Seabourn and HAL Convergence

[2SailingNomads]

On 9/24/2024 at 11:50 AM, markham said:

...

I do not know Regent yet but have been discouraged to book their older ships and tempted into booking the newish Splendor. Now, that is some story by all accounts!

 

I have been on Regent 3 times now Grandeur once and Splendor twice.  I would not sail on one of their older ships as they do not have the same restaurants but loved the 3 cruises we did and have 2 more booked for 2025.  

I know there are folks who do not like the concept of paying for included tours they might not want to partake of but for me I evaluate a cruise (or land vacation) by do I get to travel where I want to in the accommodations I desire at a price that makes sense to me.  I look at paying for the included tours similar to having to pay a "resort fee" for things I am never going to use (morning yoga class, photography class, whatever...) I enjoy the Regent on-board experience, including a pickleball court, attractive ships, and the food options.  

[SLSD]

On another Seabourn social meda site, it has been announced that afternoon tea is going to every other day.  Someone posted a photo of the printed schedule--and it was tea on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, instead of  most every afternoon This is disconcerting as we often availed ourselves of tea--not to have the tower of sweets, but to have a pot of tea and perhaps a sonce or cucumber sandwich.  If you put this cut together with the discontinuation of the early rise coffee/tea/ pastry in the Obs Lounge, I am beginning to get a bit concerned.  It is this lower key experiences that I valued at Seabourn.  

[Sunprince]

1 hour ago, SLSD said:

On another Seabourn social meda site, it has been announced that afternoon tea is going to every other day.  Someone posted a photo of the printed schedule--and it was tea on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, instead of  most every afternoon This is disconcerting as we often availed ourselves of tea--not to have the tower of sweets, but to have a pot of tea and perhaps a sonce or cucumber sandwich.  If you put this cut together with the discontinuation of the early rise coffee/tea/ pastry in the Obs Lounge, I am beginning to get a bit concerned.  It is this lower key experiences that I valued at Seabourn.  

I don’t get overly excited about partaking in afternoon tea but I do think it is integral to a luxury cruise. If Seabourn is reducing tea service I don’t know what they are thinking…the cost of tea and a few sweets is not that a significant saving.

 

The best afternoon tea I have seen is on Regent, it’s very well done with different themes each day and excellent scones and sweets offered.  

[Hlitner]

On our recent 21 day Encore cruise, we noticed that tea was only served 3 days per week.  That being said, the one time we happened to be in the Observation Bar, when they had tea, it was sparsely attended by fewer than a dozen cruisers.   The effort to provide tea to those few was substantial as we watched staff put white tablecloths on dozens of tables (few of which were ever used) as well as the place settings.  There was the usual tea and goodies, but very few takers.

 

The questions one might ask is should SB go through the effort to provide daily tea with very few users?  Some would argue that the event should be there for those who want to partake and others might argue that the staff and effort could be put to better use (such as providing better service to the larger numbers who sit in Seabourn Square.  

 

I should add that we have also noticed cut-backs on formal tea on some other lines.  Why?  DW is a tea drinker/lover but she has long avoided the formal teas on cruises.  Why?  She prefers to avoid the temptation of all the treats (scones, pastries, sandwiches, etc) since we will be back in the Observation Bar about 6 for cocktails, the small buffet, and perhaps some caviar.  

 

Hank

[SLSD]

33 minutes ago, Hlitner said:

On our recent 21 day Encore cruise, we noticed that tea was only served 3 days per week.  That being said, the one time we happened to be in the Observation Bar, when they had tea, it was sparsely attended by fewer than a dozen cruisers.   The effort to provide tea to those few was substantial as we watched staff put white tablecloths on dozens of tables (few of which were ever used) as well as the place settings.  There was the usual tea and goodies, but very few takers.

 

The questions one might ask is should SB go through the effort to provide daily tea with very few users?  Some would argue that the event should be there for those who want to partake and others might argue that the staff and effort could be put to better use (such as providing better service to the larger numbers who sit in Seabourn Square.  

 

I should add that we have also noticed cut-backs on formal tea on some other lines.  Why?  DW is a tea drinker/lover but she has long avoided the formal teas on cruises.  Why?  She prefers to avoid the temptation of all the treats (scones, pastries, sandwiches, etc) since we will be back in the Observation Bar about 6 for cocktails, the small buffet, and perhaps some caviar.  

 

Hank

Wow,  I have seen lots of people taking tea on our Seabourn cruises on Sojourn, Ovation, and Encore--each time we cruise.  We need to acknowlege that not all cruisers are alike--not all of us like the same things.  We tend to enjoy the quieter more serene activities--tea, early riser tea/coffee/pastries in the OBs Lounge and lunch/breakfast in the MDR.  I am beginning to think that the things we really enjoy are being cut.  Perhaps we are total outliers and not typical cruisers.  

 

Edited to add:  I just mentioned this to Mr. SLSD and he confirms that on every cruise we have been on--virtually every table in the OBs Lounge has been occupied at tea.  It has been a very popular thing on our cruises--in the Med, Japan, Alaska, Baltic, Northern Europe, Iceland, Norway.  

 

IF it does indeed become more limited--fewer people will attend as it is more difficult to plan around an MWF schedule than an everyday schedule.  When you know it is going to be everyday, you can decide to attend at the last moment--knowing it will be there.  Sometimes on a cruise, I even forget what day of the week it is.  Maybe I"m an outlier there as well.  

Edited Thursday at 02:43 PM by SLSD

[stan01]

Encore mostly does 7 day port intensive itineraries in the summer.  I'd expect fewer people at afternoon tea on port days than on sea days.  What's the alternative?  I realize some want to just call room service (and wait) but we'd prefer to walk up and get something to eat when hungry.  We don't want to queue or wait for 15, 30, or 60 minutes.  That gets back to Seabourn's strategy on this, if they are trying to bring down the average age by 10 or 20 years they still have to provide a service enough people want to fill the ships at fares they can sustain the business on.  If the strategy is they are trying to eek out as much revenue as possible from these ships until they can sell them off then we will just see the cost cutting.  I'm older Gen-X, and I actually prefer self-service for things like tea, coffee, and snacks.  There are a lot of baby boomers and younger who feel the same way.

[SLSD]

25 minutes ago, stan01 said:

Encore mostly does 7 day port intensive itineraries in the summer.  I'd expect fewer people at afternoon tea on port days than on sea days.  What's the alternative?  I realize some want to just call room service (and wait) but we'd prefer to walk up and get something to eat when hungry.  We don't want to queue or wait for 15, 30, or 60 minutes.  That gets back to Seabourn's strategy on this, if they are trying to bring down the average age by 10 or 20 years they still have to provide a service enough people want to fill the ships at fares they can sustain the business on.  If the strategy is they are trying to eek out as much revenue as possible from these ships until they can sell them off then we will just see the cost cutting.  I'm older Gen-X, and I actually prefer self-service for things like tea, coffee, and snacks.  There are a lot of baby boomers and younger who feel the same way.

And then there are those of us who don't mind self service (Obs Lounge early riser tea/coffee pastries).  There is no wait--a beautiful view etc. 

 

Most morning excursions/self exploring can be finished by 4pm in most smaller ports--and we have always found afternoon tea a nice relaxing activity.  We don't care for Seabourn Square and only rarely have a snack/coffee/tea there.  What we didn't like on our summer 2024 cruise on Sojourn was how MANY times we had to use Room Service due to a total lack of other choices.  If the weather was too cold/rainy etc for lunch on the Patio, the Colonnade was a zoo, and the outside Veranda too cold as well.  Some people couldn't even GET Room Service because they were too busy.  More than on e person told met that they were told by Room Service that there were 50 orders ahead of them and the wait time would be too long.  

 

Both of us are beginning to reassess our loyalty to Seabourn--not just based on what has been reported here or elsewhere, but based on our experience this summer.  No cruise booked yet.  

 

I do find the short 7 day cruises to be an issue.  Yes, they attract a younger clientele as most can take a week long vacation.  But, if the whole leisurely cruise experience is changed because of short itineraries,  we will not be interested.  We like to take longer cruises and enjoy the serenity and leisure of being on an ocean going ship.  

Edited Thursday at 03:34 PM by SLSD

[Robisan]

12 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

On the Encore last month there was no early risers in the Obs Bar and Seabourn Square did close at 6 (I just looked at a copy of the Herald to confirm the Square closing time).

Boo, hiss. In addition to early risers for me, we often skip dessert at dinner and stop by the Square a little later for some gelato or something sweet. If this becomes standard it's a dealbreaker for us. Little things matter. Straws and camels and grass being greener elsewhere. Perhaps my next letter to Natalya will include a request for return of our future cruise deposit.

[Covepointcruiser]

Sounds like some poster prefer self service so mass market lines will suit them.   On the Venture all “room service” orders have been quickly fulfilled.   There is self service coffee, tea and snacks in the bow lounge.   The start for self service is 06:15.

[SLSD]

10 minutes ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Sounds like some poster prefer self service so mass market lines will suit them.   On the Venture all “room service” orders have been quickly fulfilled.   There is self service coffee, tea and snacks in the bow lounge.   The start for self service is 06:15.

Venture is a much smaller ship.  Room Service was overwhelmed on the Sojourn on some days this last summer when we were sailing for 28 days. 

 

I don't mind self service in the Obs Lounge at 6am.  They set out a coffee urn, ingredients for making tea--and trays of pastries.  It's low key and serene.  We like it.  No other experience on the ship is like this.  Yes, you can do breakfast on the Patio or at the Colonnade.  They are not the same ambience or serenity or view.  

Edited Thursday at 04:12 PM by SLSD

[SLSD]

3 hours ago, Sunprince said:

I don’t get overly excited about partaking in afternoon tea but I do think it is integral to a luxury cruise. If Seabourn is reducing tea service I don’t know what they are thinking…the cost of tea and a few sweets is not that a significant saving.

 

The best afternoon tea I have seen is on Regent, it’s very well done with different themes each day and excellent scones and sweets offered.  

We are not so interested in the sweets.  We just like relaxing in the Obs Lounge with tea and perhaps a scone or cucumber sandwich.  It's a good time to talk about the day, catch up on email, reading, etc.  For us, it HAS been an integral part of our SB experience.  Yes, we could do this in our suite, but it is nice to be in another venue, especially one with a view.  

[nancygp]

Here’s something new I learned this morning…I have a quest cruise in the near future…I was on source, looking at the daily dinner menus and noticed the Colonnade and The restaurant hours were listed as 6pm to 9pm.  Previously, it was 7 to 9pm similar to my past Seabourn cruises.  I was able to directly confirm the new, longer hours with a senior officer on the quest.  The change was implemented on the current quest voyage and will remain that way. I have no idea if this is or will be the case on the other ships.  I was told it’s been very successful with an excess of 100 guests coming between 6 and 7 to the restaurant and the next wave between 7 to 8pm.  While dining at 6 or 6:30 isn’t normally our thing on vacation, I’m sure there are many folks that will be very happy.  I suspect service, etc can only improve. On a side note, another lux line I’ve frequented, the main dining room typically opened between 6 and 6:30.

 

Nancy

[SLSD]

45 minutes ago, nancygp said:

Here’s something new I learned this morning…I have a quest cruise in the near future…I was on source, looking at the daily dinner menus and noticed the Colonnade and The restaurant hours were listed as 6pm to 9pm.  Previously, it was 7 to 9pm similar to my past Seabourn cruises.  I was able to directly confirm the new, longer hours with a senior officer on the quest.  The change was implemented on the current quest voyage and will remain that way. I have no idea if this is or will be the case on the other ships.  I was told it’s been very successful with an excess of 100 guests coming between 6 and 7 to the restaurant and the next wave between 7 to 8pm.  While dining at 6 or 6:30 isn’t normally our thing on vacation, I’m sure there are many folks that will be very happy.  I suspect service, etc can only improve. On a side note, another lux line I’ve frequented, the main dining room typically opened between 6 and 6:30.

 

Nancy

Nancy, this was implemented on Sojourn this summer shortly after you and Mr. Nancygp left the ship.  We were told at the time that the earlier dining hour took pressure off of the kitchen and  improved service for diners as they thought service had been too slow.  Sure enough, we would arrive at our usual time (around 7) and find the dining room already partially filled (and well filled) with the early diners.  Service WAS improved.  I know that many older people prefer to dine extra early.  7pm remains fine for us as we sometimes like to go to the OBs Bar first.  

Edited Thursday at 06:31 PM by SLSD

[2SailingNomads]

9 hours ago, nancygp said:

Here’s something new I learned this morning…I have a quest cruise in the near future…I was on source, looking at the daily dinner menus and noticed the Colonnade and The restaurant hours were listed as 6pm to 9pm.  Previously, it was 7 to 9pm similar to my past Seabourn cruises.  I was able to directly confirm the new, longer hours with a senior officer on the quest.  The change was implemented on the current quest voyage and will remain that way. I have no idea if this is or will be the case on the other ships.  I was told it’s been very successful with an excess of 100 guests coming between 6 and 7 to the restaurant and the next wave between 7 to 8pm.  While dining at 6 or 6:30 isn’t normally our thing on vacation, I’m sure there are many folks that will be very happy.  I suspect service, etc can only improve. On a side note, another lux line I’ve frequented, the main dining room typically opened between 6 and 6:30.

 

Nancy

6  p.m. has been the new normal for awhile and certainly was on the recent last month Encore.  Along w/ every other day tea time an 6 p.m. closing for the Square.

[2SailingNomads]

11 hours ago, SLSD said:

...

 

Both of us are beginning to reassess our loyalty to Seabourn--not just based on what has been reported here or elsewhere, but based on our experience this summer.  No cruise booked yet.  

 

I do find the short 7 day cruises to be an issue.  Yes, they attract a younger clientele as most can take a week long vacation.  But, if the whole leisurely cruise experience is changed because of short itineraries,  we will not be interested.  We like to take longer cruises and enjoy the serenity and leisure of being on an ocean going ship.  

Good idea!!! I've posted probably 30 times about trying other cruise lines on this board, I understand there are people who are reluctant to change.  Our first 17 cruises were on Seabourn and when my wife would say "why don't we try XXX" my answer was always "if its not broken don't try to fix it".  Now, IMO it is broken so although we have done an additional 5 SB cruises since that 17th  we been on multiple other true luxury lines since.  We still have 30+ days booked on Seabourn in 2025 but for the first time we did not take a FCC on our last cruise.      

Many choices and a good chance you will meet many ex-Seabourn crew on them.  

 

As to the 7 day cruise, yes that is a MAJOR problem, SB sells it as a longer cruise when first announced then breaks it up to smaller segments.

Edited Friday at 03:13 AM by 2SailingNomads

[2SailingNomads]

11 hours ago, Covepointcruiser said:

Sounds like some poster prefer self service so mass market lines will suit them.   On the Venture all “room service” orders have been quickly fulfilled.   There is self service coffee, tea and snacks in the bow lounge.   The start for self service is 06:15.

On the Encore last month room service - on the 2 occasions we used it - took over 1 hour.  And the first time we called we got hung up on and called back and had to wait in another queue.  Venture and Pursuit are different ships from the E class ships

[SwankPooch]

Markham,

You are absolutely right on the dot.  HD ignored my request of swapping to another panoramic penthouse several days prior to commencement of the next segment till I communicated to the Office of the President.  FYI, there were 14 of those available, one in transit other than myself.  I dug up the above information by checking the boot cubicles in the mud room. Some of the 14 rooms were assigned to paid or complimentary upgrades (at the dock) by HD. As I was treated identical to a second-class citizen paying published price, I was intentionally assigned to the lowest deck with constant creaky surrounding sound whenever Venture moved, except in Greenland.  Carpenter was sent to my room twice but that room already had a history of irreparable known structural defects. Noise was also audible in the corridor adjacent to the room.

[SwankPooch]

I forgot to mention that 3 nights prior to in-transit, I voluntarily moved to a bow veranda on deck 6.

[adoctor]

No doubt Afternoon tea will be phased out and be replaced by a "Luxury Afternoon Tea experience" with Champagne and Caviar. All at extra cost.

Just part of the "Enhancing on board Revenues" nonsense being pursued by Seattle. 

[SLSD]

7 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

 

 

As to the 7 day cruise, yes that is a MAJOR problem, SB sells it as a longer cruise when first announced then breaks it up to smaller segments.

This is a major consideration for us right now.  When a cruise is broken down into short segments you lose activities, an open MDR for breakfast and lunch, the ability to see further ahead on the Source app, the abilitiy to make a SOLIS reservation ahead of your current segment while onboard, etc. etc.  It really bothered me this last summer.  We DID have a memorable cruise and vacation, but as some of the subtle things we enjoy are being eliminated, it will not be the same for us in the future.  Mr. SLSD has strenuously rejected the idea of cruising other lines.  We have cruised Silversea, but it was years and years ago.  Why book a cruise Seabourn sells as a  28 day cruise (for example) when it is cut into two seven day cruises and another 14 day cruise?  We were just lucky the last 14 days were not cut into two seven day cruises.  

Edited Friday at 10:55 AM by SLSD

[Sunprince]

11 hours ago, SwankPooch said:

Some of the 14 rooms were assigned to paid or complimentary upgrades (at the dock) by HD

SwankPooch, would you kindly add any additional information about the process for upgrades granted at the dock/when boarding.  Can you request at reception after boarding or by seeing the HD, or is it all pre-determined by the HD?

 

11 hours ago, SwankPooch said:

I voluntarily moved to a bow veranda on deck 6.

How far forward on deck 6 were you? Assuming you “downgraded” to a V2. How was that location?  We will be on deck 6 on an upcoming Venture sailing and interested in any feedback on that location.  
 

Many thanks

[Covepointcruiser]

We paid for an upgrade to a Panoramic Suite on Deck 5.    I will be upset if someone was just freely give the same category suite at check in.    We had no noise other than the usual minor creaking now and then.   Our balcony faced forward and we loved the view but hated the smaller closet.   The closet wasn’t wide enough to put shoes on the floor.   The verandah suites had a much wider closet.

Edited Friday at 08:59 PM by Covepointcruiser
Extra line

[SwankPooch]

During check-in at the Discovery Center, the lady in front of me was arguing with staff that she reserved deck 8 and her luggage tags clearly indicated a room on deck 8.  The staff didn’t explain to her that she was given a complimentary upgrade in my presence.  That penthouse was on the opposite side of mine.  
I really don’t know the process of upgrading as I was never offered . 
I moved to 603 instead for three nights. The location was fine for me.

I was assigned to deck 5 port side facing backwards.

I can’t find a replacement for my 2 upcoming Seabourn cruises within 6 months.  Instead of going on Sojourn for the world cruise ( I cancelled the day after disembarkation), I am looking at the newer sister ships on both Silversea and Regent.  Hopefully, I will enjoy Queen Anne (first time on Cunard) in mid-October, and I may stay with Cunard.

I almost reach my milestone for a 2 weeks’ complimentary cruise.  At this time, I have no plans yet for another booking..
With old Crystal, I hadn’t even heard of upgrades at all and their penthouses were the first to be sold out once released.
 

[SwankPooch]

I comprehend that minor creaks are inevitable at sea, but not constant creaking sound all over the entire room like a symphony.  Noise disrupted my sleep during crossing between Iceland and Greenland.

[SLSD]

On 9/26/2024 at 9:59 PM, 2SailingNomads said:

6  p.m. has been the new normal for awhile and certainly was on the recent last month Encore.  Along w/ every other day tea time an 6 p.m. closing for the Square.

Sojourn only implemented the earlier dinner hour on the second 14 days of our cruise.  And, we had tea everyday.  I don't frequent the Square in the evenings, so I am not sure what was going on there.