Venture: Air charter Reykjavik to Greenland 9/17

[worcestergal]

I am currently on Venture (in isolation because of Covid, but that’s another story…) and this is the first time I’ve checked CC. 
I can confirm that all the logistics getting from Reykjavik to the ship were a total mess. There was no one from Seabourn at the Radisson Blu to assist passengers. The hotel, itself, was horrible - the rooms were hot and stuffy and if you opened the small window, you were assaulted by noise from the numerous bars nearby. They were going strong until after 4am!

It was someone from the hotel who told us where we could find the bus to the airport and, when we did, we had to load our bags onto the bus!  We assisted several other passengers with this. 
The charter plane was old and dirty. My seat had a half an arm rest. They served something to eat, but it looked disgusting, so I didn’t try it. My husband did (a bit) and he reported that it tasted about as good as it looked. 
The whole process was an absolutely miserable way to start out our much-anticipated cruise. Seabourn should have done much, much better. 

[Catlover54]

It is depressing and disgusting to read posts #14 and up, about the shabby experience with the charter lack of seat enforcement, lack of attempt at fair overhead space control, lack of transfer assistance with luggage ,  etc.

This was NOT  an upscale experience, much less luxury, given the amount of money paid.

This is all on SB ( except for the porcine pax who fully reclined into covepointcruiser's knees, when he was in a non-reclinable rear seat).

 

It appears only those who are super healthy and/or who have very short legs and healthy backs can risk going on a SB arranged charter experience associated with the Venture,.

Edited October 8, 2022 by Catlover54
Typo

[Dusko]

We have just booked the Greenland/Iceland cruise for next June and I came across this thread while looking for hotel recommendations in Reykjavík. I am really concerned. From what I'm reading here it looks as though Seabourn wash their hands of passengers once they hit the beach. I do understand that the facilities in Greenland/Iceland cannot be expected to be the same as those in, for example, Venice but having passengers expected to offload their bags and then drag them through the rain doesn't seem like the Seabourn way. Do you know if anyone has addressed this question directly with Seabourn, perhaps through the email portal on the website? If so, was there any response?

[worcestergal]

We told Seabourn (via our Personal Cruise Consultant) about the terribly noisy, uncomfortable hotel, the lack of breakfast there and - in considerable detail - about the miserable experience of getting onto the charter flight and on the flight itself. We got a very apologetic letter and the offer of a future upgrade. 
I doubt that Seabourn will use that hotel again!  And, I think that lessons have been learned about getting guests onto the charter flights. At least I hope that lessons have been learned…. They are certainly well aware of what a total mess it was in September!

[jsea]

Slightly off topic, but we were on Venture in August and also had a lackluster transfer / charter flight experience from Oslo to Longyearbyen. Despite being in the top suite on the ship, Seabourn gave us a tiny box of a room overlooking a noisy alley at the pre-cruise hotel. The charter flight left at 4:30a and there was not great organization. Lots of waiting in lines. Once we arrived to Longyearbyen there was also a lot of standing around. Not very luxurious or relaxing. It may be part of expedition cruising, but I agree that Seabourn could do more to make these experiences more 5-star.

[Mr Luxury]

4 hours ago, jsea said:

Slightly off topic, but we were on Venture in August and also had a lackluster transfer / charter flight experience from Oslo to Longyearbyen. Despite being in the top suite on the ship, Seabourn gave us a tiny box of a room overlooking a noisy alley at the pre-cruise hotel. The charter flight left at 4:30a and there was not great organization. Lots of waiting in lines. Once we arrived to Longyearbyen there was also a lot of standing around. Not very luxurious or relaxing. It may be part of expedition cruising, but I agree that Seabourn could do more to make these experiences more 5-star.

Ah,the joys of going off the beaten track.

[DC Traveler244]

On 12/4/2022 at 2:25 PM, Dusko said:

Do you know if anyone has addressed this question directly with Seabourn, perhaps through the email portal on the website? If so, was there any response?

When I completed my post-cruise questionnaire, I  wrote in detail about the Greenland/Iceland-transfer experience.  I never received a response from Seabourn.

[jsea]

On 12/7/2022 at 10:40 AM, DC Traveler244 said:

When I completed my post-cruise questionnaire, I  wrote in detail about the Greenland/Iceland-transfer experience.  I never received a response from Seabourn.

We also wrote about the negatives and never heard back. Cruise itself was great. Loved Venture.

 

Going to give Ponant a try next summer to see if they can do it better.

[olindacat]

Yeeesh... I wonder if this thread is why I can find availability 20-days out. I was excited about this cruise until I found this thread. Ugh....

[Dusko]

Don’t panic!  These posts are from 2022 and things do change.  We took Venture out of Reykjavik to Greenland on June 1 last year.  We stayed at the Radisson Blu for two nights before we embarked.  Yes, it’s noisy. The whole town is noisy!! Given the limited daylight hours the locals (and visitors) party hearty until the early hours.  We were across from the famous hot dog stand and there was a line up there at 5 am.  It’s all part of a different experience. I’ve never expected the cabin I choose to influence my hotel room.

 

Since we had an open day before joining the ship we took a food tour from Viator.  A brilliant decision. A full tour of the town and a chance to try lots of various foods and drinks (including the hot dogs).  Once we joined Venture we had the best cruise (expedition) ever.  When it came to fly back to Reykjavik the charter flight was excellent. Is it business class….no.  It was clean and comfortable and the service was great. Lots of positive comments.  The only negative in the whole trip was the arrival at the hotel in Reykjavik.  There was no agent present and a long line up to check in.  Pre-registering would have been an obvious move on the part of the hotel but remember that this is not London.

 

You are going to love Venture.  We had such a great time we took her from Cape Verde to Malaga this year.  Another great experience but we are thinking of repeating Greenland.

[highplanesdrifters]

On 8/10/2024 at 5:48 PM, olindacat said:

Yeeesh... I wonder if this thread is why I can find availability 20-days out. I was excited about this cruise until I found this thread. Ugh....

 

Any expedition cruise that has an air charter is subject to a muck up, no matter the cruise line.  I understand the weather part. I am always mystified that they can't get the logistics down.  I am however exceedingly grateful when they do.😅

Edited August 12 by highplanesdrifters