Seabourn - A Dehumanizing Experience for the Non 1% (Edited)

A review of Seabourn Cruise (it took 4 months for me to write this)!

My husband and I have been cruising for years. We especially love transatlantic cruises because we love sea days. We heard so many good things about Seabourn and we booked a transatlantic cruise expecting it to be a trip of a lifetime. Little did we expect it would be such a trip which we will forever forget.

We thought it was a bit odd when we checked in how the crew and passengers were treating us as persona non grata. However, we just took it as check in worries.

Upon boarding, we were directed to our room, we unpacked, and then, from that moment, we were treated as sub-human.

Seabourn prizes itself for its hospitality and knowing everyone. All the reviews I read said that within 2 -3 days, all the staff would be calling us by our last names with the honorific. I noticed it with all the passengers, except with us. I brushed it off thinking, perhaps the crew was too tired.

On the third night, my husband and I went to the dining room for dinner. My husband was wearing a button down short-sleeve shirt and kakis and I was wearing a polo shirt and kakis (it was not s formal night). Once we sat down, a couple next to us started complaining about how the quality of passengers has declined on Seabourn. The couple asked to speak to the hostess - they wanted us out of there. The hostess asked if we would care to move. We were shocked at what was happening but said, yes. We went with her to the center of the dining room as the staff was trying to find another table for us. I asked the hostess what we were doing wrong as I didn't understand what was going on. She told me, "you have done nothing wrong." Then, another passenger came over and yelled at us for treating the crew with such disrespect. We said to the hostess, we want to go to our room.

We went to our room and the food and beverage manager came and said this had never happened before, we don't know why this happened, but we will take care of it. I was completely in tears. (P.S. - it has taken me several months to write this review as I am still horrified). We were told the individuals who assaulted us would be talked to.

The next day, the Crew Captain approached us, didn't address us by name, and simply said, "are we all good?" My husband and I, knowing we had 13 days left, decided to simply say yes. The fact is, not everything was ok.

Seabourn prides itself with knowing its passengers. Only twice where we called Mr. Hofer and Mr. Brady - the first was upon check-in and the last was on the second to last day when the waiter clearly was looking for a tip. We found it interesting that every other passenger was called by their first and last name. Yet - we were only talked to - with no name.

We spent the remaining 13 days trapped in our room, in the smoking section of the deck, and in the aft bar. We felt unsafe anywhere else. 

The crew and the passengers treated us like we were subhuman. I wonder - what is wrong with the ship? Only 5 people were people of color. Although there were a few gay couples, like us, I saw that if you had money, or appeared to have money, you were treated with respect. 

We were able to afford the trip; however, we were treated with anything but respect. No apologies other than saying, "We talked to the passengers and this won't happen again."

We will never cruise on Seabourn again. It is the most racist, mysoginistic, classist, homophobic cruise line ever. I wonder how differently things would have been if I would have come out as a priest?

Don't waste your money!

Addition as of August 9:

An update. I had a very lengthy conversation with the Senior Manager of Guest Relations in the President's Office of Seabourn. My conversation with the Manager was something I expected from day one of the whole cruise. The Manger could not apologize enough, took time to listen to my story, was very sympathetic and I believed her when she said it was not the Seabourn Way - however, it did happen to us. I greatly appreciate the fact that Seabourn accepted all fault and acknowledged that we did nothing wrong. The Manager will be addressing the situation on many levels to see this never happens to anyone else which was my goal in the first place for finally writing this post. I believe by truth-telling there will be positive change. The Manager will be working with the company to see the best way to help put this experience behind for us in order that we might move forward. I believe that.

Update: August 11

I appreciate the follow-up that the management of Seabourn has done. Their apologies and effort to make-up for our experience is what I had expected. I wish to put this horrible experience behind me and I look forward to our next holiday. Although my experiences in my review are real and I will not change it, I give the management credit. I truly believe by sharing my story that hopefully no one will ever have to go through what happened to me on Seabourn.