Complaint Review: Seabourn Cruise Line

Consumers have every right to expect a lot from a top rated, expensive cruise line that sells its six star and intimate luxury status.  Seabourn cruises have been around for a long time, successfully catering to couples who can afford to spend upwards of
$10,000 for a week or ten day cruise.

Though there were many very positive aspects to our first Seabourn Legend cruise along the Italian, French and Spanish Riviera, I became and remain angry about what I and other first timers felt was an expensive scam perpetrated by Seabourn.

There are smaller Seabourn cruise ships that charge higher prices for balcony suites.  Here is all the text found on the Seabourn website about the balcony: All Balcony Suites feature doors opening to fresh sea breezes from a private mini-balcony.  I suppose the term mini-balcony indicates a small balcony, but what we discovered was a shock.  Turns out the mini-balcony is just a few inches wide, hardly enough to even stand comfortably on it.

In checking the term balcony on Wikipedia this is the most relevant type of balcony to accurately understand the Seabourn mini-balcony: A French balcony is actually a false balcony, with doors that open to a railing with a view of the courtyard or the surrounding scenery below.  Yes, the mini Seabourn balcony is, indeed, a false balcony.  Sadly, this false balcony costs thousands of dollars more than suites with just large picture windows.

Sadly, before selecting this cruise I had not found a review of the ship that noted what was actually included, namely tiny French balconies that arent large enough to stand on much less populate with furniture.  This proves my point that the information provided by Seabourn is intentionally incomplete and misleading.

Proving that there is a more ethical and consumer friendly way of doing business, Viking River Cruises clearly distinguishes cabins with a verandah versus ones with a French balcony.

Another negative for the Seabourn ship is that there is a large plastic shield on the false balcony that is not in the best shape, making it difficult to see clearly when the doors are open .

Every person on board that I brought this subject up with agreed that the expensive false balcony was basically a fraud.

The best travel agents should, of course, inform their clients that the Seabourn balcony is a false one offering little utility or
benefits.  Mine did not do this.

It should be noted that Seabourn and other cruise lines usually use the term verandah to describe true balconies on which you can sit on chairs and enjoy the scenic views.  Previously, on a Regent Seven Seas cruise, such a verandah was enjoyed.

A little irony to this situation is that Seabourn proudly notes on its website that for 2012 it has received inclusion in a list of the The World's Most Ethical Companies.  This is a designation from an independent group that recognizes companies that truly go beyond making statements about doing business "ethically" and translate those words into action.

Based on the incomplete information provided by Seabourn on its expensive balcony suites I do not believe that the company merits this designation.  Truly ethical behavior would require that Seabourn describe this class of cabin suites as French
Balcony Suites and perhaps a few words revealing that people could not readily stand or sit on this false balcony.