Good ship Odyssey

We too liked Hotel 1898, Flamin June. We usually do the SB flights and transfers, and have twice struck lucky in a way in Barcelona, with late afternoon flights back. The first time we were given a very generous lunch with wine in 1898 , the second time a lovely lunch again with wine ad lib at the Casa Fuster, which is a beautiful building a bit away from the Rambla in a fairly posh district. Plus chauffeur transfers for both. Really compensated for not getting back to Heathrow until rather late. The staff in both hotels were so helpful and nice.

 

Hoping your weather improves - always a bit of a risk at this time of year, and that you continue to enjoy your cruise.

They finally got the printers fixed yesterday so newspapers were available for today's sea day. Most of the pax from the prior segment departed yesterday. As for the crew: several more familiar - and a few new - joined yesterday.

Tried to contact you via the email you put in another thread but it bounced back as undeliverable! We are joining in Lisbon through to FLL. Enjoy good food, wine and meeting new people - also trivia! We're planning to join the CC sail-away in the Obs Lounge (see Roll Call) and may see you there.

Leaving in Lisbon, unfortunately.

 

Really sorry we shan't catch up with you this time round. Was hoping for some more British input to the trivia team. Have a great cruise and a Happy Christmas. Love to A

Really sorry we shan't catch up with you this time round. Was hoping for some more British input to the trivia team. Have a great cruise and a Happy Christmas. Love to A

...and what is wrong with Aussies??? Apart from thinking the answer was "Beetroot" instead of "Never having worked". Hope you and J have a great trip and good luck to "The Pheasant Pluckers" or whatever.

Greatly enjoyed our two days at the Hotel 1898 (now Mrs June's second favourite hotel in the world).

 

We were looking at hotels in BCN last night for Encore cruise next year. Will check that hotel out, thanks for the tip.

...and what is wrong with Aussies??? Apart from thinking the answer was "Beetroot" instead of "Never having worked". Hope you and J have a great trip and good luck to "The Pheasant Pluckers" or whatever.

 

Good to hear from you guys! Hope all well in Oz. When are you going to hit the high seas again?

Good to hear from you guys! Hope all well in Oz. When are you going to hit the high seas again?

 

We are joining the Quest in Copenhagen in July and can't wait.

Thanksgiving at sea, was spent on largely calm seas with intermittent sunshine. A few dozen hardy souls, some well wrapped up enjoying the air around the pool. One elderly gentleman in one of the hot tubs with a glass of champagne.

 

The passenger demographic is probably the most elderly we have seen in 8 sailings, but the vast majority appear to be seasoned Seabourn sailors, so it is all very relaxed. As Nomads has said already, everything is running pretty much to the usual SB standard. There are a few minor buts: a lot of new crew, still completing their training, all eager to please and learn, but a touch gauche around the edges. There are a few few familiar faces, some newly promoted. Ieva is on bar duty in the Club and doing a great job. The main gripe for us is the consistently luke-warm temperature of the dishes in the Restaurant. I think it is the blasted tablets they use for ordering. The order gets pinged instantly to the galley where it is rapidly dished up and then just sits there slowly cooling until it is finally brought to the table (I surmise). It is not just us. At least three or four other passengers we have chatted to have remarked on the same issue. One written note so far but no improvement just yet.

 

It is a shame as the quality and presentation of the dishes we have tried so far has been excellent apart from this: but who wants to eat barely warm scallops and tepid soups on a regular basis ?

 

Lunchtime in the Colonnade the hot food is hot, by the way, and equally excellent. Only tried one TK offering so far- an rather underwhelming apple trifle.

 

Malaga and Tangier the weather was awful, cool and very wet, with choppy, windy seas in between.

 

HI898 in Barcelona: The restaurant was great. We were the only ones there and the service was of course superb, but so was the food. Go for a Deluxe room if you can.

 

Casablanca today and the sun has come out - if only for a few hours, but it was great to feel some warmth.

I know what you mean about tepid food in the restaurant, this was our only comment on our recent Odyssey Cruise. But if Tarryn is still on board try to get her to serve you, once we found her we had super hot plates and hot food every night.

 

A big thank you to Tarryn, she is from South Africa.:D:D

I know what you mean about tepid food in the restaurant, this was our only comment on our recent Odyssey Cruise. But if Tarryn is still on board try to get her to serve you, once we found her we had super hot plates and hot food every night.

 

A big thank you to Tarryn, she is from South Africa.:D:D

 

Tarryn had been promoted to Assistant Maire d' by the time we left 10 days ago

so she may not be waiting.

Tarryn had been promoted to Assistant Maire d' by the time we left 10 days ago so she may not be waiting.

I wonder if it's the same Taryn from South Africa who was a barista in Seabourn Square. I'd say odds are pretty good and if so, I'm thrilled that she's been promoted. On our b2b Odyssey cruises this past Feb/March, Taryn was a fixture at the coffee counter in the early mornings and greeted us cheerfully when we wandered into the Square. She remembered every guest's preference and she never got rattled, no matter how busy the coffee counter became. She was such a class act that we mentioned her on our evaluation forms. I hope our comments made a difference.

. She was such a class act that we mentioned her on our evaluation forms. I hope our comments made a difference.

 

I make a list of outstanding Staff names in my iPhone "Notes" as the cruise progresses, then I just "copy and paste" when I fill in the survey after the cruise. That way I don't miss anyone.

I've had Staff thank me on subsequent cruises for mentioning them:)

I make a list of outstanding Staff names in my iPhone "Notes" as the cruise progresses, then I just "copy and paste" when I fill in the survey after the cruise. That way I don't miss anyone.

I've had Staff thank me on subsequent cruises for mentioning them:)

 

Thanks for the tip. I always make notes at home but never think of it on a cruise. Now I will.

Tarryn had been promoted to Assistant Maire d' by the time we left 10 days ago

so she may not be waiting.

 

I am so pleased to hear this, she was one in a million, and yes I put on the survey form what an asset she is to Seabourn.

We have known Tarryn since she first join the fleet and is always ready to please the guests, nothing seems too much trouble for her.

 

Congratulations.:D:D:D

I make a list of outstanding Staff names in my iPhone "Notes" as the cruise progresses, then I just "copy and paste" when I fill in the survey after the cruise. That way I don't miss anyone.

I've had Staff thank me on subsequent cruises for mentioning them:)

 

I do too - but being a bit old-fashioned, write the names in my 'cruise diary' which I write religiously twice a day when on board. When I look over them later, there seem to be a lot of mentions of what we ate, often more than stuff about ports or fellow passengers. Can't think why.;)

Currently on board, I'm going to bring this thread back to life. There are many new faces on the Odyssey both crew and officers but then again we haven't been on this vessel since 2010. The service has been typical Seabourn so far, mostly great with a few oversights here and there.

 

Our cabin has been made up so far before 9:30 and everything we have requested has been quickly taken care of. I only mention this because it was a recent problem for another passenger.

 

I do have a few comments about the Thomas Keller menus, but will make them on the related thread after trying a few other items. So far we are disappointed but will give it another chance. Otherwise the food has been as good if not better than usual.

 

Stay tuned....

A quick update - Yesterday we were docked in St Kitts next to the new Viking Star. It was a family reunion for many of the crew as several Seabourn staff moved over to the other line.

 

Today we are at anchor in St Barths right next to the Windstar Legend. That brought back lots of wonderful memories.

 

Sailaway this evening will be Champagne and Caviar and then tonights dinner will be the famous TK ribs in the Colonnade. Hopefully they will be better than his fois gras (or should I say faux gras).

 

On the downside, there is one toddler on board with very strong lungs and his cabin is right next to ours. On top of this, his mother completely ignores the new non smoking policy and lights up on her verandah. It's not my nature to be a tattletale so I won't do anything about it. It's just ironic that we never experienced this problem when it was allowed!

I can't believe that you will say nothing about the smoking.

You must complain to the hotel director.

 

 

 

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I most definitely would say something. Apart from the health issues and the fact that you should be able to use your balcony for which you have paid a lot of money the risks of a stray cigarette end landing somewhere it shouldn't is a constant danger and perhaps one that the crew won't be as vigilant for as smoking is banned on the balconies they assume customers won't smoke.

 

Are there any signs in the suite anywhere? Those of us that were part of the great smoking whinge :D are all au fait with the new rules but maybe new customers who haven't read cruise critic don't know??

 

Re the screaming toddler - some nice heavy rock music would drown it out ;) failing that, earplugs. Babies do cry and there is sometimes not much the parents can do to placate them but the smoking is definitely another matter.

If you don't do anything about the smoker on your adjacent verandah you don't have the right to complain. You shouldn't even post about it here because you are not only allowing the infraction to continue but are aiding and abetting something that could endanger the whole ship should a fire break out as a result of a lighted butt tossed overboard.

 

As for the screaming kid personally I'd go to the hotman and see if they would change my suite.

We were on the Sojourn in November and were forced to spend less time on our balcony because we had smokers on both sides. We consoled ourselves with the knowledge that things were about to change. Yes, you should report the smoking. No need to say more.

It is your right to breathe smoke free air on the verandah. It is a very French right, come to think of it!

 

To protect that right and your safety you must report the facts to the hotel director.

 

The woman can then be instructed further where she can smoke away, just like everyone else who smokes.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

The smoking seems to have stopped so I didn't have to be the bad guy.

 

Back to the good stuff. The MDR has been open for breakfast and lunch everyday. This is a good thing.

 

Last night we had the Thomas Keller family style rib dinner in the Colonnade. It was delicious. It definately made up for his "too sophisticated" dishes served in the Restaurant. There are way too many adjectives in everything else I've seen so far. In my opinion, it is still a work in progress.

 

Tonights agenda is "Rock the Boat" :)

For what it's worth, the MDR has been open for breakfast and lunch daily during our current 44 days on Encore. And we too have enjoyed the ad hoc beef rib dinners by TK at Colonnade.

 

Our next cruises will be on the 3 sisters. The only dining aspect, unique to Encore, that I will miss on them is Sushi, the restaurant. We have been very happy with chef Genji and waitresses Noriko and Marie, all from Japan.

 

Glad to read that Ody is treating you well!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!