sananda

Carnival has not made the ship purchase contracts publicly available, but we know that they do not have enough money to complete the nine 2020 and 2021 deliveries.  Trust me, Carnival corporation did not want to sell 13 ships in 2020, lay off most of their personnel and borrow an additional 10 billion dollars.  They did these things to raise cash so that they could survive.

The Seabourn Venture is not named as one of the four ships they intend to complete at this point.  They want the first to be delivered to be the Carnival Mardi Gras.  A lot is going to depend on Carnival's cash flow going forward.  Looking at their burn rate, I don't see how they will be able to take delivery of the other three any time soon.  Carnival is counting on a lot of things to go very well for them during the remainder of 2020.

Also, you have to take the shipyards into consideration.  Are they still idle?  Do they have enough cash on hand to restart operations?  Are they financially secure enough to survive?  The Venture is being built by T Mariotti, which I have no information on.  However, Carnival builds most of its ships at Fincantieri which is still idle.

At this point we have to hope for the best, take whatever cruises they make available and not worry about what new ships may or may not get delivered.

On 8/21/2020 at 11:31 PM, cruiseej said:

Thanks for the reports. One comment about the Venture… It's hard to fathom that the president of the cruise line says he doesn't know about the progress of his company's latest ship under construction. I imagine they get weekly reports from the shipyard. Things could be behind and still catch up, or be on schedule and still fall behind, but he should certainly know where things stand as of today. Saying he doesn't seems ingenuous. The skeptic in me thinks he just doesn't want people to cancel their cruises that are 12-18 months away, so he's feigning lack of knowledge to keep bookings and money.

Maybe he is hiding an unpleasant truth or maybe Mr. Leibowitz wasn't paying attention to his boss when the corporate wide delays and cancellations for new ship deliveries were discussed with investors.  

Carnival Corporation has announced plans to sell 13 of its' ships in 2020 to deal with the Covid pandemic losses (4.4 billion in losses during the second quarter).

More to the point about the Venture (originally scheduled for a June 2021 delivery), Carnival said that only four of the nine ships that were scheduled to be acquired in 2020 and 2021 will now be delivered before the end of the fiscal year 2021.  The ship deliveries scheduled for the fiscal year 2022 and 2023 have been delayed indefinitely.

Quoting Carnival Corporation president and CEO Arnold Donald "We have been transitioning the fleet into a prolonged pause and right-sizing our shoreside operations. We have already reduced operating costs by over $7bn on an annualised basis and reduced capital expenditures also by more than $5bn over the next 18 months. We have secured over $10bn of additional liquidity to sustain another full year with additional flexibility remaining. We have aggressively shed assets while actively deferring new ship deliveries."

In order to take delivery of the four new ships that are still a go for fiscal 2021,  Carnival needs a lot of cash to make final payment.  Carnival also needs even more cash to restart fleet operations.  Seabourn has always been a feather in the cap for Carnival, but it has never been a big money maker.  Given Carnival's dire financial situation, I would hope that they concentrate their resources on the lines that make big money until the cruise and travel market stabilizes and their cash flow improves.

Don't you people get bored repeatedly taking similar vacations with Seabourn?  I am always looking for something new and different.  This is why I enjoy reading travel publications and reviews.  They give me new ideas to investigate.  Although it can be difficult to separate the fact from the fake news, well written reviews can raise red flags that I will examine more carefully.  Also, if several surveys from the same time period all point to a decline, it would be foolish not to investigate the company more carefully.

The point I really want to make is that just because you really love a certain product in one location for a particular type of trip, doesn't mean that it will be your best fit in some other part of the world.  For example, I really like the Four Seasons brand for business trips in major cities and there is a Four Seasons in Mumbai that is indistinguishable from their properties in other cities.  But if someone asks for a hotel recommendation for a family vacation to Mumbai, I would suggest something else that has more local flavor. 

And even if I knew nothing at all about a particular company, I know not to trust a company's own marketing materials, because even Carnival markets itself as a "Luxury vacation".  Likewise, for those new to these boards, take everything said here with a HUGE grain of salt, because these boards tend to accumulate people that feel very passionately about the brand.  Whereas, those with negative opinions and their posts get buried deep in the archives because they don't stick around to argue with the cheerleaders.

3 hours ago, Isklaar said:

 

 

Please be advised that the MDR is closed breakfast and lunch on SOME itineraries. 

Yes, in the Med. on the Sojourn it was closed for both breakfast and lunch on every day.

4 hours ago, DCCruiser57 said:

Please be advised that the MDR is also closed for lunch on most port days.

Please also be advised that the MDR is also closed for breakfast on most days.  Considering the number of meals for which it is closed, we should really consider not referring to it as the "main" dining room.

I was at my local Total Wine yesterday and took a look in the Champagne aisle.  Montaudon is the second least expensive Champagne I saw on the shelves ($34.99).  Nicolas Feuillatte was the cheapest ($31.99).  The third least expensive choice was priced at $39.99 for a 750 ml bottle.  These are bottom of the barrel choices.

People occasionally post Seabourn's  complimentary wine list.  Looking at the list, it is abundantly obvious that the only thing Seabourn cares about is the price of the wine.  There is no attempt to find hidden gems.  No attempt to coordinate with the chefs to find wines that best compliment the dishes being served.  No attempt to serve wines local to the places you are visiting.  Seabourn consistently selects the least expensive wine they can source for every category they want to serve.

To anyone that knows anything about wine and appreciates good wine, the complimentary list is abysmal.  The choice to go cheap with all their selections completely undermines Seabourn's attempt to market themselves as a "luxury" experience.

17 hours ago, KathieL said:

I have read of the new vaccine, but have not heard that it is approved and available yet.  If you know otherwise, Sananda, please post that information.

Both are available outside of the US and are approved and readily available in the EU. 

In the US, Mosquirix in nearing the end of the standard FDA approval process.  Although technically in the middle of a Phase 3 pilot implementation program administered by the WHO in Africa, the FDA did approve the final phase 4 analysis by GSK in the US.  It looks like there are 10 million doses available for the MVIP studies. 

Because of its high efficacy and due to the strong need, the PfSPZ vaccine was fast-tracked by the FDA in 2016.  This special status makes it more difficult to see how close it is to final approval, but it does make it easier to obtain.

I have not tried to obtain either vaccine in the US, as I have no need.  Based on past experience, if you demonstrated need and were then insistent and then persistent, you should be able to obtain these vaccines in the US. 

On 6/16/2019 at 5:08 PM, KathieL said:

As mentioned above, there is no vaccine for malaria. Very few countries require vaccines, except for areas where Yellow fever is endemic.  However, if it is wise to be immunized for Measles/Mumps/Rubella, hepatitis and influenza even if you are staying home!

There are two malaria vaccines that have been developed recently.  The first is RTS, S known by the trade name Mosquirix and developed by GSK.  Mosquirix has been shown to have limited efficacy due to poor immunogenicity.  However, the PfSPZ-C vaccine developed by the biotech company Sanaria has been shown to be 100 percent effective (if you have access, see the primary research article,  B. Mordmuller, et. al.  Sterile protection against human malaria by chemoattenuated PfSPZ vaccine. Nature, 2017; DOI: 10.1038/nature21060 or take a look at the following link if pop science is more your speed.  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/02/170215131606.htm).

On 5/6/2019 at 4:13 PM, SLSD said:

The bottom line is that the refusal of a good number of parents to vaccinate their children has created difficulties and possibly serious illness for many.

Whenever I am confronted with anti-vax parents, I am always amused by the breadth of conspiracy theories they use to justify their ill-informed opinions.  I always tell them that the anti-vax movement was started online and reinforced using fake social media accounts by subversive Russian and Chinese agents with the goal of destroying the health of Americans.  I then sit back and watch how their feeble brains attempt to process this new conspiracy and incorporate it with those they have already internalized.  The befuddled expressions are priceless.

The Berlitz guide is more objective than cruise critic because they are independent professional reviewers whereas the people that frequent a particular board on cruise critic are very much in love with that particular line.  That said, the problem with Berlitz is their sample size.  Obviously, they can't afford to send professional reviewers on dozens of cruises with each and every line, each and every year.  Therefore, the information can be dated and the possibility of an off-cruise exists.

My own experience with Seabourn was that they will routinely pour Prosecco unless you specifically ask for champaign, the main dining room was frequently closed for meals during port days (was not open at lunch the entire cruise and closed for many breakfasts), the quality of the food is subjective (but many Seabourn enthusiasts on this board have noted a decline over the years, especially with the selection in the observation lounge before dinner), and the disembarkation process on any cruise often depends on the port and how quickly the ship needs to be turned over for the new passengers.

Therefore, the Berlitz information seems to be accurate, or at least within the realm of possibility for a particular cruise.

My frequent visits to India made me question the environmental movement, but my first trip to China led me to completely give up on it. These two countries are so polluted that anything we as Americans do to clean up the Earth won't matter. There are more motor vehicles in Mumbai than all of North America, there are more cars in Shanghai than all of Europe. If you think London (nicknamed the Big Smoke for good reason) or L.A. are polluted, they look like a pristine paradise compared to New Delhi. And it is not just air pollution, because the people of India have no concept of littering and will throw packaging and garbage on the street (there are literally no trash cans). Don't get me started about the lack of public use toilets outside of tourist stops. We need to send the people who are so concerned about single use plastic straws to work on these countries if we want to have any hope of cleaning up the Earth.

Regarding masks, I recommend getting one with a valve, otherwise they get hot and uncomfortable. 3M makes a paper one for about $5 that is N95 rated.

What a depressing list of bargain bin swill. If the Seabourn brass believe this constitutes "luxury", they are delusional.

Overcrowding is the main reason why I have pretty much given up on cruising. I am lucky enough that I have learned to appreciate the nicer things in life, and I just don't find cruising to be luxurious. I have tried all the luxury lines as well (Silversea, Seabourn, Regent and Crystal). From top to bottom, I can easily find a better experience someplace on land. Better food, better service, better entertainment, much more spacious accommodations and most importantly, not mobbed with thousands of people.

To be fair, this is the same reason why I will never set foot at Disney World again. I only have so much time left on earth and I don't want to waste it pushing through mobs of tourists and standing around in lines while broiling in the hot sun.

Benzalkonium Chloride will be fine if used properly, but is often used insufficiently.

IMHO, and for those that are particularly paranoid, I would suggest something with chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG). I have been using it for many years as a surgical scrub. It is anti-microbial, even effective against MRSA, VRE and bacteremias yet gentle enough for daily use with patients who have sensitive skin. Although it doesn't leave a sticky residue, hand washing with CHG leaves a layer of protection that will continue to kill pathogens for up to 24 hours. Repeated use results in a greater cumulative residual effect.

It is available from Walgreens and CVS as a liquid soap under the trade name Hibiclens, and also comes in their house brands at a substantial discount. For those that would find carrying along a little bottle of soap and hand washing in a restroom inconvenient, you can find hand wipes on Amazon. Most are marketed towards veterinary medicine, but if you insist on a product marketed to human use there are products from Sage, Vionex and Carenow on page one of a search for chlorhexidine wipes.

Been on both Regal and Royal and enjoyed them very much. Like the ships when traveling with my kids. Very good family ships. Food is subjective, but they are similar to what I have experienced with HAL NA. Similar cabins are usually larger on HAL if space is important to you. I usually find that similar cruises on HAL are less expensive than on Princess.

I don't know about casino promo's, as I don't gamble, but every other promotion has always combined with the current Platinum benefit.

As to the broader question, IMHO if you travel a few times a year, the Platinum benefits pay for the annual fee.

They pick up the cost of Global entry or TSA pre-check, $200 annual airline credit, boingo wireless, gold status with Hertz, gold status with Starwood and Hilton, airport lounge collection (Centurion lounges are the best in the U.S.) and all the hotel, airline and cruise discounts and bonuses.

Now, if you travel heavily, most of these things you will earn on your own or get comped to you anyway, so you can save the fee. That said, it still would be worthwhile during the first year for a heavy traveler as you built up status.

Also, if you spend enough on your Platinum card, they will comp you the annual fee.

You have to book the cruise through American Express travel and pay with the Platinum card to get the benefit. The amount of the on-board credit is currently $300 per stateroom. The unique AMEX Platinum benefit for HAL is currently chocolate covered strawberries. Also, you get double the rewards points on cruise purchases.

Finally, the AMEX Platinum bonus stacks with any promotional bonuses that HAL is running (most other cruise lines as well).

My first choice in Singapore is always the Raffles. It's an iconic hotel that truly changed the industry. Often on ten best in the world lists. Unfortunately for you, it is currently under renovation and will be closed until late 2018. Truth be told, it needed the renovation and I will be there when it re-opens.

As for what's left, it kind of depends on what you want to do. If you just want to relax and eat well, the marina area is a good choice. I agree with the others that the Fullerton Bay and Ritz Carlton are best in that area. If you plan on doing a lot of exploring, I would take a look at the Fairmont because of its central location and ease of getting public transportation (the mass transit is much cleaner and easier to use than pretty much anywhere else in the world). The Fairmont is not as luxurious as the other two, but much nicer than almost anything in North America. Also, a great spot if you like to shop for luxury goods due to its proximity to high end malls.

Although I am a fan of the Four Season's brand, it is nothing special. It is a modern high rise, and is similar to any of their other high rise properties. None of the Singapore culture comes through at this property. It is also not in a desirable location.

The problem with the MDR during lunch is that the majority of guests go off The ship on tours and those few left on the ship eat mostly in the patio or colonnade so it becomes nonsensical for Seabourn to keep it open.

I am one of the very few that use the MDR for breakfast and lunch if I eat lunch at all.

I know that it would be lovely to have the MDR open for every lunch but the only way to do that would be if an awful lot of guests were to frequent it but if you don’t use it,you lose it.

 

 

Stop making excuses for Seabourn's lack of service.

 

Holland America keeps the main dining room open everyday for breakfast and lunch. So does Princess cruise line. Even the common parent line for Holland, Princess and Seabourn, lowly Carnival, somehow manages to keep the main dining room open for breakfast and lunch. Yet "luxury" line Seabourn somehow can't afford it? or they can't properly figure out how to adequately staff it?

 

I don't care if there are other options available. If a single passenger wants to make use of the main dining room during the posted hours of operation and they are unable, then that is not five star service and it is a failure on Seabourn's part.

I do not know why anyone who sails on a Western owned and operated cruise line should expect great Asian cuisine. I wouldn't sail on an Asian ship and expect a great Wiener Schnitzel.

I don't think the cruise line's nation of origin is the determining factor. I think the chef's training and experience with a cuisine will be more important to having an excellent meal. Equally important will be the current location of the ship and the season. I think the best meals will be had when the cruise chef is given the freedom to make dishes using fresh local ingredients and their own recipes. Unfortunately, this rarely happens now. Instead, they will try to make American barbecue while off the coast of India. Should you be surprised when it doesn't turn out well? If you were staying in the Four Seasons in Mumbai, would the spaghetti bolognese at Cafe Prato or the mutton curry from San Qi be the better choice? Best to avoid the beef dishes in India, even when staying in a Western property.

In any case, we are off subject. Instead of nit picking the OP over the influence of Carnival or Holland America on Seabourn's food experience, I am willing to accept the OP's opinion that the quality of food has declined over the past three years.

If you break it into two legs, this is what I see for 12/1/17 (rates are not yet available on Google Flights for 12/1/18). American Airlines has the only non-stop flights on 12/1/17 from Bridgetown to Miami ~$321 one way. Carribean Airlines and Air Canada make 1 stop (in POS and YYZ, respectively) while United makes 2 stops in POS and IAH. Once in MIA, you have tons of choices to San Diego, though cheapest one way non-stop I see was also on American.

If you book a single ticket from Bridgetown to San Diego on 12/1/17, the cheapest option was on Jet Blue with one stop in FLL (Fort Lauderdale) for $267. Air Canada gets you there for $485 with one stop in YYZ (Toronto). All other choices require at least two stops.

I think the main reason companies sell aging assets is the maintenance costs. I would say that is why the triplets were sold. IMO the O class ships do not fall into that category.

Actually, it's all about taxes and using depreciation to lower taxable income. When the asset runs out of depreciation, it's time to sell. Each line has their own accounting method, but typically, depreciation of ships is computed net of a 15% projected residual value using the straight-line method over estimated service lives of primarily 30 years. Once the ship is sold, the proceeds are used in a "like kind exchange" to acquire a new ship, therefore no taxes are owed on the profit from the sale. Then the company has a new tax shelter, and the whole process starts over.

I have a couple other suggestions.

Why not spend time at a nice hotel near the airport? The Biltmore is 5 miles away and the Mandarin Oriental is 8 miles away (both under 20 minutes with traffic). The atmosphere at these properties is phenomenal (the Biltmore has an old world Floridan feel) and they both have a wide variety of restaurants, bars, pools and other relaxation areas. The Azul (asian fusion) at the Mandarin Oriental, and the Palme d'Or (French) and Fontana (Mediterranean) at the Biltmore have all won awards. The weekend brunch at the Biltmore is very good. Plus, you can leave your bags with the Bell staff and they have shuttles to the airport.

If you are at all nervous about the hustle and bustle of travel, the long TSA lines, etc., I would highly recommend the Centurion lounge at Miami Airport. It is an oasis amongst the chaos. Show them your AMEX Platinum card and everything is free. In my opinion, the food is more flavorful and of higher quality than what I had in the Colonnade buffet (though, the number of choices are more limited). Also included are the fully stocked bar. The free pour wines are of a much, much higher quality than what is found on Seabourn. The Centurion lounges are meant to compare with the foreign carrier first class lounges found in their overseas hub cities.

BTW, I would be remiss in not noting that the house wines are a big improvement from what they offered about five years ago both in terms of breadth of wines and relative quality.

If you honestly believe this is a major improvement from five years ago, then that is the most damning testament to the putrid quality of Seabourn’s offerings.

Don’t take my word for it. Look these wines up online for yourself. I used Amazon and wine searcher for pricing and the wine spectator and wine advocate for ratings.

All prices are in U.S. Dollars, not at auction & are full bottle prices.

Clarence Dillon, Clarendelle blanc $13.73

Oyster Bay, Sauvignon Blanc $9.29

Cave de Lugny, Macon Village, White Burgundy $8.99

Antinori Bramito Chardonnay $16.16

Domaine Fouassier, Sancerre Sur le For $12.98

La Scolca, Etichetta Bianca $11.89

Santa Margherita, Pinot Grigio delle Venezie $9.56

Mcguigan Chardonnay Bin 7000 $6.66

Michel Redde et Fils, Pouilly-Fume la Moynerie $16.39

Fantinel Borgo Tesis, Pinot Grigio $9.71

Matanzas Creek, Sauvignon Blanc $12.97

Sebastiani, Chardonnay Sonoma $7.99

Avg. White = $11.36

Red Wines

Tommasi Vignetto Rafael Valpolicella $11.49

Rucahue, Syrah Reserva $6.48

Domaine Sas du Plo de Maorou, Languedoc Not Available as their retail operations ended with the 2007 vintage

Maison Sichel Sirius, Rouge $11.11

Castello Banfi, Chianti Superior $7.99

Emiliana Coyom Red Blend $15.84

Marchesi Antinori, La Mortelle Botrosecco Maremma $12.41

Kendal Jackson, Merlot Vintner’s Reserve $13.69

Stellenzicht, Pinotage $6.95

Jamison Ranch Pinot Noir, light Horse $8.99

Cosentino Winery, "the Zin," $10.69

Columbia Crest H3, Merlot $9.79

Sebastiani Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma $11.77

Avg. Red = $10.60

Rose/Blush

Banfi, Centine Rose $7.16

Barton & Guestier, Cotes du Provence $7.98

Avg. Rose = $ 7.57

Overall Bottle Avg. = $ 10.72

The ratings for these wines are even more embarrassing. Given the Wine Spectator and Wine Advocate’s main purpose is to promote wine consumption and as such, it is extremely difficult to find any wines for sale in America rated below 80 pts. Yet Seabourn somehow managed to procure several rated below 80 pts.

I know it’s a business and Carnival needs to make their money, but I just don’t get this. They don’t force the passengers to consume Bankers Club liquors in their mixed drinks at the bars. Why serve wine with equivalent quality to Bankers Club liquors with the meals? I would expect to see this wine list if Carnival Cruises went all-inclusive, not on a “luxury” line. I don’t see how anyone can describe the wines from this list as “Fine Wines”. I don’t see how anyone can describe the consumption of these wines as a luxurious experience.

Alright Seabourn cheerleaders, go ahead and circle your wagons.

Yeah, yeah, yeah I know that during your vast experience with Seabourn you have always been able to find something that is drinkable, so I must be too picky. First of all, on a “luxury” cruise, why should you be forced to sift through a bunch of garbage to find one or two passable choices? Isn’t that the job of their wine curator? All of the offerings should be excellent. Secondly, the costs and independent ratings speak for themselves.

Yeah, yeah, yeah I know that the price of some of these wines is higher at your local grocery store, so my methodology and numbers must all be wrong. If you want to overpay for your wine, that is your own business. Also, this wine list is such an odd assortment, that it would be impossible to find them all in any single store.

I have one additional point to make that I am surprised no one has mentioned yet. Namely, the staff are fantastic and go out of their way to make sure you are happy with your meal. If you don't like a dish, or if something was not to your expectations based on its description, the staff are more than happy to bring you anything else.

As an ultimate example of the staff wanting to make you happy with the food, on a long cruise, I had a craving for Indian food. And I don't mean the type of Indian food you find in a buffet that has been spiced to appeal to Midwestern retirees. I mean authentic Indian like you would find on the streets of Chennai. In a collective effort from the numerous Indian staff, they prepared an Indian feast out of the staff galley that was to die for.

On your upcoming cruise on the Coral, if you are not happy with the food, say something. I am sure the staff will try their best to make you happy.