A First Fond Farewell for Odyssey

[Flamin_June]

One hopes it will be a fond farewell for us, but right now it is a fond hello. She is docked in Sydney. I ventured out of our hotel room at 7.00am and gazed at her across the harbour from the east quay. After the behemoths that have been parked there these last few days she looked small, certainly sleek and fine (the o class ships were, still are, a striking design), almost vulnerable. I was transported back to the first time we boarded her, in Mumbai, after five cruises on the beloved little sisters. Then she had looked huge and imposing in contrast, and we had approached her looming bow with some apprehension, though the chaos of a Mumbai embarkation no doubt played a major role in generating those mixed feelings. Now it feels as if we are about to greet an old friend. As with many meetings with old friends after a period apart, one hopes we will still have much in common.

Edited March 20, 2023 by Flamin_June

[cadburysmom]

Excellent first post!

I very much appreciated your previous thread and am so pleased you've started this one.

Happy to hear you made it safely to Sydney and very much looking forward to following along.

Wishing you a Bon Voyage on this, your last Odyssey journey.

 

[nancygp]

Bon voyage and have a wonderful time

 

Nancy

[Flamin_June]

Happily on board now, chugging through the Tasman Sea. Half an hour ago we saw some sea birds skimming the waves along side the ship and a couple of dolphin fins momentarily breaking the surface. It’s a trifle choppy with a strong cool breeze and a pale grey sky turning to azure where it meets the sea.

 

We boarded yesterday around 13.00, there was a short queue and then our vaccination certificates and negative test photos were checked reasonably scrupulously before we went through various passport, boarding-pass and security checks. Apparently later the queue swelled and the health checks were rather cursory. Perhaps I shouldn’t mention this but there was a paper notification in our suite that the Australian government requires everyone to wear masks when indoors, but no one , not crew, nor officers, nor passengers is.
 

Stepping on board, everything was as expected and yet the ship, the corridors, the suite, all seemed smaller than remembered. She is showing her age a bit, there are rust stains here and there and some wear and tear, but this an ocean-going vessel constantly exposed to the sea’s corroding power, and we are not here to spend our time examining rivets and welding. Otherwise everything is in pretty good nick, there are new style sofas and chairs in our suite and a sturdy polished stone topped coffee table. 
 

We are both 70, first cruised Seabourn when we were 58, and I expected us to now rank among the more more senior passengers, but the vast majority are of such advanced age, one might even say decrepitude, that we still feel that we belong to the younger generation. I do like a bit of people watching to while away the sea days and there is as wide an array of types and attitudes and behaviours as one might expect to find in several Dickens’ novels. But everyone we have directly encountered has been charming, affable, fascinating and convivial and we are already on first name terms  with a number of chatting acquaintances.

 

The crew are absolutely knocking it out of the park: there are a few familiar faces and many of the newer recruits are now on second contracts. Everyone is addressing us by name.The Captain is Krasimir Radev, the CD Robert Brendan. the food is good and we have got past the obligatory first night not quite hot enough offerings. More to follow; we are still jet lagged, as are many others, and I’m off to try my hand at Trivia.

Edited March 22, 2023 by Flamin_June

[SLSD]

59 minutes ago, Flamin_June said:

 

We are both 70, first cruised Seabourn when we were 58, and I expected us to now rank among the more more senior passengers, but the vast majority are of such advanced age, one might even say decrepitude, that we still feel that we belong to the younger generation.

I'll be 71 by the time we sail in June.  I'm glad to hear that we may not be the oldest on board.  I still have a hard time thinking of us as elderly.  I hope you have a wonderful cruise .  It sounds like you are off to a very good start.  

[Mauzac]

Thanks for the update!

 

I really liked Captain Radev when we were on the 65 day Grand Pacific voyage.  Very personable, engaged with lots of crew and passengers.  Enjoy!  

[robertmartha]

Flamin June

 

TY for taking us along and posting while you can.

We board mid May when Odyssey begins her Alaska season. While I know the dailies can change sailing to sailing  - if you can let me know what type/if any exercise classes are available/offered during the week on your journey (stretch, yoga, etc) that would be great to help us plan our days / afternoons. Even though we are on vacation - like to stay in some sort of exercise routine 😉

 

Bob

[melissab723]

This is my very first post after being on these boards for so long. 🙂 I was so happy to find your thread. I'm hopefully sailing on the Odyssey to Alaska in July, and it will be my very first Seabourn cruise. I'm beyond excited and I can't wait to read as much as I can about this ship and your experiences.

Edited March 22, 2023 by melissab723

[robertmartha]

Melissab723

 

We will be sailing on 5/19 - I promise to report 😉

 

Bob

[Flamin_June]

Robertmarth

11 hours ago, robertmartha said:

Flamin June

 

TY for taking us along and posting while you can.

We board mid May when Odyssey begins her Alaska season. While I know the dailies can change sailing to sailing  - if you can let me know what type/if any exercise classes are available/offered during the week on your journey (stretch, yoga, etc) that would be great to help us plan our days / afternoons. Even though we are on vacation - like to stay in some sort of exercise routine 😉

 

Bob

Bob, in today’s Herald (paper copy delivered to suite) there are various wellness seminars throughout the day. Yoga, restorative with Meditation is at 5.00pm, and an evening stretch session is on at 6.00pm.

We are at Moreton Island. it is warm and sunny, with plenty of cloud cover. The patches of sunshine and blue sky are a welcome sight after a very grey and cool day at sea with enough motion at times to make very body stagger about like drunks.The gym/ fitness centre is open 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.

[Mr Luxury]

9 hours ago, Flamin_June said:

Robertmarth

Bob, in today’s Herald (paper copy delivered to suite) there are various wellness seminars throughout the day. Yoga, restorative with Meditation is at 5.00pm, and an evening stretch session is on at 6.00pm.

We are at Moreton Island. it is warm and sunny, with plenty of cloud cover. The patches of sunshine and blue sky are a welcome sight after a very grey and cool day at sea with enough motion at times to make very body stagger about like drunks.The gym/ fitness centre is open 6.00 am to 10.00 pm.

You'll need the stretch class to wake up after the meditation if you want to make it for dinner.

[robertmartha]

Thank you Flamin! (and Mr Luxury).

Looks like there will be a bit of planning each day 🤔

Late to bed and early to rise !

[Flamin_June]

A got hold of the gym/fitness schedule, so I can report that there are Yoga/Pilates classes and stretch sessions and more every day at various times, some early morning around 7.00 And some early evening around 5.00 - 6.00.
another Sea day and it feels as if we have broken through into another world. Blue skies and light clouds scattered like shredded cotton wool, heat, probably already 26+ C. I will try to report in some more detail later but am being summoned to breakfast. 
it is mostly very good and very much like the Seabourn we all know and love. There are some changes and cut backs, but to us, at least they are ,so far, trivial.

[Flamin_June]

Proceeding at a stately pace to the Whitsundays there is a moderate but kind swell upon the sea, the fine weather continues. 
The little cut-backs: no longer three bars of soap but just one very pleasant Molton Brown, and as previously noted elsewhere shower gels and shampoos/body lotions are in larger dispensers, though the small tubes of conditioners and other pleasant smellies abound. Small jars of marmalade and jams are no longer put out on the tables at breakfast, however I suspect that if I were to ask for some, they would be provided. I will put this theory to the test one day and report back. The range of poured spirits  is perhaps a little reduced, but still plenty of single malts, bourbons, gins, vodkas. There is cognac: Remy and Hennessy; we have Hennessy Vsop in our suite. Amargnac appears to be in short supply, however. But, really, who cares? 
the black plastic swizzle sticks have been replaced by wooden ones. Apart from that I can’t think of anything else to suggest that Seabourn is going downhill. Oh yes - no Cinzano. And the barkeep now uses measuring cups when pouring spirits, rather than just pouring by eye. Even so, my after dinner nightcap consisted of two double measure, so I have a hangover and must request restraint in future. OK, I didn’t have to drink it all, but sitting out aft on deck 7 last night, the lights Of Brisbane twinkling on the horizon, swathed a with near tropical warmth I was really enjoying it.

Food seems very good to me, well up to previous standards with plenty of of variety. I enjoyed the Chef’s specials on previous nights (with local seafoods) and asked him what other surprises he had in store. “ A few more,” he replied, “not many, but there will be some”. So there are some Seattle imposed restraints in evidence, but the crew, from top to bottom are outstanding. tThere seems to be a determination among those on board to put Seabourn right back up there at the top of the rankings. 
The Restaurant is open for breakfast lunch and dinner, as is the Patio. The daily Herald is full of events and distractions. Deck barbecue for lunch today, dancing by the pool tonight. It really is great to be back and the only thing that irks is this blasted Source thing and having to fiddle about with one’s phone at all times of the day. Most passengers really can’t be bothered and don’t want to be dragged, kicking and screaming, into the 21st Century. And who can blame them. some don’t even have a mobile phone, despite their great monetary and life experience wealth. So it looks as if most people are having their Herald and daily menus delivered to their suites.

So there is very little adverse news to report. and Trivia calls…

[billichka]

5 hours ago, Flamin_June said:

 

So there is very little adverse news to report. 

Thanks, great to know that everything is going well before we board in Papeete, it is 3.5 years since we were last onboard and we can't wait to be back!

 

Oh, I should have waved as you sailed past the Gold Coast on your way to Moreton Island... 😁

[robertmartha]

Thank you again Flamin - appreciate the update.

 

Billichka - we are in the same "boat" (no pun intended!) We board in May - our last Seaborn sailing was Jan '20 ... so 3 years and 3 months. I really think I will tear up when I see the Odyssey in Juneau in May knowing I'll be boarding.

[markham]

I think quality and creativity vary ship to ship at Seabourn. We are on the Quest South America circumnavigation and have never had a poolside barbecue, and in Antarctica never had caviar/vodka on ice which is a Signature Event. And when there was a dancing on deck party there were no special drinks or chocolates/snacks as in past years. That said we have had lots and lots of ho-downs/hootenannies and British pub events in the late afternoons in the Club… Imagine that.
 

I am guessing this is down to a chasmic disconnect between the silos here ie the CD and F&B Mgr.

 

And don’t get me started on the school meal quality, limited choice, 14 day recycled themed menus of the Colonnade lunches. Nothing like past years, and nothing relating to our location eg false Mexican in Antarctica, false Scandinavian in the Amazon, and greasy Filipino anytime. Then you might instead choose the MDR for lunch but there you can choose between 2 (formerly) and now 3 entrees, but you will find them repeated in the Colonnade chafing dishes. Same at Patio lunchtime. Of course you can get a burger or hot dog anytime. Luxury? No.

 

Assuming the new president will resuscitate Seabourn’s brand it will all take time and customer feedback. We intend to supply it a-plenty when we get the post-cruise survey after disembarkation Sunday in Miami.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

[Mr Luxury]

4 hours ago, markham said:

I think quality and creativity vary ship to ship at Seabourn. We are on the Quest South America circumnavigation and have never had a poolside barbecue, and in Antarctica never had caviar/vodka on ice which is a Signature Event. And when there was a dancing on deck party there were no special drinks or chocolates/snacks as in past years. That said we have had lots and lots of ho-downs/hootenannies and British pub events in the late afternoons in the Club… Imagine that.
 

I am guessing this is down to a chasmic disconnect between the silos here ie the CD and F&B Mgr.

 

And don’t get me started on the school meal quality, limited choice, 14 day recycled themed menus of the Colonnade lunches. Nothing like past years, and nothing relating to our location eg false Mexican in Antarctica, false Scandinavian in the Amazon, and greasy Filipino anytime. Then you might instead choose the MDR for lunch but there you can choose between 2 (formerly) and now 3 entrees, but you will find them repeated in the Colonnade chafing dishes. Same at Patio lunchtime. Of course you can get a burger or hot dog anytime. Luxury? No.

 

Assuming the new president will resuscitate Seabourn’s brand it will all take time and customer feedback. We intend to supply it a-plenty when we get the post-cruise survey after disembarkation Sunday in Miami.

 

Happy and healthy sailing!

Oh dear Markham

 

[saminina]

Yeah, Oh dear Markham.   A total SB loyalist posting what the blind can notice.   Don't forget to close with the SB mantra "but we had a good time anyway."

[lincslady]

Many people have a blind spot of affection when it  comes to our favorite cruise line.  It is a personality thing.  Others can forgive  faults on Regent, or Silversea;  I can forgive those on Seabourn, simply because the basic 'personality' of the line fits my attitude to life.  Having said that, there have certainly been anomalies in the quality of the offerings on the various ships recently, which is sad, especially for passengers who are new to the line and understandably will not want to choose Seabourn again.

[Flamin_June]

Alas poor Markham!
It is indeed shocking to read such a negative view from you, instead of your enjoyable and positive posts. Well your post is still enjoyable to read though the news it communicates is not.

My current posts should be put in context: we are happy just to be on a Seabourn O class ship after four and a half years. We are happy to be sailing the vast Pacific in pleasant weather after a bitterly cold winter in Wales, with night time temps hitting -14C.  We have only been on for four days, now the fifth morning so have yet to see recycling of menus and warmed up last night’s left overs for lunch. 
But the food is good so far, and varied. Salads in the Colonnade at lunch have been first class as have been the soups. Every evening in the Restaurant so far there has been a Chef’s special on the menu. There is beetroot, but not in an overwhelming quantity.The FB manager, whose name has slipped my mind (along with many other names, I must admit) is a young Czech, was recently FB manager on Venture and is leaving us in a couple of weeks to take up that post on Pursuit. We met him when he was a rising star in the lower ranks on Sojourn back in 2018. So I guess we are lucky to have a top man. Sorry to report that there were special drinks at the deck party. The pool side lunch barbecue was small scale and one guest was heard to complain bitterly that there was nothing on offer apart from sausages (not true, I saw chops, and chicken and small steaks). Meanwhile in the Colonnade at lunch there was a suckling pig, which I don’t recall seeing for a while in the the precovid days. In fact there were two suckling pigs, as the server had an accident and cut her finger quite deeply. The remnants of pig were removed as there was blood contamination and another rapidly brought from the galley. I don’t write all this to crow over Markham’s misery, but just to confirm that things vary from ship to ship and so much depends on the captain and key managers. Some are great, some not so.Of course we await the arrival of our replacement FB manager with some trepidation. However he is going to be on board for a week working in tandem with our current man, to ensure there is a seamless changeover.

 

Ad Hoc fried chicken last night, all was good. And the service we have experienced from the wait staff has been outstanding. OUTSTANDING. So far. 
The only complaint we have right now concerns the quality of some of our fellow guests. We unfortunately have cupboard door slammers next door. Fingers crossed they are only on for two weeks! I spotted a Chog this morning, but only one, and there are the usual long faced haughty types, a few narcissists (I don’t mind witty, self aware narcissists with flair and style, but pompous, stuck up their own fundament types are another matter). On the tender back from Moreton Island, we saw a portly gentleman on a Penthouse suit balcony remove his presumably damp swimming trunks, revealing a rather substantial backside to all the world. 

 

 

Edited March 24, 2023 by Flamin_June

[Vineyard View]

In reading that Markhan is generally a very big supporter of Seabourn, I certainly hope it turns around quickly for them to provide the experience loyal customers are accustomed to. What has been posted is not at all what I envision Seabourn to be. I sincerely hope that there will be further posts speaking to improved conditions - - for all who are on board. The cost to sail on these lines is a big deal for a lot of us, and it is reasonable not to expect perfection, but to expect a certain level of excellence. 
Our first sailing on Seabourn will be this May, on Quest as well. I would venture to say if our experience is similar we will be one and done. I sincerely hope not. I recognize that we are small fish in a larger pond, and our lack of loyalty moving forward will not affect Seabourn in the near nor long term, but word of mouth is just that. A lot of individuals with voices can become quite noticed, and noticed too late if a company has no eyes and ears on the pulse of their customer base. 
It’s great to hear that other ships are not experiencing these same issues, but that does not resolve the overall problem that Markham is reporting - which at some point indeed does damage to a brand. 

[texanaust]

Markham is spot on about the lunches.  At least on his voyage, the Restaurant was open for breakfasts and lunches, unlike the Med cruises in 2022.  But the reality is that Seabourn is not really 'doing' lunch in the Restaurant, they are just plating up what is in the Colonade. 

 

Markham, I hope you special ordered a few lunches.  We often use that option when dining in the Restaurant.  At least Seabourn's poor lunches make for a healthy if not happy sailing!

Edited March 25, 2023 by texanaust
..

[Mr Luxury]

11 hours ago, Flamin_June said:

Alas poor Markham!
It is indeed shocking to read such a negative view from you, instead of your enjoyable and positive posts. Well your post is still enjoyable to read though the news it communicates is not.

My current posts should be put in context: we are happy just to be on a Seabourn O class ship after four and a half years. We are happy to be sailing the vast Pacific in pleasant weather after a bitterly cold winter in Wales, with night time temps hitting -14C.  We have only been on for four days, now the fifth morning so have yet to see recycling of menus and warmed up last night’s left overs for lunch. 
But the food is good so far, and varied. Salads in the Colonnade at lunch have been first class as have been the soups. Every evening in the Restaurant so far there has been a Chef’s special on the menu. There is beetroot, but not in an overwhelming quantity.The FB manager, whose name has slipped my mind (along with many other names, I must admit) is a young Czech, was recently FB manager on Venture and is leaving us in a couple of weeks to take up that post on Pursuit. We met him when he was a rising star in the lower ranks on Sojourn back in 2018. So I guess we are lucky to have a top man. Sorry to report that there were special drinks at the deck party. The pool side lunch barbecue was small scale and one guest was heard to complain bitterly that there was nothing on offer apart from sausages (not true, I saw chops, and chicken and small steaks). Meanwhile in the Colonnade at lunch there was a suckling pig, which I don’t recall seeing for a while in the the precovid days. In fact there were two suckling pigs, as the server had an accident and cut her finger quite deeply. The remnants of pig were removed as there was blood contamination and another rapidly brought from the galley. I don’t write all this to crow over Markham’s misery, but just to confirm that things vary from ship to ship and so much depends on the captain and key managers. Some are great, some not so.Of course we await the arrival of our replacement FB manager with some trepidation. However he is going to be on board for a week working in tandem with our current man, to ensure there is a seamless changeover.

 

Ad Hoc fried chicken last night, all was good. And the service we have experienced from the wait staff has been outstanding. OUTSTANDING. So far. 
The only complaint we have right now concerns the quality of some of our fellow guests. We unfortunately have cupboard door slammers next door. Fingers crossed they are only on for two weeks! I spotted a Chog this morning, but only one, and there are the usual long faced haughty types, a few narcissists (I don’t mind witty, self aware narcissists with flair and style, but pompous, stuck up their own fundament types are another matter). On the tender back from Moreton Island, we saw a portly gentleman on a Penthouse suit balcony remove his presumably damp swimming trunks, revealing a rather substantial backside to all the world. 

 

 

And the Captain shouted "avast behind" 😀

[Mr Luxury]

34 minutes ago, texanaust said:

Markham is spot on about the lunches.  At least on his voyage, the Restaurant was open for breakfasts and lunches, unlike the Med cruises in 2022.  But the reality is that Seabourn is not really 'doing' lunch in the Restaurant, they are just plating up what is in the Colonade. 

 

Markham, I hope you special ordered a few lunches.  We often use that option when dining in the Restaurant.  At least Seabourn's poor lunches make for a healthy if not happy sailing!

I do wonder if many of us take too many cruises and spend too much time at sea.

Perhaps a rest and some land based relaxation could be just the thing 🤔