What is in store for Seabourn?

[markham]

Here we have, as of August, 2013 no cruise calendar from Seabourn past

November, 2014 apart from some Caribbean sailings by the 3 small ships which in any case have been sold off to Windstar. We have Seabourn's competitors with their 2015 and in some cases 2016 schedules announced.

 

So what is going on at Seabourn? If its management cannot offer schedules as they have in the past, does this failure to establish its market presence indicate that it is and/or will be no longer an independent brand?

 

I shudder to think that Seabourn's Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest may be folded into its "parent", Holland America Line.

 

The flood gates are open!

 

Happy Sailing in 2013 and much of 2014!

[CraftyEC]

I shudder to think that Seabourn's Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest may be folded into its "parent", Holland America Line.

That is NOT a happy thought :eek:

[ravenclaw]

Here we have, as of August, 2013 no cruise calendar from Seabourn past

 

So what is going on at Seabourn? If its management cannot offer schedules as they have in the past, does this failure to establish its market presence indicate that it is and/or will be no longer an independent brand?

 

I shudder to think that Seabourn's Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest may be folded into its "parent", Holland America Line.

 

Could be a number of reasons...some pure speculation....

 

Hopefully a total, up to down, revamping of the old and tired itineraries.

Maybe an introduction of grand voyages on the three O ships, instead of a world cruise.

Perhaps the parent, Carnival Cruise Lines, is re-assessing strategy if it wants to play in the all-inclusive "luxury" space and reviewing options,(the HAL "fold").

Or simply just some in-house bureaucratic delays in finalizing and releasing the new itineraries as they're "almost completed".

[jrmuk]

I said this on another thread and was lampooned, however it does make sense;

 

Three weeks ago onboard the Quest I was told the delay was because the Antarctic itineraries had sold so badly and Seabourn were completely re-assessing there interim plans for fall 2014 onwards. I was told that initially SB had expected the Quest to do the Antarctic again and the Sojourn the WC however, if the Quest did not do Antarctic it would then more than likely do the WC and the Sojourn and Odyssey would be re-routed to other itineraries.

 

As time goes by and the offers for the Antarctic cruises continue and the availability remains high for these cruises I think it may well be true.

 

 

 

 

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[wripro]

Whatever the reason for the delay someone at Seabourn needs to make a decision. Hello Rick Meadows!!!!!

[MrsWaldo]

I said this on another thread and was lampooned, however it does make sense;

 

Three weeks ago onboard the Quest I was told the delay was because the Antarctic itineraries had sold so badly and Seabourn were completely re-assessing there interim plans for fall 2014 onwards. I was told that initially SB had expected the Quest to do the Antarctic again and the Sojourn the WC however, if the Quest did not do Antarctic it would then more than likely do the WC and the Sojourn and Odyssey would be re-routed to other itineraries.

 

As time goes by and the offers for the Antarctic cruises continue and the availability remains high for these cruises I think it may well be true.

 

 

 

]

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That's not the impression of availably I got when booking.

 

The Jan 4 sailing had 9 suites available. Nothing below V6 and all the ss and wintergardens booked, 1 OW available. There was limited choice on the Jan 25th.

 

The Dec one seems for available but not huge choices i.e., the seems to be 4-5 at each level when playing dummy booking not the normal 6 that pops up.

 

The issue with the earlier ones as far as I can see is the

a)long trip over Christmas

b) guniea pig effect on trip 1 (and TBH I wouldn;t risk the weather)

[jrmuk]

The thing is that these sailings have been very heavily marketed, I have had umpteen emails about them and there have been offer after offer including free veranda upgrades and discounted air and yet still the first two sailings have lots of availability.

 

Initially these cruises appeared to sell well but as the ninety day full payment neared there were lots of cancellations, there's nothing to say the same won't happen on the post Christmas sailings as well.

 

I can't see SB continuing with the Antarctic next year if it is not profitable and they can sail elsewhere with a higher capacity.

 

These are very expensive cruises to run with all of the specialist guest lecturers etc and I think they are reconsidering what to do next.

 

I'm an interested party because I want to book the Antarctica Christmas cruise 2014 but feel I may have missed the boat........but I still have my fingers crossed.

 

 

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[MrsWaldo]

I think they have sold to or above expectation and maybe they are considering a later voyage in Feb next year.

 

the first cruise has 1 PS and nothing above, No V1-V3 and 3 V4

 

If they were having trouble, prices for this cruise would already have dropped

 

FWIW SS looked the same when the "piercings" itineraries were first released

 

People waitied for comment before commitment

[Cisleman]

Last year we were very anxious to get the 2014 World Cruise Itinerary. It was not announced until late Sept when we were on the Odyssey on a Black Sea voyage. We had been hoping it would repeat a trip around South Africa similar to what the Quest had done previous year. We are now waiting for the 2015 itinerary to be announced. Hopefully the 2015 will do the South Africa route out of Florida!

[markham]

Cisleman,

 

I too would like to know about it and end of September is not the end of the world. Late, but not crazy late. December is crazy late. I note that Crystal says they have sold over 750 places for their 1000+ world cruise for 2015!

 

Let's see if Seabourn cannot move their itinerary planning into high gear so that the rumor mill is quashed and calm is restored.

 

Happy sailing!

[wripro]

I wonder how many of those 750 places Crystal has sold have been to people who might have booked Seabourn had the schedule been available.

[jrmuk]

I think they have sold to or above expectation and maybe they are considering a later voyage in Feb next year.

 

the first cruise has 1 PS and nothing above, No V1-V3 and 3 V4

 

If they were having trouble, prices for this cruise would already have dropped

 

FWIW SS looked the same when the "piercings" itineraries were first released

 

People waitied for comment before commitment

 

I have just checked the 21-Nov-13 inaugural antarctic cruise on the Seabourn the UK and there are 44 suites available in all categories apart from the signature and winter garden suites.

 

Currently available:

A1 x 6

V2 x 3

V3 x 6

V4 x 6

V5 x 6

V6 x 6

PH x 6

PS x 3

Ow x 2

 

That's approximately a quarter of all suites, when you factor the suites taken by guest lecturers and entertainers etc

 

 

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[MrsWaldo]

So you are getting different online figures to me.

 

That's interesting.

 

(not duabting you but I used the dummy booking system too.)

 

Our recent cruise showed that many suites available the week before, but it was full.

 

I wonder how accurate the website is?

[ab21au]

 

I wonder how accurate the website is?

 

That is possible. We selected a V5 which was available on the website and were given a different (unwanted) suite. SB were great and moved us and we are now happy but not to that cabin which was shown as available. I guess there could be times when 2 people are trying to book the same cabin at the same time.

[rols]

I said this on another thread and was lampooned, however it does make sense;

 

Three weeks ago onboard the Quest I was told the delay was because the Antarctic itineraries had sold so badly and Seabourn were completely re-assessing there interim plans for fall 2014 onwards.

 

Sent using the Cruise Critic forums app

 

That would explain the recent antarctic offers which poured through my mailbox, the prices were truly rather good, if you want to go to the antarctic.

[markham]

Wripro,

 

You are asking a great question. There can be no doubt that Seabourn world cruise prospective guests for 2015 are looking at the early booking discounts of Seabourn's competitors and wondering... Should we book a sure thing e.g. Crystal now or wait until some point in the unknown future for Seabourn to release a 2015 world cruise?

 

So one can make the point that in fairness to loyal Seabourn past guests Seabourn should quickly release whatever it plans to do in Jan., 2015 - world cruise and/or grand voyages - so we can all get on with our planning.

 

About the antarctic cruises, well, I don't know whether or not Seabourn is happy with their margins. But surely they made contingency plans for Quest and Sojourn in the event the Quest's 2013-2014 antarctic season's sales were not satisfactory at different points in time such as 1 July, 1 August and 1 September. And if they have done so then they can roll out whatever contingency plan works for them and their 2015 world cruise passengers, right?

 

It's the absence of clarity that is frustrating and I really do hope the post November, 2014 itineraries are released soon.

 

Happy sailing!

[markham]

What a difference a few hours make- on a Saturday at that!

 

I see on the Seabourn site now that Jan., Feb., and March 2015 itineraries are up for Odyssey in the region of Australia and Quest in South America including

Antarctica.

 

So this means that Sojourn will be doing the world cruise.

 

I wonder when the world cruise will be released and will be watching the site.

 

Good and getting better!!!

 

Happy cruising!

[wripro]

That's encouraging, Markham.

 

I had a feeling the Quest would be back in Antarctica. They have to amortize the cost of refitting the ship to make it ice worthy over more than one year.

[mariner]

Im hearing there may be a shake up in the making in HAL's corporate offices.

 

It relates more to HAL than Seabourn.

 

Anyone notice no announcement yet for a replacement to the smaller ships?

[eliana]

There now seem to be two threads speculating on the early 2015 itineraries for Sojourn. I'm subscribing to both so as not to miss out on everyone's speculations. Maybe a grand Voyage round the Pacific from/to the States

[Mr Luxury]

I hear that it will be grand voyages for the Sojourn and South Africa will feature.

[Emperor Norton]

I hear that it will be grand voyages for the Sojourn and South Africa will feature.

 

Via your crystal ball or perhaps a thread on this forum?;)

[Mr Luxury]

Via your crystal ball or perhaps a thread on this forum?;)

 

No someone from Seabourn on the Legend last week.;)

[The A Train]

If you go to the last page of the 2015 World Cruise thread you'll see that Sojourn has plans for Africa beginning Nov. 2014.