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.

We know many of you are anxiously waiting for the introduction of Seabourn Sojourn.  We can’t wait to see her either and are thrilled to share with you some photos from the shipyard.  Our blog correspondent, Staff Captain Magnus Bengtsson, is nice enough to take some time from his busy schedule to keep us posted on the progress of the yacht.

Despite rainy weather and grey skies, staff is hard at work with the latest addition to the Seabourn family. The Seabourn team is closely monitoring the progress to make sure all is done in a correct and timely manner. As you can see, the name has been affixed on the bow, and the staff is busy loading materials aboard the vessel.

Inside Sojourn, the guest suites are coming together nicely.  Here you can see one of the Wintergarden suites under construction.

And here is it will look like once completed.  These shots are from the Odyssey, sister ship to Sojourn.  The Wintergarden suite will undoubtedly be a marvelous suite to relax and watch the world sail by!

Staff and workers at the T. Mariotti shipyards in Genoa, Italy, heard a new sound today as the Main Engine Number Three on Seabourn Sojourn was started for the first time.  There is a great buzz in the air – and not just because of the sound coming from the engine – and it was a special moment to see the yacht come to life.  (You may recall Chief Engineer Neil Carney on Odyssey compared it to a heartbeat.)

A lot of progress is also being made in the engine room.  Generator sets, propulsion systems and electrical main switchboard are already installed, while piping and cabling still need to be run. The workers are striving to test run one generator set by the end of the month.

Odyssey Transiting the Panama Canal

On the morning of January 10th, Seabourn Odyssey started her maiden transit of the Panama Canal on her way from Cartagena, Colombia, to Puerto Caldera in Costa Rica as part of her inaugural World Cruise.

Despite the rain showers, many guests chose to watch from the forward deck whilst others sat in comfort in the Observation Bar and around the Sky Bar area. Hotel Manager Vitor rigged a tent on the forecastle to serve the guests tea, coffee and pastries so that they need not leave their vantage points.

There were some wonderful photo opportunities during the transit.  This photo shows us entering the first chamber of the Gatun Lock as we entered at 7 a.m. in the morning.  A Panama Canal commentator gave us a talk on the history of the canal which was most interesting. It will take us eight hours to pass from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.

Captain Mark Dexter

Seabourn Odyssey

Odyssey World Cruise Guest

After spending the fall sailing in the Caribbean, Seabourn Odyssey said goodbye to Fort Lauderdale and set sail on Seabourn’s first world cruise, a 108-day voyage that departed Jan. 5, 2010, from Port Everglades.  Guests who will be making the whole round-the-world cruise enjoyed a complimentary gala pre-cruise overnight at the Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale on January 4th, with a festive cocktail reception enlivened by various “ports of call” featuring food and drinks inspired by the places the guests will visit during their voyage. A lavish dinner dance followed, with entertainment by a balletic contortionist, spirited Tahitian dancers, a Chinese Dragon Dance troupe and operatic arias performed by a soprano vocalist. While the weather was a bit chilly in South Florida, the temperature didn’t dampen guests’ spirits and they were eager to embark on this once-in-a-lifetime experience aboard the beautiful Odyssey.

The 450-guest vessel will visit 42 ports in 26 countries on six continents as she sails across the globe from Ft. Lauderdale to Athens, Greece.  From the wonders of the South Pacific to the exotic lands of Asia, guests will visit far-flung destinations and experience exciting and new cultures – all of which will undoubtedly create lasting memories!

Stay tuned for future posts on Odyssey as she carries her fortunate guests around the world.

When we invited our guests and the public in general to guess the name of our third new ship, we didn’t expect the type of response and enthusiasm we received.  But we received an overwhelming amount of submissions by guests eager to win.  The prize at stake?  A complimentary seven-day cruise for two aboard the yacht during her maiden year.

Many respondents put in a lot of thought and imagination to their guesses.  For example, quite a few followed a Greek theme – taken after Odyssey – and submitted such guesses as Iliad or Arete.  Others reached for the stars, listing the zodiac signs and the planets in our solar system.  And there were plenty of guesses of names that are already being used by other cruise ships.

But after three months and more than 2,100 guesses, we are pleased to introduce you to Seabourn Quest, which will be the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared on Seabourn Odyssey.  Quest is scheduled to debut in 2011, and there is no doubt she is going to be another magnificent addition to the fleet.

The lucky winner of our Guess-the-Name contest is Kevin Staub, who won a complimentary seven-day cruise for two aboard Seabourn Quest during the yacht’s maiden year .

A big thank you to everyone who took the time to send in their guesses!  We hope to welcome you aboard a Seabourn voyage very soon.

Here are some new pictures of the newly-refurbished Seabourn Spirit, which came out of drydock earlier this month.  She looks marvelous, and we have received many positive reviews from our guests about her new look and feel.

Guests can see changes from the moment they step on board in the Reception Lobby, which was transformed with honey-toned wood paneling, two-toned marble flooring and furnishings reupholstered in rich burgundy.  The Purser’s Desk is located in the Reception Lobby, where guests can talk to the pursers about any questions they have regarding their cruise.  Nearby is the Shore Excursions desk, which is staffed with destinations specialists ready to assist guests with their shore excursions bookings.

A few decks below is The Restaurant, where guests enjoy celebrity Chef Charlie Palmer’s cuisine in a rich, yet understated elegant atmosphere.  The Restaurant received new, handsome toffee-toned woods with creamy caramel accents, dramatic sheer curtains striped horizontally in violet and gold interspersing muted purple drapes, and flooring finished in sumptuous golden stone with sage infusions.

Stay tuned for more photos of Seabourn Spirit!