By Steven Hopkinson
On board Seabourn Encore
There is really only one word to describe the brand new Seabourn Encore – elegant.
The much-anticipated addition to the luxury fleet of just three vessels certainly looks like living up to the line’s tradition of good taste.
Sarah Brightman, the British opera star, flew into Singapore to be godmother when the ship was named at the port of Singapore today.
But before the ceremony, we got a glimpse of life on board.
The elegance starts with the interior designer, the iconic and very stylish Adam D. Tihany who was on-board to guide us through his design thoughts.
Seabourn Encore’s 600 guests are accommodated in an intimate, all-suite environment with private veranda.
Suites are spacious, ranging in size from 251 to 1,306 square feet of indoor space. Verandas add an additional 68 to 906 square feet of outdoor living area.
They have walk-in closets, a comfortably sized granite bathroom with separate bath and shower, soaps by Hermes and L’Occitane, and the new exclusive Seabourn Signature Scents by Molton Brown.
A personal bar and refrigerator are stocked according to guest preferences, coordinated before arrival.
With 6 dining choices (including In-Suite Dining) Seabourn Encore has you covered.
Whether fine-dining in The Restaurant, experiencing The Grill by Thomas Keller, The Colonnade indoor/outdoor restaurant or even the new Sushi restaurant, which is unique to Seabourn Encore.
Seabourn has partnered with world-renowned mixologist Brian van Flandern to create a menu of craft cocktails you can find across the seven lounges and bars which are distributed throughout the ship.
Personally I loved the Observation Bar located on Deck 11 at the highest viewing point on the ship looking forward.
As a coffee lover they also have their own Master Roaster and Barista on-board and the coffee served in the Seabourn Square is amazing.
The Spa offers a new Spa and Wellness program with Dr. Andrew Weil program, led by The Wellness Coach, a certified yoga and meditation practitioner.
Sir Tim Rice, the acclaimed English musical theatre lyricist, has created the entertainment exclusively for Seabourn. Narrated by Sir Tim himself, the musical journey will take guests through some of his best known work, including Evita’s “Don’t Cry for Me Argentina” and The Lion King’s “Hakuna Matata.”
A bit like a private yacht, Seabourn Encore has its own marina, offering kayaking, sailboards, banana boats, and more, straight off the ship.
Ventures by Seabourn is another unique experience with the excursions guided by a highly experienced expedition team. This is something offered in select ports of call, the adventures vary depending on the itinerary, but include cruising picturesque fjords and waterways, trekking on scenic islands, viewing birds, seals, whales and other wildlife, and surveying, white-blue icebergs.
During our tour, the President of Seabourn Rick Meadows quoted a guest who said “the hardest part of being on-board Seabourn is leaving and having to return to reality”.
Having only spent one day on-board, I can see what they meant.