The Odyssey Arrives
Edwina Lonsdale reports from Seabourn Odyssey in Venice

The long wait is over, and Seabourn have introduced their first new ship in over fifteen years with the launch of Seabourn Odyssey which set forth on her maiden voyage yesterday, June 24th. I was privileged to enjoy a sneak preview prior to launch, when she arrived in Venice earlier in the week.

Whilst it seemed just feasible to refer to the 200 guest 10,000GRT original sisters as ‘yachts’, we had thought that such an appellation would be hard to apply to the 450 guest 32,000 ton Seabourn Odyssey, but in fact this stylish new addition to the fleet has many signature features in keeping with the original three, and an understated contemporary yacht like style with lots of teak, brass, and dark woods.

Having said that, the ‘yacht’ definition relates, according to the company, more closely to the service ethos of the company than to its hardware. The idea is that when you travel on Seabourn, then you will feel that ‘this is my yacht’ because the staff are 100% committed to creating a holiday experience for you that matches your expectations and needs in every way, delivering what you want, how and where you want it – so a private yacht experience on a much larger ship. And in fact they should be much more able to do this in a larger environment with plenty of choices.

So, does it work?
Regular Seabourn guests will have been highly aware that the Seabourn point of difference is the attitude of the staff. The company itself, more aware of this than anyone, has been training new staff on board the existing ships over a number of months, holding back space to enable them to bring new crew on board to work in tandem with the existing experienced team. When we came on board in Venice and went to look around the ship, we were greeted throughout with charm and attention, despite the fact that all staff were working flat out to ensure the ship was ready for the Maiden Voyage guests arriving on Wednesday. And by that very evening, someone did amaze us with a ‘Good evening, Mr and Mrs Lonsdale’ as he passed us in the corridor. An impressive start…

There is a very high commitment to staff training, which ensures all new staff spend six weeks on board in training before beginning to look after guests (and this obviously after they have gone through a stringent selection process and landside training through the Seabourn Academy). The company is strongly committed to supporting the ongoing education of the staff in partnership with European hotel schools, and the largely European crew are paid in Euros (this has been a big issue for some cruise lines when the dollar has been weak, and they have seen a drop-off in staff simply unable to maintain the same lifestyle if their permanent home is in Europe).

The ship itself has a very welcome contemporary feel, with a combination of dark and pale woods, a palette of muted colours enlivened by vibrant soft furnishings, and plenty of glass and brass. Fabrics and textures abound, and you constantly feel tempted to stop and touch a seat or a table – extensive use of leather, velvet and brocades of a high quality complete the luxury feel – let’s hope they stand the test of time. Fresh from the yard, there was still much to be done in terms of cleaning, finishing and polishing, but the look is very different, and feels like a modern boutique hotel.

Deck space is particularly attractive with beautiful deck furniture including double sun beds and cabanas, square whirlpools with marquee shading, and lots of outdoor areas all around the ship where you can see and hear the sea. As well as the main pool on deck eight surrounded by extensive teak decks, there is a spa pool on deck nine, another splash pool down on deck five, and whirlpools dotted around the ship – including the signature Seabourn feature of one at the bow on deck six. Sun worshippers will delight in the huge choice of secluded locations on deck, all well thought out with different styles, and nice opportunities for being as social or as private as you wish.

The very attractive alternative restaurant, Restaurant 2, will offer themed dinners through the cruise. We did not have the opportunity to try it out, although the press did enjoy a dinner in there, with good reports, albeit a suggestion that the service didn’t quite match up to what we experienced in the main restaurant, but I am sure that will be sorted out in the early stages. Adjacent to this is the casual Colonnade with a breakfast and lunch buffet and plenty of tables both inside than out. Seating at two levels (some high tables with stools) works well in here – the same arrangement in the main restaurant is less successful.

Seabourn Square located aft on deck seven is an unusual space which includes the library, shop, a coffee bar, internet access and desks where you can sit and discuss future travel plans, trips ashore and so forth. A buzzing, lively location (apparently the brainchild of owner Micky Arison), this area may well become the daytime focal point of the ship.

The Grand Salon on deck six will be used for an extensive daytime lecture programme as well as for evening shows. Comfortable seating in intimate groupings is good but rather impractical for watching shows (with some seats with their backs to the stage) and the sightlines are surprisingly poor considering that there are so many solutions now for avoiding this problem. The entertainment seems to be upgraded from the customary low-key Seabourn style.

On deck five The Club feels very familiar to Seabourn past passengers, with the casino to the left and bar to the right as you go in, and the bar area separate from the rest of the lounge with glass partitions (presumably to cut the noise levels as smoking is not now permitted in this location). The band is then to your left as you proceed further into the lounge, and you have access to a very comfortable outside deck area with comfortable seating around the second pool, and decking stretching forward on either side of the ship (although no wraparound promenade).

The restaurant on deck 4 has a double height area in the middle section with lower ceilings elsewhere. Here as elsewhere in the ship the ceiling levels feel a little low, but the design means the acoustics are good and even at a long table for eight conversations can be heard from one end of the table to the other. A mix of plenty of tables for two with larger configurations will work well for this single open seating ship. Menus are prepared a la minute, and the food we enjoyed was exceptionally good for a very first effort, beautifully presented, although some dishes did arrive cold – presumably early teething problems.

And so to the suites…..
Leading in (grades A and A1) at 295 square feet, you have plenty of space even at entry level, including a marble bathroom with double sink, bathtub and separate shower cubicle, walk-in closet and living/dining area next to the big window. The Verandah suites (categories V1 to V6) have a similar indoor area, with a spacious verandah of 65 square feet. The difference in price relates to position on the ship only – the higher and the more midships you go, the more expensive they become. The spacious penthouses on decks six, nine and ten at 436 square feet with a large 98 square foot verandah are true suites with glass walled bedroom leading into the closet and bathroom, both of which can also be accessed from the main passageway as you come through the door. The L-shaped sofa in the living area is great for lounging in front of the large flat screen tv, and there is another in the bedroom. These spacious suites are, in my opinion, a very good buy, combining space with value.

The larger suites include the forward facing signature suites, and the Wintergarden suites both forward and midships. As you would expect, the forward suites have very spacious verandahs, and all have butler pantries and whirlpool baths – that in the wintergarden suite looking rather like a disco dancefloor location with fibre optic lighting protruding from the ceiling. There is a whirlpool bath and daybed also located on part of the verandah, which has something of a sanatorium feel, although enjoying a bath with a full seaview would be a great experience. These suites have adjoining rooms to create a 2 bedroom location, good for families or couples who prefer to sleep in different rooms.

In all suites there are artificial plants and flower displays which look fabulous at the moment, but might begin to look a little tired quite quickly – we will see how that develops, and in any case they will be easy to replace.
Bedding is in the form of a duvet with white duvet cover, and colour added by use of throws and pillows, but no bedspreads, and plastic looking valances to the floor to conceal suitcases. Whether this is the final version I can’t say, and of course in terms of cleanliness this is quite appealing.

So in short, if you are looking for a ship operating at the highest levels with exceptional food and service, spacious accommodation, the ability to dine when and with whom you wish, and travel in civilized company, enjoying pricing which includes all drinks and gratuities, Seabourn Odyssey is definitely one to consider.