Newbie to Seabourn - live from the Quest

[Smartcookie]

We arranged a private tour in Sorrento for Pompei. Our driver arranged a few hour private guide at Pompei to hit the highlights. I highly recommend a private guide for your first visit to Pompei. Our guide was a professor who during the summer months works with Loyola University students on week long trips through Pompei.

T

 

Which Loyola? My son attends Loyola Maryland.

 

Thank you for posting, I'm really enjoying this thread. :)

[Isklaar]

Thanks Taxman, your posts have been very enjoyable and definitely helped to build the anticipation for a first cruse with SB.

[Seabourn-nail]

Thanks Taxman, your posts have been very enjoyable and definitely helped to build the anticipation for a first cruse with SB.

 

I enjoyed reading your posts too Taxman! Glad to hear you had a wonderful time!

Isklaar.... do you already have a referral coupon? I could offer you one, as our friends who would go on Seabourn have changed their minds:rolleyes:!

You could email me at marja dot koenen @kpnmail.nl

Marja

[David0000]

Taxman - Your review of the cruise was great. I did the same cruise and my wife and I we had a great time on the Quest.

 

We thought the Seabourn production shows were very good especially "Rock at the Opera" where the two girls Lisa and Francesca both had outstanding voices. They did the Flower Song which was brilliant.

 

David

[Isklaar]

I enjoyed reading your posts too Taxman! Glad to hear you had a wonderful time!

 

Isklaar.... do you already have a referral coupon? I could offer you one, as our friends who would go on Seabourn have changed their minds:rolleyes:!

You could email me at marja dot koenen @kpnmail.nl

 

Marja

 

Marja, we do already have our coupon but thank you very much for offering.

 

Elsa

[Seabourn-nail]

Marja, we do already have our coupon but thank you very much for offering.

 

Elsa

 

That's good to hear... enjoy it!

Marja

[taxman1]

DRMNofMaui - I did not find it necessary to purchase the unlimited package. I typed all my replies on WORD via DocsToGo on our Ipad and then copied and pasted to CC. That process saved a lot of time for me as my typing skills need much improvement.

 

I found the best connection times onboard very early in the AM (around 6am), around 6:30pm or early afternoon (noon to 2pm). Early afternoon was great as you can sit by the pool, enjoy a frozen beverage and soak up some sun. I hope you do decide to post as I am going through SB withdrawal extremely bad! I need a fix! As previously mentioned, we put down a deposit for another journey and are currently reviewing possibilities and would enjoy hearing another point of view.

 

Smartcookie - Our guide at Pompei, Gino, worked with students from Loyola Chicago.

 

Over the weekend hope to review the 500+ pictures to select a few to share with folks.

[taxman1]

Here are a couple pictures from the Quest cruise -- 1st stop Sorrento. Two pictures are from Pompei and the others are from our way back to the port we stopped to take a picture of the ship and harbor, including some swimmers along the coast.

[arzz]

Taxman1. Thank you so much for posting. We have enjoyed your travels and we are learning about Seabourn. We are doing our first Seabourn cruise in November and are trying to plan -- we have been spoiled by our free laundry on HAL as it lets us pack really light. I gather from these boards that Seabourn has a "fill the laundry bag" for one price option like HAL -- but it is $50 a bag.

 

Did you do this at all while on board? How does the size of the bag compare to the laundry bags on HAL?

 

Thanks in advance!

[taxman1]

Arzz -- they do have a laundry bag similar to HAL. We are familiar with HAL having sailed 4 times with them. Seabourn has a launderette -- free, including detergent for the washer. Included in each laundry room (there are 2 -- both on deck 5) are 2 ironing boards and irons (Miele I believe). We did laundry 2 separate times on board and made frequent use of the iron and ironing board. Hint -- bring your own dryer sheets. Best time for laundry is either very early in AM or around lunch time. Early evening is the worst time.

 

Warning -- once you try Seabourn you wlll never go back to HAL; TRUST ME. We are already planning a back-to-back for 2013. This was our best cruise vacation to date; that includes my 15 year old who sailed on all four HAL itineraries.

 

I will be posting more pictures in the near future.

[arzz]

"Warning -- once you try Seabourn you wlll never go back to HAL; "

 

Ooops! This cruise could be an expensive, yet very happy decision! Thanks for replying Taxman1 -- we are deep in planning right now.

[taxman1]

Here are a couple pics from our stop at Catania; we arranged a private tour to Taormina. One picture is the main street you walk on your way to the Greek Theater and the other picture is from a point on your way up the mountain to Taormina. The movie screen at the Greek Theater was set up for the upcoming movie festival. Please enjoy.

[taxman1]

Oops -- here is the pic from the road leading up to Taormina.

[DrmnOfMaui]

Taormina... one of my favorite stops!! Thanks so much for the photos, you brought it back. I can only imagine how awesome a movie viewing there would be!

[frantic36]

Hi Taxman,

 

Thanks for posting the pictures. We will be in Taormina ourselves in a few weeks and just wondered where the street scene photo was taken?

 

Julie

[frantic36]

Taormina... one of my favorite stops!! Thanks so much for the photos, you brought it back. I can only imagine how awesome a movie viewing there would be!

 

Hi DrmnOfMaui,

 

Just going off topic slightly here. Looking forward to your next blog from your upcoming cruise. I have your previous one on Seabourn in my favourites and am using it to help plan my Med cruise. Also the food recipes on your web page are great. I sent the link to an Italian friend as she wanted your Limoncello recipes.

 

Thanks again,

 

Julie

[taxman1]

Frantic36 - if you visit the Greek theater you will walk this street. The theater is at the end of the street. I took the photo as we were walking from the theater back to the car.

[frantic36]

Thanks Taxman,

 

We will walk the street as definitely plan to visit the Greek theater. The view from the theater looks amazing.

 

Julie

[Smartcookie]

"Warning -- once you try Seabourn you wlll never go back to HAL; "

 

Ooops! This cruise could be an expensive,

 

I don't know about that. Have you seen the fares for the Med cruises this fall? $2199 for a Seabourn cruise. That's an incredible price, IMHO. :)

[stamfordian]

I don't know about that. Have you seen the fares for the Med cruises this fall? $2199 for a Seabourn cruise. That's an incredible price, IMHO. :)

 

Which cruise is that?

[Seabourntraveller]

Which cruise is that?

 

7 day cruises on the Odyssey and Quest...even some at $1999.00 per person.:eek:;):eek:

[josephone]

Hi

You haven't looked at the Odyssey Athens to Dubai. The prices are about $3500. They are simply amazing. I think there are few takers on this trip through the Suez. Regent on the other hand is offering so many included extras that they are waitlisted in lower categories.

[taxman1]

Here are a few pictures from Malta and Gozo.

 

Moving left to right, the first is pulling into Valletta. The second is the blue lagoon during a tour on our stop in Gozo. The third is a snorkel stop while at Gozo and the last is the sea cliffs on our way back to the Quest after a long day in Gozo.

 

Apologies for the delays in posting the pictures, but that pesky J O B is getting in the way. We just closed our 2Q results and all the SEC reporting has impinged on my time to re-live those Seabourn moments.

[taxman1]

Next stop -- Trapani. We elected to take a ship tour to Erice. The first photo is the main church from the outside and the second is from the inside. The third picture is one of the many alley ways you encounter while walking through Erice. The fourth picture is looking from Erice out to the sea and Trapani.

[taxman1]

After Trapani we enjoyed a day at sea which included a bridge tour, the Galley Market lunch and another day capturing sun along side the pool.

 

Soon to come -- Valencia.