Live from Seabourn Encore

[RustyRollock]

The cabanas look very comfortable but do they have an ocean view? When we're on a ship we like to see the sea! If we want some privacy, peace and quiet I think we'll stick to our "free" suite and veranda.

[Suite Travels]

As promised a bit more information on the retreat.

 

Cost of entry is $350 per suite per day.

 

One of the cabanas

 

Looking across to the bar

 

The bar

 

A general overview

 

Retreat cocktails menu

Retreat food menu

 

 

Time will tell how many people pay to play. I suspect there will be a number of complimentary passes use for loyal customers or to placate customers who have had problems.

 

Henry

 

Do you think we are able to order Caviar? Are the appetizer's the only food option on the menu?

[sppunk]

Encore looks absolutely stunning. Thank you for taking the time to share her with us.

[oregon50]

whoops!

Edited December 9, 2016 by oregon50

[Able Seaman H]

Yes, of course you can order caviar. As I understand it the food menu is intended to represent venue specific choices. I have no doubt they will work to accommodate requests of food widely available through room service or possibly the Patio Grill.

 

No, there is no sea view although you could easily use the loungers forward on deck 12. As far as I'm aware these are not exclusively for Retreat users so you would be rubbing shoulders will the hordinary passengers !

 

Henry :)

[frantic36]

Henry thank you again for the great photos and information.

 

Just a quick question when you have time. Based on your experience do you think it is wise to book TK in advance before we board? We usually are impulsive with our dining so we have not been sure what to do. :o

 

Part of the reason for our indecision is when the first formal night is likely to occur?

 

Cheers,

 

Julie

Edited December 9, 2016 by frantic36

[eliana]

Another question for AbleSeaman. According to the brochure Veranda suites on Encore have inside space of between 246 and 302 sq ft. This compares with 300 for the Odyssey ships. Is this difference noticeable and are V5 towards the bottom or top end of the range.

[Able Seaman H]

I think we may have discovered the answer to the perfect night out.

 

Eat Sushi.

 

Yep, that would appear to be the foundation of a perfect night. Then pop into the theatre for a Beatles tribute act which had people dancing on the dance floor - I kid you not !

 

Then a cheeky drink at the TK bar. Superb cocktails, sublime vocals and piano, then a second helping of the Beatles tribute act and finally a night cap in the Club singing away to the bands.

 

Sushi was delicious and the staff super friendly helping out with menu choice. Go for the BBQ eel. It sounds wrong but tastes heavenly.

 

I'm not sure you need to Book TK in advance. During a 2 week cruise I think the work to ensure you get a couple of bites of the TK cherry. Speak to the team there and they will try to accommodate you.

 

Henry :)

 

I think the cabins are, for the most part exactly what you are used to on Odyssey class ships. The smaller cabins will be the odd ones which form part of larger accommodation.

[Mr Luxury]

Henry,

 

Lay off the Glenryck pilchards in tomato sauce with your alcohol consumption if you and shazza get amorous.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Edited December 9, 2016 by Mr Luxury

[frantic36]

I think we may have discovered the answer to the perfect night out.

 

Eat Sushi.

 

Yep, that would appear to be the foundation of a perfect night. Then pop into the theatre for a Beatles tribute act which had people dancing on the dance floor - I kid you not !

 

Then a cheeky drink at the TK bar. Superb cocktails, sublime vocals and piano, then a second helping of the Beatles tribute act and finally a night cap in the Club singing away to the bands.

 

Sushi was delicious and the staff super friendly helping out with menu choice. Go for the BBQ eel. It sounds wrong but tastes heavenly.

 

I'm not sure you need to Book TK in advance. During a 2 week cruise I think the work to ensure you get a couple of bites of the TK cherry. Speak to the team there and they will try to accommodate you.

 

Henry :)

 

 

Thanks for the reassurance Henry. I know it might be a bit different as the next two segments are fully booked. I am willing to gamble and be flexible with our dining time.

 

Your "perfect night" sounds excellent to me. Though I am not sure on the BBQ eel as I'm not a fan.

 

 

Henry,

 

Lay off the Glenryck pilchards in tomato sauce with your alcohol consumption if you and shazza get amorous.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

 

I am very sad we won't get to sail with you and Mrs L on this cruise.

 

The only positive note is we might have a bigger selection of premium wines and champagnes left when we get on. The pickings were mighty slim last year after the Cape Town cruise when you got off and we got on the next cruise. :cool:

 

Julie

[Les Picantins]

Your "perfect night" sounds excellent to me. Though I am not sure on the BBQ eel as I'm not a fan.

 

Julie

 

It sounds better than andouiette (private joke) ;)

[frantic36]

Your "perfect night" sounds excellent to me. Though I am not sure on the BBQ eel as I'm not a fan.

 

Julie

 

It sounds better than andouiette (private joke) ;)

 

LOL........you know me, I had to try it once.:D

 

Julie

[lincslady]

Julie - at least you know what is in smoked or barbecued eel, unlike andouillette.

 

Henry - or anyone - re The Retreat, it appears to me to be essentially a place to be peaceful without hoi polloi around you, as there is obviously a maximum number going to be there at any one time. Maybe I am a cheapskate, but cannot really see it being worth spending so much extra on, apart it appears from Bollinger being on offer.

[eliana]

Is visiting the retreat one of the freebie options available to platinum Seabourn society members?

[Harvey2442]

Henry first thank you for all the information you have given us already - turning to the retreat besides the cabanas there are other seats and loungers are they available to any one and if so are they also entitled to the special cocktails and food items or is the whole area only available to those who hire a cabana?

[lincslady]

As far as I can see from the info. on the website on the Club, no freebies at the Retreat even for Diamond or the new Diamond Elite members.

[Able Seaman H]

To enter the Retreat you have to rent a Cabana at $350 per suite. There is additional seating to the space inside the cabana set around the central hot tub.

 

Is it value for money? Well that will of course depend on the individual. It is not for me to judge someone's spending habits. In terms of tangible reward the Bollinger champagne is your main item. The staff are of course lovely, there is a private kitchen area, bar and the whole place is peaceful.

 

My suspicions are that it will be used to reward loyal customers and placate guests who's experiences have fallen short of Seabourn's usual standards alongside normal paying guests. I'm not sure it will be listed as a specific benefit although the new loyalty level recently created would seem an ideal candidate for a complimentary day.

 

There will inevitably be those who value hitting deck 12 on the lift buttons when they want to take in some fresh air. You do have to remember that Seabourn has a small selection of guests who's wealth far exceeds normal standards and to whom $350 wouldn't even register. $250,000 ++ for a week's yacht charter makes Seabourn cheap, even with a larger cabin, daily access to The Retreat and a few select bottles of plonk.

 

Henry :)

[binbin854]

Thanks for all the photos and feedback. When I booked our cruise on Encore I was told by seabourn that the retreat Area chaises are is open to anyone and that only the cabanas are at a cost. I asked about this specifically. Is this incorrect?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

[lincslady]

Thanks for all the photos and feedback. When I booked our cruise on Encore I was told by seabourn that the retreat Area chaises are is open to anyone and that only the cabanas are at a cost. I asked about this specifically. Is this incorrect?

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums mobile app

 

I am really surprised to read this - I would have thought the whole area was only for the paying guests. Maybe you can find out sometime, Henry.

[lincslady]

Just looked on the SB site - 15 cabanas for 2 and 30 sunloungers - sounds a bit private to me?

[chillcruising]

Looking at the brochure I am under the impression the sun beds at the front on deck 12 are for anyone's use and I will be very disappointed if they become part of the fee paying Cabana area. This space is my favourite go to place for catching the sun and peace and quiet for reading a book. I think the Shuffleboard may have disappeared for the sake of the Cabanas which was also a favourite little competition between us [emoji17]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[Harvey2442]

Thank you for your reply Henry - Looking at the plans the Retreat seems almost as large as the patio area which leads me onto a further question - am I correct that the open patio area on deck 9 is about the same length as on the Odyssey class although it is wider by the increased beam and that the number of tables for eating at the grill is also about the same. Certainly from the actual photos of the ship this is the impression given. If so I do wonder how crowded it will be when the ship carries her full compliment.

 

I hadn't realised that the lifeboats/tenders were double deckers until I saw the photos do these therefore restrict the walking space on deck 5.

 

Finally I think you said that for breakfast and lunch those eating in the Colonnade are able to use the out door area of the TK restaurant which in the evening will be used solely by those in the TK restaurant - have I understood that correctly

[lincslady]

Looking at the brochure I am under the impression the sun beds at the front on deck 12 are for anyone's use and I will be very disappointed if they become part of the fee paying Cabana area. This space is my favourite go to place for catching the sun and peace and quiet for reading a book. I think the Shuffleboard may have disappeared for the sake of the Cabanas which was also a favourite little competition between us [emoji17]

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I am sure that the sun beds at the bow end are for anyone's use. It was just those in the Retreat area I was doubtful about. Only 30? I can imagine people going up at 6 a.m. to 'bag' one if they are open to all.;)

[Able Seaman H]

My understanding is that the whole Retreat area is exclusively for paying guests. The sun beds on the front of deck 12 can be accessed by anyone. Until told differently I would assume that to be the case. I will ask the specific question.

 

In terms of having "restricted" areas the Retreat is very discreet to the point where many guests wouldn't be aware of it's existence. When accessed via the stairs forward of the pool you have to go round a narrow corner and walk round 3 sides of a square to get in. It certainly isn't an in your face area that you feel herd done by not getting into.

 

We won't be paying $350 to access it, for one thing on the next cruise Emily wouldn't be allowed in at 16 regardless of how well behaved she is. Do I feel hard done by, well there's plenty on the ship to keep me amused and where I feel I'm having a bit of a deal not having to pay. Specifically I'm thinking Sushi at night, The Grill by TK including the lovely bar area.

 

A couple of niggles, the lack of a laundry is poor especially when you want to quickly iron a shirt. It is being sorted, not sure when. The other thing which doesn't work is the bar in the club. They don't have ice or spirits behind the bar so have to keep popping into the kitchen area to make drinks leaving the bar unattended. It can take a while to order and get a drink. A design failure I'm afraid. I'm sure it can and will be sorted but as operating now a 4/10 despite the best efforts of staff.

 

These are however minor issues which fail to put a dent in what is an excellent cruise experience.

 

Henry :)

[Mr Luxury]

I still think that the retreat will go the same way as the old spa massage suites on the odyssey class ships.

The area will be used by crew for their party's

I cannot see Seabourn guests wanting to pay the $350 to use it

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums