We did arrive a couple of days before the cruise in Buenos Aires. It is a fabulous city to visit and take in the shows. We have taken 5 cruises on this ship and we just love it. It has the perfect size and the best service and food ever offered in any other cruises. We were also very lucky because the weather was perfect during the whole cruise. I do not think these cruises have much to offer for children entertainment. This cruise was organized mostly to visit antartida in all its beauty. Seabourn had in every stateroom a fabulous jacket with lining which was excelent for everytime one got off the ship among the ice and the penguins. They also rented very comfortable boots . We also received a great backpack to carry everywhere. On board there were 20 additional staff members to help understand the land we were visiting ,its fauna ,weather etc. This personnel are all professionals in their fields and during the whole trip were giving talks in the main lounge or on the outside decks of the ships. They were also available for questions in all of the outings. Plain fantastic. The staterooms have a very comfortable size with a sofa for lounging around. The bathroom is of a comfortable size with excelent amenities . They would not allow any of the bottles to run out. The room was fixed in the mornings and also at night while we went to dinner. When we arrived at our cabin the first day there was a bottle of a delicious champagne bottle in ice. There was also a bottle of my favorite white wine in the refrigerator and a bowl of fresh fruits. Very welcoming. The food was always excelent in any of the diningrooms. They have many gourmet choices and also available were the basic dishes that some people prefer. All just delicious. I cant say enough about the excelent service at all of the diningrooms. All of the employees have been trained to cater to all of your whims and needs. You would meet the head chef everywhere walking around the restaurants and talking to the travelers. Very very lovely person. There is a fantastic restaurant on board handled by Tomas Keller. They do not have any extra cost but one does need a reservation to enjoy their wonderful food. I havenot mentioned the breakfast buffet the Colonade on the top floor with a marvelous view of the area we were cruising. It had choices for every ones idea of an excelent breakfast. You could also order whatever your heart desired. Before each meal both bars had music and singers just to have a drink and enjoy the company. We loved to be there from 6 to 7.30 and just relax. As everywhere on Seabourn ships, all drinks are free. They also have some canapes to enjoy with your drink. There were late afternoon parties on the pool deck with great music. A great way to mingle and meet new friends. We like to take all of the ship tours mostly because they offer what we want to see and we know we will be back on time for the ships sailing. They have chosen good sights and great places to have a snack or lunch all included in the price. The guides were all very good and spoke excelent English. I liked most of the lectures offered during the whole trip. The persons offering the lectures were also very knowledgeable. The 45 minute lecture was enough and after they all had some time for questions. I cannot say much about the shows on board, because we were always so tired and sleepy that we just went to bed. On this trip we used the zodiacs a great deal to go to land sightseeing. The organization and helpfulness to all of the passengers by the employees in this area is unbelievable. Always on time , always with a smile and always catering to every need. I personally enjoyed our cruise through the Chilean fjords the most. Many hours of cruising through some espectacular scenery. I cannot say enough about our marvelous experience on this cruise. Read Less

Ultra expedition to Antarctica.Experience of a lifetime. Expedition staff is one of the best in the industry. If you book your entire trip, including your flights, you will be well taken care with shuttle and minimum baggage handling on your part.Tours could be pricey, but well worth to enjoy the visits to all the scenic ports. Staff on ship will pamper you, meals are five stars and the program on board will enlighten you with their individual experience on the ice cap. The Antarctica landings will enlightened your experience with the dolphins, icebergs, PENGUINS, and seals. Sightings of whales and numerous inner channels will bring you with closeup to the landscape and tons of glaciers. No tourist shopping on the peninsula, but colonies of various penguins and graveyard of icebergs. All landings on the peninsula are by zodiacs (inflated special craft with outboard motor ) and will surely be wet. Kayaking is also provided for an added price. Read Less

Have wanted to do the Antarctic for ages. Already experienced Seabourn service so putting the two together was obvious. The service was at least as good as a Caribbean cruise we did last year and when you add to that a most impressive expedition team and organisation of Zodiac trips the whole experience was amazing. The itinerary started with a trip down the Chilean Coast encompassing interesting ports and the Chilean Fjords. This was a great introduction prior to the Antarctic Peninsula and got us used to the incredible sights we would see. Even though we were delayed leaving Ushuaia by 12 hours causing us to miss one Antarctic stop ( we had hurricane force winds in port ) that was really sensible and not to be criticised at all. The Antarctic section was probably a lifetime experience - three landing sites, two Zodiac safari days and a kayak experience were all terrific. After that we had an extra day in the Falklands before finishing in Buenos Aires via Montevideo. As for the rest of the Seabourn experience the food, service and onboard service were wonderful. We dined in all the Restaurants and enjoyed them. The Earth and Ocean option by the pool did some especially good meals and we also enjoyed the Japanese evening and the Ribs in the Collonade. The Grill was really good and well worth booking - it's Wagyu beef was stunning. Our suite stewardess couldn't do too much for us. We also enjoyed all the talks on board and took part in the interesting trivia quiz on sea days. Read Less

Our 5th Seabourn cruise, second on the Quest. We booked a guaranteed verandah suite and were not disappointed. The food and drink were typically of high quality and the service very good. Only disappointment was a dinner outside on the deck when the service was very slow and we just couldn’t be bothered to wait for dessert. I think they were just overwhelmed that night. One can get cabin fever during the 6 days in Antarctica when you are on terra firma (or ice) for only 90 min a day. I like getting off the ship and exploring, not really possible down there for obvious reasons. The Falklands were a welcome stop toward the end of the cruise and we had a long and spectacular walk from Port Stanley out to a beach (Gypsy Cove) where there are groups of Magellanic penguins. Don’t miss that. The expedition crew was mostly quite good, though sometimes it seemed it was more about their experience than ours. A birder named Joe Cockram was, exceptional, always accessible and friendly and his excitement was infectious. There was also an enthusiastic geologist who gave good, mind-stretching lectures. They give you a thumb drive at the end of the cruise which is good packed with information about the cruise, the history of Antarctica, the fauna and flora, a video of day by day sights and many pics. Fun to see it all and remember the excitement of seeing the first big berg, the Orcas, the glorious pink and gold sunsets (after 11 PM). This is a good way to see Antarctica, and, while $10K pp is expensive, it is far cheaper than a lot of expedition cruises, e.g., National Geographic. Read Less

The first leg of this journey was from Lima, Peru to Santiago, Chile. This first part was interesting but the protests, strikes, and safety concerns made some of the ports feel uninviting. We were onboard for Antarctica mainly and this cruise did not disappoint. Antarctica is one of the most spectacular places on the planet and to be able to kayak, walk on sea ice, photography wildlife, and experience the majestic beauty was life changing. I was reading the book Endurance while on the cruise and it made the Antarctic part of the journey even more exciting. The Quest is a nice size ship and has the best crew. Everyone was above and beyond in service and genuine friendliness. We enjoyed our time onboard so much we're already planning our return to Antarctica in a few years. If 30 days seems like too much for you, then fly into Santiago, Chile and start there. Read Less

This cruise was spectacular. We typically cruise Regent and have done Viking Ocean and Celebrity, but we can say without a doubt that this trip was over the top fabulous. The food was the best and most consistent we've had at sea, the service was impeccable, the ship was spotless, the ambience and care taken to every detail was amazing. We have never done a cooler weather cruise before but we were able to eat outside for most breakfasts and lunches due to the heaters and blankets provided. The stateroom was comparable in size and amenities to the Regent ships but we were worried that we had queen sized beds. If those were queens, they were larger than the standard. We were perfectly comfortable. Nearly every night our room stewardess would leave little surprises in addition to the chocolates--eye glass cleaners, a rose, etc. When I made a comment on a comment card about needing night lights, they appeared by bedtime in the room. The cast of singers and dancers were excellent and the guest entertainers were top notch as well. Everyone had high energy and were approachable. Oh, and I particularly enjoyed the Spa and their Dr. Andrew Weil wellness program. There were many complimentary classes and seminars of interest to me. Every day was different. We only took one Seabourn sponsored shore excursion and it was good. We usually booked our own private side trips in the ports we were most interested in. We did think the Seabourn excursions were very pricey but you'd have to ask the other guests if they were worth it. We never asked anyone. We would add that there could have been more excitement and music in the bars beginning at 6 or during the day sometimes around ship. The days were pretty quiet and the nightly show doesn't begin until 9:45 which is late if you have an early tour the next day. But over-all of the 4 of us travelling together who have silver and gold status on Regent, we all agreed Seabourn was a notch above. Great job Seabourn! And did I say how wonderful the Executive Chef Olivier was? He was everywhere engaging with guests, making sure they enjoyed every experience, creating amazing food events and surprises all cruise long. What a gem he is! We will be back! Read Less

There is much to like about Seabourn's fall foliage cruise provided you don't encounter a hurricane (Dorian) and have to forego Prince Edward Island and opt instead for 2 nights in St. John New Brunswick, an unscheduled port where it rained sideways. The captain was cautious, and when we read about the power outages in PEI and the hurricane-related problems in Halifax, we felt good about Seabourn. Highlights for us include: * Thomas Keller Grill (restaurant) * Earth and Ocean (restaurant) * Decent and copious amounts of complimentary wine at each meal * Top-shelf liquor, also complimentary, with a generous pour * Great service from staff, especially waiters and bartenders * Availability of early morning coffee, espresso and snacks (6:15 am!) Problematic issues for us include: * Deck 4 'suite' #433 - very close to service entrances and elevators with no balcony. Seabourn should forego the claustrophobic rooms on Deck 4 and re-purpose the space (only 30 rooms +/-) * Excursions were outrageously expensive. Full Stop. * Saguenay Fjords - advertised as the best in North America, which sounded terrific, were only visible at night. Seriously! The ship's lecture described the magnificence of the fjords, but then pointed out that it was too bad we wouldn't see them because it would be nighttime. * Cap Aux Meules - we're not sure why the ship stopped here unless they needed to restock. Very little to do and quite barren. * Evening dining doesn't begin until 7pm, offering no options but room service for guests who like to eat earlier and avoid going to bed with full tummies * And lastly, we thought the food (other than the Thomas Keller Grill and Earth and Ocean) was inconsitent. Fortunately there was a good salad bar and plenty of smoke salmon. We would urge Seabourn to adopt a Viking feature and offer sushi and sashimi at dinner. Read Less

We chose this cruise as a way to visit both Greenland and Nunavut. With our tickets, two weeks before departure, the itinerary stated that we would not be able to go ashore at any of the three stops in Nunavut. We did not look at the itinerary before boarding the ship - we thought we knew where we were going and had of course paid in full. We anchored in the harbour of Iqaliut for customs clearance. We were not alone in thinking we were visiting Iqaliut, only those that had gone through the itinerary issued with the tickets actually had any idea we would not be getting off the ship. We spent 8 days in a row on the ship - a total of 12 days at sea on a 24 day cruise. We would never have taken this cruise had we known it was not stopping in Nunavut. It was billed as an "adventure" cruise, but it felt like a trip to nowhere. We felt we had been totally misled by the line, and even though we have been on quite a number of cruises with the line, we would not have any confidence in the itinerary again. Excursions - The expensive trips by zodiac are a complete waste of money - we spent 20 minutes circling a rusted hull of a ship in Paamiut for no apparent reason; a trip in dense fog to see a rock called Lady Franklin Island where we lost one of the zodiacs and then, having found the lost zodiac, had to be guided back to the ship by the Bridge as the fog was so thick. Staff - The only reason for giving this cruise any rating is that the staff are, as has always been the case, just outstanding. They are friendly, make the effort to learn your name, and are always helping to make your time on board as comfortable as possible. Food - not as good as it used to be, but then they were clearly struggling with lack of supplies as we were at sea for so long. Lobsters were clearly off the menu and perhaps one of the cost-cutting exercises. The ship does offer a Lactose and Gluten free options, at least in the Colonnade Restaurant, for lunch. Room service is excellent and you can choose from the main restaurant menu during opening hours. Overall this is a nice ship to sail on, but as we only endure sea days in order to reach places we would find complicated to get to by air, this cruise was dreadfully disappointing and we feel completely misled by Seabourn as to the intended itinerary. I should add that none of the itinerary changes were due to weather conditions. Read Less

Our first Seabourn Cruise. We were on board for 45 days, Dover to Montreal via Scotland, Iceland, Greenland, Labrador. The Viking historical highlights were the Hvalsey church in Greenland and the Anse aux Meadows in Newfoundland. Sadly, the St. Kilda landing was scrubbed due to inclement weather. The scenic highlights were the fjords and glaciers of Prince Christian Sound, and the cultural highlights were Isle of Man, Reykjavik, and Nuuk (Greenland). Good itinerary, but we saw other, more nimble ships making the same calls (notably Ponant and Scenic), so there are alternatives to Seabourn. We were in cabin 826 (they call it a "suite") which is roomy with a generous balcony, but with what we consider design flaws. The TV is poorly positioned for comfortable viewing, the lighting for the table is not optimal, the closet is cramped. The twin sinks in the head are nice, but with a good shower, the bathtub is unnecessary, and uses space better allocated to the closet (the old "R" vessels have dressing room/closets which we much prefer). The vanity is well done. We were surprised that no binoculars were provided (as we had on Silversea), this on a cruise where icebergs, whales, polar bears, sea birds, and calving glaciers are spotted and watched. The common spaces are elegant and roomy. The six elevators run like a charm and one hardly ever waits for a ride, even when the crowd exits the shows or lectures. Tender shuttles, quay landings, and shore excursions were run very smoothly. The food is very elaborate, excessively so in our opinion. Lots of choices, but all of the gourmet "nouvelle" style, with rich sauces and elegantly presented. Plain dishes can be ordered from room service or at the patio restaurant, the latter being an uncomfortable place in the northern latitudes. Staff is extraordinarily attentive - room service comes very promptly, table service will see your plate whisked away as you put down your fork, your wine glass refilled while still two-thirds full. Our impression is that the obsession with delivering over-the-top service results in a somewhat tense and forced amiability on the part of the wait staff. The staff is drawn from a very diverse set of nationalities, a departure from the more cohesive crews of filipino or indonesian origin on other cruise lines, which we have found to be more relaxed and genuinely warm. The captain made daily detailed announcements about weather outlook and sailing status, and the attention to navigation and safety was very thorough. We were able to witness the bridge protocols on a port departure, and everything was conducted very carefully and by the book. Quiet competence and superb attention to safety. There is a striking schizophrenic aspect to the QUEST, originally designed for sailing warm waters and subsequently modified for high-latitude cruising: it is a deluxe ship trying to masquerade as a quasi-expedition platform. Of the 45-day cruise, no more than three of four were of shirtsleeve temperature with clear skies, yet every day the lounges around the pool were lined up with fresh towels (and thus forcing passengers to walk on a delaminating portion of the teak deck, rahter than on a safer path!). The outdoor restaurant provides infrared heatlamps and blankets for each table. The "expedition" complement of ten or twelve "zodiacs" is clearly insufficient to take more than a quarter of the passengers off at any one time. There is an extra charge of $150 per hour per person for such excursions, again not much in keeping with the expedition structure we have experienced elsewhere. A week or ten days, rather than 45 days, might have worked better for us on this Seabourn cruise. We'll likely choose to go with one of our other favorites (Regent Seven Seas, Silversea, Ponant, Windstar) on our next cruise . Read Less

Great itinerary. Lots of stops in Ireland. One really gets a feel for the country and island. Northern Ireland was also very interesting. Most of the excursions were satisfactory but tame. We did some trips on our own (such as to Bushmills Irish Whiskey Distillery and Antrim Coast), Limerick, and other places where we wanted to spend more time. But many of the ship excursions were half day and we felt there would not be enough time at the locations to really experience them. We felt the dining experience was overly formal for our tastes- not including the formal nights which we did not go to. There was only sit down service available in all the dining venues. Staff was very attentive and helpful and the food was good. But no buffet was available. As a result dining took 2-2 1/2 hours each night. The ship also changed the time of departure in several ports which upset our plans when we were doing activities on our own. No explanation was given for such changes. The cruise director had no interest in coordinating what passengers could do on their own with local services and transportation. For example, in Foynes, Ireland, the last shuttle bus from town to the ship was scheduled to leave before the local bus from Limerick to Foynes would arrive in Foynes even though the ship would still be in port. That information could have easily been ascertained and the shuttle bus coordinated with the local bus times from Limerick to Foynes. When this lack of information was pointed out to him he was disinterested. The cabin was generous in dimensions, had good storage space, a comfortable bed and in general, nice appointments. However, the tv was a small tv that fit inside a cabinet with doors that rolled out (circa 1980). I would have expected a big screen tv mounted on the wall, maybe 2 tvs. The on demand selection was good. Read Less

We are long time Seabourn cruisers recently off a 16 day cruise on Quest. Last year on an 18 day trip on Ovation we noticed many changes, not for the good. This trip, it’s clear the product has sunk far below what it once was. 1. Dinner Service in the Restaurant/Colonnade. Three dinners where we casually appeared between 7:30 and 8:30. Result: At least a half hour between courses. Water and wine filled once and never again. This situation was a topic of discussion around the ship and some had figured out that if you go right when they open, you will have decent service. So for all the next dinners we raced to get in line before 7 so that we could have a decent dinner. Many times the line at 6:50 snaked to the back of the ship. 2. Service in the Observation Bar. This was a cold trip so the Sky Bar and Patio Bar were useless. The Observation Bar was the only bar open before 6:30 P.M. and since we had to be in line before 7 P.M. to get a decent dinner, you had to be in the Observation Bar for a pre-dinner drink. It was packed. People would get there at 5:30 and put clothing on seats. At 6:15 there would be massive groups circling for a seat. And getting a refill or second drink - forget it. We, and many others, asked for the Club to open early. It never did. So now if you wanted to be at the Observation Bar you had to rush to get up there by 5:30/5:45 or you weren’t getting in. Now we are rushing to get a drink and rushing to get dinner 3. Service in Housekeeping. Hand towels missing, called Guest Services, called Housekeeping, three days later hand towels. Same with bath towels and a bath mat on different occasions. One night came back from a show, took a shower and did not notice until exiting the shower – no bath towels. Loved drying my long hair with a hand towel. They have taken away bottled water in the room and now have a jug. But that only works when you have glasses which we had only twice. 4. I could go on including waiting for tables at breakfast because there were no clean ones. The major topic everywhere in the ship was complaints and horror stories about dinners and shore excursions and such. That old thing about “have dinner when you want with whom you want” is a joke. Our whole schedule was about getting to the Bar and one of the Restaurants when they opened so we could get a seat. Ugly. They have removed the good champagne and replaced it with a very poor version. The Patio Grill buffet at lunch is half what it was. The great cranberry nut cookies they used to have on all ships are no more because “cranberries are too expensive”. This is not a luxury experience anymore. 5. We spoke to many staff about what had happened and the answer was they have gone from the former ratio of 2 guests to one staff to three guests to one staff (150 crew on Quest versus the former 225). It shows. I can’t imagine what would get us, long time Seabourn cruisers, back on board. Sorry to see Seabourn become what they have become. Read Less

I just returned from my first, but not last, Seabourn cruise aboard Quest. The ship itself was wonderful, but it was the staff and crew that impressed me the most. From the first moment I arrived on board, I was made to feel as if I were the most important person in the world. Almost from the moment I boarded, all of those with whom I came in contact knew and called me by my name! (I realize that seems to be a relatively minor thing, but it meant a great deal to me!) I am a solo traveler, and I really appreciated the nightly invitations to dine in The Restaurant with a volunteer host. I met some extremely interesting people, both host and guest, whom I might otherwise have not. I particularly enjoyed dining with the entertainers--both ship and guest. The excellent Cruise Director Team of Handre and Luke, not only knew my name, they seemed to be genuinely concerned that my Quest experience be the best possible. They also seemed to have a hand in everything involving passenger entertainment and happiness. The only complaint I have is that dreadful "single supplement." I understand the financial rationale behind it, but I still resent paying, on a per-person basis, more for my suite than those fortunate enough to have someone with whom they can travel--but I guess I don't resent it that much since I've already reserved a suite on Encore's Holiday Cruise! Read Less

Amazon River always been a intriguing destination , let alone getting o Manaus from Santiago , Chile is not a simple coordination then of course Brazil rainforest is a unique envirometthat any one would like to observe from a five star cruise ship , my arrival was direct from the airport , the schedule washboard on April 7 and ship overnights 1 night in Manaus so touring Manaus was very helfull using the ship as a hotel with all its confort that really struck any pasta large cruise pax as my self . thus was my first small cruise ship and ohh my what a difference , on arrival to my cabin located on deck 7 , the cabin attendant welcomes us and in a tray she has a menu of different types of soaps to chose or select during your cruise , it seem like a different and very intimate gesture , after departing I notice that every thing was so near by and this made everything so nice , another unique appointment to me was that the ship has a suit tub in the bow and decently every night before 20:00 hrs I made my list and just sat there and watch the the amazon go by with a glass of Champaign served to me every Time , the food was just incredible , fool of taste a different and unusual flavors created every day , the observation deck was a magical plcace where the piano man sat and entertain all guest , the caves was always a must here before dinner here , I really think the ships from seaboard are very well thought through out and really can wait to be papers again , the bed linen and pillows where the best I have sleep on and probably made my rest the best on a vacation which I think I had deserve , what I think they could improve is ti have more reasonable priced excursion on the zodiac the where good bu hey USD 500.00 for 2 pax situation ..I ended fonding my own excursion in ports and was way luckier than the rest of the fellow passenger at least on adrenalin of the Amazon , hopefully I can afford to go to Antartica on the Quest ! Read Less

This was a once in a lifetime cruise starting in Santiago, Chile….glacial cruising around Cape Horn, Antarctica landings, up the east coast of South America, ending deep in the Amazon in Manaus, Brazil. For booking, this cruise was forty-two days and technically two back to back cruises on Seabourn Quest, which is reinforced for Antarctica. This was the last summer trip to Antarctica for the season. We are somewhat adventurous active 60’s with a strong FOMO attitude. This was our second Seabourn cruise. Our first was around the boot of Italy and Croatia. We were so impressed this time that we have signed on for Seabourn’s 146 day 2020 World Cruise. A main difference for the Seabourn Antarctica cruises is their expedition style. The style during the six days of Antarctica landings is true expedition with professional naturalists, wildlife and geology briefings, safety briefings, equipment checks and lots of outdoor activities. But no doubt, Seabourn Quest is a luxury ship for around 450 passengers with fine dining, spacious cabins, inclusive beverages (even alcoholic), spa services and intuitive anticipatory service. The ratio of crew to guest is about 85 to 100. Food was better than cruise ship average but could still improve on spices and regional dish selection and variety. The main restaurant serves four courses with a variety of daily house wines. Premium wine is available at a premium cost. The Colonnade is buffet style with excellent salad and entrée choices with indoor and outdoor seating. Menu is often theme oriented. Patio/pool side dining has basic fare of burgers, pizza, grilled shrimp, tacos and grilled meat of the day. The Grill is an upscale “steak house” without added cost but limited seating requiring reservation. It is over the top service including some dishes prepared tableside. The menu has classic, timeless dishes like steaks, lobster thermidor, and Caesar salad. The menu has a varied “dish of the day” but other options remain the same. In suite dining is inclusive and includes the restaurant daily course menu as well as basics. Guests are regularly invited to share a table of eight to twelve hosted by a Seabourn Quest staff member or naturalist. We chose a Veranda Suite which is just less than 300 sq ft and well designed with a walk-in closet, small desk space (sized and plugged for charging devices). There is a queen bed, nice living area with full square table for eating and working. There is a small comfortable sofa, chairs, pull out TV and bar area. (We had our cabin stewardess remove the over abundance of decorative pillows). There are additional drawers and storage space in the TV and bar cabinets. The veranda has two chairs with a small table. Lay back loungers would have been a nice touch. The veranda is very private except in ports when moored beside other ships. Cabin service is unmatched. Cleaning service is at least twice a day. Stewardess is quick to help with special requests. Lots of towels and no annoying signs about laundry/water conservation. For well traveled passengers, it is implied. There are ample electrical plugs and lighting. Mini bar and house liquor,wine and glasses are promptly replenished. Ship facilities are large and spacious considering the number of passengers. Pools and pool areas are small but chairs are always available and are is swept and clean. Towels and drink service easily available. The Grand Salon has space for all passengers in a single sitting for information, lectures and entertainment. It has comfortable padded chairs and sofas for 3-5 people. But supporting columns are impossible to see around. So it was necessary to scope out preferred seats. Self serve wine/beer/soft drinks were available upon entry to Grand Salon. Full bar table service was also available but limited number of servers, so minimal attention here. Entertainment is pretty standard cruise ship style. In fact, we knew dancers from a previous (HAL) cruise. But the program on the first three week cruise was repeated exactly on the second three week cruise even though we were mostly the same guests. Regional programs brought on board were more enjoyable and unique even if not always in English. The Seabourn Quest (and sister ships) are small and easy to navigate with lots of elevators. Staff is friendly always saying hello and often calling us by name. The Seabourn Square is comfortable with a minimal library. Available snacks, specialty coffees, drinks are included. Bar and club entertainment is OK. Lots of seating and dance space. Small casino. Excursions are much improved from our first Seabourn cruise when more than half were cancelled. One of our excursions on this cruise went on even though there were only four people. Local maps and information for us independent types was available at least a day before. But we did wish for the HAL just in case card that had taxi ready port address and phone numbers in local language. The shore excursion staff will also make special personal arrangements. We used this service for opera tickets in Buenos Aires. Their follow thru determination included contact by fax for critical ticket timing and approval to a pre-cruise, on our own, resort without wifi. They arranged box seats and a driver to and from the Opera House. The Antarctica week of the cruise was amazing. It was certainly expedition style. Included in our fare were daily landing excursions off the ship for all passengers. There were zodiac rides, hikes and penguin encounters. Hikes were short or long by choice. Might be a beach walk or a mile hike up the hill. Only 100 people are allowed ashore at a time so we were divided into five groups with changing daily excursion time. Naturalists were waiting on shore as well as on the zodiacs. Zodiac landings were in groups of twelve. Of course, there was boarding assistance for safety and ease. This part of the cruise does require stamina for physical activity and cold weather. But unmatched geography, animals, and ice! A highlight was Deception Island. The captain maneuvered our ship inside this volcanic caldron. Even though the air and land temp was below freezing, the water was tea temp, approx. 90 deg F. Parkas are provided. Boots and walking poles are available to rent. So no need to take up packing space for these. Gloves, hats, scarves and extra layers are absolutely necessary. An excellent list is sent pre-cruise. Kayaking is available in Antarctica as an extra purchased excursion. This is an opportunity for a second daily landing, even for inexperienced kayakers. These are two person kayaks. The trips are well supervised by special kayaking naturalists. Kayakers get a special pass to join any zodiac group of the day for scheduling purposes. Each Antarctica day ends with a pre-dinner recap in the lounge by the naturalists. This includes the next day plan and special documentary topics. The rest of the cruise up the east side of South America was quite enjoyable but not nearly as unusual. Lots of beach and urban ports. We were able to take a Zodiac tour deep into the bays of the Amazon River. All in all, the perfect trip for FOMO adventurists with strong luxury ship preferences. Read Less

Seabourn Quest – The Seabourn Difference 16.3.19 -7.4.19 Buenos Aires to Manaus Having cruised with Seabourn on Odyssey, Sojourn and the little ships, we knew what to expect and were not disappointed. We had booked a guarantee cabin or rather suite, as all cabins are known, and ended up fairly midships on deck 4 near the dining room in a quiet location. The balcony cabins are exactly the same but, as we don’t spend much time in our suite, we forego a balcony in exchange for more cruises. The suites are delightful, spacious, well-stocked and with the most comfortable bed we’ve ever had on any cruise line. You can order whatever drinks you like to have in your suite, so a bottle of Hendryks gin and a Taylors port were happily provided and stored alongside our complimentary bottle of champagne. Our stewardess welcomed us with 4 speciality soaps and kept our Moulton Brown toiletries and everything else topped up throughout the trip. There is a large choice of online films available in your suite and a good number of TV channels. The entertainment is always more limited on small ships but Seabourn offer more variety than other competitors including a guest pianist, guitar players, a comedian, a magician and the Seabourn singers and dancers and all the shows were of a good standard. On two occasions, local groups gave daytime performances – we had a tango show in Uruguay and an excellent local dance show in Recife. Although we weren’t in the Caribbean, the signature “Caviar in the Surf” was held in the pool and created a wonderful party atmosphere. We didn’t get involved in the daytime programme of art classes or lectures, preferring to enjoy the deck side relaxation, although the weather on sea days was not always co-operative. This leads to one of my few complaints. For a cruise line that prides itself on luxury and exceeding guest expectations, the sun loungers are dreadful. Many lines now provide thick mattresses to aid an afternoon siesta but Seabourn’s are a perfect example of durability and discomfort – no mattresses! Years ago, they used to be provided but no longer. In a few locations, there are some mattresses, specifically on deck 11 at the bow of the ship, but even these seem to have been designed for durability not comfort and my 12 stone husband failed to make a dent in the extremely firm foam padding. The ship is delightful and there are always places where you can find a peaceful corner. The décor was good but, unfortunately, they were experiencing significant issues with the pool deck lifting dangerously in several places. This led to drilling and sanding both on sea and port days making the pool deck less than tranquil. It was also interesting to see how they covered all the outside vents as we went into the Amazon with the resulting screen of insects that were unable to get in! The dining options were good with 4 venues available in the evenings. For breakfast and lunch, we chose the Colonnade self-service, mainly because we enjoy sitting outside, although poor weather up the Brazilian coast to Rio occasionally forced us inside. Inevitably, we ended up eating too much. The selection is good and despite good intentions there was always something you just had to try! Another delight was sharing tables with other passengers and lunch could become a leisurely affair aided by complimentary excellent wines. In the evening, you could dine outside at the self-service or by the pool or in the formal dining room. The Grill, part of the Thomas Keller franchise, offered a special dining experience but you need to book, so it is probably better to book online before the cruise. It’s difficult to clearly quantify what makes Seabourn so special. Other lines provide similar excellent facilities, so I think it boils down to the human factor. Nothing is too much trouble and all the staff will try to make things as special as possible. The instances are endless but, for example, we enjoyed a specific complimentary wine in one restaurant that was not offered 2 nights later but the staff willingly went in search of a bottle and brought it to where we were dining. You can request any specific dish at a meal and, provided they have 24 hours’ notice, it will be there. In our case, I very much enjoyed my crepes suzette cooked to order. Another example of them “going that extra mile” occurred when my sandals broke. They repaired them and had them back ion our suite the following day. Perhaps most importantly, the staff were happy to engage but always seemed to know when to withdraw. Additionally, the culture of friendliness seems to rub off on guests and most are happy to chat and interact with you. Frequent hosted tables help with this but there seems to be an atmosphere of camaraderie that we have not experienced on other similar lines to the same extent. Seabourn cruises are not cheap but no doubt that is what allows them to maintain their standards and over 50% of the guests were returners on this cruise. They offer a good incentive scheme to pass the message on, giving $400 onboard credit to both those who recommend new guests or are recommended. However, there is one major drawback. They will not give you this benefit if you, as the sponsor, opt to take a cruise with some promotional offer of Onboard Credit attached. There is also a further condition, namely you only have 2 years to take advantage of this offer. This means it has the potential to be an empty offer if you happen to choose the “wrong cruise”. This is ridiculous and everyone on Quest who we spoke to agreed. It should be totally separate from anything else and considered in the same way as Carnival share holder benefits in order to incentivise satisfied guests to spread the word. After all, new clients generate considerable financial rewards for Seabourn – not only now but also in the future. We have now made 3 referrals to friends of ours but as we were not allowed to use any one of them on this cruise, we will not be continuing this practice. Wake up Seabourn, this is not good customer relations! Finally, it has to be said that he weather was not particularly co-operative on our cruise with the Equator crossing ceremony being cancelled twice due to rain but this did not detract from what was an excellent trip on a great ship with excellent staff and interesting guests. Definitely recommend. Ports Buenos Aires There were no ship’s tours other than very expensive private cars, so we booked a city orientation with Tangol tours, which was excellent value at £13.27 pp. We took the shuttle into town and met the minibus at the Sheraton Hotel but realised later that they would have picked us up at the port. The minibus took us through 6 neighbourhoods and gave us time to explore at the main square including the cathedral where Pope Francis officiated and Boca, a lively neighbourhood with many tango bars. An overwhelming impression of BA was lots of parks and open spaces, broad roads and lots of statues. Montevideo A ship’s trip took us to the main square but the architecture was not particularly noteworthy. However, we learnt a lot about this small country. We visited a market which had been redeveloped and drove along the very extensive Las Ramblas along the banks of the River Plate, with its brown water due to the soil content. We then visited a quirky house built by architect Pittamiglio who was into alchemy. Definitely worth a visit and we enjoyed a tango show there before returning to the ship. Ilabelha Unfortunately, our beach and waterfall trip took place in rain and grey skies. The sea was warm for swimming but 90 minutes on the beach in rain showers probably wasn’t the best introduction to this island. The Tres Combo waterfalls in the rain forest were also not particularly spectacular. Buzios Once the hideout of Brigitte Bardot, Buzios was a delightful port. Stylish shops and a pleasant beach promenade. We took a schooner trip from the ship which was very relaxing but the water wasn’t very clear and the snorkelling sites were not very productive apart from seeing some coral. However, towards the end we did see the odd small turtle and overall it was a pleasant morning. San Salvador We got off the ship and took the elevator to the upper town (over 65’s don’t pay for this). There were very colourful buildings and lots of churches although many charge a small fee for entrance. The police presence was very strong everywhere and we were warned not to wear jewellery and expensive watches. Unfortunately, one of the ship’s passengers was robbed, so definitely a port in which to be vigilant. Recife We visited Olinda, a Unesco World Heritage Site, which was interesting and provided good views of the city. We visited both the Benedictine Monastery and the Franciscan one and heard how Recife was first for a number of things in Brazil. After a drive along the beach with its shark warnings clear to see, we were treated to a rendition of the Hallelujah Chorus by a local choir at the Golden Chapel – well worth a visit. Natal Not my favourite port. We did an orientation trip from the ship and travelled for an hour to see the largest cashew nut tree in the world. Definitely impressive and in the Guiness Book of Records, but a long way to go for a tree! The city itself had many skyscrapers and much of the old town looked in need of repair. Santarem We were well into the Amazon here and you could see the meeting of the waters in the distance. We did a ship’s trip out to a community which explained the rise and fall of rubber and showed the process of milling manioc (cassava). Santarem is walkable from the ship and worth a visit. The market seems to sell predominantly hammocks for use on the boats which move up and down the Amazon – no seats on these, only hooks for your hammock. Manaus Our last stop on this trip took in the Opera House, a market and the home of one of the founding fathers of the town. We did an organised ship’s trip but it is easily done on your own, with entry to the opera house only 20 Real (£4). These are really the main sights in the town but other guests took a boat up one of the tributaries and reported an excellent trip to see an Amazonian village. Read Less

I choose the cruise because it enter the Amazon River, in a Buenos Aires to Manaous route. The service is impeccable. The food gourmet. The Staff pleasant in every respect. The University Professors that gave the lectures were first class, instructive, it was obvious they wanted the passengers to learn, and most did want to learn, so it was very pleasurable. Entertainment was appropriate for a comparatively to other lines small ship. Wine, liquor, included in the fare, excellent quality. Tea service at 5 PM compites favorably with the best tea rooms in London. Caviar 24/7. Internet service reasonably priced, and fair speed. Milton Brown and L'Occitane amenities, your choice. The Specialty French Laundry restaurant was available at about one every three nights, with Prime meats and at the table made salads and desserts. Lounges, bars, tastefully decorated with immediate service. Excursions reasonably priced and with great variety in every port. Read Less

This was a once in a lifetime cruise around Cape Horn starting in Santiago, Chile….glacial cruising around Cape Horn, Antarctica landings, up the east coast of South America, ending deep in the Amazon in Manaus, Brazil. For booking, this cruise was forty-two days and technically two back to back cruises on Seabourn Quest. The ship is reinforced for Antarctica. This was the last summer trip to Antarctica for the season. We are somewhat adventurous active 60’s with a strong FOMO attitude. This was our second Seabourn cruise. Our first was around the boot of Italy and Croatia. We were so impressed this time that we have signed on for Seabourn’s 146 day 2020 World Cruise. A main difference for the Seabourn Antarctica cruises is their expedition style. The style during the six days of Antarctica landings is true expedition with professional naturalists, wildlife and geology briefings, safety briefings, equipment checks and lots of outdoor activities. But no doubt, Seabourn Quest is a luxury ship for around 450 passengers with fine dining, spacious cabins, inclusive beverages (even alcoholic), spa services and intuitive anticipatory service. The ratio of crew to guest is about 85 to 100. Food was better than cruise ship average but could still improve on spices and regional dish selection and variety. The main restaurant serves four courses with a variety of daily house wines. Premium wine is available at a premium cost. The Colonnade is buffet style with excellent salad and entrée choices with indoor and outdoor seating. Menu is often theme oriented. Patio/pool side dining has basic fare of burgers, pizza, grilled shrimp, tacos and grilled meat of the day. The Grill is an upscale “steak house” without added cost but limited seating requiring reservation. It is over the top service including some dishes prepared tableside. The menu has classic, timeless dishes like steaks, lobster thermidor, and Caesar salad. The menu has a varied “dish of the day” but other options remain the same. In suite dining is inclusive and includes the restaurant daily course menu as well as basics. Guests are regularly invited to share a table of eight to twelve hosted by a Seabourn Quest staff member or naturalist. We chose a Veranda Suite which is just less than 300 sq ft and well designed with a walk-in closet, small desk space (sized and plugged for charging devices). There is a queen bed, nice living area with full square table for eating and working. There is a small comfortable sofa, chairs, pull out TV and bar area. (We had our cabin stewardess remove the over abundance of decorative pillows). There are additional drawers and storage space in the TV and bar cabinets. The veranda has two chairs with a small table. Lay back loungers would have been a nice touch. The veranda is very private except in ports when moored beside other ships. Cabin service is unmatched. Cleaning service is at least twice a day. Stewardess is quick to help with special requests. Lots of towels and no annoying signs about laundry/water conservation. For well traveled passengers, it is implied. There are ample electrical plugs and lighting. Mini bar and house liquor,wine and glasses are promptly replenished. Ship facilities are large and spacious considering the number of passengers. Pools and pool areas are small but chairs are always available and area is swept and clean. Towels and drink service easily available. The Grand Salon has space for all passengers in a single sitting for information, lectures and entertainment. It has comfortable padded chairs and sofas for 3-5 people. But supporting columns are impossible to see around. So it was necessary to scope out preferred seats. Self serve wine/beer/soft drinks were available upon entry to Grand Salon. Full bar table service was also available but limited number of servers, so minimal attention here. Entertainment is pretty standard cruise ship style. In fact, we knew dancers from a previous (HAL) cruise. But the program on the first three week cruise was repeated exactly on the second three week cruise even though we were mostly the same guests. Regional programs brought on board were more enjoyable and unique even if not always in English. The Seabourn Quest (and sister ships) are small and easy to navigate with lots of elevators. Staff is friendly always saying hello and often calling us by name. The Seabourn Square is comfortable with a minimal library. Available snacks, specialty coffees, drinks are included. Bar and club entertainment is OK. Lots of seating and dance space. Small casino. Excursions are much improved from our first Seabourn cruise when more than half were cancelled. One of our excursions on this cruise went on even though there were only four people. Local maps and information for us independent types was available at least a day before. But we did wish for the HAL just in case card that had taxi ready port address and phone numbers in local language. The shore excursion staff will also make special personal arrangements. We used this service for opera tickets in Buenos Aires. Their follow thru determination included contact by fax for critical ticket timing and approval to a pre-cruise, on our own, resort without wifi. They arranged box seats and a driver to and from the Opera House. The Antarctica week of the cruise was amazing. It was certainly expedition style. Included in our fare were daily landing excursions off the ship for all passengers. There were zodiac rides, hikes and penguin encounters. Hikes were short or long by choice. Might be a beach walk or a mile hike up the hill. Only 100 people are allowed ashore at a time so we were divided into five groups with changing daily excursion time. Naturalists were waiting on shore as well as on the zodiacs. Zodiac landings were in groups of twelve. Of course, there was boarding assistance for safety and ease. This part of the cruise does require stamina for physical activity and cold weather. But unmatched geography, animals, and ice! A highlight was Deception Island. The captain maneuvered our ship inside this volcanic caldron. Even though the air and land temp was below freezing, the water was tea temp, approx. 90 deg F. Parkas are provided. Boots and walking poles are available to rent. So no need to take up packing space for these. Gloves, hats, scarves and extra layers are absolutely necessary. An excellent list is sent pre-cruise. Kayaking is available in Antarctica as an extra purchased excursion. This is an opportunity for a second daily landing, even for inexperienced kayakers. These are two person kayaks. The trips are well supervised by special kayaking naturalists. Kayakers get a special pass to join any zodiac group of the day for scheduling purposes. Each Antarctica day ends with a pre-dinner recap in the lounge by the naturalists. This includes the next day plan and special documentary topics. The rest of the cruise up the east side of South America was quite enjoyable but not nearly as unusual. Lots of beach and urban ports. We were able to take a Zodiac tour deep into the bays of the Amazon River. All in all, the perfect trip for FOMO adventurists with strong luxury ship preferences. Read Less

This was our third Seabourn cruise, second on the Quest and we chose this one because we wanted to see Antarctica. Once again, we entered a world of comfort, luxury and plenty, all delivered with kindness and good humour by the hard working staff and crew. However unlike our previous two Seabourn cruises, we were quite disappointed by the vegetarian food on offer. Cabin Our cabin was on Deck 6,and right up the front of the ship. We had a beautiful big room with a verandah, a separate lounge room, a big comfortable bed and a big bathroom with a bath, with high quality and plentiful bath products and big, soft towels. There was plenty of storage and the view from the verandah was uninterrupted. However on the rare occasions we sailed through rough seas, we certainly rocked a lot. We will book a cabin mid ships on our next cruise. We like good air flow when we are sleeping and once again, the air conditioner did not meet our needs. The cabin was too stuffy and we had the same problem last year and on the Encore the year before. We solved this by bringing our own fan and we were very comfortable. A couple of times throughout the cruise, we had a "meet your neighbours" party. This is a great idea. Dining My husband and I are vegetarian and although there was plenty for us to eat, a lot of the dishes were mediocre. They were very bland and often stodgy and we seemed to have those bland and stodgy dishes over and over again. However we often dined with passengers who chose the meat dishes and they reported that their steaks were succulent and their chicken and pork were cooked to perfection. It's as if Seabourn are ticking a box to say they cater to vegetarians but then fail to produce fine food. However the vegetarian options on the two occasions they held a Galley Market and the special Indian buffet dinner they held one night in the Colonnade were outstanding. We also placed a special breakfast order for vegetarian congee and this dish was also outstanding. The chefs can clearly prepare beautifully spiced dishes when necessary and I only wish they could do it all the time. Vegetarians on all cruise ships seem to be treated with the same contempt as someone who asks for an overcooked steak and I don't think we deserve that. There's a whole market of cashed up vegetarians Seabourn could attract if they really tried to cater to our needs. The waiters on Seabourn are the best of the best. Incredibly inspiring people, I may be in the minority here, but I don't like or understand Seabourn's practice of having the staff offer an arm to a woman, which the woman is then under some pressure to grab while they are escorted to their table in the Restaurant. It is not a custom I am used to and the feminist in me really objects. I always feel uncomfortable and I'm sure these busy young people have better things to do. We have dined in upmarket restaurants all over the world and have not experienced this practice anywhere else. Perhaps they could have an opt in policy for those who enjoy this experience and leave the rest of us alone. Drink The wine ranged from good to acceptable and there was always plenty to choose from. There was a huge variety of cocktails and they were plentiful. The bar staff were wonderful. Public Spaces Even at full capacity, Seabourn ships never feel crowded. We could always find a quiet spot to read or simply watch the world go by. On the other hand, if we wanted company or entertainment, there was always somewhere to go. The whirlpool on deck 6 was a haven for us and we usually had it to ourselves. It was the place to be when sailing away. . Fitness Centre My husband attended the complimentary stretch and exercise classes each day and found them excellent. The instructor was very capable and he gave my husband lots of advice on how to continue the program once he came home. Entertainment We were on the Quest last year, so this time when we went to the shows put on by the extremely talented Seabourn singers and dancers, we were surprised to find that the shows were exactly the same as last year. Even some of the costumes were the same. Seabourn encourages us to be repeat cruisers and we are very happy to oblige, but it would be nice to see something different. The entertainment on the whole was very good but tended to be middle of the road and designed to appeal to the lowest common denominator. Seabourn's passengers are generally well educated and sophisticated, but most of the music would have appealed to our long deceased parents. For heaven's sake, we were alive in the sixties and went through one of the most profound musical revolutions in history. We can handle entertainment which is current and inspiring and multi-dimensional and I'm sure the talented entertainers onboard would have loved performing this type of material. On the other hand, we were huge fans of Josie and the trio in the Club and we usually ended up there every night. Now they really can handle modern music. We also enjoyed the various parties on the pool deck and in the Club. Jess, the Assistant Cruise Director is an outstanding entertainer. Staff and Crew Iggy and the expedition team were outstanding and I can't thank them enough for the wonderful experience they arranged for us in Antarctica. We always knew exactly what we had to do and when we had to do it and all the time they shared their incredible knowledge with us. They were always true professionals while being kind and warm and funny. The Captain was also a true professional and a wonderful communicator and we always knew we were in good hands. The weather is volatile going to and from Antarctica and each day he told us what the weather was doing and how he was going to deal with it. We were very impressed. The staff in every Department were well trained and incredibly good at their jobs. Seabourn only employs the best of the best and it shows. Excursions Antarctica was the highlight of this cruise and Neko Harbour was the highlight of Antarctica. It is the most beautiful place I have ever seen. We were fortunate that the weather was perfect for the 6 days we were there, so we saw everything we set out to see. Only 100 people are allowed on shore at any one time and Seabourn's expedition team organised us like a military operation. We knew exactly what we had to do and when we had to do it. They helped us on and off zodiacs, even those passengers with disabilities, and helped us once we were on shore. They laid out trails for us and kept us away from the seals basking on the beaches and the penguins' walking trails, but we were close enough to see them. The penguins were lovely. The expedition team also made sure we cleaned our boots before we returned to the ship so we didn't cross contaminate the next place we went to. Otherwise we covered a large area of the continent of South America and the excursions were really well organised and great value. The outstanding sights were the fjords in Chile, the Falkland Islands, Buenos Aires, Montevideo and everywhere in Brazil. Passengers Mostly American with a few Australians and English but quite a few other nationalities as well. Age range 60 and upwards. Mostly well educated, well travelled, lovely people who were thrilled to be on board such a lovely ship, living in the lap of luxury and having such a wonderful experience. They were a pleasure to spend time with. However it always amazes me how a small minority are constantly complaining about anything and everything and thought nothing of being very rude to the staff. They seem to get off on it. Internet Very patchy and as other reviewers have said, it should be part of the package. In summary, this was a wonderful experience and going to Antarctica was life changing. Seabourn Quest is one of only a handful of small ships that can go there and we were very fortunate to be able to take this journey. I'm sure we will now all be ambassadors to make sure this remarkable place stays as pristine as it now is. Read Less

I took the Seabourn Quest for a trip to the Antarctica on Feb 3 from Buenos Aires. I was terribly unpleasant on board the Seabourn Quest. We boarded the ship at noon on Feb 3, but I started having throw-up & diarrhea at ~11 p.m. on Feb 4. Throughout the night, I had at least 6 times of diarrhea. I was too weak to get to the medical room, so a nurse was asked to come up to tend to my case in the morning. She took my temperature & said I had a fever. I was told to take Loperamide to ease off the diarrhea and Panadol to lower my temperature . The Loperamide didn’t seem to work as I continued to have 6x of diarrhea throughout the day. I was also told to be quarantined for 3 days. She came back at around 4 p.m. & told me the fever had come down a little bit. I said the diarrhea was terrible & the waste that came out was greenish. She only said she would come back the next day. On the morning of the 6th, she told me that the fever had gone, but since the diarrhea still persisted, she said I needed to take antibiotics. She didn’t come back in the afternoon. I was still having diarrhea for about 6x a day even I had no food intake. The nurse didn’t bring any antibiotics on the morning of the 7th as apparently, she had forgotten about it. The antibiotic medicine, Ciprofloxacin, was finally brought to me in the afternoon which means it was a full 2-day delay for medication. On the 8th, I finally exerted some energy to go down & visited the doctor. I told him the antibiotics didn’t seem to be effective on me & that I continuously had at least 6x of diarrhea every day. I had no food intake except a few slices of orange when I felt dry in the mouth. He changed to another kind of antibiotics, but my 6x-diarrhea-a-day & the greenish color of waste still persisted for 2 more days. It was not until on the 10th that I could start to go to the canteen to have my meals. But then, I have already missed two of the possible five Zodiac excursions, the main reason why we took this Antarctica cruise. I also missed to see the King Penquins in Falkland Islands, a tour I had paid for in full. Even though I got refunded for this excursion, but missing to see the King Penquins in close encounter was surely a regret which money alone could not compensate for it. None of the managerial staff admitted that it was food contamination as their food was rated excellent when examined in the port. Even the doctor said it shouldn’t have happened to me solely if it were food contamination. But I would not buy this explanation as my experience on board another cruise ship could definitely prove the point. I chewed some sand in my mushroom, but all my 5 other friends who ordered the same dish didn’t find any. I told the restaurant manager & he took the excuse of examining the food by taking the whole plate back to the kitchen. Then I was told there was indeed some sand in the mushroom. My immediate response was, your kitchen staff didn’t clean the food thoroughly. He denied, “No, it’s only the mushrooms that had sand in them!” What a joke!!! Another observation on board could also illustrate my point. It was a real shock to see that canteen staff never tried to clean the placemats on the dining tables. They only cleaned the space in between the 2 placemats & tended to ignore the food residue on top of the placemats, or the salt or pepper remains under the condiment containers. I was also astounded to see that staff, when cleaning the tables, swept all food remains onto the floor. Shouldn’t this only be happened to a low-class café? I would never have expected to see this on a 6-star cruise ship. This observation was written down on the survey & the situation seemed to have improved slightly. Rome was not built in one day. The lack-of-training would never have made the staff to improve their cleaning style within several days. In this case, how can I not be suspicious about contracting any bacteria from the placemats? Further, we had been continuously disturbed by the noise from above our room. Our room was right under the kitchen of the Observation Deck. I had not the slightest idea why the staff started to move the trolley at midnight. For the first few nights, I was too weak to make any complaints. But I could not stand it any more when one night, there was the rolling of trolley at midnight, then the opening & closing of the drawers at ~2 a.m., & the moving of trolley cart at ~ 4 a.m., & finally the banging sound at ~ 6 a.m. I was glad that my case was resolved to & there was no noise for 2 consecutive nights. Unfortunately, the noise came back again at ~ 12 a.m. on the night after. I called & the noise stopped. There was no noise on the following night, but it came back again at the same hour the next night. I was really mad & blasted at the front desk. The problem seemed to have resolved, but on the night before departure, there was again a continuous noise of bouncing a solid ball on a counter. I was simply puzzled by the way how the personnel trained the staff. Last but not least, I was told by a managerial staff to write to Nic Botha, the Guest Services Manager about my grievance after I got back home. I did, but I have been waiting for almost 2 months now & never received a reply. The service was a total disappointment. Read Less

Seabourn Quest is a lovely ship. The whole experience of feeling special from the time of checkin to checkout was second to none. From our experience, all of the staff cannot be flawed. They work so hard and are delightful all the time. The Expedition Team were a group of incredibly experienced and qualified professionals who were so efficient and pleasant whilst looking after the guests and keeping us all safe in extreme conditions. Only criticism of any staff would be that the Cruise Director could mature a little and cease finishing every announcement with 'yaay' as it really grinds after a few days! The room was exceptional for a cruise ship with a walk in closet, twin basins in the bathroom and a full size separate bath. The Thomas Keller Restaurant which is promoted as 3 Michelin star rated was average and we much preferred the normal restaurant - great food without the pretence. In fact, pretence was our major stumbling block during the trip. It took us a while to find 'like minded' folk who were travelling on this particular trip to get to a special and unique place on our earth. There were a lot of ostentatious guests more interested in the shallowness of conspicuous wealth which to me clashed with the vibe of the destination. It was embarrassing to hear how some of these people spoke to staff and partners of the Expedition Team. Saying that, nothing could overshadow the awesome destination. We were so privileged to be able to visit Antarctica and South Georgia and to be on a ship like this made it a very pleasurable experience, although if I had my time again I'd choose a different more earthy cruise line with a younger demographic. Read Less

We've taken 32 cruises on many different lines and now find that Seabourn is our favorite line. We booked this cruise as a way to get us to South America, and were happily surprised by the extra bonus of Antarctica. I was most pleased by the careful attention paid to passenger safety and comfort. An expedition to Antarctica is not easy and many passengers had some degree of disability. Still we never felt endangered and we saw a lot of Antarctica in comfort, both on ship and off. Embarkation in Miami was a breeze and getting off and on in all ports, including tender service, was fast and easy. This is one of the pleasures of traveling on a small ship. Disembarkation in Buenos Aires was chaotic and Seabourn might have been able to provide more assistance there. Good activities on board, especially the lectures that focussed on the regions to be visited and on the geography and biology of Antarctica. We were well-prepared for most ports. We took only a few excursions, which were quite expensive. We splurged on the overnight excursion to Machu Picchu and it was the highlight of our trip. No complaints about the service. Very few things went wrong. Entertainment was cruise ship style. Some of the guest performers were quite good. The group of singers and dancers on board performed cheesy cruise ship shows put together by Belinda King. Some of the best events were the parties hosted by the ship. Our only complaints have to do with the cuisine. The ethnic nights in the Colonnade were too often disasters with inauthentic food way worse than what one finds in a cheap ethnic restaurant on land. Chinese and Thai were especially inedible. Food in the main restaurant was adequate, but quickly became repetitious after only a week. In fact the array of dishes was limited and kept recycling during our 46-day cruise. Otherwise it's all about Thomas Keller, which is a big lah-dee-dah. The specialty restaurant which bears his name is a steak house with old fashioned steak house food. The main restaurant often has Keller-inspired dishes which were too often disappointing We did like the Keller hamburgers and hot dogs served at the poolside grill, but to praise burgers and dogs on a luxury cruise line is just plain sad. Thanksgiving dinner was a disaster with most of the traditional dishes missing, and they had only 3 turkeys to serve to over 400 guests, so they ran out halfway through the meal. Seabourn really needs to up their game in the cuisine area. I was very happy with the cuisine at Earth and Ocean and we ate there as often as possible. We absolutely adored the beverage service, from the fresh OJ to the skinny lattes, to the delicious cocktails, to the inclusive wines with dinner. Great service in all the bars. We will be back on Seabourn when we find the right itinerary. We find it a very good buy when one considers all that is included. Unfortunately we generally use ships to get across oceans, and Seabourn's itineraries for crossings are not usually practical. But we will always keep our eyes out for a possibility. Overall we were very happy. Read Less

We chose this cruise for the itinerary through the Panama Canal to Peru. The excursions we booked on our own were far better than the experiences people had on the cruise line's offers. Many of the ports visited were for the first time and the itinerary staff knew little or nothing about them. You would think they would send out people ahead of time to learn about the areas they were going to visit. One port in Ecuador was rated so dangerous in online reviews that we did not even get off the boat. First time ever for us on a cruise. Food was okay but nowhere as good as on Oceania. In general, the cruise was very overpriced and did not include airfare in the pricing. Many of the people on board cruised year round, knew each other and were quite clique-ish. Many of the staff were snootish as well. Disembarkation was a disaster!!! Basically, they were done with us. We will not travel with them again. We will probably stick with Oceania. Read Less

We have cruised on Regent, Crystal, Viking, Celebrity, Princess and Cunard and although our experience with Seabourn was very good, there was something about Seabourn that did not live up to all the hype. The plus points are excellent cabin sizes, good food, good service and staff (most of the time), excellent safety and security procedures and the all inclusive nature of the cruise. Seabourn Quest is a very stable and capable vessel and is well designed with lots of outdoor and indoor space, which meant that although the ship was full, it never felt crowded. The atmosphere was relaxed and fellow passengers were a pleasure to travel with. The Antarctic experience was amazing and well organised with an excellent expedition team, who were knowledgeable and experienced. The negatives were the inclusive wines for the first half of our 60 day cruise were awful. The premium wines were expensive and we felt disinclined to spend even more money on wine, when we had paid a small fortune for the cruise in the first place. The Seabourn shore excursions were overpriced and underwhelming. We cancelled most of them once we realized that we could do the excursions ourselves at a greatly reduced priced. The overland adventures to Macchu Pichu and Torres del Piene were excellent but very expensive. A handful of the staff were rude and unhelpful. The service was not always 5 star because there seemed to be insufficient staff in certain bar areas. Charging $189 for a 2 hour zodiac or kayak trip in Antarctica was outrageous considering the price of the cruise. They should be included in the cruise price. The Thomas Keller Grill restaurant was rather ordinary and the entertainment options on board rather limited. Crystal and Regent offer better value for money and better food and wine. We disembarked in Buenos Aires after 60 days onboard and were abandoned to total chaos, where we waited 2 hours in sweltering temperatures trying to find a taxi. We had 5 suitcases, limited luggage trolleys and were trying to queue with 10,000 other cruise passengers who had arrived at the terminal at the same time. Seabourn should have warned us about this situation as they knew that 4 other cruise ships were due to dock at the same time. A word of warning - book a car in advance through Seabourn (at an outrageous price of $100 for a 20 min journey into the town centre, which would cost $15 by taxi. Or book a car privately as BA cruise terminal can be a complete nightmare!!!! I would sail with Seabourn again but only if the itinerary was a good one. They are a good cruise line but not that good and you are paying top dollar! Read Less

We wanted something smaller and more upscale than Royal Caribbean, and with few or no children. Okay, here's the good, the bad and the ugly about Seabourn. Good: Boarding is a BREEZE. We walked straight on after checking in. Debarkation likewise, a breeze. Staterooms: amazing. Best beds I've ever slept on on a cruise. Bathroom roomy. Pillows! Food is mostly good. The Keller Grill is over rated and limited. Caviar is available anywhere on the ship except there. You could stand just outside the door and have it though. Teatime was a blast. Loose tea in little silver pots. Scones. Num. Coffee bar on deck 7 makes killer Irish Coffee. Good selection of in room TV channels. No children were aboard! Just OK: The bars. They close them up as early as 11, and they don't open again until 5. The Patio bar is open all afternoon, but that's rough in 32 degree weather. Sure, you can drink in your room, but I can do that at home. Deck 7, again, makes boozy coffee. Age group: The median age was 75. If you're not ready to sail with folks who were teens in the 50's, this cruise is going to be a bore. Dress codes for dinner: Toward the end of the cruise the "no jeans" rule sort of vanished. I think nice jeans should always be acceptable. Bad: One of the bartenders was overbearing and rude. He closed the bar on a Friday night at 11pm while the show band was still playing, then argued about it when I asked him the next day and denied doing it. Told me that 6 people in the bar wasn't enough to keep it open; I reminded him that each of us paid more than the regular client just to be there. He said that didn't matter. 10 couples walked into the bar while we were arguing, saw the lights on, and walked out. Stability. We had 60 mph gale force winds for 3 days and nights, even the waiters couldn't stand up straight. I was violently seasick 3 days. For queasy travelers, this ship is not a good option. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. Several of us who debarked in Montreal ended up at the same hotel, close to port, and historic. Hotel St. Sulpice, right next to Notre Dame Basilica. Roomy suites, good rate. I recommend it. Read Less

This was our first time on Seabourn, but will not be the last. The suites are expansive and well appointed. Our only complaint there would be the ridiculously small TVs that are in the cabin. Public spaces are well done for this size ship. Th entertainment was excellent actually. The four singers and two dancers that were part of the Seabourn team were some of the best that I have seen on any Cruise line. The food was always top notch, we never had a complaint at any restaurant. Now the only complaint and it is minor. The Restaurant Wait staff always seemed a little out of sync. Many times throughout the cruise we heard "sorry we're a little busy", or " we'll be with you in a minute". Even at the signature restaurant The Grill, we waited quite awhile for any service. The maitre D finally came over and asked if we had any service yet.It wasn't awful just not what we expected from Seabourn, and we had this happen repeatedly. The clientele on our cruise was definitely well heeled, and well traveled, and tends to be older. This is NOT a cruise line for children. All in all it is a luxury experience well worth the cost. Read Less