Rare markandjie Posted May 24 #26 Share Posted May 24 3 hours ago, markham said: Maybe Seabourn doesn’t really know who their customers are and/or they don”t have a professional marketing group. I think the state of the website answered the latter part of that statement years ago. 4 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted May 25 #27 Share Posted May 25 23 hours ago, lincslady said: It is pretty obvious - to increase profits. Could be self-defeating. Ya think? For years we only sailed on Seabourn no reason to go anywhere else. Then SB changes to save $$. Last 3 years Scenic, Regent, Ponant, and last cruise Explora. All just as good or better. We have 40+ days booked on Seabourn and also 40+ on Regent. People can object to included excursions on Regent but I will pay.more and not take those for a better experience which depending what one prioritize are different on each line. IMO Regent has better restaurants and bars. Walking track and pickleball court which lately has become very important to me, instead SB has the Retreat...At an upcharge. YMMV 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLSD Posted May 26 Author #28 Share Posted May 26 On 5/24/2024 at 11:13 PM, 2SailingNomads said: Ya think? For years we only sailed on Seabourn no reason to go anywhere else. Then SB changes to save $$. Last 3 years Scenic, Regent, Ponant, and last cruise Explora. All just as good or better. We have 40+ days booked on Seabourn and also 40+ on Regent. People can object to included excursions on Regent but I will pay.more and not take those for a better experience which depending what one prioritize are different on each line. IMO Regent has better restaurants and bars. Walking track and pickleball court which lately has become very important to me, instead SB has the Retreat...At an upcharge. YMMV I'm listening Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjs217 Posted May 27 #29 Share Posted May 27 I really don't want the luxury cruise lines to go out of business. If they can stay afloat by booking groups - well, not ideal (prefer they didn't), but so be it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted May 27 #30 Share Posted May 27 Part of the problem IMO is too.many ships in this space. Look at the new ships SS and Regent have added over the last 3-6 or so years. Explora Journeys has 1 sailing, another under construction and 4 more planned. Regent announced a new build, and Crystal now promises new ships. Lots of new expedition ships already out competing in the luxury market. You also have the smaller Scenic - ocean Scenic as they have a large river presence which we have a couple booked for later in the year - Atlas, Ritz Carlton, and in the future 4 Seasons brands. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Huggsy Posted May 29 #31 Share Posted May 29 Hubby and I have booked our first Seabourn cruise for next June, I really can't see us making any further bookings if this new marketing ploy is put into place. It's bad enough if I arrive at a restaurant and see a huge table reserved for a group booking. In most situations I've found that group bookings equal noise - simple. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HotRoot Posted May 29 #32 Share Posted May 29 As to marketing - We recently moved. At our new address we get Seabourn mail at least once a week. We did not at the old address. Anybody know how to opt out of printed mail? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted June 1 #33 Share Posted June 1 I think there is a way to opt out if you log in. We get snail mail from Seabourn and Regent every other day but we have sailed on them.. never sailed on Atlas but some how we get snail mail from them 4 times a week and one of us gets daily emails from them. Plus I get emails from Scenic which we have sailed with and have 2 river cruises booked every single day. Ponant is not bad and I want to go back on Le Commandant but Vantage that I never heard if emails me almost every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tfred Posted June 7 #34 Share Posted June 7 Every hospitality venue on earth wants to book groups. They consume and pay extra for everything that is provided above the normal user. Meeting rooms, stand alone buffets, better wine. Big profit for the location the issue arises when the size of the venue doesn't allow the "other" users space to avoid all the groups togetherness. Big hotels - easy. Big ships - easy. Smaller ships - not easy. There is really no place to hide from the noise of a boisterous group. No easy solution for the unaligned everyday pax. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare doowopbob Posted June 10 #35 Share Posted June 10 Found this link today. Guess we'll be looking elsewhere after fall 2025. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/06/seabourn-introduces-enhanced-groups-programs-for-travel-advisors/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skybluewaters Posted June 10 #36 Share Posted June 10 31 minutes ago, doowopbob said: Found this link today. Guess we'll be looking elsewhere after fall 2025. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/06/seabourn-introduces-enhanced-groups-programs-for-travel-advisors/ Is there anything new here? Seems as though this was all mentioned previously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nancygp Posted June 10 #37 Share Posted June 10 16 minutes ago, skybluewaters said: Is there anything new here? Seems as though this was all mentioned previously. Correct! Nancy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare doowopbob Posted June 10 #38 Share Posted June 10 1 hour ago, skybluewaters said: Is there anything new here? Seems as though this was all mentioned previously. Yes, I know it was mentioned before. I posted the link because it was just written yesterday and I thought it had a lot more detail to it. Sorry I bothered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cantara24 Posted June 10 #39 Share Posted June 10 Guess we'll be looking elsewhere after fall 2025 Guess we all want to hear from someone who needs to announce they are checking out. We don't care... 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jjs217 Posted June 11 #40 Share Posted June 11 19 hours ago, doowopbob said: Found this link today. Guess we'll be looking elsewhere after fall 2025. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/06/seabourn-introduces-enhanced-groups-programs-for-travel-advisors/ Thank you for posting that link. Seabourn is one of my top three, and I like to stay informed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare whogo Posted June 11 #41 Share Posted June 11 21 hours ago, doowopbob said: Found this link today. Guess we'll be looking elsewhere after fall 2025. https://cruiseindustrynews.com/cruise-news/2024/06/seabourn-introduces-enhanced-groups-programs-for-travel-advisors/ Are you afraid that Seabourn will be overrun with large groups? My suspicion is that this enhanced program for travel advisors is of no more interest or value to them than an enhanced airline mileage program is to me. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SDuckers Posted June 14 #42 Share Posted June 14 On 6/11/2024 at 11:33 AM, whogo said: Are you afraid that Seabourn will be overrun with large groups? My suspicion is that this enhanced program for travel advisors is of no more interest or value to them than an enhanced airline mileage program is to me. I agree. This all seems like much ado about nothing to me. Or some people just look for a reason to grouse. 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
saminina Posted June 16 #43 Share Posted June 16 On 5/31/2024 at 8:45 PM, 2SailingNomads said: Ponant is not bad and I want to go back on Le Commandant but Vantage that I never heard if emails me almost every day. I doubt many on here have ever booked Vantage, Check the "other cruise lines" category on here for some fun reading. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2SailingNomads Posted June 25 #44 Share Posted June 25 On 6/16/2024 at 11:12 AM, saminina said: I doubt many on here have ever booked Vantage, Check the "other cruise lines" category on here for some fun reading. Actually I have about a year ago. No how, no way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isr45 Posted June 28 #45 Share Posted June 28 Currently on Ovation - this cruise was sold out many months ago prior to documentation re Seabourn pushing charters and groups. Currently on board there is a part of of approx 42 people from Hong Kong doing a golfing holiday. There is approx a party of 38 from Taiwan. There are two large family parties of approx 20 plus each. Only thing of note that it is difficult for dining room staff on nights they have all arrived at same time. Can honestly say I have heard no comments that it has made any difference to anyone onboard. I called into the card room one day as Herald advertised un hosted Mahjong - having watched the ladies from Taiwan in action for 10 minutes - I graciously opted out after watching them play in awe 😀. To be fair, they did ask me to participate 😂 2 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SLSD Posted June 28 Author #46 Share Posted June 28 I'm disappointed to hear that there are so many large groups. In my experience, they change the feeling of the cruise. Perhaps others don't notice a change, but I usually do. They are usually noisier, more boistrous, and more demanding. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia1 Posted June 29 #47 Share Posted June 29 I agree with SLSD--- Large groups just by their number and familiarity are noisier and insensitive to others near them. My other objection is that people save large seating areas for their group which changes the ambiance of the area they occupy. Small ships are not meant for large groups. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Vineyard View Posted June 29 #48 Share Posted June 29 How long is the itinerary that you are on and in what part of the world are you? I ask because I was under the impression, likely incorrectly, that large groups are more common on shorter segments. I agree with Utopia1 and SLSD on the change in atmosphere that large groups can make. I will say that on an 11 night itinerary last year on Quest there were a couple of multi generation families traveling. They were delightful. Maybe their sizes were 12-15. I think that when the groups get larger than that it can impact the energy quite a bit. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utopia1 Posted June 29 #49 Share Posted June 29 I've noticed the large groups are usually on 7-14 day segments. I found that multi generational families are seldom a problem. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Isr45 Posted June 29 #50 Share Posted June 29 9 hours ago, SLSD said: I'm disappointed to hear that there are so many large groups. In my experience, they change the feeling of the cruise. Perhaps others don't notice a change, but I usually do. They are usually noisier, more boistrous, and more demanding. Can honestly say the Hong Kong and Taiwan groups are extremely quiet and certainly not boisterous or demanding - never hear their voices - only some loud American / Europeans who are in parties of 2 ! We are a party of 2 that actually enjoy the peace and quiet. I assure you we would notice the change 😀 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Please sign in to comment
You will be able to leave a comment after signing in
Sign In Now