Recently I had the pleasure of sailing through Greece and Turkey aboard the Seabourn Encore. During my seven-night cruise from Athens to Istanbul, I had an excellent time exploring all of the many benefits and luxuries of this amazing ship. Follow along as I give you the inside information you need for your next Seabourn Cruise with the list of things I loved the most about the Encore.
The Service
As one would expect from a leading luxury, all-inclusive, brand, Seabourn’s crew exhibited excellent attention to detail. During my seven days onboard, I rarely had to ask for anything. A crew member was never far away or unavailable to assist when I did need something. On a vessel of 400 guests, I was greeted by name in nearly every crew interaction I had onboard.
The attention to detail exhibited was impressive. Within 24 hours of boarding the bartenders had my patterns down. They figured out that I like Scotch in my suite, Tiki drinks by the pool, and wine pairings at dinner. I am not a huge drinker but that didn’t stop Seabourn from blessing my in-suite mini-bar with a bottle of Dewars, making it rain Mai Tais and Zombies when I had my trunks on, and being ready with a perfect red to enjoy with my NY Strip in the Grill (We’ll talk more about this in a moment).
I usually travel alone. Being a solo cruiser on a ship sometimes makes it easy to fade into the background, and maybe even get a little lonely. On the Encore there was none of that. The crew was ready with anticipatory service that wasn’t intrusive. I knew I was being taken care of even when the crew wasn’t around. That is huge because many solo travelers have a bit of an introvert streak, so it takes a little nuance to entertain this type of guest without feeling like they are being dragged out of their comfort zone.
The Dining
The Grill by Thomas Keller is probably Seabourn’s most talked about dining experience, and it shined during my cruise. The tableside preparation of the Caesar Salad, the perfectly cooked, USDA Prime, NY Strip, and the glass of Cabernet the Sommelier suggested exceeded every expectation. The setting was intimate and the perfect place for me to get to know new friends that I made on board. I am not an introvert, I am good in every room, and the grill was a perfect opportunity to break bread and trade travel stories over world-class dishes. I highly recommend booking your reservations here in advance. Everyone will have the chance to enjoy the Grill but a second seating should be decided ahead of time. That’s only one of the restaurants.
The Restaurant is Encore’s main dining room. While it isn’t considered a specialty dining venue, the quality of the meals felt no less special than the other restaurants onboard, and as a result, most of my evening meals were enjoyed here. The service is fantastic, the decor was lovely, and the wide variety of menu options kept things fresh every night.
Expect individual blog posts about the Sushi Bar and Earth and Ocean. Both were fantastic and should not be considered inferior to The Grill, but I could go on and on about the Restaurants, and I still have a lot to share with you.
The Onboard Events
During my cruise, there were three special events. There was the caviar event where guests were treated to caviar, champagne, finger foods, and cocktails. The outdoor venue replaced Earth and Ocean these nights with a fun cocktail party where guests could dance and mingle.
There was a sail-away event, hosted similarly during the latter nights of our cruise. This event served as a fond farewell and crew appreciation party. Guests were treated to cocktails and a wide assortment of hors d’oeuvres and cocktails as each department of the crew was recognized for their contributions to our journey. It also served as the first time we saw the faces of many of the crewmembers who worked so hard to keep us satisfied all while diligently wearing masks as a precaution for the guests. The crew members lined the upper decks overlooking the pool area where we all sat enjoying the party.
Of the three special events, the most special was the exclusive evening concert reception on-site in the Ruins of the Ancient City of Ephesus. We were taken by charter bus to the ruins at sundown and enjoyed an exclusive orchestral performance with Turkish Mezes and Cocktails at the center of a 2,000-year-old Roman Ruin. If exclusivity equates to luxury in your mind, these events will make your experience.
The Design
The Encore is a small ship packed with Luxury. While most new ships in the industry are adopting light color schemes to create the illusion of more space onboard, Seabourn stuck with the classic warm wood accents of the golden age of cruising. The dark wood paneling throughout the ship made the ship seem cozy without feeling like the walls are closing in on you.
The ambiance onboard is of comfortable luxury. Pristine marble floors and gilded metal fixtures near elevators compliment art pieces carefully selected and placed throughout the ship. Everything felt very high-end and meticulously cared for.
The Laundrette
This seems like a small addition, but 24-hour access to a free onboard laundrette, complete with a steamer, is the amenity I never knew I needed. If you like to travel light or take long cruises this feature is huge. As an industry insider for over 10 years, I can tell you that this is one of the most quietly sought-after luxury amenities amongst world cruisers. Seaborn doesn’t require you to bet that the airlines won’t lose your checked baggage, which to me is a fantastic and practical inclusion.
The Mood
Throughout my voyage, the mood onboard was one of abject positivity. Guests and crews alike are obviously getting back to normalcy and loving every minute of it. The uneasiness caused by the Covid-19 pandemic finally seems to have taken a back seat to people’s needs to get back to living and doing the things that they love.
The crew was full of gratitude to be hosting guests again and the cruisers were thrilled to return their enthusiasm. Considering the last two years that we have all been through, this was one of the most harmonious cruise experiences of my career. If you have not come back to cruising, I urge you to do so soon so you can experience the added warmth.
The Casual Luxury
Seabourn has created an experience that is neither pretentious nor overly formal. Guests are invited to enjoy the cruise based on their definition of luxury. For gentlemen, long pants and closed-toe shoes are the only real requirement in dining venues. I do encourage you to bring a blazer or nice outfit so you don’t feel outshined at any events, but I got by in a linen shirt and slacks at most dinners and then shorts and t-shirts everywhere else. Greece is hot.
For the ladies, no swimsuits in bars and restaurants after six but other than that you can choose how fabulous you want to be. Cocktail dresses seemed to be the evening favorite on my cruise. Go ahead and shine as bright as you want girls.
There will be more content, delving specifically into the aspects of my onboard experience while cruising with Seabourn. As you can see they have packed this small ship with top-tier events and amenities while giving guests the latitude to explore the options that they are most interested in. That is the true value of sailing on a Luxury cruise. You get more of the things you want without the crowds or the pressure to buy additional packages and services aboard.
You don’t have to wait for the Luxury to start until you board the Seabourn Encore. Let the experienced Travel Advisors at Luxury Cruise Connections assist you with every aspect of your vacation with insider travel advice and personalized travel services from the moment you book until the moment you get home.
