Brendan O'Connor, a Personal Travel Consultant with Hays Travel, recently returned from an amazing educational trip aboard Seabourn Ovation.
For seven nights, Brendan voyaged through the Mediterranean from Barcelona to the ancient shores of Rome discovering everything Seabourn has to offer their guests - and here he shares his unforgettable adventure!
Embarkation:
"I was privileged to be invited on a familiarisation trip with Seabourn Cruises, in recognition for a number of Seabourn cruise bookings I had made during the past year. I was able to invite my partner on this trip, so we travelled to Barcelona the day before the cruise ready for embarkation the next day.
"We arrived at the cruise port in good time and within seven minutes we were all checked in and allowed to board this beautiful vessel. The whole process was very efficient and easy, as we had come to expect from our previous Seabourn sailings.
"Once onboard we were escorted to the Seabourn Square lounge where we were able to avail ourselves of refreshments while we awaited lunch and access to our allocated stateroom. By the time we had eaten lunch in the Colonnade buffet restaurant our suite was ready and our luggage was delivered shortly thereafter, enabling us to unpack and unwind.
The Ship:
"The Seabourn Ovation is a very handsome vessel, both externally and internally. Its public areas are very bright, spacious and beautifully decorated. The whole ship was immaculately maintained and is a credit to the army of unseen staff who keep it that way.
"There was a small Casino and we noticed only one shop, which appeared to sell only jewellery, however, this was not an issue for us as we used neither facility. All the dining venues were bright and comfortable and well laid out. The pool area was spacious and well attended by staff who were always on hand for a cooling drink or cup of tea.
Our Suite:
"Having cruised on the Seabourn Odyssey a few years ago, we knew that the standard of our suite on a fellow fleet member would be very high and we were not disappointed. Our suite was very well fitted out with a great walk-in closet and a beautiful bright, modern bathroom with separate bath AND shower.
"Molton Brown toiletries added to the feeling of luxury and our Cabin Stewardess (Ani) was very welcoming and helpful throughout our entire stay. Our suite was always exceptionally clean and well-attended.
Open/Flexible Dining:
"Food throughout the ship was of very high quality in all the dining venues and the service was second to none. We had breakfast and lunch most days in the Colonnade buffet and we were impressed by both the range of choices on offer each day and the quality of the food.
"We had excellent service from all the crew and must pay particular thanks to Dominic for his helpfulness and attention – a real asset to the Seabourn line.
"Although we tried to avoid eating too much between meals we didn’t always succeed and often visited Seabourn Square for a tea or coffee, and maybe a delicious snack!
"Here the staff were very friendly and welcoming and we particularly liked that the Guest Relation Desks were also located in this area as it made them much more accessible and user-friendly for guests. The team here deliver a very efficient, Concierge type service to all guests and went above and beyond to answer any query or request.
"With the exception of one evening, we had dinner in the Main Dining Restaurant every night and were very impressed with both the menus offered and the quality of the food – the hot souffles were ‘to die for’. The service from the staff was, as always, exceptional and they made us feel very special.
"Due to the fact that the ship was only about one-third full of potential guests, the restaurant was never very busy, however, the staff did not let this affect the level of service they delivered. Special thanks go to Yamy, Miguel and Curtis for the friendly craic each evening.
"We booked to go to the ‘Thomas Keller Grill’, a Speciality Dining Venue, on one evening with some newfound friends. While we enjoyed the food, there was no real desire to go again. For us, there was just too much food delivered to the table and it felt like a bit of a waste.
"Again, the service was extremely high, however, we personally preferred both the food and atmosphere in the Main Dining Restaurant. However, others dined there on multiple occasions. Perhaps a case of ‘horses for courses’.
"One of the highlights of our dining experience was on our final evening in the Main Restaurant when they served us, in response to our earlier request, an Indian curry meal – truly delicious. Many thanks to Cindy for organising this especially for us and it was much appreciated and perhaps coveted by some fellow diners. Still had room for the hot souffle for dessert!
"The staff were very attentive in all the dining venues with regard to topping up glasses of wine, bubbly, water etc. and nothing was ever any bother to them.
Entertainment:
"As previously mentioned, the ship was apparently not full to capacity during this voyage, therefore, none of the venues where guests would naturally gravitate after dinner was ever busy and they lacked a bit of atmosphere as a result. Nonetheless, as everywhere on the ship, the staff in all these venues were continually efficient and friendly.
"The bands and singers were all excellent and we particularly enjoyed the pool party on deck on the final evening as it provided an opportunity to meet some new fellow guests.
Ports of call:
"We visited a new port of call every day on this cruise, some of which we have visited previously on other cruises. It was great that the ship was able to dock in all these ports and that no tendering was required. Most town centres were only a short walk away from the port and we would typically go into each port after breakfast and return to the ship for lunch. We did not sign up for any excursions.
"Palamos in Spain was a new port to us; however, we visited on a Sunday so all the shops were closed. Many restaurants were open though as it is renowned for its gambas (prawns).
"We had been to Sete in France once before and spent a few hours wandering around with a coffee/beer to help us on our way. Quite a big busy town.
"Next stop was Monte Carlo which we have visited on many occasions, but which never fails to impress with all the glitz and glamour. A great place for ‘rich people’ watching. Toulon in France was another new port to us and had a huge outdoor market running through the town selling everything from fresh fruit to clothing.
"Ajaccio in Corsica was also new to us and was a very pretty place. My partner ventured on a small train ride which not only visited some historical sites around the town, but also ventured far out along the stunningly beautiful coastline. The town celebrates its notoriety as Napoleon’s birthplace and there are statutes to him everywhere.
"Our final stop was in Livorno in Italy which is a fairly nondescript town, used primarily as a gateway for excursions to Florence and Pisa. On the final morning we arrived in Civitavecchia port and disembarked shortly after breakfast.
"The disembarkation process was very smooth, efficient, and easy and once off the ship our luggage was easily found in the arrivals hall. We had pre-booked a coach transfer with Seabourn for the journey to Rome airport and this took exactly one hour.
"We thoroughly enjoyed this cruise and would have no hesitation in recommending Seabourn to any potential client. The level of service, food and accommodation is superb and, as indicated throughout this report, it is the wonderful Seabourn Crew who make the entire experience so special. They are the company’s best asset and are a credit to all the selection and training processes involved in their development. It really did live up to its reputation as a ‘6 Star Luxury’ brand. We look forward to our next Seabourn Cruise. "