What is Seabourn Ovation like? I boarded in Monte Carlo

Our cruise connoisseur Nicole Barrett recently boarded the beautiful Seabourn Ovation in Monte Carlo. She had wanted to try Seabourn’s ultra-luxury for a long time, and she finally got to experience this brilliant cruise line aboard its glorious ship, Ovation. 

We arrived in Monte Carlo in the evening with a beautiful view of the city’s lights twinkling against a stunning mountain backdrop. We spent a chilled evening where we relaxed at the Novotel Monte Carlo which is a fantastic 3* hotel with great service and lovely rooms. The Novotel was nice, but it was the ship that I was most interested in.

Meeting Seabourn Ovation

After breakfast we decided to walk down the harbour. This sounded like a great idea at first. The sun was shining and we would at least be able to see more of Monte Carlo before boarding.  In reality, this proved to be highly entertaining, trying to navigate our suitcases down hill was a challenge to say the least. Once arriving at Port Hercule, we had a lovely walk around the Harbour and embarked around 11:30.

We were met by a lovely member of the team, shown to a meeting room where we could leave our luggage and then checked in. Everything was seamless; it took around 10 minutes, if that, and we were then allowed to enjoy the ship before checking into our stateroom at around 13:00. It was a quick coffee and then our first glimpse of the wonderful Ovation... Okay, actually it was a quick cocktail served by the lovely Lance. 

Meeting our suite

A quick note before we do: I’ve had customers often worry about lift noise with their suite next to the shafts, but there was literally none. You could not hear the lift at all from our stateroom. There are two sets of lifts two towards the front and four towards the rear. They are super quick and super quiet. They took us to a chilled bottle of champagne waiting for us to our stateroom.

Our room was spacious and beautifully appointed. In a marble bathroom, there was a twin sink, a bath and a separate walk-in corner shower. A delightful assortment of Molten Brown products in a variety of fragrances to suit your mood.  Shower gel, shampoo and conditioner and soap all provide too, and a very useful pot of cotton wool and ear buds too.  

In the rest of the room there was plenty of space, even though it was set up as a twin stateroom. There was plenty of storage too with a small drawer each side of the bed and shelving at the end of the bed. The bar area consists of a fridge at the bottom, a bar to make your drinks and the glasses are stored in a top cabinet. Our suitcases fit perfectly under the bed. The walk-in wardrobe is a great size, with plenty of hangers and different levels for various items. Dressing gowns, slippers, life jackets and blankets are all here too.

The veranda was a perfect size, featuring two lounger chairs with a footstool, table, and sheltered area to sit and relax. Being a V3 meant we had full glass from the handrail down.  

Once unpacked off we went to explore the rest of this beautiful ship.The Ship consists of 10 accessible decks, from Deck 3 to Deck 12.

Meeting the rest of the ship

Deck 3

Deck 3 is only used for when the ship is docked and a tender is required. My top tip here would be that you need the rear lifts; they are not accessible from the front lifts or stairs.

Deck 4

Deck 4 is the main deck for embarkation and disembarkation.  The front lifts are your best option, or you need to walk through the main restaurant. 

The Restaurant, beautifully appointed, and actually my favourite restaurant on the ship, is supremely spacious and elegant.  The menu has a variety of regular dishes, but each day you will find various chef specials referred to as inspirations on the menu. There are plenty of gluten free and vegetarian options clearly identified on the menu. 

Deck 5

This is where you will find the Club, one of the spots with the most vibe. This is where the entertainment crew here entertained guests nightly, with a variety of themed evenings. The 80’s evening was particularly superb to have a dance and a cocktail until the early hours, if you wish. Some evenings were lively, some a little quieter. The Casino is located just next door to the club, for those feeling lucky.

Deck 6

Here you’ll find the Grand Salon. You can enjoy shows, events, quizzes, lectures. Again, beautifully appointed and comfortable seating, you can order drinks from your seat whilst enjoying the show.  

Deck 7

Deck 7 brings you to Seabourn Square, a central hub of the ship. You’ll find a barista area with plenty of coffee options but tea, soft drinks, and other beverages are available too.  The cakes are divine and the small sandwiches keep you topped up throughout the day. The ice cream counter is also a very welcome sight on a hot sunny day at sea.

Here you will find your hotel services, guest services, you can arrange dinner reservations, excursions, book your next cruise or if you have any general queries, you will find someone to assist you at Seabourn Square. The shops are also located on the deck – gorgeous jewellery, bags, clothes, perfume, and other lovely items are all available. At the front of Deck 7 is a whirlpool area. It was closed during our time on board, but in the warmer months and beautiful sunny climates, this would be a lovely place to unwind and a quieter area rather than the main pool.  

Deck 8 

Here we find the amazing Thomas Keller restaurant, soon to be Solis. As you walk in, on your right is the most fabulous array of wines displayed as a wine wall, a mix of table sizes with lovely leather lounges seating and smaller more intimate tables. Here I enjoyed a crab cake starter, followed by rib eye steak and a seven-layer coconut cake desert. It was superb!

You will also find Sushi on Deck 8 for all those sushi lovers. It’s all freshly made to order and you can see the chefs prepare your meals; a small but stunning restaurant. Sushi is open dining, with no need to book. Opposite Sushi are the card rooms, a large area with plenty of tables for guests to enjoy cards, a board game or maybe just some quiet time.  Plenty of light and windows run the length of the room to enjoy the views. 

Deck 9 

The pool deck is open air and spacious, and relaxed music is always playing and plenty of sunbeds for guests to enjoy.  Two heated whirlpools.  Guest towels dotted around the deck for guests and nice touches such as sun cream readily-available.

The Patio is open for lunch and there is a mixture of meals to order along with a great buffet. Mammoth salad options are available here, and you can craft and create your own salad from nuts, poppy seeds, sesame, goats cheese,  every vegetable you can imagine, lots of dressings and oils. There are old favourites too —  burgers, hot dogs all made to order, served with fries and a secret sauce, alongside pizza and desserts. In the evening, the Patio becomes Earth and Ocean, serving a sophisticated menu al fresco. 

On Deck 9 you will also find Colonnade, the buffet restaurant. Available here are stunning breakfasts — made to order, of course — a daily special breakfast, from full Englishes, fresh fruit, fresh juice, cold meats, cereals of every kind, divine pastries. Have as much or as little as you require.  Colonnade is sometimes open for lunch but is available every evening. There’s no need to book (unless advised on board it a speciality evening).

You will often find themed evenings here too, and there was both an Italian evening and ‘Surf ‘n’ Turf’ whilst I was onboard.  

Deck 10 

Deck 10 is the wellness deck, featuring the fitness centre with running machines, weight machines, free weights and stationary bikes to burn off all those calories.  There is also the Motion Studio where classes are held throughout your cruise. Meanwhile, the spa is serene; a place to relax after a red-hot workout… or not.

Deck 11 

Situated at the front of the ship is the Observation Bar. At 16:00 you can enjoy afternoon tea here. I loved that it was served with an egg timer to ensure you have the right amount of strength for your tea, alongside an array of sandwiches and pastries, freshly made and an absolute treat. In the evening the pianist plays, often accompanied with a singer, whilst you enjoy your tipple either pre- or post- dinner.   

Deck 12 

The Retreat is a bookable experience with varying prices depending on whether it’s a sea day or port day. This beautiful area is made up of 15 private cabanas like small living rooms with their own large TV, stocked refrigerator with personal beverages.

Another top tip: Deck 12 has also got a small sunbathing area to the front, directly in front of the retreat, this area has lovely double sun loungers and is a quiet area for guests hankering for some sun, often forgotten by other guests. This area is open to all passengers.

My Seabourn Moments

To be a guest onboard Ovation has been a wonderful experience and I had a couple of my own Seabourn Moments. Firstly, the lovely Lance who made our first cocktails and gave us our first glimpse of the Seabourn service. And my second was the remembrance service held for those who wished to attend in the Grand Salon. This was a beautiful and emotional service, delivered with such pride and dignity and will be something I always remember.

There were plenty of other highlights too.

• Even though the ship was full during my cruise, nowhere felt busy. There is plenty of space for everybody.

• Ovation is a gorgeous ship, thoughtfully designed so nowhere feels busy, with lots of smaller areas to enjoy if you prefer. 

• The crew are attentive and always smiling.

• The food was amazing. Speciality menus change daily but your favourites are available every day.  

• Fine wine and Champagne are free flowing, and there are plenty of beverage options both alcoholic and non-alcoholic. If your preferred cocktail is not on the menu just ask Lance! He will soon have it arranged for you. 

• Such a friendly ambience everywhere, Seabourn likes you to feel at ‘home’ and they deliver this experience. 

• Hand sanitizer and hand washing stations are dotted throughout the ship. 

• Lots of nice artwork is dotted around the ship, and each deck is lined with pictures following an individual theme.

• The entertainment is fantastic and varied.

• There are lots of smaller areas to enjoy a peaceful moment. There are sun loungers dotted around in quieter locations.

Call Panache Cruises on 0161 513 8200 if you want to learn more about Seabourn.