Encore---walking deck 5

[GeneBK]

On the Odyssey class ships, we have enjoyed exercise walking on deck 5. It is a longer walk area and is generally more sheltered and less crowded than walking above the pool on deck 9. During the day, the deck area at the back of The Club gets light usage, so walking around the back has not been a problem. By our calculation, seven of the U-shaped trips is about a mile. We have logged many pleasant miles listening to our music and watching the sea go by.

 

Now we are considering a cruise on the Explorer. The area behind The Club may be appointed differently, and, with the new smoking regulations, it may be more heavily used by smokers. Will we still be able to enjoy walking deck 5 for afternoon exercise??

 

Thanks for any thoughts and comments!

[markham]

The Encore's deck 5 area for walking on each side of the ship is narrower and the life boats hang lower than what you find on the Ody class ships. And it's not any longer. The result is a cramped feeling when you know what is available on the Ody class ships and the additional couple of meters in the width of Encore you have when crossing the rear deck really does not matter.

 

When I first encountered this disappointment I decided to change my walk to include the stairs up to the top deck, deck 12. (This is deck 11 on the Ody class ships given that the Encore has an additional deck). However to my disbelief and ultimately my disgust when I saw the no-go ropes, you cannot access deck 12 from pool deck 9 by using the stairs there. Why? That's because the deck is reserved for the 17 "Retreat" cabana occupants who pay $350 per day to be there! So there is no walking about there nor is there a sports area- as on the Ody class ships.

 

This is a highly controversial topic with Seabourn management, I have to believe, given a lot of unfavorable cruiser comments on CC and on Seabourn's post-cruise satisfaction questionnaires. Time will tell if they do something about it such as getting rid of the "Retreat". But the fact remains that Encore - and Ovation in time- have 150 more passengers and less outdoor deck space than the Ody class ships. And it would be easy to remedy part of that problem.

 

As they say in New York City, "go figure."

 

Happy and healthy cruising!

[wire]

Just a comment about walking Deck 5 on the Odyssey class ships These ships are not great for serious walking. On my last couple trips, I tried both walking and sitting by the pool on Deck 5 on sea days. However due to people positioning chairs in the path, walkers tended to weave through people in loungers and around the pool often bumping chairs, tables, or people. Having walkers fly by you once a minute while trying to read or sunbath is just not relaxing. It was very irritating for both the deck 5 walkers and loungers and caused some tension. I am a runner, walker, biker, swimmer so I need my exercise fix and although I do not like treadmills it is really the only option. I doubt Encore is much different.

Edited August 25, 2017 by wire

[markham]

When you take a cruise on Encore you will see the difference that I did.

There is one, loungers' positioning notwithstanding. And there is no sports deck area on the top deck should you be interested in walking up there as an extension of what you do on deck 5.

 

Happy and healthy cruising!

[wire]

I am on Encore in a couple weeks. I really do not expect to find any suitable open space to walk/run. I know this going in so there will be no rant from me after the trip. Treadmills will be fine.

[GeneBK]

I spend plenty of time in the fitness center for serious exercise.

 

But, both my wife and I also enjoy the sea air, the cool breeze, and some pleasant walking on outside decks. I wasn't planning to rant; just curious what to expect if we do decide to book the Encore.

[ab21au]

The walking on any of the ships is pretty ordinary IMO. We recently spent plenty of time in the gym on the Encore but for swimming/walking, we did that in whatever port we were in. We much prefer that to walking on the deck, we didn't even do that on the O ships after a couple of tries. Of course that is not possible on sea days, but we used those for gym days.

 

What did disappoint on the Encore was the morning classes. We had a lot of fun doing the classes (stomach/Pilates/yoga) on the Quest and the Odyssey but on the Encore the classes were scheduled for a later time which prevented us from doing them on port days.

[Mauzac]

Just a comment about walking Deck 5 on the Odyssey class ships These ships are not great for serious walking. On my last couple trips, I tried both walking and sitting by the pool on Deck 5 on sea days. However due to people positioning chairs in the path, walkers tended to weave through people in loungers and around the pool often bumping chairs, tables, or people. Having walkers fly by you once a minute while trying to read or sunbath is just not relaxing. It was very irritating for both the deck 5 walkers and loungers and caused some tension. I am a runner, walker, biker, swimmer so I need my exercise fix and although I do not like treadmills it is really the only option. I doubt Encore is much different.

 

Totally agree. On our cruise on Sojourn last year, we lay out on loungers on deck 5 in the lovely position close to the back with about 8 loungers set out. A couple every single day would be walking up the side as far as they could go, and back., and up and back... So every two minutes whilst lying there I would have two people inches away walk by casting a shadow. It would be up to two hours every single sea day and ended up like a torture counting the seconds until they returned.

 

I felt like tripping them up by the end of the cruise!

[Chairsin]

Seriously???

 

 

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[Mauzac]

Seriously???

 

 

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Seriously what?

[wire]

Mauzac...It was even worse than that. Some of the walkers would weave through the loungers and go the long way around the pool and hot tubs and through the smoking area instead of walking the narrow aisle between the pool and club just to get in a few more feet of walking. It was obnoxious and inconsiderate.

[Chairsin]

Seriously -- you felt like tripping people?

 

And I am one of the deck walkers who see it differently. The reason we sometimes have to weave around loungers is because some people chose to put their lounger directly in the walking path. I generally try to walk early in the morning in part to avoid such a situation. But when I do walk in the afternoon (usually deck 9 on the O class) I feel sorry for the deck crew who have to try to navigate between loungers blocking their path as they make their rounds serving drinks,

 

 

 

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[Mauzac]

Mauzac...It was even worse than that. Some of the walkers would weave through the loungers and go the long way around the pool and hot tubs and through the smoking area instead of walking the narrow aisle between the pool and club just to get in a few more feet of walking. It was obnoxious and inconsiderate.

 

Sounds like a nightmare!

 

Seriously -- you felt like tripping people?

 

And I am one of the deck walkers who see it differently. The reason we sometimes have to weave around loungers is because some people chose to put their lounger directly in the walking path. I generally try to walk early in the morning in part to avoid such a situation. But when I do walk in the afternoon (usually deck 9 on the O class) I feel sorry for the deck crew who have to try to navigate between loungers blocking their path as they make their rounds serving drinks,

 

 

 

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I never move a lounger and my go-to place to lie out, as I said in my post, is the row of 6 or 8 at the back of the ship on deck 5 which I don't believe is a 'walking path' as there is little room between the loungers and the railing. To then have two people for two hours walk inches away from my feet backwards forwards on and on, on every sea day, is pretty irritating.

 

Of course I wouldn't trip them up which is why I just said it as a joke ! I don't go around tripping people up!

[markham]

I am of the incredulous "seriously? camp. And I admit that I never considered whether doing my laps on 5 decks would elicit anyone to suggest I am a nuisance or deserving being tripped. How childish.

 

You can sit in your lounger without being within a meter of me provided that there is a meter for me away from you to walk. My usual duration is 40 minutes. I hope that's ok. If not, may I respectfully suggest you decamp to your verandah.

 

And as you won't often find me in either a shaded or sunny lounge chair, I will be giving you plenty of space the rest of the day.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Mauzac]

I am of the incredulous "seriously? camp. And I admit that I never considered whether doing my laps on 5 decks would elicit anyone to suggest I am a nuisance or deserving being tripped. How childish.

 

You can sit in your lounger without being within a meter of me provided that there is a meter for me away from you to walk. My usual duration is 40 minutes. I hope that's ok. If not, may I respectfully suggest you decamp to your verandah.

 

And as you won't often find me in either a shaded or sunny lounge chair, I will be giving you plenty of space the rest of the day.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

 

Fine, I'm childish. :confused: Everyone's entitled to their opinion and I'm not on my own with it. I wouldn't think there's a metre away for you to walk where I'm talking about, but correct me if I'm wrong.

 

We may not agree but Vive la difference! :)

[wire]

‘I am of the incredulous "seriously? camp. And I admit that I never considered whether doing my laps on 5 decks would elicit anyone to suggest I am a nuisance or deserving being tripped. How childish.’

 

I read the tripping comment as a joke. I did not need it explained to me nor did I take it seriously. Why the faux outrage?

 

Walking laps around Deck 5…seriously…why? Little exercise value in that and now you know it bothers others. It is equivalent to swimming laps in the Seabourn pool. If walking at sea is a priority perhaps a mega-ship with some actual deck space is a good alternative or try a treadmill.

[Techno123]

Wire - Why shouldn't you be able to swim laps (lengths) in a swimming pool? If I decide to do a little sunbathing then every half hour or so I like to swim 10 lengths in the swimming pool to cool off and stretch. I don't splash or make a nuisance of myself but I find it annoying when people stand in groups in the middle which makes it impossible to do this and then make comments about you trying to swim in a swimming pool!!! If people want to stand and chat (or sit and chat) there are 2 hot tubs and the side of the pool to do this which leaves the middle free for those who want to swim ;)

 

With regards to walking, if you cruise the Med (and dock every day) then there are some amazing walks to be had. On our last cruise I was averaging 10 to 16km (about 6 - 10miles) every day - so no need to annoy the folks on Deck 5 aft, make use of the local facilities.

[ab21au]

I guess standing in the pool (affecting the swimmers) is like using the loungers (and affecting the walkers). Can't have it both ways ... just sayin ...

 

I agree with others, there needs to be compromise on a SB ship and IMO the compromise for me is using the gym or exercising outside early. If my priority was walking around the deck, watching the ocean (which I agree, there is nothing better) I would go on a more suitable ship.

[RustyRollock]

I'm a "serious" swimmer and any ship's pool just isn't big enough to be able to do some serious laps. Ditto walking. Exercise is obviously important, but I use my relatively short time on board as an opportunity to try a less strenuous/rigid routine.