Seabourn Cruise Review: Cruising in Champagne Style!
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How much champagne can a girl drink? Apparently, lots!
I discovered this firsthand when I cruised on Seabourn with my mother – where the bubbly flows almost as freely as the ocean views. If you ever get confused about which luxury cruise line is which, here’s the easy way to remember… Champagne and Seabourn go hand-in-hand!
This Seabourn cruise review comes after some serious sea time. George and I have sailed on more than 65 cruises now and I’ve personally sailed twice with Seabourn.
So grab a glass of bubbly (Seabourn would insist), and let’s uncork what makes their small-ship luxury cruises so special.
Featured reader comments
Contents: Seabourn Cruises review
Onboard atmosphere and entertainment
Shore excursions and experiences
Pssst! Also see the comments and questions from readers at the end of this post!
My Seabourn cruise review in a nutshell
What sets Seabourn apart?
Think boutique-sized ships, a high staff-to-guest ratio and an all-inclusive experience that spoils you at every turn. From fine dining and free-flowing champagne to friendly service and intimate social spaces, Seabourn feels more like a private yacht than a cruise ship.
On my voyages, I loved the gracious service, elegant suites and, especially, the warm welcoming vibe. (On my latest cruise with my mother, we often joined hosted group dinners with the cruise director, guest lecturer or an officer – perfect for singles or anyone who simply enjoys good company at the table!)
Seabourn ships
Seabourn sold the Seabourn Odyssey in 2024, leaving a fleet of six ultra-luxury ships:
- Seabourn Ovation – 600 guests, 690 feet long
- Seabourn Encore – 600 guests, 690 feet long
- Seabourn Quest – 600 guests, 690 feet long
- Seabourn Sojourn – 458 guests, 650 feet long
- Seabourn Pursuit (expedition)
- Seabourn Venture (expedition)
The four classic ships (Ovation, Encore, Quest and Sojourn) are refined small ships, where 90% of suites have private verandas.
The two newer expedition ships (Pursuit and Venture) go further afield with Zodiacs, submarines and fully included shore excursions.
This Seabourn review is based on their ocean ships (not the expedition vessels).
What makes Seabourn special?
Unlimited complimentary champagne
Yes, that’s right! Real French bubbly flows freely and often.
Which brings me back to my starting point about the champagne… When you board, you’ll find a welcome bottle chilling on ice in your suite. (You can also ask for free replacement bottles of champagne for your mini-bar.) And it’s poured liberally at sail-away parties.
Indeed, you can ask for champagne whenever you want – at the bar, in the restaurants, by the pool.
It’s complimentary too. (Well, sort of. All beer, cocktails, champagne, hard liquor and most wines, except for a few premium wines, are included in the cruise rates – but you do pay more than a few dollars for a Seabourn cruise.)
Seabourn Caviar-in-the-Surf
Along with unlimited champagne, there’s unlimited caviar.
I cottoned on to this pretty quickly and started ordering the delicacy in the main restaurant as my starter. One couple told me they’d get their fish egg fix on the suite’s balcony by ordering room service champagne and caviar every afternoon.
And on most tropical itineraries, Seabourn stages its signature Caviar-in-the-Surf beach party.
Waiters and officers in full uniform (some in tuxedos) wade into the sea and invite you to join them for iced champagne and caviar at floating, tablecloth-covered surfboard bars.
Retractable marina
One of Seabourn’s signature features is its fold-out marina platform at the stern.
When the ship anchors in warm-weather ports, you can enjoy water toys like kayaks, pedal boats and windsurfers.
And on “Marina Days,” there are more options. On my first Seabourn cruise, I even went waterskiing and on a banana boat ride right from the ship!
Seabourn block party
On longer cruises, there’s a neighborhood “block party” early in the trip.
Just before dinner, you’re invited to come as you are and mingle in the central hallway outside your suite, while the captain and cruise director make the rounds and champagne and nibblies are served. It’s a great opportunity to break the ice and get to know some of your fellow cruisers in a casual setting.
I’d heard that “come as you are” means you can open your door in your dressing gown if you’re still getting ready for dinner.
But when my mother and I showed up with wet windswept hair and in swimsuit cover-ups after hanging out late by the pool, we felt a bit sheepish – everyone else had gone full evening glam!
Still, our stewardess made sure we didn’t retreat to our suite without flutes of champagne in hand.
“Chef’s Market” lunch extravaganza
One sea day brought a spectacular surprise – the galley was opened up to guests and set up as a lavish buffet.
After being welcomed with Campari-and-champagne cocktails, a red carpet led us past singing chefs carving roast beef and stirring pans of linguine Carbonara.
Trays of fresh sushi begged to be eaten.
And mini-desserts promised sweet satisfaction.
It was festive, fun and fascinating to peek behind the culinary curtain.
Seabourn Square
You know how on most cruise ships you have to trek to the reception desk and stand in line if you have a question? Not so on these ships.
The heart of each ship is Seabourn Square – part guest services, part café, part living room.
And when you’re discussing your question – be it restaurant reservations, getting a replacement room key for the one you’ve lost, what to do on shore, etc. – you’re seated on a comfy leather chair opposite the staff member helping you (rather than standing up, as is usual on other cruise line ships).
Seabourn Square is a convivial space, and a brilliant but simple concept to have all services in a central hub – where you can sip a latte (complimentary) while waiting.
My only niggling grumble is that guests had to wait, sometimes up to 15 minutes, to talk to a staff member at the beginning of the cruise, when everyone seemed to need help at once.
Seabourn suites
Suites on Seabourn range from 295 square feet (without a balcony) to about 1,400 square feet (balcony included). Most have balconies.
Every stateroom is called a “suite,” though it’s really an open-plan design in most, with a heavy curtain dividing the bedroom from the sitting area. If you want true separate rooms, you need to choose one of the larger suites – and there are several of those!
Veranda suites
The most common category is the Veranda Suite. (I stayed in one of these.)
At about 365 square feet (including a teak veranda with a glass railing), they’re roomy compared to standard cabins on mainstream cruises.
I found the design smart and soothing. The décor is understated but elegant – think wood cabinetry, a loveseat, two leather chairs and a dining/work table that makes in-suite meals easy. There’s ample space to move about comfortably without bruising elbows or knees on corners.
Indeed, every time I returned to my suite, it was an “ahhh…” moment – where I felt I’d entered my own soothing cocoon of calm and quiet.
What you’ll love in a Seabourn Veranda Suite
- A spacious marble bathroom with double sinks, full tub, separate glass shower and Seabourn’s signature Molton Brown bath products
- Walk-in closet with plush robes, slippers, safe and enough hangers for a two-week wardrobe
- In-suite bar stocked with your preferred complimentary wines and spirits
- A private teak veranda (accessed through glass doors)
I especially adored the bathroom. It felt indulgent with strong water pressure, a deep tub and those full-sized bath products (no stingy mini bottles here!).
Seabourn dining
Each ship features four main dining venues:
- The Restaurant
- Solis
- The Colonnade
- The Patio – Poolside, with caviar and champagne any time!
On Seabourn Ovation and Seabourn Encore, you’ll also find a dedicated sushi restaurant. On the other two ships, freshly made-to-order sushi is served in The Club.
As well, you can order around-the-clock from an extensive room service menu.
If you fancy dinner in your PJs – but also want the full meal deal – request The Restaurant’s menu. Your meal will be served, course by course, in your suite or on your veranda. (Now that’s true room service!)
The Restaurant
The Restaurant is the ship’s main dining room.
For dinner, it’s typically open from 7:00 pm to 9:00 pm. Come when you want; sit where you want.
The seating hostess will guide you to your preferred table. She knew we liked to meet other guests over dinner. So she’d send us an invitation in the afternoon to join a group table that evening, hosted by an officer, the ship’s lecturer or the cruise director.
The Menu changes nightly, with tempting choices such as:
- Starters – Truffle poached egg with mesclun greens and corn puree, or panko-crusted jumbo shrimps with fennel slaw and Romesco sauce
- Soup/appetizers – Roasted eggplant soup with garbanzo fritters, or seafood tournado with lobster sauce
- Main course – Roasted lamb loin with eggplant puree, or crisp soft-shell crab with asparagus risotto and lobster foam
- Dessert – Hot dark chocolate soufflé, ginger cheesecake or strawberry Romanoff sundae
There’s also a classic menu, always available – steak, rack of lamb and so on.
Sounds good, right? It is. Seabourn’s food is absolutely delicious. As it should be… Seabourn is a proud member of the Chaine de Rotisseurs, a prestigious gastronomic society dedicated to the art of fine dining.
Solis
Solis showcases light and modern Mediterranean dishes. (It’s recently replaced The Grill by Thomas Keller.)
Highlights include tuna carpaccio, Piquillos de la Mama (Basque peppers stuffed with Murcia goat cheese), branzino baked in sea salt, Tuscan-style porterhouse and spiced lamb shank with smoked eggplant and tahini.
Pair your meal with selections from Seabourn’s refreshed vintage cocktail menu. Maybe Kir Royale, Negroni or a perfectly chilled Aperol Spritz?
Reservations are recommended for this specialty restaurant.
The Colonnade
Many evenings on our Canary Islands cruise, it was balmy enough to sit outside for dinner. That’s when my mother and I would head to the Colonnade.
Seabourn makes dining alfresco a pleasure. With the Colonnade at the stern, most tables are protected from the wind. And overhead heat lamps and mohair blankets kept the chill at bay for us when the sun set.
Sometimes bountiful buffets were set up inside (servers carry your plates out for you though).
Other nights, themed Chinese, French and other dinners were served.
Service and hospitality
On what cruise ship have you returned from a full-day’s shore excursion to find your bathtub filled with scented hot water, sprinkled with rose petals?
Jen, a 30-something solo guest we met, told us she experienced just this. Along with the bath came a handwritten note from her suite stewardess: “Welcome back! I thought you’d like this after your long day out.”
Stories like Jen’s are common – Seabourn’s service is exceptional.
I’m sure that’s partly because Seabourn has a very high crew-to-passenger ratio – often close to one staff for every guest. (By comparison, larger cruise ships like those by Carnival, Princess and NCL have much lower crew-to-passenger ratios, ranging from one crew member for every two to three passengers.) On Seabourn, staff have time to be genuinely thoughtful.
I found my own stewardess absolutely delightful.
Most nights, she left little gifts on the bed, like a small bottle of Madeira wine after we sailed from Madeira and packages of fresh spices after Morocco.
And at breakfast, the Colonnade team had my latte (extra-hot, skim milk, half-shot latte) on the table minutes after I sat down. How’s that for princess service?
No reasonable request was too difficult to fulfill, and staff never said “no.”
Onboard atmosphere and entertainment
Dress code
After 6:00 pm, the Seabourn dress code is “elegant casual.” Jeans are fine during the day but not in The Restaurant at night.
On our cruise, men usually wore jackets with shirts and slacks, while women opted for anything from chic pants to cocktail dresses.
Longer cruises include formal evenings (one on sailings up to 13 days, two on voyages of 14 to 20 days) – a fun chance to get dolled up if you wish.
Pools
The main central pool area is lively and sociable, with loungers, shade umbrellas and two whirlpools.
But I preferred the privacy and quiet (no music) at the second smaller aft pool and whirlpools. An overhanging deck offers lots of shade here, but there are still sunny spots for getting some Vitamin D too.
Another gem? The bow whirlpool is somewhat of a “secret” nook, though you’ll find no shade here.
Gym
I’m not usually motivated to work out when traveling. (I like to think that walking is “exercise”!)
But with so much sinfully good food on this cruise, I simply had to follow in the footsteps of some 60-something couples I’d noticed – they’d dash into the Colonnade after their workouts for a cup of coffee and fruit, before breakfast closed.
Thankfully, Seabourn’s gyms are as inviting as cruise ship gyms can be. They’re large and completely stocked with new ellipticals, bicycles and other equipment. And with towels, water bottles and blessedly strong air-conditioning, you can sweat in comfort.
Entertainment
The onboard shows are far more polished than those I’ve seen on larger ships. I usually skip evening entertainment in favor of a book, but on my cruise with my mother, I was happily surprised.
Don’t miss “An Evening with Sir Tim Rice.”
Rice is an award-winning British lyricist who collaborated with Andrew Lloyd Webber to create Jesus Christ, Super Star and Evita. He also worked with Elton John on songs for The Lion King.
In Seabourn’s multi-media presentation, singers and dancers – dressed all in black – perform against a film backdrop, where Rice narrates introductions to various songs he wrote, like “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina.”
Another evening, we listened to a wonderful classical piano performance – romantic pieces from Chopin, Liszt and others – by talented concert pianist Naomi Edemariam.
Seabourn shore excursions and experiences
On both of my Seabourn cruises, I joined a few of the ship’s excursions – and they were good and well-organized, with knowledgeable local guides.
Book them online in advance – popular tours do sell out. But rest easy knowing you can cancel more than two days before and get a refund.
Private tours
Beyond the regular shore excursions, Seabourn also makes it easy to book a private car and driver/guide for a half- or full-day. My mother and I often saw a line of sleek black Mercedes with uniformed chauffeurs waiting for Seabourn guests.
Welcome back
I did, however, miss being greeted with a “Welcome Back!” and warm (or cold) facecloths for our hands upon returning from the excursions, like some other luxury cruise lines do.
Port talks
The pre-port talks were another slight let-down on my latest Seabourn cruise. They mostly consisted of maps and printouts of the top attractions. The staff admitted they weren’t very familiar with the Canary Islands, as the ship only sails there occasionally.
That didn’t matter to us – we’d already researched where to find local buses and tourist offices. But a few fellow guests who relied on Seabourn for guidance were disappointed.
That said, Seabourn’s overall standards are high, so I imagine this was more the exception than the rule.
Who will love Seabourn?
Seabourn attracts affluent seasoned travelers in their 40s to 70s. With no kids’ clubs, families with children are rare – though school holidays may bring a few multigenerational groups.
This line is for people who swoon over luxury but don’t want the fuss of a tuxedo-only cruise. If the idea of suites with verandas, endless bubbly and crew who know your name (and your favorite drink) by Day 2 makes you smile, you’ll feel right at home.
You’ll love Seabourn if you:
- Prefer mingling with a few hundred guests, not thousands.
- Think caviar tastes better served on a beach, waist-deep in the surf.
- Like dressing up just enough for dinner – elegant but never stuffy.
- Appreciate service so personal your waiter knows your wine order before you do.
On the other hand, if your idea of cruising is waterslides, mega-casinos and Broadway-style extravaganzas every night, Seabourn isn’t for you.
Value for money
What’s included in your Seabourn fare?
- Select complimentary wines – I counted 35 on the regular Seabourn wine list alone on our ship, from Louis Latour Grande Ardeche Chardonnay (France) to Roquesante Rose (Provence, France) to Sebastiani Cabernet (Sonoma, California). Unlimited champagne flows freely too, of course! Want to upgrade? Opt for a Wine Collector Package from their Reserve Wine Menu.
- Cocktails, beer, soft drinks and cappuccinos – Anytime, anywhere.
- Specialty dining – All restaurants are included (no extra charges here).
- Gratuities – Already covered.
Not included? Shore excursions.
Unlike Viking Ocean Cruises, which offers a free shore excursion in each port (usually a ½-day guided walking tour or sightseeing bus tour), Seabourn’s are extra.
Ranking among luxury cruise lines
So where does Seabourn stand in the luxury cruise world? Right at the top.
Alongside Silversea, it’s long been considered one of the best boutique cruise lines afloat, and it keeps on racking up accolades.
In 2024 alone, it snagged 45 awards, including some for “Best Small Cruise Ships in the World” (Condé Nast Traveler) and “Best Value for Money – Luxury Winner” (Cruise Critic).
And in 2025, USA Today’s “10 Best” named it one of the 10 Best Boutique Cruise Lines.
The final verdict
Would I sail Seabourn again? Absolutely!
Between the endless bubbly, over-the-top service and those pinch-me luxury touches (like caviar served waist-deep in the sea), Seabourn nails the art of small-ship luxury cruising.
More information and to book
See Seabourn’s website.
You can also find some great Seabourn cruise deals on Expedia.
More cruising inspo!
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- 7 Reasons to Book a “Quiet Season” Mediterranean Cruise
- Is Oceania the Best Cruise Line for Foodies?
- The Best Tahiti cruises: Windstar vs. Paul Gauguin
- Viking Ocean Cruises Review
- Discover Normandy on Scenic’s Seine River Cruise
- Ooh La La! We’re Going French on Ponant Cruises!
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Photo credits: 8, 12 to 14, 25 © Janice Mucalov, SandInMySuitcase | Other photos Seabourn
As you may have guessed, I (Janice) wrote this. I was hosted as a media guest on this Seabourn cruise, but I always call it as I see it. That’s the only way travel writing makes sense.
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