This winter season, Seabourn Spirit sailed to South America for the first time, circling around this diverse region that is home to some of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders and magnificent landscapes.  One of the most memorable “calls” took place in February, when Spirit sailed to Cape Horn, the southernmost part of South America.  To reach Cape Horn, Spirit sailed through the Drake Passage, a body of water between South America and Antarctica that connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.  Seas are typically stormy in this stretch of water, but on this day, the seas were calm.  Spirit was able to send a tender ashore, bringing goodies to the staff on the island. They also brought along the guests’ passports for the much-coveted Cape Horn stamp, providing proof that they sailed in this region!

The hotel manager sent us this picture of Spirit taken during the stop at Cape Horn.

Seaburn Spirit - Cape Horn

In about three months, Seabourn Sojourn will be introduced to the world, and hundreds of guests will come on board and enjoy Seabourn’s highly-acclaimed cuisine – whether it’s breakfast in the Colonnade or a gourmet dining experience in The Restaurant.  Staff at the shipyard is working tirelessly to make sure Sojourn’s dining rooms will be top-notch, and excellent progress is being made in both the Colonnade and the Restaurant.

Outside of the Colonnade restaurant, the teak deck has already been laid. Just imagine what a beautiful place it will be to have breakfast and sip coffee while overlooking the beautiful scenery of Trondheim, Norway.  The Restaurant and galley are coming out nicely, and once finished, the chefs will surely be very inspired to prepare delightful and delectable cuisine for every single guest!

The Colonnade

The Colonnade

The Restaurant

To get an idea of what the rooms will like when completed, below are some pictures from Odyssey.

The Colonnade Outside Deck

The Colonnade

The Restaurant

Seabourn Odyssey marked another milestone in her first year of service and arrived in Sydney, Australia, for the first time on Wednesday, Feb. 24, 2010.  Arriving in the early morning hours, Odyssey sailed through the Sydney Harbour, underneath the famed Sydney Harbour Bridge and docked at Darling Harbour.

Seabourn Odyssey guests had a front-row view of the Sydney skyline as the yacht sailed past the iconic Sydney Opera House.

Seabourn Odyssey sails under the Sydney Harbour Bridge.

Seabourn Odyssey in Sydney Harbour

Odyssey is currently traveling the globe on her maiden World Cruise, and the yacht’s call to Sydney comes halfway through the voyage, which departed from Ft. Lauderdale on Jan. 5.

Earlier this week, Seabourn Odyssey sailed into Lyttelton (Christchurch), New Zealand, which is home to Captain Mark Dexter.  He considered it to be one of the highlights of his career.

Read about Captain Mark Dexter’s experiences.

It was another day in paradise as Seabourn Pride visited the beautiful island of Ko Kood, Thailand.  The day couldn’t have been any better with gorgeous weather, a beautiful beach and a delicious barbeque meal. And best of all, guests delighted in Seabourn’s signature “Caviar in the Surf.” It was without a doubt a picture-perfect day in this private beach escape.

Majestic Hotel Rooftop View

Taken from the rooftop of the historic Majestic Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, this photo shows the never-ending traffic in Ho Chi Minh City (commonly known as Saigon).  Drivers in cars and scooters fight their way for space on the road to get to their destination.  Among the hustle and bustle is Seabourn Pride, which is docked on the Saigon River near the heart of the city.

With apologies to those who are currently under almost three feet of snow, we got the following message from Captain Dexter on board Seabourn Odyssey on the World Cruise.

“Here are 2 photos that I thought sum up our time in French Polynesia for our Seabourn family, that I  would like to share on the blog. The first is the sunset observed by all our guests during the sailway party from Papeete in Tahiti. This shows myself and Sigurd Darbakk, Staff Captain watching the sunset over the island of Moorea after we left Papeete. The sky bar was full to capacity and the deck was packed with guests taking photos. We all agreed it was one of the most vivid sunsets most of us had ever seen and was probably caused by Cyclone Oli. It looked like the sky was on fire.

The second is a photo of our beautiful yacht lying at anchor in the idyllic setting of Bora Bora lagoon. It was a perfect day — and we used the marina as well.”

Halong Bay in Vietnam is considered one of the world’s natural wonders, with more than 1,900 islands rising out of the waters.  Declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1994, this is THE place to visit in Vietnam.  The stunning landscape will surely take your breath away.  Seabourn Pride sails through this magnificent bay on its Asia Capitals itinerary, providing guests with a once in a lifetime experience to view the legendary islands and rock formations.  In addition, Seabourn offers several shore excursions for a closer look at the islands, including the “Kayak Adventure in Halong Bay” tour during the yacht’s stop in Cai Lan.

The excursion provides a real up close look at the limestone rocks, caves, and grottoes and includes a scenic cruise aboard a junk through the spectacular scenery.  Some of the rock formations will play a trick on the eyes, and guests will see islands that resemble either a man’s head or a turtle or a dragon.  The junk will stop at some of the impressive caves, including the “Surprising Cave.” The massive and incredible grotto will amaze guests as they venture through the cave, and they will learn why it is so remarkable.  Also included is a delicious, traditional Vietnamese “hot pot” lunch served aboard the junk.  But the highlight of the tour is kayaking in the waters of Halong Bay.  Aboard a two-person kayak, guests will paddle through the bay, through caves and next to fishing villages and other boaters. Just be sure to steer clear of the many junks on the bay!

Seabourn Public Relations Manager Irene Lui is currently sailing on Seabourn Pride and went on the “Kayak Adventure” excursion earlier this week.  She shares several photos from her experience on the bay.

Maureen Clancy is a San Diego food writer, editor and restaurant critic who sailed on Seabourn Spirit this year and has included her onboard meals among her most memorable repasts of 2009.

“Each dish was picture-perfect and served by an attractive and amiable staff…”

Check out the elevated company we keep in her memory bank at:

http://www.maureenclancy.com

Writer Celeste Moure sailed with her family on Odyssey last September in the Mediterranean.  It was her first cruise and once she experienced Seabourn-style cruising, from the impeccable service to incredible cuisine, she was hooked.

Celeste writes, “Seabourn is about understated privileges and pampering that includes free-flowing champagne, personalized stationery and Hermès soaps.”

Read about her Seabourn Odyssey experience, which was just published in the L.A. Times.