Greg was doing some research and found this perfect Med itinerary for 2007 - but it's on Seabourn. We had a Silversea Med cruise booked for May 2007 but we canceled, because we thought we might get an on-board booking discount with Regent when we sail the PG next month. Regent's Med sailings look OK too, but the Seabourn one Greg found looks ideal - we want to take in Europe one small section at a time (never been!), and first, we want to do strictly Greece & Italy, with the cruise starting/ending in Athens/Rome.

So...has anyone here sailed Seabourn? I guess they don't have true balconies, only French ones...but the service is supposed to be second to none?

I personally think I would go stir crazy without being able to walk out to, and enjoy my morning tea on, an actual real balcony. But if anyone can convince me otherwise, I'd try Seabourn!?

I responded to a similar post on another thread. The lack of functinoal balconies is a deal-breaker for us, so we live in hope of a new build with balconies and the same devotion to quality and service we found on Seabourn. We LOVED our time on that line. (Then we found RSSC with those beautiful balconies!)

The issue is really different for each person. I have not been on Seabourn for several years to have an opinion that is current.

Seabourn offers a smaller ship environment. There are some real positives to this and then some drawbacks.

The service can be better on a smaller ship, I think this was evidenced on the Radisson SONG OF FLOWER that got rave reviews although the actual ship was nothing. It was all about service and what a very small ship can do that a 500 - 700 passenger ship cannot. Getting into small ports and loading and unloading is so easy are two of the things that immediately come to mind. Meeting fellow cruisers is easier on a small ship, less choice, but easier. You see the same people all the time.

On the other hand you lose the bigger suites, the balconies, the variety of dining options, and just many of the amenities a ship can offer if it has more space and passengers.

The suites are a big drawback for me too. No balconies, smaller closet, I find the bathroom tight, the TV is so low down you cant see it from the bed, (I like TV - you may never watch it). I just dont like the cabins in comparison to Silversea and Regent. Important for some not for others.

The other problem unless they have changed this in some way is the casual restaurant for breakfast you have to go outside to get there. Fine if the weather is good, a pain if it is not. I was blown away many times in the morning. I loved that restaurant it was just getting there was the problem.

Seabourn or Regent either will offer you a wonderful cruise experience - just different.

Ngaire - you are so right! I had forgotten about the TV issue - and I do watch TV.

And as to cabin size I'm so spoiled now that I book C or above on the Mariner so I'm not giving up too much space compared with Navigator/Voyager.

I wish I had had the chance to sail on both the Song of Flower and the Diamond - all the memories I read about here tell me they were very special ships!

We have cruised Seabourn and Regent and we love both, for different reasons. Regent has lovely ships and suites and good entertainment and activities, and excellent service. Seabourn has amazing service. It really is the attitude of the staff that makes it special. You feel you are a guest on a private yacht. Everyone is personable and fun, and you quickly get to know everyone on the ship. For port intensive European itineraries Seabourn is wonderful, especially in the Mediterranean where the ships can visit small intimate ports.

However, if there are a lot of sea days, I prefer a larger ship with many more options. For example, I love Regent’s enrichment lectures on sea days, and there is much more variety of entertainment.

On our first Seabourn cruise we had a “balcony” which is really a sliding door that opens up the suite. We opened ours while having breakfast in the suite and loved hearing the sea, but we do not think the doors are worth the extra money. Since the ships are small you never have to go far to be outside and there is a terrific outside bar on the top of the ship where people gather during the day and night.

I need to warn the women, though, that on Seabourn your in-suite breakfast is usually delivered by a very handsome man. For me this meant I could not just jump out of bed to answer the door.

Merril

Thanks for the feedback, all - this is great information. Is it just me, or are their fares a bit too high for having small suites/no true balconies? The service must be absolutely phenomenal.

We'll definitely keep Seabourn in mind, anyway!

As Early Retiree said earlier, those are the reasons we like Seabourn and Regent. We currently have only 45 days on Regent but will add another 15 days on the November, Mariner, Sydney to Auckland. Regent is perfect for at-sea days with their wonderful cabins, balconies and bathrooms.

However we will be going on a fifteen day trip Copenhagen to London this August-September on Seabourn. Honestly, I can't wait to be on this voyage and to be completely pampered by the excellent service par none. We love going into the smaller ports too and the other passengers (majority) are down to earth, enjoyable to meet, and great to spend time with. We very seldom spend time in the room and we have not missed a balcony. I am sure this can be equated to the Song of Flower days.

The fares are not that much higher than Regent. Our cruise to the fjiords was booked more than a year ago. Because of the early booking we were able to get in at rate less than the Regent fjiord cruise. It is true they are capacity controlled and for us to book the same room now is $3000 more.

The ports offered by Seabourn are very interesting. Next year we are looking forward to their fifteen day cruise Dubai to Alexandria at a very fair fare of $4500 per person followed by a fifteen day trip in August 07 through some of the Greek Isles and Croatia. Again, an early booking. So.....not always are the fares higher.

To restate, we love both lines. Saying, you wouldn't try Seabourn because of 'no true balconies' is depriving you of a truly wonderful experience.

Now, on to our excitement with future trips on both lines.

dd@sea, thank you! It's terrific that you are getting such savings by booking early! We saw that Seabourn even has some 2008 itineraries posted already?!

What category of suite do you book? Have you experienced the different categories to compare?

Believe me, we have not ruled SB out! :)

I just got off the Seabourn Legend a week ago. The whole balcony thing doesn't bother me because I like to be up on deck at the Sky Bar socialzing. However, Chester likes to sit in the cabin and read. He doesn't mind the french balconies at all. He says he prefers sitting on the couch reading with the doors open, it turns your whole cabin into a balcony. He would rather lounge on the couch than sit on a plastic chair on a balcony. I love having the doors open too. We keep them open the whole time we are on the cruise.
The ships were recently refurbished. They now have flat screen T.V.s up high instead of down on the floor. They are much easier to watch.

Now that is good news about the TV's that will make a world of difference. Smart move on their part.

Interesting that they let you keep your doors open. I seem to remember on Diamond, they asked that you keep your balcony doors closed, so that the air-conditioning didn't get messed up. Having an open door would definitely be a nice bonus.

As I said in a different thread, it would be the small ship that would sell me on Seabourn.

Hi Kristin,
Yes, we have experienced three different cabins on different decks. To be honest, each cabin is the same regardless of location, with the exception of the a few larger suites. The 'step out balcony' is perfect for feeling the fresh air but then again the suites without balconies have a perfectr 'window seat' to sit and view. The windows are quite large.

Regardless, Seabourn is a great line as is Regent, I believe.

A great advantage to Seabourn is that once you have sailed them you become a "club member" and qualify for 50% off selected sailings, of which there are quite a lot.


Club member value savings

editing to add this comparison I made last summer after my first RSSC cruise:

Overall impressions of RSCC vs. Seabourn:

Ship/activities/entertainment – RSCC – bigger & more recently built means more venues, options, amenities etc.
Suites – RSCC - balconies, better closets & storage, separate tub & shower. Balconies are not a deal maker/breaker for me though.
Officer/senior staff accessibility & friendliness - RSCC
Overall service – Seabourn. Although the service is wonderful on the Voyager, it is almost unbelievable on Seabourn – they all know your name by the 2nd day, remember your every little preference.
Food – edge to Seabourn, but again it was excellent on RSCC.
Shore excursions – Seabourn – we did an exotic/adventuous itinerary (Indonesia) so maybe an unfair comparison, but shore excursions were in 8 seater vans, not buses.
Itineraries - Seabourn

It is nice there are choices, I honestly believe no one cruise line can be perfect for everyone. We all have to find what suits us best. Itinerary can play a huge part in our choice also, as always "different strokes for different folks".

Julie, did you write a review yet of your Legend cruise and/or take pictures? I would love to learn more! Glad to hear the news about the TVs. I do watch TV occasionally while on vacation, I admit it!

Leslie, thanks for pointing out the club member savings - that's one thing that irritates me about Silversea - you become a Venetian member, but then their savings are only 5-10% off, and only on a VERY FEW select sailings. You have to reach the 100 day mark before you get 5% off every sailing. Also, Leslie, I appreciate your comparison to RSSC.

This is all great information, and I am definitely going to do some more research.

Kristin, I just posted a Seabourn Legend review in the cruise review section.

humm....sounds like there would be alot of room service orders...
where do I sign up?
lol :D