From the cow kings to an Empress, Norton goes on a little Sojourn

[josumello]

In this video you can hear some of the wonderful noise generated by the deck repair and then the deck and pool repairs. In the second segment you can see the tools producing some smoke. That smoke the stuff coming from the smokers corner smell heavenly. Unfortunately YouTube seems to have tamed the audio levels a bit. This is quieter than in person/original video.

 

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The similarities between this and the Norwegian Cruise Line Panama Canal cruise on the Sky is uncanny. The passengers were beyond upset. Some became ill from the toxic materials used and from the dust generated. They had a large group initiating legal action which will probably go nowhere. However it was a PR nightmare. NCL really dropped the ball.

I am surprised this cruise hasn’t generated more notoriety. Good for corporate, not so good for passengers.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Emperor Norton]

It seems every time I was shooting/filming the work I was of about a 1/2 dozen spectators. Even if corporate doesn't directly hear about it I'm guessing there will be a lot of vacation albums/videos that this will be featured in.:evilsmile:

[RustyRollock]

I’m not excusing Seabourn’s poor communication in not warning us this work would have such a negative impact, but on the assumption it had to be done, then surely those several sea days crossing from Japan to Alaska in cold/rough weather that precluded lounging by the pool or dining by it was probably the least worst option. I’m not sure where Sojourn goes after the Alaska season but assume she’s heading south to warmer climes when the pool deck will be in much greater demand.

 

As I’ve already said, it’s almost impossible to do these repairs in patches or at sea or without creating a lot of noise and dust. The whole deck will have to be taken up and relaid properly and that has to be done by taking the ship out of service for at least a couple of weeks. With a full summer cruise schedule already planned and booked by thousands of people, when is Seabourn supposed to carry out these repairs? It’s a huge problem.

 

The $500 “compensation” is obviously seen by many as inadequate but we are perfectly happy with it and it’s been put to good use as the deposit for a future cruise. We’re not ready to abandon Seabourn because for us there’s no viable alternative.... yet.

[wripro]

I’m not excusing Seabourn’s poor communication in not warning us this work would have such a negative impact, but on the assumption it had to be done, then surely those several sea days crossing from Japan to Alaska in cold/rough weather that precluded lounging by the pool or dining by it was probably the least worst option. I’m not sure where Sojourn goes after the Alaska season but assume she’s heading south to warmer climes when the pool deck will be in much greater demand.

 

As I’ve already said, it’s almost impossible to do these repairs in patches or at sea or without creating a lot of noise and dust. The whole deck will have to be taken up and relaid properly and that has to be done by taking the ship out of service for at least a couple of weeks. With a full summer cruise schedule already planned and booked by thousands of people, when is Seabourn supposed to carry out these repairs? It’s a huge problem.

 

 

The $500 “compensation” is obviously seen by many as inadequate but we are perfectly happy with it and it’s been put to good use as the deposit for a future cruise. We’re not ready to abandon Seabourn because for us there’s no viable alternative.... yet.

 

You are a much more forgiving person than I am. What SB should have done is taken the ship out of service, swallowed the loss of revenue and fixed the problem correctly. It is completely unacceptable to subject paying guests to endure this kind of disruption no matter the climate or the itinerary. When you book a SB cruise you expect a certain atmosphere and this certainly was not it.

[markham]

This is such an unhappy situation for everyone involved. Back in January we were in Rio and we noticed the degradation, and by Tristan de Cunha it was far worse. In February we were in the Indian Ocean and these repairs were well underway. And over the weeks they failed by warping and revealing that pink slime, the deck crew started again, seemed to complete it and the cycle continued. But it also grew in scope. So much labor, men squatting and digging and scraping, and we stood by wondering what caused it e.g. underfloor leaks from the jacuzzis. And so it has continued for what? 6 months already!

 

I am no engineer but this suggestion above that some heavy containers are at fault - did they damage some waterproof seal or underflooring that will all need to be replaced? - is a crying shame!

 

As you said, RustyRollock, this will be a serious in-port undertaking, and as Wripro says, Seabourn will just have to bite the bullet and take the pain. And maybe never put crushing containers on deck 8 again!

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[RustyRollock]

The teak decking boards are laid on the steel surface underneath. If water gets under the boards because of poor seals or damage then the water can only move “sideways” between the steel and the teak and will eventually begin to rot the boards from underneath, making them spongy and uneven. At that point there’s no choice but to rip it all up and start again. The heavy containers damage theory is entirely plausible.

 

Yes, there were some unhappy pax on the crossing, but I can only imagine the howls of outrage if Seabourn is actually forced to cancel one or more whole cruises. It’s an impossible dilemma.

 

Question: has there been any feedback from the current cruise yet?

[Salice Salentino]

I find this all very interesting given that we went through the very same thing on Sojourn 5 & 1/2 years ago on our South American cruise from Ft Lauderdale to Buenos Aires. Seems like this is a long standing problem with this ship's decking!

[Emperor Norton]

The Odyssey had a similar (if not smaller) problem when I was on. I wonder if its an inherent flaw in the class.

[Robisan]

What's not a tough call is Seabourn ought to notify people who have yet to purchase upcoming cruises that construction/maintenance work may be occurring in these areas of the ship, just a most good hotels would notify potential guests of the same. It's clear from Markham's post @230 they've known the scope of the problem for months, yet continued booking passage without any notice to passengers beforehand, nor offer any real recourse after they learn the truth.

[2SailingNomads]

So if someone booked a cruise and are now within the X days past cancellation policy they should do what? Forfeit their payment? Use their travel insurance policy - good luck with the excuse being the deck is warped? I've read all my policies carefully and never saw warped decks as a valid reason to get a refund.

 

We have been on all three of the O-class ships on various cruises (Markham, when on Quest when we both were on during Antarctica it also had multiple cases of "red stain" as I'm sure you can attest to) and this is not unique to the Sojourn. Clearly there is an issue that has been on-going for years, Seabourn needs to address it, and I'm sympathetic to those on the cruise where the apparently ineffective surgery occurred that displaced pax. I agree w/ RustyRolllock that the real solution is to take the ship to dry dock and do it right, hopefully that happens after the summer season. We will be on board in < 3 weeks and hope it does not affect our enjoyment of the cruise.

[lincslady]

To me, while appreciating Seabourn's difficulties with a problem which is probably not their fault, it is the lack of transparency in informing passengers of what is likely to happen on board, and an assurance that a reasonable amount of some sort of compensation will be forthcoming, depending on the nuisance value of the work being undertaken. After looking at the video of the pool deck being worked on, it does seem to me that the complete loss of the use of that deck, and essentially the deck above and Sky Bar, deserved a bit more in the way of recompense. I would have felt somewhat mollified if I had been on board and given a straight story - sadly this tends to be what happens whenever there is some kind of problem when you are onboard; you get different explanations and do not which if any to believe.

[DUHCAR]

When is the Sojourn due to go into dry dock next?

[wripro]

When is the Sojourn due to go into dry dock next?

I hope sooner rather than later.

[Isklaar]

When is the Sojourn due to go into dry dock next?

 

Sojourn was only in dry dock in December 2017, so according to the normal schedule wouldn't be due to go in again until 2020. This issue with the deck was apparent on our cruise, two weeks after that dry dock. It wasn't a big problem then but it has become progressively more serious.

 

This is a huge headache for Seabourn. It would seem sensible to get the ship into dry dock again asap but that's going to mean pulling the ship out of service which will lead to a lot of very disappointed guests, whichever cruise has to be cancelled in order to do so. Otherwise they have to wait and that means lots more disappointed guests until the deck can be repaired/replaced/whatever.

[Robisan]

Sojourn was only in dry dock in December 2017, so according to the normal schedule wouldn't be due to go in again until 2020. This issue with the deck was apparent on our cruise, two weeks after that dry dock. It wasn't a big problem then but it has become progressively more serious.

 

This is a huge headache for Seabourn. It would seem sensible to get the ship into dry dock again asap but that's going to mean pulling the ship out of service which will lead to a lot of very disappointed guests, whichever cruise has to be cancelled in order to do so. Otherwise they have to wait and that means lots more disappointed guests until the deck can be repaired/replaced/whatever.

Again, it's the lack of disclosure that's irksome. Prospective guests deserve to be notified when significant work projects may impact the amenities and quality on offer. I might have reconsidered the Alaska cruise recently booked for this summer had this been disclosed, especially since my GTY fare choice opens the possibility of being placed directly below this work.

[Covepointcruiser]

Again, it's the lack of disclosure that's irksome. Prospective guests deserve to be notified when significant work projects may impact the amenities and quality on offer. I might have reconsidered the Alaska cruise recently booked for this summer had this been disclosed, especially since my GTY fare choice opens the possibility of being placed directly below this work.

 

Being on this cruise I did not find the work on the deck to be a problem. When we arrived in our stateroom we had a letter stating that there would be work done on the deck. Fortunately this was done during the most inclement, cold, and rainy weather possible. We would not have been enjoying the deck area in that weather. The outside bars were open but few people wanted to be outside. As soon as the Patio was open we went out and had Lunch. It was cold and your food was cold within minutes of receiving it. We did force ourselves to eat lunch there 3 times, all with the parka, hat and gloves. There is no way I would have tried dinner in that cold environment. Seabourn made a great decision to try and repair the deck especially as the cold, wet, weather already made it unusable. If you want to sunbathe and enjoy eating outside, maybe choose a cruise other than a northern pacific one.

[BrisbaneGran]

we are booked on Sojourn for 84 days from December. This is going to be a very hot cruise, so I doubt too many people will be very happy if the deck isn't 100% usable! Patio Grill, Patio Bar and Sky Bar are all our favourite places, so we certainly wont be happy if we cant use them as often as we usually do!

[Emperor Norton]

Being on this cruise I did not find the work on the deck to be a problem. When we arrived in our stateroom we had a letter stating that there would be work done on the deck. Fortunately this was done during the most inclement, cold, and rainy weather possible. We would not have been enjoying the deck area in that weather. The outside bars were open but few people wanted to be outside. As soon as the Patio was open we went out and had Lunch. It was cold and your food was cold within minutes of receiving it. We did force ourselves to eat lunch there 3 times, all with the parka, hat and gloves. There is no way I would have tried dinner in that cold environment. Seabourn made a great decision to try and repair the deck especially as the cold, wet, weather already made it unusable. If you want to sunbathe and enjoy eating outside, maybe choose a cruise other than a northern pacific one.

 

 

Then there were the fun odors and noise. I was far enough away to avoid that but people down to at least deck six were having issues with it. Seabourn would've made a better decision to be up front about the work rather than the shady post boarding letter.

 

When the work started it was still warm outside. They could've waited a few days and still had the work done before it got warm again.

 

I was outside every day and found it irksome. The fun part in the near future will be the portions where the sealant was applied after some rain. I wonder if those bits are starting to rot already.:confused:

[Emperor Norton]

Embarkation morning dawned and it was down to the restaurant for a filling breakfast.

 

Breakfast was everything on the menu.

 

The "Healthy and Cocktail juice". Both days is was a slightly sweet lemon/ginger concoction.

 

The tomato soup was a bit different as it contained a lot of onions.

 

Yogurt with fresh fruit. Both days it was strawberry.

 

Salad with French dressing. I think the dressing tasted mostly of Japanese Kewpie mayo.

 

The breads were uniformly excellent. Even the oddball matcha/orange combination.

[Emperor Norton]

The sausage was more of an English style than American, the egg nothing special (IMO the fried egg the previous day was the better prep) but the Kobe ham was nice and different (it was a lot more tender than the average american ham slice).

 

Their coffee was also quite good. The last good coffee until I returned home.

 

After breakfast I retired to my room for a bit of a rest before heading out to the cruise terminal. I arrived a bit early (1030) so I had a bit of time to kill before boarding would begin at noon. There was plenty of seating inside the terminal.

 

Interesting mascot

 

They seem to like their fruit big

 

This looks like a good way to start a party

 

[Emperor Norton]

Home for the next 21 days

 

 

I wonder what anniversary it is for the line

 

While I was in a rush to board it appears the crew was ready to leave

 

Boarding was an interesting affair. I was the first to line up and shortly after I had about a dozen people behind me. Near noon I opened the door to the check in area to let in two shore side employees. The person behind me took this as an opportunity to line jump. The problem was he ran into me, and then nearly ran over the two women trying to get in and do their job. I asked him to apologize and he muttered something in a different language.

 

As luck would have it I was checking in next to that wonderful individual. The person checking him in was a bit lost and it was amazing how the man that had run into me and claimed not to speak English found his English speaking skills to berate the shore side staffer. Ah well.

 

After finishing the check in process it was on to the ship. After dinging in I started down the hall towards the elevators. I saw two staff members one male, one female coming down the corridor and a third running up to them. Then I heard it. A very loud slapping/spanking sound. The woman from the pair yowled and jumped forward while holding her posterior. Then she saw me and turned beet red. Her male companion looked at me with an expression of "uh oh" on his face. He quickly turned away from his companion and went in a different direction. The person who spanked the woman emerged from the hallway laughing until she saw me. Another "ooops" expression and then dead silence. I found the whole thing rather amusing. It made me think the cruise was now off to a spanking good start (;)).

 

I headed up to the patio bar for some pre-muster drill libations. After a bit of liquid refreshment I headed down to my room and met my stewardess. She (or her replacement depending on if the rumors were true) was the best stewardess I've had on Seabourn.

 

Muster drill was the usual - sit in your section of the restaurant, listen to what to do, have ears blasted out by the emergency whistle. However it appears that it is now safe to flush fruit down the toilets again as there was no prohibition against it as on past cruises.

 

Dinner tonight was in the TK Grill. I figured an 1800 reservation on the first night would be an easy in and it was.

 

It was nice to see their fully implemented mixology program. A nice upgrade from the powdered mixes in the past. A sidecar.

[Emperor Norton]

I was surprised that while multiple food items had been rejected by the chef for the TK Grill on previous segments (eg: asparagus, potatoes, artichokes) it appears there was no such attention to detail with the citrus for the drinks.

 

 

 

Every visit started with a crudite offering with a champagne/herb dressing. Also provided were cheese sticks and pretzel sticks.

 

 

The starter was a very large crab cake that was far more crab than filler. It was served with a "spicy" aoili (it wasn't). I asked if they could make it spicier and was given about 1/4 cup of Tabasco. It was very good.

 

I ordered the ribeye along with the creme fraiche potatoes and mac 'n cheese. The steak was ok, but potatoes excellent, the mac n cheese (this time) was blah. The only taste it has was the melted butter on the toasted topping - so the mac n cheese ended up tasting like buttered toast.

 

For dessert I ordered the lemon tart and it was suggested that I try the chocolate cake as well. Ok, sold. The lemon tart was probably my favorite of the two as it had a nice tart flavor to it (often times it seems that tarts are now more sweet than sour). The chocolate cake was a good rich finisher.

 

 

[Emperor Norton]

People out enjoying dinner at the Patio Grill and Patio bar.

 

Goodbye Kobe. Next stop Aomori.

 

Embarkation day gallery

[Robisan]

The last good coffee until I returned home.

 

Really? Even the coffee service in Seabourn Square can't produce a good cup of coffee? That's distressing...

[Emperor Norton]

Seabourns coffee has always tasted like burned mud to me. Id go so far as to say I'd take Starbucks over theirs. The espresso drinks are a bit different as by the time other ingredients are added some of the imo less palatable notes are muted or drowned out.

 

I think the best I did coffee wise was when I asked for a French press made with the bottled water. I know several people who do this and bring their own beans (though I'd be very careful about bringing beans abroad - I'd check local laws).