First Seabourn Cruise: Loved it!

[findacruise]

We have returned home from our first Seabourn cruise and are getting ready to book one for next year. Reading this board helped prepare us and I want to thank the posters. In case anyone is interested, here is the link to the review I just completed. Joanna

 

http://www.cruisecritic.com/memberreviews/memberreview.cfm?EntryID=528481&et_cid=2633025&et_rid=16965027&et_referrer=Boards

[galeforce9]

Many thanks for posting. Glad you enjoyed it.

[stamfordian]

Glad you felt just the same as we did after our first Seabourn cruise Joanna... and that's why we have kept coming back, now up to 150 days.

 

One small tip when you go on your next cruise. There is also a power point at floor level hidden behind the chair on the opposite side of the room to the bar area, which is very convenient for plugging in things like laptops when you are the table.

 

Took us until about our third cruise when our stewardess pointed it out to us!

[Keith1010]

Glad you not only enjoyed the cruise but also took the time to write about it.

 

Keith

[lincslady]

Ditto - it is always refreshing to hear that a 'newbie' has enjoyed their cruise. We have done many many with Seabourn, and almost all have been just as good as yours. We oldies do get a bit fussy at times about various aspects of the line, but overall we still feel as enthusiastic as you do - and keep travelling with them, having tried all the other small 'luxury' all inclusive lines.

[Jay23]

Many thanks for your review Joanna. Just what I needed to hear. We have had two cruises with Seabourn, but on little Legend and our September cruise will be the first on a larger vessel.

Lunch on boarding and storing the hand luggage would be a splendid perk that we did not get on Legend. On Legend we checked in in the lounge, kept the hand luggage and were given snacks and drinks. We were escorted to the suite though, were you?

 

I was beginning to wonder if we had done the right thing , booking this cruise. I was reading about T Keller, smoking, no MDR for breakfast etc but your review made me realise that Seabourn is still the Seabourn we have enjoyed. The personal service, which is so unobtrusive, and the special care available when required.

 

Like you we think Oceania has the best food at sea (as they are always telling us).

Thanks again. Judith

[Roxburgh]

Many thanks for your review Joanna. Just what I needed to hear. We have had two cruises with Seabourn, but on little Legend and our September cruise will be the first on a larger vessel.

Lunch on boarding and storing the hand luggage would be a splendid perk that we did not get on Legend. On Legend we checked in in the lounge, kept the hand luggage and were given snacks and drinks. We were escorted to the suite though, were you?

 

I was beginning to wonder if we had done the right thing , booking this cruise. I was reading about T Keller, smoking, no MDR for breakfast etc but your review made me realise that Seabourn is still the Seabourn we have enjoyed. The personal service, which is so unobtrusive, and the special care available when required.

 

Like you we think Oceania has the best food at sea (as they are always telling us).

Thanks again. Judith

 

This board tends to err on the side of negativity often accompanied by dire threats of cancellation and the denial of future bookings. Seabourn remains excellent. However, sometimes it takes a 'newbie' bringing a fresh and unbiased perspective to remind us just how excellent it is.

[frantic36]

This board tends to err on the side of negativity often accompanied by dire threats of cancellation and the denial of future bookings. Seabourn remains excellent. However, sometimes it takes a 'newbie' bringing a fresh and unbiased perspective to remind us just how excellent it is.

 

I agree Roxburgh.

 

findacruise I am glad you had a wonderful cruise. We always have...........even when there are hiccups such as when we have arrived like last July in Civitivecchia and the cruise terminal had a power failure. There was a long line for embarkation. Seabourn had cables connecting to the ship to get power for the computers for check in passengers. We sat and used our iPads, had cool drinks supplied by Seabourn and waited for the line to diminish. We then had a wonderful cruise seeing amazing places like Malta and Corsica. The crew worked so hard in very hot conditions to make us happy. We liked it so much we are doing a similar cruise this July on Sojourn.

 

Sometimes stuff happens but imagine if there was a thousand passengers or more to deal with. :eek:

 

Julie

[Able Seaman H]

Glad you enjoyed yourselves.

 

There were many observations which I'm sure we all identify with. Glad you managed to find your way around.

 

This forum can indeed be a font of knowledge. We certainly got the most from our first SB cruise as a result of joining.

 

Henry :)

[findacruise]

Many thanks for your review Joanna. Just what I needed to hear. We have had two cruises with Seabourn, but on little Legend and our September cruise will be the first on a larger vessel.

Lunch on boarding and storing the hand luggage would be a splendid perk that we did not get on Legend. On Legend we checked in in the lounge, kept the hand luggage and were given snacks and drinks. We were escorted to the suite though, were you?

 

I was beginning to wonder if we had done the right thing , booking this cruise. I was reading about T Keller, smoking, no MDR for breakfast etc but your review made me realise that Seabourn is still the Seabourn we have enjoyed. The personal service, which is so unobtrusive, and the special care available when required.

 

Like you we think Oceania has the best food at sea (as they are always telling us).

Thanks again. Judith

 

There is still smoking on the ship, but we saw none and were not in the Navigation lounge late in the evening so can't report about that with any firsthand knowledge. TK is around and we enjoyed some; mixed bag but didn't interfere with our enjoyment. MDR was open for breakfast and lunch, but only for 1 hour.

[findacruise]

Glad you felt just the same as we did after our first Seabourn cruise Joanna... and that's why we have kept coming back, now up to 150 days.

 

One small tip when you go on your next cruise. There is also a power point at floor level hidden behind the chair on the opposite side of the room to the bar area, which is very convenient for plugging in things like laptops when you are the table.

 

Took us until about our third cruise when our stewardess pointed it out to us!

 

Thanks for the information. I have just advised my husband. We will get to use that knowledge next year. Looks like we are going to book Auckland to Sydney 2/18-3/6 on Encore We had already booked Oceania's circumnavigation of Australia 3/6-4/9 so we will get off one ship and get on another a few hours later. Lucky for us with the dates aligning. Serious diet regime coming before that.

[pater15]

Our whole family are Seabourner's (is that a word and a proper sentence???). My oldest son meet his wife and mother of our grandson on Seabourn, who has also been onboard, TWICE. We are back onboard May 28th, for 14 days and can't wait. When we get to our room, have caviar, and first cocktail, we call it "Being Bourn Again". We have done several other lines for various reasons, all fun in their own way, but we always come home to SB. Even when you are at a 5 star hotel, you will find yourself saying things like "that's not how they do it on SB" or "I wish we where on SB". Anyway, welcome aboard and maybe our paths will cross on a grand voyage somewhere, Cheers........

[Jay23]

Thanks for the information. I have just advised my husband. We will get to use that knowledge next year. Looks like we are going to book Auckland to Sydney 2/18-3/6 on Encore We had already booked Oceania's circumnavigation of Australia 3/6-4/9 so we will get off one ship and get on another a few hours later. Lucky for us with the dates aligning. Serious diet regime coming before that.

 

Yes, you will have to watch out for the Mysterious Shrinking Cothes syndrome that happens when you are exposed to salty air!! Have a wonderful time next year J

[Nigella]

Many thanks for your review Joanna. Just what I needed to hear. We have had two cruises with Seabourn, but on little Legend and our September cruise will be the first on a larger vessel.

Lunch on boarding and storing the hand luggage would be a splendid perk that we did not get on Legend. On Legend we checked in in the lounge, kept the hand luggage and were given snacks and drinks. We were escorted to the suite though, were you?

 

I was beginning to wonder if we had done the right thing , booking this cruise. I was reading about T Keller, smoking, no MDR for breakfast etc but your review made me realise that Seabourn is still the Seabourn we have enjoyed. The personal service, which is so unobtrusive, and the special care available when required.

 

Like you we think Oceania has the best food at sea (as they are always telling us).

Thanks again. Judith

 

I think you're on the same cruise in September that we took last year. It's sold as both a 7 day cruise (Yachtsman's Med) and an 18 day cruise. We did the 7 day.

The MDR was closed for both breakfast and lunch every day. It may or may not be the same way this year.

 

If you're a fan of the Med, the ports are lovely, at least on the 7 day itinerary.

[Nigella]

Trying again as this apparently didn't post the first time I tried :)

 

Thank you for your review, it's always good to read a review posted by someone who is new to Seabourn. Agree about TK, we found it to be a mixed bag, but overall better than anticipated. It was a very welcome addition to the MDR dinner menu, plus we wait for the full changes in R2 and getting 'our' Colonnade back !

[Jay23]

I think you're on the same cruise in September that we took last year. It's sold as both a 7 day cruise (Yachtsman's Med) and an 18 day cruise. We did the 7 day.

The MDR was closed for both breakfast and lunch every day. It may or may not be the same way this year.

 

If you're a fan of the Med, the ports are lovely, at least on the 7 day itinerary.

 

Yes the ports look just right. We are familiar with some but not all. From what I

read the MDR will not be open for breakfast or lunch on this 7 day cruise. Thanks for that info. J

[Nigella]

Yes the ports look just right. We are familiar with some but not all. From what I

read the MDR will not be open for breakfast or lunch on this 7 day cruise. Thanks for that info. J

 

We aren't people who would normally repeat an itinerary but we would definitely do that cruise again, the ports were super.

Le Lavandou was a marina day on our cruise, even though the information we'd received didn't mention this, so it was a lovely surprise.

Lucky you, I'm jealous!