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TK Retreat on Encore???

Chairsin

By Chairsin,
in Seabourn Cruise Line

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RustyRollock

RustyRollock

Posted
Posted

The whole idea of an "exclusive" area available at extra cost has worrying implications on an All Inclusive ship. It's a slippery slope. What's so special about it to justify the cost and is it intended to filter out the riff raff and/or kids or is it a way of extracting more $$$ in time honoured Carnival style?

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tv24

tv24

Posted
Posted
The whole idea of an "exclusive" area available at extra cost has worrying implications on an All Inclusive ship. It's a slippery slope. What's so special about it to justify the cost and is it intended to filter out the riff raff and/or kids or is it a way of extracting more $$$ in time honoured Carnival style?

 

At the risk of sounding to terribly cynical..oh well, I will run that risk...it seems to me as a way to extract more dollars, to maximize the revenue from that part of the ship.

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Able Seaman H

Able Seaman H

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Of course it's a revenue generating move. Ultimately SB need to make money.

 

At the moment you don't HAVE to spend additional money to enjoy you SB cruise. There are countless opportunities to spend money but you don't need to.

 

With the new larger ship will things be more like mainstream lines where you have to fight for a place by the pool or an outdoor area of sanctuary? As things stand it is always possible to find somewhere to perch yourself and your partner / friends. Do SB envisage a change and is the retreat a guarantee for people willing to pay the price? I hope not and it's one of the things we will be looking at in December.

 

To repeat my previous point let's not forget that there used to be a somewhat under utilised pay to play area above the Spa which has now been turned into cabins. The serene area with hot beds is another pay to use space as is the main spa. So the concept of premium pay to use areas is not new. The difference is that many people never knew the quiet area above the Spa existed, it wasn't "in your face".

 

Much will rest on how obvious the retreat is when wandering around the ship. A burly guard preventing access to an area from which comes chamber music and tittering nymphets would definitely make one feel second class.

 

Henry :)

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

Posted
Posted
Of course it's a revenue generating move. Ultimately SB need to make money.

 

At the moment you don't HAVE to spend additional money to enjoy you SB cruise. There are countless opportunities to spend money but you don't need to.

 

With the new larger ship will things be more like mainstream lines where you have to fight for a place by the pool or an outdoor area of sanctuary? As things stand it is always possible to find somewhere to perch yourself and your partner / friends. Do SB envisage a change and is the retreat a guarantee for people willing to pay the price? I hope not and it's one of the things we will be looking at in December.

 

To repeat my previous point let's not forget that there used to be a somewhat under utilised pay to play area above the Spa which has now been turned into cabins. The serene area with hot beds is another pay to use space as is the main spa. So the concept of premium pay to use areas is not new. The difference is that many people never knew the quiet area above the Spa existed, it wasn't "in your face".

 

Much will rest on how obvious the retreat is when wandering around the ship. A burly guard preventing access to an area from which comes chamber music and tittering nymphets would definitely make one feel second class.

 

Henry :)

However in the past aside from spa treatments I had free run of the ship. This changes that dynamic especially if touring say fjords or anything best seen from a top deck.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using Tapatalk

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Mr Luxury

Mr Luxury

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Posted (edited)

My prediction is that the retreat will go the same way as the old spa suite area on the odyssey class ships.

It will be a quiet place that will not be utilised by most Seabourn guests and will be like a ghost town as there really is no good reason to have it on a Seabourn ship but well done to head office for trying something new and innovative.

I bet that it will be used by the crew for some of their parties as was the old spa retreat on the other ships.

 

 

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Edited by Mr Luxury
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markham

markham

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I have already proposed that this area be used for kennels. There are always pampered, wayward and difficult pooches requiring special attention on Seabourn ships.

 

But if none of the gurus who came up with this divisive concept can move on, and this concept fails (as apparently many posters expect), then the space should be given over to ping pong, mini golf and walkers as is the case on the Ody class ships.

 

I expect that it's only a matter of a few months for this revelation that the rest of us already foresee. I mean, really... Who know Seabourn best - posters here or head office!?!?

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

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rols

rols

Posted
Posted (edited)
My prediction is that the retreat will go the same way as the old spa suite area on the odyssey class ships.

 

That was my prediction too earlier in the thread when I said I was looking forward to what it would become in a few years time.

 

I don't see many passengers willing to fork out an extra $350+ a day to sit in an exclusive part of the deck, there are few enough on any given cruise using the 'quiet area' in the spa and that's more like $50 a day. Since many people spend much of the day off the ship in port anyway, the value is impossible at least for me to see. I really wonder how many of those surveys Seabourn received which said "yes this is a good idea", although the survey didn't hint about the eye-popping cost.

 

Not sure I give many props to Seabourn management for trying something new here. It does feel like the very thin edge of a non-all-inclusive wedge.

 

.. by the way .. did anyone ever ascertain whether the marketing materials which called this a 'Thomas Keller' retreat were accurate and they are using that branding for this, or if they were not prepared by Seabourn but a TA who got it wrong? I believe that was the original point of the thread.

Edited by rols
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Able Seaman H

Able Seaman H

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Posted
However in the past aside from spa treatments I had free run of the ship. This changes that dynamic especially if touring say fjords or anything best seen from a top deck.

 

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N915A using Tapatalk

 

No you didn't. The pay to play area above the Spa was off limits to those of us unwilling to fork out the extra cash.

 

The Retreat may also be used as a perk to help sell the more expensive accommodation.

 

Henry :)

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rols

rols

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Posted

The Retreat may also be used as a perk to help sell the more expensive accommodation.

Henry :)

 

That's what worries me, if it becomes a perk for the occupants of the more expensive suites then that's really a step towards a 2-class system. At least whilst it's everyone who wants to pay can pay and if you wish to use it you shall pay, it's fair ..

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sfvoyage

sfvoyage

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Posted
That's what worries me, if it becomes a perk for the occupants of the more expensive suites then that's really a step towards a 2-class system. At least whilst it's everyone who wants to pay can pay and if you wish to use it you shall pay, it's fair ..

 

As you know, currently the spa serenity area is a hybrid product: available for free to spa penthouse suite guests as well as those who opt to pay the usage fee for the day or the entire cruise.

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Emperor Norton

Emperor Norton

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Posted
No you didn't. The pay to play area above the Spa was off limits to those of us unwilling to fork out the extra cash.

 

The Retreat may also be used as a perk to help sell the more expensive accommodation.

 

Henry :)

 

As the majority of my Seabourn cruises were on the little sisters, I did for the most part AFAIK have run of the ship. It was only when I had to go to the bigger Odyssey class that I found parts of the ship off limits based on what one was willing to pay. It seems with each generation Seabourn gets further and further from AI and their original values.

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markham

markham

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Posted (edited)

...Not sure what you are referring to.

 

The Ody class ships simply have more facillities and types of facilities than the small ships did and all passengers have access to them, apart from the amenity- free access to the spa area of the spa that the small ships did not have and the spa suites themselves that are new on the Ody class ships. (If you want access to the spa areas now you simply have to pay for a day pass or have a massagetreatment.)

 

Remember that the small ships had virtually no cabin verandahs or Seabourn Square area and that the Ody class ships have about 30% more space per passenger. Maybe if no one wants to pay for this new retreat it will be offered gratis to the tenants of the top Wintergarden, Signature and Owners suites?

 

So it would seem that Seabourn is still Seabourn, just bigger and better, in my opinion. Same values but more value.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Edited by markham
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wripro

wripro

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Posted

My retreat area is called my suite. That's where I go when I want to relax, get away from everyone else and just be alone. If there's another place to retreat to that Seabourn charges for I don't care if others are willing to pay for it. I am not and so I will just ignore it. I agree with John that it will probably end up as something completely different once SB discovers that most people, like me, will not pay. But it in no way makes me feel deprived or that the ship has more than one class. Now if the TK Grill charged extra for anyone not in the top suites, then I'd be concerned.

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Chairsin

Chairsin

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I heard back from my TA regarding the marketing materials. They were provided by Seabourn. So today I will try to call Seabourn to find out if is a misprint. If it is true I wonder where on the ship his brand will spread to next? The Square by TK ?

 

 

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Chairsin

Chairsin

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The mystery remains unsolved. I called the Seabourn Club desk today and posed the question as to whether the label The Retreat By Thomas Keller was a printing error or if in fact there the TK will be involved with the Retreat. That person said they could not find the answer and handed me off to another person in another department. She said she would check into the issue and after a long period of time spent on hold she returned to say that she was very sorry but that no one seemed to know! So I guess we will have to wait until those of you booked on the inaugural cruises board to find out what the reality it.

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RustyRollock

RustyRollock

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Well this colonial ignoramus had never heard of Mr Keller until I read the gushing Seabourn marketing. Is his "brand" and product such a draw card for people considering Seabourn? If so, maybe his retreat will be a huge success but I'm doubtful. I can find peace and tranquility in any number of places on the ship, including my suite, so I still don't understand the rationale behind this idea unless it's a cynical attempt to sell "status" for cash. I'm sure there are people who'd fall for it.

 

We're booked on the Sydney-Singapore trip in March so I will find out for myself.

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