Congratulations, Yachts of Seabourn! Seabourn Sojourn is Delivered

Congratulations to everyone at the Yachts of Seabourn! The cruise line has officially taken delivery of its newest yacht, the 450-passenger Seabourn Sojourn. (See new photos of the ship at Seabourn's blog.) This is the second ship in a trio that also includes Odyssey (launched last summer and one of my favorite luxury cruise ships of all time) and Quest (launching next summer).

Sojourn was built at the Mariotti shipyard in Genoa and is now on her way to London where media events, her naming ceremony, and inauguration will take place. British supermodel Twiggy is the ship's godmother and will be at the festivities. On June 5, the ship will host a benefit for nonprofit Breast Cancer Haven before welcoming guests for her maiden voyage on June 6.

I'm a fan of Seabourn Odyssey and expect to cotton to Sojourn as well. Here are some of the things I especially like about the larger Seabourn ships:

• Ship Exterior—Seabourn Odyssey is a gorgeous ship and the spa atrium certainly gives the vessel a unique and sleek line.

• Pool on Deck 8—I could spend an entire cruise lazying by the pool on Odyssey. There is plenty of shade, two whirlpools kept at the perfect temperature, and a large (by cruise ship standards) pool. Service by the pool is also excellent; the watermelon smoothies and ice cream sandwiches are especially refreshing. (There is also a pool and two whirlpools on Deck 5 aft. This is a lovely, quiet spot but a bit too sunny for my liking.)

• Retractable Marina—I am not a strong swimmer so Odyssey's retractable Marina is a dream come true for me. Within the safety of what I like to call the "swimming basket," I can enjoy swimming in the sea without the panic! My husband prefers to spend his time at the Marina by taking out a kayak or going windsurfing.

• The Crew—I always enjoy speaking with Seabourn's affable crew members and the level of service they routinely provide always impresses me.

While plenty of Seabourn loyalist still prefer the smaller triplets—Seabourn Legend, Pride, and Spirit—Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest will appeal to cruisers who enjoy a midsize ship and a slightly larger crowd.

A few travel agents and travel writers will be reporting live from the new Seabourn Sojourn at the end of this week. I look forward to hearing these "first look" reports as I cruise the Adriatic with Silversea's new Silver Spirit. I'll be departing Venice this Saturday!

Cheers once again to Seabourn! Sojourn looks to be a gorgeous new mega-yacht and I look forward to sailing with her soon!

For more information, talk with your travel agent or contact Seabourn at 1-(800) 929-9391.

—Andrea M. Rotondo for LuxuryCruiseBible.com

Photo © Andrea M. Rotondo