Use your imagination, your intuition – even your Ouija Board – to win a free week-long cruise aboard the next generation of ultra luxury cruising vessel. Like our other Seabourn yachts, their new sister will have the first name Seabourn. It’s the second half that you need to divine in order to win.

Take as many guesses as you want, and submit your guesses by e-mail to names@seabourn.com. Don’t forget to include your name and contact information.

Entries must be received by December 4, 2009. In case of identical correct guesses, the winner will be drawn at random from among all correct guesses.

The award is a complimentary 7-day cruise in a minimum category suite anywhere the new ship sails between her second scheduled cruise in 2011 and June of 2012, and is subject to space availability. Prize cruise does not include airfare, ground transfers or onboard purchases. All expenses not specifically stated are the sole responsibility of the winner. The award is not transferable and non-refundable. All terms and conditions of Seabourn Cruise Line’s standard Ticket Contract of Passage, as well as those stated in the General Information section of Seabourn’s brochure, shall be applicable to the cruise.

In case the winner is unable to utilize available space during the maiden year, a 7-day cruise on another Seabourn yacht may be substituted.

Tweets from Venice

Seabourn president & CEO Pamela Conover will begin tweeting from Italy before, during and after the delivery of Seabourn Odyssey from the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa. Her messages will continue during a pre-operational positioning voyage and a two-day inaugural sailing round trip from Venice for travel agency partners, and through the elaborate sunset naming ceremony at Venice and the Maiden Voyage to Istanbul. Later, as the process proceeds, links to video clips on YouTube and photos on Facebook will likewise be accessible to followers.

Join the Conversation

Those interested can search any of the media sites for The Yachts of Seabourn, or proceed directly to Seabourn pages on Twitter and Facebook from these links:

Twitter: http://twitter.com/SeabournCruise
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Yachts-of-Seabourn/93116185063

or links on the Seabourn website at www.seabourn.com .

Ensemble Travel Group is bullish on The Yachts of Seabourn because Seabourn shares the same priority as our network of nearly 900 expert premium- and luxury-focused travel agencies in the U.S. and Canada – and that’s you, the customer and guest.
We are both committed to exceeding customers’ expectations. Ensemble Travel Group accomplishes this through strong personal relationships and by offering clients a lineup of standout products and programs. Take for example Ensemble Hosted Cruises, a very popular series of  300 annual sailings that features the company of a gracious Ensemble® Host, a private cocktail party aboard the ship, and the Ensemble® Experience, a complimentary custom event ashore exclusively for our guests. Seabourn has been delighting our hosted cruise clients as a partner for years, and next year, Seabourn joins our hosted world cruise program.

This summer, get ready for an even bigger WOW with Ensemble Hosted Cruises when Seabourn launches Odyssey, followed by Sojourn in summer 2010. The timing couldn’t be better as our repeat hosted cruise clients are looking to their travel agents for new vacation options. These two ships and Seabourn’s host of intriguing new destinations enable us to really cater to their needs.

And speaking of needs, Ensemble Travel Group and Seabourn know that the seasoned luxury client is often looking beyond the mainstream vacation for a more experiential, life-enhancing travel adventure. In part, that’s why Seabourn is adding 44 new destinations next year and why Ensemble Travel Group offers a collection of exclusive products built around meaningful guest experiences.

For example, our Ensemble® Inspired Journeys blend an enlightening cruise or land adventure with an in-depth enrichment program led by experts. This type of extraordinary travel experience gives clients real purpose and meaning behind their vacation. Don’t be surprised to see Seabourn as part of our Ensemble Inspired Journeys moving forward.

We also understand that affluent travelers appreciate value – or getting the most out of their travel investment. Both Ensemble Travel Group and Seabourn have recently enhanced their customers’ travel experiences with special perks and privileges, some of them exclusive to our organizations. Just another way of putting the customer first.

The first is a real boon to guests disembarking at Venice.  Seabourn will be able to provide an added optional service called TravelClear that will smooth the process of getting through the terminal and the airport for homeward or onward flights. Guests who opt for TravelClear will first be pre-checked in while they are still on board the Seabourn yacht. When they disembark, they will be met by staff members who will secure and transport their luggage and escort the guests to the airport, where they will be met and led into a private check-in area to get their boarding passes, and then taken to a full-service VIP lounge to await the boarding call. Several team members have tried the service and they say it is unbelievably easy and restful, compared to the regular check-in process required even for premium class airline passengers.

The second extra Seabourn touch is for guests who are staying in Venice on a Seabourn hotel extension or Sail & Stay package before or after their cruises. Seabourn will be adding a brilliant little lagniappe called a Chorus Pass, that allows entry into any or all of the 16 churches in the city that hold many of Venice’s greatest treasures of religious art. Chorus calls these churches ”the greatest museum in the city” and it’s arguably true. Along with paid entry, the pass provides the names, the days and hours of opening and a map showing the location of each church, so guests can follow the path and discover not only great works of ecclesiastical art, but also the myriad unexpected delights that await the traveler in between. Just Seabourn’s way of saying Benvenuto a Venezia!

With the addition of Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009 and Seabourn Sojourn in June 2010, Seabourn can explore more far-flung ports of call, such as Palopo on Sulawesi; Zanzibar; and Madagascar.

In 2010-2011, Seabourn will operate year-round in Asia – a first. New Asian ports include Dalian, China; Busan and Inchon, Korea; Nagasaki and Kagoshima, Japan; and numerous Indonesian destinations, including Bali, Borneo, Komodo Island and the Karimoenjawa archipelago.

Seabourn will call at 44 destinations that are either brand new for the cruise line or where they have not called for years. These include: Jeju Island, Yeosu and Mokpo, South Korea; Djupivogur, Iceland; Doha, Qatar; Kuching, Malaysia; Fremantle, Australia; Mayotte, Comoros; Sir Bani Yas, UAE; Manama, Bahrain; Mangalore, India; Muara Port, Brunei; Port Stanley, Falkland Islands; Sibenik, Croatia; Sihanoukville, Cambodia and Szczencin, Poland.

Seabourn will return to Indonesia for the first time in years as Seabourn Spirit offers Gems of the Java Sea with stops in Singapore, Kuching, and Kota Kinabalu , Java, Bali & the Barrier Reef, from Singapore to Darwin, and a Spice Islands Holiday round trip from Singapore.  Seabourn Pride’s China Journey operates between the People’s Republic and Taiwan for the first time.. Other new Seabourn itineraries include China/Korea/Japan Journey from Xingang (Beijing) to Kobe; Indian Ocean Edens from Dubai to Mahe, Seychelles; and Pearls of Arabia round trip from Dubai.

A newly-expanded destination services department offers guests land-based activities, including escorted Seabourn Journeys extensions to Bhutan, Kyoto and Tokyo, an African safari in Kenya, a four-night Florence and Venice Journey, and a five-night Laos and Cambodia Journey.

Awhile back, we showed you some pictures of the new wave of  Seabourn cadets serving their on-the-yacht training period aboard Seabourn Spirit in Southeast Asia.  Well, another group of cadets is currently learning “The Seabourn  Way” aboard Seabourn Legend, sailing through Panama, Belize and Costa Rica.  Captain Erik Anderssen has sent along some pictures of this group as they learn the ins and outs of the all-important “Champagne and Caviar in the Surf” beach barbecue at Hunting Caye (off the coast of Belize.) The first picture shows the sunny faces of the cadet corps on the dock at Hunting Caye with Seabourn trainer Oliver Ellinger (right,) showing them the ropes. The second picture is the group at the beach site where the actual barbecue buffet will be set up, with Oliver illustrating his point, and probably discussing the subtle art of serving food and drinks while walking in fine, white sand.

John, can you write a blog?” “A what???” I had no idea what a blog was. Now I do. They are a way for you, the passenger, to go through the “crew-only” door to discover what’s on the other side. The World’s Leading Cruise Lines quite naturally has the Best Blogs at Sea. These sites are designed to entertain you, to fascinate you, and – when you need it – to help you. Hope to see you onboard sometime and until then … welcome to the Best Blogs at Sea! www.bestblogsatsea.com

Below are a few more articles we liked…

Seabourn to Launch Seabourn Sojourn in June 2010

Yachts of Seabourn Introduces Newest Ultra-Luxury Yacht

Destinations for Second Time Cruisers

We invite you to visit us often and check out some of the great articles we find online. Additionally, we would love for you to send us great information you find as well. Feel free to interact with us and tell us what you think about the blog. Until next time…

Taking Seabourn Odyssey as your clue, you obviously combed your Homer and broke out your Bullfinch in the search for possibilities, because we received a myriad of Iliads, a couple of Calypsos, a plethora of Pegasuses, a passel of Penelopes and the odd Olympia, Orpheus or Orion. Unable to shake the Greek connection, others submitted Halcyon, Aurora, Aphrodite, Ulysses, Trident, Argosy and Nereid. Turns out you were barking up the wrong olive tree.

Certain of you apparently figured a bit of flattery would do the trick, and passed along compliments such as Seabourn Sublime, Superb, Heaven, Serenity, Perfection and, in a classic touch of one-upmanship, Perfection Plus.

The name, just to put an end to the suspense, will be Seabourn Sojourn, which relates nicely to Odyssey, albeit in a completely different way than do the mythological references. The winner, whose name was drawn from a pool of 18 entrants who guessed the name correctly, is Ruth Berman of Lake Worth, Florida. Ms. Berman will be embarking on Seabourn Sojourn for a complimentary voyage for two departing in 2010 or 2011. Chances are good that nobody in the world will be awaiting the announcement of the schedule for Seabourn Sojourn next February more eagerly than the Berman household.

We want to thank all who entered the contest. We hope you had as much fun conjuring up your guesses as we had reading them. As always, there were some entries that we frankly found a bit puzzling. One gentleman, who may have been a bit behind in his reading, suggested that we name the second yacht Seabourn Odyssey.  And then there were several flashes of brilliance that were inspired, but, shall we say, unusually wide of the mark. To wit: Seabourn Ginseng, Seabourn Vivacity, Seabourn Stingray and Seabourn Virility.

Raoul Jack

Hi, I’m Raoul Jack and I work as the Project Manager responsible for all three new Seabourn yachts. I have been involved in Shipbuilding for Carnival Corporation since 2001 and was originally responsible for all Electronic and IT systems onboard new ships. This position is very close to my heart, as I used to work for Cunard/Seabourn in Miami and am rewarded to work with so many past colleagues.

Q: How is a world cruise like falling in love?

A: Because there’s only ever one first time, and it’s something you’ll remember as long as you live.

And Seabourn Odyssey’s first world cruise in January 2010 will also be the first one ever for The Yachts of Seabourn, so that makes it even more special.

Guests aboard the Seabourn Odyssey will be privy to plenty of exciting experiences when the Inaugural World Cruise sets sail. The 108-day journey will span four months and 42 ports.  As if a cruise around the world wasn’t enough, a series of splashy shoreside events aptly named Shoreside Spectaculars will make the tour even more fun.

Let’s get the details of the Shoreside Spectaculars straight: There are five complimentary events for guests who book the entire world cruise. An additional seven ports feature complimentary shoreside experiences for all guests on board, regardless of the length of their voyages.

On the night before departure, guests who booked the full World Odyssey are invited to a luxury resort in Ft. Lauderdale for a gala Bon Voyage Ball. After sailing off on the 450-passenger Seabourn Odyssey, World Cruise guests will partake in five festive Shoreside Spectaculars. The first event is a January whale-watching expedition from Cabo San Lucas where a nature guide will escort passengers through a colony of sea lions. Two February events include a Polynesian candlelight feast in Papeete Tahiti and a sunset dinner cruise around Sydney Harbor complete with a performance at the famed Sydney Opera House. A Chinese extravaganza in Hong Kong will comprise the fourth event, and the Shoreside Spectaculars will conclude with a climactic visit to a Thai cultural village at the end of March.  Village attractions will include painted elephants as well as traditional Thai dance and boxing exhibitions. Full World Cruise passengers will also receive the bundle of valuable extras below:

•    First class round trip air or a $4,000 air credit (per person)
•    Private car transfer , including door-to-door from your home
•    Shipboard credit of $1,000 (per person)
•    Personal Valet luggage service
•    Gala Farewell event
•    Other special gifts

Seven additional amazing events will be complimentary for everyone on board. Seabourn describes these events as “an afternoon tour of Cultural Cartagena in Colombia’s Caribbean port city, A UNESCO World Heritage Site; a re-creation of the classic “Aloha Boat Days” at Honolulu’s Royal Hawaiian Hotel; a Maori cultural discovery experience at Lyttelton (Christchurch), New Zealand; an introduction to the arts and cultures of Borneo’s 32 diverse ethnic groups at Kota Kinabalu; a visit to the spectacular Sanctuary of Truth at Pattaya, Thailand from Bangkok; a spellbinding evening at an oasis near Dubai; and a sortie from Sharm el Sheikh into a sheltered valley in the mountainous Sinai desert for tea, traditional folkloric music and dance at a Bedouin encampment.”

If you would rather not take the entire World Cruise, there are a bunch of World Voyage Cruise choices from 16 to 69 days, several of which also offer value-added benefits. Seabourn makes it fun and painless to plan a vacation that is just the right length, time and location for you. Visit the Plan Your Journey tab above and see the selections for yourself.

After all, how else could you possibly become “well-traveled” …and only unpack once?