Lagniappe: Canines on Seabourn, Carry ons on international flights, bus etiquette, etc.

[SLSD]

As everyone knows, there have recently been dogs on Seabourn cruises.  Most recently, there was a small dog on our Ovation cruise up the coast of Norway.  At the outset of this discussion, I want to make it plain that I am a dog lover.  Not only do we have a dog ( a miniature long haired dachshund), but in our extended family, we have a certified service dog (who stays with our great-nephew to alert for epileptic seizures).  The service dog in our family is highly and specifically trained and required a real commitment (both in dollars and continuing expectation of behavior from his now family).  They know what to expect from a service dog, keep up with his training and do not deviate from it.  In other words, they will not allow the public to pet him, he is not off leash in public and not treated as a regular pet. 

 

The dog on the recent Ovation itinerary was a small dog.  I am not sure of the breed.  I first encountered him at tea as his owners had him at the table next to ours at the Observation Lounge.  Prior to his arrival, his owner(s) had saved their table for almost an hour (perhaps longer) by throwing a jacket over one of the chairs.  The jacket was there when we arrived to our table and no one claimed the table for 45 minutes.  All that time, there were people arriving and looking for a table.  When the dog arrived, I observed him being fed under the table.  Already we recognized that the owners were not rule followers as they felt entitled enough to save a table for themselves, not considering that no one would have use of that table for almost an hour just because they had claimed it with a jacket.  

 

In subsequent days, I observed that the dog was accompanying its owner on various excursions, riding on buses, going up skylifts, going into dining venues, etc.  This did not go without notice by others.  Quite a few people were discussing the dog.  I only observed one person saying that the dog was cute.  Everyone else had noticed that the owners were not rule followers and seemed to feel entitled.  In fact, one passenger told me (and others) and she had asked the owners about the dog. She specifically asked what kind of service dog the dog was.  The answer was "it's complicated".  This passenger was shown the dog's service dog certificate by the owner and reported that the certificate looked like something that could be printed from the internet.  

 

Another passenger told me that she had heard ship's staff telling the dog owner that the dog could not be let off leash in Norway.  Even though they were told this by Seabourn staff, they did indeed let the dog off leash in Tromso on the mountain we reached by the sky lift.  I observed this myself.  On a later excursion in Lom, Norway, I personally observed the dog off leash in a grassy area which had a specific sign stating (through words and illustration) that dogs were not to be off leash in that area.  None of this seemed to matter to the dog's owner.  As an aside, I will comment that one would expect the owner of a highly trained service dog to be aware of the importance of following rules concerning dogs. 

 

I overheard quite a bit of complaint about the dog.  At one point, there were people saying that they were not going to board a bus until they knew which bus the dog would be on.  No one was happy--and the general consensus among passengers was that this was not a true service dog and that the owners did not follow instructions or rules pertaining to dogs.   

 

One evening, when we were on deck nine around the pool, the dog was on ten (right above) and barking.  A highly trained service dog would not be likely to bark.  Another afternoon, the owner was on a chaise around the pool with the dog on top of her stomach, sleeping.  Not what is expected from a service dog.  Another evening, I saw the owner talking to the maitre d' at the TK Grill, exhorting  them that they wanted to dine there on a particular day/time.  The maitre d' was no doubt in a bit of an awkward spot having fielded complaints about the dog in the grill previously and the owner being a very squeaky (and annoying) wheel.  

 

I'm sure there is more to this story.  From what I have read, Seabourn does allow certified service dogs onboard.  It is a shame that this particular dog (if indeed it was a certified and true service dog) departed from usual service dog behavior.  

 

 

 

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

Can we talk about bus etiquette?  On one of our very lengthy excursions, Mr. SLSD and I were seated behind a very elderly man who had a lot of difficulty walking, much less exiting a bus (which sometimes have very steep steps).  We were seated in the fourth seat back from the driver, while the elderly man was seated right in front of us.  His wife did not sit beside him, but rather across the aisle.  On our excursion, there were several stops--and even though we were only four seats back from the driver, we were always the very last off the bus due to the difficulty the elderly man had in exiting the bus.  There was another woman (not quite as elderly ) sitting right behind the bus driver.  She always told everyone to go ahead as she was going to exit last because she wanted to "take her time."  At one of our stops, I asked the wife of the very elderly man if I could "pop off" the bus ahead of him.  I did just that, but she was very unhappy with me.  I felt badly about that as I do respect elderly people and think they have a right to enjoy travel.  I'm 71 years old myself and recognize that someday I will be somewhat feeble.  I am not sure I will be taking busy trips at that point.  My question is this--did I not adhere to proper bus etiquette?  Should I have been content to be the very last person off the bus every single time?  There was a back door to the bus, but being so far to the front, I would be last exiting even if I used that door and was last at every other stop.  

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

My third topic is carry on luggage for international travel.  On this particular trip, Mr. SLSD and I traveled much much lighter than for previous cruises.  We knew our flight connections were not ideal (a two hour late night connection at JFK) and we feared our luggage, if checked, would not make it to Copenhagen with us.  SO---we decided to ship one suitcase (packed with things belonging to both of us) through Luggage Forward and then take a carry on and "personal item" each, as allowed.  When we were finally given our airline assignment, we were dismayed that one airline was SAS which has the most most strict (and small) size requirement for carry on luggage.  Being the rule followers that we are, we proceeded to meet these requirements.  I had to ditch my original idea for a personal item, because, even though it would fit under the seat in front of me, it exceeded the measurements allowed by SAS.  I went on to Plan two.  Mr. SLSD took his computer bag as his personal item.  For our other carry on, I took a TUMI tote which met the size AND weight (17 lbs or under) requirements for SAS.  Mr. SLSD purchased a new carry on ( as his usual one exceeded measurements allowed by SAS).   When we actually boarded our SAS flight, we were shocked.  People were carrying on HUGE items!  We had taken such care with our measurements that we KNEW the items we were seeing carried on exceeded the requirements.  There were metal measurement boxes at the gate for SAS saying that your carry on had to fit inside of it.  But, of course, there was no enforcement.  We felt like we had been very disadvantaged because we are rule followers.  

 

On our return flights, we were flying Air Canada which had slightly more generous carry on rules.  Even so, people were carrying HUGE items on which clearly exceeded the measurement requirements.  At one point in Toronto, there was an announcement made asking people to voluntarily check their bags as there would not be room for all carryons on a full flight.  Hell's Bells!  Air Canada COULD have just enforced their size requirements and that would have taken care of the the issue.  That was not done.  Mr. SLSD had decided to check his carry on for the return flight and mine fit under the seat in front of me ALONG WITH my personal item.  So much for being rule followers.  

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

By the way, this is what I used as my "personal item".  I  really like it because my laptop fits into it.  It also has an inside zipper compartment, several pockets, and a detachable zippered pouch.  On excursions, I could put my quilted vest and/or down sweater into it.  I highly recommend this bag for women. It is also sturdy and lightweight.   https://www.mzwallace.com/products/dawn-rec-medium-sutton-deluxe

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[nancygp]

41 minutes ago, SLSD said:

By the way, this is what I used as my "personal item".  I  really like it because my laptop fits into it.  It also has an inside zipper compartment, several pockets, and a detachable zippered pouch.  On excursions, I could put my quilted vest and/or down sweater into it.  I highly recommend this bag for women. It is also sturdy and lightweight.   https://www.mzwallace.com/products/dawn-rec-medium-sutton-deluxe

Love mz Wallace bags…I have 2 great totes and also use them (only one) as my personal item as I can put my iPad and other things in there as well as my crossbody bag.

 

ps…I thought our bus etiquette was perfect…shame on the lady that was out off by your politeness.

 

Nancy

[SLSD]

18 minutes ago, nancygp said:

Love mz Wallace bags…I have 2 great totes and also use them (only one) as my personal item as I can put my iPad and other things in there as well as my crossbody bag.

 

ps…I thought our bus etiquette was perfect…shame on the lady that was out off by your politeness.

 

Nancy

I have four MZ Wallace bags now.  One of them I purchased to be a personal item which did not fit allowed measurement for SAS.   I can't believe how perfect they are for many applications.  My original plan had been to use another MZ Wallace bag that would easily fit under an airline seat and stuff my small MZ Wallace bag (empty) into it to use as a handbag while on board.  I recognized that Seabourn tote bags might not be issued. And indeed they were not. I've kept one Seabourn tote bag, but donated the others.  I think I will be packing it on our next cruise. We did feel like we packed a bit light for this cruise.  My husband was fine, but I shorted myself on clothing for dinner in the evening.  I could have used a few more items if there had been room.  

 

Which MZ Wallace bags do you. have?  I'm always open to owning more--and I NOT a handbag or tote person.  These are just so useful.  

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[nancygp]

7 minutes ago, SLSD said:

I have four MZ Wallace bags now.  I can't believe how perfect they are for many applications.  My original plan had been to use another MZ Wallace bag that would easily fit under an airline seat and stuff my small MZ Wallace bag (empty) into it to use as a handbag while on board.  I recognized that Seabourn tote bags might not be issues. And indeed they were not. I've kept one Seabourn tote bags, but donated the others.  I think I will be packing it on our next cruise. We did feel like we packed a bit light for this cruise.  My husband was fine, but I shorted myself on clothing for dinner in the evening.  I could have used a few more items if there had been room.  

👍👍.  I started buying mz quite a few years ago…I have several leather clutch bags and they don’t make those any more.

 

I recently purchased several smaller size and crossbody bags from think roylan…check out their website.  

https://thinkroyln.com
 

I wish we were lighter backers…it never seems to work!🤪.  our upcoming trip is Alaska with a few days in Vancouver.  Can’t wait to escape the dreadful heat and humidity.  We’ve been to those areas multiple time yet not easy for us packing wise as the weather is so variable.  Glad that seabourn will provide jackets.

 

stay cool.

 

Nancy
 

 

Edited June 30, 2023 by nancygp

[SLSD]

7 minutes ago, nancygp said:

👍👍.  I started buying mz quite a few years ago…I have several leather clutch bags and they don’t make those any more.

 

I recently purchased several smaller size and crossbody bags from think roylan…check out their website.  

https://thinkroyln.com
 

I wish we were lighter backers…it never seems to work!🤪.  our upcoming trip is Alaska with a few days in Vancouver.  Can’t wait to escape the dreadful heat and humidity.  We’ve been to those areas multiple time yet not easy for us packing wise as the weather is so variable.  Glad that seabourn will provide jackets.

 

stay cool.

 

Nancy
 

 

We have not been light packers in the past--but felt forced to be this time.  I'll check out the other website.  

Edited June 30, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

Here is the Patagonia carry on Mr. SLSD purchased for this trip as his usual carry on did not meet SAS requirements (but he had used it for other international trips).  I think it is a good one, even though it does not have wheels, but of course wheels add inches, which was a no no according to SAS.  https://www.patagonia.com/product/black-hole-mlc-convertible-suitcase-45-liters/49307.html?dwvar_49307_color=BLK

 

 I am hoping Mr. SLSD will let me pack in this carry on for an upcoming domestic trip so that I can see if it works well for me.  

[lincslady]

Thank you for all the extra information, SLSD.  I imagine passengers complained to the staff about this so-called service dog on board, and hope that plenty of them, including you, will contact Head Office with an official complaint, as otherwise this could be the start (or almost the start) of an avalanche of entitled people finding an excuse for taking their pooch on cruises., having obtained a bogus certificate from a vet willing to give them one for cash, or even just faking one themselves.

[Vineyard View]

6 hours ago, lincslady said:

Thank you for all the extra information, SLSD.  I imagine passengers complained to the staff about this so-called service dog on board, and hope that plenty of them, including you, will contact Head Office with an official complaint, as otherwise this could be the start (or almost the start) of an avalanche of entitled people finding an excuse for taking their pooch on cruises., having obtained a bogus certificate from a vet willing to give them one for cash, or even just faking one themselves.

Same type of situation happened a few months back on Viking, only if I remember correctly there were three dogs on board a transatlantic that were clearly not service dogs. It was bad. Long story short, so many people on CC and FB complained and wrote to customer service at Viking that the rules of engagement moving forward were more clearly defined to help in eliminating these clear ‘non official’ service dogs. It’s a sticky wicket for cruise lines. The  airlines pretty well got this figured out and stopped all the malarky for the most part and still comply with ADA. If they can do it, then cruise lines should be able to. I think people who do these types of things are abhorrent in disrespecting true service dogs and their handlers. 

[labonnevie]

Thank you SLSD for your update on the dog story. I have no doubt you covered it accurately and fairly. 
It is pretty clear to me that the problem is not with the dog, it is with the the entitled and inconsiderate owner. Unfortunately, it seems that we encounter such people more and more frequently. We see them daily on the roads of Southern California!

Perhaps the solution is to require a properly issued service dog certificate to be provided a month before the cruise, giving Seabourn time to validate said certificate. 
As for misbehaving canines on board, they should be disembarked at the next port, with or without their owner. 

[2SailingNomads]

Thanks for your comments, thoughts, insights. We were on the Sojourn last November and apparently the same dog people had been on the preceeding TA. We know several people who are above us in days on board (we are Diamond and have over well 400 days on the ships) who were on the TA and were NOT happy with those and their dog.  One more reason to consider, as we have been doing, alternate cruise lines.  I AM not a dog person, bad multiple experiences in my life including my wife being attacked  by her sisters dog, I am NOT going to pay good money to cruise with arrogant people who bring on board a dog. I don't stay at hotels that are pet friendly. I appreciate people who love their animals, just I don't need them in my space.

So for people who sail with new CEO Natalia ask her about dogs.

Is she letting Seabourn go to the dogs??

Edited July 1, 2023 by 2SailingNomads

[AJCM]

Dog, obviously not a service dog, totally unacceptable.

 

Jacket in Observation Lounge - sit elsewhere (if available, otherwise sit there and ask staff to remove the unattended jacket) but ask staff to remove it after 15 minutes of non appearance, so others can sit. Pool behaviour is bad enough without adding inside socialising areas. People who want a seat ( particularly in a good position) should just plan ahead, put themselves out a bit and arrive early.

 

Tours with dog which is clearly not a service dog -  I would make a point of getting off the bus if the dog came on and insist placement on the alternative bus, if available. If no alternative available, I would take it up with the destinations manager later. I would query the allowance of the dog and whether the dog was going on other excursions we’d booked. If so, I’d request assurance of placement in another bus or, if not possible, a 50% refund due to diminution of the experience, paid for by the obvious payment for the dog on the excursion by it’s inconsiderate and entitled owner.

 

If the dog is obviously a service dog or if there’s doubt but it is adequately shown to be as such, I’d have no problem.

 

Tours with incapacitated guests  - considerate people recognise their physical limitations and select suitable excursions. You did nothing wrong whatsoever.

 

Cruise staff have responsibility to all guests, not a favoured view. We all pay a lot of money for our cruise experiences and they should be mindful that we can easily spend elsewhere.

[highplanesdrifters]

21 hours ago, SLSD said:

Can we talk about bus etiquette?  On one of our very lengthy excursions, Mr. SLSD and I were seated behind a very elderly man who had a lot of difficulty walking, much less exiting a bus (which sometimes have very steep steps).  We were seated in the fourth seat back from the driver, while the elderly man was seated right in front of us.  His wife did not sit beside him, but rather across the aisle.  On our excursion, there were several stops--and even though we were only four seats back from the driver, we were always the very last off the bus due to the difficulty the elderly man had in exiting the bus.  There was another woman (not quite as elderly ) sitting right behind the bus driver.  She always told everyone to go ahead as she was going to exit last because she wanted to "take her time."  At one of our stops, I asked the wife of the very elderly man if I could "pop off" the bus ahead of him.  I did just that, but she was very unhappy with me.  I felt badly about that as I do respect elderly people and think they have a right to enjoy travel.  I'm 71 years old myself and recognize that someday I will be somewhat feeble.  I am not sure I will be taking busy trips at that point.  My question is this--did I not adhere to proper bus etiquette?  Should I have been content to be the very last person off the bus every single time?  There was a back door to the bus, but being so far to the front, I would be last exiting even if I used that door and was last at every other stop.  

Bus etiquette can be a challenge.  We always strive to be polite and helpful when someone is in need.  When it takes 15 minutes plus for a bus to unload it can be a challenge to enjoy a short stop. So I agree, those needing  extra time might consider letting others pass. We avoid bus tours at all costs. Sometimes it's the only game in town.

 

Attitude in these situations goes a long way, here are some examples to challenge our thinking:

 

On an expedition trip to South America last November there were a few folks using canes and walkers. My first though was good for them! But they were a crabby entitled bunch who complained a lot, about everything. The trip was not in ADA compliant areas and uneven surfaces were the norm.  The group wanted a special bus and excursions to cater to their needs. This was an EXPEDITION cruise. Eventually some were assigned expedition team members as their personal aides on excursions. The aides were treated poorly and my heart went out to them.

 

In Greenland on kayak tours a gentleman sometimes took his paraplegic wife. She was amazing. We all would have happily waited hours to assist. 

 

In Antarctica there was a gentleman in a wheelchair who could walk very short distances with some aid. Again we were all happy to wait while the expedition team settled him into the zodiac and assist once on shore. Great guy.  

 

Are we more apt to treat those who are kind with kindness? Clearly I was. Perhaps I need to think about that.

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, highplanesdrifters said:

Bus etiquette can be a challenge.  We always strive to be polite and helpful when someone is in need.  When it takes 15 minutes plus for a bus to unload it can be a challenge to enjoy a short stop. So I agree, those needing  extra time might consider letting others pass. We avoid bus tours at all costs. Sometimes it's the only game in town.

 

Attitude in these situations goes a long way, here are some examples to challenge our thinking:

 

On an expedition trip to South America last November there were a few folks using canes and walkers. My first though was good for them! But they were a crabby entitled bunch who complained a lot, about everything. The trip was not in ADA compliant areas and uneven surfaces were the norm.  The group wanted a special bus and excursions to cater to their needs. This was an EXPEDITION cruise. Eventually some were assigned expedition team members as their personal aides on excursions. The aides were treated poorly and my heart went out to them.

 

In Greenland on kayak tours a gentleman sometimes took his paraplegic wife. She was amazing. We all would have happily waited hours to assist. 

 

In Antarctica there was a gentleman in a wheelchair who could walk very short distances with some aid. Again we were all happy to wait while the expedition team settled him into the zodiac and assist once on shore. Great guy.  

 

Are we more apt to treat those who are kind with kindness? Clearly I was. Perhaps I need to think about that.

I take your comments to heart.  I consider myself to be a considerate person--but some of our bus stops were only for 10 minutes and I could not get off of the bus!  I saw no harm in asking the elderly man's wife If I could "pop off" ahead of him. Even though I am 71, I am very agile and can exit quickly.  After her disapproving glare at me, I felt terrible and questioned my request to "pop off" the bus.  I did admire the woman who always said she would exit last as she wanted to take her time.  

 

I don't love bus trips either, but the sights we saw in Norway made them very worth while.  Could we have taken private tours?  Perhaps.  I did look at some choices there, but the prices were quite high as Norway has high prices.  I was content to do what we did.  

 

Any comment on carry on etiquette for international flights?  

Edited July 1, 2023 by SLSD

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, AJCM said:

Dog, obviously not a service dog, totally unacceptable.

 

Jacket in Observation Lounge - sit elsewhere (if available, otherwise sit there and ask staff to remove the unattended jacket) but ask staff to remove it after 15 minutes of non appearance, so others can sit. Pool behaviour is bad enough without adding inside socialising areas. People who want a seat ( particularly in a good position) should just plan ahead, put themselves out a bit and arrive early.

 

When we want to go to tea, we usually arrive early to  sit at the table we would like to have.  I would never consider throwing a jacket over a chair to reserve a table.  

[imescaping]

So, my thoughts on flight etiquette.

I, too, am a rule follower. Yes, other people may not be. As far as bringing properly sized carry-ons, regardless of me being a rule follower, it is the smart choice. Even though they did not enforce it on your flight, they could.

 

Some gate agents are more strict than others. Some agents are proactive and will assess the situation. (By flight load or looking around the boarding to see how many carry on bags are there) Some simply don’t care and take a “when the space is gone it’s gone” attitude. Basically, I comply with the rules not only because I tend to be a rule follower but also, it is the best chance I have at my bag not being gate checked. 
 

Like you, we have a segment on a carrier with more restrictive size and weight than the rest of our flights, causing us to purchase new personal items and possibly borrow a lighter carryon for Mr. Imescaping. My carryon is small lightweight just under 4lbs (1.8kg).  Mr Imescaping’s bag meets the size but is nearly twice as heavy (7lbs, 3.2 kg) as mine. Air France allows a total 12 kg combined weight of carryon and personal item. Reading the flyer forums some people have been burned for ignorance to or pushing their luck with this policy. 

Incidentally, this is the shortest flight segment of our 6 total segments and for that segment alone we had to adjust our baggage. The other five segments would easily accommodate our usual carry-on/personal items. 
 

As to all of the above, (Dogs, busses, bags) it happens, some people are not courteous intentionally or not. I am sure I have made my share of etiquette faux pas.  This cruise is a stretch for us, we are not in the “typical” Seabourn financial demographic, but are splurging for my 60th BD and our 40th anniversary so I am sure we will make some mistakes. 
Hopefully people will just roll their eyes and move on. 😊

 

[SLSD]

17 minutes ago, imescaping said:

So, my thoughts on flight etiquette.

I, too, am a rule follower. Yes, other people may not be. As far as bringing properly sized carry-ons, regardless of me being a rule follower, it is the smart choice. Even though they did not enforce it on your flight, they could.

 

And this is exactly why we made sure our carryons conformed to the stated restrictions.  After all, we had shipped one bag  (and did not know for sure if it would make it) and if we had to check our carryons and THEY didn't make it, we would be in a really bad way.  It was annoying to see almost everyone else ignore the restrictions.  I think the gate agents ignore it because they don't want to risk getting in an argument with someone.  In the end, both my carry on AND my personal item could BOTH fit under the seat in front of me together.  

 

I hope you have a wonderful time on your cruise.  

Edited July 1, 2023 by SLSD

[highplanesdrifters]

5 hours ago, SLSD said:

Any comment on carry on etiquette for international flights?  

We too follow the rules. One never knows when they will be enforced. I've seen plenty of times when they were. We have numerous sizes of carry-ons depending on the trip. 

We went through Heathrow twice last summer. To say I was concerned about our bags making it was an understatement.  Like you, we shipped bags and used carry-ons for must haves.

 

As for the canine issue.  Make the ill bred owners walk the plank.

 

Abandoned items on chairs,  go the WaveyDavey way and turn them in to lost and found.

 

Civilized Humans Unite!

[SLSD]

51 minutes ago, highplanesdrifters said:

We too follow the rules. One never knows when they will be enforced. I've seen plenty of times when they were. We have numerous sizes of carry-ons depending on the trip. 

We went through Heathrow twice last summer. To say I was concerned about our bags making it was an understatement.  Like you, we shipped bags and used carry-ons for must haves.

 

As for the canine issue.  Make the ill bred owners walk the plank.

 

Abandoned items on chairs,  go the WaveyDavey way and turn them in to lost and found.

 

Civilized Humans Unite!

I like the way you think.  The afternoon we first saw the dog was at the same time as the jacket on the chair to save a table.  There were people sitting at another table who were seriously considering removing the jacket and turning it in to lost and found.  They never quite got the nerve to actually do it.  Where was WaveyDavey when we needed him?

 

We only shipped one bag and only one way.  This resulted in very light packing for us as the one shipped bag was for the two of us. I had enough in my carry on to survive for two weeks if necessary.   It worked out well, except for some poor planning on my part.  I think women sometimes need more space because we don't always feel like wearing what we have packed!  I kept thinking of things I had left at home that I would rather be wearing.  If I had more space, I would have packed them.   

 

Meanwhile, I am looking for our next cruise and have not been inspired yet by an itinerary.  I'm up for suggestions.  We are avoiding the Caribbean and the seven day segment anywhere--looking for longer cruises up to 21 days.  Watching the news today, summer travel has become a nightmare--with over 100 flights cancelled at Chicago O'Hare--and that was early in the day.  We do have an international airport in Dallas--and we would love to fly somewhere nonstop.  Aren't we picky!

Edited July 1, 2023 by SLSD

[Vineyard View]

3 hours ago, SLSD said:

 

Meanwhile, I am looking for our next cruise and have not been inspired yet by an itinerary.  I'm up for suggestions.  We are avoiding the Caribbean and the seven day segment anywhere--looking for longer cruises up to 21 days.  Watching the news today, summer travel has become a nightmare--with over 100 flights cancelled at Chicago O'Hare--and that was early in the day.  We do have an international airport in Dallas--and we would love to fly somewhere nonstop.  Aren't we picky!

We have been struggling with the same thing. We loved our first SB cruise that completed a month ago. We could easily book more based on our experience, and in fact, we did. Our international travel window is basically Spring (Mar-May) to be ahead of crowds and kids. In the past we travelled Fall shoulder season as well, but we’ve experienced too many wildfires these past 6 years, and once caught out of state on one, we had to cancel another to the Amazon for the same reason.  So just not worth it. 
Next Spring SB in Apr/May pretty seems pretty focused on two regions. One we have been to and feel grateful we did, but do not want to repeat. The other is not on our bucket list. We booked a 14 day covering a lot of the same region we just sailed. Many repeat ports from the pas( not just SB or V). But some interesting new  ones as well. 
The region we originally targeted for next year (including islands in the Mediterranean) do not occur on SB until everyone is traveling in June+. We won’t travel summer months for multiple reasons. 
We did find one on another line that hits the highlights of  what we wanted in new ports in the islands of the Med. It repeats almost as many that we have been to, but we are genuinely Interested in that region. 
So we are struggling with what to do. I do wish SB would publish their Spring 2025 as most have, but no control over that. 
Summary - we took a leap of faith so to speak after several cruises with Viking. We completely loved SB (although there are things we like about V better). We weren’t disappointed. So like you, struggling with a final decision for next year. 

[2SailingNomads]

Agree you nor do we want 7 day segment cruises if on for longer.  We now live in an place (unlike when we lived in Park City and summer was great) where we want the hell out of dodge in July / August (108 today) but so many SB cruises in July / August are 7 day combos.   

[Mr Luxury]

5 hours ago, Vineyard View said:

We have been struggling with the same thing. We loved our first SB cruise that completed a month ago. We could easily book more based on our experience, and in fact, we did. Our international travel window is basically Spring (Mar-May) to be ahead of crowds and kids. In the past we travelled Fall shoulder season as well, but we’ve experienced too many wildfires these past 6 years, and once caught out of state on one, we had to cancel another to the Amazon for the same reason.  So just not worth it. 
Next Spring SB in Apr/May pretty seems pretty focused on two regions. One we have been to and feel grateful we did, but do not want to repeat. The other is not on our bucket list. We booked a 14 day covering a lot of the same region we just sailed. Many repeat ports from the pas( not just SB or V). But some interesting new  ones as well. 
The region we originally targeted for next year (including islands in the Mediterranean) do not occur on SB until everyone is traveling in June+. We won’t travel summer months for multiple reasons. 
We did find one on another line that hits the highlights of  what we wanted in new ports in the islands of the Med. It repeats almost as many that we have been to, but we are genuinely Interested in that region. 
So we are struggling with what to do. I do wish SB would publish their Spring 2025 as most have, but no control over that. 
Summary - we took a leap of faith so to speak after several cruises with Viking. We completely loved SB (although there are things we like about V better). We weren’t disappointed. So like you, struggling with a final decision for next year. 

Have patience,you will find something to your liking.

[John117]

On 6/30/2023 at 4:51 PM, SLSD said:

As everyone knows, there have recently been dogs on Seabourn cruises.  Most recently, there was a small dog on our Ovation cruise up the coast of Norway.  At the outset of this discussion, I want to make it plain that I am a dog lover.  Not only do we have a dog ( a miniature long haired dachshund), but in our extended family, we have a certified service dog (who stays with our great-nephew to alert for epileptic seizures).  The service dog in our family is highly and specifically trained and required a real commitment (both in dollars and continuing expectation of behavior from his now family).  They know what to expect from a service dog, keep up with his training and do not deviate from it.  In other words, they will not allow the public to pet him, he is not off leash in public and not treated as a regular pet. 

 

The dog on the recent Ovation itinerary was a small dog.  I am not sure of the breed.  I first encountered him at tea as his owners had him at the table next to ours at the Observation Lounge.  Prior to his arrival, his owner(s) had saved their table for almost an hour (perhaps longer) by throwing a jacket over one of the chairs.  The jacket was there when we arrived to our table and no one claimed the table for 45 minutes.  All that time, there were people arriving and looking for a table.  When the dog arrived, I observed him being fed under the table.  Already we recognized that the owners were not rule followers as they felt entitled enough to save a table for themselves, not considering that no one would have use of that table for almost an hour just because they had claimed it with a jacket.  

 

In subsequent days, I observed that the dog was accompanying its owner on various excursions, riding on buses, going up skylifts, going into dining venues, etc.  This did not go without notice by others.  Quite a few people were discussing the dog.  I only observed one person saying that the dog was cute.  Everyone else had noticed that the owners were not rule followers and seemed to feel entitled.  In fact, one passenger told me (and others) and she had asked the owners about the dog. She specifically asked what kind of service dog the dog was.  The answer was "it's complicated".  This passenger was shown the dog's service dog certificate by the owner and reported that the certificate looked like something that could be printed from the internet.  

 

Another passenger told me that she had heard ship's staff telling the dog owner that the dog could not be let off leash in Norway.  Even though they were told this by Seabourn staff, they did indeed let the dog off leash in Tromso on the mountain we reached by the sky lift.  I observed this myself.  On a later excursion in Lom, Norway, I personally observed the dog off leash in a grassy area which had a specific sign stating (through words and illustration) that dogs were not to be off leash in that area.  None of this seemed to matter to the dog's owner.  As an aside, I will comment that one would expect the owner of a highly trained service dog to be aware of the importance of following rules concerning dogs. 

 

I overheard quite a bit of complaint about the dog.  At one point, there were people saying that they were not going to board a bus until they knew which bus the dog would be on.  No one was happy--and the general consensus among passengers was that this was not a true service dog and that the owners did not follow instructions or rules pertaining to dogs.   

 

One evening, when we were on deck nine around the pool, the dog was on ten (right above) and barking.  A highly trained service dog would not be likely to bark.  Another afternoon, the owner was on a chaise around the pool with the dog on top of her stomach, sleeping.  Not what is expected from a service dog.  Another evening, I saw the owner talking to the maitre d' at the TK Grill, exhorting  them that they wanted to dine there on a particular day/time.  The maitre d' was no doubt in a bit of an awkward spot having fielded complaints about the dog in the grill previously and the owner being a very squeaky (and annoying) wheel.  

 

I'm sure there is more to this story.  From what I have read, Seabourn does allow certified service dogs onboard.  It is a shame that this particular dog (if indeed it was a certified and true service dog) departed from usual service dog behavior.  

 

 

 

 

I was on this cruise too and was amazed/ disappointed to see the fluffy spoiled "pet" on board. I 100% agree with your comments on "The Dog". I like dogs but in their place at home not on a compact cruise ship.

 

I have already written to Guest Relations complaining that they do not comply with their own protocols regarding dogs which in my view are quite clear. I am happy with genuine assistance dogs but suggested that suites used by these dogs should be subject to a deep clean afterwards to avoid the next occupant having problems with dog hairs.