One of the biggest highlights on a Seabourn cruise is when guests head for the local markets and go shopping with the chef.  During a recent stop in Syracuse, Sicily, a small group of Seabourn Spirit guests accompanied Chef Paskins to the market to learn about local produce and pick out the freshest ingredients for the Chef’s Dinner.  What was on the shopping list?  Fresh branzini, which is also known as Mediterranean sea bass.

Always friendly and welcoming, the owners of the market warmly greeted the group and shared some delicious cheese and wine during the visit.  Guests were able to see and experience the many delicious flavors of Italy, from pesto, olives, local bread and cheeses, and fresh seafood, and fruit.  And the best part of it all was when the guests were able to feast on the items after Chef Paskins prepared them for dinner and barbeque buffet!

Here is a great photo of Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Spirit together in Venice earlier this month.  David Lewry and Shirley Blane, two Seabourn guests who just disembarked Odyssey that morning, were kind enough to send us this photo of the two yachts.  Ms. Blane took this from the landing stage area of the Molino Stucky Hilton Hotel of Seabourn Odyssey departing Venice and sailing by her “little” sister.

Seabourn Spirit is anchored off the Dalmatian island of Korcula, Croatia, the largest in an archipelago of 48 islands.  The medieval walled city of Korcula is rich in centuries-old history, and today the island produces some of the country’s best wines and olive oil. Croatia’s distinctive and famous orange and red tile rooftops dot the landscape and are a stark contrast against the bright blue Mediterranean sky.  It makes for a picture-perfect shot, and Seabourn’s Personnel and Training Manager Paul Charsley delivered this stunning photo of Seabourn Spirit.

Seabourn Spirit in Beautiful Korcula

Last week Seabourn Spirit transited the famous and very narrow Corinth Canal connecting the Gulf of Corinth with the Saronic Gulf in Greece.

To give you an idea of how narrow it is, the canal is 80.7 feet (24.6 meters) at sea level and 69.9 feet (21 meters) wide on the bottom.  The beam of Seabourn Spirit is 63 feet (19.2 meters), making it a very tight squeeze.  Guests went out on deck and awed in the experience as Spirit Captain Emil Holthe and his team navigated through the canal with the assistance of local pilots.

Spirit Hotel Manager Hubert Buelacher shared some photos taken of Spirit approaching the Corinth Canal and during the transit.  It was so close that you can almost lean over and touch the walls!

During the 15 months between January 2011 and April 2012, Seabourn will offer its most extensive and diverse menu of itineraries ever, calling at a record 266 ports in 78 countries during 252 scheduled voyages..  Fares and details are available on Seabourn’s website today and a catalogue will be published in April. (more…)

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.  (more…)

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

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. (more…)

Seabourn’s original three sister yachts, Seabourn Pride, Spirit, and Legend, are being treated to a multi-million dollar makeover over the next year.  The look and feel of the public rooms on each vessel will be enhanced with open and airy interiors, modern embellishments, and richly colored contemporary on-deck furnishings. Spirit just came out of drydock with all the changes made, and Pride and Legend will have their turns next year. (more…)

Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Spirit

Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Spirit were together at Dubrovnik, Croatia on Wednesday, July 29, and we got this picture sent by the Hotel Managers. There is a bit of perspective at work, since Odyssey is really only about a third longer than Spirit. She looks bigger than that, because she is closer. But the family resemblance is striking. They will be together again at Venice several more times this year, when both will be disembarking and embarking guests.  Looks like their guests had a beautiful day in picturesque Dubrovnik. You can see the town walls and the red-tile roofs of the UNESCO World Heritage Site just beyond Spirit on the right.