We are returning to Norway next summer--on Seabourn's Sojourn--to beat the heat in Texas

[SLSD]

17 hours ago, caviarforme said:

 

 

We are looking forward to Iceland and for once not having to fly - Dover is about a 2 hour drive for us.

 

Dover is in the county of Kent, known as the Garden of England, with wonderful  scenery once you get off the main roads, and also full of rural villages and historic towns (e.g. Canterbury) . Get a car and travel at your own pace, and you will  have the choice of great small and large city and country hotels.

 

We are so envious of you who do not have to fly!

[Cru Doll]

On 8/4/2023 at 6:49 PM, SLSD said:

 

Yes we will.  We are experts at a work around.  But, should we have to work around on a luxury cruise line?  So--we don't do buffets in our regular land life and we don't do them on cruises either. 

 

Are you suggesting that we are being impudent to consider writing a letter?  Would you not write a letter with a suggestion that would make your cruise much better? We are all different.  We all value different things on a cruise.  

SLSD, I also do not like buffets and manage to avoid them most of the time.  My husband and I enjoy having breakfast outside on the Colonnade veranda, but I rarely use the buffet.  I special order whatever I want on the spot and am always pleased.  In fact, on a couple of occasions the chef offered it as a daily special the next day.  Once the server returned from the kitchen and asked if I minded waiting a few extra minutes because the Chef needed to gather the ingredients for my request, a Croque Monsieur.  
Also, we have repeated itineraries and have always found different directions to explore, including the Norwegian fjords.  Enjoy!

[SLSD]

15 minutes ago, Cru Doll said:

SLSD, I also do not like buffets and manage to avoid them most of the time.  My husband and I enjoy having breakfast outside on the Colonnade veranda, but I rarely use the buffet.  I special order whatever I want on the spot and am always pleased.  In fact, on a couple of occasions the chef offered it as a daily special the next day.  Once the server returned from the kitchen and asked if I minded waiting a few extra minutes because the Chef needed to gather the ingredients for my request, a Croque Monsieur.  
Also, we have repeated itineraries and have always found different directions to explore, including the Norwegian fjords.  Enjoy!

We have never special ordered at lunch on the veranda of the Colonnade, but may do that on our upcoming 28 day cruise if there is no other lunch venue available.  Do you make the special order on the spot--or the day before?  We do order breakfast from the menu if we dine there.  Thank you for your comment.  And yes, we loved Norway and are excited to return!  Several of the ports will be new ones to us.  

[Cru Doll]

36 minutes ago, SLSD said:

We have never special ordered at lunch on the veranda of the Colonnade, but may do that on our upcoming 28 day cruise if there is no other lunch venue available.  Do you make the special order on the spot--or the day before?  We do order breakfast from the menu if we dine there.  Thank you for your comment.  And yes, we loved Norway and are excited to return!  Several of the ports will be new ones to us.  

I always make my request on the spot on the veranda.  The staff are very accommodating and the Chef seems happy to have a deviation from the usual.  Once I was asked if I would mind changing my order for avocado toast because the new shipment of avocado still wasn’t ripe enough.  I appreciated his wanting the order to be good.  
Of course, we always ask a day in advance for any main restaurant requests.  Hope this helps.  

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, Cru Doll said:

I always make my request on the spot on the veranda.  The staff are very accommodating and the Chef seems happy to have a deviation from the usual.  Once I was asked if I would mind changing my order for avocado toast because the new shipment of avocado still wasn’t ripe enough.  I appreciated his wanting the order to be good.  
Of course, we always ask a day in advance for any main restaurant requests.  Hope this helps.  

It IS helpful.  Thank you.  Have you been in a situation where the weather is inclement and only the Colonnade is available for lunch and you could not dine on the Veranda (MDR closed)?  

 

Also, I would love to hear some examples of the special orders you requested at lunch.  

Edited August 6, 2023 by SLSD

[Cru Doll]

28 minutes ago, SLSD said:

It IS helpful.  Thank you.  Have you been in a situation where the weather is inclement and only the Colonnade is available for lunch and you could not dine on the Veranda (MDR closed)?  

 

Also, I would love to hear some examples of the special orders you requested at lunch.  

Yes, we have.  If it’s just breezy and cool we try to get a table under shelter near the Colonnade windows.  In all our cruises with Seabourn we only needed to sit inside a couple of times.  If the MDR is open, that’s where we’ll have breakfast.  
 

I haven’t requested anything special at lunch.  I like the fish of the day.  Never a problem.  All served.  The staff is always accommodating.  Whenever I attempted to carry my own plate from what I ordered at the patio grill to the veranda, a staff member always insists on taking it for me.  
I’m sorry that I can’t be more helpful with lunch requests.  

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, Cru Doll said:

Yes, we have.  If it’s just breezy and cool we try to get a table under shelter near the Colonnade windows.  In all our cruises with Seabourn we only needed to sit inside a couple of times.  If the MDR is open, that’s where we’ll have breakfast.  
 

I haven’t requested anything special at lunch.  I like the fish of the day.  Never a problem.  All served.  The staff is always accommodating.  Whenever I attempted to carry my own plate from what I ordered at the patio grill to the veranda, a staff member always insists on taking it for me.  
I’m sorry that I can’t be more helpful with lunch requests.  

Ok.  I misunderstood.  I thought you sometimes ordered something special at lunch.  I wish there was a longer menu (printed menu) in the Colonnade at lunch.  We've had all the menu items-but would not be all that pleased to only have those items available on a 28 day cruise.  That has never happened to us--so I am optimistic that the MDR wlll be open on some days--and of course we will be enjoying lunch in ports.  That is always our first choice if we can find a great place for that.  

[johng75370]

We’ve asked for a special lunch in the MDR before when we’ll know it is open, and asking the day before; on Ovation transatlantic a couple years ago had a great soft shell crab salad entree for lunch.  Different kitchen for Colonnade vs MDR, but if you ask I think they would try to accommodate.  

[cruiseej]

@SLSD On our Sojourn cruise in late spring, we got a great rate on a Venture cruise from Greenland to Canada next fall. I was going to suggest that to you, but it's in September, and I understand you need to get out of the Texas heat earlier than that! But if you're looking for an additional late summer respite…

 

We're looking forward to trying one of the new expedition ships. We've done a Silversea cruise from Iceland to Greenland previously and have looked for an opportunity to see more of Greenland. This itinerary is only offered once a year, so there's no choice of dates!

 

And later this month, we're returning to Regent for the first time in a decade, for a circumnavigation of Iceland. Seabourn has been our favorite cruise line of late, but we're looking forward to trying one of the new Regent ships. And returning to Iceland, which we only visited for three days prior to our SS cruise. 

 

Our first Seabourn cruise was the coast of Norway, and we have some friends interested in that trip, so I see a return to Norway in our future in 2-3 years!

 

And yes, we feel mighty fortunate to be able to explore with all these wonderful cruise lines!

[SLSD]

1 hour ago, cruiseej said:

@SLSD On our Sojourn cruise in late spring, we got a great rate on a Venture cruise from Greenland to Canada next fall. I was going to suggest that to you, but it's in September, and I understand you need to get out of the Texas heat earlier than that! But if you're looking for an additional late summer respite…

 

We're looking forward to trying one of the new expedition ships. We've done a Silversea cruise from Iceland to Greenland previously and have looked for an opportunity to see more of Greenland. This itinerary is only offered once a year, so there's no choice of dates!

 

And later this month, we're returning to Regent for the first time in a decade, for a circumnavigation of Iceland. Seabourn has been our favorite cruise line of late, but we're looking forward to trying one of the new Regent ships. And returning to Iceland, which we only visited for three days prior to our SS cruise. 

 

Our first Seabourn cruise was the coast of Norway, and we have some friends interested in that trip, so I see a return to Norway in our future in 2-3 years!

 

And yes, we feel mighty fortunate to be able to explore with all these wonderful cruise lines!

You are right that we need to escape Texas in July and August.  While we would like to cruise other times of year, we have some great weather in Texas in the autumn and spring--which are also good times to cruise.  Usually our winters are fairly pleasant too--except for that terrible polar vortex a few years ago which just about froze everyone in the state.  We just loved the landscape of Norway.  I can't stop thinking about it!  All those small farms squeezed onto the slopes coming down to the fjords.  I know it is not an easy place to live, but I find myself being a bit envious of the Norwegians.  

 

I think we SHOULD try some other cruise lines, but Mr. SLSD is very comfortable with Seabourn--so there we are for now.  

 

I remember the very good deals on Venture.  We probably should have booked one of them--but perhaps we'll have another opportunity.  

[2SailingNomads]

7 hours ago, johng75370 said:

We’ve asked for a special lunch in the MDR before when we’ll know it is open, and asking the day before; on Ovation transatlantic a couple years ago had a great soft shell crab salad entree for lunch.  Different kitchen for Colonnade vs MDR, but if you ask I think they would try to accommodate.  

We have done many special lunches in the MDR, always nice as it is less hectic than at dinner.  That said the 2 special dinners we had on our recent Ovation cruise with chef Jess were excellent.  The one lunch we ordered was totally not what we requested, that request was taken by someone else and obviously lost in translation to the kitchen.

[SLSD]

5 hours ago, 2SailingNomads said:

We have done many special lunches in the MDR, always nice as it is less hectic than at dinner.  That said the 2 special dinners we had on our recent Ovation cruise with chef Jess were excellent.  The one lunch we ordered was totally not what we requested, that request was taken by someone else and obviously lost in translation to the kitchen.

The funniest thing happened to me in the MDR one day at breakfast this last June.  On one particular day, there was a new waitress that we had not been served by before.  I ordered a Western Omelette (which was my usual order) and I ordered smoked salmon (which I love).  When my food arrived, the omelette was there--but no smoked salmon. When I asked about it--the waitress gave me a funny look and in broken English told me that the smoked salmon was IN my omelette.  She looked really upset as she must have realized that I had wanted a regular Western Omelette with the smoked salmon on the side.  I ate the omelette.  It was a bit strange, but basically ok.  So--from now on, I will definitely be saying---Western Omelette with smoked salmon on the SIDE.  

Edited August 7, 2023 by SLSD

[Nops]

On 8/4/2023 at 8:30 PM, SLSD said:

What about staying in the village of Rye?  Are any of you from the UK familiar with Rye?  I actually have a couple of pieces of pottery from Rye Pottery which I have owned for years. 

 

 

Hi, I was brought up in Kent and East Sussex so maybe able to give you some pointers. I love Rye, it is one of the historic Cinque Ports although it is now about two miles from the sea. The town stands on a small hill that can be seen from the surrounding country side which is the flat Romney Marsh. There is a historic church and many lovely old houses on narrow cobbled streets. 

 

It is easy to get to from London, high speed train from St. Pancras to Ashford (two an hour about 40 mins), change to a local train to Rye (once an hour about twenty five minutes). The railway station is a five minute walk from the town centre. You can retrace your steps for Dover again changing at Ashford.

 

Now I do not know what sort of traveller you are but if you are in Rye for more than a day you can explore by public transport. The train can take you directly to Brighton. There is a regular bus service both west and east along the coast. Better still I think this is a double decker so that you sit upstairs and admire the view, and bus fares are capped at £2.50 at the moment. You can stop off at some lovely villages like Winchelsea, Old and New Romney. From New Romney you can take the minature steam train that runs to Dungeness for some miles. Personally I would take the rural bus that runs to Tenterden, it travels through lovely Wealden countryside and Tenterden is a characterful small town full of clapperboard houses and interesting pubs.

 

Hope that gives you a flavour of the area. (I have not mentioned 1066, the Battle of Hastings or the ruins from the Napoleonic wars or the fabulous real ale)!

 

 

[SLSD]

36 minutes ago, Nops said:

Hi, I was brought up in Kent and East Sussex so maybe able to give you some pointers. I love Rye, it is one of the historic Cinque Ports although it is now about two miles from the sea. The town stands on a small hill that can be seen from the surrounding country side which is the flat Romney Marsh. There is a historic church and many lovely old houses on narrow cobbled streets. 

 

It is easy to get to from London, high speed train from St. Pancras to Ashford (two an hour about 40 mins), change to a local train to Rye (once an hour about twenty five minutes). The railway station is a five minute walk from the town centre. You can retrace your steps for Dover again changing at Ashford.

 

Now I do not know what sort of traveller you are but if you are in Rye for more than a day you can explore by public transport. The train can take you directly to Brighton. There is a regular bus service both west and east along the coast. Better still I think this is a double decker so that you sit upstairs and admire the view, and bus fares are capped at £2.50 at the moment. You can stop off at some lovely villages like Winchelsea, Old and New Romney. From New Romney you can take the minature steam train that runs to Dungeness for some miles. Personally I would take the rural bus that runs to Tenterden, it travels through lovely Wealden countryside and Tenterden is a characterful small town full of clapperboard houses and interesting pubs.

 

Hope that gives you a flavour of the area. (I have not mentioned 1066, the Battle of Hastings or the ruins from the Napoleonic wars or the fabulous real ale)!

 

 

Thank you for taking the time to reply.  I am reading what you have written carefully as we plan our trip.  We're still in the very early planning stages.