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Thursday 9th Feb 2012
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Regent Odyssey... Could It Be Better Than Regent ?
Regent Odyssey... Could it be better than Regent ? |
1 of 1 people found this review informative
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Reviewed By: Greenhalgh, Manchester on 21st Aug 2009
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| Cruise Line: Seabourn |
Times cruised before: 10+ |
| Cruise Ship: Seabourn Odyssey |
Sailed:
August,
2009 |
| Destination:
Adriatic
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Age: 36-45 |
| Cabin: Suite |
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We sailed with Regent last year on the Navigator and had such a sublime experience that we did not know whether Seabourn would be able to surpass it. In some respects it did and in others it didn't...
The Odyssey is without doubt one of the most sophisticated ships you will ever sail on. It was a hot day in Venice when we arrived and we were greeted on the red carpet by a line of crew bearing cold towels and smiles. then we were strangely herded into the dark and rather dismal show lounge (more later). It was not suggested that we could do anything but sit there until our suites were ready. I asked if I could go on deck and explore and was delighted to find Robert ready and waiting to serve us drinks in the Sky bar (upper level pool terrace bar with a welcome smoking area starboard) we soon relaxed with Mojito's in the very comfortable alcantara armchairs surrounded by the very beautiful deck area (which is much nicer than it looks on the many photographs you will see on flickr etc.) I couldn't help wonder why early passengers (arriving at the opening time stated on our tickets) were not given the choice to go to this bar or one of the restaurants as they were all open and staffed at that time.
Accommodation
We went to our 'suite' after 2.00pm. They are extremely well appointed and tastefully decorated as you would expect, with a few well conceived design features and a few that do not really work so well. There are six cupboards at the foot of the bed which are very shallow with drawers in them that look as if they are intended for shoes, except they are not big enough to get men’s shoes in. they wouldn't really be useful for anything else in my opinion and the unit seems to just fill space that otherwise would have made the room seem much more spacious when walking past the bed (which necessitated an intimate shuffle when you want to pass each other). The dressing room is just a walk in wardrobe which would have been much easier for two people to use when getting ready if they had just supplied wardrobes in the cabin (this area on the navigator was much better designed as it was a true dressing room where two people could actually select their clothes and put them on)
The bathroom is gorgeous with double marble sinks with fabulous (if a little impractical) taps. The tiny shower looks like it would be a tight squeeze but is actually OK in use, however the Italian designers in many areas have chosen style over function which can be a little frustrating when the taps splash you and the shower leaks into the bathroom (sorry this sounds picky when it all looks so nice. Many of the staff had the same complaints because the designers obviously had no experience of designing bars and spa's which meant that there was no storage for anything where it was needed and meant they were constantly having to run to other rooms to get things that should be to hand, I was also tipped off that the $650.00 spa villas are too hot for anyone to want treatments in there and also for the masseurs to be able to give treatments due to the tented roof’s and lack of air conditioning)
The bed was perfect and the bedding as sumptuous and inviting as it could be. Our room attendant was the best we have had on any line (although a bit bossy for the first few days!) and issues were always anticipated before they became one (example; an engineer knocked one day to check our bathroom lights, a bulb had gone which I had not noticed, she also noticed that we were drinking cokes and diet cokes rather than the other mixers and soon we found that there were lots more of those each day so we never ran out)
Breakfast in the room was lovely. A waiter arrived each day and set up a picture perfect table with fine linen, silver cutlery and all the touches you would expect in the restaurant, they were happy to do this in the room or on the balcony. It was always done with pleasure with a smile and a ‘good morning’. (very decadent, and altogether better than on Cunard and Regent, although I always found them good too). Hot items were rarely that warm but that is expected I suppose and if it was a problem I could have gone to one of the restaurants where it would have been made fresh to order.
Restaurants:
The restaurants were fabulous (except lunch at the patio grill, an area where Regent’s daily deck barbeques are streets ahead, they vary each day and have many exotic fish choices. Odyssey’s choice was the same each day and consisted of luke warm burgers, hot dogs and not a lot else that I can remember) We never managed to get into restaurant 2 as you had to book 48 hours in advance and the phone lines were swamped at 7.30 each evening. I wasn't too upset about this as it did bring very mixed reviews from other guests we spoke to. However with about seven tables this area is far too small to give everyone a chance to get in and not everyone is prepared to wait by the phone at 7.30 every evening to enter the lottery. I think it would be better to be able to make a booking for one night during your cruise and limit it to once per stateroom so you don't have to keep trying and failing.
Restaurant 1 is extremely glamorous and I would be more than happy to dine there every night of the cruise with excellent service, superbly presented food and a varied menu, it was only slightly let down by water served from crinkly plastic water bottles which seemed to jar with every other fine detail imaginable.
We ate in the colonnade twice which is a truly fabulous experience; here the theme changes each evening with menus (loosely) based around Italian, French, Spanish, Indian etc dishes. To sit on the back deck in the glow of an orange sunset surrounded by well dressed / healed fellow passengers with a gentle chitter chatter, clinking of crystal, fine food, and excellent ‘un-stuffy’ service is something that I will remember for a long time.
The reservation system here also is rather bizarre because this restaurant is actually very large and books up quickly each evening, however when you arrive it is always empty! They only appear to take reservations for the outside area which seems a shame when there are a lot of passengers that may not want to pre-book 48 hours in advance, who could easily be accommodated in the interior of the restaurant to sample the more casual themed food as a change to the main restaurant.
The patio grill has the same menu each evening and looks lovely when set up with all the crystal and china from around 6pm. We had been put off trying it due to the poor lunch offering but on the last night decided to give it a try. The food was spectacular (although it all sounds rather drab on the menu, pizza’s, steaks etc) The steaks are top class, huge and tasty. The Nigerian shrimps are about 12” long and look much more like lobsters than prawns! They arrive sliced lengthways so you can easily pick out the meat without a major surgical operation or sticky fingers.
Bars / Club:
The arrangement of the accommodation and public areas on this ship has created an unfathomable consequence! Above the bridge and most of the passenger suites there is possibly the most sensational bar you will find either at sea or on land… and no one ever goes there!
The observation lounge is a stunning masterpiece of design with a large central circular bar. Everything is created from illuminated marble, glass and lots of leather with an illuminated glass ceiling forming a glowing halo above the bar. A smart crowd gather here for pre-dinner cocktails and at any other time of day you will rarely see more than a few couples in there. It seems that once people venture to the back of the ship they stay there.
The Club is very popular at many times of the day as it is used for afternoon tea, pre-dinner drinks and of course as the late night venue with excellent bar staff who manage to get the balance of friendliness and attentiveness just right. The décor as with all areas of the ship is very contemporary with lots of earthy tones, leather and tall glass panels dividing the bar area from the dance floor which makes it easy to chat at the bar while allowing the singer / band to perform at a good enough level to encourage dancing. The house band and vocalists are excellent and work very hard appearing at all sorts of different places throughout the night, including the sailaways (which were too few in number and strangely short in duration).
I’m sorry to say that the club is the most neglected part of the ship. I’m certain that this will improve as the management become more aware of the problems but unfortunately for us joining the ship one month after it’s maiden voyage, it became more and more apparent that no one has been made responsible for overseeing it’s operation. On several nights the toilets were not checked for over 3 hours with ‘face cloth’ hand towels overflowing their tiny receptacle and strewn all over the sink and floor, a very messy toilet and seat (there is only one cubical for this very busy area) caused by an ‘unwell’ guest remained un-cleaned and rather disgusting from 11.00pm until close at 3.00am.
The outside area (where it is possible to smoke on the starboard side) was unlit for the first three nights (possibly to highlight the illuminated fountain outside the floor to ceiling club windows) but it made a potentially beautiful spot into a grim dismal place to sit in the dark. Someone obviously pointed this out as it was lit later into the cruise, but with quite a choice of different types of subdued lighting available they chose to use the very bright overhead lights which appeared to be a one fingered salute to the person who complained! (not me by the way). One night we went there for pre-dinner drinks and it was still full of discarded towels and empty glasses from passengers that had used the area during the day. The ship is also suffering from a major smut problem (black bits from the funnels) which does not get cleared quickly enough (it is worst in the club area and outside the seabourn square) the cream suede effect cushions which are there during the day alert people to the problem (but is taking it’s toll on their appearance) but when they are removed and in the dark it is not clear that most of the seats are very dirty and many glamorous outfits were soiled as a result. These areas are not looked after once the cushions are removed and the white table tops get dirtier as the evening rolls on.
I mentioned the sky bar earlier, this is the other drinking venue and attracts a fun crowd. It is really nice to have an area like this open throughout the night (most ships I have sailed on have closed these bars around sunset) It was often quite a wrench when it was closed at 12.30am as it is very well run by Robert the bar man who has quite a dry sense of humour… you will never have an empty glass unless you want one!
Other areas and comments:
One of the highlights was a great poolside party night, it drew a big crowd and everyone had a wonderful time. The house band was joined by members of the crew and their performances were outstanding. I think they should have repeated it more nights during the cruise (actually I think it would have been just as popular if it has been arranged every night). Movies under the stars was very well done but not very well attended, and was a lovely touch showing Captain Corelli’s mandolin the evening before we visited the region where it was set.
If you like a dip in a hot tub but don’t like to do it in full view in the pool area (like me) you should book a cabin on deck six. A few steps from your room takes you on to the bow of the ship where there are a number of deck chairs and the tub is situated directly in the tip of the bow, there is also a drinks trolley for some self service refreshments, a very nice touch on a hot sunny day and an area that most guests don’t seem to realise exists.
I’m not a big fan of the shows onboard ships, but always pop in one night to see what the entertainment is like. I felt very sorry for the performers, they were obviously very talented and put on a very entertaining show that would appeal to many tastes, but the show lounge is the most badly designed space I have experienced on any ship. The sound quality is appalling, the live musicians were in a glass booth so you didn’t get any of the kick of a live band, the singers sounded muffled and I just cannot understand why a new ship would cut costs (on the p.a. system) in such an important area of enjoyment for the majority of passengers. Add to this FOUR columns in a relatively small room which seemed to completely lack any understanding of theatre design. Then at the back there are some very stylish silver leather cubicles with seat backs that go floor to ceiling completely obscuring any view of the stage, so anyone who sits there starts conversations which frustrate anyone trying to listen to the show! The designers were obviously trying to re-invent the wheel here but failed miserably. The Regent Navigator has a huge theatre which seats all 450 passengers in comfort in a traditional theatre environment on two levels giving the feel of a big ship with full tall proscenium but the intimacy of a relatively small ship (similar in most proportions to the Odyssey)
Tendering was very efficient without any queues, however I was surprised that this area had not been designed to allow some room for some seating as I have seen on many other ships. It wasn’t a problem for me but there were a few older and heavier guests that had to go and sit on the stairs (not very 5 star!) which were on the other side of the ship so they had to board the tender after everyone who arrived after them. I was also surprised how Spartan the tenders are, they are straight-off-the-shelf life boats with lots of steps, tight access areas and very enclosed, again they are not at all suitable for anyone with any walking disabilities. Apart from anything, when they arrive at the dockside they are not promoting a luxurious image for Seabourn to on-lookers who could be potential future customers. I had heard that the older ships have very fine ‘royal yacht’ style tenders which sound lovely and befitting of the high standard of furnishings elsewhere onboard.
I must also point out how smooth and quietly this ship sails, we did not really encounter any challenging weather conditions but it sails as straight as a die, never rocks, rolls or shakes. The Navigator famously shakes like a leaf in the rear public rooms which is actually quite endearing as all the bottles clink together in the night club when you walk through during the day, but I have seen some people object to this in some reviews.
I would hate to deter anyone from trying this wonderful ship. I have tried to give a balanced view of pro’s and con’s. My abiding memories will always be of a very wonderful experience, and once these problem areas have been rectified it will deserve the reputation the former ships have earned for Seabourn.
Finally to return to my opening line; How does it compare with Regent? Problems aside, I would say that they are both of a very similar standard, the suites on Regent are better designed (and a bit bigger) and the food may be very slightly better on Seabourn in general.
I’d say, take advantage of Seabourn’s current bargain prices (about the same as Regent) to say you’ve done it then carry on sailing in the same degree of luxury with t’other one when the prices go up again!
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| Quality of Food |  |
| We ate in three of th four restaurants. All were excellent in terms of service and quality of food. Restaurant 1 is absolutely stunning with it's all white decor highlighted with touches of gold leather and silk... but why serve water out of crinkly plastic bottles? every other detail was as fine as you could wish for. Colonade is worth the trouble it takes to get in, very special evenings at sunset | | Entertainment |  |
| Performers excellent although the same people pop up at different places every night, they work them hard. The show lounge is simply terrible unless possibly you are able to sit near the stage? (I didn't) see review. It is a grim dark place day or night.
Deck party was one of the big highlights of the cruise and the normal performers were joined by members of the crew who were FABULOUS. | | Shore Excursions | n/a |
| Very expensive compared to other lines. example; transfer from ship to hotel in Athens $200.00. We arranged our own Mercedes which was waiting at the door for 35 euro's. I can't comment however on the quality of excursions, and none were included | | Staff | |
| I can only remember three names: Robert the barman in the sky bar, Patrick the German wine waiter and barman in the observation lounge and Marlene our cabin attendant. All were excellent and went far beyond the epected standard to make everything perfect. | | Children's Facilities | n/a |
| This realy isn't a ship for kids to have fun. There were a few on board who were happy to spend time with their parents and as you would expect were very well mannered, however i'm not sure they would describe it as fun. IMHO Cunard is the best compromise of luxury and enjoyment for kids. I have done QM2 several times with my 8 nephews and neices who adored every minute and they would not have liked Seabourn at all. | | Onboard Activities | |
| the marina day was a bit of a let down i'm sorry to say. the quay was a lot smaller than pre launch pictures suggested and it could definitey be glammed up a bit. they should have some jet skis. I did enjoy the novelty of being able to kayak off the back of a ship but with a much youger clientele than normal it was the only time of the cruise when it was necessary to queue and we only got about ten minutes. Most other activities involve the free alcohol... no complaints there at all! | | Cabins | |
| Size and quality are excellent as you would expect. The balcony was a fair size but rather cramped with two chairs, a table, a sun lounger and a foot stool. Walk in wardrobe was just that, I would have prefered a none walk in one or a proper dressing room like on Regent Navigator where 2 people coud actually get dressed in comfort. The furniture is all very nice but design over function as everything involved opening and closing doors which had sprung clip enclosures which were noisy and did not spring open every time without a few attempts. probably sounds picky but even the bar area where the doors could be retracted needed to be closed at night as the internal light only switched off when the doors were closed. Regent cabins were much better designed with beautiful glass cabinets for the extensive assortment of crystal glassware and much more space to walk past each other. Also the only ship I have saild on where you could actually sit and relax on the settee, the very nice looking one here as usual was too shallw to sit and relax for a long period. Wonderful bathroom, amazing robes, extremely comfortable bed and thick duvets, fresh fruit every day. I was surprised that canapes were never served in the evening... that woud have been nice. | | Overall Rating | |
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