Cruise Ship Reviews : Seabourn Reviews
truthfight saw things this way:
Beware of paying for balcony suites, September 10, 2012
Reviewer: truthfight
Pros: Some excellent wines and premium liquors, much of the food very good.
Cons: Long times for dinners in main restaurant; useless balcony.
Date of cruise: August 26, 2012
Departure port: Rome
Region visited: Mediterranean
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 212
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Consumers have every right to expect a lot from a top-rated, expensive cruise line that sells its six-star and intimate luxury status. Seabourn cruises have been around for a long time, successfully catering to couples who can afford to spend upwards of $10,000 for a week or ten-day cruise. There are very wealthy people who seem to be addicted to cruising. My first conversation on my first Seabourn cruise was a guy who had spent over 800 days on Seabourn cruises, for example. A number of couples had already been on the ship for a ten-day cruise and others were staying on for another cruise. Although there were many very positive aspects to our first Seabourn Legend cruise along the Italian, French and Spanish Rivieras, I became and remain angry about what I and other first-timers felt was an expensive scam perpetrated by Seabourn. There are smaller Seabourn cruise ships that charge higher prices for "balcony suites." Here is all the text found on the Seabourn website about the balcony: "All Balcony Suites feature doors opening to fresh sea breezes from a private mini-balcony." I supposed the term mini-balcony indicated a small balcony, but what we discovered was a shock. Turns out the mini-balcony is just a few inches wide, hardly enough to even stand comfortably on it. In checking the term "balcony" on Wikipedia this is the most relevant type of balcony to accurately understand the Seabourn mini-balcony: "A French balcony is actually a false balcony, with doors that open to a railing with a view of the courtyard or the surrounding scenery below." Yes, the mini Seabourn balcony is, indeed, a false balcony. Sadly, this false balcony costs thousands of dollars more than suites with just large picture windows. Another negative is that there is a large plastic shield on the false balcony that is not in the best shape, making it difficult to see clearly when the doors are open . Every person on board that I brought this subject up with agreed that the expensive false balcony was basically a fraud. The best travel agents should, of course, inform their clients that the Seabourn balcony is a false one offering little utility or benefits. Mine did not do this. It should be noted that Seabourn and other cruise lines usually use the term verandah to describe true balconies on which you can sit on chairs and enjoy the scenic views. Previously, on a Regent Seven Seas cruise, such a verandah was enjoyed. A little irony to this situation is that Seabourn proudly notes on its website that for 2012 it has received inclusion in a list of the The World's Most Ethical Companies. This is a designation from an independent group that recognizes companies that truly go beyond making statements about doing business "ethically" and translate those words into action. Based on the incomplete information provided by Seabourn on its expensive balcony suites I do not believe that the company merits this designation. Truly ethical behavior would require that Seabourn describe this class of cabin suites as French Balcony Suites and perhaps a few words revealing that people could not readily stand or sit on this false balcony.
Seabourn Legend reviews
Average customer rating:
3.13 / 5
3.13 / 5Average Rating based on 1 Review:
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truthfight saw things this way:
Value For Money
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
Cabin Design
Entertainment
Fitness Center
Food Quality
Ship Maintenance
Specialty Restaurant
Staff and Service
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Beware of paying for balcony suites, September 10, 2012
Reviewer: truthfight
Pros: Some excellent wines and premium liquors, much of the food very good.
Cons: Long times for dinners in main restaurant; useless balcony.
Date of cruise: August 26, 2012
Departure port: Rome
Region visited: Mediterranean
Cabin category: Balcony
Cabin number: 212
Good for children: No
Good for teenagers: No
Consumers have every right to expect a lot from a top-rated, expensive cruise line that sells its six-star and intimate luxury status. Seabourn cruises have been around for a long time, successfully catering to couples who can afford to spend upwards of $10,000 for a week or ten-day cruise. There are very wealthy people who seem to be addicted to cruising. My first conversation on my first Seabourn cruise was a guy who had spent over 800 days on Seabourn cruises, for example. A number of couples had already been on the ship for a ten-day cruise and others were staying on for another cruise. Although there were many very positive aspects to our first Seabourn Legend cruise along the Italian, French and Spanish Rivieras, I became and remain angry about what I and other first-timers felt was an expensive scam perpetrated by Seabourn. There are smaller Seabourn cruise ships that charge higher prices for "balcony suites." Here is all the text found on the Seabourn website about the balcony: "All Balcony Suites feature doors opening to fresh sea breezes from a private mini-balcony." I supposed the term mini-balcony indicated a small balcony, but what we discovered was a shock. Turns out the mini-balcony is just a few inches wide, hardly enough to even stand comfortably on it. In checking the term "balcony" on Wikipedia this is the most relevant type of balcony to accurately understand the Seabourn mini-balcony: "A French balcony is actually a false balcony, with doors that open to a railing with a view of the courtyard or the surrounding scenery below." Yes, the mini Seabourn balcony is, indeed, a false balcony. Sadly, this false balcony costs thousands of dollars more than suites with just large picture windows. Another negative is that there is a large plastic shield on the false balcony that is not in the best shape, making it difficult to see clearly when the doors are open . Every person on board that I brought this subject up with agreed that the expensive false balcony was basically a fraud. The best travel agents should, of course, inform their clients that the Seabourn balcony is a false one offering little utility or benefits. Mine did not do this. It should be noted that Seabourn and other cruise lines usually use the term verandah to describe true balconies on which you can sit on chairs and enjoy the scenic views. Previously, on a Regent Seven Seas cruise, such a verandah was enjoyed. A little irony to this situation is that Seabourn proudly notes on its website that for 2012 it has received inclusion in a list of the The World's Most Ethical Companies. This is a designation from an independent group that recognizes companies that truly go beyond making statements about doing business "ethically" and translate those words into action. Based on the incomplete information provided by Seabourn on its expensive balcony suites I do not believe that the company merits this designation. Truly ethical behavior would require that Seabourn describe this class of cabin suites as French Balcony Suites and perhaps a few words revealing that people could not readily stand or sit on this false balcony.
