11 August - Titanic Belfast extends a warm welcome to the luxury cruising yacht MV Seabourn Quest. The 32,348-ton motor vessel is the latest addition to the prestigious Seabourn Cruises fleet and completes the three ship Odyssey class costing a combined total of $750m to construct. Built by the Italian shipbuilder T. Mariotti at Genoa as Yard No. 64, the vessel entered service in June 2011. With her identical sisters Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn the class continues a policy begun in 1988 with the companys first ship Seabourn Pride. Many, including this writer, remember fondly cruises in her and the impact this vessel had on an industry that was largely offering little more than package holidays afloat. The company, part of Carnival Corporation, took a courageous step entering the luxury end of a market which twenty-six years ago was considered a niche and best served by providing penthouse accommodation and private restaurants in existing vessels. Seabourn proved the competition wrong and their well-heeled, well-travelled and mostly 50 something clientele have enjoyed a standard of service describe by many as six-star. The Odyssey class are elegant vessels. Designed by the famous Norwegian firm of Yran & Storbraaten Architects, their swept back superstructures and uncluttered profiles make it rather difficult to appreciate the size of these vessels that would not look out of place moored alongside the palatial private yachts at Monaco. When Seabourn Odyssey, the first member of the class, entered service in 2009 she was hailed as a game changer for offering a wealth of amenities made possible by one of the highest ratios of space per guest in the cruise industry. The 650 ft long vessel has accommodation for 450-passengers with 335 crew and with almost everything on board included in the price of you ticket (drinks are included) for many luxury is also a cost effective option for visiting some of the worlds most stylish destinations in the company of like minded people. Discover more cruise ship and ocean liner history at titanicbelfast (main picture) When beauty goes to sea. The elegant lines of Seabourn Quest pictured during her trial voyage. (left) Seabourn Quests main dinning room, understated as much of the rest of her interiors are, but with food and service rated six-star by her discerning clientele. (centre) Seabourn Quest has its own marina for water sports. (right) Yard No. 64 at her building berth in Genoa. What lies beneath that elegant shape is a an electrically welded and crafted hull with interiors incorporating the finest materials. Images courtesy Seabourn Cruises
Posted on: Mon, 11 Aug 2014 04:00:00 +0000
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