Seabourn hotel in Athens.

[divsec]

Hi all, just decided to book 16Oct quest Athens to Barcelona.

We will be taking flights from Seabourn, and delighted to see they include an overnight in Athens in the price. I forgot to ask which hotel they use, does anyone have the answer, thanks d

[Chairsin]

They usually use the Grand Bretagne. Lovely old hotel but due to its location by the palace and Sygmata Square it can be a problematic location as the the protest are usually centered there.

[divsec]

Oh that is OK. I love a good protest. I saw the Hilton mentioned somewhere, be honest don't really care just want to get going, now. Thanks for your info

 

D

[JaneBP]

I can whole heartedly recommend 71 Nyhaven. Great location and great food. Let me know if you need a good transportation/touring company.

[Chairsin]

Jane,

71 Nyhaven is in Copenhagen -- not Athens:D

[divsec]

Lovely idea though Jane, might be a long drive in the morning for embarkation:confused:

[lincslady]

If it is the Grande Bretagne, it is a lovely old fashioned hotel with big nice rooms. Breakfast (which should be included) is excellent, and usually on the top floor with great views. A word of warning, other food and drink is pretty pricey! It could be one of the more modern hotels out of centre - can't remember which they usually use, but comfortable and satisfactory, just less atmospheric than the GB. I would not worry about demos., etc., they seem to have that more in hand now, and the local agents will look after you.

[MrsWaldo]

Hi just some more feedback on the GB

 

We stayed pre cruise and it was a disaster (they had overbooked).

 

The hotel itself is nice.

 

Breakfast is only on the roof top during the summer season so whether the terrace is still open in Oct (even though their web says it is) may be a ?? (It was supposed to be open for breakfast in the June but they said dinner only)

 

 

it took us 4 hours to get our room after arriving at 3pm and then it wasn't the category booked (smoking room/floor and cat below) Initially they refused to move us due to having "upgraded" other guests and then having no availability.

Check your bill carefully on checkout. We ended up with charges from the previous (dinner and airport transfer) and next guest on our bill (they'd charged the airport transfer to the room) which was nearly 1000Euro on top. Took a lot of convincing.

 

it gets lots of +ve reviews so i guess ours was just a bad hiccup.(although each cruise season it seems to happen)

[JaneBP]

Lovely idea though Jane, might be a long drive in the morning for embarkation:confused:

 

I thought the whole idea was not to be close to potential rioting areas! I get my GB and Angleterres mixed up. <g> Thanks!

[divsec]

Dear girl, I have similar problems, I don't really care massively about the hotel just so long as we get a good nights sleep and quest doesn't sail without us. Other than 20 days or more what can be better than 10 days with seabourn.

:rolleyes:

D

[LN50]

Please let us know when you know as we are doing similar, an overnight in Athens before a sailing on Spirit on 26th October. We also have not been told the hotel name yet.

 

We have stayed overnight in Athens on 3 occasions precruise King George Palace with Seabourn ( very Good) Hilton and Intercontinental with Azamara, both big chains but ok.

 

I am sure that they will look after you.

[divsec]

Thanks LN, I have absolutely no doubt it will be excellent they would be crazy use accommodation inferior to the ships.

 

I will let you know when I do.

[Laylam]

Thanks LN, I have absolutely no doubt it will be excellent they would be crazy use accommodation inferior to the ships.

 

I will let you know when I do.

Would you consider an apartment? I can recommend this apartment in central Athens, with great views of the Acropolis. We had Apartment 1

www.liveinathens.net

-

The boys (4 young friends) who let the Apartments will arrange transport for you to and from airport/ship.

[divsec]

Thanks for the offer but we are on a flight package with seabourn and they are including the hotel, I just forgot to ask hem which hotel

[MrsWaldo]

Taking away all the issues the hotel (GB) was everything a SB cruise should be

 

I still think it was poor business practise

 

 

took too many packages with too many cruiselines with late checkout early check in and then couldn't deliver

 

so greek ;)

[lincslady]

I should add that when we stayed we had booked our own flights and the hotel online. (It was available through SB, but not part of a package). We paid about half of what those who booked with SB paid, and got own taxi organised by the doorman to the ship, about 2 hours before the SB transfer bus. We were lucky on that occasion, and perhaps our good experience was because we had not done it as part of a package. A fellow passenger we met on board was livid that he had paid twice as much for the same type of room.

 

I would never pay SB's quoted price for a hotel room, but obviously if it is included in a flight deal that is different.

[Roxburgh]

I should add that when we stayed we had booked our own flights and the hotel online. (It was available through SB, but not part of a package). We paid about half of what those who booked with SB paid, and got own taxi organised by the doorman to the ship, about 2 hours before the SB transfer bus. We were lucky on that occasion, and perhaps our good experience was because we had not done it as part of a package. A fellow passenger we met on board was livid that he had paid twice as much for the same type of room.

 

I would never pay SB's quoted price for a hotel room, but obviously if it is included in a flight deal that is different.

 

In general I agree with you. Interestingly, the Seabourn hotel prices for Buenos Aires and Santiago are quite competitive and especially when you add in the cost of the transfers hotel/ship.

 

The one time we sailed from Athens (on Pride), we stayed at the Athens Gate Hotel which was very good value for money and more than adequate. Obviously word had got out about it because there were quite a few 'Seabourners' staying there.

[divsec]

I suppose it is all a bit eventually 'legalistic' I really like having one supplier responsible. If at any stage the wheels fall off, I only have to talk to one supplier. You are correct, it can be done for less with a bit more risk, a bit more hassle and a modicum of uncertainty. Anyway I'm still not certain which hotel so I will be on the phone tomorrow. Thanks all for the suggestions, much appreciated

[MrsWaldo]

We were lucky on that occasion, and perhaps our good experience was because we had not done it as part of a package.

 

And here I was thinking our bad experience was because we didn't do it as part of a package.

 

I booked it independently and direct as we had SPG status

 

Roxburgh,

 

we've changed our BA plans. Hyatt through SB came back cheaper for the 3 of us than independently but we've also added Iguazu, so now have 2 nights there and one at the falls.

[Roxburgh]

And here I was thinking our bad experience was because we didn't do it as part of a package.

 

I booked it independently and direct as we had SPG status

 

Roxburgh,

 

we've changed our BA plans. Hyatt through SB came back cheaper for the 3 of us than independently but we've also added Iguazu, so now have 2 nights there and one at the falls.

 

Sounds good. Maybe we could do drinks one evening.

[MrsWaldo]

Perhaps?

 

Our flight doesn't land until 7.20pm.

 

The second night we are on the Tango Tour (perhaps before ?)

[Roxburgh]

Perhaps?

 

Our flight doesn't land until 7.20pm.

 

The second night we are on the Tango Tour (perhaps before ?)

 

You sound organized :eek: We arrive on the 1st. No plans made as yet so we are flexible.

[LN50]

I suppose it is all a bit eventually 'legalistic' I really like having one supplier responsible. If at any stage the wheels fall off, I only have to talk to one supplier. You are correct, it can be done for less with a bit more risk, a bit more hassle and a modicum of uncertainty. Anyway I'm still not certain which hotel so I will be on the phone tomorrow. Thanks all for the suggestions, much appreciated

 

 

We feel the same. However I always check and ,so far, I have not been able to match the package price.

I have checked our confirmation from TA and found that we shall be in the Grande Bretagne in a deluxe room, hope they do not overbook. :D

[divsec]

Hi all, just decided to book 16Oct quest Athens to Barcelona.

We will be taking flights from Seabourn, and delighted to see they include an overnight in Athens in the price. I forgot to ask which hotel they use, does anyone have the answer, thanks d

 

Hi all just got the answer Grand Bretagne. Nice

D

[divsec]

And it is a deluxe city view. Thanks Seabourn we will make the most of it