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Q for the Seabourn Loyal - What do you think about Windstar's Approach?


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Hi all,

 

Was curious what you think about what Windstar has done to the ship now called "Star Breeze" - They made lots of changes around the ship, what are your thoughts and had this been done under the Seabourn flag, would your thoughts of the ship have increased or diminished?

 

Here's a look at all of the changes:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/cruiselog/2015/05/07/windstar-star-breeze-first-look/26886543/

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Yes, some of the changes are nice and represent an improvement -- but some of the furnishings strike me a surprisingly mass market ( though it could be the photography). But the bottom line is no matter how how nice since they don't have Seabourn's stellar crew it does not appeal to me. Most of us that are die hard Seabourn small ship fans will tell you it was the SERVICE not the physical plant that drew us back time and time again. The small size of the ship simply facilitated the personalized service.

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Eddie Mika (Maitre D') on the Legend, told me that Windstar had cut the wait staff in the MDR by half when the Spirit was delivered. He said that he could not even think about running the MDR with that level of staffing.

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I agree the crew is one of the main reasons we keep returning to Seabourn.

 

Some of the updates look nice but I am still struggling to understand their pricing since they are not all inclusive and there is much less crew/passenger.

 

We might try them one day though as I like the fact the smaller ships can do things the larger things can't i.e. the Corinth Canal........I haven't experienced that yet. :)

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I'm boggled by what they did to deck 7. Take away most of the deck space to gain what? A foot or two more in a square shaped hot tub? Then more deck space lost to the decorative cleats (or are those tables)?

 

While I wasn't a fan of the stools at the sky bar they were at least sturdy, Im not sure I'd trust those chairs in rough seas. The POS terminal :(.

 

I wonder how long that wood floor in the club/compass rose will last with those chairs being gouged across it (again I wonder how well unsecured furniture works in rough seas).

 

The casino looks overcrowded with seats and they're empty.

 

The ash/trashcan on deck makes me wonder what their smoking policy is.

 

Interesting to see the pool converted into more Verandah space.

 

I have to agree a lot of the furniture has an Ikea/CostCo look to it.

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Eddie Mika (Maitre D') on the Legend, told me that Windstar had cut the wait staff in the MDR by half when the Spirit was delivered. He said that he could not even think about running the MDR with that level of staffing.

 

That should say "Pride", not "Spirit".

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The many changes simply make Breeze Windstar, not Seabourn. Now it has an identity many loyal Windstar cruisers found lacking in the Pride conversion: more deck space and more outdoor dining. Perhaps Windstar will focus on warm-weather cruising with their new ships, as it does with it's sailing ships. The focus on so many outdoor amenities won't work as well in, for instance, northern Scandinavia sailings.

 

I agree with others that it is the officers and the entire crew that make Seabourn Seabourn. The decrease in personnel and lack of inclusiveness do not translate into Windstar's pricing. No matter how you dress her up, Breeze and her sisters won't ever be competitors to Seabourn.

 

I am glad Windstar has implemented all the changes. Breeze has a new identity and does not resemble Spirit. I will live with my "little sister" Seabourn memories knowing they have indeed sailed into the sunset.

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Hello Seabourn faithful. I have always loved the thought of small-ship cruising, and my wife and I will do a wonderful 30th anniversary trip in September or October 2016. We've been dreaming, scheming, and saving for the event for some time now.

 

All we know for sure is that it will involved an itinerary featuring Venice -- and hopefully both Kotor and Dubrovnik. And a self-guided, pre- or post-cruise land tour featuring Lake Bled, Slovenia. And no flashy, crass, "big boat" experience.

 

We have narrowed the search for the perfect trip down to a handful of cruise lines, having rejected all those mass-market, big boat outfits. We've already done the Costa Linea, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and Carnival stuff -- nice enough, one trip each, and I can say "been there, done that".

 

The remaining cruise lines competing for the Lieutenant Colonel Dan clan's money are Windstar, Azamara, Seabourn, and Oceania. Here are my thoughts on each:

 

Windstar -- I love Windstar's approach. The Star Breeze photos look amazing, so the renovation work was a success. The pricing is quite competitive, since they often roll out the interline rates we're seeking. If we sail on the Star Breeze, we will get an awesome suite and the laid-back atmosphere we like. If we sail on the Wind Star, we get the romance of the sails. We do not require, nor would even know how to use, the services of a butler. Windstar's loyal customers rave about the friendly staff -- clearly not the white-glove perfection provided by Seabourn's butlers, but fine for the array of services we need. No downside for us.

 

Azamara -- The company has a superb itinerary in September 2016 that I think is completely perfect. Pricing, well we'll see. I think it would work. Most reviews are quite good, and the Azamara faithful love their cruises and come back again and again. Service is known to be quite good -- not the perfection Seabourn delivers, but fine for us. Like I said, a butler's services would be lost on us. All things considered, I like Windstar slightly better overall, but the difference would be negligible.

 

Seabourn -- I'd love an Adriatic cruise on Seabourne. Clearly the most plush offering -- dining, service, the whole vibe. But the itineraries in Fall 2016 do not include Kotor and Dubrovnik, and that's probably a deal-breaker. And many, many reviewers have dinged the cruise line for the liberal tobacco policy. Ever-present smoke on verandas would be a problem, at least for me. We hardly drink at all, so the free-flowing alcohol is a benefit that other cruise passengers would appreciate more. Considering Seabourn's high fares, we'll probably never be able to afford your class of luxury anyway. (Until we strike it rich!) Sorry. :(

 

Oceania -- From year-to-year, one can expect a superb listing of itineraries, or something a bit ho-hum. 2016 is ho-hum, at least for me. They are a good fallback for a 12-night Caribbean cruise in November if the other cruise lines can't make a good price deal for a Mediterranean cruise.

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By the way, notice I didn't list Silversea. I used to think they could offer a cruise experience that would rival Seabourn's. I like the whole continental European flair thing, so in that respect they seemed intriguing. And then everything changed this year, quite suddenly. :confused:

 

Every now and then, Silversea could be expected to roll out a super interline rate for certain itineraries about 90 to 120 days out. It all depended on the market conditions, and we are patient enough/flexible enough to roll the dice. My wife used to work with a major airline; she had one of those beautiful voices over the phone that she'd use to gladly help you get an international reservation. As a retired airline employee she qualifies for wonderful discounted interline rates, and that's how we can get a great cruise on a luxury liner for a lot less than we'd normally have to shell out. Paying through the nose is not my idea of fun.

 

This year, Silversea made the really unfortunate decision to go with so-called "free excursions". Free is never really free. That deceptive marketing ploy really means every cruise is WAY more expensive -- $500, $1,000, or even more per person, all for stuff we don't want. The so-called free excursions being offered are crappy, low-quality bus trips, and the really enticing, good quality side trips still require a fee. So, um... no. I'd rather be my own tour guide, thank you very much. :p

 

And the reviews -- my goodness, your competitor is getting killed by former passengers that think the company is fading fast. :eek:

 

And the real icing on the cake was their sudden cancellation of two excellent itineraries in September 2016 that we had put on our watch list.

 

That all amounted to a permanent disqualification. They are never going back on my watch list. :mad:

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Oh, absolutely right, Emperor Norton. Regent definitely follows that all-inclusive excursions model, so their pricing is absurdly high. And the included airfare for Regent and Oceania is another thing I'd gladly nix. But some people really like a one-stop shopping experience. Pay the price, and done. Then order that libation by the pool. ;)

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Oh, absolutely right, Emperor Norton. Regent definitely follows that all-inclusive excursions model, so their pricing is absurdly high. And the included airfare for Regent and Oceania is another thing I'd gladly nix. But some people really like a one-stop shopping experience. Pay the price, and done. Then order that libation by the pool. ;)

 

It might be helpful if you shared your budget for this cruise since when reading your posts it seems that price is a key factor (which I totally understand) as well as how many days you want to spend on the cruise. Working out a cruise price on a "per diem" rate is always helpful for price comparison. I would not rule out Seabourn as my upcoming Med cruise is pricing out less expensive than a similar number of days on Windstar, once you factor in tips, drinks etc. personally I don't get Windstar's high pricing!

 

You did mention that you don't drink alcohol so then Seabourn might not be the best option for you. Windstar is no where near Seabourn or Regent or SS but still very nice, so if your DW can get a great interline rate on Windstar, then that might be your best bet.

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Hello Seabourn faithful. I have always loved the thought of small-ship cruising, and my wife and I will do a wonderful 30th anniversary trip in September or October 2016. We've been dreaming, scheming, and saving for the event for some time now.

 

All we know for sure is that it will involved an itinerary featuring Venice -- and hopefully both Kotor and Dubrovnik. And a self-guided, pre- or post-cruise land tour featuring Lake Bled, Slovenia. And no flashy, crass, "big boat" experience.

 

We have narrowed the search for the perfect trip down to a handful of cruise lines, having rejected all those mass-market, big boat outfits. We've already done the Costa Linea, Royal Caribbean, Holland America, and Carnival stuff -- nice enough, one trip each, and I can say "been there, done that".

 

The remaining cruise lines competing for the Lieutenant Colonel Dan clan's money are Windstar, Azamara, Seabourn, and Oceania. Here are my thoughts on each:

 

Windstar -- I love Windstar's approach. The Star Breeze photos look amazing, so the renovation work was a success. The pricing is quite competitive, since they often roll out the interline rates we're seeking. If we sail on the Star Breeze, we will get an awesome suite and the laid-back atmosphere we like. If we sail on the Wind Star, we get the romance of the sails. We do not require, nor would even know how to use, the services of a butler. Windstar's loyal customers rave about the friendly staff -- clearly not the white-glove perfection provided by Seabourn's butlers, but fine for the array of services we need. No downside for us.

 

Azamara -- The company has a superb itinerary in September 2016 that I think is completely perfect. Pricing, well we'll see. I think it would work. Most reviews are quite good, and the Azamara faithful love their cruises and come back again and again. Service is known to be quite good -- not the perfection Seabourn delivers, but fine for us. Like I said, a butler's services would be lost on us. All things considered, I like Windstar slightly better overall, but the difference would be negligible.

 

Seabourn -- I'd love an Adriatic cruise on Seabourne. Clearly the most plush offering -- dining, service, the whole vibe. But the itineraries in Fall 2016 do not include Kotor and Dubrovnik, and that's probably a deal-breaker. And many, many reviewers have dinged the cruise line for the liberal tobacco policy. Ever-present smoke on verandas would be a problem, at least for me. We hardly drink at all, so the free-flowing alcohol is a benefit that other cruise passengers would appreciate more. Considering Seabourn's high fares, we'll probably never be able to afford your class of luxury anyway. (Until we strike it rich!) Sorry. :(

 

Oceania -- From year-to-year, one can expect a superb listing of itineraries, or something a bit ho-hum. 2016 is ho-hum, at least for me. They are a good fallback for a 12-night Caribbean cruise in November if the other cruise lines can't make a good price deal for a Mediterranean cruise.

 

Seabourn does not have butlers.

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It might be helpful if you shared your budget for this cruise since when reading your posts it seems that price is a key factor (which I totally understand) as well as how many days you want to spend on the cruise. Working out a cruise price on a "per diem" rate is always helpful for price comparison. I would not rule out Seabourn as my upcoming Med cruise is pricing out less expensive than a similar number of days on Windstar, once you factor in tips, drinks etc. personally I don't get Windstar's high pricing!

 

You did mention that you don't drink alcohol so then Seabourn might not be the best option for you. Windstar is no where near Seabourn or Regent or SS but still very nice, so if your DW can get a great interline rate on Windstar, then that might be your best bet.

 

Thanks, Sunprince, agreed. I do take a holistic view in terms of pricing. The Seabourn experience would certainly be worth every penny, because they don't gouge you for the little things. The quality would be beyond compare. But we hardly drink, so that removes one of their biggest pricing incentives. A bar bill for a 7 to 10 night cruise (or longer) would be ghastly if you end up paying extra on Windstar or other less-than-all inclusive cruise lines.

 

Oh by the way, I have been corrected a couple times about the butler gaff. My bad. I still get the overall impression that one of Seabourn's key advantages is a very high level of service. Very cool. And I actually do like to dress to the nines on a special occasion, and with Seabourn you can enjoy being with a well-dressed crowd.

 

The pricing is a huge deal for us. For example, an 8-night cruise on the Wind Surf, Venice to Rome (late October 2015) was just posted for just $1,299 per passenger (interline rate) on a certain website. If we can snatch up a similar deal in September or October 2016, it will be a sweet deal indeed.

 

I realize that's such an apples-to-oranges comparison, but it is a product and experience we would relish nonetheless.

 

Seabourn can't lower their prices that far and still maintain their position at the top of the heap. But I still keep my options open, because you never know what special offer could pop up -- and you get what you pay for.

Edited by LTC Dan
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It sure would be nice to get this thread back on topic.

 

This is the internet, once created threads have a tendency to take on a life of their own regardless of what the original topic was. At least this hasn't been inundated with lol-cats, or any of the other things that normally de-rail threads.

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Thanks, Emperor Norton. I guess I was the guilty party, and I did steer us slightly off the OP's topic. Consider me sufficiently chastised, but trust me I had the best intentions regardless. :)

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I confused .. I've resisted posting in a couple of these threads because I'm going on my first seabourn cruise in July. LTC Dan has never cruised Seabourn - or has said that on another thread.

 

I'm confused too because it seems that LTC Dan has never cruised on any of the lines on which he commented extensively. We've never sailed on Windstar and therefore can't say anything about them. We have sailed with Seabourn twice though and absolutely loved both cruises. The service is outstanding and we felt the overall product was a perfect fit for us. We have sailed on Regent and Celebrity with butlers whose exact function we never really figured out. We've been on all the mass market lines except for Carnival and there is no comparison whatsoever with a Seabourn cruise except they are both on the water.

 

Rachelfran, you will have a wonderful time on your cruise.

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I confused .. I've resisted posting in a couple of these threads because I'm going on my first seabourn cruise in July. LTC Dan has never cruised Seabourn - or has said that on another thread.

 

Well said, my thoughts exactly.

I usually tolerate off topic posts because threads do tend to meander, but in this case I feel for the OP who isn't getting his question answered.

I've stayed off commenting on this one because although I think I can be considered 'Seabourn Loyal' by now, I haven't been on any of the small ships which have now gone to Windstar.

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I confused .. I've resisted posting in a couple of these threads because I'm going on my first seabourn cruise in July. LTC Dan has never cruised Seabourn - or has said that on another thread.

Hi rachelfran (and sunviking, too). Sorry if I gave you or anyone else the impression I was speaking from experience. My views regarding Seabourn and several other cruise lines only represent what I could tell from my own research and in considering the many helpful review comments in Cruise Critic. So consider my viewpoint just an educated opinion. I'm on the hunt for our first "small ship" cruise experience for a 30th anniversary trip next Fall. People that have been on board many times in the past will be in a better position to guide you.

 

This thread all started out as a very fun forum about Windstar's approach. As I mentioned, my wife and I have only cruised on the "big boys", those bloated mega-resorts offered by Royal Caribbean and other outfits. They can offer a high entertainment quotient, no doubt, and that fits the mass market segment. But along with that are long lines, a great deal of hubbub, and somewhat less quality. THAT I can attest to. We want a special experience we will always remember.

 

We decided we wanted a very relaxed, low-key, quiet, romantic alternative. And so I came up with a rather obsessive/fussy process for evaluating and weeding out the cruise lines we probably couldn't or shouldn't try.

 

When people ask what I think about various cruise lines, I like to offer my own perspective. I bet the marketing folks in the corporate office read this stuff, and for them I offer the outsider's perspective of someone that's in a shopping mode.

 

Here's the big take-away from this -- in my opinion, based on lots of research and reading, Seabourn looks fabulous with very few downsides at all. My most serious concern is that the cost is probably out of our reach (that's my problem; I don't want Seabourn to start cutting corners to reduce costs). I still lkeep one Seabourn sailing date on my "watch" list hoping for a last-minute deal. And back to the OP's original question, Windstar seems to have the perfect approach for our particular needs. Price is more in our range, and no downsides for us at all, so more than likely that's what we'll probably end up selecting.

 

All this is subjective. By 1 November 2016 I'll be able to post a review of some hopefully fabulous cruise with real facts. I'm a guy with a way more than "glass half full" optimism, so I think whatever we choose will be awesome.:)

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Windstar seems to have the perfect approach for our particular needs. Price is more in our range, and no downsides for us at all, so more than likely that's what we'll probably end up selecting.

.:)

 

 

Go for it,it's probably your best option.

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