My husband and I (mid-fifties) had wanted to visit Venice for many years and thought a cruise that started in Venice would be the perfect way to see it as well as some other interesting places. We did two nights in Vencie pre-cruise in a great hotel, the Palazzo del Giglio, easy to access from the Alilaguna water bus stop and near San Marco square. On our full day in Venice, we did a tour with the Roman Guy of San Marco, Rialto Bridge area and Doge's Palace, which I highly recommend. We splurged for a private taxi boat to the pier on embarkation day. Embarkation in Venice was long - not due to check in which was very quick, but due to where we were docked - it took getting on and off two shuttle buses. There were 7 ships in port that day so I am sure that was the main issue. We had booked a V1 guarantee and found out the week before we boarded that we had been assigned a handicap room on deck 8. The cabin was the biggest we have ever had on a cruise and was very nice, if quirky. The ship was beautiful, spacious and very well maintained. Dining was good - some restaurants had better service than others, but the quality of the food was always great. Best meal on the boat was in The Grill - excellent wine, steak, dessert and the service was exemplary! The entertainment that we experienced was always good, but we did not make every event. One of the fun things we experienced on board was watching two World Cup games with our fellow shipmates. That was a great opportunity to bond with fellow passengers and people watch! We ordered breakfast to our room twice - one was perfect, the other not so much. It was late and not complete. Four visits from the wait staff before we had it correct. Service overall was hit and miss - there were times finding a steward or waiter was more work than it should have been. There is a fine line between too pushy a bartender on ships where gratuities are added and having to go flag one down on a ship like Seabourn where gratuities are included in the fare. We had a massage in the beautiful spa which was very nice. We also worked out in the fitness center which was the nicest one I have seen on a ship. The ports were great and very different. We did one excursion through Seabourn that was absolutely first rate, the hydrofoil to Albania from Corfu to visit the Butrint ruins. We wanted to book a second one but waited too late and there were no spots available. In that port, Vodice, there was VERY little to do on your own so that was really the only disappointing port. A recommendation to Seabourn would be to anchor in Sibenik, as there seemed to be more to do there, or provide more spaces on the ship sponsored excursions. Another highlight port was Nydri, where we rented bikes and rode, then hiked, to the Nydri Waterfalls. A really fun on-your-own excursion - we felt like locals!! One tip for the port of Gythion – there is a lovely beach that the local advisor on board will suggest for a relaxing beach day but take a cab – she told us it was a safe 2 mile walk but it was anything but!! We survived to tell the tale but it was harrowing, and once out of the port area there was no flagging down a taxi. Disembarkation was very quick and smooth. We easily got a cab to our hotel in the Plaka, the Palladian House, a lovely old home on a beautiful square, and spent a lovely day and evening walking around Athens and drinking in the ambiance. Overall, it was a great vacation to a beautiful part of the world on a lovely ship. I give it 4 stars overall, my husband says 3.5 stars. His expectation was so high for the Seabourn brand, so while the trip was great, it fell short of his expectation. Read Less

My husband and I just returned from 7-nights aboard the Seabourn Odyssey ship. We have been going on cruises for the past 20 years, and have been on virtually every cruise line. We started out in Venice, Italy and ended our trip in Athens, Greece. Our travel agent was wonderful and suggested that we go a few days early to enjoy Venice. We had a Seabourn agent meet us at the gate in Venice Italy airport, and escorted us to our private water taxi to our hotel. The hotel they recommended was pricey, but worth every cent-- the magnificent Bauer Palazzo. We enjoyed our time in Venice, and getting to the ship was also very easy due to the Seabourn touch!! Boarding was no problem, and we were always in the shade, in a small line, unlike other cruise lines. Our room was huge, and overall we were supremely impressed with all the fine details that Seabourn takes care of! You never felt crowded on this ship-- there are only 500 guests and all the common areas felt spacious. The main dining room was fabulous-- similar to the quality of most of the "extra fee" restaurants on the bigger ships. We dined in the Thomas Keller PRIME restaurant one evening, and it was magnificent!! If you want to have an extremely luxurious vacation- book it with Seabourn!! Also, I am on a gluten-free diet, and had plenty of options at every meal, plus I was impressed that the coffee bar even had fresh gluten-free danishes every day! Read Less

21 Day Aegean & Adriatic Odyssey Cruise - fantastic itinerary. There is nothing much to improve on, the options for dining are plentiful, treated like royalty by all levels of Crew -from the Deck Crew to the Captain. I don't know how you can get much better, the training of the Crew by Seabourn is excellent, and they promote well from within. We had the Britain Got talent Winner-, young magician Richard Jones as one of the entertainment and he was excellent. Bar service and restaurant service was top notch..they still call you by name and walk to the table when able, and Francois, the Bar Tender from the Observation Lounge was outstanding. Itinerary allowed for 2 sea days, so kept pretty busy on shore other days which was fantastic. Along with the usual highlights such as Santorini ( although they should spend till 11pm in that Port to allow good time for passengers to tranverse up & down), some real standouts included Monemvasia, Syvota, Zadar in Croatia, Malta & Gozo - these were spectacular and Seabourn was able to get their smaller ship in. Watersports days from the back of the Ship are an added bonus, along with Shopping with the Chef, and open Caviar orderings available! Read Less

We selected this cruise because we wanted a more intimate cruise experience. This was our first yacht style cruise and it won’t be our last. We departed from Barbados. Although a late departure, 11pm we still enjoyed getting to know the ship. The private island was cancelled due to choppy waters. They made up for it with the Market Lunch in the Galley kitchen. Enjoyed the unexpected day at sea. Next day was Guadeloupe which was unfortunately basically closed for Easter Monday. The rest of the trip went seamlessly. We ate in each of the dining venue options, MDR, Colonnade and TK Grill and the patio grill. All a different experience but all delicious. The entertainment was enjoyable. Really enjoyed The Trio and The Band as well as the pianist in the Onservation Lounge. We enjoyed one tea time, their tea selection was quite enjoyable. The intimacy of the cruise at 450 pp was really a highlight! Read Less

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I took my family and a friend on the 7-day Caribbean cruise for vacation. In total I paid for 3 cabins, the problems started before we even departed. I received a personalized destination brochure directed at the only man in the group (someone I had invited). When I requested a the same for the other two cabins I got a very negative/rude response and attitude from the Customer Rep who told me she had to charge me $100 for each of the other two. Her supervisor was no better. When I finally received the two missing brochures, they were both in the name of the only man in group, again! I wrote to Seabourn's home office explaining that this was very chauvinistic, but got no response for over a month. On the Odyssey ship the issue continued. All invitations to special events with the Captain etc. were only sent to the cabin of the only guy on the trip. As a group we laughed about how absurd it was that Seabourn would only cater to the only man in the group. But this is no laughing matter. As a working professional woman this is troublesome. I deserve to be treated equal to the men on Seabourn cruises. Furthermore, while the islands were absolutely gorgeous, on the ship I watched a supervisor scream at an employee, and when the supervisor realized I was behind them, he was apologetic. Seabourn is an inferno. Staff in the Restaurant complained about the company. Staff all across the ship (Destinations, Restaurant, Cleaning crew, and Customer Relations) had negative things to say about Seabourn. In fact, one advised me to travel with Crystal cruises going forward. I will follow their advice. This is the last trip we will make with Seabourn. There is no room in todays' environment to put up with rudeness, chauvinism, employee mistreatment, and a lack of customer care. Ignoring a customer's plea makes no business sense either. Read Less

wanted to be on a cruise with less people and more pampering, this is it. Rates were not bad for a luxury sailing. Highly Recommend. Highlights of the cruise a sneak peak at the Wintergarden Suites, which have a private glassed-in Solarium with a soaking tub and a lounging bed. lots of open deck space, and a variety dining venues made this a great trip. what we got as perks. An invitation from the Master for a bridge visit when the ship is in port. A personal visit from the Hotel Director. Fresh orchids or potpourri in your bathroom. All-natural Molton Brown bath and beauty products including Pure Pampering bath oils. A large basket of succulent tropical fruits. High-quality bathrobes, soft and luxurious. Complimentary Internet service. A large bouquet of fresh flowers when you embark. A convenient espresso machine with a variety of coffees in your suite. Swarovski Optik binoculars in all Premium Suites Complimentary private car transfers between airport and ship.* A choice of daily newspapers delivered to your suite.** Wellness Bag exercise kit containing easy-to-carry workout gear Read Less

We are a couple late 50s from Toronto, Canada. Looking for a nice escape from the cold for a week and the smaller Caribbean Islands fit the bill perfectly. From the moment we arrived at the port (stayed at local hotel the night before) and were greeted by a smiling reception crew (just a few feet from where our taxi dropped us) we knew this was going to be a “wow”. The Seabourn Odyssey kept up this extraordinary level of service to the very last goodbye after clearing customs on disembarkation. Every one of our needs was eagerly anticipated and offered without having to ask! On arrival day we showed up 2 hours early thinking we may have to wait around. No. They welcomed us on board and hosted a wonderful lunch advising us that room may still take a couple of hours. We actually checked our room early and were delighted to find it was ready and suitcases had already arrived. We were set to go. Never a line up. The cabins are large and very well layed out. Ours (balcony 718) was nice with a beautifully appointed and spotlessly clean bathroom including a bathtub. Absolutely nothing to complain about and the room service was wonderful (thank you to Tanja!). On dining. As expected all meals were a 10. Even the buffet had tremendous selection of beautifully prepared food, lots of seating and never rushed. Always exceptional service and you just could not go long before a server was at your elbow for anything. They would even carry your plate from the buffet to your table. The Grill (featuring the menus of Chef Thomas Keller) was superb. We had an amazing meal with no complaints. One suggestion would be to offer 2 different size portions. It is a shame to have to leave 1/2 a beautiful steak uneaten! Reservations here, however, were another matter. They were always required and difficult to get. We only had one seating using a table of 4 (2 seats sat empty) that could easily have been shared. Many guests complained about this and I wonder whether this was done intentionally to keep up a synthetic demand. Everyone we talked to always mentioned many empty tables yet no waiting list ever offered! Hint to Seabourn...offer a wait list. Even for appearance sake, every table should always be occupied. On entertainment. Again, spotless! Shows exuded talent, were on time, varied, and enjoyable. Really liked Mark Donahue who was a multi-instrumentalist and singer. Did an amazing compilation of Western songs on his violin to a standing ovation. Some downsides. The onboard internet is hopeless. Caution if you are paying by the hour because what would take 5 mins on land took 45 mins onboard. Yes, I know issues with ship internet but I'm also pretty certain this could be improved. One major disappointment and where I think Seabourn blew it. We had several of our excursions cancelled when the ship had to be rerouted due to higher than usual swells which affected safe access to the tenders. This I understand. What was infuriating was to prepare for the excursion, pack night before, retire early, get up early, rush only to get a morning call saying cancelled with NO back up excursions!! What would it have taken to add another bus to another island tour? Nope. We were left 4 days basically walking through the Port area with very little to do. To me, this was so easy to avoid and inexcusable. The one excursion we managed was a "Jeep" tour of Tobago. This was a joke and should be taken off the excursion list. Four vehicles and in ours five of us huddled in the back of a crappy truck with side facing seats, flying down a highway, no seat belts, nothing even to stop us from falling out had we lost our grip, drove through one swampy creek, driver pointed out one lifeless cayman, and 4 hours later we were thankfully back on board. As decent excursions seems like an easy fix, I'm hoping never to have to encounter such experiences again. All considered, we are now Seabourn fans and, depending on itinerary, will now be our go to cruise line. Thanks to a great staff and management. RG Toronto Read Less

Yacht Harbour Cruise Feb 17 2018 Embarkation at Barbados went very smoothly. We arrived at 2pm and were on board, in our suite by 2:45pm, being welcomed by our stewardess with canapés and a bottle of chilled champagne (not sparkling wine,but champagne!) Our bags were delivered by 3:15pm. The suite was lovely. Just like the YouTube videos we had seen. Spacious suite with very comfortable bed. Two club chairs, dining table, couch with foot stool/coffee table. Bring UK adaptors. There are a couple of North American plugs and a couple of UK plugs. We had to run an extension cord across the room for my husband’s CPap. The staff taped down the cord to avoid a tripping hazard . They had no adapters for us to borrow . We travel with an extension cord. The bathroom was lovely too. Double sinks. A separate shower and a soaking tub (no shower in the tub). Plenty of storage space. There is a lovely vanity area with a drawer for cosmetics. There is a walk-in closet which is roomy enough to use as a dressing room. We could have stored clothing etc for a month long cruise and still have drawers, shelves available. By the way, this is suite 648. Just a regular balcony room. The balcony has 2 chairs with footstools and a table. It is cleaned every day - swabbed down, including the glass railing. In general, the food and beverage service was wonderful. The food was excellent in most venues. The Patio was lacking somewhat, but you have other options! The Restaurant was excellent, food and beverage. The Thomas Keller was good, but not hugely superior to the Restaurant. The house wines are great. Many different wines available as part of the basic fare. We opted for wine in our suite and bottles arrived regularly! Lots of water too. One treat that we enjoyed was the caviar and champagne. Order whenever you want. Nice! The fitness facility was very nice as well. The pools were clean. Two pools. Main pool was about 5 feet deep and there is a stairway with a wide stair at about 4’ deep suitable for aqua aerobics. Lots of lounge chairs but hard to get one in the shade at times. The pool on deck 5 is very small, and only 3’6” deep. There are 2 whirlpools here and it is a much quieter choice than the main pool. The only drawback with this is getting a drink. Sometimes no service there, but always water and self serve soft drinks in the cooler . We took this cruise for the ship more than the ports. Frankly, they all blend together in my memory! Some were very sleepy. The weather was so windy that we missed having the marina day with caviar in the surf. This was done in the pool instead. We also had to change our Tobago port due to wind. Didn’t bother us. Bottom line, I highly recommend Seabourn Odyssey. The crew was excellent. The ship well maintained and clean. All as advertised! Read Less

We chose this cruise as we have been meaning to try Seaborn for some time and the itinerary offered some different islands, (even more after the changes because of the hurricanes.) We may well go with Seabourn again, for the right itinerary, but we are by no means 100% converted! We had already notched up over 20 cruises on nine different lines, mostly in the Caribbean and the Med. I can honestly say that we have never had a bad cruise: there have been one or two indifferent experiences, but the majority have been good, and a few, truly great. For us the difference between a good cruise and a great one is the buzz or energy aboard when everything “gels”. Unfortunately, this was lacking on the Odyssey. To give Seabourn credit, there are some things they do exceptionally well and we appreciated these - but as we read in other reviews, there are gaps. The pre- and post- cruise arrangements were almost faultless, but the welcome aboard was non-existent. The cabin/stateroom/suite was about 50 % larger than we are used to, but the engine noise. vibration and “rocking and rolling” was much more marked than on the larger ships. The service was mostly excellent, but there were exceptions – for example, no crew members on the pier to assist guests with mobility problems board or leave the ship. The food was good but not outstanding and the choice of dining venues quite limited for most of the week. No meal or dish stands out as having been exceptional. We liked the sense of space around the pool, but the ship was very quiet while in port with virtually no music or activities. We were certainly not looking for party central, but the whole atmosphere aboard seemed muted, the incidental music very samey and middle of the road, and a feeling that Seabourn took pains to keep everything, from the décor to the general ambience, very low key. Bland is the best word to sum it up. (Reminiscent of my father’s golf club in the 1970s.) We have asked ourselves, If Seabourn and Celebrity were to offer a similar itinerary at a similar total cost, which would we choose? Sorry, Seabourn, it wouldn’t be you! Read Less