Cruise Travel Magazine
August 1, 2002
Inside Seabourn Cruise Line

Since its inception in 1987, Seabourn has been synonymous with highbrow
luxury and exotic itineraries. Carrying just 208 passengers apiece,
the nearly identical Seabourn Pride, Spirit and Legend are among
the smallest, most intimate ultra-lux cruise ships.

Cruising between the Greek isles or the British Virgin Islands,
there's nothing quite like dining on the outside deck of the ships'
Veranda CafÈ, just feet above the churning surf below. The backdrop
is a starry black sky and the tiny lights of distance ships. Only
a private yacht gets you closer to the sea.

When the ships debuted, they were like nothing that had come before.
Founded by Norwegian shipping magnate Atle Brynestad, the Pride
and Spirit entered service in 1988 and 1989 respectively. Spacious
suites with marble bathrooms, formal dining, and an open-bar policy
impressed the well-traveled guests. Champagne, jumbo shrimp and
caviar could be ordered any time of the day, and the Scandinavian
stewardesses and European dining staff left nothing to be desired.


Eventually, of course, the ultra-luxury market grew, with Silversea,
Radisson Seven Seas, and Crystal joining Seabourn at the top of
the heap. Then Carnival Corporation stepped into the ring and bought
its first stake in Seabourn in 1992 and then an interest in old-world
Cunard in 1997. Grand plans to merge the two lines followed, and
soon the Pride, Spirit and Legend had stepsiblings. (The Legend
only joined the fleet in 1996, four years after it was built on
order for Seabourn. Before Seabourn purchased her, the ship sailed
as Royal Viking Line's Royal Viking Queen and as the Queen Odyssey
for Royal Cruise Line.) Cunard's two 116-passenger Sea Goddess yachts
and 758-passenger Royal Viking Sun were transferred to Seabourn,
creating a six-ship fleet.

The experiment with consolidation didn't last long, however, and
neither did changes like doing away with the open-bar policy. By
mid-2001, Seabourn had sold the Sea Goddesses to Atle Brynestad,
who went on to start a new venture, SeaDream Yacht Club. Shortly
after, the Seabourn Sun was transferred to Holland America and reintroduced
as the Prisendam.

Finally, the original three sisters could take center stage.

"We've gone back to the original mission and vision. We've tweaked
and refined the brand to make sure we're in step with the expectations
of our guests. People have become more sophisticated in their every
day lives and more catered to then they were 15 years ago," said
senior vice president of sales and marketing Rick Meadows, who joined
Seabourn in early 2001 after successful stints at Windstar and Carnival
Corporation.

In the last few years, Seabourn has invested millions of dollars
in improving and updating its product. Balconies, of course, have
become must-have amenities on ultra-luxury ships as well as the
mainstream megas. Built before balconies became a fashion statement
in the mid-90s, Seabourn came up with a plan. French balconies replaced
the bay windows in 36 suites on each ship. Though not full verandahs
for sitting like the newer ships in the Silverseas and Radisson
Seven Seas fleets, the sliding glass doors are a wonderful improvement
and allow fresh breezes into the rooms. Other changes include the
hand painted murals added to the purser's reception area, a welcome
splash of color to the ships' minimalist Scandinavian-style champagne
and pastel decor.

Most recently, expensive London-made Molton Brown soaps, lotions
and shampoos have replaced the more ho-hum Neutrogena products in
suite bathrooms. Complimentary mini massages are doled out on deck
by strolling masseuses from the spa. On request, you can even have
your cabin stewardess draw you a fancy bath with Eucalyptus oil
or Dead Sea salts. And on every cruise, a special complimentary
shore excursion is offered, like an after-hours tour of the Vatican.
All of these new enhancements compliment the first-class service
that's been there from the beginning. Staff in tuxedos and white
gloves escort embarking guests to their suites. A stewardess stops
by moments later with two glasses of chilled champagne. With 157
crew members serving just 208 guests, one of the highest crew-to-passenger
ratios in the cruise industry, staff learn your name fast and remember
that you like your scotch neat, can't sleep without three pillows,
and prefer your teatime tollhouse cookies without nuts.

"Our trump card is our software and our service," Meadows says.
Though, of course, slip-ups happen even on the best lines. A recent
cruise fell short of five-star perfectionóa wilted rose languished
in a stateroom vase, a stewardess forgot robes, and course-by-course
dining in the room was unexpectedly rushed. Still, overall, service
at sea doesn't get much better than Seabourn.

On a recent Pride cruise, I was struck by how the ship could be
so small and intimate--the newer ships of Silversea and Radisson
carry two to three times as many passengers--yet large enough to
offer three roomy entertainment lounges. Among them were offered
cabaret acts, pianists, cocktails, wine tastings, trivia games,
and impressive guest lecturers, which have included the likes of
author Paul Theroux and former Attorney General Edwin Meese. The
speakers mingle and dine with guests as fellow shipmates; after
all, a Seabourn cruise is the kind of vacation they'd choose for
themselves. Dining is a highpoint of a Seabourn cruise, and celebrity
chef Charlie Palmer is the creative force behind more than 200 new
dishes. The ship's two venues include the candle-lit main restaurant,
where waiters make a show of dramatically lifting silver lids off
dishes like veal scaloppini in champagne risotto or bay scallops
in black bean sauce. Crystal glasses are filled with one of the
18 or so complimentary wines available nightly. People dress for
dinner, though dress codes have been relaxed as they have been on
many other ships and hotels. Ties are no longer required except
on the Formal nights, when tuxedos and sequins are brought out.
The more casual indoor/outdoor Verandah Cafe offers an impressive
breakfast buffet spread, with made-to-order omelets and exotic fresh
fruits like papaya and mango. Themed dinners most nights feature
Thai, Italian or Caribbean dishes like Jamaican spiced beef tenderloin
with jumbo shrimp. But here, the outdoor setting and the sea take
center stage.

If you want to spend some time indoors, there's a pleasant ocean
view library next to a small business center with four computers;
all hooked up to the Internet. A tiny gaming room has a handful
of card tables and slots. The spa and gym are impressive as well,
and a variety of massages and facials are offered (starting at a
pricey $111 a pop), along with stretching classes and personal training
sessions. Outdoor activities include snorkeling, kayaking, water-skiing,
and swimming right from the ship's retractable marina, which is
lowered in calm seas.

While the pool is set in a shadowy place between the ship's twin
stacks and lifeboats, one of the Pride's three hot tubs has a prime
spot on the quiet, otherwise empty, foredeck just below the bridge.
Don't miss it for sunset viewing or a soak and a cocktail after
a long day of touring.

Unless, that is, you'd rather wave goodbye to Shanghai or Skagway
from your suite. The sliding glass doors offer great views, though
keep in mind, to spare the staterooms from getting sprayed, without
warning the bridge can automatically lock the doors whenever waves
get even slightly choppy. Fresh breezes or not, the roomy 277 square-foot
suites are very comfortable. Done in light wood tones and fabrics,
each has a sitting area, stocked mini-bar, walk-in closet and white
marble bathroom with double sinks and bathtub. The largest owners'
suites are 575 square feet and have a dining area, guest bathroom,
and a tiny verandah (only six staterooms on each ship have them).
Beds are covered with fluffy down duvets and a chilled bottle of
Piper Heidsieck champagne awaits in each suite. Seabourn's top brass
is banking on these perks and new enhancements, as well as value-added
extras like free airfare and business-class upgrades, keeping past
cruisers coming back and to attract new ones willing pay the line's
$500-plus per diems. The idea is to appeal to younger guests in
their 50s and 60s--not just the 70s and 80s set. Cabaret acts are
now geared more to Elvis and the Beatles than Big Band stuff.

"Our average age is down to 59, and 59 today is very different than
59 was 10 years ago. People don't just want to hear Benny Goodman.
People are more active, they want to participate," says Meadows.
Mini Vegas-style shows encourage audience participation and dancing.
On balmy evenings, movies are shown out on deck, complete with popcorn,
or dancing under the stars is featured. Once per cruise a deck barbeque
is scheduled and in the Caribbean, extravagant beach barbeques feature
caviar and grilled lobster. So, who said Seabourn was stuffy?