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19 January 2023 by Alison Nicolle
Wexas luxury cruise specialist Alison Nicolle provides the lowdown on Seabourn's newest luxury ship – Seabourn Ovation.
Back in October, I was lucky enough to sail from Barcelona to Rome on the beautiful Seabourn Ovation, part of a very modern fleet of small and intimate ships. With just 300 suites and at 690 ft in length and just 92ft in width, this is the ultimate in boutique, all-inclusive luxury cruising.
My first glimpse of the ship came from the cable car over Barcelona harbour, which gave the perfect birds-eye view of what was to be our beautiful home for the next week. On boarding the ship the atmosphere quickly gave the impression of a private club, with lots of small and intimate spaces to relax in.
It’s also a ship which offers lots of new concepts, and a fresh new vision of the luxury cruising experience. Indeed, it’s the kind of ship where the staff remember your name and you have your own personal suite host, on hand to cater to every need.
On our first night we were invited for welcome drinks at The Retreat – this is a novel concept with 15 private cabanas all with individual luxury living rooms set around a central whirlpool.
The Retreat, Seabourn Ovation
But this was just one of the highlights. I quickly discovered some favourite places on board, such as The Patio where I enjoyed luncheon buffets al fresco; The Colonnade, which was great for casual outdoor dining; and the Observation Bar, which has a stunning lounge with panoramic views. Elsewhere, Seabourn Square became something of a day-time favourite, resembling a charming European coffee bar - a comfortable and spacious place to relax. Then, in the evenings, it was all about The Sky Bar with its range of delicious cocktails.
I was staying in a Veranda Suite, which provided plenty of space as well as full-length windows and a private veranda to enjoy in-room dining and wonderful views. It was extremely well appointed, with a walk-in closet, luxurious bathroom with separate tub and shower, and a fully stocked bar which my steward kept filled with my own choice of drinks.
Days on board were punctuated with some wonderful shore visits, the highlights of which being the thrill of Monte Carlo, the beautiful island of Corsica and a day trip to Pisa where we ascended the steps of the Leaning Tower. Then, in the evenings, gourmet dinners were served in either the beautiful main restaurant or, on a couple of nights, at the highly acclaimed The Grill by Thomas Keller – a wonderful and novel experience inspired by the Classic American restaurants of the 50s and 60s.
Dining on Seabourn Ovation
There are plenty of options for entertainment on board, from the state-of-the-art fitness centre to some really great shows each evening including, on one night, the popular “Evening under the Stars” – a chance to really let my hair down. Then there was the enrichment programme, which offered onboard lectures of a very high standard. The special interest topic on this particular sailing was “The History of Napoleon” which I found fascinating, especially as one of our ports of call was Ajaccio where we visited his childhood home.
