Yachts of Seabourn

SEABOURN QUEST 32,000 tons 450 passengers 335 Norwegian officers and European staff 84 feet at beam 650 feet long 11 passenger decks Registry: Norway Enter service: June 2011

The second of three newer and bigger sister ships ( #1 Odyssey and #3 Quest), the 450 passenger Seabourn Quest features very spacious staterooms and suites, 90 percent of them with private verandahs large enough for dining. These verandahs all provide extra space above and beyond the size of the cabins on the current fleet. Of course, the remaining 10 percent of staterooms all have ocean views.

She was built in the same shipyard as most top luxury vessels -- the T. Marrioti Shipyard in Genoa, Italy -- and has a top speed of 19 knots. The Seabourn Quest is 32,000 tons, 650 feet long, 84 feet wide, and has a draft of 21 feet. An international crew of 335 members will attend her 450 passengers.

Perhaps the most impressive thing about Quest is her elegant profile - the most stylish exterior lines we've seen in a very long time. When she sails into port, people everywhere - from the shoreside to the high-rises and the decks of other cruise ships -- will say, "What ship is that?"

This is especially impressive when the exterior design lines seem to be among the last considerations of today's new ships, especially the large mainstream newcomers, which look like tiered tort cakes with so many layered decks it is almost impossible to count them.

But Quest's exterior is beautifully balanced from bow to stern, from stacks to keel.

Quest features dual side-by-side smokestacks reminiscent of one of the earliest and classiest of all luxury cruise ships, Song of Flower (formerly of Radisson but retired in 2007). Both ships have the smokestacks in roughly the same place, almost fully astern where stacks should be, and connected by a crossbeam. On Quest, the stacks converge on Deck 8 with a beautiful circular skylight tilted at 45-degrees sending streams of sunlight into the atrium below.

Seabourn Quest

Song of Flower (Radisson)

Choose from eight different suite options ranging from 295 sq. ft. (27.5 sq. meters) to 1,397 sq. ft. (130 sq. meters), including verandahs. All feature king-sized beds, walk-in closets, seating areas for at least five people, and bathrooms with showers and tubs.

The Seabourn Suite at 295 sq. ft. is the only non-verandah cabin available, although you get a full-sized picture window. The Verandah Suite is identical to the Seabourn Suite, but you gain the added square footage of the balcony. This is the most common category on the ship; staterooms come in at 365 sq. ft. including verandah. Both of these suites have a common bedroom and seating area with a nicely sized flat screen TV in front of the bed. They come with a fully stocked minibar, small walk-in closet and a bathroom with shower and tub.

Next come the true suites, which are exceptional on this ship. Unfortunately, the number of suites available is limited only two per category in most cases, so you don't have as many to choose from as you do on a Silversea or Crystal ship. This tends to drive up the price of suites compared to the average cabins, but if you can afford them, Seabourn Quest suites are the way to live.

The third category from the bottom is the 436 sq. ft. Penthouse Suite, with five larger categories to go. With an extra-wide verandah big enough for two deck chairs side by side, you get separate rooms for the bedroom and the living room. The bathroom is palatial, with dual sinks across from the bathtub and separate rooms for the toilet and the shower.

Next step up, at level four, is the Owner's Suite (which is still merely half the size of the largest suite). At 760 sq. ft., it features a massive veranda that begins on the side of the ship and gently curves astern. The side portion of the verandah is accessible from the private bedroom while the larger stern area is outside the generous seating area. There is an entry foyer with a "public" half-bath, while a larger bathroom off the master bedroom is almost the size of the bedroom itself.

The Wintergarden Suite (1,097 sq ft) is almost beyond description: New Yorkers would pay a million dollars for such digs. The layout is a labyrinth of rooms with "ooh and ah" around every corner. You enter through a discrete foyer to a complete dining area that seats six adults comfortably. In the same room is a spacious seating area with two couches and two chairs, along with access to the common area verandah.

The Wintergarden Suites' bathrooms rival a private spa. They feature circular tubs large enough for two people to lie down, with tile seats to one side. The curve of the tub sets the tone for the layout of the bathroom, with curving walls evolving into a rounded, iced-glass shower screen. The two sinks are several feet apart while the commode is, naturally, a separate room.

The walk-in closet off the separate master bedroom is devilishly hidden behind the bathroom, yet another "ah" moment of discovery. That bedroom features a private verandah with a hot tub outdoors. For cabinetry, furniture options and storage we would opt for this Wintergarden Suite even though it is slightly smaller than the next-up Signature suite.

The Signature Suite at 1,302 sq. ft. is for people who just like to spread out. Not nearly as partitioned and full of furniture as the Wintergarden, Signature has one massive master bedroom with a less lavish master bath but a larger walk-in closet. The seating area also has two couches, each with a private coffee table, and the dining area seats four adults. The verandah is one long arch similar to the Owner's Suite, but almost twice the size.

Next up is the Grand Wintergarden Suite at 1,397 sq. ft., which is similar in layout to the regular Wintergarden but has an added bedroom with separate bath and a small but private verandah. This suite has three different balcony areas including outside the seating area and along the master bedroom, also with an outdoor hot tub.

Finally we reach the Grand Signature Suite at 1,682 sq ft (156 meters). This one has two bedrooms, each with extensive bathroom facilities. In layout it is almost exactly like the Signature Suite but with the second bedroom and bath.

Each suite comes with a fully stocked bar replenished daily, walk-in closets, a writing desk, 110 and 220 v. outlets, hair dryer and a private safe. All suites offer the fully interactive television system with large, flat screen TVs in both the bedrooms and the living areas. Audiobooks, DVD movies and CDs are available from the library for enjoyment in your suite.

Seabourn's executive culinary designer, Charlie Palmer, (of the famous Aureole Restaurant in New York City) created a range of dining experiences from avant-garde tasting menus to casual meals on deck. Seabourn Square, the ship's main atrium, is a European-style café offering traditional Italian espressos and lattes at no extra charge. There are also six bars and lounges offering world-class wine, champagne and top names in Quests.

The Restaurant is the ship's main open-seating dining room, features tables set with the finest china and crystal. Most evenings, the attire is "jacket required." There are no ties required except on the very rare formal nights, now reduced to once per cruise, even on cruises up to 14-days long.

Restaurant 2 is described as avant-garde, offering individually prepared tasting portions with wine pairings as the specialty of the house. Dishes are prepared a la minute, and offer you the chance to enjoy as many culinary creations as you can possibly hold. This is the premier dining experience on the ship, highly recommended. The menu varies nightly so do not be afraid to book it often.

The Colonnade Restaurant is the buffet area but always accompanied by waiter service to bring special menu items for every meal. For breakfast the menu is always the same; egges benedict, omelets, etc. Buit for lunch and dinner the menu and the buffet items chance daily, with a different theme each day. Themes include Asian, British pub, seafood, etc. If you do not care for the particular theme there are not many other options. There is an open kitchen, but it is not exactly in view, hidden well behind the serving counter.

Patio Grill is for poolside casual dining for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Lunch and dinner feature hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza.

A special treat is "Dessert Under the Stars," where chefs prepare special flambé delights on warm tropical nights outdoors.

In Suite Service (room service) offers an extensive menu around the clock. Opt for late-night pizza or fresh crudités, for example. During dinner hours you can dine in your suite, course by course, complete with fine linens on the table. The dinner menu for each restaurant is delivered to your suite every previous night. The service will be provided by a waiter, Seabourn does not provide butlers to any suites. And although it is not on the room service menu you can have caviar service delivered to your stateroom or any place on the ship at any time.

Since food is a highlight be sure to watch for the "Chef's Dinner" and the Galley Market Luncheon. The first is a special night when the chef creates his own menu with wine pairings. This is the night when the chef is supposed to shine, so expect the dinner to feature with fresh ingredients and unique combinations of flavor. The Galley Market Luncheon is a lunch-time buffet where guests walk through the galley to get special dishes like cheese fondue, lamb chops, crab claws, jumbo shrimp, etc. Both of these events only happen once per cruise. The last special food event is the Dessert Under the Stars.

Noted "enrichment lecturers" will be onboard various cruises at different times. Often regional experts will discuss specific itinerary highlights, or authors and luminaries from the media world will talk about their personal lives. Upcoming speakers include Walter Cronkite, Hugh Downs, Alex Trebek, Bernard Kalb, Michelle Phillips and Mary Sue Milliken. Guest chefs come aboard for culinary cruises including lectures and cooking demonstrations.

Expect the same activities on Quest that you see on the line's smaller vessels, plus a few added ones. There will "Death by Trivia," along with "Name that Tune" and other games, along with cooking lessons, bridge games for card players and golf putting competitions.

The onboard gym features all the latest aerobic equipment including treadmills, Nordic steppers, stairmasters and a spate a weightlifting and strengthening devices.

Your suite is also a star attraction on Quest, and you'd be insane not to take full advantage of it. Relax in your tub or watch a new-release movie in bed or your living room. The video-on-demand options are impressive, recent run movies, documentaires for A&E and BIO, and best of all, all of the onboard lectures.

Outside, there are Balinese beds around the pool with plush cushions and separate pillows.

When at anchor in marina settings, the ship will offer the same water sports as the smaller ships, from the signature Seabourn marina platform. These include kayaks, banana boats, diving for certified guests and water skiing or wind surfing. These activities are subject to availability and location of the ship.

Extra-special "Seabourn Signature Delights" include:

• Open bar throughout the ship.
  
  
• Lavish outdoor barbecues day and night.
  
  
• "Caviar in the Surf" when available.
  
  
• Wi-fi access in every suite and the public rooms.
  
  
• Seabourn offers an open bar policy at all times, including wine with dinner and a fully stocked bar in your cabin replenished daily.
  
  
• Gratuities are included in your cruise fare and are not required or expected.
  
  

It wouldn't be Seabourn without the chance to have a private massage. Available spa treatments also include facials, pedicures, reflexology and aromatherapy.

The spa offerings are similar to any cruise ship, although pricier. One can use the "thermal suite" for $30/day, but it is not highly recommended on Quest or Quest. It comes with something called a Kneipp pool where one is expected to highstep in a tight circle between two sections, one of hot water and one of cold. These pools are too small to actually sit in, and there is no significant bubble action anyway. I doubt anyone ever uses these for more than 10 seconds.

Entertainment comes at 10:00 each night in the main theater and features the Seabourn production shows with four singers and two dancers, or else a special guest artist, usually a magician or a musical virtuoso pianist or violiniss, for example.

Quest is the third of three identical sister ships designed to comprise the new Seabourn fleet for many years to come. Seabourn Odyssey arrived in June 2009 and the second, Seabourn Sojourn arrived in 2010.

As cruising grows in popularity, even small luxury ships are getting bigger. But all this was planned before the economy took a violent turn to the south, so expect to find terrific relative bargains on Seabourn and other luxury ships for the near future. This is especially true now that Seabourn will be tripling her guest capacity in the space of two years.