Seabourn Odyssey - Restaurant

[Emperor Norton]

I've come late to this thread. We are sailing Singapore to Athens next March on Sojourn. It's a 5 week cruise though I imagine it could be made up of 2-3 legs. It's hard to find the light from the heat in the thread but am I correct in assuming that the MDR will be open for lunch and dinner daily? It's only the 7 day cruises affected by this strange policy? As someone who talks to no-one, accept myself, before 1.00pm the MDR is important to me. Perhaps i should ask my TA to investigate.

 

I was on a cruise made up of two segments. On the seven day segment the MDR was not open for lunch (come to think of it Im not sure they even did the galley market on the seven day portion...)

[Rotterdam]

One of the reasons I have not sailed on SB is due to the cutbacks since CCL has taken over. At this point if a sailing comes up w/ an itinerary that's fits I will try the line. I have travelled solo at times & paid the double rate & I certainly do not like a buffet for most meals - never mind breakfast! I do not care if there are 2 or 100 passengers in the dining room when I go in, a line like SB should provide the service - question - why not on a 7 day itinerary????

 

As far as pricing for $ 1,000.00 per day plus taxes & fees per couple(this was a minimum cabin on a 7 day carib cruise on SB) the same couple can stay in a very nice hotel & eat well & have a Dining Room breakfast along w/ a dinner & luncheon. The calm of the restaurant surpasses the hustle & bustle of the buffet area no matter what they call it or even a waiter is provided. What is luxury (for myself) - choice.

 

Back in 1988 I felt I was too young for SB & now that I feel I am at a point in life when I appreciate a better level of service I find SB just doesn't measure up. I'm just another customer with disposable income - but have made the decision to spend it elsewhere. I only wish Royal Viking Line had survived.

 

I remember being on cruise ships & ocean liners as far back in the 1960's & 1970's....everything has changed but I still know where to go for great service & food when I want it & certainly know how to dress depending on the occasion. Interesting enough my relatives that were regular SB passengers & even did a world cruise have stopped sailing on SB a few years back due to cutbacks....and they always were in the top suites!

 

To each their own and SB will fill their ships a varying rates - but only a few really know what a real luxury line is like!

Edited July 30, 2014 by Rotterdam

[Winner]

How can one judge a cruise line (or any other product/service) that one has not personally experienced?

 

What cruise line do you, Mr. Rotterdam, find so superior to Seabourn? I really would like to know your criteria for a true luxury line since I have tried most of them and still return to the delight of sailing on Seabourn. When one is greeted as family but treated as a valued guest the journey is a new adventure among--and with--old friends, both crew and fellow passengers.

 

This is my definition of luxury: never having to lift a finger, even to alert a waiter, never being among strangers, either crew or fellow travelers, and being thoroughly pampered and cossetted for the entire journey. This is why I sail Seabourn

[Winner]

How can one judge a cruise line (or any other product/service) that one has not personally experienced?

 

What cruise line do you, Mr. Rotterdam, find so superior to Seabourn? I really would like to know your criteria for a true luxury line since I have tried most of them and still return to the delight of sailing on Seabourn. When one is greeted as family but treated as a valued guest the journey is a new adventure among--and with--old friends, both crew and fellow passengers.

 

This is my definition of luxury: never having to lift a finger, even to alert a waiter, never being among strangers, either crew or fellow travelers, and being thoroughly pampered and cossetted for the entire journey. This is why I sail Seabourn.

[3418ahl]

deleted

Edited July 31, 2014 by 3418ahl

[wripro]

It certainly can't be Cunard which is NOTHING like it was fifteen or twenty years ago when they had true ocean liners and not cruise ships called ocean liners (with the exception of QM2 which is an ocean liner but operates lie a cruise ship.)

[3418ahl]

It certainly can't be Cunard which is NOTHING like it was fifteen or twenty years ago when they had true ocean liners and not cruise ships called ocean liners (with the exception of QM2 which is an ocean liner but operates lie a cruise ship.)

 

As best I read from prior posts, the only "recent" ones are MSC and maybe Holland!

[Emperor Norton]

Hope so, John. We're doing a 7+7 Caribbean in November on the Spirit.

 

On my final Pride 7 the restaurant was never open for lunch.

 

Sent via squirrels and a rotary phone

[Mr Luxury]

On my final Pride 7 the restaurant was never open for lunch.

 

Sent via squirrels and a rotary phone

 

Would you have gone everyday if it was open?

[Emperor Norton]

Would you have gone everyday if it was open?

 

It would depend upon the menu. A lot of their international takes severely missed the boat.

 

Sent via squirrels and a rotary phone

[jenidallas]

I'm disappointed about less MDR access at breakfast and lunch, but some if the hype about the Colonade (particularly from folks who have never sailed on Seabourn) is hyperbole.

 

I hate buffets. Hate them. I am also not a fan of lots of noise and crowds. So I get that part.

 

But saying you won't sail because of this is akin to me saying I won't stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon because I have to order my menu breakfast while staring at the well-appointed multi-station buffet in the same space. Never mind that the food is good either way and I can enjoy the fresh air on the patio... the should totally open one of the upstairs restaurants for me to eat in if they want to be a five star establishment.

 

(Although I'd still likely keep staying there as I love the location and they have the best croissants and pain au chocolat outside of Paris. But I still reserve the right to complain....)

[Capri73]

We love room service breakfast and dining outside for lunch. That would be an issue for us if no longer was offered. We certainly understand your issue with the MDR but if is not used they need to close it.I am sure most of you are business people. The staff can be used more efficiently in other areas.

[Emperor Norton]

I'm disappointed about less MDR access at breakfast and lunch, but some if the hype about the Colonade (particularly from folks who have never sailed on Seabourn) is hyperbole.

 

I hate buffets. Hate them. I am also not a fan of lots of noise and crowds. So I get that part.

 

But saying you won't sail because of this is akin to me saying I won't stay at the Park Hyatt Saigon because I have to order my menu breakfast while staring at the well-appointed multi-station buffet in the same space. Never mind that the food is good either way and I can enjoy the fresh air on the patio... the should totally open one of the upstairs restaurants for me to eat in if they want to be a five star establishment.

 

(Although I'd still likely keep staying there as I love the location and they have the best croissants and pain au chocolat outside of Paris. But I still reserve the right to complain....)

 

I think you missed the boat. Allegedly first and foremost Seabourn is about luxury. I think you can agree that there is nothing luxurious about being herded into a buffet - even if there is sit down service - you still wind up in a slam, bam thank you ma'am environment - which is high school/college level - not luxurious.

 

It's very easy to understand why those looking at a luxury line would now dismiss Seabourn.

[Silver Sweethearts]

I think you missed the boat. Allegedly first and foremost Seabourn is about luxury. I think you can agree that there is nothing luxurious about being herded into a buffet - even if there is sit down service - you still wind up in a slam, bam thank you ma'am environment - which is high school/college level - not luxurious.

 

It's very easy to understand why those looking at a luxury line would now dismiss Seabourn.

 

Interesting that the Ritz Carlton Kapalua here on Maui doesn't seem to think it is a problem promoting buffet service for breakfast along with a "sit down" a la carte menu. Does this dismiss Ritz Carlton from the luxury resort category?

[Emperor Norton]

Interesting that the Ritz Carlton Kapalua here on Maui doesn't seem to think it is a problem promoting buffet service for breakfast along with a "sit down" a la carte menu. Does this dismiss Ritz Carlton from the luxury resort category?

 

While I've had and enjoyed five star buffets across the US at the end of the day I still don't find a buffet to be as luxurious as a full sit down meal.

[Silver Sweethearts]

While I've had and enjoyed five star buffets across the US at the end of the day I still don't find a buffet to be as luxurious as a full sit down meal.

 

Absolutely agree. As a side note, that Ritz breakfast buffet was $38.00pp plus tax and gratuity and was nothing to write home about. For that much we prefer to be served at a table.

[jenidallas]

I think you missed the boat. Allegedly first and foremost Seabourn is about luxury. I think you can agree that there is nothing luxurious about being herded into a buffet - even if there is sit down service - you still wind up in a slam, bam thank you ma'am environment - which is high school/college level - not luxurious.

 

It's very easy to understand why those looking at a luxury line would now dismiss Seabourn.

 

No, I didn't. This thread has somehow turned into a panic that the MDR is shutting down altogether.

 

The original report was that the MDR was closed for breakfast and lunch on the shorter 7 night cruises. Those also tend to be port-intensive cruises with maybe 1 sea day but most days in port. It does not make a lot of sense for the MDR to be open at lunch when many/most are off the ship - and they can provide better staffing to the folks who either want to a) grab and go (at the Colonnade) or b) get ready and eat (with room service) if they aren't also maintaining servers in a mostly empty MDR.

 

Also, I've never been herded on Seabourn... except on embarkation day when there is a push to get everyone into the Colonnade. I'm not a fan of buffets either (so much so that I avoided the Colonnade at dinner for my first 22 nights on Seabourn because I had it my head that it would be a déclassé option).

 

The reality is that the travel world IS changing, regardless of what any of us personally think. There were a couple of studies out recently that hotel brands are already responding to with changes to accommodate the Millennial generation (the kids or grandkids of some of the Seabourn loyal). That 18-30 generation currently does more business trips per year on average than the 31-45 Gen Xers or 46-60 crowd. (I didn't see business travel on the 60+ crowd - may not have been on the industry radar.) They also do more vacations. And they spend more on travel in relation to their income. They also travel differently which will mean that the travel industry will be continuing to focus on the future.

[lincslady]

May I repeat what has been said before about the Colonnade restaurant - there is absolutely no need to go to the buffet. A waiter will approach you as soon as you sit down, first with coffee (we have ours later, being Brits) and you can then say that you would like your juice, first course, full breakfast etc. etc. to be brought to you.

 

I personally like to choose my own fruit from the buffet, but otherwise generally order from the wait staff. Has Emperor Norton ever been on a Seabourn ship?

[jenidallas]

May I repeat what has been said before about the Colonnade restaurant - there is absolutely no need to go to the buffet. A waiter will approach you as soon as you sit down, first with coffee (we have ours later, being Brits) and you can then say that you would like your juice, first course, full breakfast etc. etc. to be brought to you.

 

There are a few folks who believe that, no matter what, it's the "presence" of the buffet in the restaurant (and presumably the extra movement and thus noise that causes) that downgrades Seabourn from the five-star experience.

 

It would also downgrade other things considered five-star, such as many upmarket hotels as in my example (which allegedly "missed the boat") if that's the standard we are applying.

 

I think some people just like to complain. It's probably better done directly to Seabourn than here - but also needs to be backed up by actions. Vote with your feet when the MDR *is* open at breakfast and lunch by all going there so that management sees it being worthwhile to allocate the staffing resources there - and vote with your feet by choosing another line if Seabourn's direction and changes no longer suit you.

[lincslady]

There are a few folks who believe that, no matter what, it's the "presence" of the buffet in the restaurant (and presumably the extra movement and thus noise that causes) that downgrades Seabourn from the five-star experience.

 

It would also downgrade other things considered five-star, such as many upmarket hotels as in my example (which allegedly "missed the boat") if that's the standard we are applying.

 

I think some people just like to complain. It's probably better done directly to Seabourn than here - but also needs to be backed up by actions. Vote with your feet when the MDR *is* open at breakfast and lunch by all going there so that management sees it being worthwhile to allocate the staffing resources there - and vote with your feet by choosing another line if Seabourn's direction and changes no longer suit you.

 

Yes, I see what you mean. Two other points though - if the weather is good almost everyone eats outside, and you would not even see the buffet here, and most evenings dinner is served in the Colonnade by waiters, no buffet at all, apart from a couple of special evenings like the Market buffets, which are very popular. Obviously the MDR is open every single evening.

[jenidallas]

Yes, I see what you mean. Two other points though - if the weather is good almost everyone eats outside, and you would not even see the buffet here, and most evenings dinner is served in the Colonnade by waiters, no buffet at all, apart from a couple of special evenings like the Market buffets, which are very popular. Obviously the MDR is open every single evening.

 

You and I are on the same side of this debate. :)

[wripro]

I think you missed the boat. Allegedly first and foremost Seabourn is about luxury. I think you can agree that there is nothing luxurious about being herded into a buffet - even if there is sit down service - you still wind up in a slam, bam thank you ma'am environment - which is high school/college level - not luxurious.

 

It's very easy to understand why those looking at a luxury line would now dismiss Seabourn.

 

You will not only have to dismiss Seabourn, you will have to dismiss cruising because all luxury lines have buffets at breakfast and lunch.

[PaulaJK]

Yes, the buffet/Lido/Veranda is an option as is the MDR on the other [generally termed] luxury lines. Only SB is closing its MDR for breakfast & lunch. That may not bother you but then as I only drink wine, I would not be bothered if they removed all spirits.

[CruisingAlong4Now]

Unfortunately my 21 day cruise is 3 B2B. so, no mdr for breakfast or lunch for 21 days?

 

If so, that is a dealbreaker. On a cruise of several weeks, many days we enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the mdr and the quiet of the ship whilst other passengers scurry off to do their port touring. The Collanade does not engender feelings of relaxation.

 

Seaborn has created two classes of passengers. Those who cruise for 7 days and less and those who will have to ensure that their cruise does not encompass short 7 day segments.

 

:(:(:(

[Mr Luxury]

Unfortunately my 21 day cruise is 3 B2B. so, no mdr for breakfast or lunch for 21 days?

 

If so, that is a dealbreaker. On a cruise of several weeks, many days we enjoy a leisurely breakfast in the mdr and the quiet of the ship whilst other passengers scurry off to do their port touring. The Collanade does not engender feelings of relaxation.

 

Seaborn has created two classes of passengers. Those who cruise for 7 days and less and those who will have to ensure that their cruise does not encompass short 7 day segments.

 

:(:(:(

 

Seasoned cruisers do not generally do seven day cruises or B2B,there is always a different feel to these trips and the staff do not perform as well as they do on a longer trip.