While we had always sailed on Seabourn, we looked forward to the experience of another cruise line. As such, we tried to match Seabourn accommodations as closely as possible by booking one of the deluxe veranda suites. Our first challenge was embarkation in Vancouver amongst the large number of people trying to board the Statendam and one of the Celebrity ships - an experience we had not encountered before when embarking on a Seabourn cruise. Once aboard, we were left to make our own way, with no offer of assistance for carry-on luggage.

Our cabin, while spacious, felt dated. The veranda was excessively large for two people and planning of the unit was not as efficient or effective as it could have been. The sleeping and sitting areas formed one space with no drapes (or other means) to separate and zone the two area. The bathroom, while adequate, lacked touches of elegance, a quality lacking in the suite as a whole. The ship's laundry obviously did not use any bleaching products as towels and such were grey, particularly when wet. As a whole, we found the suite and the ship somewhat grey in ambiance.

The Lido buffet food service was less than mediocre and quite unappetizing. Rather than using the Lido, most days when on board, we elected to snack in the Neptune Lounge. The Rotterdam Dining Room was somewhat better, but again lacked the elegance desired in both the food presentation and flavours. Service was quite diligent but robotic - we missed the European style service of Seabourn. The best food was at the Pinnacle Grille, and despite an additional charge of $25 per person, the restaurant was constantly booked solid. The few times we were able to book a table, we appreciated this venue approached proper food presentation, flavours and service. Read more