Ultra Luxury on Seabourn Ovation
Panache Cruises' Product and Marketing Executive Natalie took to the seas with Seabourn in October 2021 and had a wonderful time on her first ultra-luxury cruise. Read on to hear about Natalie's experience on one of the most luxurious cruise lines in the world...
“I have always dreamed of travelling to the Greek Isles and this year I was lucky enough to not only travel to some of the most stunning places but to travel with one of the most elite ocean cruise lines, Seabourn.
I travelled from London Heathrow to Athens, and everything was very smooth considering I hadn’t travelled in ‘Covid times’ before. Everything went swimmingly and with all forms completed we landed in Athens. The transfer only took 45 minutes from the airport to the port, upon arrival we were greeted by the friendliest staff and taken to have our antigen test pre-boarding. Once our results came back negative, we were very excited to start our amazing holiday on board the brand-new luxurious Seabourn Ovation.
We had a Veranda Suite which was located on deck 5; I was impressed with how spacious the suites were and blown away by how stunning the bathroom was. The bathroom had Molton Brown toiletries and even a bath and separate shower which I obviously had to take full advantage of! I will have to say from the moment we arrived in our suite, the butlers came and introduced themselves to us and were always on hand if we ever needed anything.
Seabourn Ovation is the sister ship to Seabourn Encore and is one of their newest ships in the fleet, with all Veranda Suites on board. I thought the ship was a perfect size with plenty of choice for dining. My favourite dining experience on board had to be the Sushi restaurant, wow it was so tasty – I would recommend trying the chicken gyozas! We also managed to reserve a table in the famous Thomas Keller Grill, this is a fantastic experience and is the only restaurant that you have to pre-book, so I would recommend reserving this as soon as possible.
Breakfast and lunch were mainly taken on the poolside patio. We were lucky with the weather while we were in Greece, so it was a great start to the day eating breakfast in the sun. You can also enjoy breakfast in-suite, so we enjoyed breakfast on our balcony a few mornings which was lovely and relaxing. The best thing about the dining on board Seabourn Ovation is that we NEVER had to wait for anything, I think this must be my favourite part of elite ocean cruising. The ships are a lot smaller than mainstream cruising but the staff to guest ratio is fantastic which means that you are never fighting for a sun lounger on sea days or waking up at 6am just so you can enjoy a quiet breakfast before you start your adventure for the day.
Like many cruises I have been on, there is always something to eat no matter what time of day. Which is fantastic while you’re away, maybe not so much when you return home and realise how much you have indulged! Worth it at the time, I’ve never enjoyed so many cakes and pastries in between meals. One thing I noticed while I was on board is that Seabourn are trying to reduce as much single plastic use; I ordered a coffee to go, and I was given this fantastic ceramic coffee mug to bring back later. It’s the small things like this that I think are great steps to being more environmentally friendly.
There are several bars on board and plenty of space for everyone to relax on sea days. My tip if you would like to enjoy a quieter afternoon by the pool, near our suite on deck 5 there is The Club Lounge (we enjoyed a few cocktails here post-dinner in the evening!) there is a hidden pool deck and sun beds facing out onto the gorgeous views. There is always someone in the lounge, so you are still able to enjoy a nice cold beverage while you sit back and soak in the sun – look out for Melissa on this deck, she was the absolute best and made our trip so special by bringing out ALL our drinks without us even having to ask!
That leads me onto, what makes Seabourn different? Well, I asked myself this before I sailed with them. Seabourn have always been known as going above and beyond for their customers and a story that always sticks in my head is a guest had lost her engagement ring in the ocean while on board Seabourn, so the crew put on diving gear and went into the ocean to retrieve the guest’s ring back! As you can imagine I had high hopes for what it would be like on board, and I have to say they did not disappoint. Everything from start to finish, no matter where you were on board or ashore, the staff could not help you enough. I spoke to guests from all over the world and it is a testament to Seabourn that many of them would not cruise with anyone else as they simply love Seabourn that much!
On board Seabourn they are very all-inclusive, all premium alcoholic beverages are included, and you can even select two bottles pre-cruise to be waiting in your mini bar before arrival. The internet is included which was great for me while I was sharing on our social channels during our cruise (check out our Instagram page story highlights to look back!). I would say that if you are looking to treat yourself while you are on board, then definitely check out the spa. My mum and I both enjoyed facials during our trip and I have never felt more relaxed, not only did they do the best facial I have ever had but they give you a consultation after your treatment which I thought was a great touch.
I felt very lucky to experience this gorgeous ship in some of the most beautiful destinations I have ever visited. If you are visiting Greece, you must include Santorini, it was even more magical than the pictures! The highlight of my itinerary was a quaint and traditional Greek island called Patmos, we both agreed that this was our favourite stop, as well as Santorini.
I was surprised by the entertainment on board, I have cruised on large ships and there is always some sort of entertainment going on so I assumed pre-cruising with Seabourn that it wouldn’t be as lively. Wow, I was wrong! The entertainment staff absolutely smashed it; the ABBA tribute stole the show for me.
Overall, I have been well and truly spoilt. I cannot believe I am lucky enough to say that my first ultra-luxury cruise was Seabourn, and I can absolutely see why they are one of the best.”
To find out more about Seabourn
Want to experience this? Give the Panache Cruises team a call on 0161 513 8200 and they'd be happy to help!
