New ships - your preferences?

[thulewx]

In an effort to enhance our fantasy lives...:rolleyes:

If you were consulted about 2 new-builds for Seabourn,

A. What would you name them?

B. How many pax / crew?

C. special features?

 

For me, I'd say:

A. "Bliss" & "Joy" or, if they sell off the Pride, "Pride II" & "Joy"

B. MAX 25,000 tons, 300 pax / 300 crew.

C. All-suite, All-balcony. Basic suites would be 350 sq feet (including balcony), have deep whirlpool tub & separate shower, fridge, flat tv/computer combinations, completely private verandah. Binoculars in every suite, pillow menu

Additional small venue restaurant. Larger pool.

Make the current forward whirlpool area for crew only, add another pax whirlpool on top deck forward. Bali-beds (a lá SeaDream)

 

Just a few ideas... :o

[xplrcrzn]

thulewx-According to the so-far unrealized rumours, you are largely on target-300-350 passengers, larger, all balcony suites, additional dining venue, etc. Names, if they exist, are still a secret but a naming contest by Seabourn (free cruise to the winner?) would be fun.

[xplrcrzn]

Rather than build new ships it might be cheaper to buy the ships of an existing cruiseline, shutting down the competition at the same time. Are there any likely candidates out there?

[Host Dan]

Rather than build new ships it might be cheaper to buy the ships of an existing cruiseline, shutting down the competition at the same time. Are there any likely candidates out there?

The only obvious competition is Silversea, and I doubt that they are for sale..

 

Host Dan

[blackbird71]

LOL thulewx evil minds think alike. I was just going to write this thread.... :eek:

 

Check out the Silver Whisper here 28,000 ton with 382 guest. Maybe a little too big but in the right neighborhood.

 

While I have NOT been on Seabourn, I have been on the Silver Whisper and RSSC Mariner. IMHO the Mariner is just too big. Silver Whisper like the sisters have the suites in the front of the ship with the public areas in the rear. I like that, with the exception of the front evalator on the Whisper that did not access the restaurant.

 

Adding to thulewx notes:

 

Add sound buffers to the main restaurant. The Whisper's restaurant was noisely, while the Mariner's with more guests was much quieter.

 

Add a Marina,, I like the idea of Marina Days.

 

Continue to put WiFi in all cabins, having to carry my powerbook to the back of the Whisper to a hot spot was a pain.

 

Keep the "Sky Bar" from the looks of it I like it better than the pool bar on the Mariner/Whisper.

 

I like the glass evalators on the Mariner over the standard type on the Whisper.

 

I like the extra room in the cabinet on the Whisper around the refrig. for storage of extra bottles of water and coke.

 

Design the entertainment center/writing desk like the ones on the the Mariner/Whisper.

[Martita B.]

I believe the idea of buying ships in lieu of building new ones was

"rumored" a couple of years ago.....but the "powers" decided, NEW ships.

My preference would be no more than 350 suites, and 250 crew.

MB

[xplrcrzn]

Martita-The "delay" in announcing the new ships may mean the "powers" are revisiting the "buy" option before making a final decision to build. See what your "sources" think is going on.

[blackbird71]

I believe the idea of buying ships in lieu of building new ones was

"rumored" a couple of years ago.....but the "powers" decided, NEW ships.

My preference would be no more than 350 suites, and 250 crew.

 

MB

 

So you are talking the 50,000 ton size like RSSC Mariner/Voyager....

 

IMHO too big.... 700 pax is too many IMHO for the Seabourn style....

 

As a side note I do not know who owns the engineering plans for ships that are built, but there are plans for the RSSC Voyager and Silver Whisper/Shadow that could be changed for the Seabourn touch :)

[Martita B.]

I believe the decision was made a few months ago.....we're now just anxiously waiting for the announcement.

Names might be: Priviledge and Princedom

MB

[PeaSea8ch]

For more ideas, click on the link below and go to page 5 and scroll to post numbers 97 through 112.

 

[thread]342599[/thread]

[Keith1010]

My biggest recommendation is to keep the size of the ships at the smaller end of the spectrum while ensuring that the ships are large enough so that the line remains profitable.

 

Personally, whether there are two lounges or one lounge, 270 square foot suites or 350 square foot suites, this size tv or that size tv, three restaurants or two restaurants, etc, etc. are not as important to me as the uniqueness of this line as having ships that have a nice ratio of crew to passengers's and carry a reasonable number of passenger's to make cruising with Seabourn an intimate experience where you continue to feel like you are on a Yacht rather than a Large Cruise Ship.

 

What made our first cruise with Seabourn so memorable was the outstanding service from the staff and the closeness developed between passenger's and crew alike and I think that the key to all of this is the size of the ships. If the ships carry too many people, then you lose some of the uniqueness that exists today.

 

So, I would prefer to see a maximum of 350 passenger's and possibly less if that would work for the line.

 

Keith

[wripro]

I can't imagine Seabourn going with anything over 350 passengers. Remember the Seabourn Sun. that carried 700 and everyone who sailed on her said it was not Seabourn.

[bldsld]

If the ship is along the lines of Silversea's Whisper and Shadow, it will be absolutely gorgeous. Add to that the wonderful Seabourn service, and it should put SS out of business, or at least cause them some real pain.

[T&T Vikings]

Hi,

 

I have seen a lot of wishfull thinking here--but I do not believe they (Seabourn ) will change to mutch of their proven and so fare succes concept with smaller yachtlike ships which can operate close to shore and go places the bigger cant do.

But in the end of the day, they have to make money, so who nows ?

[blackbird71]

If the ship is along the lines of Silversea's Whisper and Shadow, it will be absolutely gorgeous. Add to that the wonderful Seabourn service, and it should put SS out of business, or at least cause them some real pain.

 

I love the Whisper size ships :)..

 

As for Seabourn hurting Silverseas, none of the first time Silversea's pax on my 4 day sampler cruise booked again on Silverseas and I cancelled my 9 day Caribbean cruise with them and replaced it with my Pride cruise. IMHO SS has a major problem with quality control on their ships.

[bldsld]

I love the Whisper size ships :)..

 

As for Seabourn hurting Silverseas, none of the first time Silversea's pax on my 4 day sampler cruise booked again on Silverseas and I cancelled my 9 day Caribbean cruise with them and replaced it with my Pride cruise. IMHO SS has a major problem with quality control on their ships.

 

I agree completely. Silversea is spotty when it comes to service and food, hit or miss from cruise to cruise. There's just not enough consistency in the overall product, which is why I prefer Seabourn all around.

 

Denyse

[sue marco]

We've never tried SS - but from what I have read here, I don't think that I would. And why would we when Seabourn is so great. Hopefully with new ships we would get more variety on itineraries - I'd love to do South Africa and also more of the Pacific. And just imagine a Seabourn World Cruise - what bliss that would be. Shall I start making Jeff live on bread and water for the next two years, and salt away the proceeds just in case they do??:rolleyes: As far as names, I think that Seabourn Serenity has a nice ring to it. Or Seabourn Splendour. What a good idea it would be if the powers that be actually did offer free cruises to whoever thought of the names - it would be sure to cost them a lot less than having an advertising agency do a whole project on it! I can just see an advertising agency lurking on this board to get our good ideas.:eek: And then getting paid for it! Getting the new ships will be exciting - not least because lots of people will run over to them, and then we'll get lots of lovely discounted fares on the three sisters. Just as long as they don't scrap or sell them - imagine our lovely ladies being turned over to some fourth rate cheap cruise line.:mad: :mad: I for one would definitely shed many tears. Sue.

[sue marco]

Just read in the paper that the price of fuel is affecting Carnival's profits negatively! Maybe that will affect our new ships possibility negatively as well. Any thoughts? I'm just happy as a clam with the "old" three anyway.:D Sue.

[PeaSea8ch]

I have been waiting for the other foot to drop. Carnival Corp. has a lot of tonnage under construction with ship deliveries spread out over several years. Since these new ships will need fuel to accomplish their mission, long-term increased fuel prices will have an effect on the corporations bottom line. I am certain Carnival Corp. executives are scrutinizing the forecasted oil prices for the next 12 and 24 months and basing their cash-flow business decisions on the information available. If there is any effect on possible sisters for the triplets, I see it only as a delay in the start of the project. However, if the ship builders are feeling the pain, the loss of business may inspire the builders to reduce prices to get work in the yard and that might be good for Carnival (Seabourn).

 

Continued high oil prices will have an effect on cruise fares, IMHO. I remember during the Arab Oil Embargo in 1973 – 74 and we had gasoline rationing in the US, the cruise lines were assessing fuel cost surcharges even after final payment because fuel costs were so volatile at the time. However, airfare increases during that period were more inflation induced that fuel cost induced and tours with air travel included were not surcharged. Jet fuel is at the low molecular weight “high octane” end of the crude oil spectrum. Jet fuel is primarily kerosene and is distilled as part of the crude oil refining process. It has to be separated and removed to manufacture the higher molecular weight products like gasoline, diesel (for the ship’s engines), lubricating oils (to keep things running smoothly) and finally the bunker oil for firing the boilers to generate steam for electrical and mechanical power generation. Rule of thumb: the crude oil products with higher molecular weights are more costly to produce. Hence, in times of high crude oil prices, jet fuel costs tend to be flat while the other products tend to fluctuate upward.

[SantaAna,CA]

I like the passenger size of Seabourn as is. That's why I chose it after cruising on Holland America's Amsterdam, which is a very, very beautiful ship....but was a little too crowded for me. So I wouldn't increase the size of the ship, even if it meant a few more perks.

 

The thing I would like to see, and probably only available if they did increase the ship size, would be a larger pool, and better placement of it. I didn't like deck 7 for sitting around since the sightlines out to the ocean are completely blocked by the lifeboats! Like the OP on this thread, I'd love to see some of those balinese beds that I spied on the SeaDream ships. But nooooooo, don't take out my access to the bow and whirlpool on deck 5...I spent a LOT of time out there! As to ship names, you got me. Since Seabourn hails from the Bahamas, maybe borrowing an island name? Or how about "The Spoiler". Since, once you sail on it...that's it on you!

 

Jane :)

[JaneBP]

>"If you were consulted about 2 new-builds for Seabourn, what would you name them?"

 

Consiering recent events, how about SS Champions or SS Miami Heat?

 

Jane, figuring SS Shaq and Dwyane is a bit too casual.

[CruisinMatt]

The rumor was that the new ships were to be announced in May - It's now almost July. Does anyone have a new rumor with an updated announcement date? ;)

(or have they been announced and I missed it? :rolleyes: )

[blackbird71]

The rumor was that the new ships were to be announced in May - It's now almost July. Does anyone have a new rumor with an updated announcement date? ;)

(or have they been announced and I missed it? :rolleyes: )

 

May in what year :D:D Now I better go

[Martita B.]

Jane,

Since "our Uncle Micky" (Arison) owns the Miami Heat I'm sure he'd vote for either of those names!

I was happy they they beat Dallas......I'm a big Spurs fan!

As to the new ships announcement......I hear it's coming! 'Perhaps "they" are waiting to see what the Euro/Dollar is going to do. Guess we'll just need to have a little patience.

MB

[xplrcrzn]

I noticed that the "Seabourn News" section of the Seabourn website hasn't had a new posting in over three months. The company seems to be in a holding pattern.