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From us, no ovation for Encore


florisdekort
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We just returned from the September 4 - 14 Spain and Morocco cruise on Seabourn Encore.

 

A bit about me: I'm in my early 40s and have cruised 500+ days on many different lines. This was my 5th cruise on Seabourn; all my previous Seabourn cruises were on Quest. Unfortunately I never got to experience the little sisters before they left the fleet.

 

Quick summary: I love Seabourn and the fact that we have 108 future nights booked is a testament to that. Encore however is not for us. We'll exclusively sail Odyssey class going forward - unless Seabourn fixes some of the serious design and service flaws of Encore when they launch Ovation.

 

What we liked on Encore:

 

- The new car smell [emoji846]

- The real estate: large, beautiful suites (although noticeably smaller than on Odyssey class) with awesome bathrooms with tub, separate shower and double sink, walk-in closet, etc. You just don't find this on Crystal, Azamara, others.

- The quality and presentation of the food in the main dining room. In our opinion Seabourn delivers the best dining experience at sea.

- The Keller Bar (a beautiful venue for pre-dinner cocktails) and Grill (great menu, delicious food and excellent service).

- The huge selection of in-suite entertainment.

- The gym. Large, modern and in a great location.

- Deck 7 forward. The perfect space to soak up some sun, relax and enjoy the hot tub.

 

What we liked less on Encore:

 

- The pool deck: too small, overcrowded and badly designed (the Patio and the Bar really should be on the same side).

- The Retreat: an overpriced, under-used waste of space that goes against everything Seabourn stands for. The only reason there is a handful of people in there in the first place is probably because the pool deck is (at peak times) a zoo.

- The overall decline in elegance. For example, afternoon tea is no longer served by white gloved waiters; you have to go to a buffet counter that is also frequented by people running in and out in swimsuits and bathrobes to load up on scones and cakes to take to the pool or their suite. Afternoon tea was also used to play "name that tune" trivia - fun, but not at that time in that venue. Another example are the 6 pm canapés... no more little trays but a big-ship style self service counter.

- The fact that Encore is understaffed. Only very rarely were we pro-actively asked what we wanted to drink or offered a re-fill. Almost every bar server needed to be flagged. On the one occasion we decided to be patient and test the system, we sat in the Observation Bar from 5.45 pm to 6.30 pm and then left for dinner without having been served a single drink. I don't blame the staff for this; they work very hard - I blame Seabourn for creating this situation by clearly reducing the staff/passenger ratio. Probably as a consequence of this, we were never addressed by name, except by one (excellent) Maitre-D who we had previously met on Quest.

- Loud music. At times the volume of "The Duo" or the pianist at Keller's was turned up so loud that having a conversation became impossible, even during dinner at The Grill. Escalation all the way up to the Hotel Director was needed to get the volume changed back to what it has always been.

- The Spa. I queued for 20 minutes after boarding to make appointments for massages only to be told "sold out" (except for 7 pm time slots). I get "first come, first served", but this is just another sign that Encore can't handle the number of passengers and/or is understaffed.

- The wifi. For a brand new ship, and for what Seabourn charges, it's unbelievable that it is so slow. RCI manages to offer 5,000+ passengers on Oasis class wifi that is at least 10x faster.

- The fact that a brand new ship lacks a wrap around walking deck. What a missed opportunity!

 

It took me 50 minutes to type this as we are docked here at Ibiza on the last day of our cruise. I'm sitting at the pool deck (most passengers are off the ship, so we found seats). During all this time, not a single bar server approached us to offer us a drink.

 

Last minute addition: one of Seabourn's special touches has (in our opinion) always been the amenity kit with toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc. that you find on your bed on the last evening, after you've packed all 'liquids' in your check-in luggage. Sadly - no more. Apparently this has been cut by the beancounters / is not available on Encore. Such a shame.

 

All that said - our next cruise is on January 4 on Sojourn and we are greatly looking forward to it.

 

Questions welcome!

 

Kind Regards,

Floris

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We just returned from the September 4 - 14 Spain and Morocco cruise on Seabourn Encore.

 

A bit about me: I'm in my early 40s and have cruised 500+ days on many different lines. This was my 5th cruise on Seabourn; all my previous Seabourn cruises were on Quest. Unfortunately I never got to experience the little sisters before they left the fleet.

 

Quick summary: I love Seabourn and the fact that we have 108 future nights booked is a testament to that. Encore however is not for us. We'll exclusively sail Odyssey class going forward - unless Seabourn fixes some of the serious design and service flaws of Encore when they launch Ovation.

 

What we liked on Encore:

 

- The new car smell [emoji846]

- The real estate: large, beautiful suites (although noticeably smaller than on Odyssey class) with awesome bathrooms with tub, separate shower and double sink, walk-in closet, etc. You just don't find this on Crystal, Azamara, others.

- The quality and presentation of the food in the main dining room. In our opinion Seabourn delivers the best dining experience at sea.

- The Keller Bar (a beautiful venue for pre-dinner cocktails) and Grill (great menu, delicious food and excellent service).

- The huge selection of in-suite entertainment.

- The gym. Large, modern and in a great location.

- Deck 7 forward. The perfect space to soak up some sun, relax and enjoy the hot tub.

 

What we liked less on Encore:

 

- The pool deck: too small, overcrowded and badly designed (the Patio and the Bar really should be on the same side).

- The Retreat: an overpriced, under-used waste of space that goes against everything Seabourn stands for. The only reason there is a handful of people in there in the first place is probably because the pool deck is (at peak times) a zoo.

- The overall decline in elegance. For example, afternoon tea is no longer served by white gloved waiters; you have to go to a buffet counter that is also frequented by people running in and out in swimsuits and bathrobes to load up on scones and cakes to take to the pool or their suite. Afternoon tea was also used to play "name that tune" trivia - fun, but not at that time in that venue. Another example are the 6 pm canapés... no more little trays but a big-ship style self service counter.

- The fact that Encore is understaffed. Only very rarely were we pro-actively asked what we wanted to drink or offered a re-fill. Almost every bar server needed to be flagged. On the one occasion we decided to be patient and test the system, we sat in the Observation Bar from 5.45 pm to 6.30 pm and then left for dinner without having been served a single drink. I don't blame the staff for this; they work very hard - I blame Seabourn for creating this situation by clearly reducing the staff/passenger ratio. Probably as a consequence of this, we were never addressed by name, except by one (excellent) Maitre-D who we had previously met on Quest.

- Loud music. At times the volume of "The Duo" or the pianist at Keller's was turned up so loud that having a conversation became impossible, even during dinner at The Grill. Escalation all the way up to the Hotel Director was needed to get the volume changed back to what it has always been.

- The Spa. I queued for 20 minutes after boarding to make appointments for massages only to be told "sold out" (except for 7 pm time slots). I get "first come, first served", but this is just another sign that Encore can't handle the number of passengers and/or is understaffed.

- The wifi. For a brand new ship, and for what Seabourn charges, it's unbelievable that it is so slow. RCI manages to offer 5,000+ passengers on Oasis class wifi that is at least 10x faster.

- The fact that a brand new ship lacks a wrap around walking deck. What a missed opportunity!

 

It took me 50 minutes to type this as we are docked here at Ibiza on the last day of our cruise. I'm sitting at the pool deck (most passengers are off the ship, so we found seats). During all this time, not a single bar server approached us to offer us a drink.

 

Last minute addition: one of Seabourn's special touches has (in our opinion) always been the amenity kit with toothpaste, toothbrush, deodorant, etc. that you find on your bed on the last evening, after you've packed all 'liquids' in your check-in luggage. Sadly - no more. Apparently this has been cut by the beancounters / is not available on Encore. Such a shame.

 

All that said - our next cruise is on January 4 on Sojourn and we are greatly looking forward to it.

 

Questions welcome!

 

Kind Regards,

Floris

 

 

 

Hi floris

 

Thanks for your review. We got off sojourn last Saturday and also received no amenities kit. In addition, there were no soaps on a tray offered by the stewardess. Just one l'occitaine out for the entire bathroom. I had to ask for some soaps for the sinks which were sadly left empty for two days. I don't think this was a problem related to our stewardess who was very good.

 

 

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... But sojourn service was excellent in the observation bar and we had to turn down many offers to top up our drinks even when the bar was full.

 

 

Thanks for letting us know. We are looking forward to going back to the smaller ships [emoji846]

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To put things in a bit of historical perspective, regarding the buffet vs waiter service for afternoon tea and cocktail hours at the Observation Bar, we old-timers (for me, starting in 2010, not sure how it used to be prior to that) will recall that both were self-service at the two buffet stations at opposite sides of the entrance, until they switched to waiter service around two years ago due to health inspection violations. The change triggered plenty of complaints on this board about the reduction in variety of food, long wait times for the waiters to come around with their food trays, inadequate staffing levels, etc., and many immediately pointed to this as yet another one of SB's egregious cost cutting measures. (The change was implemented around the same time that the Market Galley lunch had to be eliminated due to similar health inspection violations.)

 

Now that Seabourn has resolved the health issues for the Observation Bar (but apparently not for the Market Galley lunch yet), many of us are happy that both services have reverted back to buffet style. Yet others aren't so happy. It's never possible to please everyone. We will all complain about everything and anything endlessly ad infinitum because, as per Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner, human beings invented language so that we can complain...:D

 

Regarding the farewell amenity kit, I, too, noticed its absence on my last cruise this past summer. However, we did get eye shades at the start of the cruise (this item used to be distributed in the farewell amenity kit), and on the last night, in lieu of the kit, we got a miniature linen/bed pillow/room mist spray with the same new Molton Brown scent. (We were in a spa penthouse suite, so not sure if this item was distributed to all the rooms.)

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I also came off the Sojourn on Saturday. No amenity kit for us. Our lovely Stewardess Bianca offered many soaps and bath products. She knew I enjoyed a tub. She also left soaps on our bed on the last night for me to take home.

This was our first Seabourn cruise. We have cruised 54 times with most lines. I think there is not that much difference in the luxury lines. I still think the best food I have had is on Oceania Riviera. Love the 2 larger ships on Oceania and the many restaurants to choose from.

I did find Seabourn had some of the friendliest passengers on board and we met many lovely people. Will for sure cruise with Seabourn again. Cheers, Heather

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I also came off the Sojourn on Saturday. No amenity kit for us. Our lovely Stewardess Bianca offered many soaps and bath products. She knew I enjoyed a tub. She also left soaps on our bed on the last night for me to take home.

 

This was our first Seabourn cruise. We have cruised 54 times with most lines. I think there is not that much difference in the luxury lines. I still think the best food I have had is on Oceania Riviera. Love the 2 larger ships on Oceania and the many restaurants to choose from.

 

I did find Seabourn had some of the friendliest passengers on board and we met many lovely people. Will for sure cruise with Seabourn again. Cheers, Heather

 

 

 

Think we were down the deck 8 corridor from you! Bianca was lovely. We felt the food was the least impressive aspect of this cruise, compared to our other three sojourn trips in the last couple of years.

 

 

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We disembarked Encore about ten days ago and, while we had a terrific time, I have to agree with the OP's assessment. It just wasn't quite Seabourn, mostly due to issues in training, staffing, and communication. Individually all problems were minor and easily correctable but in the aggregate they provided an experience significantly below our expectations

 

Maybe it's just Seabourn trying to deal with the impact of Encore on the fleet and they'll get it sorted out but in the meantime we're going back to Odyssey. When they're "on it," there's no better cruise experience than Seabourn and we're hoping to recapture that on Odyssey next summer.

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We are very much cheerleaders of Seabourn. We love it. We have been on the Encore and enjoyed it, everything was to the Seabourn standard. Our last cruise was on the Odyssey in April..... I think you can safely say "they weren't on it"........ All you can do is judge by the last cruise you were on.

 

 

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Hmm... talking to the other half whether we should consider rebooking onto one of the smaller ships and re-do our entire European itinerary including flights ... for the cost of a Seabourn cruise one does expect a certain level of service. I'd be happy with 'average' service on par with the reputation and cost of the cruise but would be disappointed if one had to wait >45 minutes to be served in the observation bar!

 

Hopefully Seabourn do address these issues. And hopefully their managers realise that it's returning cruisers they want. We're still in our 30's so first impressions will last!

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Hmm... talking to the other half whether we should consider rebooking onto one of the smaller ships and re-do our entire European itinerary including flights ... for the cost of a Seabourn cruise one does expect a certain level of service. I'd be happy with 'average' service on par with the reputation and cost of the cruise but would be disappointed if one had to wait >45 minutes to be served in the observation bar!

 

Hopefully Seabourn do address these issues. And hopefully their managers realise that it's returning cruisers they want. We're still in our 30's so first impressions will last!

 

 

It really depends whether you have strong feelings about smaller ships vs larger. We gave it a try and did not like going large, especially as the suites have in fact, been made smaller and the pool deck is still not alot bigger! It seems pointless, they should have gone the other way in both cases. Yet there is a vast, empty open deck outside the Observation Bar..... However if you prefer bigger ships then you should perhaps try it out. We always had excellent service from Miguel in the OB.

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It really depends whether you have strong feelings about smaller ships vs larger. We gave it a try and did not like going large, especially as the suites have in fact, been made smaller and the pool deck is still not alot bigger! It seems pointless, they should have gone the other way in both cases. Yet there is a vast, empty open deck outside the Observation Bar..... However if you prefer bigger ships then you should perhaps try it out. We always had excellent service from Miguel in the OB.

 

Thank you! We're on Deck 11 so was intending to spend quite a bit of time on the observation deck/bar. Hopefully it won't be too rocky or noisy on the floor. Not sure if we should relocate to 7th or 8th but decided being close to coffee was important in the morning!

 

We'll try it out. Already eyeing the Sojourn Hawaii to Bora Bora cruise!

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Yes, the Observation Bar outside deck is vast and empty but there is zero seating or loungers. Also zero shade or shelter from the wind so not ideal for relaxing. The other completely wasted large space is the unused outside patio area behind the TK Grill. Plenty of seating and shade there but no service.

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It really depends whether you have strong feelings about smaller ships vs larger. We gave it a try and did not like going large, especially as the suites have in fact, been made smaller and the pool deck is still not alot bigger! It seems pointless, they should have gone the other way in both cases. Yet there is a vast, empty open deck outside the Observation Bar..... However if you prefer bigger ships then you should perhaps try it out. We always had excellent service from Miguel in the OB.

 

 

 

The pool deck on Encore is, despite more passengers, actually smaller in square feet that on Odyssey Class. However, there is more space on other decks, away from the pool. My personal opinion is that the outside spaces on Encore are very poorly designed, not just the size and lay-out of the pool deck but also the useless Retreat, the (continued) absence of a proper walking area, etc. Quite baffling for a brand new ship.

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We agree with the original poster. We did 10 days on the Encore, in July and found it to be grossly overpriced. The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities. While the internet is painfully slow it is the fact that all other ships in the luxury category allow at least one free hr per day but not penny pinching Seabourn. We tendered in every port ,and had no shuttles to city centers. Guess this is what happens when Carnival takes over so live and learn.

 

Had we paid Oceania pricing we would have been placated. As we heard time and time again, there is no value on this ship.

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Thank you! We're on Deck 11 so was intending to spend quite a bit of time on the observation deck/bar. Hopefully it won't be too rocky or noisy on the floor. Not sure if we should relocate to 7th or 8th but decided being close to coffee was important in the morning!

 

We'll try it out. Already eyeing the Sojourn Hawaii to Bora Bora cruise!

 

We were on deck 11 as well. It was very nice being so handy for the OB - and as you say, that early morning cup of tea/coffee. There are also some nice sun loungers just outside overlooking the pool. We had a nice time, but Encore was just not for us.

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We agree with the original poster. We did 10 days on the Encore, in July and found it to be grossly overpriced. The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities. While the internet is painfully slow it is the fact that all other ships in the luxury category allow at least one free hr per day but not penny pinching Seabourn. We tendered in every port ,and had no shuttles to city centers. Guess this is what happens when Carnival takes over so live and learn.

 

Had we paid Oceania pricing we would have been placated. As we heard time and time again, there is no value on this ship.

 

 

I totally agree. If the right itinerary at the right price comes along, do give Seabourn's Odyssey class a chance though. The smaller ships are truly superb. Seabourn seems to struggle making 'large' work, and I fear for Ovation. No lessons seem to have been learned from the subpar design and service on Encore.

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We agree with the original poster. We did 10 days on the Encore, in July and found it to be grossly overpriced. The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities. While the internet is painfully slow it is the fact that all other ships in the luxury category allow at least one free hr per day but not penny pinching Seabourn. We tendered in every port ,and had no shuttles to city centers. Guess this is what happens when Carnival takes over so live and learn.

 

Had we paid Oceania pricing we would have been placated. As we heard time and time again, there is no value on this ship.

 

In order to get a similar amount of space in your suite on Oceania (their regular cabins are very small. even on Marina and Riviera the extra square footage was added to the bathrooms and the cabin itself remains tiny) you have to book a Penthouse. That brings Oceania pricing up to the same levels (if not more) than Seabourn especially if you add a premium beverage package and all the extra tips.

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We agree with the original poster. We did 10 days on the Encore, in July and found it to be grossly overpriced. The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities. While the internet is painfully slow it is the fact that all other ships in the luxury category allow at least one free hr per day but not penny pinching Seabourn. We tendered in every port ,and had no shuttles to city centers. Guess this is what happens when Carnival takes over so live and learn.

 

Had we paid Oceania pricing we would have been placated. As we heard time and time again, there is no value on this ship.

 

You do know that Carnival Corp took over full ownership of Seabourn almost 20 years ago? Prior to that they had a 50% ownership arrangement with the original owner, Norwegian business man, Attlee Brynestad.

If CCL did not take over Seabourn you would not have the Odyssey Class ships nor the Encore and soon to arrive Ovation. Have their been cutbacks since the little sisters, of course. Show me a line that has not cut back and I'll show you a line that is not profitable. I have been sailing on all the luxury lines for over 20 years and none are as they were 20 years ago.

 

Sorry you didn't like your cruise. I actually thought Oceania was awful so it's good there are choices.

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The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities.

 

We found the food fabulous, the service was also excellent. Loved the shows by the Seabourn Singers and the entertainment in the Obs Bar and the TK grill. Their music must be just to our taste.

 

The suite is slightly narrower but longer and the IMO is better than the O class.

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We found the food fabulous, the service was also excellent. Loved the shows by the Seabourn Singers and the entertainment in the Obs Bar and the TK grill. Their music must be just to our taste.

 

The suite is slightly narrower but longer and the IMO is better than the O class.

 

Ditto

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Just back from Encore, Rome to Barcelona, having previously sailed on Quest, several times, as well as a smattering of other luxury lines. Agree with the OP on almost every point, both good and bad, other than the canapes situation mentioned, as that makes no difference to me either way - they just put me off my dinner :) . Great suite, faultless. I felt the rest of the ship too cramped in the public spaces though, particularly the deck areas and I truly missed a walking track. Retreat is a pointless and disagreeable waste of space in my opinion.

 

We very much enjoyed our food in all venues but the reluctance to freely make available the complimentary pour alternatives, if we didn't like the evening's offered selection, was very irritating after a couple of days. I eventually asked for the comp. wines list and it was sent to my suite same day, so I could ask to try particular ones after that. However, I really could do without some of the unnecessary and slightly argumentative attitude I got from some the the wine waiting staff (not the actual "sommeliers" designated as such) when I demurred from their offered selection. I did also purchase premium wines, and particularly liked the TK Grill premium list, which I thought much better than the standard premium list, but I don't like to be made to feel that is my only alternative in trying to find a glass of wine I enjoy, when a greater selection of comp. pours are actually available. Sadly a few of the staff did make me feel that way, just to avoid a tedious discussion/debate/lecture on what they thought our party of four should be drinking. The fact that many of them actually know very little about the wines they are pouring just makes this worse. To be fair, this is not an issue unique to Encore, but I have previously enjoyed a much more "can do" attitude from Seabourn waiting staff regarding the comp. wines. OK, wine rant over!

 

In response to some earlier comments, we were in a "humble" veranda suite and still received the room scent spray and also had all soaps present and correct on arrival at our suite, so any lack of same in other cabins is possible due to a housekeeping lack or mistake rather than policy.

 

In hindsight, I am much more likely to revert back to other Seabourn ships or other lines, rather than travel on Encore again, due to the cramped feeling of the deck spaces. I am hoping some adjustments to the deck plans might be made for Ovation. If so, I will certainly try it as soon as I can.

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We agree with the original poster. We did 10 days on the Encore, in July and found it to be grossly overpriced. The food was mediocre, service ok, and entertainment pitiful. Suites are superb with many amenities. While the internet is painfully slow it is the fact that all other ships in the luxury category allow at least one free hr per day but not penny pinching Seabourn. We tendered in every port ,and had no shuttles to city centers. Guess this is what happens when Carnival takes over so live and learn.

 

Had we paid Oceania pricing we would have been placated. As we heard time and time again, there is no value on this ship.

Interesting how we perceive things, we were also on the Encore in July (for 20 days).

We found the food and the service excellent, the shows that we saw we enjoyed. We tendered in some small ports and docked in the larger, there were shuttles available where we were a distance from the city centre.

I managed to send and receive all my emails (including photos) to 20 contacts in 4 hours over 20 days

I didn't hear any complaints about the value for money, perhaps I was at a different bar :o

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