Ch-ch-ch-changes?

[Aapreciate]

Hi.  We sailed Seabourn in 2015 and absolutely loved it.  Especially the lobster.

 

But now I read on a Quest review that things have really changed?  Can anyone who has sailed recently and also a few years ago compare the experiences for me?  I read that the crew-to-passenger ratio has gotten much worse, service is suffering and the top drawer in food and alcohol is not available.

 

True?  Or not so much?

 

Thanks in advance!

[2SailingNomads]

Definitely was NOT true that things went downhill on our last cruise back in February on the Ovation.  We have been sailing on Seabourn for the past 8 years, going back to the Little Sisters and while things change over time, we have not noticed less crew to pax ratio and I think the spirits have improved over the years.  Food is very subjective and varies from cruise to cruise, but on the last cruise we thought the food was better than on some other ones.  

 

Will be joining a ship in the not too distant future and we have no concerns about slippage of quality.

 

May I suggest you read the Live from the Odyssey post from someone who has sailed on Seabourn before giving their take.  

Edited October 9, 2019 by 2SailingNomads
Add ref to Live post.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Sailed most recently on Ody in August,this is my twentieth year with Seabourn and the food and service was some of the best weve had this time in recent years, sounds like utter rubbish to me.

[raphael360]

9 hours ago, Aapreciate said:

I read that the crew-to-passenger ratio has gotten much worse, service is suffering and the top drawer in food and alcohol is not available.

 

True?  Or not so much?

Assuming this is an honest question and not a rant in disguise; my answer would be "not true". My last 8 cruises on SB since 2015 have been perfect.  Same excellent food, same 'top shelf' alcohol and same excellent service.  I've come to expect 'perfect' on SB and somehow they always manage to exceed my expectations.

 

I'm not exactly sure what is meant by: "the top drawer in food and alcohol is not available".  It's been the same since 2015.  Some food never sees the inside of a drawer and I've never seen alcohol served from a drawer; top, middle our otherwise.  Beer from an ice chest pool side sometimes.

[Aapreciate]

Thanks for the responses. This was absolutely not a rant, an honest question. I read a review of the Quest on this site that said that lobster is no longer on the menu and that the wine list has gone way downhill. It said staffing has gone from 1 staff for 2 passengers to 1 for 3. We are looking at a cruise next year and I’m seriously considering Seabourn. I just wanted to see if that review reflected a common perception. 

 

Our 2015 cruise on Seabourn was my favorite ever. Hoping things are still great. 

Edited October 9, 2019 by Aapreciate

[raphael360]

I do 2-3 SB cruises a year with my last one being Australia. I can tell you lobster is still on the menu and the free wines being offered are what I drink at home. I can’t speak to the exact passenger to crew ratio except to say: I am constantly amazed how good the SB service is cruise over cruise and year over year. 
 

Your right to ask the questions to confirm or deny a random post here. With that being said I have 2 SB cruises booked this year and will book 2 med cruises for next June as soon as I’ll onboard in 2 weeks. 
 

[Host Dan]

I've done 2 cruise on SB in the past year.  I haven't seen any slip in service or food etc.  I have over 250 days on board and have sailed with SB since the late 90's.

[markham]

I would have stopped taking the review seriously when I read 1:2 went to 1:3. Seabourn is very close to 1:1 and always has been with the Ody class ships slightly “more so” than the Encore class ships.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Covepointcruiser]

The only recent negative I have heard is about the set aside deck areas that you can only get access to by paying extra.   Other than that, things have not changed.   The wines are okay but may not be as good as those you drink at home.

[markham]

The deck area you are referring to is my pet peeve: the Retreat. It is only on the Encore and Ovation. Not on  the Odyssey, Quest or Sojourn, irrespective of what the erroneous deck plans of those ships show. (Apparently Seabourn marketing people have never been on the ships...)

 

The Retreat is a poor, money-grabber of an idea, in my opinion. But if someone wants to spend $350 per day for a top deck airless cabana with TV, lounge chairs and champagne but no views in order to retreat from hoi polloi then go for it! As for me I will save the dosh and head for my suite. Too bad though for Encore and Ovation passengers that the deck sports area found on Ody, Soj and Quest was sacrificed for this nonsense.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[wesport]

We were on the Ovation in June, and it was fantastic. No complaints here. 

[cruiser02]

There is no Retreat on the Quest  Interesting that it is on the deck plans

[saminina]

On 10/9/2019 at 12:29 PM, Host Dan said:

I've done 2 cruise on SB in the past year.  I haven't seen any slip in service or food etc.  I have over 250 days on board and have sailed with SB since the late 90's.

 

Thanks for the laugh. 

[Heather White]

We used to be given little illustrated guide books on the area we were visiting.... Not on our two more recent cruises.

[DCCruiser57]

Found an article that states Odyssey class ships have 330 crew for 458 passengers or a ratio of 1:1.38.

[SLSD]

3 hours ago, Heather White said:

We used to be given little illustrated guide books on the area we were visiting.... Not on our two more recent cruises.

We have received these on our two recent cruises.  Perhaps they are not available for every locale.  

[1901Phil]

Disembarked from Odyssey last Saturday. We thought the service onboard was as good if not better than our previous cruise last year on Odyssey and that food in the MDR was improved both in quality and choice

[margbem]

1 hour ago, 1901Phil said:

Disembarked from Odyssey last Saturday. We thought the service onboard was as good if not better than our previous cruise last year on Odyssey and that food in the MDR was improved both in quality and choice

Still on the Odyssey at the moment. Food superb, service excellent, complimentary wines very good.....

[galeforce9]

19 minutes ago, margbem said:

Still on the Odyssey at the moment. Food superb, service excellent, complimentary wines very good.....

Margbem. Do you know whether the chef is staying on for much longer?  I hope so 

[margbem]

3 minutes ago, galeforce9 said:

Margbem. Do you know whether the chef is staying on for much longer?  I hope so 

 I will ask for you.

[galeforce9]

6 minutes ago, margbem said:

 I will ask for you.

Thank you.  

[margbem]

Tonight's menus.

[margbem]

Not very good with technology!

[Isklaar]

15 minutes ago, margbem said:

Tonight's menus.

 

Thank you! I was just about to open a new thread to ask if anyone could post a copy of a current menu/s 

[margbem]

7 hours ago, margbem said:

 I will ask for you.

Chef is on until end of November.