Creating Seabourn Odyssey
Odyssey Hull being towed to Genoa, Italy
If you ever put together model ships as a child, you might remember how interesting it was to meticulously fit together the wooden deck, the propellers and maybe even the little lifeboats. Model ships require painstaking detail, right? Now multiply that by about 10,000 and you come somewhat close to the work required to build a magnificent yacht like Seabourn Odyssey.
The first steel plates for Odyssey were cut on May 9, 2007. 8,500 tons of steel and one year later, the Odyssey hull was delivered to T. Mariotti S.p.A shipyard in Genoa, Italy. Here’s an insider tip: Several of the specialists constructing the Odyssey also worked on the artistic superstructure of the Athens Olympic Stadium. Ship designers and outfitters will be busy over the several months, as Odyssey sets sail from Italy next June. We will provide updates and sneak previews on the Odyssey build as we find out more. Below are a few interesting Odyssey specs to increase your seaworthy lingo:
• Cruising speed: 19 knots
• Normal crew size: 335
• Gross Tonnage: 32,000
• Length: 650 feet
• Beam (width at its widest point:) 84 feet
If you are wondering who is sailing this exciting new yacht, we are pleased to present Captain Karlo Buer. Captain Buer is quite familiar with Seabourn vessels, as he supervised the construction of Seabourn Spirit, the second yacht in the series, and also captained Seabourn Pride and Seabourn Legend. A native of Oslo Norway, Captain Buer brings over 30 years of experience to the bridge. He will head to the Genoa, Italy shipyard early next year to oversee Odyssey during its crucial completion. After the build is finished, Captain Buer will command Odyssey through its maiden and future voyages.
The creation of Seabourn Odyssey is a beacon of things to come. Odyssey represents just one of three Seabourn luxury vessels to be created over the next three years. But these ships aren’t going to be begging for people to take more cruises. Seabourn President and CEO Pamela Conover said that the new-builds are not necessarily meant to lure more cruisers to the luxury market but rather to meet the growing demand. After all, there hasn’t been a new luxury ship launched in six years! In other words, Seabourn wants to provide a variety of great cruise options and opportunities for existing and future guests.
In our next chat, we will talk about Odyssey’s extremely exciting 2010 World Tour. Think 108 days, the Taj Mahal and the Great Wall of China. I can barely wait.
To see more Odyssey construction shots, click here.
Tags: Karlo Buer, Odyssey captain, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Odyssey Construction
