Brief live update from Sojourn

[Nigella]

The cruise is passing by far too quickly, and we now have only 3 days left. Currently in Laem Chabang which was stiflingly hot earlier this afternoon.

 

Crew we have encountered are all happy to help, and we're being adressed by name more frequently than we've been on any other cruise, even ones several days longer than this one.

 

Food is generally good to very good, and we enjoyed a wonderful 4 course dinner by 2 Michelin star chef at Gleneagles, Andrew Fairlie, on Sunday evening.

 

Our fellow guests are friendly, and as ever on SB, interesting and well travelled.

 

We have heard a few guests complaining about the food but the majority seem to be happy.

 

My only gripes are that the coffee is truly awful in all venues, and I'm not convinced that the air con in our suite is working to optimum capacity. ;)

 

Those of you joining in Singapore can look forward to a well run, happy ship.

 

Apologies for any typos and apparent terseness, using the ipad and am definitely a traditional keyboard type girl !

[oregon50]

So the corporate guy that boarded recently and meeting with passengers flew in because everyone is so happy. Good to know!

[wripro]

Who cares why he flew in. If a current passenger says most people are happy why not believe what she says?

[Willem Ruys]

disembarked at Hong Kong. I know many who were less than pleased

[melody hounddog]

Thanks for the update! Enjoy the rest of your cruise.

[PaulaJK]

Nigella

 

I agree completely re: the coffee. I order a pot of hot water on the side but even that doesn't cover the harsh flavor. Yet the coffee bar at Seabourn Sq does a rousing business so we may be in the minority.

 

I also find the passengers to be a pleasant mix. Paula

[Nigella]

Nigella

 

I agree completely re: the coffee. I order a pot of hot water on the side but even that doesn't cover the harsh flavor. Yet the coffee bar at Seabourn Sq does a rousing business so we may be in the minority.

 

I also find the passengers to be a pleasant mix. Paula

 

Hello Paula. The coffee bar at Seabourn Sq certainly does rousing business so perhaps you're correct and we are in the minority. I've found the coffee to be either very harsh and bitter, or at the other extreme terribly weak with no flavour at all. I don't recall this having been an issue on previous SB cruises.

[Nigella]

I'm now using an old fashioned keyboard and have more time to post, so I just wanted to clarify a couple of points from my OP.

 

When I referred to the ship as a "happy" one, I was referring to the crew, I wasn't speaking for 400 other guests. I know that some of them are not happy, but so much of this experience is subjective, isn't it?

 

Also on the subject of food, I should have been clear that I was making comparisons only with our previous cruises and not comparing the food onboard to the expectations that I have on land.

I did read an earlier thread that was discussing the food before we joined the ship, and adjusted my expectations accordingly.

The food on this cruise, overall, has been better than our other cruises (SB and SS), but I have to add a disclaimer. That is, our first SB cruise was just over one year ago. The guests who've been sailing SB for longer than us are saying that the food is not as good as it has been in the past.

We are finding the quality is generally good, but the menus seem to be odd. Many dishes are the type of food I expect to eat in northern Europe in the Autumn/Winter seasons, and inappropriate for this part of the world.

For the first time, we've found that on this cruise we've preferred to dine in the Colonnade in the evening and have only eaten in the Restaurant twice, mostly because of the selections available.

 

Anyway, our group of 5 is having a wonderful time overall, and the two couples are ready to book their next SB cruise before leaving the ship, something we've not done previously.

[English Tim]

 

Anyway, our group of 5 is having a wonderful time overall, and the two couples are ready to book their next SB cruise before leaving the ship, something we've not done previously.

 

Doesn't matter whatever anyone else thinks, so long as you're having a good time. Some people will never be happy. I might moan on here, but I always do my best to enjoy my cruises.

 

Thanks for your opinions.

[Willem Ruys]

Hello Paula. The coffee bar at Seabourn Sq certainly does rousing business so perhaps you're correct and we are in the minority. I've found the coffee to be either very harsh and bitter, or at the other extreme terribly weak with no flavour at all. I don't recall this having been an issue on previous SB cruises.

 

Those were our takes on the coffee...no matter the type ordered or where

 

I thought the coffee was miserable but a coffee addict, I had to have it. The ship's drinking water has everything to do with it...I stopped drinking it and switched to bottled water.

[WilloGuy]

I find that on the first few days of a cruise passengers say the service is wonderful, the food is wonderful and as the days (7+) on the cruise go on then they start complaining the service isn't that good, the food isn't that wonderful and they have been on better cruises.

Then when they get home they realize how good they had it.

 

For me the Best Cruise is the one I'm on.

[rl787]

We struggle with both Tea and Coffee, I do think that Willem Ruys makes a good point about the water, it certainly affects the tea. When we are away on holiday in The States we love the coffee, every local diner serves fabulous cona style coffee from a glass jug, so why an American Cruise line can't seem to get it right on board is beyond me. That said as people have said so many people seem to love the Coffee in Seabourn Square. I suppose Seabourn has to do something badly!!

[Emperor Norton]

They're using the ships general water to make coffee. That stuff is essentially distilled and not truly usable for coffee/tea or say beer brewing. You might want to try seeing if they'll brew something using the still bottled water (but some of the ones I've seen this week are again distilled with additives).

[sassyw]

I find that on the first few days of a cruise passengers say the service is wonderful, the food is wonderful and as the days (7+) on the cruise go on then they start complaining the service isn't that good, the food isn't that wonderful and they have been on better cruises.

Then when they get home they realize how good they had it.

 

For me the Best Cruise is the one I'm on.

 

So much complaining! Be thankful you all are so lucky to be sailing on such a fine ship.

[Emperor Norton]

I've never understood the because you're lucky just ignore the issues mentality

 

Sent via squirrels and a rotary phone

[Emperor Norton]

French press was improved when using the bottled ships water

 

Sent via squirrels and a rotary phone