On Wednesday, July 21, the Executive Chef de Cuisine Rob van Leeuwen and the staff on Seabourn Odyssey organized a special private celebratory dinner to honor the Belgian National Day. Among the 29 Belgian guests who attended the dinner were legendary Belgian chef Pierre Wynants and his wife Marie, who are vacationing on board.  Chef Wynants is one of the world’s most honored chefs, having earned three Michelin stars for his Brussels restaurant Comme Chez Soi (“Like at Home”).  Chef Wynants professed himself amazed by the food and service on Seabourn Odyssey.

Shown below, left to right: Chef van Leeuwen, Maitre d’Hotel Antony Bernardi, Chef Wynants, Mrs. Wynants, Captain Mark Dexter and Guest Services Manager Jo Poelmans.

Seabourn Academy Graduates

Seabourn Corporate Training Manager Guillaume Colas sent us fantastic news that a group of Seabourn Academy cadets just completed and graduated from an extensive five-week training program on Seabourn Odyssey.  The cadets trained for a variety of positions, from restaurant and bar waitstaff to housekeeping.  (more…)

Barbara Poelmans

Since Seabourn Odyssey entered service last summer, the team of guest service specialists working at Seabourn Square has consistently received high ratings from guests for outstanding service.  This is due, in no small part, to Barbara Poelmans, Seabourn’s hotel operations coordinator and Seabourn Square manager. (more…)

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.  (more…)

Seabourn Destination Master Peter Cox gives some insight below on why a cruise to China should be in your future…

Although China has this incredible and ancient civilization that flourished when the Greeks and Romans enjoyed theirs, and there certainly remain many sites that represent this rich heritage all over China, a coastal cruise – with the exception of the pre/post Beijing stay – will hardly bring guests near those sites that filled the Beijing Olympics media travelogues. Yet, it is China’s coast that gave birth to and nourished this awakening giant, which came out of the post-Mao dark ages only a few decades ago. (more…)

Peter Cox

Peter A.M. Cox is Seabourn’s Director of Itinerary Planning and Development.  He is one of the most experienced, knowledgeable and insightful destination experts in the world. Originally from The Netherlands, Peter started his travel career as an enthusiastic amateur, hitchhiking across North Africa and traveling in Asia during the off-season from his summer jobs as a tour director in Europe. His itineraries included South America and the United States as well (he once spent three and a half months driving around the U.S. in an old Ford Falcon.) (more…)

The latest update from Neil Carney at the Odyssey shipyard….

As we all know Seabourn Odyssey will be named in Venice. But it is a proud moment to actually see her name spelled out on the bow. As you can see from the photo, the starboard bow now has the steel letters of her name spot welded in place. (more…)

Seabourn Guest Services Trainees

The trainees for the Guest Services Specialists who will care for Odyssey guests at Seabourn Square have arrived in Seabourn’s Miami headquarters for a six-week course designed by Barbara Poelmans. (more…)

What would Seabourn be without its renowned cuisine? A sadder, less satisfying place, that’s for sure.  For Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn’s Director of Culinary and Beverage Operations Tony Egger has been working with Corporate Executive Chef Jochem Lambrechts and Odyssey Executive Chef Graeme Cockburn to get ready for launch… (more…)

We’ve mentioned Seabourn Square a number of times here in the past. It’s a new style of service center on Seabourn Odyssey that will replace the more typical “lobby” style of reception area. Rather than separate desks for pursers’ business, tours and other travel services, Seabourn Square will be a location that feels more like a lounge. And in that lounge, there will be unobtrusive, semi-private desks where guests can find a new hospitality professional called a Guest Services Specialist. Part purser, part destination services manager, part concierge and part future cruise expert, these multi-tasking marvels will be able to assist Seabourn guests with virtually any inquiry or request on the spot.

So where does Seabourn find people who can do all that? (more…)