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IS Seabourn chauvinistic?


SLSD
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Just a passing question: Is Seabourn chauvinistic? I do all our trip planning (and we do use a TA) and SB does have my email address. They send all surveys etc to my husband--never to me. My husband wants to me answer the surveys but I will have to do it from his computer.

 

Then today, I happened across this review. I wonder if anyone has any comments. I am not startled or angry at all, but just wondering:

 

I took my family and a friend on the 7-day Caribbean cruise for vacation. In total I paid for 3 cabins, the problems started before we even departed. I received a personalized destination brochure directed at the only man in the group (someone I had invited). When I requested a the same for the other two cabins I got a very negative/rude response and attitude from the Customer Rep who told me she had to charge me $100 for each of the other two. Her supervisor was no better. When I finally received the two missing brochures, they were both in the name of the only man in group, again!

 

I wrote to Seabourn's home office explaining that this was very chauvinistic, but got no response for over a month.

 

On the Odyssey ship the issue continued. All invitations to special events with the Captain etc. were only sent to the cabin of the only guy on the trip. As a group we laughed about how absurd it was that Seabourn would only cater to the only man in the group. But this is no laughing matter. As a working professional woman this is troublesome. I deserve to be treated equal to the men on Seabourn cruises.

 

Furthermore, while the islands were absolutely gorgeous, on the ship I watched a supervisor scream at an employee, and when the supervisor realized I was behind them, he was apologetic.

 

Seabourn is an inferno. Staff in the Restaurant complained about the company. Staff all across the ship (Destinations, Restaurant, Cleaning crew, and Customer Relations) had negative things to say about Seabourn. In fact, one advised me to travel with Crystal cruises going forward.

 

I will follow their advice. This is the last trip we will make with Seabourn. There is no room in todays' environment to put up with rudeness, chauvinism, employee mistreatment, and a lack of customer care. Ignoring a customer's plea makes no business sense either.

Edited by SLSD
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I have NEVER gotten my own survey and so I don't see this as a planted review. My husband does none of the planning or interface for the cruise, but yet he gets all the communications from SB when they do have my email address as well. Perhaps they think its a generational thing?

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Both my husband and I got surveys (to my email address). I did find it odd though how everything was under my husband’s name despite the fact that I booked and paid for the cruise with a cc only in my name.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

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Seabourn is an inferno. Staff in the Restaurant complained about the company. Staff all across the ship (Destinations, Restaurant, Cleaning crew, and Customer Relations) had negative things to say about Seabourn. In fact, one advised me to travel with Crystal cruises going forward.

I only know what I've read in this forum in anticipation of my first SB cruise, but based on that the above just doesn't seem credible. Multiple staff in multiple departments? That is just so counter to the genuine love and admiration - almost like they're extended family - expressed here about the staff.

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OK. Thank you GlitteryUnicorn. I don't want to sound strident at all (because I am not), but I also had found it odd as I had done the same---paid for the cruise under my name, etc.

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Robisan, I didn't see that part on either of our SB cruises either. I included the full review here. I do agree with the part which says that only the man is included in emails etc--as that has been our experience. My husband found it very odd---and asked why they were emailing him and not me.

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Robisan, I didn't see that part on either of our SB cruises either. I included the full review here. I do agree with the part which says that only the man is included in emails etc--as that has been our experience. My husband found it very odd---and asked why they were emailing him and not me.

 

We both get promotional emails and we both get surveys even though all our interaction is through me and our TA.

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Roxburgh, I understand what you are saying--that both you and your wife get mailings and emails. That hasn't happened for us--in spite of the fact that all payments have been made in my name and all contact has been through me. Perhaps it is just an anomaly. I just thought I would put the question out there. I had found it odd. We will contact SB and ask them to include me in mailings/emails. Perhaps it was an oversight on their part---for both of our SB cruises.

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Robisan, I didn't see that part on either of our SB cruises either. I included the full review here. I do agree with the part which says that only the man is included in emails etc--as that has been our experience. My husband found it very odd---and asked why they were emailing him and not me.

Yes, agree your email issue is puzzling and, if deliberate, troubling. However, the other review you came across and included doesn't credible IMHO.

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We have always both received surveys and the numerous marketing materials we receive are always addressed to both of us, never been any different. On the ship, we always get both names on the envelopes other than when DW is getting her nails manicured.

 

When addressed to by the crew, DW’s name always comes first.

 

I have never personally noticed anything like stated in the review.

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I understand ab21au, but my experience is different. I have never received emails, surveys or mail from SB--even though I am the contact person and the person who has paid for our cruises under my own name. I always found it very odd, but didn't think much about it (other than mild annoyance) until I read this review. Reading the review prompted me to ask if others have had my experience. I see that at least once person has.

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This is so far away from our experience that it reads very much like a 'planted' review.

 

Both my wife and I get our own surveys and we each complete them.

+1. Yes, definitely "planted" does not sound anything like Seabourn, we have never encountered anything remotely like that in over 250 days onboard.

My wife and I also each receive our own surveys.

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SLSD I am confused as to why only your husband receives the survey and only on his computer.

 

I do all the bookings for our cruises but both my husband and I are subscribed to Seabourn website. We both get the surveys and promotional information directed to our seperate email accounts. In fact when we filled out the survey about our disappointment after the Encore sailing, I was the one that the head of Guest Relations contacted directly, not my husband.

 

Having sailed on the ships a few times and on a few very long cruises, on the odd occasions I have noted some tension between certain crew members. But nothing like was described in the review. I would expect that at times living so closely together for months it can't always be happy families. But no screaming at each other.

 

I won't discount the review because I wasn't on the sailing. However, I would say it is all very unusual from my experience.

 

Julie

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I’ve experienced none of this. My wife gets invited to many things, but yes the invitations are to Mr and Mrs.

I’ve rarely heard the crew complain about Seabourn , in fact I’m not sure I ever have .

I’ve spent 250days on Seabourn ships since my first Seabourn voyage in 2014, and I always talk to the crew, this just doesn’t seem credible.

Yes there’s the occasional unhappy crew member that wants to go home or get off the ship. That’s expected and natural, but overall the staff seems pretty happy to me.

Just my observation.

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SLSD, are you registered on the Seabourn website? Do you have your own personal login, using your name and your own email address?

 

Also, have you used your current TA for quite some time? If so, it could well be that they have your husband as the 'Lead' passenger in their system (it's traditional/archaic but that's how it used to be done*), and so even though you are doing all the travel planning with them, you are making the reservation and you are using your own credit card to make payment, if they still have Mr SLSD as the lead passenger in their own system that would explain at least some of the issues you've had.

 

 

*it's also possible that SB's system is set up this way but we often travel with two other couples and neither of the women have ever mentioned this issue for their SB bookings. If this is the case then I guess it could be argued that SB is chauvinistic and their system should be updated.

Edited by Isklaar
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Perhaps there is just a glitch in the system. I'll contact SB and ask that they add me to their email list.

 

 

 

(By the way, I had a bit of a shock a few minutes ago. When I tried to reply to the post above, I got a message that I had been blocked. Could not figure out why that might be. I tried my reply again and it went through. I could not imagine that I had said anything that would get me blocked.)

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Most of the issues that you are describing is based on software programming. The complication is that there is typically one reservation number with two or more names. So parts of the programming is single actions, one name is used per some program algorithm. Some parts will use all names traveling if the humans have entered the information for each person on the reservation. The computer program probably selects the first name/entry; any bias likely is in the order of a data field. So you have humans inputting data and a program accessing, probably not a social agenda to take personally but could be fixed, if enough complain. JMHO

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(By the way, I had a bit of a shock a few minutes ago. When I tried to reply to the post above, I got a message that I had been blocked. Could not figure out why that might be. I tried my reply again and it went through. I could not imagine that I had said anything that would get me blocked.)

Perhaps the result of a dress code violation...?

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(By the way, I had a bit of a shock a few minutes ago. When I tried to reply to the post above, I got a message that I had been blocked. Could not figure out why that might be. I tried my reply again and it went through. I could not imagine that I had said anything that would get me blocked.)

 

I'm not sure what your timing was but I've found that if I'm hitting reply too fast, I get blocked. There's a minimum time set between posts, probably to reduce spam. I can't remember if I noticed it via Tapatalk or directly here but it's not uncommon for sites like this. That would explain why your post went through the second time -- you'd probably passed the minimum time set.

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it could be as simple as you not be ticked to receive e-mail or promotional material somewhere or at one stage you asked not to be sent promo material or a TA just ticked your husbands name as the 1 person per house address to receive.....

 

 

i haven't been on seabourn yet.... a few weeks to go....but my litmus test for c chauvinism on ships is the mr&mrs thing....

 

i have my own name....always did...passport in my own name... credit cards....no account in a 'married name'........but some ships and hotels etc....even though they have your passport in front them .....insist on calling you Mrs Husbands name.......even when my name is clearly in front of them..... now i find that chauvinistic....

 

hilariously as in hot weather my fingers can swell a bit and i hardly ever wear my weddings rings on holidays....so the assumption is a bit much..

 

so if they call Ms. Bobtail .... MRS HUSBAND NAME...next month.... I will have to agree with you they are chauvinistic....

Edited by Bobtails12
sp
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it could be as simple as you not be ticked to receive e-mail or promotional material somewhere or at one stage you asked not to be sent promo material or a TA just ticked your husbands name as the 1 person per house address to receive.....

 

 

i haven't been on seabourn yet.... a few weeks to go....but my litmus test for c chauvinism on ships is the mr&mrs thing....

 

i have my own name....always did...passport in my own name... credit cards....no account in a 'married name'........but some ships and hotels etc....even though they have your passport in front them .....insist on calling you Mrs Husbands name.......even when my name is clearly in front of them..... now i find that chauvinistic....

 

hilariously as in hot weather my fingers can swell a bit and i hardly ever wear my weddings rings on holidays....so the assumption is a bit much..

 

so if they call Ms. Bobtail .... MRS HUSBAND NAME...next month.... I will have to agree with you they are chauvinistic....

 

My better half has also kept her own name and she is usually called by it on Seabourn.

 

It has happened that she has been called by my name and it has also happened that I have been called by her name. It doesn't bother either of us.

 

I don't think it is chauvinism. Rather it is a crew member trying to get it right without actually knowing and making an assumption which, in 95% of cases, would be the right one.

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