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Just sailed SIlversea, LOVED IT.......so would I love Seabourn too?


Lois R
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I haven't done a 7 day cruise, but I am guessing a 7 day turnover causes extra work for the crew and less time to get to know everyone's likes and dislikes. Hence a longer cruise = a more satisfied cutomer????

 

Huh? I can be a satisfied customer on a 7 night cruise....not everyone can take longer cruises.

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We did a 10 day cruise most recently and enjoyed the atmosphere. The next cruise we have booked on SB is for 21 days. It does bother me a bit when people comment on the 7 days cruises as the inference is that these are the less expensive cruises and perhaps the passengers are not up to snuff. I'm probably the ONLY person getting this impression, so please set me straight!

 

If some folks feel that way? Too bad for them. Not all of us can go for longer periods of time but I certainly don't think

I am less of a person because of it.

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We did a 10 day cruise most recently and enjoyed the atmosphere. The next cruise we have booked on SB is for 21 days. It does bother me a bit when people comment on the 7 days cruises as the inference is that these are the less expensive cruises and perhaps the passengers are not up to snuff. I'm probably the ONLY person getting this impression, so please set me straight!

 

Having done a variety of cruises long and short I can say doing B2B 7 day cruises are not my preferred option. Though I am booked to do that in July, 2018 because I like the itinerary and it suits my time frame to cruise. The reason I don't like them as much, is the adjustment to getting to know a different group of people in such a short time frame and I'm not sure why it impacts as much but it does. I always feel a little sad that I have got to a nice person or group and in a short time they have left. But maybe that is just me.

 

There is also a different feeling, understandably so, when people have a shorter time to get on the boat, relax, and then disembark. The crew also need to adjust to large turnover and learn new passengers names and preferred habits in a short time. Easier to do on longer cruises.

 

I think we all having worked, understand only being able to do shorter holidays. People also do short holidays because of commitments with children, elderly parents and fur babies. So I guess what I am trying to explain, probably poorly, is the "why" some of us are not keen on 7 day cruises and it is not because of feeling that people who do them aren't "up to snuff".

 

Julie

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Huh? I can be a satisfied customer on a 7 night cruise....not everyone can take longer cruises.

I am sorry Lois, I didn't mean any offence. On a recent cruise, Alex the barman in the Observation Lounge was pouring people's drinks as he saw them getting out of the lift, which blew me away. That is less likely to happen when there are 400+ new passengers every 7 days.

Edited by Laylam
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Hi, I still do 7 nighters;)........but I already have a 10 nighter booked for next summer. And sociable is always good:D

 

Frantic36/Julie summed up very well about the difference on 7 night cruises.

 

 

I also still do 7 nighters as I'm still working. I try to avoid them as I said earlier, but sometimes I just can't get away for a longer cruise.

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I have been cruising for nearly15 years now with most of them on 7 night sailings. I have met plenty of folks and gotten

to know them and have even become friends for life.:) Yes, I have gone on 9 and 10 night cruises too.......if the timing

works.......

 

I am in the "working full time" group and will be for a long time to come. So I cruise when I can and if that is for a week,

I go and normally have a fantastic time. As for the bartenders knowing what I drink? A good bartender will know it......

especially if you hang out at the same bar/lounge throughout the cruise......I was on SS and that ship is about 485

and the bartenders were awesome:)

 

I didn't realize this thread was going to turn into a "shorter vs longer cruise" and which is better when I started it:eek: I was

really asking about the Seabourn/Silversea comparison, which sounds like they are about the same.........high end, great food

and service. If the length of cruise makes such a difference? Oh well.

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I didn't realize this thread was going to turn into a "shorter vs longer cruise" and which is better when I started it

 

:eek:

 

Hi Lois, I'm so sorry that a comment that I made in passing has led to your thread going off topic, it certainly wasn't my intention.

 

I did post on your thread right at the beginning and as I'd already posted I just wanted to chip in now that you have a specific cruise in mind. I think you'll have a great time on Seabourn.

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OK, I understand now what was meant by the comment about 7 day cruises. It makes sense and yes, I'm so happy my husband is retiring and we can do a 21 day cruise in June! I'll be hoping we meet people we enjoy as much as on our shorter cruise.

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Lois, you will love Seabourn! You should also try Crystal as you “migrate” from Celebrity. I am pretty sure we cruised with you once on Celebrity ( 17 Celebrity cruises for us.). Once we tried Seabourn, Regent and Crystal we just can’t go back!

 

We have not tried Silverseas yet but I am sure we will. We just haven’t found an itinerary that works for us.

 

As to seven days vs longer cruises, they are different. I think every cruise is different with each one having it’s on “personality” based on different ports and different people. That is one of the things that make cruising wonderful!

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You loved Silversea? What ship was that? Muse and Whisper are so very different style and facilities-wise. The former is drab and limited eg one outside bar in a smokers area and the latter has no MDR. The vibes simply have to be different.

 

What’s easier to discuss is Seabourn since 3 of 4 ships are identical and the 4th very similar, just larger but with less outside space. And all Seabourn ships have very engaging officers and deck events, not found on the Silversea ships. Whereas for my money now the best option at Silversea would be the expo ships, another product yet relative to eg Whisper and Muse.

 

Best of luck deciding what suits you.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

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You loved Silversea? What ship was that? Muse and Whisper are so very different style and facilities-wise. The former is drab and limited eg one outside bar in a smokers area and the latter has no MDR. The vibes simply have to be different.

 

What’s easier to discuss is Seabourn since 3 of 4 ships are identical and the 4th very similar, just larger but with less outside space. And all Seabourn ships have very engaging officers and deck events, not found on the Silversea ships. Whereas for my money now the best option at Silversea would be the expo ships, another product yet relative to eg Whisper and Muse.

 

Best of luck deciding what suits you.

 

 

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

Yes, I LOVED MY CRUISE:D.......and totally disagree with your assessment of interaction with officers......I found them

totally engaging, sat with a few different officers for dinner on various evenings....I sailed on The SPIRIT and it was far from drab.

Sounds like you are a Seabourn fan and that is fine......but my experience of SilverSea was simply FABULOUS:):)

 

Guess that is why that saying "Different Strokes for Different Folks" works.....nice to have choices:).

Edited by Lois R
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Hi Lois,

 

I have cruised on Silver Seas and enjoyed very much. You will have a smashing time on your week cruise on Seabourn. Nice weather will allow you to enjoy the outdoor dining which is my favorite. You will find the Seabourn cruiser`s to be very friendly. Wish I was going with you. I have never cruise alone but DH is getting burned out on long air travel so maybe we will cruise together in the future. This is the first time in many years I don`t have a X cruise booked. The AQ and Suite prices on X have me back to cruising on the luxury lines. Enjoy, Heather

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Lois, I have followed your comments over the months and love your no nonsense enthusiasm. I have cruised both SS and SB in moderation and believe you would like SB.

My impression on the 4 SB cruises I was on was that there were less solo cruisers than on SS, probably because the pricing on SB is usually more solo unfriendly. However, of those solos on SB I saw, they were typically invited to dine at officers' tables and were well taken care of (I saw no "gentleman hosts" on those cruises as SS often had, which would not be something I would want anyway if cruising solo, not sure about you). SS was more formal at times, and had large numbers of Filipino crew whereas SB was more laid back, and had more east Europeans as crew in the mix, though that is changing, and neither is necessarily better for solo women to deal with.

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Hi Lois,

 

I have cruised on Silver Seas and enjoyed very much. You will have a smashing time on your week cruise on Seabourn. Nice weather will allow you to enjoy the outdoor dining which is my favorite. You will find the Seabourn cruiser`s to be very friendly. Wish I was going with you. I have never cruise alone but DH is getting burned out on long air travel so maybe we will cruise together in the future. This is the first time in many years I don`t have a X cruise booked. The AQ and Suite prices on X have me back to cruising on the luxury lines. Enjoy, Heather

 

Hi Heather:)....I have not put a deposit down on anything....but thanks for the reply. I appreciate it.

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Lois, I have followed your comments over the months and love your no nonsense enthusiasm. I have cruised both SS and SB in moderation and believe you would like SB.

My impression on the 4 SB cruises I was on was that there were less solo cruisers than on SS, probably because the pricing on SB is usually more solo unfriendly. However, of those solos on SB I saw, they were typically invited to dine at officers' tables and were well taken care of (I saw no "gentleman hosts" on those cruises as SS often had, which would not be something I would want anyway if cruising solo, not sure about you). SS was more formal at times, and had large numbers of Filipino crew whereas SB was more laid back, and had more east Europeans as crew in the mix, though that is changing, and neither is necessarily better for solo women to deal with.

 

Thanks for your thoughts, I appreciate them.:)

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Just a couple of points - dinner invitations are by no means only from Officers; the cruise staff, entertainers, hotel director etc. also host tables. No, no gentleman hosts. Staff you encounter are by no means all from Eastern Europe; some will be from South Africa, the UK, Portugal, the Netherlands, etc. etc., so a real mixture, and in general youngish people who will enjoy chatting when they are not too busy, and are interesting to talk to. The atmosphere and dress codes are, IMO, rather more laid back than Silversea , and I think the passenger age group is usually overall slightly younger than Silversea. (I have done several SS cruises, but admittedly not over the past 5 years or so).

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Still researching:).....I am looking at "The Yachtsman's Caribbean" and there are multiple ports on this cruise that I have never visited:eek: and that is surprising......(pleasantly;)).......I have never been to Martinique, Guadaloupe or St Vincents.......

 

Hope all of you had a Happy Thanksgiving:)

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Still researching:).....I am looking at "The Yachtsman's Caribbean" and there are multiple ports on this cruise that I have never visited:eek: and that is surprising......(pleasantly;)).......I have never been to Martinique, Guadaloupe or St Vincents.......

 

Hope all of you had a Happy Thanksgiving:)

 

Lois, unless there's been a change to your itinerary that I missed, I believe you're visiting Ile des Saintes (Guadeloupe) and Bequia (St Vincent). As I said earlier in the thread these are both gorgeous little islands, very traditional, the Caribbean of the past. I visited Bequia on Silver Spirit about 6 years ago, it's very popular with the sailing yacht crowd. Ile des Saintes has a very cute town walkable from the tender dock, there's a perfect beach just over the hill also. Both islands are very different to many of the other Caribbean ports and I'd be happy to visit either again some time.

 

 

As for Martinique, I haven't been there yet but it's on the itinerary for my Sojourn cruise next month. I'll update after I've visited :D

Have fun with your research!

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Lois, unless there's been a change to your itinerary that I missed, I believe you're visiting Ile des Saintes (Guadeloupe) and Bequia (St Vincent). As I said earlier in the thread these are both gorgeous little islands, very traditional, the Caribbean of the past. I visited Bequia on Silver Spirit about 6 years ago, it's very popular with the sailing yacht crowd. Ile des Saintes has a very cute town walkable from the tender dock, there's a perfect beach just over the hill also. Both islands are very different to many of the other Caribbean ports and I'd be happy to visit either again some time.

 

 

As for Martinique, I haven't been there yet but it's on the itinerary for my Sojourn cruise next month. I'll update after I've visited :D

Have fun with your research!

 

Hi, good morning......maybe we are saying the same things differently;)...I mentioned Guadaloupe and St Vincent

Does Seabourn have some kind Beach BBQ? I have heard something about that but not sure of the details.

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Hi, good morning......maybe we are saying the same things differently;)...I mentioned Guadaloupe and St Vincent

Does Seabourn have some kind Beach BBQ? I have heard something about that but not sure of the details.

#

I'm quite confused now actually.;)

I know you mentioned Guadeloupe and St Vincent, but I was talking about the actual ports you're visiting,

 

Guadeloupe and St Vincent are both islands that have more than one island, IYSWIM.

 

When I replied way back in the thread I'd looked at your itinerary and I thought the ports you were visiting were Ile des Saintes, which is an island group of Guadeloupe - visiting the port of Terre de Haut, but is not the main island, and Bequia which is an island of St Vincent but again it's not the main island. I admit I haven't looked at your ports again since so probably best to ignore me if your itinerary doesn't specify Ile des Saintes and Bequia as your ports, because the main islands of Guadeloupe and St Vincent are very different to their smaller islands and I haven't visited them.

 

 

Seabourn has Caviar in the Surf - video here -

Edited by Isklaar
Edited to correct my awful French!
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Thanks for the explanation:)....about having multiple Islands......I guess I never researched them. But I appreciate

your reply and am still looking around:)

 

OMG....that video looks AWESOME:)

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Thanks for this thread Lois....I have been wondering myself how I would feel about Seabourn. We are fairly new to the cruise scene....we have done 4 Silversea, 1 Paul Gauguin and a RCCL. We have always loved our SS cruises....laid back, relaxing, small, intimate. We arent food or wine snobs.always find things we like, so never had an issue with food and drink. The staff has always been super nice....officers do seem almost invisible...they dont even seem to make much eye contact, but I m not really looking for conversations with them either. We like to try different things and if you look at my “signature” at the bottom, you will see we have a lot of cruises booked and they are with various liners. I guess my only “issue” with SS has been the low energy on board. We will go to the bar before and after dinner , hoping to have drinks with some passengers but hardly anyone there. Its almost too quiet for us. We are 45 and 50...definitely on the younger end of the spectrum for the luxury lines, but we love first class service and the finer things in life. We usually meet a couple people we really like on every cruise but often times, it seems that the passengers are overwhelmingly much older and British and are a bit reserved....barely making eye contact in the hallways. Its the only thing about SS that we feel is lacking...the social aspect...just not as friendly. That s why we have done the opposite of you and are going to try a couple Celebrity cruises to find people more our age.....the response with regard to SB being a lot more friendly really resonated with us...so I might give them a try...I always assumed they were essentially the same and didnt see the point in trying SB for shades of gray differences. Their itineraries seem to be a bit longer...and we dont care for longer either...fur babies at home...anyway, long rambling post I guess...but this has been a most enlightening post to read. Thank you...

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Thanks for this thread Lois....I have been wondering myself how I would feel about Seabourn. We are fairly new to the cruise scene....we have done 4 Silversea, 1 Paul Gauguin and a RCCL. We have always loved our SS cruises....laid back, relaxing, small, intimate. We arent food or wine snobs.always find things we like, so never had an issue with food and drink. The staff has always been super nice....officers do seem almost invisible...they dont even seem to make much eye contact, but I m not really looking for conversations with them either. We like to try different things and if you look at my “signature” at the bottom, you will see we have a lot of cruises booked and they are with various liners. I guess my only “issue” with SS has been the low energy on board. We will go to the bar before and after dinner , hoping to have drinks with some passengers but hardly anyone there. Its almost too quiet for us. We are 45 and 50...definitely on the younger end of the spectrum for the luxury lines, but we love first class service and the finer things in life. We usually meet a couple people we really like on every cruise but often times, it seems that the passengers are overwhelmingly much older and British and are a bit reserved....barely making eye contact in the hallways. Its the only thing about SS that we feel is lacking...the social aspect...just not as friendly. That s why we have done the opposite of you and are going to try a couple Celebrity cruises to find people more our age.....the response with regard to SB being a lot more friendly really resonated with us...so I might give them a try...I always assumed they were essentially the same and didnt see the point in trying SB for shades of gray differences. Their itineraries seem to be a bit longer...and we dont care for longer either...fur babies at home...anyway, long rambling post I guess...but this has been a most enlightening post to read. Thank you...

 

You might also consider Regent -- laid back, spacious, easy dress code, with more chatty self-made Americans than reserved British ( not that either is objectively superior, there are just different styles) . Shows are just as simple as on SS and SB, however, as they are small ships. Mostly Filipino crew at lower levels, just like on SS. I will likely try them again soon ( so far, am still recovering from a less than ideal experience with dining room and medical service a few years ago, which led to a 7- page letter management made clear they were uninterested in, but I definitely liked the pax, and times have changed).

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Thanks Catlover54...funny you should mention Regent as we just booked our first cruise on them for Jan 2019 yesterday per our Travel Agent recommendation. We dont mind the dress code on SS...its only a couple times on a cruise where we need to wear a suit..., not a big deal. We just want a little more lively and congenial atmosphere, but not as much as the big ships. I’m going to take a look at SB website tonight ...

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