Seaborne Source App

[florisdekort]

On 10/21/2022 at 10:03 AM, JPH814 said:

The purpose of my post was to commend Seabourn for the effort and alert future cruisers for the pitfalls.  5 years from now the app will be fixed, the Wi-Fi will be better and the customer base will evolve.   All for the better. 

Sadly a small number of people doesn’t allow you to post anything positive on this forum any more. 
 

[MBP&O2/O]

As far as I can see the App functions on IOS and Android but not Windows. Personally I can use it on a tablet ... even with my sausage fingers ... but with a phone? No chance. The text / view area is far too small for my aging eyes, plus my phone is quite old and not as powerful as modern ones.

[Mr Luxury]

10 hours ago, florisdekort said:

Sadly a small number of people doesn’t allow you to post anything positive on this forum any more. 
 

They drink so quickly that their glass is always half empty.

[FlyerTalker]

On 10/22/2022 at 9:32 PM, florisdekort said:

Sadly a small number of people doesn’t allow you to post anything positive on this forum any more.

 

Sorry -- my pom poms were confiscated as being a potential fire hazard.  Ditto with the big megaphone with the "S" on the side.

[frantic36]

6 hours ago, FlyerTalker said:

 

Sorry -- my pom poms were confiscated as being a potential fire hazard.  Ditto with the big megaphone with the "S" on the side.

 

 

Funny, however you prove a point. Anyone who dares to discuss they had a good time on Seabourn is labelled a cheerleader on this board these days. It seems to be a competition to see who can complain and find the most negatives to prove who is the more sophisticated critic for cruise critic.

 

Thankfully when onboard those same critics are in the minority and coincidently seem to also have the most online presence on social media platforms.The rest of us get on with enjoying our holiday.

[SLSD]

On 10/22/2022 at 11:32 PM, florisdekort said:

Sadly a small number of people doesn’t allow you to post anything positive on this forum any more. 
 

I don't think it really works to criticize posters for what they have to say.  I agree with you that we get more criticisms of Seabourn than praise here.  That is just how message boards work.  And this is why I sometimes ask the posters to be sure to tell us about the good things they are experiencing.  But, please, let people write what they choose to write.  All of us are free to discount what we see as unimportant or exaggerated.  

Edited October 24, 2022 by SLSD

[Catlover54]

4 minutes ago, SLSD said:

I don't think it really works to criticize posters for what they have to say.  I agree with you that we get more criticisms of Seabourn than praise here.  That is just how message boards work.  And this is why I sometimes ask the posters to be sure to tell us about the good things they are experiencing.  But, please, let people write what they choose to write.  All of us are free to discount what we see as unimportant or exaggerated.  

 

Indeed, that is how chat boards usually work. Of course, if CC, like some social media, explicitly stated they only want to hear about good things, then anything questioning the happy order of the day  would be a an inappropriate rules violation. However, I still don't think we see  overwhelmingy negative things about SB on this forum, (most people who take the time to live blog and note negatives, also note positives). It's just that *anything* negative is unfortunately construed as an all out unfounded, silly, and even fraudulent attack not just on SB, but oddly also on themselves as individuals.

 

Readers who don't like the posting patterns of certain posters also have the freedom to use the "block" function that CC offers, the equivalent of "avert your gaze", and I'm puzzled why that does not happen more often. 

[Isklaar]

6 hours ago, SLSD said:

I don't think it really works to criticize posters for what they have to say.  I agree with you that we get more criticisms of Seabourn than praise here.  That is just how message boards work.  And this is why I sometimes ask the posters to be sure to tell us about the good things they are experiencing.  But, please, let people write what they choose to write.  All of us are free to discount what we see as unimportant or exaggerated.  

 

People should of course be able to write what they choose to write, within CC guidelines.  But that has to work both ways, meaning that the negative posters should allow others to discuss their positive experiences.  

 

 

 

Edited October 25, 2022 by Isklaar
Grammar

[Catlover54]

Just now, Isklaar said:

 

People should of course be able to write what they choose to write, within CC guidelines of course.  But that has to work both ways, meaning that the negative posters should allow others to discuss their positive experiences.  

 

 

 

Who's stopping positive posters from writing positive stuff?

[frantic36]

55 minutes ago, Catlover54 said:

Who's stopping positive posters from writing positive stuff?

No-one is stopping people writing positive things but those with a negative experience seem to take up a lot space on the board.

 

When a post is positive it gets a "thanks very much and good to hear" which is nice to receive. But the negative experience is discussed ad infinitum to the smallest detail by others piling on with how they also had a bad experience even if it was awhile ago. I am sure that it makes for a certain anxiety and even expectation by newcomers and those who haven't sailed on Seabourn for awhile to expect the worst.

 

I have a Grand Voyage coming up in a couple of months and I am looking forward to it. Whatever will be will be. Stuff happens. For example I am currently on Lord Howe Island. Because of high winds and small aircraft they have had to cancel flights two days in a row and people have fingers crossed for tomorrow. The people I have chatted to who have flights cancelled have remained upbeat and positive even though they have to rearrange business meetings etc. My return flight isn't until Saturday and the weather predicted is looking good.

 

And yes I have blocked some people but some on here do write interesting blogs about ports so I have to try and skim through the negativity to learn about ports.

[Isklaar]

7 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

No-one is stopping people writing positive things but those with a negative experience seem to take up a lot space on the board.

 

When a post is positive it gets a "thanks very much and good to hear" which is nice to receive. But the negative experience is discussed ad infinitum to the smallest detail by others piling on with how they also had a bad experience even if it was awhile ago. I am sure that it makes for a certain anxiety and even expectation by newcomers and those who haven't sailed on Seabourn for awhile to expect the worst.

 

I have a Grand Voyage coming up in a couple of months and I am looking forward to it. Whatever will be will be. Stuff happens. For example I am currently on Lord Howe Island. Because of high winds and small aircraft they have had to cancel flights two days in a row and people have fingers crossed for tomorrow. The people I have chatted to who have flights cancelled have remained upbeat and positive even though they have to rearrange business meetings etc. My return flight isn't until Saturday and the weather predicted is looking good.

 

And yes I have blocked some people but some on here do write interesting blogs about ports so I have to try and skim through the negativity to learn about ports.

 

Julie I was just about to write a response but you've expressed it much better than I could.

Great post, thank you. 

[lincslady]

Ditto.

[Mr Luxury]

Safe flight back Julie.

[SLSD]

3 hours ago, Isklaar said:

 

People should of course be able to write what they choose to write, within CC guidelines.  But that has to work both ways, meaning that the negative posters should allow others to discuss their positive experiences.  

 

 

 

I totally agree.  No one is going to see things in exactly the same way.  One of the benefits of reading posts on Cruise Critic is being able to read posts from all points of view.  I've noticed that we have people who say that they pay a lot of money to cruise on SB--so everything should be top notch at all times and those who say that staffing issues are happening on all cruise lines and we have to be patient.  As with most things, the actual situation is probably somewhere in between.  

[calm down dear]

Yesterday I encountered 2 couples who had missed their tour as they had not been reminded of their tour. They had been on board awhile and completely forgot. It’s not that you don’t get tickets, you also don’t get a reminder, except if you go into source and you will get a banner saying “tour today” but many older people are not glued to their phones. Their pleas at Seabourn square didn’t work.

Today for the first time I recall, CD Ross was making a big thing of “always check the source, your tickets are there, you must access it and then navigate to the wallet section and tickets are there” - sorry but this is not on for many of the guests and today we helped a couple access stuff. I simply don’t understand why you can’t have a paper reminder for something you have paid for but we get spa and boutique flyers daily.

[calm down dear]

20 hours ago, SLSD said:

I totally agree.  No one is going to see things in exactly the same way.  One of the benefits of reading posts on Cruise Critic is being able to read posts from all points of view.  I've noticed that we have people who say that they pay a lot of money to cruise on SB--so everything should be top notch at all times and those who say that staffing issues are happening on all cruise lines and we have to be patient.  As with most things, the actual situation is probably somewhere in between.  

Yes and therein lies the issue/problem for Seabourn and similar - if you are charging a significant premium over say Norwegian or Cunard what is the premium for - and that’s the conundrum as some guests will say - oh the cabin, others less people, others “free drink”, others food etc etc, trouble is once you pare down some aspects you risk upsetting some. We, for example, would have no issue at all if “shows” were less frequent if that meant retaining aspects we do like.

[MBP&O2/O]

Am I correct in thinking .... if you go on an excursion you have to present your electronic ticket as proof of purchase and therefore you are almost  'obliged' to take your phone with you when you are ashore?

 

Long gone are the days when I switched mine off at the departure airport and left it off until we got back😏

[CalmSea]

5 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Am I correct in thinking .... if you go on an excursion you have to present your electronic ticket as proof of purchase and therefore you are almost  'obliged' to take your phone with you when you are ashore?

 

Long gone are the days when I switched mine off at the departure airport and left it off until we got back😏

You don't have to present your electronic ticket. They checked your cabin number multiple times. It does help to have the electronic ticket handy though. We once had the experience where, to determine which bus we should get on, they couldn't find our cabin number. When I show my electronic ticket, the attendant said, "Oh, you are on this tour", and find our cabin number. So, an electronic ticket is just a backup. However, you do have to show up for the tour!

 

My opinion is that, for excursion tickets, a paper reminder should be the default. Maybe there should be an option for someone to opt out of receiving a paper reminder, if they don't want wasted paper.

[calm down dear]

8 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Am I correct in thinking .... if you go on an excursion you have to present your electronic ticket as proof of purchase and therefore you are almost  'obliged' to take your phone with you when you are ashore?

 

Long gone are the days when I switched mine off at the departure airport and left it off until we got back😏

Yes you need to have a phone. At the steps to the bus the “independent” tour guide operator ie NOT a Seabourn person insists on your tickets on your phone and she scans them with her phone. Again today multiple announcements that “your tickets are only in the wallet section of the source”. I’ve sort of been surprised that most are ok - maybe the covid passes and qr codes for menus etc on land these past 2 years has forced everyone to be tech savvy/ compliant. It is still though to me not luxury to not have a choice and worse no reminders. 

[nancygp]

9 hours ago, MBP&O2/O said:

Am I correct in thinking .... if you go on an excursion you have to present your electronic ticket as proof of purchase and therefore you are almost  'obliged' to take your phone with you when you are ashore?

 

Long gone are the days when I switched mine off at the departure airport and left it off until we got back😏

I’m currently on the quest and have taken a few shore excursions…never been asked to show or present our electronic tickets in the wallet…they just asked us our suite number…easy peasey

 

i do carry my phone with me as it’s my camera during excursions 

 

Nancy

Edited October 26, 2022 by nancygp

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, nancygp said:

I’m currently on the quest and have taken a few shore excursions…never been asked to show or present our electronic tickets in the wallet…they just asked us our suite number…easy peasey

 

i do carry my phone with me as it’s my camera during excursions 

 

Nancy

Perhaps this varies from port to port?  At any rate, I have determined that I need to get busy becoming app before our next SB cruise. 

 

[nancygp]

10 minutes ago, SLSD said:

Perhaps this varies from port to port?  At any rate, I have determined that I need to get busy becoming app before our next SB cruise. 

 

Could be..didn’t need to show in Norway on the ovation in august..just sharing the facts from my experiences 

[Sunviking]

I recently sailed on the Ovation for 2 weeks and did several Seabourn shore excursions.  I never had to show an electronic ticket on my phone.  As Nancygp said all I had to do was give my suite number.  I do like paper reminders, but in the final analysis shouldn't we all have to take a little personal responsibility for what we have booked?

[phillipahain]

On 10/20/2022 at 1:45 PM, JPH814 said:

Currently on board the 

 

but I fear for some  Seabourn customers the technology might be a bit ambitious    I spent some time the first 2 days in Seabourn Square dealing with a personal issue. Clearly  given the time of year and itinerary, the demographic on this cruise skews older.  Guest after guest was waiting in line to see a staff person to ask how to use the app.  How to sign on.  “Why can’t you print me a copy of my itinerary?”  “ where is the pass for my excursion?”  And “ why does the internet not work for me?”  

 
 

I wish the Seabourn Source App would work well    it cant even be loaded onto one of my tablets and there was ZERO WARNING  that a smart phone is needed for tour tickets etc plus the need for WiFi to even operate same ...clearly Seabourn ignores the Older Crowd or those who do not Data Roam in far flung corners of the world ...in fact for several days now Internet has been extreneky hit and miss on the ship depending on satellite position even the Ships Bridge do not rely on it we were reliably informed during a bridge tour 

[calm down dear]

20 hours ago, Sunviking said:

I recently sailed on the Ovation for 2 weeks and did several Seabourn shore excursions.  I never had to show an electronic ticket on my phone.  As Nancygp said all I had to do was give my suite number.  I do like paper reminders, but in the final analysis shouldn't we all have to take a little personal responsibility for what we have booked?

 Well let’s just say maybe Encore are trialling something new but I can say with certainty today what happened who tried your approach. 2 couples walked down gangway and saw the Seabourn shore excursion rep at the bottom and declared their suite number and tour, they were asked about tickets but not sure they understood but they were pointed to bus 5 down at the port entrance. We walked the 400 yards behind them down to port entrance where the tour operator asked for their tickets to scan. They didn’t have them, and suite number alone not acceptable they had to walk back to gangway to get a Seabourn rep who came down and after a while of phone frustration they got on board the bus. 
So Nancy and Sunviking you are right, just don’t expect it to be easy. They held the bus up and no one wants that. 
Again tonight we had an announcement about delayed arrival tomorrow and another long notice about you must bring your “Seabourn source wallet”.