Oceania Nautica vs Seabourn Quest. input welcome

[Wieb]

Hi,

 

This is a typical vs. question i know. i know. looking for opinions though.

 

The story:

Looking for a cruise in the northern hemisphere in august that lasts about 3 weeks. a bit of a last minute departure i know. So I found 2 candidates:

 

a) 20 days on the Oceania Nautica called the path of the midnight sun and touring basically the Norwegian Fjords with turnaround in Murmansk and a sail over spitsbergen.

 

b) 24 days on the Seabourn Quest called route of the Vikings and basically sailing from Britain to Canada via Iceland and Greenland.

 

Hence I have never cruised (considered many times, but never actually left) I would gladly get some input and opinions.

 

- What kind of people can I expect on those both cruises? And on which of the two sails the more quirky ones? :D I do know I should expect a more mature crowd on both ships even though I will be turning 36 on either of these cruises. so very young... :cool: But I am not inquiring about their age, more style, character, interests, atmosphere... of the passengers, if you get my drift.

 

- I am going solo.what kind of supplement can I expect and is there a big difference between S or O? I cannot find information on Seabourn supplement, but oceania mentions on their website it is 200%!!!! Also which option is in general better for Solo girls (note: not single!).

 

- I am a heavy drinker (kidding) but I do like a cocktail... and my glas of champagne... and wine with my dinner please and why not also at lunch and.... and... How expensive is drinking on oceania? I understood it is included in Seabourn. However, I do NOT like drunken people around me 24/7. Is this something to be weary about when drinks are included?

 

- I understood Oceania is considered "premium" while Seabourn is considered "luxury". Is this a big difference and how does it show?

 

- On Oceania I would take a deluxe sea view room clocking in at 285 euro a day (best available room). On Seabourn i would take a Veranda Suite at 395 euro a day (least expensive available room). So it is hard to compare as one is a stateroom and one is a suite with balcony. one includes more than the other. In general the question is on which cruise do I get best value for money in relation to accommodation. it is also not taken into account single supplement.

 

- I am going to relax and a see a few new things on the way. The Seabourn journey has 10 sea days, Oceania 6. How fatiguing is a port intensive cruise? I am essentially a lazy person and I enjoy doing nothing, or nothing much... I know one is not obliged to go on the excursions, but I know I would feel bad about skipping port calls to places I havent been too.

 

Ill post the same question on the Seabourn board too...

 

looking forward to some input for you well seasoned cruise folks...

 

elke

[Techno123]

We sailed on the Seabourn Odyssey - Athens to Istanbul. First ever cruise and I was smitten. We also like a drink when on holiday but I did not see one person who appeared to be even moderately tipsy for the whole week. The service was outstanding, the food gorgeous, the state rooms (only balcony) spacious and beautiful. Clientele - generally middle aged, some older some younger with a very small number of well-behaved children. But ... they are more expensive and flights are not included so we are trying Oceania out (with the prestige drinks package) as it is slightly more in our price bracket and I want to find out whether Seabourn is actually worth the premium they charge!

Edited June 16, 2014 by Techno123

[orchestrapal]

Hi,

 

This is a typical vs. question i know. i know. looking for opinions though.

Looking for a cruise in the northern hemisphere in august that lasts about 3 weeks. a bit of a last minute departure i know. So I found 2 candidates:

a) 20 days on the Oceania Nautica called the path of the midnight sun and touring basically the Norwegian Fjords with turnaround in 24 days on the Seabourn Quest called route of the Vikings and basicalsailing from Britain to Canada via Iceland and Greenland.

 

Hence I have never cruised (considered many times, but never actually left) I would gladly get some input and opinions.

 

- What kind of people can I expect on those both cruises? And on which of thetwo sails the more quirky ones? :D I do know I should expect a more mature crowd on both ships even though I will be turning 36 on either of these cruises. so very young... :cool: But I am not inquiring about their age, more style, character, interests, atmosphere... of the passengers, if you get my drift.

 

- I am going solo.what kind of supplement can I expect and is there a big difference between S or O? I cannot find information on Seabourn supplement, but oceania mentions on their website it is 200%!!!! Also which option is in general better for Solo girls (note: not single!).

 

- I am a heavy drinker (kidding) but I do like a cocktail... and my glas of champagne... and wine with my dinner please and why not also at lunch and.... and... How expensive is drinking on oceania? I understood it is included in Seabourn. However, I do NOT like drunken people around me 24/7. Is this something to be weary about when drinks are included?

 

- I understood Oceania is considered "premium" while Seabourn is considered "luxury". Is this a big difference and how does it show?

 

- On Oceania I would take a deluxe sea view room clocking in at 285 euro a day (best available room). On Seabourn i would take a Veranda Suite at 395 euro a day (least expensive available room). So it is hard to compare as one is a stateroom and one is a suite with balcony. one includes more than the other. In general the question is on which cruise do I get best value for money in relation to accommodation. it is also not taken into account single supplement.

 

- I am going to relax and a see a few new things on the way. The Seabourn journey has 10 sea days, Oceania 6. How fatiguing is a port intensive cruise? I am essentially a lazy person and I enjoy doing nothing, or nothing much... I know one is not obliged to go on the excursions, but I know I would feel bad about skipping port calls to places I havent been too.

 

Ill post the same question on the Seabourn board too...

 

looking forward to some input for you well seasoned cruise folks...

elke

 

I believe you are looking at prices, which on Oceania are per person, so your fare as a single would be double as you must pay for two to the room.

You will probably be the youngest on Oceania. There have been few singles on our O cruises and those that have been aboard have been mostly two traveling together. The are are drinks packages which you can purchase for your cruise.

Edited June 16, 2014 by orchestrapal

[Paulchili]

One year we cruised both lines back-to-back - Seabourn from Quebec to NYC and then Oceania NYC to Montreal. We have cruised on Oceania many times and this was our first (and last) Seabourn cruise.

We do not drink so that the included drinks were of no benefit to us. While Seabourn had larger cabins and we loved the concept of the Seabourn Square, Oceania won in every other regard. It had far better food (IMO), better service, nicer people, less formal. We are big Oceania fans. I suspect if you pose this question on the Seabourn forum, you will get a different answer from mine. :D

I am sure you would enjoy both - choose by itinerary or your "gut".

Bon voyage.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Paulchili

[hypercafe]

I can not speak for Seabourn however on Oceania you will probably be the youngest pass on the ship. Although this was not your question Crystal has a nice product and has some good deals for singles. Check it out.

 

Sent from my XT1032 using Forums mobile app

[Travelcat2]

We also have not sailed on Seabourn but have sailed on Silversea and Regent - both luxury cruise lines and also on Oceania. In my opinion, the food in Oceania's specialty restaurants is better than any cruise line that we have been on. The main dining room and Terrace Café are a little less than what we are used to but food is very subjective.

 

While a high percentage of passengers on Silversea and Regent (and assume Seabourn) tend to be long time luxury cruisers, there is quite a high percentage of former HAL cruisers on Oceania. This is not a judgment about the passengers but it seems that the expectations are different.

 

The décor on Oceania ships is very luxurious - nicer, IMO, than other ships that we have sailed on.

 

Service on Oceania is equal to any luxury cruise we have taken -- really excellent!

 

The dress code on Oceania is more relaxed than on Seabourn (according to their written dress code). The smoking policy is more stringent on Oceania than on Seabourn.

 

The age skews older on longer cruises and when school is in session. You see younger passengers and more families during the summer and Christmas (Note: There are still not nearly as many children than on mainstream cruise lines).

 

Anyway, those are my observations. I really like Oceania and will be cruising with them again later this year. However, in all honesty, we are Regent loyalists and only "stray" when the itinerary is right:)

 

Good luck with whichever cruise you line you decide upon.

Edited June 16, 2014 by Travelcat2

[MrOZ]

I can't answer your specific question, but am I reading correctly that you're discussing a 20-24 day cruise for your first-ever cruise? If so, way to jump right in!

[californiacruiseluvrs]

I am young too, but older than you (at least in the cruising world). I am 44 and have cruised in excess of 60 times. I only mention this to validate my opinion to follow. I have cruised on most major lines all the way from Carnival, Holland America, Azamara, Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Oceania, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas and on and on etc. As I mature I have come to love the more refined and elegant atmosphere of lines such as Oceania, Azamara, and Regent for a variety of reasons including fewer passengers, better service, better food, and less bothersome hoopla (i.e. photographers and souvenir drink pushers etc.) than the larger more commercial lines. Not to mention that (at the risk of haters coming at me) these lines tend not to attract the "rif raf". The biggest difference with the smaller more luxurious lines is a more refined crowd overall. In fairness to Seabourn, the crowd was quite refined (despite other aspects that I was underwhelmed with as below). Also, as a disclaimer I have only been on one Seabourn cruise and perhaps my experience was tainted by an "off" cruise.

 

For the last several years I have been obsessed with Oceania and find this line to be incredibly luxurious and on par with a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons. Last November I took my first Seabourn cruise on the Sojourn for 10 days to the Caribbean. I was so excited to try Seabourn as the reviews and brochure made Seabourn out to be a "luxury" line while Oceania is only "Premium". I was curious to see how much better "luxury" could be than "premium". I was incredibly disappointed with Seabourn on so many levels. I found Seabourn staff to be non-personable, stuffy and arrogant in their attitude with many pretentious elements that were quite humorous. Food was awful. Soft furnishings (i.e. towels, bedding, lounges by the pool) should embarrass Seabourn (they literally use the same cheap lounges as Carnival and HAL). Food choices were limited and poor and quality was lacking. I like to drink too, but didn't find the all-inclusive drinks to be all that great on Seabourn. I don't mind paying for my drinks on Oceania. Bottom line with Seabourn, in my opinion, is too much Carnival DNA which the onboard food and beverage manager was also complaining to me about one night over cocktails. In fact, he went so far as to tell me that "Carnival ruined Seabourn" and he was clearly not a happy camper as a Seabourn employee! Apparently, this employee had been with Seabourn for many years and saw a huge decline when Carnival Corp. acquired the line.

 

On the contrary to my sentiments about my Seabourn experience, I am hard pressed to come up with negative comments regarding Oceania. Oceania travelers tend to be refined, well traveled, non-pretentious and more inclined to have a good time. I always find a drinking pre-dinner cocktail crowd on Oceania (although this can vary from cruise to cruise of course, but the atmosphere lends itself to such). I'm from Los Angeles and have high standards for food and beverage and probably considered a "foodie" (although I am slim and fit) and Oceania has always exceeded my standards in this area. Cabins including soft furnishings are AMAZING on Oceania as is the non-obtrusive, but outstanding service. I could tell story after story about how Oceania staff has gone out of their way which always makes a trip extra special. I've commented on other posts regarding the "country club casual" atmosphere on Oceania. Most passengers I've spoken to including myself LOVE IT! Frankly, I found people on Oceania to be more chic shi shi and better dressed than on Seabourn. I also have found the Oceania crowd to have a much younger passenger demographic. As far as formal nights go (especially in the 90 plus degree Mediterranean) I think it is silly to have Titanic recreations at sea where suits and tuxedos are required. Just a style and preference thing for me - especially while on vacation.

 

In conclusion, in my opinion, Oceania IS the LUXURY line and NOT Seabourn. Unfortunately, the luxury rating has a lot to do with the all-inclusive aspect (tips and drinks), but I really don't think that makes a line luxurious anymore than all-inclusive makes a Club Med luxurious so I think this rating system is flawed. If you pick the right Oceania promotion you can get your gratuities included, a $500 shipboard credit AND complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi which essentially makes Oceania almost all inclusive. My strong and opinionated preference is that Oceania is FAR supreme to Seabourn and that Seabourn is an overpriced disappointment that overpromises and under delivers.

[MrOZ]

I haven't sailed Seabourn or Oceania (yet; we have a cruise booked for January), so please take my thoughts with a grain (or many grains!) of salt:

 

We (and it seems based on the response to my question, many others) have come to Oceania from HAL. It seems, from what I've read, that Seabourn has inherited many of the same problems as HAL from its corporate overlords, so that would make me very hesitant about an expensive trip on Seabourn. Together with their promotional materials, ("the yachts of Seabourn"? That's not a bit over the top and pretentious?) we chose to try Oceania instead. We're not heavy drinkers, but we enjoy a drink now and then. It takes a lot of drinks (by our standards) to make the packages or the all-you-can-drink look appealing, and I don't see a lot of great advantages to Seabourn. Now, if this were Oceania or Regent Seven Seas, I think that might be a tougher question.

[Tarpeian Rock]

Hi,

 

This is a typical vs. question i know. i know. looking for opinions though.

 

The story:

Looking for a cruise in the northern hemisphere in august that lasts about 3 weeks. a bit of a last minute departure i know. So I found 2 candidates:

 

a) 20 days on the Oceania Nautica called the path of the midnight sun and touring basically the Norwegian Fjords with turnaround in Murmansk and a sail over spitsbergen.

 

b) 24 days on the Seabourn Quest called route of the Vikings and basically sailing from Britain to Canada via Iceland and Greenland.

 

Hence I have never cruised (considered many times, but never actually left) I would gladly get some input and opinions.

 

- What kind of people can I expect on those both cruises? And on which of the two sails the more quirky ones? :D I do know I should expect a more mature crowd on both ships even though I will be turning 36 on either of these cruises. so very young... :cool: But I am not inquiring about their age, more style, character, interests, atmosphere... of the passengers, if you get my drift.

 

- I am going solo.what kind of supplement can I expect and is there a big difference between S or O? I cannot find information on Seabourn supplement, but oceania mentions on their website it is 200%!!!! Also which option is in general better for Solo girls (note: not single!).

 

- I am a heavy drinker (kidding) but I do like a cocktail... and my glas of champagne... and wine with my dinner please and why not also at lunch and.... and... How expensive is drinking on oceania? I understood it is included in Seabourn. However, I do NOT like drunken people around me 24/7. Is this something to be weary about when drinks are included?

 

- I understood Oceania is considered "premium" while Seabourn is considered "luxury". Is this a big difference and how does it show?

 

- On Oceania I would take a deluxe sea view room clocking in at 285 euro a day (best available room). On Seabourn i would take a Veranda Suite at 395 euro a day (least expensive available room). So it is hard to compare as one is a stateroom and one is a suite with balcony. one includes more than the other. In general the question is on which cruise do I get best value for money in relation to accommodation. it is also not taken into account single supplement.

 

- I am going to relax and a see a few new things on the way. The Seabourn journey has 10 sea days, Oceania 6. How fatiguing is a port intensive cruise? I am essentially a lazy person and I enjoy doing nothing, or nothing much... I know one is not obliged to go on the excursions, but I know I would feel bad about skipping port calls to places I havent been too.

 

Ill post the same question on the Seabourn board too...

 

looking forward to some input for you well seasoned cruise folks...

 

elke

 

 

 

Actually, HAL markets itself as "premium," though many HAL veterans would argue that now, as HAL becomes more like mass market. I think Oceania (with which we fell in love) could more properly be described as "luxury lite" (a description Ive seen in cruise guides).

[MightyQuinn]

One year we cruised both lines back-to-back - Seabourn from Quebec to NYC and then Oceania NYC to Montreal. We have cruised on Oceania many times and this was our first (and last) Seabourn cruise...

Geez Paulchili, I'm sorry to read that you didn't like Seabourn. We're going to give them a try on that same Canada/NE route later this year (before NFL gets serious ;);)). I am expecting the food to be on par with Oceania with similar service standards and I figure (hope) it won't be too formal on that itinerary. We're going in expecting a great trial cruise, so we'll see ...

[vistaman]

on seabourn single rates can switch from 50 to 100 % supplement

if drinks are important : seabourn is all in with a very nice selection

drinks and wines are extremely expensive on oceania

food is more classic on oceania

service is far better on seabourn

tours are far better on seabourn - organised with more care and however not cheap not as expensive as on oceania

maybe it is worth to look at crystal as well as crystal is still kind to singles ;)

[Paulchili]

Geez Paulchili, I'm sorry to read that you didn't like Seabourn. We're going to give them a try on that same Canada/NE route later this year (before NFL gets serious ;);)). I am expecting the food to be on par with Oceania with similar service standards and I figure (hope) it won't be too formal on that itinerary. We're going in expecting a great trial cruise, so we'll see ...

 

It's not so much that we didn't like it. It's more like there was no reason to do it again as we are so happy with Oceania. It was just one cruise but there was nothing about it that "beat" Oceania to us - in fact several things were inferior to Oceania. The cabins were nice, but you can stay in a PH on Oceania and have a nice cabin for about the same price. We did like the concept of Seabourn Square. As we don't drink, all inclusive was not an advantage for us. The cruise was fine but no need to "switch" for us, unless the itinerary was unique.

We felt the same way about our single Regent cruise - no need to spend more $$$ for equal (or lesser) cruise experience than Oceania.

Please go with an open mind - as I know you will - and I am sure you will enjoy it. :)

[dafne]

I am young too, but older than you (at least in the cruising world). I am 44 and have cruised in excess of 60 times. I only mention this to validate my opinion to follow. I have cruised on most major lines all the way from Carnival, Holland America, Azamara, Celebrity, Princess, RCCL, Oceania, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas and on and on etc. As I mature I have come to love the more refined and elegant atmosphere of lines such as Oceania, Azamara, and Regent for a variety of reasons including fewer passengers, better service, better food, and less bothersome hoopla (i.e. photographers and souvenir drink pushers etc.) than the larger more commercial lines. Not to mention that (at the risk of haters coming at me) these lines tend not to attract the "rif raf". The biggest difference with the smaller more luxurious lines is a more refined crowd overall. In fairness to Seabourn, the crowd was quite refined (despite other aspects that I was underwhelmed with as below). Also, as a disclaimer I have only been on one Seabourn cruise and perhaps my experience was tainted by an "off" cruise.

 

For the last several years I have been obsessed with Oceania and find this line to be incredibly luxurious and on par with a Ritz Carlton or Four Seasons. Last November I took my first Seabourn cruise on the Sojourn for 10 days to the Caribbean. I was so excited to try Seabourn as the reviews and brochure made Seabourn out to be a "luxury" line while Oceania is only "Premium". I was curious to see how much better "luxury" could be than "premium". I was incredibly disappointed with Seabourn on so many levels. I found Seabourn staff to be non-personable, stuffy and arrogant in their attitude with many pretentious elements that were quite humorous. Food was awful. Soft furnishings (i.e. towels, bedding, lounges by the pool) should embarrass Seabourn (they literally use the same cheap lounges as Carnival and HAL). Food choices were limited and poor and quality was lacking. I like to drink too, but didn't find the all-inclusive drinks to be all that great on Seabourn. I don't mind paying for my drinks on Oceania. Bottom line with Seabourn, in my opinion, is too much Carnival DNA which the onboard food and beverage manager was also complaining to me about one night over cocktails. In fact, he went so far as to tell me that "Carnival ruined Seabourn" and he was clearly not a happy camper as a Seabourn employee! Apparently, this employee had been with Seabourn for many years and saw a huge decline when Carnival Corp. acquired the line.

 

On the contrary to my sentiments about my Seabourn experience, I am hard pressed to come up with negative comments regarding Oceania. Oceania travelers tend to be refined, well traveled, non-pretentious and more inclined to have a good time. I always find a drinking pre-dinner cocktail crowd on Oceania (although this can vary from cruise to cruise of course, but the atmosphere lends itself to such). I'm from Los Angeles and have high standards for food and beverage and probably considered a "foodie" (although I am slim and fit) and Oceania has always exceeded my standards in this area. Cabins including soft furnishings are AMAZING on Oceania as is the non-obtrusive, but outstanding service. I could tell story after story about how Oceania staff has gone out of their way which always makes a trip extra special. I've commented on other posts regarding the "country club casual" atmosphere on Oceania. Most passengers I've spoken to including myself LOVE IT! Frankly, I found people on Oceania to be more chic shi shi and better dressed than on Seabourn. I also have found the Oceania crowd to have a much younger passenger demographic. As far as formal nights go (especially in the 90 plus degree Mediterranean) I think it is silly to have Titanic recreations at sea where suits and tuxedos are required. Just a style and preference thing for me - especially while on vacation.

 

In conclusion, in my opinion, Oceania IS the LUXURY line and NOT Seabourn. Unfortunately, the luxury rating has a lot to do with the all-inclusive aspect (tips and drinks), but I really don't think that makes a line luxurious anymore than all-inclusive makes a Club Med luxurious so I think this rating system is flawed. If you pick the right Oceania promotion you can get your gratuities included, a $500 shipboard credit AND complimentary unlimited Wi-Fi which essentially makes Oceania almost all inclusive. My strong and opinionated preference is that Oceania is FAR supreme to Seabourn and that Seabourn is an overpriced disappointment that overpromises and under delivers.

 

________________________________________________________________

We just returned from a cruise on Seabourn and had a totally different experience than you!

Here is my review:

___________________________

 

 

My husband and I were on the Seabourn Quest - April 29- May 13- Gems of Western Europe- 14 day cruise.

 

It was one of the most amazing trips we have ever taken! This was our first cruise with Seabourn. It exceeded our expectations!

 

By the 2nd day we were greeted by all the staff by our names.

 

We had previously sailed on Silversea three times. We were always told Seabourn is a little better than Silversea. Well, Seabourn is in a different class than Silversea. It doesn't even compare.

 

First of all the food was EXCELLENT! I am from New Orleans so I am use to great restaurants and the food was THE BEST!!

 

I see how sometimes people on these boards complain about the food. I was honestly concerned after reading some of the forums before we left for the cruise. Speaking to other passengers on our cruise-

90% of the passengers never heard of Cruise Critic. I was told 65% are so of the passengers on our cruise were repeat customers. Most of the passengers that were repeats that we met have sailed Seabourn 7 times or more. They also told us they think Silversea is an inferior product and would not sail on them.

 

Back to the food. We always ate breakfast in the Colonnade. Besides the Buffet they have special order items that you can add to your breakfast. I even had Lamb Chops for breakfast- always asked for double cut! They were delicious. My husband said the French Toast was great! We loved seating outside at the Colonnade. If it was cool a few days- they had cashmere blankets to wrap yourself around. When you asked for expresso or hot coffee in 1 minute hot coffee would come. Amazing service every time!

 

We had room service for breakfast only once- when we had a very early tour. It was prompt and perfect! Every afternoon I would order from room service some snacks and within 10 minutes it came. The guacamole was delicious and they give you a huge bowl! The Shrimp on Room Service Menu were huge!

 

We ate lunch frequently in the outdoor Patio Grill. The Cheeseburgers were the best I have ever tasted. I always added grilled mushrooms and grilled onions. Seabourn is famous for their French Fries. They were FANTASTIC! Everyday they had choice of 2 pizzas that were being made fresh right in front of you! Delicious!! Of course they had lots of great salads and other grilled items. They had great freshly made delicious ice creams and sorbets - changing flavors everyday. Loved the Pistachio Ice Cream.The Manager of the Patio Grill would come over and make sure everything was fine. What incredible Service! ( We felt the hamburgers and pizza on Silversea were inedible!)

 

At the pool -waiters brought around delicious frozen drinks!

 

We always ate Dinner in The Restaurant ( Main Dining Room). Wonderful food choices every night. So many choices. Our favorite waiter( which we requested every night) would make suggestions and if he thought there were 2 great appetizers- he would bring out both. My husband loves fish and thought the fish courses were OUTSTANDING!

The filet which we always ordered double cut -size - was as good as best steak houses we have eaten in. ( Also had delicious peppercorn sauce to put over it). The filet is available every night on the " Classic Menu".

(We also felt the Steak on our last Silversea cruise was inedible).

 

If you want two lobsters - you can order it. If you want to special order something- just tell the chef 24 hours before - My husband special ordered a whole sea bass. They will do anything to please you. Just ask!

 

My husband loves desserts. Our waiter would always bring out 3 desserts for him to try!

The waiters work in teams and do a fabulous job.

Just an example of the efforts they make to please you- On the last night we wanted a table for 10. We went to the manager the night before to request it. All the tables of 10 were taken. So she said she would have the ship's carpenter come and make a new table of 10 to accommodate us. Now that is called AMAZING!

 

We didn't go to Restaurant 2- the specialty restaurant- but some of our friends we met did- and they said it was EXCELLENT!

 

We loved Seabourn Square! They had staff there 24 hours a day to help you with tours, internet or general questions. It was also a great place to go to read newspapers. They had little mini-computers with all the newspapers on them. And of course they had coffee, tea, desserts, and ice cream all day long.

 

Now to the staff and service. Seabourn staff work 4 months on and 2 months off. The staff love that arrangement. On Silversea I think the staff works 8-9 months per contract. So I think they are worn out. Also all the staff is from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa etc.-On Silversea it is mostly Phillippino . We found with the Silversea Waiters- if they didn't understand what you were asking- they were too embarrassed to ask you to repeat. So there was always major communication problems- resulting in problems in restaurants with your requests. The waiters on Seabourn were more polished and professional in everyway.

 

We felt the service on Seabourn in all the restaurants was far SUPERIOR to Silversea. Honestly, there was no comparision.

 

We found on Seabourn every Crew member had the BEST ATTITUDE!

 

We liked that you don't need to make reservations for the restaurants. ( except for Restaurant 2) After touring all day- we could just pop in to the restaurant without having to plan in advance. ( that is why I wouldn't like Oceania- need to make reservations in advance and you are limited to how many reservations you can make in a certain restaurant)

Also we loved the passenger size of the ship. You get to know so many passengers and staff members on a smaller ship. Oceania is too large for us! We would not have had that same personal experience with the Crew. We also wouldn't like waiting in the Lounge for your name to be called for tenders like I heard they do on Oceania. On Seabourn you just get off the ship. Also on Oceania I can't imagine the staff calling you by your name- by the 2nd day-there are too many passengers on the larger Oceania ships for that to happen.

 

Every night before dinner we would meet all our new friends in the Observation Bar- where there was music and the most DELICIOUS snacks-( especially that great guacamole and chips!) (Again Silversea snacks at the bars on our last cruise were not good).

 

The chef onboard our Cruise was Chef Martin. We thanked him at the end for the FABULOUS job he did.

Someone told us they had a Michelin Chef onboard our cruise that was observing and making suggestions to make the food even better. He said they are always looking for ways to make the food even more FABULOUS!

 

We had a Market Galley Lunch one day at sea. It was the most amazing buffet in the Main Dining Room and then you went into the galley where there was more food.

 

We actually never made it to any shows. We always stayed in the dining room until

11:00 P.M. because we ate dinner very late. But people who made it to the shows said they enjoyed them.

 

 

We would never go on any other cruise line. We are hooked now! Everyday of the cruise my husband and I would say" This is the most WONDERFUL EXPERIENCE." We didn't want it to end. We met the most interesting people from all over the world. Every passenger we met was so friendly.

 

Everyone on the cruise we spoke with all felt like we did - saying the cruise was FABULOUS!

 

In conclusion- most of the Seabourn Passengers on our cruise- don't read Cruise Critic, they love Seabourn and they wouldn't sail on any other line.

 

If you are looking for a 5 star experience ( like a Four Seasons experience) then Seabourn is the most FABULOUS cruise line out there. This cruise was one of the highlights of our lives!

We travel all over the world for our business and have stayed in the finest hotels- and this Seabourn Cruise was PERFECT in every way- Service, Food and Attention to Details!

 

How would we describe our Seabourn Cruise! MAGNIFICENT!! FANTASTIC!!! INCREDIBLE!!!

We will never forget it and can't wait to take our next Seabourn cruise.

 

If you want the BEST SERVICE, GREAT FOOD, and a WONDERFUL cruise experience then Seabourn is for you!!

[turnip eater]

You really believed that the "ship's carpenter" made a new table for you:D

[Grandma Gilly]

It ceases to surprise me about different peoples experiences.

 

I am a veteran of Crystal, Seabourn, Silverseas , Azamara plus RCCL, Celebrity, HAL etc. I will be cruising on Oceania for the first time next month.

 

I too was quite underwhelmed by Seabourn. The ship and cabins were fantastic. However the 'oh so subjective' food was very average. We didn't see any chicken for 2 weeks and very little fish. I got absolutely sick of beef in various guises.

 

It will be interesting to see how we fare on Oceania. So far, the best cruise line for me regarding food is Azamara.

Edited June 21, 2014 by Grandma Gilly

[turnip eater]

I too was underwhelmed by Seabourn. I've sailed on Silversea and whenever anyone enters a dining room, a member of staff will always help you. On Seabourn they are too busy chatting to each other. I got the impression that they were there to add another line to their CV, before going into Hotel management. The food was very good, but nowhere near good as Oceania, but better than Silversea....always personal preferences.

 

The Seabourn Square concept is an excellent idea, but to my mind would only work on a smaller ship.

 

We've sailed on Regent,Silversea,Cunard,Seabourn and now we're about to sail on our 4th Oceania cruise, but our first on one of their smaller ships.

[kiawahdon]

What the "I love Seabourn" OP above failed to mention was Seabourn's smoking policy. Smoking on verandas is allowed as well in the Horizons equivalent after 8:00pm. A chain smoker on the veranda next to yours can totally ruin a cruise for many.

We have done several Seabourn cruises, but now they are off our list as we lost the "smoker next door" lottery on our last cruise with them. An expensive cruise negatively impacted because Seabourn will not risk turning away certain clients. We asked for, and received, a refund of a future booking deposit due to this experience.

For us, O does it right in all respects, including their smoking policy.

[wripro]

Personally, I have never been bothered by smoking in over 250 days on Seabourn. I have sailed Oceania several times and love it. It's a wonderful line and the food and service is excellent. But I will not sail on Oceania in anything less than a PH since the regular cabins are simply too small for me. By the time I book a PH, pay for the drinks package, the exorbitant internet prices (much cheaper on SB), I am paying more than on Seabourn. And there is a difference, at least to me. Seabourn is just special. I do love Oceania too though. You really can't go wrong with either.

[kiawahdon]

Personally, I have never been bothered by smoking in over 250 days on Seabourn.

 

I would strongly suggest that you heavily invest in powerball and other lotteries as you obviously win and I seem to loose. On 2 cruises recently, I had a cigar smoker who violated the rules on one, and a chain cigarette smoker on another. Glad you had a lot of days without an issue- we did not.

If you think I am overstating the case, just search the Seabourn web site for smoking. You will spend a day reading the posts.

Edited June 22, 2014 by kiawahdon

[Paulchili]

To dafne,

I am truly happy that you enjoyed Seabourn as much as you did; and you are most certainly entitled to your opinion.

However, how can you compare it to Oceania if you have never sailed with them? It seems to me that your opinion of O is based only on what you have read or heard - am I right about this? How can you be certain that O's food, service, staff and passengers are not much better and nicer than what you experienced on Seabourn? If you still feel that way after you have cruised with Oceania, then your opinion would have more clout.

Open mind is a wonderful thing to have :)

PS It would be nice to hear from the OP again.

Edited June 22, 2014 by Paulchili

[Rami077]

I haven't sailed Seabourn or Oceania (yet; we have a cruise booked for January), so please take my thoughts with a grain (or many grains!) of salt:

 

We (and it seems based on the response to my question, many others) have come to Oceania from HAL. It seems, from what I've read, that Seabourn has inherited many of the same problems as HAL from its corporate overlords, so that would make me very hesitant about an expensive trip on Seabourn. Together with their promotional materials, ("the yachts of Seabourn"? That's not a bit over the top and pretentious?) we chose to try Oceania instead. We're not heavy drinkers, but we enjoy a drink now and then. It takes a lot of drinks (by our standards) to make the packages or the all-you-can-drink look appealing, and I don't see a lot of great advantages to Seabourn. Now, if this were Oceania or Regent Seven Seas, I think that might be a tougher question.

 

We are coming from Celebrity rather than HAL as quoted above. What are the biggest differences we will find? We are doing a back to back in Europe in spring next year.

[Paulchili]

We are coming from Celebrity rather than HAL as quoted above. What are the biggest differences we will find? We are doing a back to back in Europe in spring next year.

 

Far better food and service, calmer atmosphere (no loud concert in the atrium till midnight like we had on the Solstice) but poorer entertainment and more expensive shorex's.

It's addictive - you may never return to Celebrity again :D

[Grandma Gilly]

I had completely forgotten about the smoking issue on Seabourn. One bar was completely out of bounds for us as we couldn't stand the smoke. I think that they either have or are revising their smoking policy.