The Hot Chocolate on a Stick that we showed you last month is making its way aboard the Seabourn fleet. Culinary and Beverage Operations Manager Bjoern Wassmuth introduced it on Seabourn Sojourn in May, holding a formal tasting event in Seabourn Square for sweet-toothed staff members.  Once it was made available, the tasty treat was welcomed warmly (sorry!) by enthusiastic guests. Fifty cups were ordered the first day.

Eight cups and four stripes. The tasting was the most popular muster of the month.

Stirred, not shaken: Bjoern demonstrates the technique to Hotel Manager Hubert Buelacher; Bjoern Wassmuth; Public Room Manager Bogdan Crnobrnja; F&B Manager Bozidar Copic; Executive Chef Andrew Soddy; Restaurant Manager Craig Coulson.

On May 2, Seabourn and Holland America held a celebration to welcome new Seabourn staff to the Seattle office and recognize employees who are supporting the transition efforts. Employees who relocated to Seattle from Miami were greeted with welcome baskets full of Northwest-themed gifts including local travel books, chocolates and coffee. Here are some photos from the special celebration!

John Delaney, senior vice president, Seabourn Marketing & Sales, presents Karen Sinclair, director, Seabourn Marketing Communications, with a welcome basket.

Members of the executive team spent time chatting with employees during the celebration. From left: John Delaney, senior vice president, Seabourn Marketing & Sales; Stein Kruse, chairman, Seabourn and, president & chief executive officer, Holland America Line; Richard D. Meadows, president, Seabourn, and executive vice president, Marketing, Sales and Guest Programs, Holland America Line.

Some of the Seabourn employees who moved from Miami and were able to attend the event gather for a photo. Front row: Karen Sinclair, director, Marketing Communications; Olav Torvund, director, Technical Systems; Ove Olsen, technical superintendent; Rick Meadows, president. Second row: Tim Littley, director, Itinerary Development; Chris Prelog, director, Hotel Operations; John Cook, product manager; Bruce Good, director, Public Relations; John Delaney, senior vice president, Seabourn Marketing & Sales.

John Delaney and team serve up some delicious cake for attendees. In photo from left: John Delaney; Trina Holm, administrative assistant, Seabourn Marketing; Patty Desharnais, administrative assistant, Seabourn Marketing & Sales; Peggy McNeil, sales specialist, Seabourn.

Photos are courtesy of Steve Schimmelman.

As promised, here are some more pictures of Seabourn Quest from the shipyard.  Take a look at two of our most popular spots, The Colonnade and Seabourn Square.  They may be empty now but before you know it, both of these rooms will be filled with guests and brimming with enthusiasm and activity!

Up Close with Seabourn Quest

Seabourn Quest

The Colonnade

Seabourn Square

When Seabourn Quest debuts in the summer of 2011, the ship will feature Seabourn Square, an innovative concierge lounge with a “club room” ambiance, offering a variety of attractions and amenities making guests feel at home during their cruises.

It is one of the most distinctive features of the ship and considered to be “hub” of the ship.  Need a café latte? Check.  Want to check your email from loved ones?  Check. Have a question about a shore excursion or a charge on your shipboard account? Check.  Want to read a book or the latest headlines?  Check. Or how about just sitting back and taking in some fresh air overlooking the wake of the ship? Check, check.

The Coffee Bar in Seabourn Square aboard Seabourn Quest

Open from 6:15 a.m. until 6 p.m., the lounge is furnished with comfortable sofas, easy chairs and cocktail tables, and the walls are lined with fiction, nonfiction and reference books.  Eight computer workstations are available for guests to check their emails or surf the Internet during their cruise.  One of the most popular spots in Seabourn Square is the European konditorei-style coffee bar, with a tall, gleaming espresso machine serving specialty coffees, drinks, sandwiches, pastries and gelati.

The Seabourn Square aboard Seabourn Quest

In the center of the room is an enclave housing a team of Guest Services Specialists.  They sit discreetly at individual desks, ready to assist guests 24 hours a day with any inquiries they may have, from onboard account questions and money exchange to reserving shore excursions and giving advice about ports of call.  The Destination Services staff is also present in Seabourn Square, and there is a separate desk where the onboard Cruise Sales Specialist can discuss guests’ future bookings in privacy.

Guests who are planning to sail on Seabourn Quest will no doubt enjoy Seabourn Square’ relaxed atmosphere. It was designed to encourage sociability and we’ve heard much positive feedback about the Square from guests who sailed on Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn.  We want to hear from you: what do you like most about Seabourn Square?

We’re only one month away from the launch of Sojourn and there is a great buzz in the air here at Seabourn!  We are in the midst of finalizing plans for the inaugural festivities in London while workers at the shipyard are putting the finishing touches on the yacht.  We know many of you are just as excited as we are to see her. The debut is right around the corner, but in the meantime, here are some new construction photos of Sojourn. (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…)

Guest Services Specialists

Preparations for Seabourn Sojourn are not only taking place at the shipyard in Italy but at Seabourn’s Miami headquarters, as well.  Last week, a team of 16 trainees arrived to the offices to prepare for their role as Guest Services Specialists, where they will manage the “business heart” of Sojourn and handle all guest inquiries at Seabourn Square. (more…)

If you agree that variety is the spice of life, then dining aboard Seabourn Odyssey will suit you to a T. Seabourn continues its collaboration with award-winning chef/restaurateur Charlie Palmer because….well,  because we really like his food!  (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…)

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…)