The Yachts Of Seabourn (Part 1 of 2)

Marc J. Wymar, agency marketing head, recently embarked on the Seabourn Quest for a pre-inaugural journey from Rome to Monte Carlo. Here, in Part 1, he shares his thoughts on the overall experience and reveals why the ship's size is a major benefit.

This past summer, as The Yachts of Seabourn prepared to launch their newest ship, Quest, I had the privilege to embark on a Pre-Inaugural journey from Rome (Civitavecchia) to Monte Carlo. Quest is the third ship of its kind, joining sister vessels, Odyssey and Sojourn, which launched in the previous few years. Those ships have been award winners and earned high praise from their guests, and Quest certainly will continue those traditions.

For starters, the ship is beautiful inside and out. Attention to detail is obvious and you really feel at times as though you are on your own personal yacht. Quest carries 450 passengers, twice as many as Seabourn's smaller ships (Pride, Spirit and Legend), and to me, feels like the perfect size ship. There seems to be an endless number of quiet spaces for intimate conversation or quiet reflection, while also allowing ample space for large ship amenities like a large showroom, great bars and lounges, a quaint casino, a phenomenal spa and more. My wife and I loved visiting Seabourn Square, on Deck 7 Aft, in the afternoon each day for a recharge before heading into dinner. This large "living room" was a great place to grab a cappuccino and a small pastry and head outdoors onto the large terrace and enjoy the open ocean. It's also a great place to read a book, have a conversation or meet up with fellow travellers between activities.

A major benefit to the ship size is that it allows Seabourn into smaller ports that are often less touristy and more culturally authentic than large ships can get into. On our cruise we anchored off of Le Levandou, a sleepy sailing town along the French Riviera. The ship's tenders took people back and forth from shore while the Marina in the back of the ship opened up for swimming, kayaking, tubing and other watersports. We ventured ashore and found a phenomenal local spot for some fresh seafood and a great bottle of wine. Some of our fellow travellers took a day trip to Saint-Tropez about 45 minutes up the coast. We chose to spend time on the ship, only staying on shore for a few hours to have lunch and visit some local shops.

Our home base for the trip was a Verandah Suite on Deck 7. The room was amazing. A separate shower and tub in the bathroom, a good sized walk-in closet, a large Verandah, and generous separate sitting and sleeping areas highlight the Suite. The Suite was so spacious and comfortable, that it allowed us to really use and enjoy the room. The Verandah was a great place to pull out the iPad and review e-mail (using the ships WiFi service) or enjoy an early morning sun rising over the Mediterranean.

But while the ship and her amenities set the bar quite high, it is Seabourn's renowned crew with their exemplary service levels that consistently clear the bar and take the experience to new heights. We had too many positive interactions with crew members to mention and were thoroughly impressed by them all. They seemed to anticipate every need, accommodate every request and always have a smile on their face. From the initial greeting as you board the ship and all throughout the voyage, the service was amazing without ever becoming obtrusive. Look for Part 2, where I talk about the amazing dining options and give you my perspective on why I believe Seabourn should be considered by younger generations looking for romantic and intimate vacation options.

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