This was our 8th cruise and the second time on Seabourn. Our previous trip on Seabourn was in 2000 on a 7-day Mediterranean cruise which we thought was outstanding in every way. We selected this cruise to Asia based on our prior experience (stellar), price (discounted due to the rainy season in Asia) and the ports of call (new and different). We previously have sailed on Crystal (3 times in 2009) and older cruise ships (Cunard, Sitmar, Sagafjord). We are a middle-aged, professional couple that enjoy good food and wine. We don't enjoy large, mass-market cruises and prefer a quieter experience. We offer this review for those considering Seabourn for the first time and hope it provides more detail than the colorful brochures about what to expect from your cruise experience. We had a great time and nothing in our experience on the Pride over-shadowed the fun of our time onboard.

Prospective passengers should be prepared for a small ship (about 250 passengers) without the big cruise line amenities (no Broadway revues, rock climbing or golf) and glitzy design (subdued public spaces). This was a low-key cruise for those that want to relax and visit new ports of call. Seabourn markets their cruises as a luxury yacht experience. The cabins are true suites and service is outstanding, if over-solicitous. But the luxury does not extend to the food or wine. The ship design is awkward in many places (such as no bathrooms connected to any restaurants). Over-all, the cruise would be graded a C+ in comparison to prior experiences and our expectations for a luxury experience. The average score is largely based on ambience and the quality of food/wine. We realize that food and ambience are subjective. There were also some concerns about sloppy sanitation with most passengers ignoring the hand washing stations before entering the eating venues, tablecloths not being changed between covers, foods that should have been cold at room temperature, and a dishwasher that doesn't remove lipstick from coffee cups. Below is a more specific summary of our experience.

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