Prunella1

We are on the Encore and the champagne.being served is still.NF.

We booked  June 12th cruise On the Encore three months ago, got our suite assignment yesterday, a V5, and we are Diamond members so very pleased, we always hold our breath but so far we haven't been disappointed, although a few years ago on the Odyssey we got the granny annex to the Wintergarden Suite which would not be most people's first choice.

Very sad news. RIP David E.

On our recent Encore cruise out of 553 passengers on board only 195 were from the USA, the rest made up of 25 different nationalities, Australian, New Zealand, South Africa and many Europeans, oh and of course us Brits, so to suggest Seabourn should just cater to the Americans who only want to eat at 5.30 etc would be very unacceptable to the majority. Even though we are in the older demographic we don't want to eat before at the least 7.30 preferably around 8.p.m. then we might go to the show if it appeals and after if we feel like it go to the Observation Bar for a nightcap.

I think Crystal might appeal more to those who want to eat earlier, they use to have two sittings, one very early and a later one around 8.p.m. not sure if this still applies, perhaps someone on hear might be able to clarify.

I think we forget how many extra stewardesses are needed with the extra and bigger ships, it take time to train people and I am sure there will be problems when the Ovation come on line. You can promote waiters and bar staff but stewardesses have to learn on the job that does not mean we should not expect top service but perhaps be a little understanding if they are keen but make mistakes.

We were told by a crew member that the Encore has the same number of staff as the O class ships and that they were all running around chasing their tails, at times it was obvious. Our stewardess was very good at making up the suite promptly but we were never offered special soaps, she didn't restock our fridge with the tonic water we requested unless reminded and we also had to ask for the slippers, now we are not difficult but with over 250 days on Seabourn we have always had all this done as a matter of course and it was what we would have expected on Encore.

We took our first Seabourn cruise in September (Encore). We had a truly delightful time. We enjoyed the ports AND the ship. We never saw our stewardess after she introduced herself on the first day. Our room was taken care of twice a day--and aside from leaving used drinking glasses in the room for a few days and not refilling the ice bucket daily, everything was ok.

 

We found the restaurant and bar service on the ship to be quite good.

I wonder if we had the same stewardess on our recent Encore cruise, because we had the same issues which we have never experienced before, leaving dirty glasses, not refilling the ice bucket, not replacing shower gels etc. I spoke to the head housekeeper about it and things did get better, but it was not the usual Seabourn standard, however everything else was more or less as expected.

The entire ship is a retreat imo from every day life. So the Retreat is a retreat within a retreat. Who needs that?

Any retreat from reality is welcome at the moment, can't wait until we board the Encore on Wednesday.

Hi Floris

We are on the same cruise and received an upgrade offer from OB to V5 or 6 for 899GBP per person, we didn't take it up as we are quite happy to see what we get, after all there are no bad suites on Seabourn! and we certainly don't mind if we get deck 5 and the half steel balconies, although I am a tad concerned should we be right at the bow end and we have rough weather, still am positive we will have sunny skies and glass like seas!

As to whether these upgrade offers are usual I can only say that last year when we were on Odyssey we had an upgrade offer to a penthouse which we also didn't take up as we were only on for a week. In the past on the little sisters once or twice we were upgraded to a French balcony suite from an A2, and our cruise agent used to phone us to ask if we wanted to accept or not, in those days though we didn't have to pay for the upgrade.

Hope people in the uk caught the bbcs live Alaska tonight.

 

 

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Yes I made a point of watching as I have been enjoying this thread. Thought it was fantastic.

So sorry to hear that very sad news, we have sailed with him many times. Condolences to his family.

I would be inclined to remove the towels if no one appears, I think it's very unfair and I have seen staff on Seabourn remove everything, books, glasses, towels etc, when they have been unused for half an hour or so.

So glad you are enjoying the Encore, it sounds like you are having a good cruise, although my heart would drop at the number of children onboard but of course it is school holidays now and that's a chance you take, so glad they are well behaved.

Thank you for your informative reply. We are flying in the same day, we land about 15.00 hrs so plenty of time to reach the ship. :cool:

Assuming the flight isn't delayed and if it is British Airways I wouldn't be too sure!! But if you have booked the flight with Seabourn then all should be well.

Thank you for the photo and info regarding dressing table,the suites look lovely. Looking forward to more of your posts, I am enjoying them and getting excited about our cruise in October.

I agree with you and great pictures:p

My current Encore cruise has 588 on board and after dining at the TK grill tonight we were in deck outside a SB square to watch the sunset and there was 1other couple there. Today after our time in St Tropez we were back at 2:30 and went to the Patio Grill for the first time. It was crowded but got a table almost immediately. We have not found any time where crowding has influenced our habits onboard.

Thank you for the continuing positive comments, I can remember when the O class ships came into service and all the negativity then, regarding service, not enough staff, badly trained staff, not the Seabourn as we know it etc. and to a degree when we first sailed on Odyssey for her maiden crossing to Fort Lauderdale, we felt the same, and wished we were on one of the little ships, but that soon passed and I am sure we will find that we enjoy our upcoming cruise on the Encore as much as all our other Seabourn sailings.

I have one question if you could tell me please, as the dressing table does not seem to exist, as on the other ships , between the bathroom and walk in wardrobe, where do you or your wife (not sure if you are male or female!!!) do the necessary make up, I do hope it's not back to the good old days of husband having to crawl over the bed while I am trying to make myself presentable at the small area at the end of said bed!!:)

Good to hear something positive about the Encore, I think she looks beautiful, lovely pictures. looking forward to more of your posts.

You want enthusiasm for a QM2 crossing? Here's what does it for me:

 

Dressing for dinner in the PG (or anywhere else for that matter) with cocktails in the Chart Room or maybe the Commodore Bar before and after, interesting conversation, and some sophisticated, live background music. So you will run up a tab - so brace yourself. That's the tradition. And these rooms, grand in the QM Art Deco 1930s way, charming and beautiful. They set the standard for Cunard while their smaller imitators are just that on the other 2 ships. True elegance on QM2!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

We did a crossing on the QM2 last year in the Queens Grill, and although we thought the suite, butler and the Queens Grill restaurant excellent that was about all we liked. Every evening we went to the Grill lounge for cocktails and thought it pretty dire, perhaps we should have gone to the Chart Room instead and enjoyed it more, well you live and learn!

It's not only mileage but tier points that are reduced with different flight codes, according to Flyer Talk. Certainly our Seaborne flights are heavily discounted this time, I checked on the BA site and one way back to LHR is over twice what we are paying for the whole package. Incidentally I always find BA good at notifying even small changes to flight times.

We have booked our air through Seabourn for our cruise in October, London to Rome, Dubai to London, business class for a very good price including transfers, but I have noticed that the airmiles will be very meagre. We could have booked reward flights as they were available but that would have cost us a large amount of airmiles plus taxes plus of course taxis from airport to ship then ship to airport, so all in all we got a good deal with Seabourn, I can't say this is always the case as last summer the prices for air seemed sky high, but we always check just in case!

Good to hear you enjoyed your cruise and something positive about Seabourn. Shall look forward to reading your review when it appears.

We have just booked a 21 day cruise on the Encore Rome to Dubai in October, partly because we so enjoyed reading Able Seaman H's posts on the maiden cruise and we have done the same cruise in reverse, on the Pride, which was so enjoyable. I have been very concerned by the negative posts on here, particularly re housekeeping and service. but decided we have to try it for ourselves as it's all subjective, one man's meat and all that. Anyway I go onboard for the cocktails and my husband for the breakfasts!! so we will see and hopefully any issues will have been sorted by then.

Lincslady we have booked this cruise through the favourite cruise agent I assume you are talking about, we always do, this time we have booked a guarantee plus the Seabourn flights which were very well priced, so fingers crossed it all works out well and we enjoy the Encore as much as we have enjoyed all our other many Seabourn cruises.

We like the Riverside Hotel in Fort Lauderdale, it's on Los Olas Blv, right in the middle of things, very good for people watching and convenient for the water taxis. We have also stayed at the Pillars which was lovely just a bit out of the way but right on the water.

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.

We had one of the so called "punishment suites" last week on the Odyssey and loved it, both for the layout and position, which was very convenient for everything. We didn't hear any noise from either suite next door to us and only occasionally from above. We called it the Granny Annex to the Wintergarden Suite and would have it again in a heartbeat.

I can recommend the NYC Cosmo!