New BA Routes 2018: Victoria, Seychelles (SEZ)
Jul 5, 2018, 2:32 am
#31
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: BA GOLD
Posts: 603
Sat in our room at the Constance Lemuria on Praslin - flew out First on Saturday for our 30th anniversary.
Its as close to paradise we’ve ever been (given this is a family board
) and would highly recommend it.
First time using the First Wing which was a joy, missing all the shops being a bonus !
Flight down from Manchester was late so had to shuffle spa bookings over to T5B so curtailed time in The Concorde Room, but a pleasant hour spent out on the balcony with excellent service.
The spa at T5B was excellent, think they were glad of some custom, I can recommend the gents shave - not been that smooth since I was a baby and Jan’s nails looked fab after her treatment.
All too soon and we’re boarding - only 8 seats in F is just brilliant, really felt exclusive (great use of a 2-4-1)
The LPGS was soon flowing and the 2 crew members were very attentive.
At check in there were 6 seats booked, 1A and 2A were unoccupied. By the time we took off they were both occupied and we concluded that the occupants were friends of various crew members as they were looked after better than we were - only our impression and no big deal given what we’d spent but it felt not right but it didn’t spoil our flight.
Food was fabulous, including the steak !!!!! Only downside was the St Emillion Premier Cru - horrible, or was it the taste on the glasses,I’ve never said that about a St Emillion before but it just had an awful aroma, totally put me off. Thankfully the Chablis Premier Cru was excellent
wife disappointed they didn’t stock Bacardi on board but various gins in stock so had to settle for Pimm
My biggest comment about F On the 787-900 is the amount of space you have when the seat is turned into a bed, best I’ve known to date and I got a good 5 hours sleep. Woke up a bit late for a full breakfast service but I only wanted coffee.
Arrival at SEZ was interesting - we were told to stay seated until the local immigration service were happy for us to disembark, took about 10 minutes. Our flight was about 40 minutes late so the arrival hall was empty and it took us about 20 minutes to get through immigration (those at the back of the plane will have taken much longer) and our bags were ready for collection.
We were catching a domestic flight to Praslin so a wait at the airport was called for.
We visited the Vallee de Mai yesterday which is the name of the business lounge at SEZ as reported by C-W-S, an excellent place to visit, a World Heritage Site and the only location where the Coco de Mer grows.
Two more days here then a Twin Otter back to Mahé (they run as often as taxis) then a helicopter transfer to Silhouette island
Its as close to paradise we’ve ever been (given this is a family board
) and would highly recommend it.First time using the First Wing which was a joy, missing all the shops being a bonus !
Flight down from Manchester was late so had to shuffle spa bookings over to T5B so curtailed time in The Concorde Room, but a pleasant hour spent out on the balcony with excellent service.
The spa at T5B was excellent, think they were glad of some custom, I can recommend the gents shave - not been that smooth since I was a baby
and Jan’s nails looked fab after her treatment.All too soon and we’re boarding - only 8 seats in F is just brilliant, really felt exclusive (great use of a 2-4-1)
The LPGS was soon flowing and the 2 crew members were very attentive.
At check in there were 6 seats booked, 1A and 2A were unoccupied. By the time we took off they were both occupied and we concluded that the occupants were friends of various crew members as they were looked after better than we were - only our impression and no big deal given what we’d spent but it felt not right but it didn’t spoil our flight.
Food was fabulous, including the steak !!!!! Only downside was the St Emillion Premier Cru - horrible, or was it the taste on the glasses,I’ve never said that about a St Emillion before but it just had an awful aroma, totally put me off. Thankfully the Chablis Premier Cru was excellent
wife disappointed they didn’t stock Bacardi on board but various gins in stock so had to settle for PimmMy biggest comment about F On the 787-900 is the amount of space you have when the seat is turned into a bed, best I’ve known to date and I got a good 5 hours sleep. Woke up a bit late for a full breakfast service but I only wanted coffee.
Arrival at SEZ was interesting - we were told to stay seated until the local immigration service were happy for us to disembark, took about 10 minutes. Our flight was about 40 minutes late so the arrival hall was empty and it took us about 20 minutes to get through immigration (those at the back of the plane will have taken much longer) and our bags were ready for collection.
We were catching a domestic flight to Praslin so a wait at the airport was called for.
We visited the Vallee de Mai yesterday which is the name of the business lounge at SEZ as reported by C-W-S, an excellent place to visit, a World Heritage Site and the only location where the Coco de Mer grows.
Two more days here then a Twin Otter back to Mahé (they run as often as taxis) then a helicopter transfer to Silhouette island
Hope you had time to visit La Digue from Praslin and enjoy Silhouette - we had a beach front villa and it was lovely to wake up to the sound of the sea every day. Will look forward to your thoughts on Labriz and what happens on your return journey.
Jul 5, 2018, 2:48 am
#32
Join Date: Jun 2003
Programs: BA, IHG, 5C
Posts: 4,413
Hi Brightsider. Interested to see if you agreed with my assessment: Lemuria is a more polished resort with better food and service, and Praslin / La Digue have more to see; but it's hard to beat the simple pleasure of lounging in the lagoon and the overall charm of Labriz? I suppose you have to do both!
Jul 12, 2018, 11:14 am
#33
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: East Lancashire
Programs: BA Silver, ATI Volare Premium, Priority Club Platinum, HHonors Silver
Posts: 143
We’re now sat in our room at the Sofitel after a fabulous F service from SEZ. All drinks available and the food was excellent - maybe changes are being made.......
The F CC have been brilliant today, as was the CSD - as we all know they make or break a flight.
We woukd whole heartedly recommend the Seychelles but be prepared for it being expensive - spend the most you can afford on your accommodation.
From the 3 hotels we stayed in we would put them in the following order:
Praslin - Constance Lemuria - just perfect
Mahe - Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove - excellent base to get around assuming you rent a car
Silhouette - Hilton Labriz - disappointing weather probably swayed us but not much to do when the weather is naff. Stay here before Constance Lemuria if doing both
Overall a great place to visit and a great use of a 2-4-1, we’d go back if there weren’t so many other places to visit.
Happy to answer any questions you may have (that C-W-S hasn’t already covered)
Cheers
MrB
The F CC have been brilliant today, as was the CSD - as we all know they make or break a flight.
We woukd whole heartedly recommend the Seychelles but be prepared for it being expensive - spend the most you can afford on your accommodation.
From the 3 hotels we stayed in we would put them in the following order:
Praslin - Constance Lemuria - just perfect
Mahe - Le Meridien Fisherman’s Cove - excellent base to get around assuming you rent a car
Silhouette - Hilton Labriz - disappointing weather probably swayed us but not much to do when the weather is naff. Stay here before Constance Lemuria if doing both
Overall a great place to visit and a great use of a 2-4-1, we’d go back if there weren’t so many other places to visit.
Happy to answer any questions you may have (that C-W-S hasn’t already covered)
Cheers
MrB
Jul 12, 2018, 11:34 am
#34
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: East Berlin
Posts: 1,533
I was on the return leg at the end of June. All the LPGS had gone about 4½ hours into the flight. The Camel Valley Cornwall Brut, the Jacquart Rosé and all the fizz in Club had gone an hour later. I think they were also low on the whites.
Palmer
Jul 13, 2018, 2:41 am
#35
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: BA GOLD
Posts: 603
[QUOTE=Palmer;29966558]
I was on the return leg at the end of June. All the LPGS had gone about 4½ hours into the flight. The Camel Valley Cornwall Brut, the Jacquart Rosé and all the fizz in Club had gone an hour later. I think they were also low on the whites.
Palmer
[Deleted - duplicate quote
I was on the return leg at the end of June. All the LPGS had gone about 4½ hours into the flight. The Camel Valley Cornwall Brut, the Jacquart Rosé and all the fizz in Club had gone an hour later. I think they were also low on the whites.
Palmer
[Deleted - duplicate quote
Jul 13, 2018, 2:42 am
#36
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: BA GOLD
Posts: 603
You were lucky our flight ran out of fizzy after one top up.
Jul 17, 2018, 6:54 am
#37
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
Jul 17, 2018, 11:05 am
#39
Join Date: Apr 2005
Programs: BA GOLD
Posts: 603
Jul 18, 2018, 12:12 am
#40
Join Date: Dec 2010
Location: East Lancashire
Programs: BA Silver, ATI Volare Premium, Priority Club Platinum, HHonors Silver
Posts: 143
We booked our F out / CW return with a 2-4-1 when the route was first announced. I then checked every day for F availability for the return and it popped up about 4 weeks before the flight date.
Jul 18, 2018, 3:53 am
#42
Join Date: Feb 2005
Programs: United 1K, BA Silver, Marriott LTP
Posts: 823
We originally booked J both ways and saw on Expert Flyer two F seats come available 8 days before we flew out so called in and made the change. Flying home in J tomorrow which is not exactly an ordeal!
Jul 18, 2018, 5:45 am
#43
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: BA Silver
Posts: 1,387
Jul 18, 2018, 7:15 am
#44
Join Date: Apr 2018
Location: London
Programs: BA Silver (for now)
Posts: 1,000
I assume that the desktop version does work seeing as people seem to be booking redemptions.
Aug 5, 2018, 8:20 am
#45
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 783
Yep, some tablet browsers when opening up BAEC does not recognise SEZ in search, desktop usually works fine.