Introducing The New Seabourn Quest

As the sun set over the waterfront of Barcelona, Seabourn introduced the new 450-guest Seabourn Quest to the world on June 20 during a glittering naming ceremony presided over by Blythe Danner. The award-winning actress served as godmother to the new luxury vessel, Seabourn’s third new ship and the sixth to join its fleet, completing a three-year expansion for the line.

Guests booked on Quest’s Maiden Voyage had the unique opportunity to participate in the festivities. A full orchestra was arrayed on either side of the swimming pool, and a projection screen set above the deck allowed guests to view the climactic moment when a bottle of champagne smashed against the bow of the ship. Adjacent to the screen, a contingent of crew members who had served in the start-up teams of all three new-ship launches instantaneously broke confetti-filled champagne bottles in a synchronised wave pattern as the bottle crashed. The memorable evening was capped off by a dazzling fireworks display sparkling against the city’s skyline.

Quest is the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared as Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, and has been hailed as "a game-changer for the luxury segment." The second sister-ship, Seabourn Sojourn, entered service in June of 2010.

Quest’s 225 luxurious and spacious suites, 90 per cent of which offer private verandas, feature separate living areas and bedrooms, writing desks with personalised stationery, and generously sized granite bathrooms with separate bath and shower and twin sinks. Suites are fitted with walk-in closets, an interactive flat-screen TV with a wide selection of music and movies, and iPod and MP3 connections. There are a host of other amenities and features, including two swimming pools, six whirlpools and a unique marina with a variety of watersport activities.

Following the naming ceremony, Seabourn Quest departed on a 14-day Maiden Voyage to Athens, stopping at beautiful seaside towns and ports in France, Italy, Greece and Turkey.

Her maiden season includes seven-day Eastern Mediterranean cruises, operating alternately between Athens, Istanbul and Venice, as well as a seven-day Black Sea voyage. In the Autumn, the ship will cross the Atlantic Ocean from Malaga, Spain, to Fort Lauderdale, from where it will sail on a series of round-trip voyages in the Caribbean. On January 5, Quest will begin a 109-day Maiden World Cruise from Fort Lauderdale to Venice on a unique eastbound course via South America, South Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and the Mediterranean.

For more info, visit www.seabourn.com or the luxury cruise specialists of The Cruise Line Ltd.

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