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Introducing Seabourn Ovation, the sister-ship to the prestigious Seabourn Encore. Seabourn Ovation represents another stage in the evolution of small ship cruising, which Seabourn pioneered and has consistently expanded and enriched. Both ships deliver a wealth of new concepts, a fresh vision and a host of illuminating ideas to delight the world's most discerning travelers.
Frankly we had serious concerns before we left for our first cruise, mainly as a result of some of the really negative reviews on this site. However, I’m pleased to say that we had a wonderful cruise and our expectations were surpassed in every aspect, from excellent food in all locations, friendly and very helpful staff, comfortable cabin, good, fun entertainment and music. All in all it was a great success. We got off at every port and went to the beach, which was easy and fun, there was always somewhere to sit and hang out on our return to the ship- the sea days were nice, but Im not sure I’d want too many of them. We were really happy with the whole experience and I can’t really understand what the complaints are about- most seem to be about fairly minor issues, my advice would be to ignore them and have a great time.
I've sailed Seabourn before. Many times over 15 years. And a number of those were long cruises. So I've been around....seen it all...experienced it all. And it was mostly very good, as a luxury cruise line should be. I've also sailed on Silversea, Regent, Crystal, Cunard and Oceania, so I have many memories and comparisons under my belt. My previous cruise in the summer of 2024 on Sojourn, my first since covid, was not a happy experience. Service and dining were not up to the Seabourn standards I had occasioned many times before. Included wines were limited and there were a number of bad, cheap selections. The house champagne was well below average. A number of the crew we interfaced with were not well-trained, certainly not in comparison with the old Seabourn days when they were excellent and even knew your name after a few days and took pride in it. This was Seabourn's distinctive way of treating guests, to make them feel special and wanting to return. We were told this drop in service we experienced was endemic with other cruise lines post-covid but we had no way of knowing at that time whether this was true. The Ovation cruise this past June on the Med was an entirely different experience when it came to service and dining enjoyment. The Ovation is a larger ship in passenger size at 600 but not so much larger in footprint than the Odyssey-class Seabourn ships. While its tonnage is greater because it added a deck to accommodate 150 more passengers than the Odyssey-class ships' 450 guests, its length and width is not that much greater. So that creates dining and entertainment venue issues and pool issues. While Solis has been built as a larger restaurant, and the restaurant itself looks larger, public areas of the ship are a challenge at this 600 passenger headcount level, such as the restaurant itself and the nightclub lounge. The restaurant at dinner time was quite good, with new dishes on the menu, nicely prepared and served. We never had a problem getting a table since we usually arrived fairly early but we heard that later on it became problematic. Warm if not always hot dishes came out of the kitchen. Tasty dishes, attractively plated. The lamb chops were especially good on a number of occasions. So was the steak and many fish dishes. Unlike the Sojourn the year prior, the servers were not stressed with too many tables to service, and the serving team was usually quite prompt with ordering, serving, and clearing dishes. A better trained staff was quite apparent. Wine service for which the servers are now responsible was also efficiently managed, with many refills. The included "fine wines" were a lot better quality than before while the champagne remained the same. We reached into the premium wine list on only a handful of occasions, with the help of a knowledgeable sommelier. Caviar service, of a pretty good variety, was as available and overflowing as usual on a Seabourn ship, with seemingly endless supplies coming out of the kitchen, destined for the dining rooms, staterooms at all hours or even service as we observed and once participated in at the pool deck on demand. Our two times at Solis were very enjoyable meals. The highly creative menu offerings make for tough decisions, but whatever we ordered was perfectly delicious. Their cocktail menu is also quite appealing. Yet Seabourn amazes many passengers, particularly its frequent sailers such as us, by purposely closing the main restaurant for breakfast and lunch. The only choice is the buffet style Colonnade. While a nice selection at breakfast of fruits, breads, meats, egg dishes and other assorted dishes, including made to order, and an assortment of nice salads and hot dishes at lunch, it is a serve yourself buffet line, like a cafeteria. From past experience on other cruise lines especially with respiratory illnesses, which can spread like wildfire, and those who just coughed into their hands a few seconds before touching the serving utensils, like most passengers, I want to remain healthy. The Purell machines, far away from the buffet lines, offer hope but little comfort. Some of us just prefer a less frenetic breakfast and lunch venue, with tablecloths and waiters. A more relaxing, healthful environment than the hustle and bustle, or sharp elbows and illness exposure of a crowded buffet line. I do not know of a luxury cruise line that does not today offer this kind of breakfast and lunch alternative. The ship said it would open the restaurant for breakfast and lunch on sea days, but it never even did this. The Club on 6 is a very nice bar to drink at and meet fellow travelers since it has not been taken over by the sushi eaters as on the Sojourn and Quest because the Ovation has its own small but dedicated sushi restaurant. Sasha pours a lovely drink for those who want to use the bar for its intended social purposes. The Observation Lounge is also a good place to gather and have drinks before dinner and after the show. The extra 150 passengers at the same size or smaller pool than on the Sojourn or Quest creates a big deck chair issue at the pool and pool deck. There are only 75 deck chairs around the pool for the 600 passengers who might want to enjoy sitting at the pool rather than other seating areas around the ship. One whole row of lounge chairs at the pool deck was removed to make room for extra dining tables and chairs to accommodate the overflow from the Colonnade restaurant and make the Patio grill at the pool more attractive as a lunch and dinner alternative venue. The pool is crowded on hot days, which we had. There is intense competition for the chairs, with people keeping books on chairs and disappearing for hours and one couple we saw hogging four chairs, one set in the sun and one set in the shade, and they did so without any shame while others searched for open chairs. The staterooms are attractive, large and comfortable even if the closets seem to be a bit smaller than on the Sojourn. The terraces are large. Dual sinks and larger showers in the bathroom are nice features. The housekeeping staff was good at keeping our stateroom clean and tidy even though our paths hardly ever crossed. The ship itself is well-maintained and we saw nothing adverse in its physical condition. The excursions were fine, with the usual complaints about too-long bus rides and too-early departures. The one issue we had with one excursion badly curated was properly handled and price adjustments made for all concerned. The buses were all air-conditioned and comfortable, and the excursion guides were all generally interesting and competent. The library on board needs work. That includes a major inventory boost and shelving added, to create a real library space like on the Sojourn and Quest and other competing cruise lines. Captain Bathgate had his morning coffee in Seabourn Square and was very approachable, as were the other officers. Ross the cruise director was all over the place doing an excellent job and the ship's small troupe of dancers/singers, and the drop-in entertainers who came on board like comedians and mind readers and concert artists were all good in keeping us entertained. The sailing itself was like on a mirrored lake. No motion was felt whatsoever for the entire ten days at sea. The ship that normally sails very smoothly was helped along by the winds blowing constantly in the right direction. Med ports of call all offered interesting places to visit in or around the port itself. Menorca as an island was particularly interesting, as were our excursions on Corsica and Sardinia. The temperatures were very warm throughout the voyage. The room key system, with one key necessary in the slot by the entrance door to turn on the electric in the cabin, like in many European hotel rooms, is an annoyance I had not experienced before on any cruise line. As for future Seabourn cruises, it will not be on the Ovation or Encore because of the footprint issue. With Sojourn joining Odyssey as now sold, it will have to be on the Quest, assuming it remains in the fleet and has an interesting itinerary. While the dining room closure issue at breakfast and lunch is an annoyance, I am hopeful Seabourn will see the error of its ways.
Having sailed 44 days (2 extended itineraries) since October on Seabourn Ovation, I thought it appropriate to share our experience onboard. Coles (Cliffs) Notes Summary Seabourn wins in most categories, with its laid back and chilled vibe, excellent personalized service, great entertainment and excellent food in its main dining room and specialty restaurant. The Ship Seabourn Ovation, with its 600 passenger capacity, is starting to show her age. Ovation desperately needs a little TLC, new carpets in certain areas, new deck furniture for the verandas and the aft infinity pool, to match some of its competitor’s offerings. Woodwork around the ship, especially in the cabins, needs touching up. If Seabourn management were to commit to these minor hardware upgrades, I believe that they can easily compete against other luxury cruise lines. No expensive new builds necessary for Seabourn, just a refresh for their existing fleet. The Vibe Seabourn Ovation, and her sister ships, feel like a scaled up yacht with their simple but elegant styling that imbues a serene and laid back atmosphere. Service Seabourn is the hands down winner here. Seabourn’s service is attentive, personal and professional, regardless of the venue which adds to the laid back and relaxing vibe. Seabourn’s main dining room is a quiet sanctuary on most evenings, even during their busiest times. Deck service on Seabourn is a given, not an oddity. Food - Main Dining Room Again Seabourn is a winner here. Seabourn’s menus change nightly with some locally inspired dishes as specials and, although on a rotation, it is lengthy enough to provide ample and diverse choices, even on extended itineraries. Seabourn’s food and presentation in the main dining room is excellent, almost on par with Oceania, which is a true compliment. On Seabourn, similar to other luxury cruise lines, there are no reservations required for the main dining room. Seabourn is laid back, dining when you want each evening in a non-chaotic environment. This flexibility becomes important after a long day on tour, when attending scheduled events on board, or when your appetite dictates it’s time to eat (or not). Last note; included wines on Seabourn are extensive and good quality. Food - Specialty Restaurants Seabourn has 1 specialty restaurant, Solis and a sushi restaurant on their larger ships, Ovation and Encore. Seabourn’s Solis restaurant has a diverse menu and is an upscale, personal and intimate dining experience. The sushi restaurant is not up to par with some of its competitors. Food - Buffet We are not fans of buffet and the main dining room is our go to on Seabourn. Dress Code The main dining room and Solis on Seabourn require dress pants and a collared shirt in the evenings. Formal nights (1 every 7 to 10 days) require a jacket but no tie, an aspect I would not miss if it were eliminated. The Seabourn buffet, the Colonnade, is a more relaxed venue, with more casual attire acceptable. Entertainment Seabourn excels in this category. For a ship of only 600, Seabourn offers quality evening shows with professional singers and dancers, invited entertainment such as comedians or, for instance, an Irish folk singer on St. Patrick’s Day. That, plus daytime and sometimes live evening entertainment at the pool (generally 1 evening open deck pool party per segment) and very informative guest speakers, gives you many options. Gym Seabourn has four ellipticals, 8 treadmills, four regular and recumbent bikes for 600 people, in a facility that stretches the entire back of the ship. It’s a very nice, usually uncrowded environment. Rooms (Veranda on Seabourn) Seabourn is a leader in this category with its larger suites that offer great functionality. Seabourn has a walk-in closet along with a table with 2 chairs for in-suite dining. Seabourn bathroom has a double sink vanity, a shower and a tub. As for the veranda, this is where Seabourn definitely needs an upgrade in furniture to offer a more inviting environment … perhaps a chaise lounger also … hopefully someone from Seabourn is listening? Excursions Consistently good to excellent, small group tours on Seabourn which are reasonably priced. Last Thoughts Seabourn is an excellent cruise line, firmly in the luxury category but, admittedly, its ships do need some TLC and updating to remain competitive in this segment.
Frankly we had serious concerns before we left for our first cruise, mainly as a result of some of the really negative reviews on this site. However, I’m pleased to say that we had a wonderful cruise and our expectations were surpassed in every aspect, from excellent food in all locations, friendly and very helpful staff, comfortable cabin, good, fun entertainment and music. All in all it was a great success. We got off at every port and went to the beach, which was easy and fun, there was always somewhere to sit and hang out on our return to the ship- the sea days were nice, but Im not sure I’d want too many of them. We were really happy with the whole experience and I can’t really understand what the complaints are about- most seem to be about fairly minor issues, my advice would be to ignore them and have a great time.
I've sailed Seabourn before. Many times over 15 years. And a number of those were long cruises. So I've been around....seen it all...experienced it all. And it was mostly very good, as a luxury cruise line should be. I've also sailed on Silversea, Regent, Crystal, Cunard and Oceania, so I have many memories and comparisons under my belt. My previous cruise in the summer of 2024 on Sojourn, my first since covid, was not a happy experience. Service and dining were not up to the Seabourn standards I had occasioned many times before. Included wines were limited and there were a number of bad, cheap selections. The house champagne was well below average. A number of the crew we interfaced with were not well-trained, certainly not in comparison with the old Seabourn days when they were excellent and even knew your name after a few days and took pride in it. This was Seabourn's distinctive way of treating guests, to make them feel special and wanting to return. We were told this drop in service we experienced was endemic with other cruise lines post-covid but we had no way of knowing at that time whether this was true. The Ovation cruise this past June on the Med was an entirely different experience when it came to service and dining enjoyment. The Ovation is a larger ship in passenger size at 600 but not so much larger in footprint than the Odyssey-class Seabourn ships. While its tonnage is greater because it added a deck to accommodate 150 more passengers than the Odyssey-class ships' 450 guests, its length and width is not that much greater. So that creates dining and entertainment venue issues and pool issues. While Solis has been built as a larger restaurant, and the restaurant itself looks larger, public areas of the ship are a challenge at this 600 passenger headcount level, such as the restaurant itself and the nightclub lounge. The restaurant at dinner time was quite good, with new dishes on the menu, nicely prepared and served. We never had a problem getting a table since we usually arrived fairly early but we heard that later on it became problematic. Warm if not always hot dishes came out of the kitchen. Tasty dishes, attractively plated. The lamb chops were especially good on a number of occasions. So was the steak and many fish dishes. Unlike the Sojourn the year prior, the servers were not stressed with too many tables to service, and the serving team was usually quite prompt with ordering, serving, and clearing dishes. A better trained staff was quite apparent. Wine service for which the servers are now responsible was also efficiently managed, with many refills. The included "fine wines" were a lot better quality than before while the champagne remained the same. We reached into the premium wine list on only a handful of occasions, with the help of a knowledgeable sommelier. Caviar service, of a pretty good variety, was as available and overflowing as usual on a Seabourn ship, with seemingly endless supplies coming out of the kitchen, destined for the dining rooms, staterooms at all hours or even service as we observed and once participated in at the pool deck on demand. Our two times at Solis were very enjoyable meals. The highly creative menu offerings make for tough decisions, but whatever we ordered was perfectly delicious. Their cocktail menu is also quite appealing. Yet Seabourn amazes many passengers, particularly its frequent sailers such as us, by purposely closing the main restaurant for breakfast and lunch. The only choice is the buffet style Colonnade. While a nice selection at breakfast of fruits, breads, meats, egg dishes and other assorted dishes, including made to order, and an assortment of nice salads and hot dishes at lunch, it is a serve yourself buffet line, like a cafeteria. From past experience on other cruise lines especially with respiratory illnesses, which can spread like wildfire, and those who just coughed into their hands a few seconds before touching the serving utensils, like most passengers, I want to remain healthy. The Purell machines, far away from the buffet lines, offer hope but little comfort. Some of us just prefer a less frenetic breakfast and lunch venue, with tablecloths and waiters. A more relaxing, healthful environment than the hustle and bustle, or sharp elbows and illness exposure of a crowded buffet line. I do not know of a luxury cruise line that does not today offer this kind of breakfast and lunch alternative. The ship said it would open the restaurant for breakfast and lunch on sea days, but it never even did this. The Club on 6 is a very nice bar to drink at and meet fellow travelers since it has not been taken over by the sushi eaters as on the Sojourn and Quest because the Ovation has its own small but dedicated sushi restaurant. Sasha pours a lovely drink for those who want to use the bar for its intended social purposes. The Observation Lounge is also a good place to gather and have drinks before dinner and after the show. The extra 150 passengers at the same size or smaller pool than on the Sojourn or Quest creates a big deck chair issue at the pool and pool deck. There are only 75 deck chairs around the pool for the 600 passengers who might want to enjoy sitting at the pool rather than other seating areas around the ship. One whole row of lounge chairs at the pool deck was removed to make room for extra dining tables and chairs to accommodate the overflow from the Colonnade restaurant and make the Patio grill at the pool more attractive as a lunch and dinner alternative venue. The pool is crowded on hot days, which we had. There is intense competition for the chairs, with people keeping books on chairs and disappearing for hours and one couple we saw hogging four chairs, one set in the sun and one set in the shade, and they did so without any shame while others searched for open chairs. The staterooms are attractive, large and comfortable even if the closets seem to be a bit smaller than on the Sojourn. The terraces are large. Dual sinks and larger showers in the bathroom are nice features. The housekeeping staff was good at keeping our stateroom clean and tidy even though our paths hardly ever crossed. The ship itself is well-maintained and we saw nothing adverse in its physical condition. The excursions were fine, with the usual complaints about too-long bus rides and too-early departures. The one issue we had with one excursion badly curated was properly handled and price adjustments made for all concerned. The buses were all air-conditioned and comfortable, and the excursion guides were all generally interesting and competent. The library on board needs work. That includes a major inventory boost and shelving added, to create a real library space like on the Sojourn and Quest and other competing cruise lines. Captain Bathgate had his morning coffee in Seabourn Square and was very approachable, as were the other officers. Ross the cruise director was all over the place doing an excellent job and the ship's small troupe of dancers/singers, and the drop-in entertainers who came on board like comedians and mind readers and concert artists were all good in keeping us entertained. The sailing itself was like on a mirrored lake. No motion was felt whatsoever for the entire ten days at sea. The ship that normally sails very smoothly was helped along by the winds blowing constantly in the right direction. Med ports of call all offered interesting places to visit in or around the port itself. Menorca as an island was particularly interesting, as were our excursions on Corsica and Sardinia. The temperatures were very warm throughout the voyage. The room key system, with one key necessary in the slot by the entrance door to turn on the electric in the cabin, like in many European hotel rooms, is an annoyance I had not experienced before on any cruise line. As for future Seabourn cruises, it will not be on the Ovation or Encore because of the footprint issue. With Sojourn joining Odyssey as now sold, it will have to be on the Quest, assuming it remains in the fleet and has an interesting itinerary. While the dining room closure issue at breakfast and lunch is an annoyance, I am hopeful Seabourn will see the error of its ways.
An evolution of Seabourn’s oceangoing fleet, this ultra-luxury ship offers 13 categories of oceanfront suites with private verandas, capacity for 600 guests, one additional deck, and an enhanced and central common living space with a reimagined Seabourn Square. Suites range in size from 251 to 1,306 square feet of indoor space, with verandas adding an additional 68 to 960 square feet of outdoor living area. All suites offer sweeping ocean views through the glass doors of their verandas.
Seabourn Ovation is operated with all-inclusive deals, and provides the best choice of dining venues (all complimentary) and open-bar lounges. Guests dine when, where, and with whom they wish. The design of Ovation features contemporary spaces created by the Adam Tihany’s company, including ship's Main Dining Room and the club-like Seabourn Square lounge area.
Expand your horizons in our library, at a port lecture or at one of our many inspiring enrichment programs. To encourage and enhance this satisfying aspect of your Seabourn voyage, we invite luminaries of particular interest and accomplishment to join our guests on board – and bring fascinating insights, expert opinions and delightfully entertaining diversions to the conversation.
The ambiance of Seabourn Ovation is relaxed, with a sheer activities’ variety. Most sailings feature the Seabourn line’s Caviar in Surf Beach Barbecue or Marina Days, when you can go kayaking or sailing right from ship. Seabourn cruise line’s service is ranked the best on the luxury cruising market – highly personalized and attentive. Tipping is not expected.
Seabourn’s spa and fitness facilities have repeatedly been named the Favorite Spas at Sea by the readers of SpaFinder.com. They offer a wide spectrum of massages, facials and beauty treatments, blending traditional practices from around the world with the most up-to-date techniques. Seabourn’s spas are suitable for guests wishing to maintain a personal fitness regime or discover a new one. A well-equipped ocean-view gym and Motion Studio is staffed by professional fitness trainers, and a full-service salon for men and women complement the spas.
Please note: Seabourn Ovation does not offer any dedicated Kids & Teens facilities.
