Seabourn Ovation Review
Rating by category
Additional details
For our anniversary cruise, my wife and I chose Seabourn Ovation and a 7 day Mediterranean trip. The ship is very well appointed and while upscale it felt comfortable and welcoming to us. The embarkation process in Civitavecchia (Rome) was very easy and quick. We were in our cabin within a few minutes of arriving at the dock. Our suite host and cabin attendant welcomed us and provided helpful information about the ship. Our cabin felt more like an upscale hotel room than a cabin on a ship (see separate cabin review). All the Seabourn staff were friendly and seemed to enjoy working on the ship. Service was prompt on deck, in the bars and the restaurants. We had room service one morning and the food was delivered timely and was properly prepared. Some of the staff seemed a bit inexperienced but they made up for that with enthusiasm and a friendly smile.
The Grill by Thomas Keller was outstanding and my steak was one of the best I have eaten in some time. The food preparation and presentation at the Grill were first class and the service was professional but not stuffy. The Colonnade was bright and well laid out. Breakfast was plentiful and the made to order omelet was served hot and on a warm plate. We ate one dinner at the Colonnade and my wife felt it was the best dinner of the cruise (Spanish Market night) with a great variety of Spanish dishes. We ate most dinners at The Restaurant and found all the meals to be tasty and well presented. The wine by the glass varied each evening and we found it to be a nice complement to the food. We also ordered a bottle or two of wine during the cruise and the wine bottle service was efficient and effective. Service at The Restaurant varied a bit and in general the servers seemed inexperienced. For example sometimes two or three members of the service team would ask about our dinner/if we needed anything else within a 5 minute period and while this is much better than being ignored, it reflected a sometimes cumbersome and repetitive interaction. Certainly not a big problem but not quite at the same level as the rest of the Seabourn experience.
We booked shore excursions through Seabourn at each port. We found all the excursions to be first class. The group size was not too large, the guides were local experts who clearly enjoyed their jobs and some of the experiences were unique (like lunch at a winery in Tuscany with a full wine tasting).
Cabin Review
Veranda Suite
Our cabin on Deck 6 was definitely a highlight of the cruise. We enjoyed having a sofa and two chairs in the cabin such that we could relax in the afternoon with plenty of space for the two of us. The balcony was also comfortable but we did not use frequently since the cruise itinerary was packed with ports and the weather was cool in the late afternoon/evening. The bed was comfortable and we rested well with no significant noise from our neighbors or the hallway. The closet had lots of hangers and plenty of storage space. Our suite attendant kept our fridge well stocked and we appreciated the reusable bottles filled with water versus the use of disposable plastic bottles (Seabourn gets extra credit for this !!). The bathroom was more like an upscale hotel versus a cabin on a ship. The bathroom had two sinks (very convenient for getting ready for early morning shore excursions) and a glassed in stall shower that was big enough to enjoy taking a shower. The provided soaps/shampoos were also very nice and enhanced our stay. Overall the cabin was very comfortable, well appointed and made our cruise more enjoyable.
Port Reviews
Sete
My wife and I really enjoyed the night shore excursion to Montpellier. It was great to see the main square area at night with all the people and restaurants. We had dinner near the main square prior to returning to the ship. If you are looking for a unique experience, we recommend Montpellier in the evening as it gives you a chance to see a different aspect of local life in Montpellier.
Florence (Livorno)
My wife and I enjoyed the shore excursion that visited various sites (towns/villages) in the Tuscany area. We enjoyed seeing the Tuscan countryside and vineyards. The trip included a visit to a winery for a full wine tasting and lunch. It was a great experience and in our opinion a much better alternative to a long bus ride to Florence.