We have cruised with Silversea and Regent several times and people we have spoken to on board have always praised Seabourn so when the opportunity to cruise with them arose we took it. Within a few weeks of booking this cruise we received a letter from Seabourn advising us that they were selling the small ships. We booked a Seabourn air package with the cruise which came with a one night stay in Athens and all transfers.

The private transfers to our pre cruise hotel and then onto ship the following day using local taxis went very well and was managed throughout by their local agents. We boarded the ship around 12.45 but we were held in the theatre with little or no daylight until our suites were ready, which felt a bit like a holding pen for sheep, unlike on other six star cruise lines where on boarding early we had the run of the ship and restaurants. We were given drinks and sandwiches (which were a bit dry and tasteless) but it got very crowded and stuffy after a while. We were escorted to our cabin around 14.00 and I think we were among the first. This seemed to be a fairly random process and I happened to be hovering next to the stewardess at the right time? Our A1 cabin was a good size but the walk in wardrobe was on the small side. The Suite was still reasonably fresh but some drawers seem to have problems closing without lifting them up first. Adjacent cabins share a little corridor off the main corridor (saving space) which means that the entrance door is part way down the cabin beyond the wardrobe. This is not a problem except that your neighbour's cabin door is very close to your bed and if they slam their door at night you are more likely to be woken up. Seabourn put a little note in beside your keycard telling you to close the door quietly - but it doesn't work. The in suite bar was stocked with our choice of spirits and Becks beer and mixers and a bottle of champagne was on ice in the suite when we got there.

Unlike other ships we have been on there is no room for the empty suitcases under the bed so you have to find a space for them elsewhere in the wardrobe or cabin. Our cases were laid out on the bed on the last day of our cruise but again unlike other cruise lines they were not cleaned (nor were any shoes or spectacles). Read more