Seabourn Encore - The Retreat

Nonsense! Any company that can convert an officer's quarters into a 5-station self-service laundry (while at sea, I think) can create an inviting area to replace the Regretted Retreat. No need to wait for dry dock:mad:

Yes, but they may as well wait until dry dock, make a little money and have crew parties there instead.

They are wasting almost an entire deck on the Retreat. But to me it seems like this is more than a case of finding an alternative use for that space. It has to be redesigned so that it opens to the sea so you know you're on a ship. That can only be done during a dry dock.

It could be converted into a teen zone with a few computers like on “Obesity of the Seas”

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Here's what I can see for the Retreat area. A nice deck with some shade cloth (but not so much that it is all closed in with no view of the sea). While there is one hot tub now, why not two or three more? And lounge chairs for sun worshipers and shady areas for those who just like to be out on the deck? And also a bar with waiters and small food items served. All of this included for all passengers of course at no extra charge. This would do a LOT toward relieving perceived crowding around the pool and would be a perfect place for my husband and me (underneath shade cloth). The cabanas and TV can go away along with the claustrophobic atmosphere and lack of sea view.

I already have a 'retreat'. It is my verandah and comes complete with ocean view and stocked minibar. Other refreshments are but a phone call away.

I already have a 'retreat'. It is my verandah and comes complete with ocean view and stocked minibar. Other refreshments are but a phone call away.

Exactly!

But as others have said, I suspect the whole point of the Retreat is to fulfil the erroneous idea that we all want to "make a point" to envious fellow pax. It proves that whoever is now running Seabourn still has no idea about the demographic they are dealing with.

Amen.

Happy and healthy sailing!

Agree on all the point about 'The Retreat' being an incongruous concept for Seabourn and evidence that management either doesn't understand the people they have cruising the line, or are trying to change them.

However playing devil's advocate, I did wonder what it cost the current setup to break even and be continued. The space is there, reconfiguring space after initial build isn't cheap, the furniture is purchased. I assume they have one crew member there during opening hours to welcome paying guests and repel interlopers. I would also assume that if it fills up they divert another staff member or two from elsewhere (thus marginally degrading everyone else's experience) to cater.

The upgraded food and drink is really not going to cost the line much extra. So they need to cover a staff member during retreat hours and wear and tear on the furniture. Perhaps selling one a day, or two a day on average covers that. If it does and they are even getting that many takers, unless they replace it with another revenue-generating space, why would management spend the money to convert it into one for everyone?

I don't include the intangible cost from putting off travellers such as ourselves from travelling on that class ship or another line which remains fully inclusive because I can't even begin to find a way to start on that. There are so many other factors with the new class ship, and perhaps many travellers who don't read cruise critic and are just moving up to Seabourn read the glossy idea of a 'Retreat' and think it sounds good.

I hated the idea when it was pitched in an email blast 2 to 3 years ago, one which either received more positive replies than I would have expected or one they sent out and even though negative, ignored. However I'm not sure it takes that much for it to make a little money, enough for it to stay around until the furniture breaks. Were HAL to move on I think it's more likely they would change it into another revenue-making attempt than open the space for all.

I just saw some photos of Ovation under construction--and once again, SB was touting (and showing in the new photos) the Ovation's Retreat being built.

Ship’s rumours but coming directly from a white uniform with gold bars (so perhaps somewhat credible): Seabourn is investigating what it would take to convert The Retreat on both Encore and Ovation into additional Penthouse Suites...

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Ship’s rumours but coming directly from a white uniform with gold bars (so perhaps somewhat credible): Seabourn is investigating what it would take to convert The Retreat on both Encore and Ovation into additional Penthouse Suites...

 

 

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Good to hear, there are far too few penthouse/penthouse spa suites on the new ships.

In the interim, they could just open it up for all passengers. It would be interesting to see how many people would choose to go there.

Ship’s rumours but coming directly from a white uniform with gold bars (so perhaps somewhat credible): Seabourn is investigating what it would take to convert The Retreat on both Encore and Ovation into additional Penthouse Suites...

 

 

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EXACTLY what they did with the 3 Odyssey Class ships......and still didn't learn! So now I wonder how many suites they could fit up there, and how many extra passengers that would add?

I already have a 'retreat'. It is my verandah and comes complete with ocean view and stocked minibar. Other refreshments are but a phone call away.

Totally agree.(y)

Ship’s rumours but coming directly from a white uniform with gold bars (so perhaps somewhat credible): Seabourn is investigating what it would take to convert The Retreat on both Encore and Ovation into additional Penthouse Suites...

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Seems a bit soon - especially as they're still building and advertising it on the Ovation - the cruise lines usually live with their mistakes for many more years because the cost of changing them is high and there's always a lot of management inertia.

I do think they will eventually do something with the space and as I said before they'll use it for something revenue generating, you're not going to see it opened up as more deck space for all, just doesn't seem to ever work like that

Would be nice to see them adding a bit more deck space as there have been a number of complaints about spots to sunbathe on the Encore. I realize this won’t add any more revenue but with the ships normally residing in warmer climates it seems reasonable to accommodate the added passengers with more outdoor deck areas.

It would seem to be the logical thing (for the company) to do, sadly, in time. Not too soon, as it would mean losing face! Yet more passengers to take up the apparently limited sunbathing/sitting in the shade space on board?

I can see a way for SB not to lose face. They could come out with statements saying something like, our passengers who have used the Retreat have loved it so much that we decided we just had to offer the same experience to ALL of our passengers. Then, they could have a sign up for the spot at The Retreat---and if someone did not show up, it could be a first come, first serve situation. Whereas I would not want to spend a LOT of time there, I could see spending an hour or two on a couple of days during a long cruise. I would suggest that SB do something like two or three hour reservations---not all day--as I can't imagine anyone wanting to spend all day not having a view of the ocean.

Or they could pay the passengers $350 a day to use the retreat since they are depriving them of a view of the sea. Isn't that one of the main reasons one takes a cruise? After all, inside cabins always cost less because of the lack of an ocean view.

Totally agree. If they’re going to make some changes lose the cabanas and open up the sides to allow for another deck area similar to the pool deck and the deck off the club. Not that hard.

This thread refuses to die.

A TA friend visited Encore in Melbourne a couple of days ago and was interested to see the Retreat for himself after all the generally negative reactions. He was also unimpressed and for the same reasons. No one knows how Seabourn will fix it - if ever - but he did suggest it would be relatively easy (and cheap!) simply to "reverse" the cabanas so they face outwards to the sea and fresh air (and more privacy) rather than inwards to other people in a stuffy hot tub. Makes sense to me although I still prefer my own private Retreat AKA my verandah.

Hello

Mrs machotspur and I are planning a return to Seabourn having deserted for a while.

We are planning a cruise on Ovation, mainly due to the itinerary.

Whilst we share some of the concerns voiced on here regarding The Retreat there is one aspect we don't fully understand.

On the deck plan for Deck 12, an area in front of The Retreat is shown as 'Sun Terrace', and contains what looks like 10 or so double loungers.

Is this area part of the roped off Retreat, or is it open to all guests ?

Thank you for any insight.

As far as I know that area is still available to all guests (for free!).

Sometimes on clear nights on the open seas the captain will turn out the lights for a bit and you can go up there for star watching without light pollution. Lovely!

As far as I know that area is still available to all guests (for free!).

We investigated the Sun Terrace on Deck 12 while we were on the Encore. On the afternoon we made our way up there, it was roped off along with The Retreat. We happened to see another passenger on the other side of the rope and asked him what he knew. He said he was just out exploring (it was day 2 of the voyage). He invited us to come onto that area of 12 (stepping under the rope) and explore with him. This is how we found the roped off Sun Terrace and walked through the adjacent The Retreat which was totally deserted---no staff, no passengers. Therefore, it appeared to us, at least on our Encore voyage, that The Sun Terrace was not available to passengers as a community area.