BasandSyb

Bubbles - Veuve at that price point. But don’t forget the great sparkling from the Loire Valley. We consider it good to better. What can be sourced locally is far superior to what we see imported at home. Same grape varieties and proportionate blending without the premium to use the “champagne” tag.

Will collect some thoughts with Bas on this cruise and post further. Had a chuckle over the champagne. Reminds me of the Great Champagne Debacle of 2012 coming into Buenos Aires on Quest. We ended up in a champagne party tasting Dom, Bolly and Krug. The Dom won hands down. Appreciate others comments and perspectives.

It’s not just links they get wrong… we booked two expedition voyages and charter flight luggage limits in the itineraries continued to change. One voyage had 3 different limits listed over 10 months as the itinerary was updated, then two weeks out from the trip another change - we had already left home! We queried with Seabourn central and got a different response again. They agreed their info was wrong and confusingly worded which they were rectifying. The next itinerary we received was different again and more ambiguous. Three months later the subsequent voyage had two weight/limit changes for a debarkation flight. The latter just before we boarded. We queried on board they said ignore it all. This is pretty fundamental information to get right.

Highplanesdrifters - given the way this post started we would be interested in your thoughts now this segment has concluded. We are remaining on board and expect the next leg to be more expedition. This is our second expedition. While we have enjoyed it, we have found it a bit odd. We have booked a future expedition which also has the potential to be a mixed bag and are thinking to revisit the decision in a few months before the next payment is due.

Great pics. Fabulous day. I finally got all my puffin pics. The weather gods were on our side. Jimmy Perez’s’ house was the crown jewel. Thanks for your post.

The excursion prices are indeed extortionate. Think about us poor Aussies who only get 65c to the US$ 😵‍💫

We are onboard and haven’t seen any excursions for Tromso - assumed there were none given it’s a turnaround day. Just checked the source app and nothing showing. Highplaneddrifters - agree with you about this cruise being betwixt and between. Couldn’t fathom the rationale for the Ullapool visit.

I’d like to test that one under the Australian Consumer Law. Perhaps that’s why we didn’t receive it “down under”. 😇

Yet again I am bewildered by Seabourn marketing strategies in conjoining these messages to existing customers. There’s group travel and there’s corporate travel. Seabourn has always played a game with group travel discounts. We have done many trips with friends travelling as 6, 8, 10 or 12. Each time we have broached the question about a group booking discount which was supposed to be 5% the response has been: not available on this cruise; how many do you have - you’ll need two/four more. Agree large groups change the ship dynamic. We have inadvertently cruised on charters and had a dreadful time. Similarly we don’t like cruising with a predominant nationality as the same thing happens - the ship is hijacked. We have just come off a 27 day - first 14 days 70% x nationality. Did not hear a please or thank you until turn around day, everything was push and shove. B2Bs were completely different. The first purgatory, the second pleasant. Back on Seabourn in a few days. Fingers crossed for a nice community of travellers.

We received the note on Pursuit in March and also previously - I’m thinking Odyssey last year. I do not have a problem with it. Australians here also. The tipping on Seabourn in recent times has become quite overt - no attempt to keep it low key. Of course then it starts to become a topic of conversation - errk! Staff get embarrassed as well when their colleagues miss out. At least this is an attempt to remind people that someone washes the dishes, compacts the rubbish and maintains the engines. We have been cruising with Seabourn for 20 years and only found out about the crew welfare fund, I’d say about seven or eight years ago. We have paid into similar funds on other ships and had made enquiries but were told there wasn’t one. We didn’t tip as per the expectations but did contribute as soon as we found out about the fund. There are a lot of people new to Seabourn doing the expedition ships in particular who are not familiar with the expectations. For this reason, I merely think they were trying to point in the right direction not solicit. Good on those nations taking active measures to prevent it such as Japan and many South Sea island countries.

But what would the Executives have to put in their CV when they move on? 😩 Accountability for actions only occurs when you stay on for outcomes to be realised. Not the way of the modern world unfortunately.

If anyone books onto the cruise with the brand and marketing manager, could you please lobby for a complete overhaul of the website to make it more useful for planning? Cheers

BetsyS yes after allowing the dust to settle and try and get in the groove we have provided feedback directly.

Thank you for your post it has been interesting to follow. I have waited until day 12 to provide our feedback on this cruise. We have over 1000 sea days and this is our first (and last) HAL. Unfortunately we are onboard for the next leg also. Experiences are personal so I will summarise our thoughts: food - good entertainment - good (BBK band very good; RS band in need of a singer but good musicians) specialty restaurants - good - no better than the dining room and not worth the upgrade price wines - poor to less than ordinary on the package up to $15 list general ambiance - chaotic, crowded, pushy, noisy, no seating, queuing everywhere, don’t bother waiting for lifts take the stairs, very slow bar service, slow table drink service (meal finished as wine arrives), too much unnecessary paperwork, arrive 45mins early if you want a seat for music or trivia, constant door slamming this includes rooms below, above and neighbours up to 4+ doors on either side, includes main and balcony doors - Immediate neighbours we have sorted with a gentle request in our pyjamas, stewards ok for 24 hours then back to old habits, other crew use staff access points and let the doors slam. We have started counting each morning as it begins just before 7:30 and shakes the bed and walls. The record so far is 27 in 12 minutes. It continues all morning as we have noted on sea days which comprised 1/2 of this cruise. Unfortunately not a relaxing time at all. The only place to read a book is your room/balcony.

Seabourn in our history of 20 years has been egalitarian, which we love and is why we had a philosophical issue when the Retreat was introduced. We still don’t understand or agree with it, but that’s us. Thank you to those who received the survey and responded in support of our unique experiences at sea.

1/3 of the dining menu items are up charges (all venues including after paying entry to a specialty); a reluctance to provide water other than packaged at a price; drink prices which if your maths isn’t good tick over $15 with the added service fees and you pay in full. Having to continually sign for drinks with waitstaff seeking tips. Constant spruiking on board to sell you something. It’s all nickel and diming that detracts from the experience. How much is the administration costing them? Tell me the cost, I’ll pay it just leave me alone onboard to have a holiday.

The only things HAL hasn’t charged us for yet are the coat hangars and hair dryer.

Australian and didn’t receive it. The mere suggestion frightens the heck out of us. We are currently experiencing our first HAL and climbing the walls. No lectures, all activities (except quick trivia) are for the purpose of promotions and upselling - art, spa, casino, shop, photos. Basil went to look around the spa and returned angry as the spa personnel were more persistent and aggressive in pushing sales than the best Egyptian tourist hawkers. Every menu has up charges even in the specialty dining venues - $130US extra doesn't seem to provide much difference from the dining room. If you’d like a small lobster add another $30. Drink orders take forever and involve paperwork, service charges, cadging for tips and signatures. Don’t understand the point when we have a drink package and prepaid gratuities. It’s a chaotic and unpleasant environment which we will not be repeating which has cost us roughly the same as what we would pay for a Seabourn cruise. Not our cup of tea.

A transfer by private car or taxi to the Alvear Palace is just under $70 Australian - you do the maths. As you exit the baggage pickup there are people who organise the cars and take a credit card payment (cash is more $$). The car was more than adequate for our large amount of luggage. Certainly better than waiting on other people. We had an extra night in BA on return due to 6pm flights. The taxi charge back to EZE was the same as the inward journey.

I take a 7 (EU37) normally with a C fitting and the Bog boots were spot on with a pair of thin inner socks and thicker merino outers. I think we were on with Kiwi Afloat and agree with distances mentioned on our Feb Ant/Sth G trip. For some unknown reason I arrived with a sore foot and putting it down with pressure was excruciating for the first 10+ days. The boots I found supportive, warm and with the sticks provided I made every landing and walk with tolerable discomfort. On expedition ships boots are included. On ocean ships they are rented.

We have also been bombarded by these emails of recent (and for the previous 6 months - sold out then too apparently) and agree with the comments re: website, information, marketing “gurus” (!) etc. We wonder these cruises may be targeted to offset the new competition in the Mediterranean pond from the increasing number of smaller ships, Ritz Carlton etc. For those of us with very fond memories of the little ships, perhaps Seabourn is starting to see the expedition ships as a bridge back? Agree they aren’t necessarily suited in layout, but 200-300 interests us more than larger. We can do without shows/ entertainment, and would rather a small group of musicians versatile in doing some sessions solo/duo/band. The production pieces on larger ships become stale very quickly in our opinion. Could it be déjà vu all over again?

Sounds like a good result given the difference in turnaround times and training - TK implementation and decor vs Solis commencement. The difference is valuing in-house expertise rather than spending multi-millions on “celebrity” contracts. Nothing wrong with the decor I’m glad they weren’t wasteful in doing a total refit. If I were a shareholder this would seem prudent. Thanks for your honest feedback. Fingers crossed the concept will do well.

Sometimes finding one you like is very difficult as we like full bodied reds. They will go the extra mile and find loose bottles from an old list and have them ready at your dining venue. The problem is making sure it doesn’t run out as once it’s unearthed others find it. 😩

Have been advised our charter flight to BA is 10:23 arriving 13:53. Our flight out is 17:50. We are going back into our Recoleta hotel until the following evening based on the principle of whatever can go wrong, will.😩

Always educational - I had not a clue what you were talking about with roller board/rollaboards. Thought it must have been some type of little scooter that you mentioned to illustrate what you could board with (but couldn’t fathom why you would bother to have taken scooters). Have just done a google 😂. We just refer to them as carry-ons - wheeled or not. Add another one to the urban dictionary.