Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Photos and Images

Seabourn Sojourn in the Faroe Islands

Chef Bjoern's Haggis Tasting

Improved Banquette Seating in Grand Salon

Kneipp Pool

Deck 5 Aft Pool and Hot Tub

Iamboatman and wife about to board RIB high speed boat tour of Faroe Islands - Very Cool!

Torshavn, Faroe Island Harbour (Note Grass Roof Homes)

Riding Icelandic Horses Outside of Rekjavik, Iceland

Iceland is THAT Beautiful

Seabourn's Specially Created Viking Village

Seabourn's Warm Welcome????

Seabourn's Past & Present Iceland Extravaganza
Under the Largest Tent in Iceland

Welcome Home Seabourn Style
Staff Lined Up Through the Ship...
Offering Bailey's Laced Hot Chocolate to Set Up a Late Afternoon Nap

Grand Exit in "Seabourn Style" from the Seabourn Sojourn -
Pilot Boat to Heimay Island, Iceland

Amazing boat STRAND CRAFT 122 soon go on sale (photos)

This stunning boat is called STRAND CRAFT 122 and he will soon go on sale.
Its length is 38 meters, there are four large cabins with 52-inch LED-screen TVs and expensive stereo systems, Bang & Olufsen.But the big surprise for the owner of the yacht - is that in the set is stunning and supercar garage which is also located inside the yacht.
Price is still unknown...

A Review of My Time on the Seabourn Sojourn – Inauguration and Maiden Voyage

I have now had time to digest and reflect upon the Inauguration of the Seabourn Sojourn and the Maiden Voyage of the Seabourn Sojourn. So it is time to discuss things a bit.  (For an overview of the ship itself, please refer to my Cruise Review of the Seabourn Odyssey located on the Goldring Travel website. )

I was going to entitle this article, “Seabourn Sojourn: The Good, The Bad and the Ugly”, but there honestly was nothing “bad” or “ugly”.

Then I was thinking, “Seabourn Sojourn: Hits and Misses”, but that would probably be overwhelmed with “hits”, so it would be repeating that which I have already discussed.

I also thought about comparing various aspects of the Seabourn Sojourn to the other luxury lines (as many people find this blog by googling “Seabourn vs. Silversea” or similar, but this is not about comparing this ship to any other ship.

And then I figured why not just call it was it is, “A Review of My Time on the Seabourn Sojourn – Inauguration and Maiden Voyage”.

Having been at the Inauguration of the Seabourn Odyssey I knew that when I arrived in London for the Inauguration of the Seabourn Sojourn things would be better. The shipyard, T. Mariotti, would not be permitted to pull the stunts it pulled on the first ship (Carnival Corp. would make sure of that). Seabourn would be sure that its crew and staff would have plenty of time to get onboard and organize themselves and things as they should be…in the proper Seabourn way. And, of course, this is the second ship of her class, so the lessons learned on the Seabourn Odyssey gave Seabourn a running start.

Arriving early, I could tell there was a quiet confidence from everyone from management on down. Yes, there was the frenetic pace caused by trying to prepare and board travel agents and dignitaries (two distinct groups!) in an orchestrated manner while keeping things on, as they say, an even keel and with the surprises to come being kept secret. But I could tell Seabourn was ready to put on “The Show”. [To read about “The Show” please read my blog posts earlier this month.]

For me the best part was that there were so many faces I recognized. Some from the Seabourn Odyssey, some from the Seabourn Spirit, some from I am not sure and a few from other luxury cruise lines. Different from before, there was a blending of souls rather than an “Oh, I remember you.” While I knew Shannon from the Seabourn Spirit (my favorite concierge nee purser) the others played right off of that relationship to form new ones with me. The same in the bars, with Stephie and Garrett leading the way for others, and in the restaurants (Arnold, Virginia and others). Chef Bjoern, Hotel Manager Guenther, Captain Buer, etc. It was more like “family” than “favorites”.

I really did not have a concern about the service, because you could just tell it would be “that good”. Service was excellent from the instant I stepped onboard. Whether at the Sky Bar or The Club, my Glennfiddich was ready for me almost before I arrived. And each esoteric drink my wife or her friends ordered was poured without hesitation. Service in the dining venues was excellent. Whether it was perfectly fried eggs in the Colonnade (presented faster than eggs could possibly be cooked) or a long dinner in The Restaurant or a fun dinner in Restaurant 2, it didn’t matter who was serving us…it was outstanding. So outstanding that I was shocked one morning when a waitress from Restaurant 2 apologized for somewhat slow service the evening before…and I thought the service was perfectly timed.

Over and above the regular service were the VIP efforts. I am not talking about when I dined with Howard Frank, the Chief Financial Officer for Carnival Corp. (the service during that important dinner was not distinctly different from any other dinner service we had…It was that good.) I am talking about things like:

     - A private wine, cured meat and cheese tasting Chef Bjoern and Head Sommelier Timor held just for me and my wife in the Main Galley. It was, without question, an awesome experience with some pretty special cheeses and some nice pairings.

     - A private Haggis tasting at lunch. Chef Bjoern prepared five different types of haggis for us to try…elegantly prepared, of course. We did have one complaint: Vegetarian haggis is just wrong!

However, there was one (and only one) notable miss was my stewardess. She was pleasant enough and did keep the suite clean, but there were too many little misses (one day it was failing to replenish the shower gel, another the ear buds, another tissues) and responding to a request took too long. The good news is that the other stewardesses on my deck were so nice and on top of things, they were quick to make things right…and always with a smile and with speed.

As for hardware, the Seabourn Sojourn was presented in fantastic and pristine condition. (No patches, or “that’ll work for now’s”.) About the ship I did not see much other than perfection. Everything had a place and it was in its place. Having seen where T. Mariotti had let Seabourn down with the delivery of the Seabourn Odyssey, I had my eyes looking for anywhere Seabourn had to catch up or make a quick repair. Honestly, I didn’t see any such thing. It was pretty much all good. My inspection did not disclose any areas of concern.

There were a few improvements over the Seabourn Odyssey (which will receive the same treatments in November): The silver banquets in the Grand Salon have been made lower, so it blends with the décor and are more functional; the under-utilized high tables in The Restaurant have been removed and normal tables put in their place, and one Spa Villa was replaced with a relaxation area for anyone having a spa treatment. I liked the execution of all of these changes.

The extent I have to go to find a miss: I found (as did others) the frosting on some of the glass toilet stall doors to be insufficient; making them a bit too translucent. In the Observation Lounge the gasket to the outside deck (port side) was not quite tight enough, so that in a stiff wind there was a whistle.) And one thing I would like to see changed (and, alas, it is just personal taste thing): I would like the lights a bit dimmer at the Sky Bar in the evening and I would like to see the back wall behind the bar totally covered in teak. I think the white metal bulkhead just doesn’t look as finished as I think it should be. (So much of the ship is “that finished” that this one area stands out for me.) Yep, that was about it in “flaws”.

I was compelled to test out the forward hot tub (on the bow). It was in the low 50’s in the Faroe Islands and the sun was shining. After a great high speed RIB tour and a walk around town, it was time to supervise the sail away. I was prepared not to like the hot tub as much as I do on the triplets, but I actually like it better. You sit higher, so you have a better view of what is happening off the ship, while still being pretty private. I assume someone came to take my drink order, but am not sure…because I promptly fell asleep floating away for about 45 minutes.

Similarly, my suite, which I went over from top to bottom was in great shape and fully stocked. Two very minor flaws: a single cabinet latch was defective and one foot was missing from a veranda ottoman. But from overstuffed pillows to a warm blanket for sitting out in cool weather to great bathrobes to the sewing kit and Molton Brown toiletries, it was all there…in its place and as it should be. Once again, I found by turning the showerhead just a few degrees to the right, the water flow was to the larger portion of the shower and it was more comfortable (as I do find the showers to be just a bit tight.) Other than that, the bathrooms are the nicest at sea by a long measure.

I will pause to note that Ralph Grizzle, the Avid Cruiser, made a negative comment about the size of the televisions in the suites. I, personally, found the television (pondering his criticism) to be just about the right size. (OK, possibly it could have been about 3 inches higher…because my wife kept sleeping with her knees bent!) I don’t really spend a lot of time watching it and I like the fact that it tucks away in the cabinet, not to be seen or reminded of. The selection of movies was great. I enjoyed the travelogues and documentaries (I watched the one on Heinz) and the accurate information on tours…which you can book from your suite.) The iPod dock was fine, but it is not for critical listening as the television speakers (which are pretty good for tv speakers) are used.

The internet was quite good, weather and northerly location issues aside (as you can’t blame them on the ship). I did have a problem logging on in my suite (Suite 622 – slightly forward on the ship). The problem was, however, only logging on…which makes me believe it is a software tweak, not a hardware problem. All I did when I found the issue was walk with my laptop to Seabourn Square, log on and then walk back to my suite with my laptop open. Then hours of uninterrupted internet was the rule.

The lunch and dinner cuisine was phenomenal. I have detailed a number of the menus from the Restaurant and Restaurant 2 in my prior posts, so you can refer to them if you have further interest. The overall impression was one of multiple choices where I was struggling if I should go with one starter/main or another. Or if one canapé was the best I ever had or one I just enjoyed. I would note that there is a mantra from a few that it is time for Charley Palmer to take a step back. I strongly disagree, for what I see is Seabourn allowing its chefs to play off the Charley Palmer inspired menu…for it is not a text book, but a guide from an outstanding chef.

I did have a unique chance to sample consistency. Because I was a guest for the Inauguration, and the charity event the next evening I was able to compare the execution of the same menu on two different nights and, lo and behold, it was prepared identically. Consistency is very important and impressive when done well.

The downside of consistency is that I found Seabourn was not pouring enough variety in its offered wines. I generally was offered two different reds and two different whites throughout my time onboard. While Seabourn is quick to offer complimentary alternatives, I found the need to know what wines complimented the cuisine not quite as it should be. This is the first time I have experienced this on Seabourn, so I am assuming it was a provisioning issue. I will see how things go on my November Goldring Travel Food & Wine Cruise.

I wish I had more time in The Colonnade. It was fine for breakfast and I did try something other than a basic breakfast, but even though the Eggs Benedict with Smoked Salmon were very good, it was just too heavy for my liking…but it was very good. I am more impressed with the fact that my eggs (sunny side up, poached or medium boiled…I had different eggs each day) were perfectly prepared.

My efforts to have lunch or dinner in The Colonnade was frustrated by my busy schedule off the ship, my haggis tasting, a nice formal lunch and, alas, just being full and skipping lunch. Dinner was also missed due to a number of special dinners, Restaurant 2, and a wonderful lamb curry specially ordered in The Restaurant by some friends of ours. That dinner is worth of note because it was the real deal in every respect: saffron rice, pompadoms and more …Outstanding. (And far more elaborate than a ‘mere” special order course or two!)

I did have a chance to sample…just sample…the food at The Patio Grill. Aside from a lack of hunger and time (ever get the feeling I need more than seven days for a cruise), the cool temperatures limited my time outdoors on deck during its opening hours. What I tasted, in an ever changing menu of offerings – which highlighted grill standards of hamburgers, etc. and pizza – was quite good, if not memorable. I did try the pizza under the most unfair of conditions: 50 degrees and windy doesn’t give any pizza a fair chance when tasted by a guy from New Jersey. The French fries were, as always, memorable.

It would not be appropriate to end this review without mentioning again the way Seabourn ended my time on the Seabourn Sojourn: with Seabourn Style. As I mentioned in my prior posts (which you can read for the details), when the port I was going to disembark in (Heimay Island, Iceland) was bypassed because of rough seas, Seabourn literally turned the ship around and ordered a pilot boat for me. It is true that on Seabourn there is no such thing as “no”!

In summary, and not considering the Inaugural and Maiden Voyage festivities, I was very impressed with the Seabourn Sojourn and its staff and crew. I have been on a number of Seabourn cruises…and I am comparing this cruise only to my previous Seabourn cruises and my expectations…and the Seabourn Sojourn exceeded my expectations; and not just expectations for a maiden voyage, but for any voyage.

I Need Honesty! Do You Think Iamboatman Is Full Of It?

As I write the glowing reviews of the Seabourn Sojourn (abeit it my "Hits and Misses" yet to come!), I wonder if the perception is that I am being less than honest, or am being honest but biased, or am just full of it. 

So on The Gold Standard Forum I have posted a thread with a poll seeking candid input.  You can find it here:  I Need Honestly. Do You Think I Am Full Of It?  The question I posed is as follows: 

As I have been writing the travelogue of the Inaugural and Maiden Voyage of the Seabourn Sojourn. While I honestly have done my best to be as objective as possible, do you really think I am telling the truth or do you think I am coloring things because I want to sell more cruises or have my bread better buttered?D o you think there is a better way for me to relay the information so it appears more objective? As I am asking for your honesty about my honesty, if you are more comfortable, use the Anonymous posting option if you so desire.

You do not need to be worried about being personally attacked if you blast me, call me out or compliment me.  On The Gold Standard Forum such conduct is not permitted...especially by me.

The reason for my asking is to improve what I do.  So I am encouraging you to criticize me!  (OK, if you want to tell me you like what I do, I won't be upset.)

Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part XII - Some Videos and Photos

I was sorting some of my videos and photos of the Seabourn Sojourn Maiden Voyage and Inauguration this morning and thought I might give you a taste of what is to come.  And a little discussion on why I am continually so impressed with Seabourn.

Honestly, I was not prepared for the Inaugural Celebration to be as moving as it was, so at the last minute I pulled my mobile telephone from my pocket and videoed the last moments.  It isn't the highest of quality, but it hopefully will give you a sense of what "Seabourn Style" is all about. 

To set the stage, so to speak, there were enormous floral arrangements everywhere, a huge ice martini bar, champagne flowing, passed canapés, and more.  Then, on Deck 9 overlooking the pool (which also had a floating floral arrangement) four beautiful women playing a high tech string quartet started playing classical music with more and more power and volume culminating with this:

Now, I try to be fair and objective about things and this is a perfect example as to why I have so much more confidence recommending The Yachts of Seabourn over Silversea Cruises or Regent Seven Seas Cruises.  If you recall Silversea's Naming Ceremony, it was a boring daytime affair with people seated in rows followed by a number of boring speeches. On the other hand, Seabourn put on "The Show"...and remember I haven't shown you the celebration for the Maiden Voyage Sailaway or the Seabourn Experience in Reykjavik as of yet.

Open bars and service with a smile is just not enough.  Gimmicks don't really do it.  There needs, in my opinion, to be a "Wow Factor".  I am confident that Seabourn will consistently continue to provide that Wow Factor.  When was the last time you heard of being wowed on Silversea or Regent?  Let me know...seriously and I will write about it.

Two days later, the Seabourn Sojourn's Maiden Voyage was undertaken.  Again, with Seabourn Style the British Royal Marines were called in:

This was followed by a lovely speech by the President of The Yachts of Seabourn, Pamela Conover:

More to come!

Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part XI - Land Ho!

On Saturday evening we arrived in Reykjavik, Iceland...again...and stayed at the Radison Blu 1919 Hotel. The hotel, and most all four star hotels in Reykjavik (there are no five star hotels) are within the same small area.  For a quick stay the hotel was just fine.  A standard room was comfortable and everything worked (free internet included), though you will be your own bellman.  One criticism - and this is a weird one - the blinds do not darken the room enough.  At 2:00 a.m. it was a light as 5:00 p.m. so the room never got dark.

Anyway, my wife and I walked over to The Seafood Cellar (it is actually named Sjavarkjallarinn, but have fun trying to say that!) for a greatly anticipated meal.  This smallish restaurant is, in fact, located in the cellar of the tourist office, but is anything but touristy.  It would have been quite romantic except for the two large groups who had booked the place.  (To be fair, we were warned in advance, but this was our only night in town, so we went for it.)  The word on the street was that the Chef's Menu was the thing to order. It was!  (You know you are in for it when the very attentive staff gets a gleam in their eyes when you order it.)

Shared dish after dish.  Venison, lobster, arctic char, lamb, tuna, prawns, cod, salmon, ling, and more...it kept coming and coming and coming.  And it kept arriving in different and wonderful ways, both in preparation and presentation.  And just when you are ready to give up...the desserts start appearing (yes, plural) and then the finale:  an oriental spin on ice cream in a smoking bowl placed in the center of the table.

Our dinner lasted over three hours, but went quickly.  And then we emerged from The Cellar expecting dark and it was light...very light.  But we were so full getting to sleep was not an issue.

We arose the next morning to find we were both stiff and sore.  At first we thought it must be the bed, but it felt OK.  Then my wife said, "Everything...even my lungs...hurt" and I realized I suffered pretty much the same way.  Then it hit me:  It was the horseback riding on those famously smooth riding Icelandic horses two days prior.  It caught up with us and we had a 5.5 hour flight home ahead of us.

Before we departed, we took a walk around Reykjavik and, as I do, stumbled upon a Sunday market and the ever important fish market.  I sampled dried catfish, some smoked something and then the infamous fermented shark (Hákarl) which has a putrid smell.  I, as instructed, ate some first and then smelled it later.  If I did it the other way around, I probably would not have been able to eat it.  I hate to say it, but I rather liked the small portion I tried.  I would not sit down with a plate of the stuff any time soon, but I can proudly say I survived it.

After buying some things for the kids, we ate lunch an upscale bistro serving local food, Geysir.  I had a fantastic seafood soup followed by a perfectly prepared piece of cod.  It was a very nice way to enjoy my last bit of Iceland.

Our trip to the airport was a bit much.  I could not figure out why it cost about US$150 for a taxi to the airport, so I went for the Flybus at $15 per person.  Jammed in, move your own bags, it was a very long trip into the middle of absolutely nowhere to the airport.  Next time - and I will return to Iceland - I am going to spring for the taxi.

Check-in was a breeze and the Icelandair Saga Class Lounge was quite nice.  Stepping into the new Icelandair jet was like a step back in time.  Nice, clean plane with great leather seating (no fly flat seats, but at 5.5 hours, it would be kind of a waste) and attractive flight attendants in older style uniforms that smiled and gave great service.  While the meal service wasn't as fancy as some larger carriers, the choices were good (I had a bento box of sushi and such prepared by a local restaurant) and some pretty decent wines. 

So now the adventure is over, but I will post some of my concluding thoughts...after I have a couple of days to think them through.

Seabourn Sojourn Inaugural and Maiden Voyage - Part X (Seabourn Never Says "No"...and You Can't Make This Stuff Up!)

As I noted in my last post, the day was not over and Seabourn had time to wow me some more...and it did.  (Trust me on this:  I do not get paid to say everything is wonderful.  I get really offended if anyone tells me to say everything is wonderful.  I couldn't sleep if I said something was wonderful if it wasn't.  The Seabourn Sojourn, its staff and crew are just that darn good.  Amazing!)

We had a second dinner at Restaurant 2 with some friends.  I won't bore you with the menu, but suffice it to say the menu won't bore you because it changes frequently.  Dinner was excellent and the service was great.  (What amazed me was a quiet "apology" the next morning that the service wasn't 100% perfect.  It wasn't?  I must be slipping...or Seabourn keeps raising the bar!)

After dinner I slipped in to see a bit of the Seabourn singers, having been my one comment of concern.  What I saw as much better, if still not my cup of tea.  But was of very promising note were the comments made to me and overheard (nah, I don't do that) that there was huge improvement in the show.  Possibly the first night was a matter of jitters.

OK, so now I am all set for Heimay Island, Iceland.  We have a boat tour organized, then a leisurely lunch, pack up and fly to Reykjavik for the evening and next day.  The plans came to a crashing halt when it was announced:  DUE TO ROUGH SEAS, HEIMAY ISLAND WAS BEING PASSED BY.  And with three sea days the next chance I had to fly home to the kids and pressing business would have been four days later.  I told Seabourn the world would not come to an end, but getting off would have been a much better option for me.

So what did Seabourn do?  Pam Conover, luckily onboard, gave the order:  The Seabourn Sojourn was to turn around and head back to Heimay Island...and had a pilot boat come out for me and my wife!  (And, no, I didn't ask for such treatment...It just happened!)

Talk about being embarrassed!  So we packed up in a hurry, the excitement spread around the ship, in typical Seabourn fashion, we had time to enjoy a last cup of coffee in the Seabourn Square with some friends and clients...very civilized.  Civilized right up to when they put life vests on us and passed us, while still underway, from the Seabourn Sojourn to the local pilot boat!  My embarrassment continued when I saw guests on their balconies supervising the operation!  (At least it gave the remaining guests something to do and talk about after the port was canceled.)  NOTE:  Seabourn does have a policy of never saying "No".  That policy may not apply to a request for a mid-cruise custom disembarkation on a small volcanic island in the middle of the North Sea.  As your travel agent I prefer you do not ask me to arrange same.

But of course Seabourn also had its port agent waiting for us and assisted in getting our day reorganized.  (And this is why I love travel.)  Having already done the partial circumnavigation of Heimay Island, seeing the nesting kittiwakes and puffins, the place the reacclimated the orca known as Free Willy and the spectacular scenery and cliffs...and the rough seas...we decided to give our 11:30 a.m. boat tour a miss.  This left us with lots of time to kill on a pretty rainy day before a 5:20 p.m. flight to the mainland.

We plunked ourselves down in Café Kro, where we were to pick up our boat tour tickets.  The owner, a lovely woman, named Unnur (pronounced almost like it looks!), was making up place settings and began to chat with us.  She told us about her family, her trip on a motorcycle riding down Route 66 (and showed us the local paper's article about it), life on the island, how she got married, the wonders of how only one of her children has blond hair (the others being ginger)...all over a cup of coffee and a bowl of soup.  And then she said that we could exchange the boat tour tickets for bus tour tickets as she owned the café, her husband, Capt. Simmi owned the boat and one of her sons operated the tour bus!  Who knew we would cozy up to the mogul of Heimay Island!

As we waited for the 1:30 p.m. tour Unnur showed us a video of the truly devastating volcanic eruption on the island in 1973 which consumed over 200 homes.  Heimay Island is a very small island and you can literally see the lava flows just outside the harbour - where they fought to stop the lava flows with millions of gallons of cooling sea water.  It gave a whole different perspective to this place and a much greater respect for those who live there.

After a nice freshly caught cod lunch it was time for our bus tour...with about 10 other people.  Unnur and Capt. Simmi's son was quite funny with a dry sense of humor.  I am glad we took the bus trip, not only because we were able to see this wonderful little island, but because it was more like spending time with new friends than your typical tour.  BTW, Heimay Island is supposedly one of three windiest places on earth.  Note to self:  Find out the other two and don't go there!  The wind was absolutely incredible when you left the harbour.

A cold beer and some fries at Café Kro and it was time for our flight to Reykjavik.  We made our flight without issue (no security, no luggage tags, and they served chocolates on the 20 minute flight...are you jealous?) and started the end of our adventure.  But, alas, our trip is not over!