Reflections from Sojourn Transatlantic cruise

[Nops]

We have just arrived home after transatlantic cruise from Lisbon to Miami. I must admit to concerns having read some of the comments on this website regarding the current state of Seabourn. This comment is my attempt to reflect a real experience. The opinions are um-prompted but of course might not reflect what others experienced on-board.

 

Check-in – I must admit to some concerns given the number of emails from Seabourn regarding check-in. We completed all the documentation and uploaded to the Source app. Not sure why it asked for a photo as this did not appear to be used. We also completed the Verifly app as recommended by Seabourn. This was never referred to and seemed to be a waste of time.

 

So, I was pleasantly surprised at the very smooth check-in process. We were on-board the Sojourn twenty minutes from arriving at the cruise terminal. Another first was that our room was ready straight away ay 13:30.

 

Impressions of the Sojourn – It was obvious that there had been some refurbishment. This was particularly noticeable on the pool deck. The ship was immaculate and it was a surprise when I found an errant potato chip on Deck 11. Some of the design features are now seeming dated particularly in comparison to the Encore/Ovation. I did notice that is some public areas at the back of the ship on Deck 5 and 7 the cushions were a little jaded or missing. We both felt that the Source application was an excellent innovation, though I never did see the point of ordering coffee from the Square over it. The excellent Viktoria always had our coffee ready quickly.

 

Cabin – Our cabin was well presented and kept immaculately. In particular it was always serviced while we were having breakfast. The small issues that we had (wine instead of vodka in the fridge) were dealt with promptly. Being amidships we hardly noticed the two days of rough seas. We felt that the provision of multiple scents of shampoos and gels was great, it certainly allowed me to experiment, and there was never that awkward moment when the shampoo runs out in the shower. I appreciate that it is a feature but we and a number of people we spoke to, felt that the bath should be sacrificed for a bigger shower.

 

Restaurants & Bars

 

Thomas Keller – After three years of absence it was like returning to an old friend. The food was consistently very good and the service excellent. We like the smaller Thomas Keller Restaurant  found on the Sojourn compared to the larger, less intimate, space on thebigger ships

 

MDR – The food was good and interesting at dinner. Service again was excellent although we did speak to some people who experienced dinners taking three hours.

 

Colonnade – The ability to eat outside at all meals on the cruise was a winner. There was an everchanging choice at lunch. Dinners were lively particularly the two TK nights. What we missed were the speciality nights such as the Indian Market that we had experienced on previous cruises. The waiting staff made dinner in the Colonnade exceptional. 

 

Earth and Ocean – Some of best and most innovative food was served there. My wife pronounced the butter chicken curry one of the best Indian dishes that she had eaten. The service was attentive, friendly, and they had the knack of adjusting the pace of the meal to our needs.

 

What seemed to be a Seabourn secret, breakfast on deck is now available at Earth and Ocean. A more limited menu but hot dishes are cooked to order. It was very relaxing to linger over breakfast there.

 

Observation Lounge – Really good with excellent service even at busy times. Fillippo the pianist was superb and the session that he held late one night with Cruise Director Ryan was a highlight.

 

The Club – The only time we visited we gave up as there did not appear to be enough staff. Maybe we were unlucky.

 

Entertainment – This is tricky as it is a matter of personal taste. Everything that we chose to go to was very enjoyable and well presented. The lecture series that I attended was informative and stimulating. Trivia was as ever a highlight. I marvelled at the brilliant way Ryan and James managed the almost two hundred participants with good humour. If numbers are this great Seabourn might consider moving Trivia as having two hundred people arriving for lunch at the same time places an unnecessary strain on staff and facilities.

 

All the entertainers were very friendly when off-duty, it was particularly nice to see the dancer Dasha acting as the librarian.  

 

Staff – This made the cruise for us. The staff were unfailingly cheerful and always had a smile. We were addressed by name from day one. Nothing was too much trouble.

 

The Cruise Director, Ryan with his two assistants James and Becks set a fabulous tone They were good humoured, enthusiastic, and were the heart/soul of the cruise.

 

Excursions – Our transfer and tour at the end of the cruise, booked through Seabourn, was by some way the worst tour we have ever been on. We abandoned it halfway through after being told to eat lunch at MacDonalds, and took an Uber to the airport. We will be looking for recompense. 

 

Conclusion – We had a marvellous time and unhesitatingly booked for next years cruise, which says it all.

 

Finally, a word about the infamous dog. We saw it three times and yes it was once on a chair in Seabourn Square. It never misbehaved but we would have preferred it not to have been onboard. It was not our lob to remonstrate with the owner.

[twochromic]

Pretty good review.  My only differences are just preferences. 

I found the entertainment lacking variety. Mostly singers, and a style that doesn't appeal to us. No classical-style musicians at all. The speakers were pretty good, and chattable. The magician guy was pretty entertaining. so...just what floats one's boat.

Didn't care for the Keller Grill. Loud, hot, crowded. Great service, but an appalling lamb chop dish there, mostly grizz. Odd, when the rib-cut lamb in the MDR was exquisite.

We enjoyed this, our 3rd TA. But SB has a bit to go to return to its pre-pandemic quality.

[cruising.mark.uk]

16 hours ago, Nops said:

Finally, a word about the infamous dog. We saw it three times and yes it was once on a chair in Seabourn Square. It never misbehaved but we would have preferred it not to have been onboard. It was not our lob to remonstrate with the owner.

Thank you so much for a reasonable and balanced opinion on the 'dog'.  So good to see that from someone with firsthand experience, in contrast to the ill-informed rudeness and unpleasantness based solely on speculation and hearsay that was so prominent on the other thread on this subject.

Edited November 21, 2022 by cruising.mark.uk

[fudge]

At last, someone who has seen the dog however, I would not like to sit on a chair after a dog has been on it. I am not saying it had but, it could have a dirty backside than I sit there in my best clothes! In addition, I know a friend of mine has a real allergy to dog and cat hair and has to be really careful around them.

I agree, if its a service dog then fine, but  it should not be on any furniture in my opinion. 

[Mr Luxury]

4 hours ago, fudge said:

At last, someone who has seen the dog however, I would not like to sit on a chair after a dog has been on it. I am not saying it had but, it could have a dirty backside than I sit there in my best clothes! In addition, I know a friend of mine has a real allergy to dog and cat hair and has to be really careful around them.

I agree, if its a service dog then fine, but  it should not be on any furniture in my opinion. 

I have seen a few guests that looked as if they needed a good bath and thought that I would not like to sit on the chair after they had been there.😁

[Fletcher]

7 hours ago, fudge said:

At last, someone who has seen the dog however, I would not like to sit on a chair after a dog has been on it. I am not saying it had but, it could have a dirty backside than I sit there in my best clothes! In addition, I know a friend of mine has a real allergy to dog and cat hair and has to be really careful around them.

I agree, if its a service dog then fine, but  it should not be on any furniture in my opinion. 

Our neighbour's dog is called Fudge.

[fudge]

Our last dog was called fudge, thats why I kept it, a lovely boxer dog. Being from the UK, you will know about rum and raisin fudge.

[JodiandFrank]

We, too, were on this transatlantic and we had a blast.  Trivia was outstanding (we won twice!) and laughed constantly….especially when The Rockettes (a team of four FUN women) made a grand entrance to “New York  New York”.  Great fun.

We loved the entertainment…and the entertainers.  The best days were when we had two different shows to attend.
Ryan and James also did shows and we were blown away with their talent.  Can’t wait to sail with Ryan again in May on the Quest.
Staff was always smiling…always.  
The coffee bar (and Viktoria and Milos) were delicious.  Oh, how I miss my daily (sometimes twice daily) Skinny Caramel Latte.  YUMMY….
The food was mostly great.  A hit and miss here or there, but what we liked, others may not (and Vice-versa).  Biggest disappointment was the gelato….almost flavorless.  (Probably better for me that I felt that way)

We know of 5 couples who booked for next year while onboard, including us.  Several more seriously considering it.
We met many interesting people and one adorable poodle.  The poodle’s human kept to herself and the pup was always leashed and by her side.  I’m shocked at the uproar on this site.  I never met anyone on board who had an issue with the human or the pup.

Happy Sailing…..

J&F

 

[cruising.mark.uk]

15 hours ago, JodiandFrank said:

We met many interesting people and one adorable poodle.  The poodle’s human kept to herself and the pup was always leashed and by her side.  I’m shocked at the uproar on this site.  I never met anyone on board who had an issue with the human or the pup.

Happy Sailing…..

J&F

 

Thank you for an excellent, upbeat report.  My wife and I are thinking of trying Seabourn, but I find myself more and more put off by the attitude of some supposed regulars who seem to use this board to be unpleasant and condescending about anyone or anything that doesn't comply with their very narrow and super-entitled perspective on cruising.  I really don't want to find myself on a ship with people like that.  I hoped that they were in no way representative of typical Seabourn customers and am somewhat reassured by your report and that of the OP on this thread that they do not reflect the norm. 

[fudge]

Unfortunately you will finds those views on any forum you choose to look at. I have never been on Facebook, but from what I gather, some if it is cringeworthy.

I have met some lovely people on all cruise lines including Seabourn and have remained friends all over the world.

Yes, on cruise ships where you are confined you will always find one or two who you would describe as "odd" however, we are not all the same, I would say the majority of people who sail with Seabourn are pleasant and charming. 

[frantic36]

2 hours ago, fudge said:

Unfortunately you will finds those views on any forum you choose to look at. I have never been on Facebook, but from what I gather, some if it is cringeworthy.

 

You are so right fudge and I am sure there are many times my comments are cringe worthy and for that I apologise.  My husband reminds me that emails and forums are not the best way to express nuance but still I try. 

2 hours ago, fudge said:

I would say the majority of people who sail with Seabourn are pleasant and charming. 

 

This I do agree with and am looking forward to future cruises.

[lincslady]

I think those who were most agitated about the dog problem had  justification in their concerns, although a few (including me a bit) were probably over the top in their  remarks.

 

However, the fact remains that only genuine service dogs are allowed on cruise ships (apart from the kennels on Cunard), and unless some people were exaggerating/telling fibs this dog was seen more than once sitting on  a chair in the Square, not attached to its owner, and also defecating on a carpet in a public area, with the owner apparently not being too concerned about it.     This is not normal behaviour for a service dog and its owner.  A ship is not like a hotel, where an animal can be taken outdoors for exercise and more importantly its bodily functions, and I for one was also imagining the staff having to look after the passenger's suite each day.

 

Since I understand that some passengers did complain about the situation while on board, I hope they may post here with their opinions.

[Isklaar]

4 hours ago, lincslady said:

 

 

Since I understand that some passengers did complain about the situation while on board, I hope they may post here with their opinions.

 

We have friends who were also on this cruise. They do have an account here at CC but have not contributed for several years.

Now that they're back home in France  I have asked them to post about their experience onboard with the dog but they are reluctant to do so because of the negative comments from some quarters. 

They have written to their TA, one frequently used by CC members, and direct to SB. I will try once again to persuade them to post when/if they receive a response.

[Sunviking]

9 hours ago, cruising.mark.uk said:

Thank you for an excellent, upbeat report.  My wife and I are thinking of trying Seabourn, but I find myself more and more put off by the attitude of some supposed regulars who seem to use this board to be unpleasant and condescending about anyone or anything that doesn't comply with their very narrow and super-entitled perspective on cruising.  I really don't want to find myself on a ship with people like that.  I hoped that they were in no way representative of typical Seabourn customers and am somewhat reassured by your report and that of the OP on this thread that they do not reflect the norm. 

I am currently on the Sojourn.  This is my 4th cruise on Seabourn in the past year and I am traveling as a solo passenger since my husband passed away.  I can assure you that I have found many lovely people on my cruises with whom I've enjoyed cocktails, dinner, excursions and playing trivia.  I have met lifelong friends over the years I've been traveling with Seabourn.  There are sometimes a few people for whom nothing is ever right (I call them the glass half-empty people), but it's easy enough to avoid them once you encounter one. If you've seen a Seabourn cruise which appeals to you, you should give it a try.

[cruising.mark.uk]

2 hours ago, Sunviking said:

There are sometimes a few people for whom nothing is ever right (I call them the glass half-empty people), but it's easy enough to avoid them once you encounter one. If you've seen a Seabourn cruise which appeals to you, you should give it a try.

Thank you.  Yes, plenty of 'glass half empty people' evident on these boards.  I'm glad to hear it's easy to avoid them on board; if only it was as easy to avoid them on here!