The Seabourn Experience
A CEO talks about what makes The Yachts of Seabourn a one-of-a-kind experience
There have been many experiments for living the good life at sea, but only one has successfully combined the finest elements of the yachting lifestyle with exotic voyages of discovery. The Yachts of Seabourn, which have been plying the world’s oceans since Seabourn Pride was launched in 1988, have evolved into a highly sought-after fleet by savvy travelers seeking a unique yachting experience.
The six yachts, aptly named Seabourn Pride, Spirit, Legend, Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest, have gained an unusually loyal following. “Members of the Seabourn Club, as we call repeat guests, said they come back because of the exceptional service and social life on board,” says Pamela C. Conover, Seabourn President and CEO. “They tell us that they just can’t find anything like the Seabourn experience anywhere else. That attitude explains why two-thirds of our returning guests come back within 18 months.” In fact, many guests are so enamored that they book another trip while on board the yacht.
It’s not easy to distill a holiday of a lifetime into a few words, or to convey the Seabourn experience with well-worn clichés. That’s because a cruise aboard a Seabourn yacht is greater than the sum of its parts. Much of the experience might sound contradictory: elegant yet casual, exciting but laid-back, intimate yet social, adventurous but comfortable.
“If I had three adjectives to describe the experience we offer, I would say ‘relaxed, refined and memorable’,” says Conover.
Over the last 22 years, Seabourn has created a precise infrastructure to turn Conover’s adjectives into reality. The three original Seabourn sisters, Pride, Spirit and Legend, carry a maximum of only 208 guests in 104 ocean-view suites. The three new yachts are three times as large, but designed to carry only twice as many guests.
“Our guest capacities fall into a social ‘sweet spot’ that creates a very comfortable group size,” says Conover. “The numbers create a nice mix, so you’re likely to meet people that you’ll enjoy being with during the cruise, but the size is not as intimidating as a larger group might be.”
That social sweet spot, in fact, works well compared to larger cruise ships, which often transport thousands of passengers, and a traditional yacht, which is typically limited to a dozen passengers. Seabourn guests, by contrast, frequently make new and often life-long friendships during the cruise, while also enjoying the comforts of their ocean-view suites.
The comfort factor is engrained into the Seabourn experience. Wines, fine champagne, and any other drinks are all complimentary in the restaurant and bars, and ensuite refrigerators are stocked with the guests’ favorite foods and drinks. A policy of no gratuities means that staff friendliness is authentic rather than contrived.
The new yachts, Seabourn Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest, have been designed to provide the highest ratio of space per guest in the industry. Ninety per cent of the suites have large private verandahs, and the yachts will also have the largest spa facilities of any luxury ship, 11,400 square feet on two decks. The suites range in size from 300 square feet to almost 1,200 square feet.
“Compared to a traditional yacht, we offer more of the features that cruise guests expect—alternative dining, a show lounge, small casino, spa, gym, and salon,” says Conover. “But the public rooms were all designed in human-scale, created for sociable gatherings rather than for spectacle.” The translation: Anywhere you gather for dinner or drinks with friends is warm and elegant, not overwhelming or ostentatious.
While the company put a great deal of thought into maximizing the Seabourn experience with the layout of the yachts, the true secret behind its success is the human element, the day-to-day interaction between guests and staff members.
“Our yachts are beautiful, and very comfortable and luxurious,” says Conover. “But the Seabourn experience is about the lifestyle and the service. “When I see the passion, joy and grace that our staff brings to their jobs, I’m just so proud of what they create.”
That’s not simply idle CEO speak. Seabourn has testimonials from hundreds of guests who were simply blown away not only by the quality of service, but by the sheer thoughtfulness of the staff. The literally thousands of gestures—from providing fresh towels at the pool to delivering specially cooked foods—transform an enjoyable trip into a truly memorable one. “We train staff to intuit what action will put a ‘cherry on top of the sundae’ for a particular guest, and then prompt them to do it,” says Conover. “It’s a very scientific approach, but when it happens to a guest, it can feel like magic. Of course, our staff care enough to make that happen, and we encourage them to continually out-do themselves.”
The final pieces of the Seabourn experience are the destinations, both remote islands and metropolitan that span the globe. “Our itineraries tend to be a mix of ports that are marquee destinations and more obscure places we call ‘Seabourn secrets,’” says Conover. “Those are places you’ve never heard of, but that you’ll never forget once you see them. People travel to get a sense of discovery.”
The Yachts are small enough to venture into waters where cruise ships dare not to tread, visiting hundreds of jewels ranging from a kayak trip in the underwater caverns in Vietnam’s Halong Bay to a waterfront view of the Opera House in Sydney Harbor. Peter Cox, director of itinerary planning and development, retains a passionate and encyclopedic knowledge about the world’s most fascinating destinations. “He wants our guests to discover places and to return having truly traveled well,” says Conover. “We do that by offering safe, authentic experiences that enrich their lives. That is integral to the Seabourn experience.”
For more information, contact a travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com .