Around the Seabourn Water Cooler... Off topic and fun posts here!- Updated

[OrpingtonT]

[quote name='JaneBP'] After all, we can't complain about the wine list all the time, can we?[/quote]

Don't you believe it. :)

[Seabourn911]

[quote name='JaneBP'] After all, we can't complain about the wine list all the time, can we?[/quote]

No, wine rants are only allowed on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays...alternating days are reserved for Champagne complaints!:D

[JaneBP]

Then when can we whine about the dress codes? um, er, guidelines. The weekend? Not forgetting smoking of course. <g>

[Seabourn911]

[quote name='JaneBP']Then when can we whine about the dress codes? um, er, guidelines. The weekend? Not forgetting smoking of course. <g>[/quote]

Dress Code and Smoking rants are always permissable ANYTIME!..LOL

[MillieMeter]

Alas,Shedridt, I think it was I to whom you replied---and you were entirely correct--we had a fabulous time and if there were any elitists on board, it was my pleasure not to have run across them. Our cruise was only for 7 days but we booked another before we left the ship--the next time in Aug. for 15 days to the Baltic/St. Petersburgh--we were on the Oydessy but we will be on the Pride--everything I have read on CC praises the small ships highly --so I am looking forward to this cruise--I know that some people who respond on here frequently are aquaintances from other cruises and they are aware when they are being tongue-in-cheek or ironic but some of us new to this board are not --and when we read things, we are likely to take it to heart rather than with a grain of salt--but I will try to discern what is meant to be serious and what is meant to be someone's idea of humor. Thus when I reply to another's concern, I will try to remember what it felt like to be the newbie and put their uncertainities to rest rather than stir up further anxieties.

[JaneBP]

In this week's NYT magazine there are two articles that might be of interest to cruisers.
1. Article with recipes on Copenhagen's Noma
2. Brief bit about whale hunting in the Faroe Islands

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/pages/magazine/index.html[/url]

[JaneBP]

Wonder if this will affect the Quest's TA stop in Funchal?

[url]http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/05/8655286-spewing-underwater-volcano-shakes-ground-forces-spain-to-close-island-port[/url]

[OrpingtonT]

[quote name='JaneBP']Wonder if this will affect the Quest's TA stop in Funchal?

[URL]http://photoblog.msnbc.msn.com/_news/2011/11/05/8655286-spewing-underwater-volcano-shakes-ground-forces-spain-to-close-island-port[/URL][/quote]

It is quite a way from Madeira.

[JaneBP]

Thanks. I was trying to figure out with some maps but I can be geographically challenged. Can't imagine living on an island and being evacuated because of the formation of an underwater volcano. It is certainly interesting to me.

[JaneBP]

Yes, it's me again. Here's an article on a popular Seabourn port: Valencia (and one of mine favorites)
[url]http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/valencia-spain-small-town-and-happening-city-all-in-one/2011/10/25/gIQATPCXmM_story.html?wpisrc=nl_travel[/url]

[lincslady]

As this covers a few topics I am putting here. On a recent cruise on one of the bigger ships we had chocs every evening; new Molton Brown products put out the moment we opened the previous one; wines back to the reasonable standard of a year or so ago, and no problems getting one different from the offering of the day. I did feel that SB have noticed the criticisms and are acting on them.

[OrpingtonT]

[quote name='JaneBP']Yes, it's me again. Here's an article on a popular Seabourn port: Valencia (and one of mine favorites)
[URL]http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/travel/valencia-spain-small-town-and-happening-city-all-in-one/2011/10/25/gIQATPCXmM_story.html?wpisrc=nl_travel[/URL][/quote]

We like Valencia, too. The City of Arts and Sciences is tremendous. It is a stop on our Regent Transatlantic crossing and we will be there again in a couple of weeks.

[cwn]

[quote name='lincslady']As this covers a few topics I am putting here. On a recent cruise on one of the bigger ships we had chocs every evening; new Molton Brown products put out the moment we opened the previous one; wines back to the reasonable standard of a year or so ago, and no problems getting one different from the offering of the day. I did feel that SB have noticed the criticisms and are acting on them.[/quote]

I am really glad to hear that. We had such a wonderful time on our past Seabourn cruises and have a 30+ day booked for August.

After reading serval threads on poor services and wine recently plus a very snobby post on passenger dress, I was seriously thinking of canceling....who wants to spend big $$$s for poor service and poor wine!

[wwinfl91]

Thanks for the link on Valencia. We will be visiting there in Dec on the Odyssey and were uncertain what we were going to do there. The article gave us some ideas.

Have a great next cruise.

[JaneBP]

Looking for a new carry-on for your pre/post cruise stay?

[url]http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/11/12/travel/12iht-gear12.html?src=tp[/url]

And don't forget the fabulous market in Valencia. Buy some saffron, too!

[JaneBP]

The NYTimes Travel Section is on the Caribbean. Here's the general link if you are interested. Some of the articles are about islands where Seabourn stops.

[url]http://www.nytimes.com/pages/travel/index.html[/url]

[JaneBP]

CARNIVAL SPIRIT NEWS

[url]http://travel.usatoday.com/cruises/post/2011/11/carnival-spirit-australia-cruise-lines/564952/1?csp=Travel[/url]

[JaneBP]

Rome DIning:
>"Two restaurants in the Province of Rome were awarded Michelin stars this morning: Pascucci al Porticciolio, an excellent fish restaurant at the port in Fiumicino received one; Oliver Glowig, the eponymous restaurant of the already-starred chef, which opened in April in Rome’s Hotel Aldrovandi, earned two. The Mirabelle in Rome’s Hotel Splendide Royal has lost its star."

[JaneBP]

More extensive list on dining in Copenhagen:

[url]http://travel.nytimes.com/2011/11/20/travel/in-copenhagen-a-new-food-mecca.html?ref=travel[/url]

[lincslady]

Just looking at the reports on Sojourn, made me think about favourite staff on SB. I too loved Vindora, and the feisty little Valentina. Both have lots of personality as well as being very efficient. Does anyone know if lovely Brett, from South Africa, is still with Seabourn? These are only a few of the lovely staff - couldn't mention them all!

[JaneBP]

[url]http://www.theparisreview.org/blog/2011/11/28/the-art-of-not-drowning/[/url]

[JaneBP]

Why Newt went to Greece (on seabourn).
>"Newt Gingrich tells Matt Bai "in what may be a characteristic bit of revisionist history, that it was clear early on that he needed to break free of his highly paid and conventional consultants, and that he and his wife, Callista, actually took their much-maligned Greek vacation last June -- a pleasure trip in the middle of what was supposed to be his ramp-up as a candidate -- in order to provoke a confrontation with the campaign's leadership. (Gingrich later added that he really needed to see the Greek fiscal crisis up close.) If so, it worked, because the entire senior team quit en masse when he got back.""

Wonder which Enrichment Lecture he attended?

[wripro]

He wanted to see the Greek fiscal crisis up close? From a Seabourn ship? Can't figure out of that is the most stupid or the most arrogant thing I have ever heard/

[JaneBP]

I think both, with some poor attempts at back-peddling the story as well. I figure some bright reporter will figure out the costs of the cruise v. the Greek economy. Edited December 28, 2011 by JaneBP
Typo

[Roxburgh]

[quote name='JaneBP']I think both, with some poor attempts at back-peddling the story as well. I figure some bright reporter will figure out the costs of the cruise v. the Greek economy.[/QUOTE]

When these guys are raising millions for their campaigns, I doubt that $20k for a cruise will create many ripples. Anyway, Gingrich has bigger skeletons in his various closets than a taking a Seabourn cruise or making some lame excuse some 18 months before the election actually happens.

And its not like anyone else in the GOP understands the 'sovereign debt crisis' in Europe. Edited December 28, 2011 by Roxburgh