BasandSyb

Absolutely - alway check before getting in the taxi. It’s paid off several times for us.

We have been told the sold out indicator means that Seabourn has temporarily closed the bookings down to do cabin assignments behind the scenes and make wholesaling decisions with other companies. It can take a few days during which time agents can’t get access. We went through that process recently. It can mean some cheap cabins popping up when the site is refreshed or only higher level suites. Pot luck.

I was so excited they had done website enhancements and the email trumpet was: “In our last update, we shared with you the steps we are taking to provide you with an exceptional online experience. I’m excited to share that we have made more progress toward this important goal: Unfortunately, not even in the ballpark. Good luck. I’m still looking at this end ….elsewhere.

We have been home from our last trip 7 weeks, 4 of which I have been diligently searching to try and link some cruises with land content for our next. "Trying" being the operative word. The Seabourn Find a Cruise search engine has been running an error message and "try again later" for much of this time across all our devices. I have lucked out once or twice for a random search and the next reverts to an error message. I played the game for about 3 weeks before giving up in frustration and using other travel companies, periodically reverting to the Seabourn site as I would actually like to know the cruise line starting point for a fare category. This morning with my cup of tea I opened Natalya's latest missive (or more accurately, the Seabourn marketing department email which they have to send to luddite baby boomers who fail to engage across other platforms). I then proceeded to have two immediate "elevated Seabourn Moments": I had to google "net promoter scores" to find out what they were and add it to my list of worries of surreptitious internet solicitations that I had not a clue I was providing, or even worse, have FOMO in not being canvassed; and I then proceeded to "delight in the details" and find a cruise - sorry there has been an error, please try again later. Some days you just have to laugh!

That could be off-putting for many people! We had 228 on one trip and 220 on the other. Very comfortable - just like the now long gone baby Seabourns.

Reminds me of the "Great Champagne Debacle of 2012" when they ran out. After discreetly offering those who only drank champagne a (very good) substitute off the reserve list, everyone onboard realised and started ordering champagne. Bottles of the Nicky Fuey were then removed from the suite bar fridges to meet the demand and preserve good supplies. After the ensuing outrage each suite was gifted a bottle from the reserve stocks on debarkation. We had a very nice vintage champagne party onshore. I don't think the hotel director works with the line anymore. (the sanitised version...😁)

That's not so bad if those who want to remain on board only need debark for 30 minutes for a face to face. However, not fun for newbie who only want to unpack and relax before evening. Perhaps triple time only starts at 4pm 😇

On our recent Venture trip our friends got it and each was quarantined until no symptoms - 2 days. On Odyssey last year Bas got it and was quarantined 7 days regardless. The refund was unexpected, but nice. So many people don’t report and don’t seem to care. Good to hear you aren’t badly affected and have a few sea days.

We did Encore a couple of years ago Christmas/NY and had a fantastic time. Ship was nicely decorated, everyone was happy and NY was a complete rage - Ross Roberts in top form! Both days were at sea. Christmas lunch with all the trimmings. It’s so lovely not having to think about organising anything at home. We are looking for this year too.

Hank - makes sense. So often we look at other lines and baulk at the last minute because of our perks. It also works backwards. We recently did a HAL and it did our head in with all the + + + and ended up costing us the equivalent of Seabourn. We did find the Club Orange arrangement rather strange and continued to overhear what the regulars thought about it.

Exactly the same for us Robisan. We do the work and book with Seabourn direct - and get nothing. Have done for years. Asking the onboard FC consultant late last year the same question, we received the same answer - TAs push clients our way hence the commission, there is no direct discount. So this year we pushed 5 months of bookings including 5 luxury cruises and other tours, air and accom to a TA - and received nothing except for forwarded emails that we received directly anyway. Have recently found another TA in the hope we might enjoy something as a thank you for the business and she is at least engaging with what might interest us in an active way. It is a ridiculous game. Perhaps that’s why there’s no imperative to fix the website? The marketing people don’t believe the punters use it, but rather contact their TA. That’s a survey I’d like to respond to. 😇

The Golden Circle tour is a good one to do. We did it privately. The only downside is we have unfinished business in Reykjavik as it is a very full day. We ended up hiring a car in Isafjordur and driving inland...stunning. Fingers crossed you have good weather.

We have already seen them take over provisioning with quite a few mediocre outcomes. Let’s hope they bring their techies. The HAL website is far superior - still too focused on pretty pictures, but it functions as it should.

Have recently experienced those same app problems. It is maddening and you do feel like a second class citizen. Anything internet related for Seabourn seems to be a major challenge. I’m sure you will very much enjoy your day. There is much to see and beautiful landscapes.

We both enjoy eating lunch in the restaurant as a calm oasis alternative to the Colonnade. We don’t have a problem with buffets (just some people and buffets🙄). Our problem is the choice. On our trips this year the lunchtime restaurant offerings have been about 3 choices of appetiser and main - so it’s back to the Colonnade if nothing suits. Given the short dining time the restaurant was open we didn’t press for anything off menu. At times it seemed a completely wasted effort in opening the area up and diverting staff with few people attending despite it being chaos upstairs. Such a shame you couldn’t land on Heimaey - it’s beautiful. An odd feeling of being at the nursery on the edge of the world being surrounded by baby volcanoes. Amazing landscapes.

Currently 14 Feb is for Whites Bay which means you travel under the bridge and pass the opera house on the way out. It’s a lovely sail away. Larger ships get precedence at Circular Quay (overseas passenger terminal) and Pacific Venture is booked in. Keep an eye on the schedule as things can and do change. Google Port Authority of New South Wales - cruise terminal schedule. If you stay at The Rocks it’s a 10 minute taxi ride.

We have had issues with the search element of the website across devices for over 2 weeks. Has just come good. Kept getting “an error has occurred try again later” messages in the Find a Cruise area. Not good for business and very frustrating.

Have tried a myriad of plug-ins and gadgets over the years and there has always been some type of annoyance in charging multiple appliances and their nuances. This year on our 5mth round the world I went back to the cave and found a lightweight powerboard with 5 outlet holes and a short cord. That and 3 adaptors worked perfectly for everything to charge at once (2 phones, iPad, camera, toothbrush) and to place the outlets at waist height for easy access - I don’t need to know how long it’s been since the carpet was vacuumed around the edges. Light for the carry-on and no arguments about whose phone needs more urgent attention. 70s solution to 21C problem. Now, if it was only that easy to find the next cruise itinerary at the right price!!! Enjoying your blog Shark b8.

The other odd operational element we found on both expedition cruises was opening the bar on level 4 from early afternoon and the observation bar at 6 pm. On both cruises the only people hanging around the expedition bar were those waiting to be called to zodiacs, and yet there was a bartender standing around for hours only required pre briefing. It’s merely a thoroughfare/waiting area with no view or outlook - another large dark area. On sea days or cruising afternoons when there were lots of people in the observation lounge (the prime reason you pay the extra $ for these cruises) it remained dry. A few resorted to helping themselves. We queried it on both cruises, but it was standard operating procedure.

Yes, that’s our pre-dinner drink time too for personal reflection on the day. Thankfully the sessions were recorded in the Arctic so we skipped them - many went through to nearly 7pm 😱. Antarctica we did turn about with friends to attend for the necessary information. Don’t know why they weren’t recorded. That way you can forward through the talks of less interest. Loved the puffins, not so the “seagulls” and their relatives.

We thought so too. In Antarctica it was not recorded, so it was see it live or not have a clue the next day. So many beautiful sail aways spent with the curtains drawn in a dark room. In the Arctic, we found after the first few days the sessions were recorded, so we would watch them on returning to our room at night. Overall, we found the rhythm of the expedition cruises to be hectic. If you were in the later groupings of the day getting back after 5:30pm or later, there was no time for a shower (I'm generally talking ladies here) before the briefing and then you got caught up in the dinner hour - although we are night owls we generally dine no later than 7:15-7:30pm - even then it means not leaving the dining room until 9ish or after. It might suit the expedition crew jumping off a zodiac and doing a briefing prior to hitting the showers and the mess but if you are a guest, who wants to go to a briefing after a hike and then proceed to the dining room the same way? Many did get caught this way or suffer a late dinner. I do get the briefing timing - it would be an agreement with the kitchen not to interfere with the dinner period. It just didn't work for us on late zodiac afternoons of which we had many. The recorded sessions were a blessing.

We did both Antarctic (Feb) and the Arctic (June) this year. I did wonder if we were doing them in the correct order. I now believe we should have done the Arctic first. While it was a good experience - we did see a few polar bears from a distance; walrus; one zodiac group saw an Arctic fox; a few orcas; some dolphins - most of it was the same half dozen species of birds nesting on cliffs. It was interesting for the first zodiac ride, but I’m more into puffins and Albatross than what we would call seagulls. The scenery was lovely, some fog and some rain. Usually the best scenery as they “locked” you into the dark dungeon of the Discovery Centre for an hours briefing at 6pm (we ended up ditching them and staying on deck as the ship started to move). So many missed opportunities for sailaways. The upshot - do the Arctic first. The Arctic was - I hesitate to use “let down” as it wasn’t - just different. No shock and awe like Antarctica with the massive mountains. I think it would have been a good prelude to do the Arctic first.

Have done both Antarctic and Arctic this year on Seabourn Pursuit and Venture and would recommend them. Haven’t done Scenic (except for a river cruise that was overpriced for the experience) or Ponant (but have seen the small rooms and they are not for longer trips which we tend to take). Concur with Highplanedrifters. Hope you enjoy the trip, whatever you choose. Ours were outstanding.

Agree LongIsland Travel. We didn’t have any problems with the menu. We also love its variety. Earth and Ocean is so limited which is disappointing on a balmy evening.

Great to hear from you again Shark b8 - I’m enjoying your experiences of our tourism offerings. I’m sure you have, but if others are reading for your Ghan travels, be sure to book Platinum class. Make sure you have a good book.😄