What is this country, and who are these people that, from a standing far behind in the race, and greatly helped by our Western consumerism and technology, have fought their way ever closer to the front of the pack, and now are slated to play a dominant role in every conceivable way as this century progresses?  Shouldn’t we be interested, even eager to feel its pulse and understand what drives this enormous population in their unstoppable surge for progress?  A people endowed with a certain genetic wisdom, industrious by nature, that greatly values education and discipline can only shine in competition with the West, where these values increasingly seem to lose their luster. It’s only by integrating the past and the present of this remarkable destination that we can hope to gain a better understanding. Only by breathing the air, feeling the dynamic and sharing the space can we hope to see beneath the modern veneer-clad images the media are able to convey. Though essential to attract visitors, merely depicting China’s romantic past of the Great Wall and Forbidden City doesn’t sufficiently allow us to touch its soul and feel its pulse.

Don’t we owe it to ourselves to try to better understand these people, to see beyond the external changes and the popular notion that China is merely the sweatshop of the West? Isn’t China, after all, our major competitor, not only for global natural resources but also in budding technological advancement? Wouldn’t we want to know them better? And what better way to do that than from the comfort and pampering of Seabourn Pride, without the need to schlep from crowded airport to crowded airport, hotel room to hotel room, restaurant to restaurant?

I think these are the real reasons why travelers should use the opportunity to sail with Seabourn Pride, explore China, and also Korea and Japan, both of which are in different stages of a similar (re)evolution. We all live in the age of Asia… Let’s experience it now.

Seabourn Odyssey continues to bring in positive and rave reviews from her guests.  The latest is from Linda Garrison of About.com, an experienced cruise writer who sailed on the yacht in October.  Linda raved that Odyssey was,

“marvelous” with “exceptional service, delicious cuisine, and casual onboard atmosphere that past Seabourn cruisers love and expect.”

Want to see why Odyssey is so marvelous? Read the Seabourn Odyssey review and be sure to check out her photo gallery.

In his Virtual Gourmet newsletter, John Mariani blogs about his recent and delicious experience aboard Seabourn Legend. John ranks his Seabourn dining experience with authentic European fine dining and stated the luxury cruise provided him with his best cruise dining experience ever!

Seabourn Odyssey Suite

Seabourn Odyssey Veranda Suite

The comedian Brother Dave Gardner once observed that “…the worst I ever had was wonderful,” and he might as well have been referring to the suites on Seabourn Odyssey. The minimum category accommodation on board is still a spacious ocean-view suite with 295 square feet (27.5 sq m) of space and a five-foot picture window. There are just eight in category A, all the way forward on Deck 4.  Because of the shape of Odyssey’s hull, the first few are slightly smaller, (271 to 283 square feet). There are 18 Category A1 suites, all with the picture window, but further amidships on Deck 4. Like all Odyssey’s suites, they feature walk-in closets, comfortable seating area, dining table for two, one queen-size or twin beds, a fully-stocked bar and refrigerator, writing desk with personalized stationery, a makeup vanity, interactive flat-screen TV with music and movies on demand and a granite bathroom with separate tub and shower.

The most plentiful type of suite on Seabourn Odyssey is the Veranda Suite, categories V1 through V6. These are located on Decks 5 to 9, and have an inside space measuring 300 square feet (27.7 sq m) plus a private veranda of 65 square feet (6.1 sq m). Among the thoughtful touches that they share with all Seabourn Odyssey suites are Molton Brown Therapies Range bathroom amenities, plush robes and slippers, a hair dryer, a personal safe, a world atlas, book of short stories and an umbrella.

Seabourn is once again creating big buzz among luxury-loving cruisers. Why so much excitement? The Yachts of Seabourn are introducing a new family member – the ultra-luxe Seabourn Odyssey.
Odyssey is:

• The first new luxury vessel to launch in over six years
• The first new Seabourn yacht in over 15 years
• The only truly intimate new luxury vessel being planned by anybody
• The first Seabourn vessel with verandas on nearly all suites (90%!) (more…)