US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898) UK: 020 8133 3450 AUS: (07) 3102 4685 Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-9232
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898) UK: 020 8133 3450 AUS: (07) 3102 4685 Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-9232
– Avalon Myanmar – Myanmar River Cruise – April 2017
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part VI (Kya Hnyat to Kyauk Myaung)
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar – Part IX (The Ship: Avalon Myanmar)
Avalon Waterways – Myanmar (Burma) – Reflections: “Isn’t This Amazing!?”
*Azamara Club Cruises – Azamara Journey – Singapore to Dubai (April 8, 2018)
* Azamara Quest – Southeast Asia and Japan (February 2015)
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Part I
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part II
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part III
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? Part IV
– How Close to Luxury Can Celebrity’s Smallest Ship Get? – Some Final Observations and Thoughts
– The Prologue to the Travelogue
– The Adventure Begins…With a Bump or Two
– Settling In Made Easy
– Luxury Touches Here, There and OK, Not, Everywhere…But There Are Lots of Them!
– Asian Flair Onboard and On Shore
– Private Tours, Israel and Conflicts in Perceptions and Perspective
Celebrity Equinox 2009 – Egypt…Impressive and Depressing
– Dining With the Captain and the Reidel Wine Seminar
– The Last Dinner (Tuscan Grille) and Disembarkation
– What Happens When A Class Act Meets Highly Discounted Cruise Fare
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part I
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part II
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part III
– Lisbon to Monaco: Crystal As a “Move Up” & “Move Over” Luxury Option – Part IV (Food & Wine!)
– Princess Cruises Doesn’t Treat You Like Royalty; Celebrity Cruises Does! Which is a Better Value for the Upscale Cruise Guest? Part I
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. -Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part II: The Standard Veranda Staterooms
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part III: Treating You Right From The Start
– Celebrity Silhouette vs. Royal Princess – Which Is A Better Value For The Upscale Cruise Guest? Part IV: The Wine Lists Speak Volumes (As Do The Beverage Packages)
Regent Seven Seas Voyager – August 2017
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part I
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part II (Getting There, The Stateroom and First Impressions)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part III (“You Can’t Teach Five Star Service” and Bonafacio, Corsica)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part IV (Calvi, Monaco, Portofino, Porto Azzurro…and Stale Bread)
– Italy and Corisca 2014 – Part V (My Last Day…and How The Chef’s Team Makes It Happen)
I received an email from a client today…a former Regent devotee….who just returned from another Seabourn cruise. She wrote, in part:
I have listened for years about how wonderful Regent Seven Seas was and how, absent a balcony, the Regent devotees would never try Seabourn. And for years I have said that the service and cuisine, as well as the yacht-like size of the Seabourn triplets, more than makes up for the lack of true balconies. But the staunch (dare I say irrational…even militant) devotion to Regent remained and there wasn’t a thing I could do to convince these folks that Seabourn was just plain better: Better service, better cuisine and better ports of call.
Ironically, it seems that the changes to Regent Seven Seas have been such that those devotees (even the militant ones) are looking elsewhere…and Seabourn is obviously one of those cruise lines. And, truth be told, while I have been waiting for the irrational complaints (after years of reading and hearing them from these folks who have never stepped aboard The Yachts of Seabourn), I think I am a surprised as they are.
One poster, who comments on multiple message boards, just wrote, “For being a first timer here on Seabourn, we are quite impressed. The food and service has been impeccable. We haven’t missed the balcony (surprise, surprise) as the sliding glass door allows the same view we would have with a normal balcony door closed. We do open the door sometimes for the sea breeze and the French balcony does allow you to step out for fresh air but much too small for any furniture”.
Another first timer to Seabourn – while not thrilled with the triplet’s pool (who is?) wrote yesterday, in part, “Absolutely love our cabin and the service has been perfect so far…Am loving the inside venues. Always quiet places with views and superb drink service…So far, a fantastic trip.”
In this time of challenges to the cruise industry, Regent has take the approach of charging more, reducing service, limiting menu offerings and then claiming that the tours and air are “free”. Seabourn has taken a different approach: It provides excellent pricing and, get this, refuses to compromise on service and cuisine. Not a marketing gimmick in sight.
So if you are considering a cruise, but feel the balcony is the only thing stopping you from trying out one of the Seabourn triplets or you think that all so-called luxury lines are similar, you don’t have to listen to me. Listen to the diehard skeptics. (And, truth be told, it is music to my ears!)
Goldring Travel LLC
12177 Business Park Drive, Suite 6, Truckee, California 96161
US: (877) 2GO-LUXURY (877-246-5898)
UK: 020 8133 3450
AUS: (07) 3102 4685
Everywhere Else: +1 530-562-9232
Email: info@goldringtravel.com