Not-quite-live from the SB Quest, Barcelona to Dover, 4/15/17-5/1/17

I just read you latest post, and assured myself that - due to a weak bladder - I would not hesitate going into the men's room in my forthcoming cruise's excursions.

BLooming gardens:

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DH views of Honfleur:

Boat:

REflection of its mast in water:

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Again, I love your photos.

We had a similar mishap on our last cruise. We returned to our room after our excursion to see a big heart made of red roses on our bed, with a note wishing us "Happy Anniversary" to names which were not us, and it wasn't our anniversary. The stewardess obviously mistook the room.

But I must say the overall service was brilliant.

lunch offered us a black swan event for dessert:

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DInnertime on the ship I ran into a three generation family with a serious-looking young boy around 12, wearing a suit on "elegant casual night". I asked if he is bored because there are no other kids on board! In a serious tone with British accent he shook his head and denied boredom, stating " anything is possible", with his chin up!

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Ok, last DH flowers from Giverny:

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Day 15, Cherbourg, heading for Omaha Beach, DDAY museum and American cemetery

I have brought many Kleenex

After our hectic and busy though still worthwhile Giverny tour yesterday we had our final MDR luncheon, got in right before closing to new seating at 1:30. The dining venues strictly enforce their opening and closing times unless there is a special late excursion. People who arrived at 1:35 were diverted to the Colonnade

As usual the environment there was calm and civilized, uncrowded, even with classical music, Antoni Pradeep once again providing an excellent pairing suggestion from the included list for these sausages we had after a cream of asparagus soup -- with yet more bacon!

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Dinner included a very tasty TK caviar special and I had leek crepes with Gruyere. With rare exceptions I have found the vegetarian entree choices on this cruise quite tasty and I often select them even though I also like meat when I want something lighter. The mushrooms and goat cheese and other ingredients are nicely blended

Entertainment was British vocalist Roger Wright, " feel good show part 2", not my thing but the audience loved him, Motown to Presley. The accompanying SB band, however, is terrific.

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Staffing - it seems the situation is unchanged since the middle of last year. Too high a proportion of new, not yet fully trained, staff, some of whom do not have very good English yet. This accounts for mistakes, and it is hard for them trying to learn while doing a full days work.

I believe all new staff have at least worked in hotels, restaurants or bars, but not often previously on ships. Does anyone remember the so-called Academy, when new staff were taught at least some of the necessary skills before being let loose on the passengers?

Maybe it is getting harder to recruit new staff for some reason, but obviously the two new larger ships will make a big impact, taking away some of the most experienced staff.

It was not thought out sufficiently in advance, IMO.

Staffing - it seems the situation is unchanged since the middle of last year. Too high a proportion of new, not yet fully trained, staff, some of whom do not have very good English yet. This accounts for mistakes, and it is hard for them trying to learn while doing a full days work.

 

I believe all new staff have at least worked in hotels, restaurants or bars, but not often previously on ships. Does anyone remember the so-called Academy, when new staff were taught at least some of the necessary skills before being let loose on the passengers?

 

Maybe it is getting harder to recruit new staff for some reason, but obviously the two new larger ships will make a big impact, taking away some of the most experienced staff.

 

It was not thought out sufficiently in advance, IMO.

It was our experience that the crew were very untrained while we were on Encore. Particularly on the Patio Deck. We watched one lady order a "flat white coffee", at the Patio Bar one morning. The Bar Tender had very poor English. She tried to explain what she wanted very slowly, very carefully, very calmly, but to no avail. She then said "like latte but without the foam". He then sort of seemed to understand, he then asked "do you want the foam on the side?" She gave up and just took whatever he poured. TRUE story!

With a tenuous link to BrisbaneGran's post, we slightly older Brits find the range of coffees a bit over the top so I found this photo shared by a friend on Facebook very amusing

BrisbaneGran and Techno123, you gave me a good laugh with your stories! I showed DH the fancy coffee translation for his future reference when I send him to get me foofy coffees.

The odd and annoying (but not horrible, just non - luxury) service issues continue, including cleaning crew yelling and joking loudly in the halls which is an issue I had mentioned to Marcella, with quite a few very tired hard- working crew showing their strain and understaffing. The waiter Scott in the MDR at my table is as downright sullen. I heard many are disembarking in Dover and probably cannot wait.

More positive: After formal night yesterday at a hosted table ( more details later, as I am preparing for a Brugge excursion) DH and I went to the Club and heard a band called The Trio with lead singer named Emma perform some covers. She has a terrific voice and stage presence ( and is also easy on the eyes) and I was sad for her as almost no one was there to listen. Things looked up as a couple tipsy ladies came in and danced with each other and then other pax joined in, including the boy, who danced with his mom. DH and I sipped Calvados and greatly enjoyed the band and the people - watching

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From our DDAY excursion yesterday:

Omaha Beach and Memorial:

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Narrative later. I am struggling.

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Thank you for all the lovely pictures. It is almost impossible to talk or write when you have been to see war cemeteries and memorials, I know myself.

I hope you have a great day in Bruges,a lovely city. It sounds as though you are staying on after Dover; hoping the good things continue to outweigh the poor ones on the ship, and that staffing may improve.

P.S. To Seabourn management - I am sure you read all these reports. For goodness' sake get on with sorting out recruiting and training staff. If only in part to keep the great staff who are trying to train them on board! Never mind the passengers, who pass on all the bad stuff to friends and on here.

Some people just never seem to have anything positive to post. I had never heard the word "whinging" before I started sailing on SB but I sure know what it is now.

I too thought that Emma the singer was the best performer on Quest. Never seemed to draw a crowd, though, unfortunately.

Wripro, would you say that Catlover54 has not had "anything positive to post"? I beg to differ. All in all she seems to be having a splendid time!

Day 16, Brugge, Belgium -- oh, the humanity

VIstaman, I should have listened to your warning that Brugge would likely be very crowded due to the three-day weekend. And Wripro, this was a day to definitively drive home your emphasis on doing more private excursions if at all possible. But despite the huge crowds I was able to at least recon this amazing city for future, hopefully less crowded trips.

Yesterday DH and I went on the SB afternoon "2- man" (moderate rating for difficulty though it should have been a 3) excursion called " "Romantic Brugge." I am pretty sure that no one in my group had romance on their mind during this "4.5 hour tour", (though the emotivephrasing about tour length from Gilligan's Island came to mind in a tune running through my head)

Our disinterested young lady guide , with flat affect, was insensitive to client needs as they fell back ( guiding is not her day job) and herded us at what seemed like boot camp marching speed through over 3 miles of this stunning city's overflowing streets, where there were just tooooo many people. The guide looked ahead and not behind her at the group's struggling mostly senior citizens, some with canes, one with a walker and seat who probably should not have booked a level 2 walk, many huffing and puffing, while she recited memorized endless dates and names of kings and conquerors and old building names into the audio device. Few could concentrate on what she was saying as we had to focus intently on keeping up with her while dodging horses, baby carriages ( many with two babies),carts, cars in pedestrian zones, segways, scooters, families of eight who seemed to have twenty- nine arms they would suddenly fling about, opposite-swimming salmon tour groups of 36, dogs ( some foofy and some massive showing teeth plus their leashes to stumble over, running children, selfie sticks with bobbling lives of their own, sudden irregular curbs, and other hip fracture hazards. We struggled to avoid collision and to keep up, the guide unresponsive to requests to please slow, but finally rested on a pleasant thirty minute canal boat ride that was the highlight of the day.

I would like to return to this lovely city so I can appreciate it sometime in the future when 90 per cent of the visitors from today are gone, and stay a few quiet days, perhaps in winter, go to churches and museums, eat a three-hour dinner, etc.

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I love this description of the tour - it sounds identical to the one we took with Seabourn several years ago - nothing has changed! We have since been there on our own and loved it! Such a difference.