dolphin-seabreezejh061598

Name: Jeff Hobbs
Email: Hobbsey@aol.com
Age: 41
Occupation: Sales Manager
NumberOfCruises: 3
TravelAgent: No
Ship: Premier-Seabreeze
SailingDate: June 15, 1998
Itinerary: Nw England/Canada
FoodDiningRoom: 95
CruiseDirector: 82
CabinComfort: 85
FoodRoomService:
CruiseStaff: 79
CabinAmenities: 85
FoodLidoDeck: 75
DiningRoomService: 98
CabinQuietness: 95
FoodMidnightBuffets: 90
CabinSteward: 90
ShoreExcVariety: 90
FoodVariety: 90
DeckService: 80
ShoreExcValue: 70
GoodForHoneymoon:
CasinoStaff: 85
PrivateIsland:
GoodForFamilies: 95
LoungeService: 90
TenderService: 80
GoodForSeniors: 90
BeautySalonStaff:
EntertainmentLounges: 80
WheelchairAccess:
ExerciseFacilities: 60
EntertShowLounge: 80
OverallPortsofCall: 95
BeautySalon:
EntertainmentPoolside: 50
CruiseActivities: 85
Casino: 85
AirSeaProgram:
MedicalFacilities:
ShipCleanliness: 85
EmbarkDisembark: 95
DiscoNightclubs: 75
DeckSpace: 80
Stabilization: 80
ShopsOnBoard: 70
SpaceRatio: 85
OverallCruiseValue: 88
Submit: Submit Review
Date: 25 Jun 1998
Time: 12:46:26
Remote Name: 206.15.115.65
Remote User:

Comments

I had originally planned this trip as a Father/Son summer camp at sea experience. It seemed like just the right itinerary given my boy’s Titanic fever and
with perfect timing as the cruise ended on Father’ Day. The last time I had cruised I was 11 years old, the exact age that Michael is now. Additionally, the
Seabreeze is just about the same age and size as the last ship I was on (Matson’s Mariposa in 1969).

At the last minute my Father decided he wanted to join us. Since my son had no objections we upgraded our cabin from a small upper and lower budget
box to a very spacious deluxe outside stateroom with three lowers and 270 sq. ft. And so off we went on our multigenerational adventure to the North
Atlantic.

We arrived in New York City the night before departure and stayed at the Hilton and Towers in Midtown. After a very noisy dinner at the Hard Rock Café
(my son loved it) we turned in for a very sleepless night. Between my Dad snoring and the partying neighbors who returned at 2 am and our own
heightened excitement (Channel Fever) we got only about 4 hours of sleep.

The next morning Michael had an appointment at HarperCollins Publishers (my employer) to tour our children’s books dept. My Dad and I cooled our
heels in the lobby and he was thrilled to meet one of our best selling authors. Former member of the British Parliament, Jeffery Archer was in the ‘lift’ with
us having just returned from taping a segment for the Today Show.

Then we got our bags from the Hotel and cabbed to Pier 88 for embarkation.

EMBARKATION

It was a Breeze (pun intended). We arrived at about 11:40 a.m. with announced embarkation scheduled for 1:00 p.m. This gave us time to go to the
upper parking deck and view the ship. She is a small steam vessel and she looks pretty good from the pier. The Premier colors are much more attractive
than the old Premier white and blue, in my opinion. From this vantage point we could see the crew and staff getting ready for the embarkation buffet and
the deck hands were working on the decking and paint.

We went back into the Terminal and lined up for check in. At 12:30 p.m. they started to let us in, we were about 20 people back. We got our documents
processed, we were handed our charge cards, we had our picture snapped at the bottom of the gang way and we were on board by 12:50 p.m.

CABIN D-08

Officers and crew were at the entry to greet us and show us to our cabin. It is a budget ship to be sure, but the accommodations were spacious and
comfortable.

The bathroom was very roomy with a full size tub and a real flush toilet. Closet space was much more than adequate, but drawer space was tight. There
was a small glass top table and two chairs which we never used except to put things on . there was also a wall full of shelving, part of which had cabinet
doors. The Dresser had three drawers and the unusual addition of a pull out desk top.

We had a nice size window but the view was obstructed. This proved not to be much of a problem as we were hardly ever in the cabin except to sleep,
dress and shower. Also for at least 95% of the cruise it was either raining, overcast or foggy.

Our cabin steward was invisible most of the time and we really never developed much of a relationship with him. He did do a good job keeping the beds
made, the water pitcher and ice bucket full and the towels well stocked, however.

SAIL AWAY

Michael left us to roam around the ship and explore and Dad and I went up to the Pastoral Café for the embarkation buffet. The ship has teak decking on
all the outside decks except the observation deck (forward on ‘B’ deck) and this area is no exception. For most of the week deck hands cold be found
repairing and replacing the decking all around the ship. It is open air seating under a plastic tent. There is a cold buffet line inside and steam tables set
up outside. The lunch was very hearty and the food was tasty. We had our first encounter with crew members here as they cheerfully and persistently
hawked drink specials.

Soon it was time for the life boat drill. We tracked down the boy, got our vests on and met at the muster station. This seemed to take forever and it was
kind of steamy. We then all went out on deck to our boat stations until the all clear was sounded. This lasted about 30 minutes total and the deck was
very crowed, with men at the back and women and children at the front. We were all relieved when it was over just so that we could get a breath of fresh
air.

It had begun to drizzle earlier but stopped before we sailed away. Across two piers sat the Regal Empress. She is a pretty vessel very similar in size and
shape to our Seabreeze. I understood that they were scheduled to sail out before us but as our engines turned up and we pulled away exactly on time
she remained at dock with no sign of leaving on her 12 day voyage to the north Atlantic.

It was a thrill to sail down the Hudson River past Ellis Island and the Statue of Liberty and then out of the bay to the open sea. I stood up on the
Observation deck and felt the rush of the wind and the rush of my own excitement as we began the first leg of our journey to Newport, RI.

THE DINNING EXPERIENCE - TABLE 55

No sooner had we put to sea than it was time to make our way to the dinning room for our first dinner. Although I would prefer late seating for myself we
chose first (or main) seating because it seemed the best idea for Michael. Our dinning companions were very pleasant; a 30 something woman from the
New York area traveling with her 13 year old nephew and his 13 year old friend.

We were about to discover one of the greatest joys of cruising (at least on this ship); the food and the wait service staff. Our waiter, Sevket, is from
Turkey and is a veteran of cruise ships for over 7 years. Our busboy, Vladimir, is from Russia and this is his first season on a ocean going vessel having
worked on river barges in the USSR. We were interested to learn that his wife was also working on the ship as a cocktail waitress while her mother takes
care of their 18 month old child back home.

These men, as well as the rest of the dinning room staff, from the Maitre D down to the newest bus boy, became family and friends to us for the entire
week on board. If Michael missed a meal with us they were interested and concerned for his whereabouts and comfort. Not just our own waiter and
busboy but numerous members of the staff would come by to ask about him.

The food on this ship, especially in the dinning room, was fantastic; from the first night to the last morning. I ate all but two meals here loving the service
and ambiance as well as the well prepared dishes. The veal was tender and tasty, the pasta was firm and spicy, the Lobster (real Maine Lobster on this
cruise) was generous and well prepared. All the vegetables seemed to be fresh. I was only disappointed to find that the ‘Catch of the Day’ was in reality
merely the ‘Selection of the Day’ as it was all pre-frozen and stored and not brought on fresh daily. One night I had the lamb chops which I really enjoyed
but I heard from several others that theirs were tough and full of gristle. It was no problem to have the waiter bring a second and even third entree. I
tried a few of the lean light selections and liked them just fine. Also, every night there were special kids entrees.

On three nights the dinning staff puts on a show for the passengers, parading around the room singing and clapping. Some of the waiters are able to
balance full trays of food or drinks, with candles ablaze, on their heads as they march and dip and dance around the very crowed dining room. There
was a parade the night Baked Alaska was served, with sparklers ablaze, but the desert itself did not make an appearance until it was brought already
sliced to the table.

There were two formal nights on this cruise but officers and activities staff were not in evidence at any of the main seating meals on these or any other
nights. It would seem wise to have at least one of the senior officers and the cruise director or hostess come to main seating once in a while to mingle
with the passengers over dinner.

Lunches and Breakfasts were mostly open seating affairs (except for the days at sea) with the same menu offered daily at breakfasts but with new
entrees every day on the lunch menu.

ALTERNATIVE DINNING

There are two other dinning venues to choose from for both Breakfast and Lunch. The Patorale Café is located on the aft ‘C’ deck just behind the
Carmen Show Lounge. Here they arrange a large buffet of both cold and hot items and lots of baked goods as well. There is also an omelet station for
breakfast and a pasta station for lunch.

Two levels up, on ‘A’ deck is the Planets Counter where a much smaller buffet is set with just the basics. This is the location for hot dogs and hamburgers
for lunch but they are frankly pretty disappointing. Even though there is a grill behind the counter the meat is precooked and left on the steam table
along with the buns, which get pretty dried out.

The open air deck is nice outside of Planets however. It is well covered by sail cloth and looks out over the wake of the ship. It was a great spot to sneak
a relaxing hour with a cigar.

MIDNIGHT BUFFETS

There is a different themed buffet each night and they are elaborately prepared. One night was Italian, another Mexican (my favorite) and another
Oriental. The food was always tasty and the further into the week we got the more crowed the dinning room became for these events.

The Buffet Magnifique was very attractive with both ice and butter carvings of dragons and the Statue of Liberty. The also do some interesting carvings
on Melons.

ENTERTAINMENT

Entertainment was varied, fun and ranged the gamut from the Miss Seabreeze pageant (male passengers dressed up by female passengers as women)
to some very polished singing and dancing by a very talented troupe of four young and energetic entertainers.

Day time entertainment included the Casino, Bingo, Newlywed (and not so newlywed) games, a passenger talent show, wooden horse racing and of
course more BINGO. The "snowball" jackpot for the week was nearly $2000. The casino is run under Nevada gaming rules and there were a few large
payoffs at the slots. I came out about $15 ahead for the week thanks to a good final night at the blackjack table, so I can’t complain.

There was a varied children’s program in three age groups that included scavenger hunts, trivia contests, special movies, ice cream socials and pizza
parties.

The spots deck was a popular spot for basketball, ping pong and shuffle board. There is also a postage sized swimming pool (salt water) and three very
warm and comfy hot tubs.

There were numerous art auctions and sales.

The Movie Theater was always open with recent releases such as Face Off, As Good As It Gets and Lost in Space. The theater itself is rather small but it
was never over crowded. There were some scheduling problems with the films themselves and I feel that more care should be taken in running movies
with ratings that would appeal to families.

At night there was always a feature show featuring either the song and dance troupe mentioned above, a British comedian named Lenny Windsor
(formerly a writer for Benny Hill), a juggler and a magician. They were all pretty talented and very entertaining.

After the main show there remains other entertainment options until the wee hours including the karaoke bar, the piano bar and the disco.

PORTS OF CALL

Our six night itinerary included 3 port stops: Newport, RI, Portland, ME, and Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Newport, RI: We awoke early the first morning to find ourselves already at anchor in the Narragansett Bay just in front of the Newport Bridge. It was rainy
and overcast but soon the rain stopped and the tenders arrived to take us ashore. Dad decided to stay aboard but Michael and I took the boat to Goat
Island, hopped on a shuttle to the mainland and strolled and shopped along the Brick Marketplace.

I had wanted to take him on the Cliff Walk and past some of the mansions but the weather was not cooperative. We bought some postcards and little else
since the prices seemed kind of high for the typical tourist kitsch. We did stop into one of my favorite Rhode Island establishments, the Newport Creamery
where we each got an Awful Awful. Its an ice cream drink that comes in 24 oz cups and is ‘Awful Big and Awful Good’. I remembered this from my
childhood and was pleased to see that they still offer the same promotional deal; if you drink three the fourth one is free.

As soon as we got back on the tender the sun came out but alas the ship was leaving in just an hour or so. Sail away from this port was the prettiest we
would see for the rest of the trip, with clear skies and some interesting traffic sharing the waterway with us; a very stylish four deck private yacht and a
replica of a three masted sailing ship.

Portland, ME: This was my favorite port of call. It was once again rainy and foggy as we made our way into Portland harbor past the picturesque light
house and the quaint New England shoreline. Once we tied up at the pier the rain began in earnest and continued for about an hour. It had stopped
though by the time we disembarked and it remained cloudy as we rode into Old Port and toured this small and attractive city.

The shops were neat and clean and the people could not have been friendlier. The prices for souvenirs and gifts were very fair as well. I really look
forward to going back to Portland again when I can spend more than just a couple of hours.

We did not sign up for any of the tours here and just made our way around on foot until lunch time.

The weather cleared considerable in the afternoon until just before sail away when a thick fog came in from the ocean and settled all around us. I had
hoped for a repeat of the day before but it didn’t happen and I got no pictures of the Portland Head Light as we made our sightless way back to sea.

Halifax, Nova Scotia: After a full day at sea filled with fun and relaxation, we arrived early in the morning at Halifax. It must have been a late night for
most of the passengers because the rails were pretty empty as we pulled along side of the pier and were greeted by kilt wearing bagpipers, a drummer
and a town crier with a bell. He unrolled a scroll and read a warm welcome to us from the mayor of the city.

Once again it was foggy and muggy but no rain this morning. We had breakfast and prepared for an exciting day. We were booked for a shore
excursion this time which didn’t leave until 12 noon so we had the morning to ourselves.

Tied up just aft of our ship was a Navy Helicopter Carrier, the USS Inchon, so we decided to walk over and see if they were giving tours. The officer on
duty told us they would be open for tours at about 1 p.m. My Dad pulled out his USN retirees ID card (he served 27 years in the Navy and retired as a
Senior Chief) and immediately we were whisked away on a private tour by the acting C.O. This proved to be one of the highlights of the cruise for my son
as he got to sit in the captains chair, command phone to his ear, as the helicopters were warmed up on the flight deck below us.

After a quick lunch at the Pastorale Café we congregated in the Carmen lounge for our afternoon tour, The Titanic/Halifax Connection. Michael had been
eagerly awaiting this tour (as had I) for weeks and weeks.

After that horrible disaster on the evening of April 14, 1912, a search and salvage operation was conducted from Halifax to the wreck sight. It resulted in
hundreds of bodies being brought back to this city for identification, embalming and burial. On this tour we were promised presentations from survivors, a
visit to the grave sights and a final stop at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic.

The tour wound up being much less interesting than we had hoped with no Titanic survivors being present and with the museum stop put at the beginning
of the tour. This meant that we had only 25 minutes to see this wonderful place and we were sharing it with hundreds of school kids on field trips. The
next two hours was taken up with bus riding and walking in front of grave stones. The narration would have been interesting for someone who knew
nothing of the tragedy, but for us it was not very informative.

Part of the presentation included an overview of the great explosion that leveled much of Halifax in 1917. A French munitions ship collided with another
vessels, caught fire and exploded with the greatest force man had ever created until the atomic bomb. Thousands died immediately and due to cold and
snow thousands more died soon after due to exposure. In the cemeteries one could spot many grave stones with the date of the disaster and containing
the names of entire families who died together that day.

Soon after our return to the Seabreeze it was time for sail away. Just before departure some highland dancers were brought aboard to entertain the
passengers with authentic Scottish folk dances. As we passed by McNabb Island the fog engulfed our ship and we headed south for home.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK AND DEBARKATION

After another fun and active day at sea it was time to return home. Our last full day saw a break in the weather for a few hours and we actually caught a
glimpse of the horizon, some Premiers and a whale.

By 1 a.m. all bags had to be packed and in the hallway for pick up. I just made the deadline having been in the casino winning my $15. We were up early
(at least my Dad and I were) for early breakfast at 6:15. Afterward, up on deck with Michael finally awake, we watched our slow progression into Hudson
Bay with a beautiful sunrise, the statue in the distance and the Celebrity Horizon just ahead.

Debarkation was a very painless experience on the Seabreeze. All common areas were available for passengers except for the reception area near the
pursers desk. In the Carmen Show lounge the comedian entertained. A name was drawn from the comment cards for a free cruise for two on any
Premier ship. A final cover up bingo game was held for yet another free cruise. At 10:00 a.m. they began calling passengers off in groups based on a
color coding system. We were in the second group at 10:10 a.m.; we located our bags in the terminal, found our driver and were on the road before
10:30. The Horizon, which got in just ahead of us, still had not off loaded any passengers.

FINAL COMMENTS AND OVERVIEW

We thoroughly enjoy our cruise aboard the S.S. Seabreeze. The food was great and the dinning staff very attentive and friendly. The entertainment was
enjoyable. The ship’s small size added to the intimacy we felt with the other passengers and some of the crew. There is much evidence of an ongoing
commitment to this ship. Maintenance crews were very visible throughout the week scraping, painting, polishing and replacing teak decking.

The ship is friendly to all passenger types except those expecting 24 hour white glove service and attention. The adage ‘you get what you pay for’ is true
and that is not what you are paying for with Premier Cruises. Its small size makes it easy to get around. There are two elevators at mid-ship for the less
nimble. I never rode in one but heard that they were quite small.

I have a few suggestions and criticisms however:

1. The air-conditioning needs to be attended to immediately. Things can get pretty muggy in the Atlantic and the cabin got pretty stuffy a few nights.

2. There needs to be better scheduling of some of the service desks. The Credit desk in particular was only open during our diner time. Service here
could be better too. I went up one day to ask for a print out of my charges and was told I could not have it. I could only stand there and read from the
computer screen.

3. The cruise activities staff needs to sharpen their people skills too. I never officially met the hostess, although we nodded at each other a few times and
the staff tended to hang out with each other around the bar rather than mingle with the passengers.

4. Better care could be taken in choosing the films for the theater. Premier is selling itself as a budget operation with a big push for families. The Looney
Tunes characters are everywhere meeting and greeting the kids. But most of the movies had PG13 or R ratings.

I would highly recommend the Seabreeze for anyone wanting a smaller ship with a casual atmosphere. The glitches mentioned above and the weather
not-with-standing this was a very enjoyable week on a very good itinerary riding a fun, authentic steam ship. I look forward to traveling with Premier
again soon....Maybe next year...Hey, is the Rembrandt going to be in Europe again next summer?

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