S. Caribbean Back-to-Back...Turnover Day Mid-Cruise

[FLgemini]

On Ovation Jan. 7-21, 2023. Seabourn sells the voyage as two, seven-day one way cruises or one, 14-day roundtrip from Barbados. Curious to know logistics and activity for the turnover on the 7th day. On this trip, that will be in St. Maarten. Does the day feel like a hard reset or is it not terribly noticebale to those staying for the entire 14-day journey?  Our first back-to back!

[arlingtonva]

I’ve done back to back in the med.  Was pretty seamless.  Felt like a pretty normal day.  Same meal service, room service etc.  Bars open if you want them.  You can come and go as you please.  I thought they did a decent job of not making it feel like a hard stop.  The new more private safety/muster drillI procedures help.  I would expect you will not be the only ones staying on.   Might be a good day for lunch on shore - new arrivals tend to make lunch crowded.  Some good dining options in french St. Martin.   If you were ambitious could do a day trip to St. Barths.  Easy flight from grand case on the french side

[labonnevie]

I would suggest scheduling the St. Maarten 12 Metre Yacht experience. Racing on authentic, slightly modified, America’s Cup yachts. It was one of the most fun things we have done while cruising. Google it and enjoy your day!

[adolfo2]

On 12/24/2022 at 9:07 AM, FLgemini said:

On Ovation Jan. 7-21, 2023. Seabourn sells the voyage as two, seven-day one way cruises or one, 14-day roundtrip from Barbados. Curious to know logistics and activity for the turnover on the 7th day. On this trip, that will be in St. Maarten. Does the day feel like a hard reset or is it not terribly noticebale to those staying for the entire 14-day journey?  Our first back-to back!

We will be in a similar situation this March. I planned an early morning "long" excursion as being on board during the turnover didn't sound appealing. I'm also wondering if we do a "Caviar in the Surf "2X as we visit Carambola Beach on each of the two 7-day legs.

[commodoredave]

Did back to back on the Odyssey in February. We had 2 caviar in the surf at Carambola Beach. And the turn-over day in St. Maarten was seamless. No need to get off unless you want to. We went ashore to the beach for lunch. About 35% of our passengers continued on for the next leg. 

[TakingFlight]

On 12/26/2022 at 5:49 PM, labonnevie said:

I would suggest scheduling the St. Maarten 12 Metre Yacht experience. Racing on authentic, slightly modified, America’s Cup yachts. It was one of the most fun things we have done while cruising. Google it and enjoy your day!

I second that recommendation! Unfortunately we have been unable to participate due to the fact that they do not offer the Yacht experience  every day and our timing  was off. They are offer it on January 14th. Good luck!

[jenidallas]

On 12/29/2022 at 9:01 PM, TakingFlight said:

I second that recommendation! Unfortunately we have been unable to participate due to the fact that they do not offer the Yacht experience  every day and our timing  was off. They are offer it on January 14th. Good luck!

 
A third endorsement for this… I’m not a big shore excursion person, but I’ve done this one twice and would happily do it again.  

[FLgemini]

Circling back here to report what I experienced. Looks like Seabourn for this season in the Caribbean (Winter 2023) has the Ovation doing a couple of legs back and forth between Barbados and St. Martin. Itinreraries do differ. They sell segments in 7-day and 14-day voayges on both ends. We even met someone who did a back-to-back-to-back 21 day! Because passengers are contanstaly coming and going every 7 days, emarkation/disembarkation days are very subtle. No ongoing annoucments (they call it a silent disembarkation) and all venues are open/closed like any other day in port. The only changeover you notice are bags in halls and a little flurry of housekeeping activity. Quite nice for those staying on for another leg. There's no feeling of a "hard" stop turnover and B2B passengers enjoy the port stop with no extra effort in their day.