Roman Holiday
On an ultra-luxury ship sailing to glamour ports in the Mediterranean, it’s the simple things that make it memorable.
Some of the privileged guests have opted to arrive in Rome, our embarkation location, by private jet. Seabourn’s Private Air offering takes guests from their door to deck and back, seamlessly and in great comfort. It’s the kind of ultra-luxury amenity that Seabourn is known for, catering to the needs and desires of guests in a way they call ‘clairvoyant service’. FYI, that’s quite a few steps up from industry-standard intuitive service.
From the minute we are onboard Seabourn Sojourn, there are culinary options galore. A fresh seafood lunch by the pool, caviar and blinis up on deck, a 4-course meal in the restaurant that would rival anywhere on land. And what do you think many of the private jet-chartering, pampered and privileged guests choose as their first bite onboard? A hot dog. A very delicious hot dog, dressed with sides and fries and special sauces, delivered on a silver tray, to be enjoyed on the balcony verandah. In a world where you can have whatever you want at any time, room service is the ultimate comfort food.
“SEABOURN IS VERY GOOD AT MAKING GUESTS FEEL AT HOME.”
DINING FLAIR
For such a high-end cruise line, Seabourn is very good at making guests feel at home. One of the first to introduce ‘anytime dining’, there’s no pressure to eat on a timetable or join in any scheduled activities. The only exception is The Grill by Thomas Keller, so popular it requires advance reservations. Keller, of famed Napa Valley restaurant, The French
Laundry, has designed a menu that hits all the classic notes, including Caesar Salad, prepared tableside, Lobster Thermidor and thick-cut prime New York strip steak.
It’s not the only exclusive partnership Seabourn has created. Fragrance experts Molton Brown have blended special bath, body and home scents for guests, inspired by the
destinations Seabourn visits. Guests can choose from five therapeutic bathing experiences, complete with rose petals. I’m still using the Immersive Samphire & Eucalyptus Home Mist that was left on my pillow one night.
WELLNESS ON THE WATER
In 2016, Seabourn announced a fleet-wide mindful living program in conjunction with integrative medicine expert Dr Andrew Weil, a first at sea. It has since attracted even more interest, with complimentary stretch and meditation classes, yoga sessions and onboard lectures about healthy ageing and spontaneous healing. A range of massages and facials are inspired by Dr Weil’s teachings. Some guests stay onboard during port days just to indulge in more treatments!
Entertainment is another Seabourn area that shines with the involvement of titans of the industry. Sir Tim Rice imagined a concert-style presentation of many of his greatest hits, from Evita’s ‘Don’t Cry for Me Argentina’ to The Lion King’s ‘Hakuna Matata’. We’re also treated to two delightful cabaret performances by Matthew Croke, who played Aladdin on the West End.
If the secret to a perfect cruise is the little things, the secret to clairvoyant service is knowing when to ask for feedback. A few days into the cruise, a note is left asking if anything – however minor – was niggling. All I could think of was the bar fridge door that didn’t unlatch as smoothly as it might have. By the time I had returned to my cabin after lunch, it glided open. No fuss, just fixed. That’s my idea of luxury.
VISIT MiNDFOOD.COM
A project imagined but never realised by Michelangelo was brought to life, floating above Rome’s Tiber river with helium balloons. mindfood.com/michelangelo-project