Aapreciate Posted October 9, 2019 #1 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted October 9, 2019 #2 Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tillylovesseabourn Posted October 9, 2019 #3 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raphael360 Posted October 9, 2019 #4 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aapreciate Posted October 9, 2019 Author #5 Share Posted October 9, 2019 (edited) 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
raphael360 Posted October 9, 2019 #6 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Host Dan Posted October 9, 2019 #7 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markham Posted October 9, 2019 #8 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Covepointcruiser Posted October 9, 2019 #9 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markham Posted October 9, 2019 #10 Share Posted October 9, 2019 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! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wesport Posted October 10, 2019 #11 Share Posted October 10, 2019 We were on the Ovation in June, and it was fantastic. No complaints here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cruiser02 Posted October 12, 2019 #12 Share Posted October 12, 2019 There is no Retreat on the Quest Interesting that it is on the deck plans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saminina Posted October 12, 2019 #13 Share Posted October 12, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heather White Posted October 13, 2019 #14 Share Posted October 13, 2019 We used to be given little illustrated guide books on the area we were visiting.... Not on our two more recent cruises. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DCCruiser57 Posted October 13, 2019 #15 Share Posted October 13, 2019 Found an article that states Odyssey class ships have 330 crew for 458 passengers or a ratio of 1:1.38. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLSD Posted October 14, 2019 #16 Share Posted October 14, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
1901Phil Posted October 15, 2019 #17 Share Posted October 15, 2019 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 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margbem Posted October 15, 2019 #18 Share Posted October 15, 2019 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..... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted October 15, 2019 #19 Share Posted October 15, 2019 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margbem Posted October 15, 2019 #20 Share Posted October 15, 2019 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. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
galeforce9 Posted October 15, 2019 #21 Share Posted October 15, 2019 6 minutes ago, margbem said: I will ask for you. Thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margbem Posted October 15, 2019 #22 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Tonight's menus. 1 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margbem Posted October 15, 2019 #23 Share Posted October 15, 2019 Not very good with technology! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isklaar Posted October 15, 2019 #24 Share Posted October 15, 2019 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 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
margbem Posted October 15, 2019 #25 Share Posted October 15, 2019 7 hours ago, margbem said: I will ask for you. Chef is on until end of November. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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