Pride: Lisbon-Rome Easter 2007 President's cruise

[blackbird71]

Hi Granny,

"Svetlana" is the alter ego of Assistant Cruise Director Simon Davey. I enjoyed her performances and she even came to help out at Trivia one day!

 

I am not sure, but it sounds like this team from Norm's Legend show. :)

 

[Iamboatman]

No one should be discouraged from posting and no one has been.

 

The OP stated that Pam socialized and dined with guests. Nowhere did it say she did not attend the cocktail party. Where'd that come from?

 

While I find town hall meetings inappropriate on Seabourn (for a number of reasons) and, as I inferred, a "lecture" on the new ships would be perceived as being little more than an insulting promo (read my Cunard President's Queen Victoria presentation comment), I asked "What is the expectation of people on a President's Cruise; especially when nothing special is being promoted?"

 

I also noted that the slaps at Seabourn vis-a-vis Gibraltar and Valencia skewed my view of the OP's comments as those seemed, to me, to be a bit unfair and dare I say inappropriately weighted in favor of a couple of negative comments (versus the 200+ other persons who either were positive or had no comment). Just my way of looking at things and weighing the other comments.

 

New poster or old poster, it doesn't matter. What matters to me is the content of the posts...including mine.;)

[Iamboatman]

After some research I understand that Pam actually attended a number of cocktail parties and also hosted a Q&A session.

 

Can anyone on the cruise let me know if my information is incorrect?

[xplrcrzn]

I believe the name of this website is "Cruise Critic," not "Cruiseline Advocate." Thus, well-meaning, helpful criticism of a cruise or cruiseline should be welcome, not discouraged. CC allows TAs to post because they may have "useful" information. Fair enough. However, some TAs have also made it clear that they think critical info about a cruiseline may discourage their clients from booking a cruise. Posters, particularly "newbies," should take this into account when reviewing, reacting to, or responding to posts.

[CruisinMatt]

Sveltana looks hilarious - too bad she went overboard. She doesn't seem any different than Eric De Gray's cousin (what's the name?).

 

Is Simon still on the Pride?

[buzzland]

I heard that Svetlana's alter-ego is now sailing on the Spirit. Can anyone confirm this?

[Iamboatman]

I believe the name of this website is "Cruise Critic," not "Cruiseline Advocate." Thus, well-meaning, helpful criticism of a cruise or cruiseline should be welcome, not discouraged. CC allows TAs to post because they may have "useful" information. Fair enough. However, some TAs have also made it clear that they think critical info about a cruiseline may discourage their clients from booking a cruise. Posters, particularly "newbies," should take this into account when reviewing, reacting to, or responding to posts.

 

My agreement with a poster carries no more weight than my disagreement with one. Similarly, posters that post just to complain carry no more weight than those that just post to cheer.

 

My comments are based upon what I believe; not illogical motives. (Does one really think my motive is to drive sales to Seabourn when I am, at times, divisive? That would make other TAs business pretty easy as I chase it away!;) ) Call it the lawyer in me, but I try to read and analyze properly...and when Seabourn misses the mark, I say so.

 

I think the OP's comments on the whole were skewed a bit and I have every right to say it provided, as I have done, it is respectfully and logically. If one disagrees with my perspective, fine. But improvident personal attacks as the sole basis for same...seriously.:eek:

 

So what is it that Seabourn should have on a President's Cruise anyway? Cocktail parties? Dinner with the president? Q&A sessions? What???:confused:

[Seabourn-nail]

May I give my opinion too?

 

I think there should not be "a presidents cruise", named as such. Pam (with full respect by the way) is just visiting one of the divisions of the Company that she is the chairman of. In this case A SHIP. If it is for pleasure or different reasons, I see no opportunity for her to be involved in passenger meetings. Not that she is not allowed to; presidents of factories or multinationals sometimes mingle with their personal too.

I just mean, it is no big deal! I am saying this only as a guest who has cruised quite a few days. Once we cruised together with a rather famous Dutch singer and she and her husband seemed quite lonely. A lot of Dutch people were on board and nobody did talk to the singer. When I finally did talk to her, she told me that it often happened that people avoided them because they didn't want to "bother" them. Whereas she did like the company of people now and again! "Live and let live", but don't overdo it - that's my idea. (Spelling check agrees with me; that is one!)

[lord of the seas]

 

 

So what is it that Seabourn should have on a President's Cruise anyway? Cocktail parties? Dinner with the president? Q&A sessions? What???:confused:

 

Well Eric I believe that the cruise should be the same as any other Seabourn cruise,Service,Style,Enjoyment for all,it just happens to have a company representative on board that is higher up the ladder than all the other wonderful company representatives that work on it day in and day out.

[Iamboatman]

Personally, I agree wholeheartedly with you, My Lord.

[ltsally]

There are some here who are "beating the messenger" insofar as the comments about the cruise ports. OP was 'reporting' the feelings of others on board - ".. a few of the destinations were a disappointment for some of the guests." That's NOT expressing her own complaint about the choice of ports.

[PeaSea8ch]

Hi CruisinMatt and Buzzland,

My understanding is that the current Pride entertainment team of CD Helga and ACDs Simon and Kami which boarded the Pride for the crossing on 3/19 will be relieved on May 12 by CD Jan Stearman and ACDs David E. and Marla Sanders. I do not know where Helga, Kami and Simon are off to next.

[johnnycruise]

PeaSea8ch,

 

Is Svetlana related to Borat? The misaligned dark socks and rubber gloves really take the cake. Did she sing or just do a monologue?

 

johnny

[PeaSea8ch]

Johnny,

 

I do not know if Svetlana is related to Borat. With her heavy Russian accent, I might not have picked up on all her personal details. I only saw her doing monologues and "Svetlana normal" bantering during Trivia. However, if someone invited her to have drinks at The Club, after drinking a fifth of Vodka, she might sing as well as Natasha! :p

[GrannyLorr]

Well we didn't have Svetlana on the Spirit, but did have Sister Agnes and Sister Lydia, I believe there was a complaint about them, especially at Easter, but we thought they were hilarious! Sister Lydia did a wonderful rendition of "Maria" from Sound of Music.......no idea who the interloper is in the centre!

Sister Lydia aka Matthew Brown hosted a table one night, and 2 of his guests arrived dressed as nuns......

 

 

 

[Jaffa]

My understanding of presidents cruises from other lines, sorry l can not comment on seabourn, is that it is just as important behind the scenes as it is in front of the passengers.

 

It is a chance for the company president to get down into the coal face for some direct contact with both officers AND crew, not only for direct feedback but also to see company policy and process at work.

It would be a reasonable asumption that there would be much about her visit that the public would never see.

I know for a fact on Silversea the president conducts a full ship inspection and meets each and every crew member and holds a meeting with each dept for direct feedback on operations and policy/process.

 

I would also assume it would be very good for ship/crew morale in being able to show their pride for their individual ship and workplace.

 

Other spin off's that l know friends who have taken a president cruise expect is an overall improvement in service and food and ship cleanliness and maintenance. President cruises have a tendency to shake out the cobwebs and refocus the crew on the job at hand

 

I was also told that at the presidents instuction a fine wine was bought on board and served unopened with a short personally signed letter to all suites on the final formal night as a thanks and recognition gift

 

With the president on board one would assume all dept's on board would not want "theirs" to let the team down, so extra attention to detail should be seen all round.

 

I know on Silversea the presidents cruises useually involve a "company update" and "future directions" lectures and talks as well as a presidents coctail party

The president also hosted several private dinners onboard for "very frequent" passengers with over 300 days and presented some awards and prizes to several crew and officers for outstanding and length of service.

[GrannyLorr]

Other spin off's that l know friends who have taken a president cruise expect is an overall improvement in service and food and ship cleanliness and maintenance. President cruises have a tendency to shake out the cobwebs and refocus the crew on the job at hand

With the president on board one would assume all dept's on board would not want "theirs" to let the team down, so extra attention to detail should be seen all round.

 

I have only sailed Seabourn once...but it was a looooooooong cruise......I doubt it would be possible for the crew to improve too much......my husband made many comments during our cruise, that if his employees had been as hard working and as dedicated as the Spirits crew, he would be a very rich man.......:(

[Iamboatman]

I agree.

 

The reality is that the Seabourn staff and crew might tend to be a little less rather than a little more with the top brass around. When people do their jobs as well as these people do, the "eyes" can actually put them off their game a bit.

[SandyK1968]

I see that my original post has, unintentionally, stirred up a hornet's nest.

 

If you read what is written carefully, you will note that I was responding (when commenting on the President) to a specific question posted by another cruise critic as to what "made" this voyage the President's cruise.

 

I had booked long before the cruise was billed as involving the President and , as I have made clear,I have no issue with the President, personally. From my perspective , she was invisible ( I had to ask someone which of the passengers was the President at the end of the voyage). That may well be my fault as I am not one who is inclined to participate in the various cocktail parties etc to which one is invited. To conclude this issue, when asked what made this the President's cruise, I could only offer my own biased view, which is that the President's presence added nothing to my cruise. That is not to say that the President was disliked or unappreciated by those who did meet her - quite the contrary as I wrote earlier.

 

I do think that certain posters might have shown me the courtesy of reading what I wrote before suggesting that I "blamed" Seabourn for the ports;I only reported what I had heard from others passengers. Frankly I love the Seabourn vessels and their crew so much that I am happy never to get off, hence my preference for sea days.

 

I am pleased to read that at least one other poster appreciates the fact that constructive (and not personal) criticism should be welcomed by the industry, especially by a cruise line that is towards the top end of the market. Like most passengers I vote with my feet and am eager to book my next Seabourn voyage.

 

Thank you for the warm welcome to this forum offered by most of you!

 

I look forward to reading your various experiences, good, bad or indifferent.

[Seabourn-nail]

Well said Sandy from Wales!

I totally agree with you. And I love Seabourn too, with or without president. Ports or no ports at all. I'm glad you do feel welcome.

Marja