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Seabourn Cruise Line

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Seabourn Cruise Line
Company typeSubsidiary
IndustryTourism
Founded1986 (1986)
HeadquartersSeattle, Washington, United States
Key people
  • Natalya Leahy, President
ServicesCruises
ParentCarnival Corporation & plc
Websitewww.seabourn.com

Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury small ship cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington.[1] It is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc.

History

Seabourn's first ship Seabourn Pride in 1993

Seabourn Cruise Line was founded in 1986 under the name "Signet Cruise Lines" by the Norwegian private investor Atle Brynestad and Warren S. Titus.[2] The name "Seabourn Cruise Line" was adopted shortly afterward following objections over trademark ownership by Signet Oil.[3]

Its first ship, Seabourn Pride, entered service in 1988, followed by an identical sister, Seabourn Spirit, in 1989. A third vessel, originally planned for 1990, was delayed due to investors' financial constraints and was ultimately purchased by Royal Viking Line in 1992 as Royal Viking Queen. In 1995, Royal Viking Queen was transferred to a Kloster subsidiary, Royal Cruise Line, as Queen Odyssey.

In 1991, Carnival Corporation purchased a 25% stake in Seabourn. Carnival Corporation increased its stake to 50% in 1996, providing the company sufficient capital to purchase the Queen Odyssey, which was then renamed Seabourn Legend.

In 1998, in partnership with a consortium of a Norwegian businessmen, Carnival purchased the remaining 50% stake in Seabourn, as well as acquiring the Cunard Line from Kvaerner ASA, and merged the two brands into an entity called Cunard Line. In 1999, three Cunard ships, Sea Goddess I, Sea Goddess II, and Royal Viking Sun were transferred into the Seabourn fleet as Seabourn Goddess I, Seabourn Goddess II, and Seabourn Sun.[4]

In 2001, Carnival bought out the Norwegian shareholders, and Seabourn's parent company became a wholly owned subsidiary of Carnival. That summer, Seabourn Goddess I and Seabourn Goddess II were sold to Seabourn's original founder, Atle Brynestad, in order to establish his own cruise line SeaDream Yacht Club. In 2002, Seabourn Sun was transferred to the Carnival-owned Holland America Line, reducing the Seabourn fleet to its three original sister ships, and the company was demerged from Cunard Line and reorganized as a stand-alone operating brand of Carnival Corporation & plc.

Seabourn Odyssey, lines first new build in almost 20 years

In October 2006, Seabourn ordered three new, 32,000-ton cruise ships from Genoa's T. Mariotti shipyard. The first, named Seabourn Odyssey entered service in 2009, followed by the Seabourn Sojourn in 2010 and the Seabourn Quest in June 2011. The three ships share most features. The Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest have a maximum passenger capacity of 450 guests, quartered in 225 suite cabins, 90% of which have a balcony. The 650-foot (200 m) vessels cost approximately US$250 million each. The ships have 11 decks, an 11,500-square-foot (1,070 m2) indoor/outdoor spa, and four alternative dining venues.[5][6]

On March 31, 2011, Seabourn moved operations from Miami, Florida, to the Holland America Line quarters in Seattle, Washington.[7]

The luxury cruise ship Seabourn Ovation in the Mediterranean Sea

It was announced on February 19, 2013, that Seabourn reached an agreement with Windstar Cruises for the sale of the three smaller Seabourn ships. Seabourn Pride departed the fleet in April 2014, sisters Seabourn Legend & Seabourn Spirit departed in April and May 2015, respectively. No cruises were cancelled as the ships sailed with Seabourn until their initial dry dock periods.[8]

On October 18, 2013, Seabourn announced it had signed a Letter of Intent for the construction of a new cruise ship with Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri. The new ship was modeled after the line's three newest vessels, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest. Delivery was completed in 2016.[9] The vessel replaced the capacity that left the Seabourn brand with the sale of Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend. In July 2018, the cruise line announced it would add two expedition ships to its fleet. Seabourn Venture was delivered on June 29, 2022 and inaugural voyage on July 27, 2022.[10] Seabourn Pursuit is scheduled for delivery in February 2023.

On March 16, 2023 Seabourn announced that Seabourn Odyssey would be sold to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL). The ship will remain with the brand under a charter agreement through the end of August 2024.[11]

Fleet

The company's fleet currently consists of five vessels, with two sets of sister ships.

Current fleet

Ship Image Delivered Builder In
service
for
Seabourn		 Gross Tonnage Flag Notes
Seabourn Sojourn June 2010 T. Mariotti 2010–present 32,346 GT  Bahamas Godmother: Twiggy
Seabourn Quest June 2011 T. Mariotti 2011–present 32,348 GT  Bahamas Godmother: Blythe Danner
Seabourn Encore[12] November 2016 Fincantieri 2016–present 41,865 GT  Bahamas Largest ship to be built for Seabourn

Godmother: Sarah Brightman

Seabourn Ovation[12] April 2018 Fincantieri 2018–present 41,865 GT  Bahamas Sister to Seabourn Encore

Godmother: Elaine Page

Seabourn Venture June 2022[13] T. Mariotti[14] 2022–present ~ 23,000 GT  Bahamas
Seabourn Pursuit July 2023[16] T. Mariotti 2023-present ~ 23,000 GT  Bahamas Sister ship to Seabourn Venture.[17]

Former fleet vessels

Ship Image Built Builder In service for Seabourn Cruise Line Gross Tonnage Flag Status as of 2020
Seabourn Goddess I 1984 Wärtsilä
Helsinki Shipyard		 1999–2001 4,253 tons  Bahamas Transferred to SeaDream Yacht Club as SeaDream I.
Seabourn Goddess II 1985 Wärtsilä
Helsinki Shipyard		 1999–2001 4,253 tons  Bahamas Transferred to SeaDream Yacht Club as SeaDream II.
Seabourn Sun 1988 Wärtsilä Marine
Perno Shipyard		 1999–2002 38,848 tons  Bahamas Currently sailing for Phoenix Reisen as MS Amera.
Seabourn Pride 1988 Schichau Seebeckwerft 1989–2014 9,975 tons  Bahamas Transferred to Windstar Cruises as Star Pride.[8]
Seabourn Spirit 1988 Schichau Seebeckwerft 1989–2015 9,975 tons  Bahamas Transferred to Windstar Cruises as Star Breeze.[8]
Seabourn Legend 1992 Schichau Seebeckwerft 1995–2015 9,975 tons  Bahamas Transferred to Windstar Cruises as Star Legend.[8]
Seabourn Odyssey
2009 T. Mariotti 2009–2024 32,346 GT Bahamas Sold to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) in March 2023 and leased back to Seabourn until ship's exit in August 2024

See also

References

  1. ^ "Seabourn". Cruise Lines International Association. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  2. ^ "Our History". Seabourn. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  3. ^ Lewis, Ian (15 May 2013). "A History of Seabourn". Six Star Cruises Luxury Cruise News. Retrieved 26 June 2022.
  4. ^ About Seabourn Cruise Line, Cruise Critic, retrieved March 14, 2008.
  5. ^ Seabourn Cruise Line orders two new ultra luxury ships, Seabourn Cruise Line - press release, October 19, 2006
  6. ^ "Zigging When They Zag: Seabourn Builds Its Future on Small Ships". Reuters. April 14, 2008. Archived from the original on April 10, 2012. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  7. ^ "Seabourn's Headquarters Relocating to Seattle, Washington". The Sovereign Cruise Club. January 7, 2011. Retrieved 16 August 2011.
  8. ^ a b c d "Windstar Completes Purchase of Three Seabourn Ships - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. 19 February 2013. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  9. ^ "Seabourn Confirms New Ship Order from Fincantieri - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News". www.cruiseindustrynews.com. 18 October 2013. Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  10. ^ "Seabourn Venture's inaugural cruise is canceled". seatrade-cruise.com. 2022-06-08. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  11. ^ "Seabourn Announces Sale of Seabourn Odyssey to MOL Group for delivery in September 2024".
  12. ^ a b "Seabourn Encore". Retrieved 2016-06-04.
  13. ^ "Seabourn Takes Delivery of Seabourn Venture". www.seabourn.com. Retrieved 2022-08-03.
  14. ^ "Keel Laid for New Seabourn Venture". Cruise Industry News. Dec 4, 2019. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
  15. ^ "Seabourn Cancels More Voyages; Delays New Ship To December 2021". 2020-08-31. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  16. ^ "SEABOURN TAKES DELIVERY OF SEABOURN PURSUIT, THE LINE'S SECOND PURPOSE-BUILT ULTRA-LUXURY EXPEDITION SHIP". 2023-07-31. Retrieved 2023-08-05.
  17. ^ "First steel cut for Seabourn's second new purpose-built expedition ship". 2020-09-17. Retrieved 2021-03-22.
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