By
Rebecca Gibson |
Seabourn has taken delivery of its newest vessel, Seabourn Ovation, during an official handover ceremony at Fincantieri’s Sestri shipyard in Genoa, Italy.
The 40,350gt Seabourn Ovation is the line’s fifth ship and is a sister to Seabourn Encore, which was delivered by Fincantieri’s Marghera shipyard in Italy at the end of 2016. She was handed over to her new owners in a ceremony attended by Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri; Paolo Capobianco, director of Fincantieri Shipyard Sestre; Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn; Micky Arison, chairman of Seabourn’s parent company Carnival Corporation; Giovanni Toti, Governor of Liguria; and Marco Bucci, Mayor of the city of Genoa.
“We are delighted to take delivery of Seabourn Ovation, offering yet another reason for luxury travellers around the world to choose us for their next holiday,” said Meadows. “It has been an incredible journey to see the ship come to life, and the Fincantieri team has done a fantastic job in the construction of the ship. The combination of Adam Tihany’s design vision and Fincantieri’s fine craftsmanship have resulted in yet another stunning creation. We are very proud to welcome her to the Seabourn family.”
Featuring interiors created by hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, Seabourn Ovation will be able to accommodate 600 guests in 300 suites, all of which have private verandas with space for al fresco dining and ocean views. Suites also have a living area with sofa seating and a desk/dining table, a walk-in closet, a marble bathroom with separate bath and shower, in-suite entertainment options; and a personal bar and refrigerator stocked according to guest preferences.
Other onboard highlights include a restaurant curated by Michelin-starred chef Thomas Keller, exclusive entertainment created by lyricist Sir Tim Rice in association with Belinda King Creative Productions; spa and wellness experiences created by US-based integrative medicine specialist Andrew Weil; and much more.
The vessel also has multiple systems to increase her energy efficiency and minimise her environmental impact.
“It has been a great honour for all of us at Fincantieri to work with the Seabourn and Carnival Corporation teams to bring to life such a beautiful ship that in many ways is a true work of art,” said Bono. “There was an extraordinary level of luxury elements and complexity involved in the construction of Seabourn Ovation, and as always our team of world-class ship builders rose to the occasion. It is with much pride that we hand over a ship that sets the new standard in ultra-luxury cruising, and it is exciting that Seabourn guests from around the world will soon be enjoying wonderful cruise holidays on this magnificent luxury vessel.”
Seabourn Ovation will start her inaugural season with an 11-day voyage from Venice, Italy to Barcelona, Spain on 5 May. The ship will be christened by British actress and singer Elaine Paige OBE on 11 May in Valletta, Malta, which is a UNESCO World Heritage site and the 2018 European Capital of Culture.
Following her naming ceremony, Seabourn Ovation will spend most of her maiden season sailing seven-day Baltic and Scandinavian sailings between Copenhagen, Denmark and Stockholm, Sweden. She will also offer 14-day voyages to the Norwegian fjords and British Isles.