long flight from here (and pricey if you go Business Class).

 

We have already booked another trip on Sojourn, and will be interested to compare it with one on Legend we are going on fairly soon (before her refurb).

[purpleally]

Hello Purpleally -

 

I have to ask! Why would they not let you? Was it fully subscribed?

 

Hope this helps.

 

Very helpful, thanks. No idea why they wouldn't let us, something about people complaining about the soot and not being able to use it on prior cruise so they shut that $300 for total access for the cruise I was on.

 

I personally think it would be worth it.

[lord of the seas]

We are trying to figure out whether the problems we experienced on the Sojourn are (1) a recent launch of a new ship problem, (2) a system wide too-fast growth problem, (3) a different standard on the “big” Seabourn ships, or (4) a different standard on all of the Seabourn ships. If it is 1 or 2, then the problems will be solved with time - but only if someone mentions the fact that there are indeed problems! If it is 3, we will just avoid the bigger Seabourn ships and stick with the little triplets. If it is 4, I am going to be massively depressed - I can’t bear the thought that the perfect world that we experienced on all those days on the little triplets may no longer exist.

 

I think the answer is number 3

[wripro]

I agree that number three is the most likely answer. Plus times in general are changing so what once was no longer is in many cases.

[lord of the seas]

I agree that number three is the most likely answer. Plus times in general are changing so what once was no longer is in many cases.

 

Yes Henry,the future's not what it was.

[MARIANH]

Yes Henry,the future's not what it was.

 

But neither is the past

[4kitties]

Well, we just returned from a spectacular cruise with Crystal Cruises. We were in a penthouse suite, which I think helped quite a bit. Our butler was amazing, and he was our interface with the entire ship. It seemed as if it were a much smaller, more intimate/personalized, cruise than might have otherwise been the case. Yes there were some minor problems - but all in all, Crystal is a "well oiled machine".

 

At the moment we would rate the Seabourn "little triplets" #1, Crystal #2, and the Seabourn "bigger ships" #3.

 

We will be back aboard the Sojourn in 3 months, and hope it will slip back into "second place."

 

Who knows???

[slgjhg]

Hi All,

 

Can't wait to hear what you think.

 

Regards,

 

Shannoni

[wzwjon]

I was on the Sojourn in June '11 for 7N to the Baltics, and I was surprised that no one ever greeted us by name except our waiters in the MDR and on the last day (not sure how they knew as we never gave them our suite number). It was so odd because the people whom we had regular contact with, like our room stewardess and the ladies in the Seabourn Square who had our suite number and details on their computers when we spoke to them never did.

 

Is this Seabourn policy or is this the case only on the larger ships? I've read glowing reviews from a few years back where staff know your names after the 2nd day.

[Seabourn-nail]

I was on the Sojourn in June '11 for 7N to the Baltics, and I was surprised that no one ever greeted us by name except our waiters in the MDR and on the last day (not sure how they knew as we never gave them our suite number). It was so odd because the people whom we had regular contact with, like our room stewardess and the ladies in the Seabourn Square who had our suite number and details on their computers when we spoke to them never did.

 

Is this Seabourn policy or is this the case only on the larger ships? I've read glowing reviews from a few years back where staff know your names after the 2nd day.

 

Imagine 7 nights cruises.... 450 people, more than 200 names at least.... a lot of new names. Embarkation.... busy, busy, busy.... how can the crew learn all those names within hours, days even... and then all over again? On the little "sisters" it may have been "doable", especially having a lot of repeaters. Nowadays I understand they can't... what is your opinion?

Marja

[wzwjon]

My opinion is that the crew who have computer access to it (i.e. when we're making enquiries/reservations at the Square) or those who we meet 2-3 times a day outside our suite should.

 

We were on the QM2 and our room steward always greeted us by name, and we weren't even in the grills. He probably had a manifest with our names and room numbers, but that doesn't matter. Also, my experience at 4/5* hotels when speaking to people at reception and identifying which room you're from is that they generally greet you by name, and they have that in front of them on the computer.

 

So its not a question of all crew having to memorise all the guests' names and faces. Which is why we were pleasantly surprised that our waiters in the Restaurant knew our names, when we were not expecting them to, because they had no way of knowing which suite we were from.

 

To be clear, I'm not implying in any way that Seabourn is worse off than the QM2 or 4/5* hotels, because we throroughly enjoyed Seabourn. It is just a question if our experience was out of the ordinary. So Marja, is your experience different in this regard on the smaller ships?

[Chairsin]

I am considering my first big ship, Quest, cruise and share that same concerns. Having recently sailed 15 days on the Pride I found no change from previous little ship cruises in this regard. After a couple of days many of the crew( and not just the ones I know from previous cruises) members did call me by name. I will say that I do go out of my way to learn the names of the crew with whom I come into contact and refer to them by name. Yes,Marja, if we do go on the Quest I don't expect it to be the same but neither do I expect it do be totally impersonal. Maybe that it not a realistic expectation?