Seabourn Ovation: the Norwegian fjords from Dover
No flight, a small sociable ship, and scenery from the veranda from breakfast to midnight.
Cruise line
Seabourn
Small, sociable, quietly luxurious ships, with a sister expedition fleet.
Seabourn's ocean ships carry around 450 to 600 guests in an atmosphere of understated luxury and easy sociability; two purpose-built expedition ships extend the same comfort to Antarctica and the Arctic.
Seabourn is the quiet one. The ships are small, the design is soft and unshowy, and the service has a knack for remembering what you asked for yesterday. Evenings are smart and a little dressy without ever being stiff. Many guests return again and again, which tells you most of what you need to know.
The expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Pursuit, carry about 260 guests with submarines, kayaks and a large expedition team, and are among the most comfortable ways to see the polar regions.
Seabourn does not build for children. There is no dedicated kids' club, and the atmosphere is adult. For couples, for grandparents travelling as a pair, and for groups of adult friends it is one of our first suggestions.
What's included
- All-suite accommodation
- Drinks and dining
- Gratuities
- Expedition activities on expedition ships
Ships
- Seabourn Ovation
- Seabourn Encore
- Seabourn Quest
- Seabourn Sojourn
- Seabourn Venture
- Seabourn Pursuit
The ships
Seabourn at sea
Licensed photographs of the actual ships, not brochure renders.
Seabourn Encore, sister ship to Ovation, approaching Dubrovnik Photo: Wolfgang Fricke · CC BY 3.0 
Seabourn Ovation at anchor off the pastel harbour front of Portofino, Italy Photo: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0
On board
What Seabourn is actually like
Four honest notes, in our words, on the things people ask us about most.
- Suites
- All-suite with verandas on most; Penthouse and Wintergarden suites for grandparents hosting. Rooms are elegant rather than huge.
- Dining
- The Restaurant, The Grill by Thomas Keller, Sushi and a buzzy outdoor Colonnade; open seating and a sociable bar scene are the point.
- Facilities
- A marina off the stern in warm water, two pools, a spa with a proper thermal area, and nightly entertainment at a civilised scale.
- Children
- No formal children's club; a few school-holiday sailings run activities. Fine for well-travelled teenagers, not where we start for young children.
Who it's for
- Couples who like a small ship and a friendly, grown-up crowd
- Grandparents travelling without the grandchildren
- Groups of adult friends
- Expedition travellers who want comfort and a strong team
Who it isn't for
- Families with children of any age wanting facilities for them
- Travellers who want big-ship entertainment and many restaurants
- Anyone who prefers an anonymous, large-resort feel
Cruise ideas
Sailings we'd consider with Seabourn
Planning figures per person; the final price depends on date, suite and availability.
Not sure Seabourn is the right fit?
Tell us who's travelling and what matters most. We'll say honestly whether we'd book this line for you, or which one we'd choose instead.
Where they sail
Destinations
Mediterranean
The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.
Greek Islands
Small ships, island overnights, and a late season that runs into October.
Adriatic & Croatia
Venice, Dubrovnik and Kotor in a week, on ships small enough for the old harbours.
Caribbean
Winter sun for the whole family, on ships that make Christmas and half-term easy.
Norwegian Fjords
No long flight, dramatic scenery from your terrace, and a season made for grandparents.
Baltic & Northern Capitals
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki in a week, with culture the whole way.
Compared
Seabourn against the alternatives
Regent Seven Seas vs Seabourn: inclusive elegance two ways
Regent and Seabourn both sell small-ship luxury with most things included. Regent includes more and is a little grander; Seabourn is smaller, warmer and more sociable. We say which we would choose for which couple.
The best luxury cruises for over-60s
Luxury cruise lines that suit travellers in their sixties and seventies: pacing, comfort, inclusive fares, accessibility, no-fly options and the ships we recommend most.
The best luxury cruises for food
Where the food is genuinely worth the fare: Oceania, Silversea, Regent, Seabourn and Explora compared for restaurants, inclusions and the kind of traveller each suits.
Good to know
Seabourn: questions we're asked
Does Seabourn have a kids' club?
No. Children are permitted but there are no dedicated facilities. We would not usually shortlist Seabourn for a family with children.
How does Seabourn compare with Silversea?
Both are small-ship, inclusive and polished. Silversea leans towards destination ambition, butlers and a slightly more formal evening; Seabourn leans towards warmth, sociability and a softer formality. We write this up in detail in our comparison page.
Further reading
Before you decide on Seabourn
Our own planning notes: who a ship suits, how many cabins to book, when to go.
The best cruises to take with your grandchildren
Which ships work when the party spans seventy years, what to look for in a children's programme, and the itineraries we would start with.
Seven luxury cruise myths, dispelled by people who sail them
Crowds, buffets, seasickness, feeling trapped, dressing for dinner, children underfoot and the price. What is true of a 3,000-guest ship is mostly untrue of a 300-guest one. Here is what we tell first-time guests.
How many cabins should a family book?
The configurations that work for parties of four to twelve, why connecting suites matter more than cabin grade, and what to do when they are gone.
Ready to start planning?
Tell us who's travelling, where you'd like to go and what matters most. A cruise specialist shortlists the two or three ships we'd actually recommend.