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Introducing Seabourn Ovation, the sister-ship to the prestigious Seabourn Encore. Seabourn Ovation represents another stage in the evolution of small ship cruising, which Seabourn pioneered and has consistently expanded and enriched. Both ships deliver a wealth of new concepts, a fresh vision and a host of illuminating ideas to delight the world's most discerning travelers.
A great time - again - on what has become our favorite cruise line, Seabourn! The 8th deck suite was superb and weather was about as good as one could hope! Barcelona was cool but sunny and vibrant. Tangier amazing and wonderful tours -- we only wish we could have stayed longer. We enjoy sea days and they are filled with great conversationalists and entertainment. Plus the food was divine and Carambola Beach and "Caviar in the Surf" was as great as we have heard! Seabourn always has such attentive, friendly staff who quickly learn your name. The menus varied and the Solis Restaurant was a treat, three times on this voyage and never an extra charge! The whole branzino en croute fileted at tableside is amazing, and try the 32-oz Porterhouse for two, oh so tender! Finishing up in St. Kitts, Tortola and Puerto Rico was a perfect ending! And as always, Seabourn's crew are the most friendly, attentive and amazing people who always say "Yes!" to every question. And, yes, we booked Tahiti on board for next spring!
Our October 2026 roundtrip cruise from Barcelona aboard Seabourn Ovation was a truly memorable experience and reaffirmed why Seabourn remains one of the strongest luxury cruise brands afloat. The itinerary itself—Spain, Morocco, and Gibraltar—was exceptionally well designed, combining cultural depth with a relaxed pace. Communication from the ship’s captain throughout the voyage was outstanding, particularly during an issue with Moroccan port security that was entirely outside Seabourn’s control. Updates were frequent, transparent, and reassuring, which went a long way toward maintaining guest confidence. Food and dining were generally excellent and a major highlight of the voyage. Dinners at Earth & Ocean were superb, and Sushi consistently delivered fresh, well-executed dishes. We also thoroughly enjoyed the luxury wine tasting with the sommelier, which was a wonderful event—educational, relaxed, and very much in keeping with Seabourn’s refined but approachable style. Overall culinary quality was high, with thoughtful preparation and strong flavors. In our experience, only Crystal has delivered better food at sea. That said, a couple of dining notes are worth mentioning. Solis was underwhelming—especially disappointing given that we were only able to dine there once during a 10-night cruise. The food leaned heavily toward presentation over substance, and we felt a more classic, time-tested concept would be better suited for this setting. Additionally, service in the main dining room on the final night was unusually slow, with a 45-minute wait just to place our order. Fortunately, this was an exception rather than the norm; service throughout the rest of the cruise was attentive and professional. The accommodations were very comfortable, well maintained, and exactly what one expects from Seabourn—quiet, elegant, and relaxing. What truly set this voyage apart, however, was the crew. The warmth and friendliness onboard were exceptional. Our Retreat hosts, Archie and Alfredo, were absolute standouts—we interacted with them almost daily, and they made the experience feel personal, effortless, and genuinely welcoming. Their presence alone elevated the entire cruise. Excursions were generally high quality, well organized, and informative, and the enrichment lectures were fantastic—engaging, insightful, and perfectly aligned with the itinerary. These added real depth to the destinations we visited. The fitness facilities and classes were somewhat more limited than expected, but this wasn’t a major drawback given the port-intensive nature of the cruise. One final miss was the handling of our private excursion at the end of the cruise. Although it was booked through Seabourn, there was no guidance to the car or assistance with luggage, which felt inconsistent with the otherwise polished service level. Despite a few minor shortcomings, Seabourn Ovation delivered a refined, luxurious, and deeply enjoyable cruise experience. Between the excellent food, outstanding crew, thoughtful enrichment, and strong itinerary planning, this was a voyage we would happily recommend—and one we will remember very fondly.
We joined the Ovation with a degree of trepidation. I'd read lots of reviews about declining standards and the poor condition of the ship. Even looking at sample reviews, it makes no sense that the ship was looking "threadbare" in March 2025 when in August, according to one reviewer, it looked "better than ever! We have cruised with Seabourn many times, originally on the Legend, on all the Sojourn, Quest series to the Encore and Ovation. I'm writing this objective review to set the record straight: If Ovation was showing signs of age in March 2025, somewhere between then and September 2025 Seabourn snuck in a major refurbishment! The only area I thought looked in need of a refresh was our balcony furniture, and even that wasn't too bad. Our room furniture, the carpets everywhere, the restaurants and all the common areas looked great. Not that any company is perfect. I concede the food is probably not the standard it was 10 years ago, but this is true of all the major lines. Where do you go for better in this market segment? The main restaurant was good but not great; service was mostly okay to goodbut occasionally slow. But it was always friendly and, relax, you are on vacation! A common gripe; the standard wine fare is at best mediocre. I'm no wine snob, but I would buy better to sip on a Friday evening. This has definitely got worse over time. Perhaps this is because Seabourn now upsell their "premium" wines much more than they used to. These are a much better selection, but ridiculously overpriced - particularly given you are already paying for all-inclusive. The lunch buffet was good and we appreciated the inclusion of local market produce at some ports. I think Colonnade edges out Silversea's La Terrazza - particularly at breakfast, where the Silversea layout and bustle seems hard work. Oh, and those of you who didn't like the Restaurant not opening for lunch on seadays? It opened on ours. Not that we went, which may be symptomatic of why it doesn't always open! Solis is gimmicky. I'm not a steakhouse fan, but at least with Thomas Keller what you saw was what you got. The food here is focussed on presentation rather than unique taste and is nothing special. However, the restaurant (and bar) do have a nice ambiance. Worth the reservation, if you can get one! The captain and senior officers were visible and approachable and the entertainment staff do their best. Like others writing here, I wasn't wowed by the Seabourn Six (just another version of the 4 singers plus 2 dancers of the past). They are a package supplied to several of the smaller cruise lines under different names by a London production company. The guest entertainment was, for the most part, good. Enrichment lectures were pretty canned and weren't tailored to the trip. It was basically one "historian" "making history relevant for the masses". On a small-port Western-Mediterranean itinerary, there was so much more interesting material that could have been covered. Getting on and off the ship has never been an issue for us on the small ships and it was even slicker this time. With barcodes issued beforehand, checking in was, literally, less than a minute. Will we cruise with Seabourn again? Well, yes, we are on the Pursuit next year. Are they the best? I'd say comparable with Silversea (we have never sailed with Regent); better in some areas, not so good in others. It comes down to personal choice or, in our case, dates and itineraries. When comparing, it is worth noting that on a 19 day cruise for two guests we spent over $3,000 on tours. On Silversea, these are included, but then their prices are typically a little higher. There is really no fair comparison between these ships and Viking or Oceania. I really don't understand why these operators get higher ratings and win more awards. Viking ships accommodate 900 guests and some Oceania ships are bigger. You can't compare them with ships two-thirds the size or less and the entertainment (at least on Viking) is the same standard UK packaged product.
Yet another great Seabourn cruise, this one on the Ovation. The ship, staff and food were all first rate and we really enjoyed the ports of call. While many lines have nice ships, what sets Seabourn apart is the outstanding staff and dining as well as what I call casual luxury. The service is never stuffy and is always friendly and attentive. We love Seabounr's small luxury ships where we never feel crowded. Our cabin on the 7th floor made it very convenient to Seaboun Square and the outstanding coffee bar. Dining in The Restuarant never disappointed. Our one night dining at the Solis as very special. We enevr made it to the Sushi restuarant but heard it is very good. Our cruise director Ross Roberts was outstanding KEY PORTS OF CALL: Amalfi - We took Seabourn's Pompeii excursion which was outstanding. Sicily - We did Seabourn's Godfather excursion, which as fans of the Godfather Trilogy, we found facinating. Malta - a beatiful and historic country. Don't miss St. John's Co-Cathedral in Valletta and the blue water caves. Corsica - We did the Napoleon walking tour - this was not our favorite, We could have easily covered the same ground on our own. Overall this was an outstanding Seabourn cruise experience
An evolution of Seabourn’s oceangoing fleet, this ultra-luxury ship offers 13 categories of oceanfront suites with private verandas, capacity for 600 guests, one additional deck, and an enhanced and central common living space with a reimagined Seabourn Square. Suites range in size from 251 to 1,306 square feet of indoor space, with verandas adding an additional 68 to 960 square feet of outdoor living area. All suites offer sweeping ocean views through the glass doors of their verandas.
Our world-class dining and culinary experiences rival the finest restaurants around the globe - even when we sail in the most remote destinations.
Each Seabourn ship offers a choice of dining venues to suit your mood of the moment. All dining venues are complimentary, and nearly all are open-seating, inviting you to dine where, when, and with whom you wish.
Complimentary fine wines are poured with lunch and dinner, and there is never an extra charge for any dining choice. You can even enjoy a meal in your suite or on your veranda.
Expand your horizons in our library, at a port lecture or at one of our many inspiring enrichment programs. To encourage and enhance this satisfying aspect of your Seabourn voyage, we invite luminaries of particular interest and accomplishment to join our guests on board – and bring fascinating insights, expert opinions and delightfully entertaining diversions to the conversation.
Each day on board offers delicious dining options, world-class entertainment and enriching activities.
Share the journey with a daring explorer or celebrated performer as part of Seabourn Conversations, where experts don’t just lecture, they are part of the daily social scene. Complete your day at sea with world-class fine dining, exclusive entertainment, and an evening of dancing under the stars.
Make yourself at home with delightful daily diversions that add to our fleet’s private yacht-like atmosphere. Connect with fellow travelers in Seabourn Square or rise to the challenge in a game of trivia.
Seabourn’s spa and fitness facilities have repeatedly been named the Favorite Spas at Sea by the readers of SpaFinder.com. They offer a wide spectrum of massages, facials and beauty treatments, blending traditional practices from around the world with the most up-to-date techniques. Seabourn’s spas are suitable for guests wishing to maintain a personal fitness regime or discover a new one. A well-equipped ocean-view gym and Motion Studio is staffed by professional fitness trainers, and a full-service salon for men and women complement the spas.
Please note: Seabourn Ovation does not offer any dedicated Kids & Teens facilities.
