Hlitner

Never a problem ordering caviar from room service, at a bar, or in the Restaurant. Ask and ye shall receive whether you want a single or double portion. Hank

Regarding temps onboard, it can be cold in the Grand Salon, warm in Solis, etc etc. Truth is the temps vary around the ship so you might want to bring along some kind of wrap. Hank

Yesterday (9/9) the Encore docked at Split. The Captain's weather forecasting was "right on" since it was a very dreary morning with gusty winds that would have made the originally scheduled tender operation, at Korcula, difficult to impossible. DW and I took advantage of the dry morning conditions to walk into Split and do the usual touristy things which include visiting the old Palace and Cathedral. Late in the morning we walked the popular promanade until DW thought it best to return to the ship, because of very threatening skies. Soon after we reached the ship, the skies opened-up and dumped a torrent. Last evening we dined, for the third time, in Solis and it was not the best experience. Service was a bit slow, the wine sommelier was not to be seen, but the food was fine. Regarding the wine, we refused our waiters suggestion to order off the abbreviated wine list that is in the menu, and asked for the Sommelier along with the big wine list. After 20 minutes of no-show, the Maitre'd came to our table and offered to take our wine order (which was a decent bordeaux from the Paulliac region). We got into a conversation with a couple at the next table (also frequent SB cruisers) who expressed their extreme displeasure with Solis, their service, and the fact that the Encore seems to run out of too many things (including decent cognac, and the basic complementary Chardonnay). The other folks also mentioned they tried to order two different pricey wines off the wine list only to be told, "neither is available." That same couple finally left Solis without dessert since they were unhappy at how long they had waited to order that final course. Our experience was somewhat better, but having purchased a decent bottle of wine I was generally left on my own to refill our glasses. So, folks, our final comments on Solis. At best, the menu and service are rough around the edges. If the old Thomas Keller Grill was rated a 10, then we would give Solis a 6 or 7. Today we woke up to beautiful blue skies, perfect temps in the 70s, and a fantastic balcony view of the Zadar promenade. Zadar has two docking locations, and the Encore got the one desirable berth located within spitting distance of the old town. The other two ships in port, Azamara Pursuit and Silversea Silver Ray, had to dock a few kilometers from town. It was our first visit to Zadar, and we quickly found ourselves loving this city. The walled old town was not as crowded as Dubrovnik, the relatively new Promenade (along the sea) was perfect, and it was difficult not to crack my face with a big smile. DW and I walked the entire promanade (about 1/2 mile) to the opposite end where we encountered the local university with its thousands of students. We then worked our way back through the old town with the usual tourist stops at churches. At the Cathedral, we enjoyed an unexpected organ concert before stopping at a perfectly located cafe for some coffee and people watching. There are many good reasons why Croatia has become a popular tourist destination, and Zadar is one of the better reasons. Tonight, it is back to a hosted table with our assistant cruise director (Rhys) and then we get a new (to us) guest entertainer named Congyu Wang, who is a classical pianist that comes highly recommended by Ross (the Cruise Director).

The tax issue, with regard to cruising, is dependent on a few factors including whether in (or near) a port as well as the ship's itinerary. Some cruises. that only visit EU ports may have taxes imposed on every purchase for an entire voyage. A visit to a non-Schengen or EU port (such as Kotor, Montenegro; or Dures, Albania) may be enough to eliminate those taxes on the cruise. If one wants to make an expensive purchase, aboard, such as a wine or drink package, it is wise to ask the seller if there will be any taxes imposed on the purchase. We have been a several cruises out of Florida ports, where the crew would advise us that if we purchased some kind of drink package, they would not process the sale until we were well out into international waters...thus avoiding Florida taxes. At one time, we cruised on some lines that would actually handle package sales, in a Florida port, by writing them up on a manual invoice. This made it a simple matter to delay the processing (and the taxes). Hank

Have never tried it on a chip, but they usually have potato chips and the Observation Bar. Might give that a try 😋

We have cruised on all those lines (with the exception of Costa). In the past 1 1/2 years we have been on Princess, Oceania, Seabourn, Explora Journeys and have an upcoming cruise on Silversea. We do have one future HAL booking (a 35 day voyage) with a refundable deposit and will likely base a final go-no go decision on what we see here on CC. Why do I say HAL is a budget line? Add-ons for lousy lobster, steak in the MDR, ridiculous art auctions taking over too much space (sorry to those who disagree about those auctions), many passengers cruising at free to very low prices because of gambler specials, Interline rates, etc. You ask why bother going away? The main draw, for us, of HAL is simply a few of their itineraries. HAL has long had some terrific itineraries which we think is still their strong suit and can make "lower expectations" a reasonable trade-off. Our last HAL voyage (42 days on the Westerdam) was not acceptable (on many levels) which has kept us away from HAL for nearly 2 years. I will mention the situation with HAL crew. At one time we thought the crew really special and always were in attendance for their Indonesian and Filopino staff shows. On our last HAL cruise, there were no shows, and service suffered due to some staffing problems and an influx of many new crew. Some of this was not HAL's fault and due to issues related to COVID. But we would no longer rate HAL's crew any better than what we have had on Princess, MSC (Yacht Club), or O. It is also enlightening when we meet past HAL crew members (including officers) on other lines and ask them why they changed companies. Just consider that here on Seabourn, most of the crew work 3-4 month contracts as compared to much longer contracts found on HAL (and some other lines). They also do not need to rely on "tipping pools" for part of their compensation. Shorter contracts are great for morale, and help ease the situation for the many crew members who have children. Hank

Those lines command a premium price because that offer a premium product. HAL now plays to a mostly budget oriented clientele and has become something close to a budget cruise line. We enjoy premium and luxury products (now on the Seabourn Encore) but also sometimes book budget lines (like HAL) with low expectations. I do wonder if HAL will morph into the CMV line for North America. They had an OK budget product with older ships until they finally failed. Hank

This morning, we docked in Dubrovnik, for another turn-around day. About 1/3 of the passengers (approximately 200 souls) will be continuing on for the next week (our last) for a Croatia-heavy itinerary. Yesterday afternoon, our Captain announced that there are some forecasted storms, tomorrow (9/9) which makes tendering into Korcula a bit too risky. So, we have replaced that port with a stop at Split, where our ship can dock. For me, that is a good change since we have been to Korcula, several times, but have always wanted to spend some time in Split. For readers new to Seabourn, I thought it might be fun to talk about a few Sebourn "secrets." 1. Caviar ...Seabourn and caviar are almost synonymous. SB uses a decent domestic caviar which is almost always available, but generally not advertised. Passengers can always order caviar through room service, for delivery to their suites. It is also possible to get orders at any of the bars by simply asking a bar tender or waiter. One can request a single order (one scoop) or a double (two scoops) which comes on a large platter with the various fixens. It is also possible to order caviar at The Restaurant by simply asking a waiter...although that item is NOT on the menu. 2. Pizza......Seabourn has pretty decent pizza. While it is no secret that the Patio (the buffet near the pool) always has pizza, that is usuallly a Margarita and one daily special which sit on the open buffet under a heat lamp. As you can imagine, this is not always the best since that pizza could have been sitting for some time. However, the secret is that any passenger can order a custom pizza from the pool deck waiters. While not listed on the menu, it is usually available. They are the same 12 inch pizzas that are on the buffet, but you can get customized toppings (if your choices are available). The nice thing is that these pizzas are made to order, hot, and delivered to your table on the pool deck. One could also make the request if dining in the Colonnade. 3. Hosted Tables ....I have mentioned, in previous posts, that DW and I sometimes enjoy sharing hosted tables. While not generally advertised anywhere, the hosted tables are an option for anyone who simply makes the request of a host/hostess at the Restaurant or Colonnade. Hank

Here on the Encore, where I am somewhat friendly with several of the bar tenders, I never am sure what treat awaits when I sit at a bar. Last evening, I sat down at the Observation bar, and the bar tender put a cognac glass in front of me and brought over a bottle of Clos du Ducs VSOP. This is the first VSOP, I have seen since boarding the ship in late August. While not my favorite pour, that Armagnac is arguably comparable to many of the VSOP cognacs. Hank

According to some CC posts, a few months after our cruise. the EJ folks abandoned the Moet and Chandon brand for a lesser known and priced brand also owned by the Henessy group. If you are thinking about booking EJ, you might want to get active on the CC EJ board and find out the current status. Hank

So here is the story. The Encore (and Ovation) do not have the fryer that was demanded by Keller. But SB owns the recipe so can now do as they please. Here on the Encore they modified the prep to use some frying and finishing in the oven. Just finished eating that chicken and it was very similar to what we had on the small ships with the expensive fryer. Hank

A thought occurred to me, today, and I hope it is wrong! A few fellow cruisers have talked about the "Hollandization" of Seabourn. As folks who have spent hundreds of days on HAL, we trust that is just grumbling with no merit. However, about 16 months ago we were on HAL's Westerdam for a 42-day cruise. Although Courvoisier VSOP was covered by their Signature drink package, there was none to be had on the entire ship for our 6-week voyage. One bar tender told me that there had been none for many months. So those with drink packages either had to pay extra for higher end options (like Remy XO) or go without! Now, we are on the Encore where we have a somewhat similar issue with cognac. And if one believes in coincidences, we might consider the fact that the new President of Seabourn comes from the HAL family. As a fan of SB, I want to believe that what has happened on this ship (regarding Cognac) is just one of those things and will soon be rectified.

Good Day, Today, the Encore is completing its visit to the Ionian Islands and we are docked in Corfu with 3 other cruise ships (Viking Sea, Marella Explorer, and MSC Armonia). That completely fills the large pier facility at this popular port. DW and I have long found Corfu and decent port so it was nice to renew our acquaintance with a shopping visit to nearby Corfu Town. Seabourn provided complementary shuttle bus service (every 30 minutes) from the port terminal into the town. Yesterday, we tendered into Lefkada, which is a picturesque island, perhaps best known for its location near Scorpios...the private island owned by the Onassis family. The Ionian Islands are a very popular place for boating/yachting since there are many nice islands in relatively close proximity. DW and I first visited this area, about 25 years ago, on a small yacht cruise (20 passenger) and the region still has its charm. On board the Encore, all is well (except for the Cognac issue we outlined in another thread). The onboard staff have been quite good, and on the pool deck we have experienced many of the usual SB perks such as cold washcloths, iced fruit on a stick, and waiters coming around with the drink of the day (today it was Strawberry Daiquiris). The weather continues to be generally good, with temperatures somewhat toasty in the high 80s F. For fans of Ross Roberts (our popular cruise director) I should mention that he headlines a sail away party, yesterday, where he entertained with his excellent voice. As Seabourn regulars are well aware, this company has a history of employing CDs and Assistant CDs who come from the entertainment side of the cruise world. This evening, we depart Greece and head towards Brindisi, Italy and then back to Croatia. Over the past couple of weeks, we have talked with many fellow passengers, and nearly all seem to be happy with the current SB product. SB fans all know that the Thomas Keller Grill is history. But TK does live on, in a sense since tonight, they are having the ole Fried Chicken dinner in the Colonnade. This used to be called a special TK meal, but now, although the menu is nearly the same, the reference to TK is gone. Just like in TK days, folks need to make reservations for this special Colonnade dinner. Another tidbit is that since we boarded (nearly 2 weeks ago) we have heard no mention of Sir Tim Rice. Hank

The only Remy on the Encore is XO at about $32 an ounce.

Just an update about onboard cognac. Encore has apparently run out of the high class Hardy VS and substituted the even less charming Carlos I Spanish brandy. It has been rumored that our supplies will be enhanced on the 7th. It is anyone’s guess what wonderful treat awaits our next weeks voyage. Hank

Today we anchored off the Greek port of Itea, which is a relatively small town on the mainland. The Swan Hellenic Diana, happened to have the one small docking place at this port. The primary reason anyone comes to this port is for the opportunity to visit Delphi (think of the Oracle of Delphi) which is an area of importance to historians and lovers of ruins. Since DW and I have previously visited the area, while on a land trip, we decided to spend the day on our lovely ship. The weather was quite nice and there was enough of a sea breeze to make lounging on deck a nice way to spend our day. We also had "Marina Day" this afternoon which gave cruisers a chance to use the paddle boards, sailboat, kayacs, or ride in the "couch" which can be a thrill. Last evening we had our 2nd dinner (this cruise) in Solis, and it was terrific. Solis rotates part of its menu, on a weekly basis, and we hit the jackpot with this week's offering. One of the starters was lobster ravioli. The serving had 3 ravioli in a lobster emulsion and topped with large chunks of lobster! The dish was fantastic and ranks as one of the best starters we have ever had on a cruise ship. The manager told me that nearly everyone, who dines at Solis, orders that starter when it is on the menu. For our main, DW and I decided to split the 32 ounce Snake River Farm bone-in ribeye. The steak was cooked to perfection. Unlike our previous meal at Solis, this one rivaled the quality of what we used to expect at TK. A warning that dining at Solis can mean truly "dining" and nothing close to fast food. Our dinner took over 2 hours (which was fine with us). Last evening we also managed to get to the Production Show called "Skyliner" which is a new show that features the best of the singers. The new shows are somewhat different, from the past, in that they do not feature the athletic dancers we have seen on previous voyages. The cast does still have 6 and include song/dance, but at least so-far on this voyage the dancing has been low-key. I spoke with Ross (the CD) this morning and he seemed pretty excited that SB has moved to new shows. Tonight we get a new Guest Entertainer (for us) named Harry Sideropolous who is billed as a little of everything (singer, actor, comedian, etc). Ross also told me we can expect two new Guest Entertainers next week. In terms of entertainment, we have had little repetition on this cruise, which is a good thing. Hank

At the risk of sounding like a wine snob, that Lassegue really changed character after some breathing time. At first sip, we were underwhelmed. 15 minutes later it softened into a delightful wine for that price.

We are currently on the Encore, where the included wines ate ordinary items that are often worth less than $10 a bottle at retail. But, there are some bargains to be found on the larger wine list. Last evening, at Solis. we bought a bottle of Chateau Lassegue 2017 which is a Grand Cru Bordeaux that can be found in the States. With our SB Club discoiunt it cost us about $77. The retail for this wine would usually be at least $65. That being said. It is difficult to defend a line that ONLY offers Hardy VS Cognac as it’s included brandy. And the practice of not having an available list of included wines is sad. One has to play “20 questions” to learn the daily options. I will also mention that our recent Oceania cruise had a large selection of included wines with real wine lists. Hank

I do not think this is a one answer fits all question. It depends on how much the extra money means to the cruisers and whether they normally spend sufficient waking time in their suite. DW and I prefer to be out and about so find little value in a large suite. We have friends who spend a lot of time in their suite and they want the largest suite and balcony. When we have booked larger suites, we found all that extra space was nice but usually unused. Hank

Greeting fellow cruisers, Encore continues to cruise on a Northwest course, at about 8 knots, as we head towards Corfu with our single sea day...this week. The weather has been very good and also somewhat hot (feels like the low 90s F). Life onboard, feels like Seabourn, which many of us know means a good thing. This voyage has been blessed with the calmest seas I can ever recall on a cruise. Make no mistake, there have been some cut-backs, but most folks we have met seem to be content with their Seabourn experience. Consider that with these short 7 day itineraries, certain SB events such as the block parties, caviar in the surf, etc. have been eliminated. While a majority of the cruisers are onbaord for at least 2 weeks, the schedule must reflect the fact that we are doing a series of 7 day cruises. Yesterday, we tendered into the island of Monemvasia, a new port for me. It is a hilly island, with the primary attraction being a small walled old town. From the tender dock, one could either ride a local shuttle bus (about 2 Euros) or walk the approximate 1.2 miles to the so-called "lower town." This small village reminded me of Eze (in France) with narrow streets, boutiques, shops and small restaurants. For us it was a very nice port day and it felt good to do the round trip walk and get some exercise. Last evening DW and I enjoyed a table for 2 in the Restaurant, where the food has been up to SB standards. I particularly enjoyed the raw oyster starter, which consisted of two large oysters, on the half shell, with a sour cream and caviar topping. The evening show was a Guest Entertainer singer (quite good) and DW and I managed to keep Observation Bar working until close :). I mentioned that this cruise does have a very normal SB feel. We have not met any passengers, from prior cruises, but have chatted with several crew members from prior cruises (including Captain Pedder). We have continued to enjoy our "hosted tables" and the other evening we dined with the Assistant CD (Rhys) which turned out to a very enjoyable dinner. Rhys is an interesting young man who is perfected suited for his role (and he would make a terrific CD). Along with the popular Ross Roberts, the CD department seems to be up to any task. The passenger mix is a good combination of Americans and Europeans, and we have met many nice folks. On this cruise, the Restaurant opens for dinner at 6pm. I assume that SB has heard some complaints that the old 7pm is too late for some folks, but you sure could fool me on this voyage. Several of our hosted tables have been at 6:30, and we generally see no more than about 20 folks in the Restaurant until about 7. Like many SB cruises, it seems like a majority of folks head to dinner around 7:30. Although the ship is near capacity, nothing seems overly crowded. One complaint, we have heard from a few, is the difficulty of finding a lounger in the shade. This morning (a sea day) most of the shade areas were staked out by 8am. I have also noticed that the Team Trivia groups are large, so many are simply keeping to the cool indoors. Hank

Just in Kotor (last week) where we took a regional but to Budva (about 8 Euros). There are taxis around the port, but they will routinely quote tourist prices 2 to 3 times the norm. If one walks to the bus station (less then a mile walk) you will find a long line of taxis that are more likely to charge a fair price. Hank

Have no clue as to your visa situation, since we have not relied on HAL for visas for a few years. With 12 countries we would certainly do our homework, carefully checking the visa requirements on the government web sites and also checking the Dept of State web site for info on each country. If you do need multiple visas pre trip, it can be worth the money to use a decent visa service (pre cruise) to save the hassles of dealing with each country. And make sure you have a few blank pages in your Passport. You also should find out if there are any vaccination requirements. Hank

Greetings fellow cruise lovers. Since the two "Fudges" debarked this morning, I have decided to continue the live report which is under another thread. This morning, the Encore docked at Terminal C in Pireaus. That particular terminal is about 1/3 of a mile from the main cruise terminal, which means a slightly longer walk or ride to get anywhere! DW and I are, normally, very independent travelers and today was no exception. We decided to walk over to the relatively new Dimotiko Theatro Metro Station, rather than hike to our usual station located on the other side of the port (across from the main ferry terminal entrance. This was our first experience using the new station, which provided access to the metro blue line (I think it is also known as line 3). Both the Green Line (which is from the older station) and the Blue Line (from the newer station) provide easy access to Athens. In this case, DW and I were going to the Monastiriki Station (which can be accessed by either the Blue or Green lines). Round trip on this metro cost us 2.30 Euros, so the total cost of going into Athens (for a couple) is less than $5. The walk from Terminal C to either station is about 1.1 miles and folks might want to consider that the old station (often referred to cruisers as the train station) can be accssed by the local #843 bus for those that do not like 1 mile walks. The new station does mean hiking uphill for about 2 blocks to get to its access road. We really appreciated that the Blue Line has new trains which are in great condition. Folks can actually take this metro line all the way to the Athens Airport, although that does require purchasing a more expensive ticket (9 Euros one-way). After our 20 min metro ride we alighted at Monasiriki and did our usual Athens Sunday stroll through the various streets of the popular flea market. After 1 1/2 hours of shopping, we decided to head back to Pireaus (and the ship) for lunch, which we enjoyed on-deck. It occurred to us that some would find it strange that a couple of cruisers were back aboard by 1pm after having trekked all the way into Athens. I mention this for folks who like to do their own thing, since traveling between the port of Pireaus and downtown Athens is actually quite simple (and inexpensive). One could also take a taxi (for a lot more money), the X80 express bus, or even make the trek on one of several local bus routes (not recommended by me). On our way to the station, about 9:30 this morning, it actually rained! This is unusual for Athens in the summer, but the shower was a minor inconvenience and did help keep down the temperatures (which eventually made it to the mid 80s F or about 30 C) and clean-up the usually polluted air. After our lunch, near the pool on Deck 9, we found loungers in the shade on the aft end of Deck 5 (behind the Club). One big change, that has happened on Seabourn, is that most of the deck loungers now have cushions. These are about 1 1/2 inches thick, have a plastic coating (which is great if they get wet) and really add to the comfort of using the loungers. While many talk about the various cut-backs (such as with Cognac) it is nice to also see some improvements. This evening, DW and I will again dine at a "hosted table" in the Restaurant. For those not aware, Seabourn does provide some larger Restaurant tables that are hosted by various staff. This is a popular thing with some singles and couples and invites may sometimes just happen, or anyone can simply tell one of the restaurant hostesses that they want such invites. DW and I love the hosted tables since it is a way to meet some other cruisers and staff. Since the COVID shutdown, we seldom see the marine Officers hosting tables, and most hosts are either non-marine staff (such as the Cruise Director, or various entertainers. So far, on this voyage (we have been here a week) we have dined with two Guest Entertainers (who we knew from having met them on two previous cruises), the Seabourn Club Hostess, and a third invite (which we turned down) to dine with one of the regular singers. The reason we turned down the third hosted table invite was because, last evening, we wanted to dine in the Colonnade where they had the somewhat popular "Indian Market." The Indian Market is a common occurrence on Seabourn and a personal favorite. This buffet is obviously about Indian Cuisine, and we really enjoy the change from the more normal menu items. Last evening was quite pleasent, outside, and the ship was cruising at a very slow speed which made dining behind the Colonnade a near-perfect experience. The outside area was packed with happy cruisers enjoying the Indian dishes. The evening later continued with a 9:30 Production Show, which was quite full. On most nights when there is a show, there are two performances (usually about 8:15 and 10:15). But last night, being the final night for a cruise segment, the CD only scheduled one show. A word about our Suite. I had mentioned, a few weeks ago, that we had booked a V1 (basic veranda suite) guarantee for this cruise. SB offered us several opportunities for upsells (always to various V categories) which we ignored. When we got our suite assignment. we received a free upgrade all the way to V4 which put us on Deck 10. While these V4 cabins are the highest and most expensive "V" Category, we actually prefer lower category suites on decks 5-8! Deck 10 is actually, in my opinion, the least convenient location for a suite since the only inside elevator access are the two forward elevators. To get to the main elevator bank, one needs to go outside. Funny thing about cruise ships is that folks are willing to pay more money for the highest category cabins/suites, which are often in less desirable locations. But cruisers have always been brainwashed to accept that the best cabin locations are on the highest decks (usually amidship). Just one of those long-standing cruise traditions. Hank

Enjoyed your blog and will continue the effort in a new thread. Have a safe journey home. Hank

I am shocked that they are letting scooters park in the corridors. I believe that it is a violation of SOLAS to have anything parked in the corridors as it blocks egress in case of an emergency. Hank