1st of March Encore Canaries Celebration 🍾 🥂

[janecambridge]

Wow John, Ditto.

No pre testing. 

We went to seabourn square regularly  get new masks. 
We arrived in penthouse spa suite to find someone else’s luggage on our bed. Phone broken, cupboard broken, sink plug broken.  Someone’s  swimwear in the cupboard along with receipts. 

Most of what was promised wasn’t there. We had damaged balcony furniture feet too  but it was cleared away immediately. Steaks in TK were tough. TK experience in colonnade was awful. Not sure how he has a Michelin star. Loved Sea and Ocean. Best food,  music  and ambience.Used  main dining room once due to service. 
3rd time in TK was a huge shock. Chicken for two was carved with me insisting it was raw. The waiter argued and said it couldn’t be as it’s cooked  for 36hours. He said it was the bone! Blood leaking everywhere. Other passengers were shocked. Eventually sous chef came out and we had Caesar salad as felt safe. That chicken could have killed someone if not noted in the dark. We weren’t the only table to get it raw! Promised next visit would be special!Rebooked but  nothing but a free spoon of frois gras. Our friends, regulars, got a top brand champagne in their cabin after their tough steaks!!! First afternoon tea experience- said I didn’t eat cream could I have butter! No butter, will provide next day. 
Certain cocktails only available in certain bars. Year out of date potted marmalade. 
Overall we were dismayed and so were passengers who are regulars.
Bus to airport on disembarkation was rammed. 
At all ports of call we moored very near exit. Impressed. 
We felt the staff were excellent.  Spa serene area is good. Quizzes a lot  of fun. (Except shared bowl of popcorn!!!). Ocean and Earth saved us food wise. Conversation speakers were great. Our cabin stewardess was very good. We had high expectations of our first cruise on Seabourn.

Sail again-no . Back to Oceania. 

 

[sfvoyage]

On 3/10/2022 at 10:25 PM, janecambridge said:

We have been aware of a lot  of coughing in the last week. In the restaurants, people coughing into hands and then proceeding to use serving spoons at the buffet. We have always picked up and used small serviettes to dish up our food. They are available from Ariane as you walk in. 

One of our friends disembarked in Lisbon on Saturday, started developing flu-like symptoms that evening, and tested positive for Covid on Sunday. 

[janecambridge]

Same with me sfvoyage. 

[sfvoyage]

16 minutes ago, janecambridge said:

Same with me sfvoyage. 

Hope you are feeling better by now, and stay well!

[crickette]

We are new to Seabourn and given the comments above we have a question about sailing on Encore.

 

For background to the question we have sailed on Silversea, Regent, Crystal plus other lines and collectively on the first 3 we would be close to 1000 nights.

 

The cruise booked on Encore is 32 nights later in the year so we still have time to cancel, if needed.

 

The question: have we made a monsterous error? Any comments and advice are appreciated.

 

Thanks

[janecambridge]

3 hours ago, sfvoyage said:

Hope you are feeling better by now, and stay well!

Thank you. 
Unfortunately my major surgery has been cancelled due to me having covid. No general anaesthetic until 7 weeks after covid.
That in turns means we need to cancel our Round Britain cruise due to later surgery.
A knock on effect.   

[Isklaar]

jrmuk, if you're still reading, I hope you both enjoyed a lovely, albeit belated, anniversary onboard. 🥂

[claudiaYVR]

37 minutes ago, crickette said:

The question: have we made a monsterous error? Any comments and advice are appreciated.

Hi crickette,

 

We were regular Crystal cruisers who had done four Seabourn ones over the past 10 years or so. We recently came back from the Encore (February 19 sailing) and believe I can offer you some reassurance (I will copy and past the below into a proper review afterwards). I will avoid comments about Covid (I've provided some info on other threads already) as this is an ever shifting issue and what was true for us will likely be different when you cruise.

 

We were fortunate to have had a very nice cruise. This is not to minimize anyone's bad experiences, simply to point out the positives we experienced. It is also not a comparison to Crystal as we were determined not to do that.

 

The Ship - there were 476 guests onboard our cruise, it did not feel like an empty ship nor was it crowded. The only times/places I felt crowded was around the pool on deck 9 so we opted for the pool/hot tubs aft on deck 5 and the hot tub forward on deck 7 most of the time. This is why I believe the deck used for the Retreat was a lost opportunity to create more enjoyable outdoor space for everyone. We made good use of the truncated jogging area on deck 5 but hardly anyone else did. The ship was in perfect condition and ours was the first sailing after 705 days.

 

Boarding - seamless and quick. We arrived at the port at 12:30 (our paper boarding pass said 12:40, the one on Seabourn Source said 4:00!), proceeded inside the terminal and after Covid testing and a 10 minute wait for our results were able to board. We were onboard by 1, had a nice burger lunch at the Pool Grill. 

 

Cabin - perfect. we were on a V6 on deck 9 close to the pool. The cabin was spotless inside and out. We could not find fault with any of it, nothing broken, nothing dirty. The only difference from previous cruises was the absence of fancy soap and bubble bath offerings. Mini bar was stocked as requested.

 

Cabin Host/Attendant - very good. Diana and Nobe (from South Africa and Zimbabwe respectively) were lovely, responsive and kept our cabin clean and orderly all the time. We did not need a rundown of the cabin but requested that our ice bucket be replenished daily and it was.

 

Food - good to great.  Lunch: after a couple of days trying the offerings at the Pool Grill and at the Colonnade (which we found to be blah) we opted for the Restaurant. The food was always great (except for one very salty pasta dish), we always got a table by the window and the service was spotless (always very few people there). Leanke the Restaurant hostess is probably the best Seabourn staff member we interacted with. Dinner: we had dinners at Earth and Ocean, the TK Grill, the Restaurant and at the Colonnade (but only for TK Family Style dinner x2 and for the Indian Buffet). The TK meals (both at the TK Grill and the Colonnade) were excellent. The meat was to the desired doneness, everything was tasty. We had one mediocre dinner at the Restaurant, the rest were all very good to great. I requested a specific red wine I had enjoyed on our previous cruise that was not being offered and a bottle was quickly opened for me. Other than that I either had the wine offered or requested one that had been offered on previous nights. This was never an issue. Breakfast: we ordered in-room several times, it was brought promptly and set up in our cabin or balcony as requested. One time I ordered oatmeal and it came with cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins on the side, the second time I ordered it came with nothing but otherwise everything was good and as ordered. Other than that, we had very informal breakfasts of lattes and croissants/muffins which I picked up at the Pool Grill or at Seabourn Square. Snacks: the gelato isn't my favourite but it can be found at Seabourn Square, the pool bar and in the Colonnade. Simple toppings are available. Small sandwiches and sweets are available at Seabourn Square any time and the coffee there is the best on board.

 

Entertainment - good. We enjoyed it all at every venue. We did a lot of dancing to the Quartet at The Club, went to the shows, listened to the duo at the Observation Bar and the pianist at the TK Grill Bar. Good quality and variety. The magician scheduled for one night did not make it to the ship. The pool deck party was a lot of fun and there were a couple more events on deck.

 

Enrichment - good. We attended a few and saw the rest on tv. Good quality guests, timely topics.

 

Crew - great. We had the captain stop by our table for a bit of a chat once, other officers greet us warmly around the ship and the serving staff we interacted with were all well trained and very personable. We were greeted by name by many from the moment we boarded the ship.

 

In summary, we had a really good time and did not experience anything that would stop us from sailing on Seabourn again. It wasn't spectacular but I put that squarely on Covid related issues and the fact that for us, the itinerary plays a big role in making a cruise spectacular and this itinerary was nice but not fantastic (think Antarctica, the Middle East, places like that). We are happy we went but hope that we can cruise again soon without the stress, particularly the fear of testing positive before, at boarding, or during the cruise, not knowing exactly what would happen if we did. 

 

Happy to provide specific details.

 

 

 

 

 

[brittany12]

Marvelous. Thank you for taking the time to so detail. Nice to see TK Grill still living up to our worst expectations.  That wine list!!!!!

[frantic36]

3 hours ago, brittany12 said:

 That wine list!!!!!

 

 

For the life of me I don't understand why people get so upset when they get given the wine list?

 

If you just want to have included wines surely you are comfortable enough in yourself to let them know that and move on. That's what I do. Sometimes I want to get a special wine so I am glad to have the list straight away so I can choose rather than waiting for them too bring the list to me.

[cruiseej]

2 hours ago, frantic36 said:

For the life of me I don't understand why people get so upset when they get given the wine list?

 

I haven't been upset about it, but I have said previously that it felt awkward — and unlike The Seabourn Experience™ — to get a bit of a push to select a premium wine at the TK Grill.

 

You're correct I had no problem saying no. But I maintain it shouldn't happen. If a waiter approached and said: "Would you like to see our premium wine list to make your dinner experience tonight a little more special?" I wouldn't care. If a waiter hands me the wine list, with no mention that I could select from the complimentary wines, and asks if I've selected a wine from the list, it's a bit off-putting. 

 

2 hours ago, frantic36 said:

Sometimes I want to get a special wine so I am glad to have the list straight away so I can choose rather than waiting for them too bring the list to me.

 

The list is in the same binder as the dinner menu, so there is no wait to get a separate list.  

[frantic36]

7 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

The list is in the same binder as the dinner menu, so there is no wait to get a separate list.  

 Exactly, so why focus on the fact you get a wine list?🤔

 

I am hoping to get my first return to sailing on Seabourn in July and it will be interesting to see the changes. 

 

To be honest Encore is my least favourite ship though I still appreciate the lovely crew. Also TK Grill is fine as a steak house but would be fine if they changed to something else in that venue. I always think on the Odyssey class ships that venue is more conducive to a French Bistro with the close table settings.🙂

Edited March 16, 2022 by frantic36

[cruiseej]

18 minutes ago, frantic36 said:

so why focus on the fact you get a wine list?

 

I'm not "focused on it". But as I've explained, I've experienced discomfort on a previous cruise at the way I was handed the premium list and asked which wine I had chosen, without a hint I had the option to choose a complementary wine, and reacting with a notable  touch of disappointment when I asked for the complementary pour. It's just not fine service, and Seabourn generally excels at fine service. (It hasn't always happened; on our Odyssey cruise a few weeks ago, our server appeared a little inexperienced, and she didn't push the premium wine list at all.)

[frantic36]

29 minutes ago, cruiseej said:

without a hint I had the option to choose a complementary wine, and reacting with a notable  touch of disappointment when I asked for the complementary pour

 

I do understand this and sympathise. We had one experience of this in TK with one waiter who obviously thought we were almost beneath his service completely, not just the wine . I still remember him and the friend we were with mentioned him in her review on CC.

 

Please be clear I am not highlighting you or your experience. I am just surprised how often it gets mentioned and do wonder if now we prime those new to Seabourn to expect it?

[longton]

Special thanks to janecambridge and jrmuk and others for informative and useful comments.

 

We are due to sail on 22nd March on a similar itinerary and will let everyone know how this trip goes.

 

 

[firsttimers68]

14 hours ago, crickette said:

We are new to Seabourn and given the comments above we have a question about sailing on Encore.

 

For background to the question we have sailed on Silversea, Regent, Crystal plus other lines and collectively on the first 3 we would be close to 1000 nights.

 

The cruise booked on Encore is 32 nights later in the year so we still have time to cancel, if needed.

 

The question: have we made a monsterous error? Any comments and advice are appreciated.

 

Thanks

No! We were on the Seabourn cruise from Lisbon to Canaries in early march and I have to say it was possibly the best cruise i've ever done. Perfect food, particularly the steaks. Cabin was fabulous. Staff were excellent. I really cannot criticise anything!

[mancunian]

Jane I am so sorry to hear your covid news and about yourcancelled op.

 

Amused by your last sentence.  Just before reading your review my husband had said we were going back to Oceania.  Not wishing to get into a debate over whether Oceania has the best food at sea, personally we are very,very happy with it with lots of choices and they serve the buffets always.   We are on the current cruise and  at three days had a tough steak I gave up on, a yorkshire pudding I could not cut into and we could have played football with, and an appetiser described as beets with a blue cheese mousse.  I was really pleased with description until I found it was four slices of thin beetroot. some lettuce and less than half a teaspoon of blue cheese on one of the beet slices, it certainly was not mousse and think it was blue cheese dressing.   Incredible.

 

We are on the current cruise and very unhappy with the buffet set up which we thought all cruise lines were still serving.  Also the canapés in the ocean view lounge are serve yourself and we noted very few used the hand dispensers there.

 

The show lounge was an even bigger shock.  I am sure I had read that masks would still be worn there, and there would be no drinks service.  We went to our first, and last talk or show when we saw trestle tables with coffee, fruit juice and water which everyone was taking except us and one other couple and we were the only four wearing masks.  I think this is probably the most dangerous place on board.

 

We are now eating in the restaurant and not going to the shows and talks.  I am sure someone will come back and say we should not be cruising but actually we were not worried before coming.  This is our third cruise since October, the other two being on Viking and Oceania who were both fine and looked after everyone well.

 

I am sure there will be many covid cases on this cruise.  Firstly the whole ship is UK passengers and figures have doubled there in the last two weeks.  Many people have no symptoms and they are not even doing temperature checks.  Secondly we now do not need tests to return to England so no testing onboard so I guess the cruise line will be able to say they have had no cases unless someone shows up ill at the surgery.

 

 

 

[janecambridge]

“Jane I am so sorry to hear your covid news and about your cancelled op.”

 

Thank you. 
Although I have highlighted many shortcomings-and not all, there were positives too. But as a first timer on seabourn, open to trying a new company, we did not experience what we had expected. This may not always happen on any holiday, but it was wholly below acceptable for us. The spa suites are very expensive and  it took a lot  of thought to book. Incidentally on booking  we were offered owners suite at same price , then 2 weeks before cruise we were offered owners suite or winter garden suite at a small upsell  fee. Again we refused. Obviously not wanted by others. We loved the 5 aft suites and we had a beautiful large corner balcony. 

[mancunian]

Yes Jane I would agree with you. Some things were very good.  The staff generally and in particular our cabin steward.  The second person who I suppose is their answer to Silversea and their butler, apart from bringing glasses of champagne we have never seen again and now day 5.  The bar staff in both TK and Obs lounge expected you to know which cocktail you wanted.  I like to work down the list of the ones I fancy , one a night.  If you do not know they will encourage you with details of one.  If you say you would like the menu  they will eventually go and get it.  As they give you menus in the restaurant and at afternoon tea I do not understand the reluctance.

I think the point we are both making is that it is supposed to be five star, Seabourn rate themselves as six star.  Oceania and Viking do not rate themselves this highly.   No way could I rate them higher than those two.  We have been on Seabourn before about three years ago on Odyssey and we were happier with that cruise.  I do not think all shortcomings can be placed at the door of covid.

 

We are going back on Silversea in April for the second time.  Interesting to see how it compares.

[janecambridge]

Having filled in our questionnaires,I wonder if we will get a response.Im not after a reward but hope they can improve for the next first timers.

[SLSD]

9 hours ago, frantic36 said:

 

I do understand this and sympathise. We had one experience of this in TK with one waiter who obviously thought we were almost beneath his service completely, not just the wine . I still remember him and the friend we were with mentioned him in her review on CC.

 

Please be clear I am not highlighting you or your experience. I am just surprised how often it gets mentioned and do wonder if now we prime those new to Seabourn to expect it?

frantic36--I do believe we may have met the same waiter in the TK Grill--or at least his double.  He actually argued with me about wine selection and maintained that the complimentary wine I asked for was not available--when it was.  I am quick to add that this is the ONLY time something like this has happened to me on a SB cruise.  I do remember it well as it was so unpleasant.  

 

We have loved our SB cruises and I am sad that some first timers have not had the experience they had hoped for.  We look forward to cruising again when issues surrounding Covid become more clear.  

Edited March 16, 2022 by SLSD

[lincslady]

I know not everyone has had this experience, but at least some of the wait staff do present you with the to pay for wine list as you sit down, and obviously expect you to order from it.  If you are at all sensitive, it can be embarrassing to ask to have an included one, and  there is obviously an incentive here, either from the staff themselves or more likely the fact that TK asks for this to happen to swell his coffers.   A small point, but a minus for Seabourn.

 

Unusually different reviews on this cruise; I wonder if covid quarantine amongst the crew and staff has led to some anomalies in service; I have never had less than lovely service on any Seabourn cruise, but have not been on board for several years.

[janecambridge]

On one night in TK grill, we ordered a lovely specialist Pinot noir to go with our chicken main course (glass) . But as chicken was taken away it lost its effect on a Caesar salad ! 

[cruiseej]

@janecambridge I'm sorry to hear of all the misses and mistakes on your cruise. It's interesting how a different ship and different dates can result in completely different cruise experiences. We were on the Odyssey in the Caribbean at the same time your were on Encore, and things couldn't have been much better. Service was great, food and drinks were great, ambience was great — there isn't much I could identify as needing improvement. I had several very fine steaks on the trip. 

 

As for the Covid precautions and limitations, I think it's safe to say it has been ever-changing since cruising resumed last year. I had never seen anything about no drinks in the theater. The buffets and lunch and dinner have been mostly self-serve, with some limitations and changes over the past 9 months. I'm not privy to Seabourn's thinking, but since it has been shown over time that the virus is transmitted int he air and not via touching surfaces rather than in the air, I'm guessing that's what has allowed them to allow guests to touch things. There were never temperature checks on Seabourn since cruising resumed last summer, as temperature checks have been found to be a very unreliable predictor of Covid infections (except in someone who is already significantly ill). 

 

In any case, I'm sorry your experience was so much less than you expected. I can only say that it doesn't mirror the experiences we've had on the two excellent Seabourn cruises we've had over the past six months.

[cruisr]

@janecambridgewho was the hotel manager on your cruise?