Caribbean Problem Late 2010

[LaPaloma]

Been doing a little advance planning--many years we have booked one of the triplets for a 7 to 10 day cruise late Fall in the Caribbean. Did some looking today and lo and behold no small ship in the Caribbean. We have a 7 day Legend cruise booked for March 25, and that appears to be the last of the small ships in Caribbean waters. The only thing from SB offered are 10 day cruises on the new Sojourn--I'm not really thrilled cruising with 450 of my new best friends. I checked Silversea and there only offerings are 10 day Caribbean cruises on the new Spirit--thats 550 new best friends. I did some price checking, and as of now-- the Spirits Silver Suite(over 700 sqft.) is about $1000 cheaper than the Penthouse Suite(a little over 500 sq ft.) on the Sojourn. On our last SS cruise we booked a Silver Suite-- on the Shadow--it was a great--the best ship board suite we have ever had! We have sailed on 35 cruises all over the World, and we just don't want to go half the way around the World to get to a departure point. SB may have made a mistake pulling all the "little" ships so far away from U.S. shores. At this point, if we do a cruise, it will probably be the SS Spirit--or maybe it's off to Vegas--thats real close! Anyone else have thoughts on SB's plan for positioning there ships? Don

[lifelover]

We have also been very saddened by the change in the three sisters' routes. It isn't that we enjoy the Caribbean. We love the transatlantic crossings on the small ships. We don't look forward to being on the 400+ Seabourn ships, but have no choice. We don't really understand their thinking. Trying very hard to keep a positive attitude and enjoy our last small ship crossings on the Spirit in November and finally, the Legend next April!

Ginger

[Martita B.]

Don

Many Seabourn Sailor's have been so upset and disappointed, the past months over Blue Lagoon Dr. relocating the Sister's ~~many of us are NOT willing to fly to Asia or Africa to sail on the smaller ships. I have felt Corporate is trying to force us to book the Odyssey or the Sojourn.

I'm looking at the smaller Silverseas ships.

Martita B.

[LaPaloma]

Martha--I think you are right--if you wanted to keep the triplets viable you wouldn't hide them away like they did. Our last cruise was SS Shadow--they were busting there butts to give service comparable to Seabourn. If SS uses the Cloud and Wind right they could pickup lots of Seabourn business--a little bigger than the triplets, but pretty close! Don

[sovereigncruiser]

Having sailed almost 300 days with Seabourn, many of them on the crossings, I have just booked on Silver Cloud for the crossing from Barcelona to Bridgetown, which is 15 nights departing on November 2nd 2010. It is an excellent offer for solo travellers & includes flights. This will be my first cruise on Silver Seas.

[JaneBP]

I have a regional rep for SS who lives in my building and she's making some wonderful suggestions. Another point is that in the Caribbean, so accessible to the US, many can only take one week's vacation at a time. That can make a difference with the younger target audience.

 

On the upside, children rarely have more than a week off unless it's Christmas, so that might deal with one situation.

[Martita B.]

Much to my surprise a couple of weeks ago I received a phone call from the head of Silversea Marketing ~~he offered me UNbelievable rates and some neat cruise "perks." He even invited me to dinner the next time I'm in Ft. Lauderdale.

Seems Silversea is out there "hustling!":p

I may very well book a voyage ~~I will look at the Cloud Nov. 2nd 2010. Thanks!

Martita B.

[Jim Avery]

Don

Many Seabourn Sailor's have been so upset and disappointed, the past months over Blue Lagoon Dr. relocating the Sister's ~~many of us are NOT willing to fly to Asia or Africa to sail on the smaller ships. I have felt Corporate is trying to force us to book the Odyssey or the Sojourn.

I'm looking at the smaller Silverseas ships.

Martita B.

 

Martita:

Keep SeaDream in mind if they insist on keeping the Triplets out of the Caribbean. Would love to meet you on SeaDream II November 29 in St. Maarten.

All the best,

Jim.

[LaPaloma]

We were on the Seagoddess for years and left when it went casual..have been SB and SS since. I am wondering is our ages..74 and 80 would be over the top for the Seadream..as it is geared to the younger set. Also..I know that Werner is on 11..is Christophe on 1 or do both of them switch ships..thanks..Lola

[Jim Avery]

We were on the Seagoddess for years and left when it went casual..have been SB and SS since. I am wondering is our ages..74 and 80 would be over the top for the Seadream..as it is geared to the younger set. Also..I know that Werner is on 11..is Christophe on 1 or do both of them switch ships..thanks..Lola

 

Hi Lola:

Yes, Werner is still on SDII (and a great addition). Christophe was, I believe, on SDI, not sure about that at present. Age does not seem to be an issue. Lois and I are 56/61 and travelled in Europe on SD with our 80/90 Mother and boyfriend. We have enjoyed all age groups on board and would say that 50s to 70s predominate and it seems more a state of mind than the calendar. (Children excepted-same issues as on Seabourn). Casual is a bit of a misnomer. Virtually everyone on board is smartly dressed, especially at night. Just no formal wear. Most women are in dressy casual and all look beautiful. We men try hard but just dont look as good. :D

[Martita B.]

I know of some older Seabourn veteran, long experienced Sailor's (all having several hundred days aboard) that have expressed to me their disappointment in the Sister's being sent afar ~~they simply can not fly the long distances. And they've expressed to me that they feel the new vessels are too big for them to manage.

These loyal Seabournite's will probably start sailing Silversea since they won't have a choice.

A sad situation :(

MB

[LaPaloma]

Hi Lola:

Yes, Werner is still on SDII (and a great addition). Christophe was, I believe, on SDI, not sure about that at present. Age does not seem to be an issue. Lois and I are 56/61 and travelled in Europe on SD with our 80/90 Mother and boyfriend. We have enjoyed all age groups on board and would say that 50s to 70s predominate and it seems more a state of mind than the calendar. (Children excepted-same issues as on Seabourn). Casual is a bit of a misnomer. Virtually everyone on board is smartly dressed, especially at night. Just no formal wear. Most women are in dressy casual and all look beautiful. We men try hard but just dont look as good. :D

 

My guess is you are very dapper...you gave the the right answers..we will certainly look into it. If I recall the SD was sold again...is that a deterent?

[Jim Avery]

My guess is you are very dapper...you gave the the right answers..we will certainly look into it. If I recall the SD was sold again...is that a deterent?

 

I don't think it was sold. One of the partners, Larry Pimentel, sold his interest to his partner Atle Brynstad. Now only one person at the top, the former founder of Seabourn.

J.

[LaPaloma]

Thanks Jim ;)

[Seabourn-nail]

My guess is you are very dapper...you gave the the right answers..we will certainly look into it. If I recall the SD was sold again...is that a deterent?

 

Hi Lola!

I was so surprised by the word "dapper"! That is a very Dutch word, do you know that? Never saw it in English! Means : "Brave" or?

Seadream ships are very nice as well and you can always decide to dress up more if you feel like it!

Marja

[LaPaloma]

All I can say is "wow"--I would say someone took a heck of a gamble--

which is turning out to be a big mistake--it appears some of Seabourn's most loyal may jump ship! Don

[Farscaper]

Dapper is a older term meaning smartly dressed, usually referring to men, that hasn't been used much this last decade or so.

 

It was replaced with either the phrase "Are you going to a funeral?" or "You must be an interior decorator?"

[LaPaloma]

Hi Lola!

I was so surprised by the word "dapper"! That is a very Dutch word, do you know that? Never saw it in English! Means : "Brave" or?

Seadream ships are very nice as well and you can always decide to dress up more if you feel like it!

Marja

 

Marja, I have always the word Dapper when I fellow looks really fine in his apparel. Yes, It is old-fashioned, and isn't it a shame that we can use it all too infrequently these days. :eek:

[wripro]

Anyone wanting to sail Silversea on a smaller ship will have to choose from the Cloud or Wind. These carry 296 passengers and do not resemble the triplets in the least. They are much larger in scope and feel. Next up are the shadow and Whisper with 384 passengers on 28,500 tons, not much smaller than the Odyssey and nowhere near as nice. So be careful in choosing to move there, not to say SS isn't a terrific line.

 

As for itineraries for the triplets there is a reason they are being deployed to more exotic locales. It is imo because most people want to book the tried and true itineraries we have all been sailing forever and the three new ships will attract more new passengers to those itineraries. Remember that we at CC are a minority of those sail SB. Their mandate is to broaden and expand their demographic and passenger base. Continuing the same old crossings and Caribbean cruises on the triplets won't do that. This way they can offer old itineraries on new ships and new itineraries on old ships....something for everyone as they say.

[Chairsin]

And it is not just the Caribbean. We have been looking at Med cruises on the small sisters for next fall and while they have added some interesting Adriatic ports of call they have done away with all Greek ports, except Corfu.It makes me wonder if Seabourn has really thought this issue through.

[wripro]

All the Greek ports will be available on the Odyssey. What did we expect, that SB would have redundant itineraries for all their ships? They had to make changes, or at least try some. I'm sure by the time the third new build comes around they will have had some experience and make further adjustments.

[Chairsin]

Wripro,

Well, I guess I thought that with the new ships they would pick up a lot of new ports, specifically those where the waters have been historically a little too rough for the smaller sisters -- such as returning to new Zealand(which so far they are only doing on the world cruises).

[wripro]

Chairsin,

 

My thinking (and I could be wrong on this) is that the tried and true itineraries are what a large majority of cruisers want to book and therefore they are assigning the new ships to those. Perhaps once all three new builds are sailing there will be a further diversity of new ports. There are new ports in Asia and Africa on the triplets now and once they see how those sell they might make changes.

[avalon1025]

The Silver Cloud and Silver Wind are lovely ships and just the right size, I'm sailing both next year to the Caribbean and India. Having sailed on the Pride and Legend, the Cloud and Wind would be closest in experience to the smaller SB ships

[wripro]

The Cloud and Wind are indeed lovely ships. I've sailed on them many times. But those have never sailed on them, and have sailed on the triplets, should not expect the same experience. They are larger, feel larger (though the suites are smaller) and are more of a ship than a yacht. You can't go wrong with any of them.