Turkish Ports

[Db85]

Seabourn can easily tender???

 

I am also very interested what they will replace the seabourn Ephesus night with. If anyone knows then please let us know?

 

 

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[galeforce9]

I believe they won't replace it. The Ephesus trip took huge planning and was very well established.

[galeforce9]

I don't know about tendering but I guess there will still be limits on ships tendering into ports too?

[Tillylovesseabourn]

I doubt they will replace the Ephasus trip.

 

However, it is only on a greek isles/turkey cruise when we have had a special evening like this. I have been on many,many SB cruises when there has not been a special evening trip available.

[ktchoirgirl]

We are booked on the 14 night Greece/Turkey cruise departing Athens 20th August. Whilst we fully appreciate why Seabourn have done, this for us it is a massive disappointment as our cruise now consists of Athens X 3, Cyprus X 2 and Rhodes X 2, plus 2 X sea days which we did not want! This is not the cruise we booked - 7 out of 13 ports have now been cancelled and we have to visit several places twice! And all we have is 1 excursion in Athens to compensate...I do feel that Seabourn should be looking to offer those on a 2 week cruise more...if we could cancel one of the weeks we probably would as they are now virtually the same! Oh well, I will have to wait to see if my TA can do anything but am not hopeful....

[Techno123]

We are currently on board. Patmos has also been cancelled as far as we can see. The trips for Cyprus and Rhodes are reasonable - but we tend to do our own. Beloved not happy about the sea day. Also nothing to replace the evening at Ephesus that I can see. On a positive note, just had champagne and caviar in the pool and we have had a marina day too

[Db85]

What day/port is the marina day? I would be happy if they can do this on our cruise.

 

I guess its not the sea day :-)

[fudge]

We leave in the morning for 14 days out of Athens. Cruise ruined because of changes, no chance of compensation apart for one lousy excursion, thats the last straw for us, back to Silversea.

[Db85]

I wonder if enough people complain on the boat they will do something. Can you keep us updated?

 

I hope you have a wonderful time and things are great onboard

[fudge]

Two chances, no hope and bob hope. :confused:

[Tillylovesseabourn]

I do think Seabourn are between a rock and a hard place. If they go to Turkey they risk safety issues, but some are happy to risk this.

Personally, i would take Rhodes and a sea day over anywhere on the coast of Turkey full stop. Not everyone will be happy,but i would suspect the majority would opt for safety first.

I suspect Napvilon to be a possible for the marina day.

Edited July 22, 2016 by Tillylovesseabourn

[wripro]

We leave in the morning for 14 days out of Athens. Cruise ruined because of changes, no chance of compensation apart for one lousy excursion, thats the last straw for us, back to Silversea.

 

How exactly is Silversea handling the Turkey situation?

[koalapanda]

We are boarding tomorrow for 21 day Cruise Athens to Venice. Whilst I understand the dangers and at this stage Turkey is very unsettled I can accept the cancellation of Turkish Ports. We have been in Greece for a week and locals are very concerned. However on our cruise we spend the first 14 days sailing in circles. Rather than this dizzying itinerary we are surprised that Seabourn did consider a couple of overnight Ports allowing more exploring, evenings ashore etc. The offer of a free tour in Athens which we visit multiple times and where many will have started their holiday with a pre visit is rather uninspiring. I hope this tour will be something totally unique.

[Tillylovesseabourn]

Wripro, i wondered that too.

 

Horses for courses, I really didnt think Silversea were customer orientated at all. I guess it is down to personal experience.

 

I am just interested as to why people are blaming this situation on SB. I really don't think they have much of an option. In fact i am very pleased that they are taking the safety first option. You cannot please everyone, but as i have said before, I am sure the majority would prefer to be safe.

[fudge]

I completely understand why SB have taken this action, better to be safe than sorry, however, as previous posters have identified they don't seem to have a plan "b". It looks like we are floating around the med looking for somewhere to dock, any where will do?

 

We booked this cruise as many other do based in the itinerary, we know things can change however, SB seem to have their head in the sand and have no idea how to get out of it?

 

Its the first time we have booked a cruise and really not looking forward to it, especially as we visit "home" twice on the cruise not originally on the cruise!

 

Rant over :(

[Chairsin]

I think it is a real shame your itineraries have been significantly altered. I know I too would have been disappointed if not only the port of embarkation/ debarkation were altered but those during the journey as well. I have been on numerous cruises where more than one port has been changed or cancelled altogether due to weather (including my recent one where the planned port of call of Primosten turned into a sea day) -- but not to the degree here which has resulted in multiple visits to the same port as well multiple sea days. Fudge you are in an almost unique situation as they substituted your home for ports of call in other countries. That is sadly ironic for you.

 

But the bottom line is that frankly Seabourn had limited options. Yes, had they cancelled Turkey months ago when the security concerns surfaced in earnest they could have made some substitutions that were more palatable -- it also would have allowed some to cancel without penalty. But obviously, as has been noted, they were in a damned if you do and demand if you don't situation because many such a myself (guilty as charged) were willing to brave the risks of traveling there -- at least until the airport attack and subsequent failed coup. At that point Seabourn had little choice but to take Turkey off the schedule. But of course by then other cruise lines who had hung on were doing the same and everyone was scrambling to find alternative ports. Jenny's idea of overnighting in some ports is a good idea but it could be that it was logistically impossible to pull off. Whether they tender or dock at a port is frankly irrelevant as they all involve staffing from the local authorities whether dock worker, customs/immigration, security and the pilot and other port authority personnel. Then combine all this with the fact that with just one port (Athens) for the majority of debarkation/embarkation every seven days there is now the time constraint -- some ports that might be available at this late date are geographically out of reach. To reach some of these far flung ports requires adding a sea day. All around it is a lose lose situation for everyone and certainly passengers have a right to be very disappointed but to think it was done on a whim without serious planing is highly unlikely. I don't follow Silversea but I have little doubt that they have been grappling with the same issues and coming up with similar less than desirable substitute itineraries. I hope all of you sailing in the next couple of months on the Eastern Med itineraries find a way to enjoy your cruise wherever it takes you!

[rols]

I have mixed thoughts about this. I'm one of those people who'd be perfectly happy to visit the Turkish ports on this trip, I'm happy not to have to go through Istanbul, the rest of them I'd lose no sleep over going to. I'd feel less safe going to Paris these days than a seaside port in Turkey.

 

I do agree that the substitute ports aren't amazing, although several people seem to be looking forward to Cyprus. We're a little more fortunate in that we're getting on a week from now so our only repeat port is Athens. One possible problem is that Seabourn has chopped the whole med summer up into 1 week segments and seems to be viewing it like that, however that's bad for anyone who put two such segments together, only to find their second week is a mirror image of the first; I think Seabourn shouldn't have allowed that to happen. The whole point of small ship cruising is you can go places other lines can't go. Don't know why they couldn't have found a couple of places like that. For instance was there not a lovely bay they could have moored in one day, done the caviar in the surf, got the marina out for some watersports and turned it into a fun day for all?

 

I feel that fudge's situation is particularly unfortunate and given their cruise is now two mirror image segments, with 2 sea days and 2 days at home Seabourn should, perhaps quietly, do something for them. Similarly for the people who got 'mirror imaged' a discount off a future cruise might be appropriate. For the rest of us, one load of ports got changed for another load of ports and that happens, and we certainly knew it might happen when we booked this, so we're going with the flow.

 

Someone's going to have to explain to me why people don't like having even one sea day on a cruise. I don't think the crew love them, they work their tails off, but they're great fun. No sitting in a bus for 4 hours rattling your breakfast around, a chance to hang out with everyone else at the pool, or find one of those secluded loungers for a long nap, and more than 3 people at trivia.

 

Seabourn's plan B has some disappointments, but it's still a cruise, with Seabourn and all the crew will be doing their usual best to make sure everyone has a good time.

 

It's got to be better than that damnable NZ cruise we did 2+ years ago!!

[2SailingNomads]

Tough situation - you booked a cruise based on the itinerary and events outside of your or the cruise line have any control over occur. If you have travel insurance and it covers port changes you can be in luck. Otherwise I guess you have to hope the management has your best interest in mind and does not want to risk the welfare of the pax. But agree if a security risk than you should be offered the opportunity to change your cruise to a different itinerary with no penalty.

[swixpat]

We're also part of the group with the changed itinerary. We bought a 2 week cruise marketed by Seabourn as a 2 week cruise from Athens to 13 different destinations and back to Athens starting today.

I would never have bought a b2b cruise with similar itineraries. We did Venice Athens 1 week last year and wanted specifically a different cruise.

For m e the product is significantly changed and I'm disappointed. That ports get changed I understand but the alternative is dissatisfying and the compensation is poor.

 

I will work with my TA and Seabourn to find a satisfactory solution but today I'm boarding a ship less than pleased.

[Db85]

Hello Rols

 

The Cyprus on my cruise is dock 7am depart 2pm!!! Not even enough time for a nice day out. It's not even worth going as I'm not an early bird. I won't get off before 930. It's a really big mess.

 

I told them it was my honeymoon and I want to reschedule and they said it's not possible. This is not how I imagine my honeymoon.

 

I'm really upset. I have no offer of anything to compensate.

 

 

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[Cornet]

I totally understand everyone's frustration and disappointment, but Seabourn have been forced into making these schedule changes,they haven't done it to make passengers grumpy, it has been done to keep everyone safe.

 

We were on Sojourn earlier this month and due to debark in Istanbul on Saturday 2nd July. On Wednesday 29th the bombs went off at the airport and we heard the news the next morning. David Bathgate gave everyone an update and said that we would be going to Athens and not Istanbul, much to everyone's relief. We really wanted to go to Istanbul, we had booked 3 nights post cruise, but we were extremely happy to forgo the visit as we knew we were safe. The staff in Seabourn Square were marvellous in helping to re book flights, we all had free internet and $300 per suite credit. Seabourn handled the situation brilliantly.

 

So don't be too unhappy, you will have a fabulous time. A great ship with a fabulous crew. Lovely food with great service.

 

Just enjoy the Seabourn experience..

[Cornet]

Sorry, got my ships mixed up.

It was the Odyssey not Sojourn.

Oops.

[fudge]

Well, we are now on the ship in Athens, the usual warm welcome from the crew. In Seabourn square waiting to go to our suite, we are going with the flow, I cannot blame SB for the changes very understandable.

 

Happy days, we are on board, what could be better, the weather is delightful, had a lovely lunch, making the most of it. Strangely the staff have no idea where we may be next week, very odd.

[Cornet]

That is a great post Fudge.

Enjoy:):):)

[marama]

rols,

 

I completely agree with the points you have made on page 6. I am certainly sympathetic as I can well imagine how Seabourn must be chasing their tails right now, but did it not occur to them that many people do a B2B? In fact even before all this blew up, we had a hard time finding a cruise between 7-14 days with a sufficiently interesting itinerary. It all so often seems to focus on a 7 day cycle, which we do not enjoy nearly as much as 10-14 days.

 

As you rightly say, The Greek Islands are full of lovely little spots to anchor for a day or a half day. Its also a shame that a large island like Cyprus only gets half a day - but this may have been beyond Seaboard's control. There are also so many beautiful smaller Greek islands worth a visit. Symi, not far from Rhodes, for example would make a lovely stop.

 

Our Turkish ports have also all been cancelled now, but like you I would have been fine with visiting the Turkish coast. However I too enjoy a sea day every now and then - nice just to be lazy for a change. I feel so sorry for Db85 and hope that Seabourn can make it up in some way by making them feel extra special while they are on board.

 

However as you observed, just being on the boat is a huge treat in itself.

Edited July 23, 2016 by marama