florisdekort

We find Seabourn’s revenue wines very reasonably priced and buy a lot. After my loyalty discount, Dom Perignon and Opus One are almost priced at retail rates - no mark-up. I’m cruising Explora next week and they’re asking 2-3x as much.

As much as we like TKG, I appreciate that after 8 years, it’s time for change. I’m hoping for the best, but another dining venue created by head office chefs reads more like a main dining room extension to me. The ambience at E&O (and the smoked chicken) are very nice, but the menus are short and repetitive. Sushi is a far cry from Silversea’s and Explora’s Asian-themed restaurants. Seabourn needs a winner and based on Soleil’s sample menu posted elsewhere, this isn’t it. Franky, it feels more like a cost saving. No more need to pay Keller (or a replacement Chef), ingredients no longer have to come from select vendors in California but can become part of the bulk ordering for other dining venues, and waiters no longer need to be dedicated, they can just rotate through all venues. I hope I’m wrong. Fingers crossed.

That’s my worry as well. They’ve been sailing with only 300-400 passengers on a ship for 900. Restaurant seating, service levels, tours - it’s all going to be different on a sold out ship.

They’re launching a second ship. It would be scary if their sales numbers didn’t double. Plus they they just released all new itineraries for mid 2024 - mid 2025, so everyone is making (or redoing) their bookings, and I bet the sales guy isn’t netting cancelations out of his numbers 🤣

Reminds me of Renaissance which also named its ships 1 though 6, and then went out of business.

Very curious to learn how many paying passengers are on board for this 7 night New York to Quebec sailing.

Obviously. Which is why Oasis of the Seas has 20+ restaurants. That doesn’t make it nicer though. Just my opinion (and I appreciate some might disagree) - the fewer passengers, the more personal and better the service. I sincerely doubt Explora will deliver to its current standards when there’s 900 people, not 320, on board. Time will tell.

Comments were made yesterday about the challenges of delivering a truly luxury experience to 900 people (and Crystal going as far as reducing the number of passengers on its ships). This photo of Explora 1 next to Seabourn Quest in New York today kind of sums that up for me. It’s a much bigger ship!

Heike Berdos is coming back soon. If she’s as good as she was on Azamara, and if Geneva hasn’t tied her hands, that should make a real difference.

They’re usually 12+ miles out because then they’re allowed to dispose of grey water and take in fresh water.

Last year on Seabourn, Montreal to Miami, all passengers cleared US Immigration (passports required) and Customs upon arrival in Miami, despite 4 US ports incl. an overnight in New York before that.

100% agree. We’ll judge for ourselves on our 20 October cruise, but from everything I’m reading on here, I bucket Explora with Azamara, Oceania and Viking, not with Crystal, Regent, Silversea and Seabourn. It’s virtually impossible to offer a truly luxury experience to 900 guests. Crystal is bringing its passender count down, and Seabourn is - in my opinion - noticeably delivering a better experience on their new 250 passenger ships than their 650 passenger ships.

The opp is clearly stating “I’m reading more and more…”, so I don’t understand your question. Onboard communication issues have indeed been reported by multiple people live from the ship on here, as recently as today.

I fondly remember the naming ceremony of Seabourn Ovation in Malta where the paying guests were the VIPs. We all got to attend and see the bottle smashed, we all got to meet Godmother Elaine Paige, we all got bussed to a stunning fortress for drinks, canapés and entertainment, and we all got treated to amazing fireworks upon our return to the ship. It can be done… Explora has been putting TAs & influencers on their free trips ahead of paying guests from the very start. It’s incredibly disappointing. I guess they are doing it because they desperately need more passengers with the ship sailing 60% empty, but they are overlooking the fact that they are alienating their current paying guests in the process.

Thanks, but we don’t dine in our suite and definitely don’t have parties. My bar is always set up and canapés arrive with our without a butler. Reservations - yes - as I said above. That remains the only thing…

The €150 2-hour cooking class was apparently “excellent” and “amazing” - which makes sense if you get it for free 🤣

So true. Some just don’t know how to make themselves invisible. We only use the butler for an occasional speciality coffee delivered to the suite (although I prefer to walk to the Mosaic Cafe / Seabourn Square myself) and restaurant reservations (not required on Seabourn) - that’s it. I don’t want a stranger to unpack my undies 🤣 and don’t need to be escorted to the theater. Room service is perfectly capable of delivering breakfast; I don’t need it handed off to a butler first. So yes - we’ll see how we go in 10 days time!

We’re booked in one 20 October and will report back. We have no use for a butler though, it’s one of the reasons we prefer Seabourn over Silversea.

That’s because the world cruise comes with a visa package for Americans as an inclusion. It’s the only cruise where you get support like that. And only if you’re American. And still, lots had issues in various African ports.

Yes, Sojourn. Capacity is restricted by the kitchen, not by the number of tables. You’ll never see all tables occupied at the same time on Ovation and Encore, unless perhaps some tables are finishing with coffee / lingering while others just arrived.

Love TKG. Never book online before departure, always on board. Ate their >15 times on our 168 night world cruise earlier this year, never had the same menu item; there are always delicious daily specials. And despite all the complaining on here, it sells out every night…

That’s a bit unfair as it’s the only exception on Seabourn and that’s very clearly communicated. 3-Michelin star Chef Keller simply doesn’t allow guests to alter his food 🤣

I am European but much prefer American steakhouses (USDA and ideally cooked Pittsburgh style). I hope there’s something for us on Marble’s menu 🙂

To those who comment with “on Quest…”, Quest has formal nights. Venture and Pursuit do not.

Keep calm and carry on. You‘ll have a wonderful cruise. Reviews from Venture and Pursuit and the many live reports on Seabourn Sailors have all been two thumbs up.