Nigella

Seconding the Mandarin. Biscayne bay area was very nice to stay in.

Agree, it's a very nice area, convenient for the airport also.

I haven't stayed at the Mandarin but did stay at the Four Seasons in the same area for a short stay after a cruise. FS has no beach but does have a very spacious pool area. Also it's not a FS of Hong Kong or George V Paris level, but was pleasant enough for a couple of nights.

For a short stay I'd be happy to be in that area again and will certainly stay there when SB moves to the Miami cruise port instead of Port Everglades.

Back to topic, kkmiausa if you're still reading, new wines arrived onboard.

One is a Chablis, I tried and was not keen on it :o.

I saw one other new white wine., but not close enough to read the label

.Ask your sommelier if you can try them both to see which you prefer.

Can I ask your thoughts on Fontainebleau? I have that booked after my next Seabourn cruise, but wondering if I should change to the Acqualina? I know Fontainebleau is huge, but it is just for one night, and looked to be in a good location with lots of dining options. Apologies for being "off topic".

I haven't stayed there, I had lunch there a couple of times, wasn't impressed plus heard from South Florida friends exactly what Suite Travels said, it passed it's best some years ago. Acqualina is close to Fort Lauderdale. The area it's in is relatively a quiet location, gorgeous beachfront but away from the main action of Miami Beach.

I'm a bit worried about the hotel Seabourn uses in Fort Lauderdale - the Diplomat Resort on Hollywood Beach. It's a Hilton. Recent reviews on TripAdvisor speak of terrible services and lack of amenities due to extensive, noisy and dusty renovations. I've called Seabourn to investigate and they said I could make my own hotel arrangements but they would charge me not to stay there!

We've never used the SB (or SS) hotels and I'm not familiar with the one you mention. If you are able to change it there are a couple of possibiliites to consider. Some CC posters like the Ritz-Carlton in Fort lauderdale. I didn't enjoy our stay there and it didn't feel like the usual quality of RC hotels. It's been a few years though so it may have improved.

My favourite hotel in the whole Greater Miami/Fort L area is Acqualina Resort. Great service, very comfortable rooms - Oceanfront Suite and above. Food isnt't their strong point though ;).

Alternatively for a smaller hotel in Fort L take a look at The Pillars. Again it's been a good few years since I was there so do take a look at recent reviews.

I'm a bit worried about the hotel Seabourn uses in Fort Lauderdale - the Diplomat Resort on Hollywood Beach. It's a Hilton. Recent reviews on TripAdvisor speak of terrible services and lack of amenities due to extensive, noisy and dusty renovations. I've called Seabourn to investigate and they said I could make my own hotel arrangements but they would charge me not to stay there!

We've never used the SB (or SS) hotels and I'm not familiar with the one you mention. If you are able to change it there are a couple of possibiliites to consider. Some CC posters like the Ritz-Carlton in Fort lauderdale. I didn't enjoy our stay there and it didn't feel like the usual quality of RC hotels. It's been a few years though so it may have improved.

My favourite hotel in the whole Greater Miami/Fort L area is Acqualina Resort. Great service, very comfortable rooms - Oceanfront Suite and above. Food isnt't their strong point though ;).

Alternatively for a smaller hotel in Fort L take a look at The Pillars. Again it's been a good few years since I was there so do take a look at recent reviews.

I was correct in stating there was no chardonnay. I got a note from our cabin stewardess there was no more but she left a bottle of Pinot grigio. Last night

2 bottles of CK Mondavi Chardonnay were left and confirmed tonight in Colonnade the only Chardonnay is the Mondavi. I see this wine at my supermarket for $7.99 a bottle. it may seem picky to you but you are discussing quality of champagnes! Does Chardonnay quality not matter?

The other main issue is that we docked in Brooklyn requiring a long ride

into the city. When booked and plans were made all activity was based on being near Manhattan. This will be my last post re Quest. Surprised at hostility just for stating the facts and providing valuable decision

making info for others so they can make an informed decision. I only wish I had had all the facts when I booked.

No hostility intended by me, and I'm sorry that was how my comment came over to you. I was also just trying to state the facts.

Given that I live in the Côte de Beaune area of Burgundy, France, where some of the finest Chardonnay wines in the world are produced, I do care very much about the quality of Chardonnay and I don't like the Mondavi at all. That is why I knew there were still two different ones onboard. At least that was the situation when I posted yesterday.

The good news is that friends were told by the Head Sommelier that more wines will be available again from today,hopefully including the Petit Chablis . I know you said you won't post on the subject again but hopefully you'll still be reading here - I'll update here as soon as I can to confirm that more Chardonnay choices are available again.

Our docking in Brooklyn was discussed here at CC several weeks ago, I think it came up on a thread that you had started? Luckily, we had plenty of time to slightly alter our plans to fit the schedule.

For anyone reading who may be visiting NYC in the future with SB, docked in Brooklyn, there is a shuttle bus running every hour to Midtown. The last departure yesterday was at 12.30 am so it was easy to enjoy the evening in town with no worries about finding a taxi.

Again, I am sorry if my post came across in any way hostile to you kkmiausa.

(And thank you frantic/Julie!)

The little sisters used to go right into downtown Saigon. Were you on one of these ? I'm not sure the current ships can get that far up the river and therefore would now dock at the container berth which is unfortunately about 90 minutes drive from downtown Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City).

 

I don't remember Shopping with the Chef being offered on our Legend cruise in 2014 either.

 

Somehow, having seen a couple of Vietnamese markets on our trip, I think it would be a bit of a shock for some. When they slaughter a pig that morning, every single piece and organ is laid out for sale.

Pig lung soup with tripe anyone ?

 

Great trip however; would do it again in a heartbeat.

Sadly we never sailed on the triplets, we were on Sojourn, think it was also 2014.

Great cruise that we would also do again in a heartbeat.

Enjoy NYC.

 

We recently did a short cruise on the Odyssey and agree with you about the breadsticks they are not as addictive as they used to be, I think they are less salty and certainly we didn't have any dips served with them.

 

I am enjoying reading about your cruise because we have friends onboard and they don't do cruise critic so was wondering how it was going with the weather and sea conditions.

Hello Prunella, the weather today has been super. Temperatures in the low 70s F and very sunny clear blue skies.

We enjoyed a wonderful sail-in to the city, with Mimosas being offered on decks 6 and 10 forward where many of us enjoyed the view.

We were on this cruise two years ago.

I don't remember Shopping with the Chef being offered on our cruise.

In Ho Chi Minh we were at a dock right in the city centre. We very much enjoyed the sail in and out up the winding Saigon river.

For anyone reading who is boarding Quest this coming Friday, I can confirm that they most certainly have not run out of Chardonnay. There are two different chardonnays currently available, I tried both yesterday.

On the subject of breadsticks, I am finding them different this time to previous cruises. Not sure if less salt is being used. Whatever, I'm no longer horribly addicted to them and my waistline is thanking me for that!

The demograohic on this cruise is probably slightly older overall than usual for us. Our group is aged between middle 40s to early 50s and we are definitely amongst the youngest guests.

All very enjoyable so far, we're currently off the coast of Long Island heading into NYC. Picking up our pilot right now as I type.

Also onboard Quest and in agreement with OP.

Very pleased to report that the food is great, some of you may remember our last SB cruise was on the Odyssey last year, food and service overall were not good, and we weren't sure we would return to SB after that.

SB acknowledged that many guest's experience on that cruise wasn't usual SB quality and we decided to give it another try. So happy that we did.

Thoroughly enjoying this cruise. I'd like a ittle more variety and choice in food, ideally, but it's not a big deal. We've dined at the Grill one time so far, food was superb.

Crew top notch. Some of our favourite crew members are going to Encore very soon, I'm sure that they'll make a great contribution to the first Encore cruises.

Went to Obs a couple of nights ago and the smoke was horrible, the worst I've experienced on any SB cruise. we left immediately, roll on 28 Nov (?) !

Sea conditions now much improved over this morning :D

Thanks everyone, it's good to know that the Humboldt has been around recently. I'll keep fingers and toes crossed for our upcoming!

Tilly, we're on Quest, Montreal to Fort Lauderdale.

So after our last less than stellar Odyssey experience, I've persuaded my better half to give SB another try.

We sail in a little over four weeks and given the experience last time, there's a lot riding on this cruise.

I expect to find that SB has resumed to normal service as I do believe that our last cruise was just an unfortunate one off.

Having been away from SB for 8 months :eek: I was wondering if the sublime Humboldt Fog is still being served on TK evenings in The Colonnade? Anyone seen it recently?

As ever, I've very much enjoyed reading your thread Catlover.

Thank you for lovely photos and interesting information about the Europa.

Are they 'le ritz' or 'la ritz'?...........or maybe 'les ritz'? ;)

:D that did make me laugh!

Had they run out of more elegant crackers?

But if they get their comparisons wrong then people will start to think they are being conned - viz.

Seabourn Odessey and Seabourn Quest are identical ships but Regent quote different facts for each ship

Odessey - Guests 450, Space to Guest Ratio 71, Veranda Suite Size 365 sq.ft., Gratuities/Service Charge $120

Quest - Guests 450, Space to Guest Ratio 53.2, Veranda Suite Size 295 sq.ft.,

Gratuities/Service Charge Included.

 

Why the differences:confused:

Exactly.

Regent has quoted the sq. ft. for an ocean view category suite on Seabourn Quest, not a veranda suite.

Some people may not care very much about suite size, but if Regent is making factual errors like this,how can we trust them to be correctly quoting details that are more difficult for us to check such as the fares they have used?

It's likely a genuine error on their part, but really, IMO if Regent wants to use such methods as this to do its marketing, ie make comparisons, for Regent to be taken seriously the details need to be accurate.

Also agree with the points about this type of thing "cheapening" the brand to a degree.

This type of marketing isn't going to be a factor in my choice of cruise line, especially as they can't even get it right.

(apologies for typos etc, am using a temperamental tablet!)

I agree with both lincslady and flossie.

We're yet to try Regent. As two early 50 something couples who usually cruise together three or four times a year we're keen to learn as much as we can about the line whilst we wait for a suitable itinerary that may tempt us.

I'm finding myself increasingly confused about Regent's target demographic and where Regent is placing itself.

Agree with Suite Travels.

I looked at only one region, but the one I picked was comparing different itineraries :confused: and Regent couldn't even get the suite measurement of one of the other ships right. The figure Regent provided was completely inaccurate, in Regent's favour of course.

Impossible to take this seriously, although I doubt many people would. it 's just marketing nonsense and reminded me of the advertising tactics of one of the low cost supermarkets we have in France ;)

I can still see it.

http://www.cruisecritic.co.uk/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=536787

N,

 

What are the chances that the next referendum being offered to the French?

 

Jeff

Morning Jeff.

it's extremely unlikely in the next 12 months, but things may becom more clear early next summer after next Presidential elections.

I think a lot will depend on how our negotiations go, but there is a high level of euro scepticism.

Pres Hollande did call for some reduction of EU control a year or so back so contrary to the popular view of France from outside it's not just the right wing parties

I think there will be a referendum in the next 5/6 years if the EU doesnt make some radical changes following our exit.

I'm going to the newsagent tomorrow and will order a quarter of wine gums. Followed by a visit to the butcher for a pound of mince. :D

More seriously,Brexit will cause me some problems as I divide my time between the UK and France. I voted leave all the same. I run my business from the UK and am a UK taxpayer.

There has been no clear guidance for married couples in our situation. It's possible that we will have to commit to living in one country or the other, but we each retained our own nationality and neither applied for citizenship of the other country. In theory I could be prevented from living in France in the future. So who knows what will happen.

Some of our friends in similar mixed EU nation marriages who have kids are quite concerned about future living arrangements.

If there is to be a referendum in France, my husband would vote leave.

The insults being directed at leavers are terrible. Xenophobic, thick and uneducated are just a few.

When did the policy change to allow smoking in there before 8pm ?

I need to contact SB Club at some point during the next couple of days, and given your post here I want to address this with them.

I've followed your WC blogs and general posts so I know that you're SB regulars with a lot of nights onboard.

The SB website definitely still says smoking after 8pm. can you tell me when it changed and on whose authority ?

Sorry this is affecting your cruise.

That would be cool to get the timing right to coincide with the GP!

In 2011 we travelled with my brother and his wife on a cruise that was timed for the GP. Arrived in Monaco (anchored in the bay as Legend was at the dock) on the Saturday morning and we departed at 1am on Monday.

Only downside to this?

The cruise was on Silversea ;)

There are several cruise ships in Monaco right now, Silver Spirit, Star Breeze, both Sea Dream ships, Windstar, and Azamara that I'm aware of, could be more.

Yes, I felt pretty sick when I had to get off!

Me too!

Sojourn is my favourite of the big sisters. Proportionally we've done many more cruises on Sojourn than on Quest or Odyssey. Our best SB cruises have been on Sojourn so I'm very fond of her.

Haven't noticed a particularly 'sick ship'.

There was a bronchial type virus on one our cruises, possibly HKG-SIN in 2014 (?) but as others have said, not much can be done if a guest brings a virus on board.

Techno123 is spot on.

 

the TK revenue list was amazing and reasonably priced' date=' so they ordered revenue wines

 

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Does anyone object if I do a happy dance? :D This is excellent news.