Live from the Legend!

[ITravelNow]

Observations about our Legend cruise.

 

Well, we're home almost 24 hours now and have had a chance to stow the luggage, start the clothes washer and long for room service and the Veranda Café!

 

We had a wonderful cruise and are thinking about returning next Christmas to use our “free” 14 day cruise. Time will tell – we want to consider some other options as well.

 

Now that we’re back I wanted to list some pros and cons about our Seabourn Experience.

 

We were in suite 134 on deck 4. The suite was in great condition, good location near the forward elevators – handicap access, which on Seabourn means there’s a shower instead of tub/shower combination. There is still a sizable step up into the bathroom which would be an obstacle for anyone in a wheelchair. The flat screen TV is great, good location to view from sofa or bed. Wifi worked very well from this suite. Even though the signal was “low” I had good success posting, even uploaded photos to “Photoshow” but did that very early in the AM before others were online.

 

The entire ship looked in good condition and beautifully decorated for the holidays. We brought some of our own trimmings for our cabin. There was a “holiday” spirit among guest and crew and many special events to help celebrate the season.

 

While I hesitate to make the following comments, I have to tell you we were disappointed in the level of service. This was not the Seabourn that we know from the previous 130+ days of cruising. I would add that perhaps it was an unfortunate combination of new crew, the holidays and crew about to leave the ship, but for whatever the reason, there were many lapses in service. Sometimes things were perfect, other times just plain thoughtless.

 

Most of the instances were small and we didn’t feel like we wanted to make an issue of them but they seemed to pile up so that by the end of our 14 days we felt there was no point in complaining. On the possibility that we were being overly critical I spoke with several other passengers and discovered they had similar observations and some had spoken with the Hotel Manager. For whatever reason, thing just seemed a bit off.

 

For example, several times the used glassware in our suite was removed and not replaced for several days – when we left the ship one wine glass had been missing for 4 days – don’t know why. We didn’t need it but it still should have been there. We repeatedly asked for bottled water – some days we’d receive two large bottles on another day nothing. Our bath mat was not replaced on the last two days and was soaking wet because of the shower design. These are all stewardess related issues and we left notes and requests – it just seems a bother to always have to ask for routine items like more toilet paper and Kleenex!

 

We also found the dining room service uneven. Most time it was very efficient but then the next meal we would wait more than 20 minutes just to order. Water glasses and coffee cups were seldom refilled unless requested. On two occasions the accompanying sauces for a dish were requested and it took forever for the items to arrive. On another evening, two of the four entrees arrive at the table, we were told the other two dinners would arrive soon and to please eat what was served to two of us. Twenty minutes later the other two orders arrive – many apologizes were offered but still a terrible way to present a meal.

 

Too often the service was incredible slow. We don’t like to bolt down our food, but we enjoy have some in front of us in a timely manner!

 

Our other pet peeve was the service of wine with dinner. When we’ve cruised previous times we never saw the bottom of our wine glass, so to speak. On this cruise, often a waiter had to be asked for a second pour. We joked that we must be drinking out of the captain’s cellar and his supply was low. We’re not guzzlers by any means but we usually drink more than one short pour in a small wine glass. This just seemed stingy on the part of Seabourn.

 

Ok…enough of the negative. Our kudos to…..

 

Room service was so prompt we could set our watches by it.

 

We love the wait staff in the Veranda Café, Carmen, Ryan and Gigi to name just a few.

 

Nino and Ian did a great job at the Sky Bar – often tending to large crowds!

 

Candace, new to the crew in FLL was a wonderful bar waitress but left the ship at the end of our voyage. I don’t know why, she did a wonderful job, but I sensed that there was a problem, just don’t know what it was.

 

The staff members in The Club and Dining Room were always quick to offer an elbow and helped steer us to an available chair during some of the rough sea days we had.

 

The pool staff offered sandwiches, smoothies, cold towels and cool mists routinely. Henning and Malarcy are the two that I remember best.

 

We enjoyed dining in “2”. Though the menu was limited, we relished the opportunity to enjoy a quiet meal with good service. But here again the wine service was stingy – maybe they really were running low..LOL!

 

The duo “Rebound” did a marvelous job entertaining in The Club. We also loved the cruise staff’s individual and group shows and the Navigator Orchestra did a fine job. Michele is a very personable Cruise Director and always greeted us by name and shared some small talk. A few others addressed us by name but not as consistently as on previous voyages.

 

We enjoyed dining with the Chef Engineer twice – he was a good host in a job that I’m sure he doesn’t really relish! We had other invitations for dinner but decided to stay away from large tables where conversation was difficult and service slow. It’s really a wonderful option for passengers who feel shy about meeting others. Several times we agreed to join a table put together on the “spot” so to speak. That made for some interesting meetings with other passengers.

 

I don’t have a lot of feedback on the Tour Office. The only tour I booked was cancelled and the “Seabourn Experience” in Puerto Rico was altered at the last moment because of a venue problem.

 

The Beach BBQ was a highlight of the cruise. It was an enormous effort by the crew, and a delightful afternoon for everyone who came ashore!

 

Well, enough of my rambling. I hope no one is offended by my observations about service problems. I know some would suggest that I could have addressed them with the appropriate individuals on the ship. As I said earlier, we enjoyed our vacation and don’t like to complain. I guess we hoped things would improve. I also think that the problems we noted should have been obvious to management without our involvement. We’re not there to run the ship, they are.

 

I know we’ll cruise on Seabourn again and hope to find it better than ever when we return.

[xplrcrzn]

Thanks for the observations, ITravel. Did you sense that the "glitches" might be systemic or were they probably limited to the Legend? In other words, do you think it might be a management issue for this ship alone?

[ITravelNow]

I had the feeling that these issues were unusual and perhaps, as I said earlier, a combination of new crew, the holidays and others, whose contracts ended on Jan. 2 - sometimes the turnover can be bumpy - at least I hope that's what it was.

 

When I spoke with my travel agent we agreed that the "experience" can change from one cruise to the next - the mix of passenger load, demands and other issue all serve to change the equation.

 

And there may be others on our cruise who will shake their heads wondering what the heck I'm talking about.

 

My wine glass may have been empty but my outlook on life is always half-full!

[SantaAna,CA]

I'm very appreciative of honest reviews, and I'm glad you just laid your cards on the table about the pros, and cons, on your voyage. I am really surprised to hear about the slow service at meals and the lack of service in your cabin amenities, that can be frustrating! I was on the Legend in April of 2006 to the eastern Caribbean, my first cruise with Seabourn, and was very impressed by the service, but that was my first trip on Seabourn. Perhaps after sailing so many days, you really have a finely tuned sense of when things are "spot on" and when they are not. However, I thought the service on the Pride was even better than the Legend (I was on the Pride for a week in December, southern Caribbean). I felt much more comfortable on the Pride for some reason, it felt more like home. Perhaps because it was my second cruise on Seabourn? I don't know, but I felt more warmth from the crew and I thought the service impeccable.

 

I don't think anyone should feel they have to apologize for giving an honest review of their experience, as far as I'm concerned it's appreciated. I do think there is a difference between an honest review,which yours was, and just being nitpicky about certain things that Seabourn cannot control, i.e., the weather, etc.

 

Thanks for a very thorough report, Margo.

 

Jane

[blackbird71]

Good report Margo.

 

I am doing the opposite of Jane. My first Seabourn cruise was in Nov on the Pride and my second will be on the Legend. It will be interesting to compare the differences.

 

After barring my room stewardess from my suite after she ignored ALL my requests for the set up of my suite, overall the service was the best of my 17 cruises. Single male - One towel that works for me :D

 

I always felt guilty on the RSSC Mariner with their large wine glasses. I hated the amount of white wine I would leave in my glass when I changed to red for the main course. And on the Pride there was never a time my wine glass got low, it was always being topped off. :)

 

Something I wonder about is the changing of the crew now that they are from V.Ship. I do not know how many are being changed around, but the old time captain of the Legend (Captain G-A) is now on the Pride.

 

Thanks again Margo....