The Seabourn Test Kitchen in the Seattle headquarters has been quite busy lately! We are constantly looking for new and innovative ways to enhance our onboard culinary offerings, and Manager of Culinary Operations Bjoern Wassmuth has been hard at work, creating new recipes, and testing and tasting new dishes.

Earlier this month, Bjoern and Corporate Traveling Chef Rajat Adhikary organized a tasting where several senior executives sampled a variety of dishes that will be featured on the ships soon. From succulent jumbo shrimp to delicious beef tenderloin to juicy burgers, the executives taste-tested these dishes to make sure they are just perfect for our guests.

The executives sampled jumbo-sized shrimp for cocktails, which are not only larger than those previously offered on board but also higher quality and sustainably produced. As part of the company’s efforts to provide 100 percent sustainable fish and seafood, we will begin offering sustainable shrimp by the end of the year. These were obviously a great choice because everyone gave them two thumbs up!

We are also enhancing our burger selections on board. One of our guests’ longtime favorites – the classic All-American burger – will receive an upgrade to higher quality meats, as well as a larger patty and bun. To offer more variety for the differing palates of our guests, we will also expand our options with a Mediterranean-flavored burger, and tuna and chicken burgers – all of which will be offered in the Patio Grill in the next few months.

Bjoern and Rajat prepared all four burger varieties during the tasting, and while there was some debate as to which was the best, everyone agreed that they were all delicious and more importantly, that our guests will enjoy them.

From seafood to meats, our talented culinary team always strives to create new, imaginative dishes – or refresh current ones – to ensure our guests enjoy the best gourmet dining experiences at sea. This is just another “taste” of the team’s efforts, and we will continue to update you with future news and updates to our culinary offerings.

Bjoern prepares plates of beef tenderloin.

Burger anyone?

Seabourn’s jumbo-sized shrimp cocktail

Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Legend met up in romantic Sorrento in early August.  Captain Geir-Arne Thue-Nilsen caught some pictures throughout the day and kindly shared them with us. To see more photos, please visit our Facebook page. Enjoy the pictures!

Seabourn Quest and Seabourn Legend: Side by side in Sorrento.

Lovely Seabourn Legend sails by Capri as the day ends.

This summer Seabourn Pride has been making calls to Ronne on the lovely little Danish island of Bornholm. Bornholm is famous throughout Scandinavia for its succulent smoked herring. So a place with a lot of smokehouses seemed like a place that might have an occasional need of fire extinguishers. Coincidentally, Seabourn Pride received its complement of new dry powder type extinguishers, and Safety and Environmental Officer Stefan Tsvetkov found a home for the old water-type extinguishers with the Ronne Fire Department, who were thrilled to receive 64 extinguishers in good working order.

Seabourn Pride SENVO Stefan Tsvetkov hands over the extinguishers to the Ronne firefighters.

Loading up the extinguishers.

The afternoon weather in Geiranger Fjord was typical Norwegian “Green Winter” (summer), so Seabourn Sojourn’s stewardesses were in sweaters and jackets for a special meeting on Deck 11.  Hot chocolate was the drink of choice, and it was an appropriate beverage for a toast to Holland America’s Rotterdam which shared the anchorage with Sojourn. As both ships departed, they saluted each other with blasts of their horns. That must have awakened someone on shore, because they received an answering salvo of cannon fire from ashore. Thanks to Seabourn Sojourn Executive Housekeeper Tracy Beswetherick for the story and photo.

A fond farewell: Seabourn Sojourn stewardesses toast the departure of Rotterdam from Geiranger Fjord.

Captain Geir-Arne Thue-Nilsen hosted the Mayor and Director of Ports and Airports of Soller, on the Spanish island of Mallorca during Seabourn Quest’s maiden call. Captain Thue-Nilsen remarks that Soller provided “…a very nice and informative time—very Seabourn friendly—and a beautiful town with lots of history.”

Cheers! Captain Thue-Nilsein with Soller Mayor Carlos Simarro Vicens and Ports Director Antonio Duedero Mayans.

According to Seabourn Odyssey Cruise Sales Consultant Lauren Bradfield, Seabourn Odyssey’s crew is “dedicated in both work and play.” While the ship was at anchor in Argostoli harbor on the Greek island of Cephalonia on July 25, a number of the crew got an opportunity to test their balance on the ship’s banana boats, operating from the Marina. Lauren dutifully reports that “…plenty of fun was had by all.”

Ready for some fun! Chefs de Partie Carlito Eguia, and Kumar Paruchuri, Executive Chef Sean Emslie and Chef de Partie David Dalay.

(L to R) Chefs de Partie Ernesto Bron and Gavin Seymour, Executive Sous Chef Matthias Wollschon

Blowing kisses: Waiter Jelena Buckovic with Maitre ‘d Colonnade Ansolette Andov.

Here are two beautiful photos of the midnight sun shining on Seabourn Pride when the ship was near Arbogen and Evenskjer, Norway, last month. You probably thought this was in the middle of the day but actually, these photos were taken at approximately 11:20 p.m.!  A friend of Seabourn Quest Captain Geir-Arne Thue-Nilsen snapped these pictures and kindly sent them to us.

Cruise Critic recently ranked the best cruises for fitness, and Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest were tops in the category of “Best Luxury Workout.”

“Seabourn Odyssey was the first new luxury ship designed since staying fit became a mantra for successful living,” wrote the author of the review. “As such, its designers have incorporated a more contemporary sensibility into the creation of a two-deck-high spa and fitness center, now also included on sister ships Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest.”

Seabourn also garnered an honorable mention in the “Best Water Sports” category for its retractable marina and water sports activities.