Low Prices On All Seabourn Cruises

Seabourn is widely regarded for its no-upcharge approach to dining. Unlike most cruise lines, every restaurant on board—including specialty venues—is included in your cruise fare.

Key Dining Venues

• The Restaurant: The main, elegant dining room. It features open seating, meaning you can arrive whenever you like during dining hours and sit with whomever you choose.
• Solis: (New for 2026) Replacing The Grill by Thomas Keller, Solis focuses on modern, light Mediterranean coastal cuisine. It features fresh pastas, seafood, and signature dishes like Bistecca alla Fiorentina. Reservations are required and can be made via the Source app.
• The Colonnade: A more casual venue with indoor and outdoor seating. It serves lavish buffets for breakfast and lunch, while dinners are regionally themed with table service (e.g., Market Night or Adria Night).
• Earth & Ocean at The Patio: An al fresco evening experience poolside. The menu changes nightly and features global flavors served under the stars.
• Sushi / Sushi at The Club: Dedicated sushi restaurants are found on Encore and Ovation. On other ships, high-quality sushi is served in The Club during the evening.
• Seabourn Square: The living room of the ship, offering specialty coffees, pastries, sandwiches, and artisanal gelato throughout the day.

In-Suite Dining

Seabourn offers one of the best room service experiences at sea:

• 24-Hour Menu: A wide variety of appetizers, mains, and desserts available around the clock.
• Course-by-Course Service: During dinner hours, you can order from The Restaurant’s full menu and have it served in your suite or on your veranda, course-by-course, with white linens and silver service.

Dress Code (After 6:00 PM)

• Elegant Casual: The standard for most nights.
• Men: Slacks with a collared shirt or sweater; jacket is optional.
• Women: Slacks, skirt, blouse, or dress.

Note: Elegant jeans are permitted in all venues.

• Formal Optional: Typically held once on cruises up to 13 days and twice on 14+ day cruises.
• In The Restaurant: Men are required to wear a jacket (tuxedo or suit preferred); women should wear evening gowns or formal attire.

If you prefer not to dress up, all other venues remain Elegant Casual on these nights.

Dietary Requirements

Seabourn is highly proactive with dietary needs:

• Advance Notice: You should notify the line of allergies or restrictions (like Gluten-Free, Vegan, or Kosher) at least 6 weeks prior to sailing.
• Onboard Consultation: The Maitre d’ will typically meet with you on the first day to review menus and can often customize dishes with 24 hours’ notice.

Tip: While most dining is open-seating, Solis and the Sushi restaurant are very popular. It is recommended to book your one guaranteed reservation for Solis through the Source app as soon as you have paid your deposit.

Seabourn (as part of Carnival Corporation) currently maintains a policy where they reserve the right to implement a fuel surcharge, but they rarely exercise it unless oil prices hit extreme levels.

How the Policy Works

In your cruise contract, there is a Fuel Supplement clause. This allows Seabourn to add a daily charge to your booking—even after you have paid in full—if the price of fuel exceeds a specific threshold.

• The Threshold: Typically, if the price of light sweet crude oil (West Texas Intermediate) exceeds $70.00 per barrel on the NYMEX, the cruise line may trigger the surcharge.
• The Cost: If activated, the charge is usually capped at $9.00 USD per person, per day, applicable only to the first and second guests in a suite.

Deposit and Final Payment Schedule

To secure a suite, a 25% deposit is typically required within three days of making a reservation.

Note: Some promotional fares or restricted bookings may require a higher deposit or immediate full payment.

Cancellation & Refund Policy

If you cancel your cruise, the refund amount depends on how far in advance you notify Seabourn. For bookings made after late 2024 for 2026 sailings, the following standard schedule applies:

Cruises 21 Days or Less

• 121+ Days Out: Full refund (minus a $100 administrative fee per guest, which is usually returned as a Future Cruise Credit).
• 120–91 Days: 15% of total fare (loss of deposit).
• 90–61 Days: 50% of total fare.
• 60–46 Days: 75% of total fare.
• 45 Days or Less: 100% penalty (No refund).

Cruises 22–69 Days

• 151+ Days Out: Full refund (minus a $250 fee per guest as FCC).
• 150–121 Days: 15% of total fare.
• 120–91 Days: 50% of total fare.
• 90–76 Days: 75% of total fare.
• 75 Days or Less: 100% penalty.

Cruises 70+ Days (World Cruises): These have even stricter windows, often requiring 100% penalty for cancellations made within 90 days of departure.

Refund Methods

• Original Form of Payment: Refunds are typically issued back to the credit card used for the booking.
• Processing Time: It usually takes 60 to 90 days for Seabourn to process a refund to your account.
• Future Cruise Credits (FCC): If you cancel during the administrative fee period, that fee isn’t lost—it is held as a credit for your next booking.

Important Fine Print

• Non-Refundable Promotions: If you book a Flash Sale or a Non-Refundable Deposit fare, you will not receive a refund regardless of when you cancel.
• Air & Hotels: If you booked flights or hotels through Seabourn, they have their own separate cancellation scales (often 100% non-refundable after the final payment date).
• Travel Insurance: Seabourn offers Seabourn Shield, which provides a Cancel for Any Reason credit (usually 75–90% back in FCC) if your reason for cancelling isn’t covered by standard insurance.

Seabourn maintains a very strict smoking policy to ensure the comfort of all guests, particularly given the intimate size of their ships.

No Smoking in Suites or on Verandas

• Staterooms: Smoking of any kind (cigarettes, cigars, or pipes) is strictly prohibited inside all guest suites.
• Verandas: Smoking is prohibited on all private balconies and verandas.
• Penalty: Guests found smoking in their suites or on their verandas will be charged a $250 cleaning fee per day of the violation. Repeated violations can result in being asked to leave the ship without a refund.

Designated Smoking Areas

Smoking is only permitted in clearly marked outdoor areas. These areas vary slightly by ship class:

• Seabourn Odyssey, Sojourn, and Quest:
• Sky Bar (Deck 9): Starboard half of the open deck.
• Seabourn Square (Deck 7): Starboard half of the outdoor terrace. (This is the only area where pipes and cigars are permitted).
• Seabourn Encore and Ovation:
• Sky Bar (Deck 14): Starboard half of the open deck.
• Seabourn Square (Deck 7): Starboard half of the outdoor terrace.
• Seabourn Venture and Pursuit (Expedition Ships):
• Sky Bar (Deck 9): Starboard half of the open deck.

E-Cigarettes and Vaping

Seabourn is one of the few luxury lines with a specific carve-out for vaping:

• Inside Suites: The use of electronic cigarettes and personal vaporizers is permitted inside the confines of your guest suite.
• Verandas/Public Areas: Vaping is not permitted on your suite’s veranda or in any public indoor areas. In public, it is only allowed in the designated outdoor smoking areas mentioned above.

General Restrictions

• Indoor Venues: All indoor public areas—including lounges, bars, the casino, and dining venues—are entirely smoke-free.
• Fueling: Smoking is strictly prohibited on all open decks while the ship is in port and undergoing fuel bunkering operations.
• Marijuana: Despite its legal status in many regions, marijuana (including medicinal use and edibles) is strictly prohibited on all Seabourn vessels.

Seabourn offers a comprehensive travel protection program called SeabournShield. This is designed to protect your investment, especially given the high-end nature of luxury cruising and the remote destinations Seabourn often visits.

The Two-Part Protection Structure

SeabournShield is divided into two main components: one provided by Seabourn and the other by a third-party insurer (typically Arch Insurance or Generali).

• Part A: Cancellation Protection (Provided by Seabourn)
• Cancel for Any Reason: This is the standout feature. If you cancel for a reason not covered by the insurance portion (e.g., you simply changed your mind), Seabourn will provide a Future Cruise Credit (FCC) for a significant portion of the cancellation fee (usually 75–90%, depending on the plan version).
• Standard Cancellation: If you cancel for a covered reason (illness, jury duty, etc.), you receive a 100% cash refund of the prepaid cruise cost.
• Part B: Travel Insurance (Underwritten by Third Party)
• Trip Interruption: Coverage for the unused portion of your cruise if it’s cut short due to a covered reason.
• Trip Delay: Reimburses for meals and accommodations if your travel is delayed (usually $500–$1,000 limits).
• Baggage Protection: Covers lost, stolen, or damaged luggage and personal effects.

Medical and Emergency Coverage

Because Seabourn ships often sail in international waters or remote regions (like Antarctica), this is the most critical part of the plan:

• Medical Expenses: Covers costs for sickness or injury occurring during the trip. Limits for 2026 typically range from $10,000 to $50,000.
• Emergency Evacuation: This is vital for expedition cruises. It covers the cost of being airlifted or transported to the nearest adequate medical facility. Limits are usually around $50,000 to $250,000.

Note: If you are booking a World Cruise, Seabourn often includes a separate Medical Services Package as a perk, but this is different from travel insurance.

Pricing

The cost of SeabournShield is not a flat fee; it is calculated as a percentage of your total cruise fare.

• Expect to pay roughly 7% to 10% of your total trip cost.
• The premium is generally non-refundable once the Free Look period (usually 10–14 days after purchase) has passed.

Key Restrictions to Watch For

• Pre-Existing Conditions: To get a waiver for pre-existing conditions, you must typically purchase the protection plan within 14 to 21 days of making your initial deposit.
• Age-Based Pricing: Unlike many independent plans, Seabourn’s internal plan often does not increase in price based on the guest’s age, making it a potentially better value for older travelers.
• External Bookings: SeabournShield generally only covers items booked directly through Seabourn (cruise, Seabourn air, Seabourn hotels). If you booked your own flights or independent shore excursions, they may not be covered under this specific policy.

Pro Tip: If you have booked high-value independent airfare or private tours, you might want to compare SeabournShield with a third-party luxury travel policy (like those from Allianz or Travelex) to ensure your entire door-to-door investment is protected.

Seabourn’s tipping policy is incredibly straightforward and is one of the hallmarks of their ultra-luxury all-inclusive service.

The No Tipping Standard

The official policy is that tipping is neither required nor expected.

• Included in Fare: Gratuities for all onboard staff—including your suite host, dining room servers, and bartenders—are already built into your cruise fare.
• No Daily Surcharge: Unlike mainstream lines that add a $16–$20 daily service charge to your bill, you will see $0.00 for gratuities on your final statement.
• Staff Compensation: Seabourn staff are salaried at a higher rate to compensate for the lack of traditional tipping, which helps maintain a service-oriented rather than tip-hunting atmosphere.

Exceptions (Where Tipping is Customary)

While the ship itself is tip-free, there are three specific areas where tipping is still common:

• Shore Excursions: The no tipping rule does not apply to local guides and drivers in port. These are independent contractors. A tip of $5–$10 per person for a half-day tour or $10–$20 for a full day is customary and appreciated.
• Spa Services: While the base service is included, a service charge (often 18%) is frequently added to spa and salon treatments. It is worth checking your receipt to see if this is already included before adding anything extra.
• Porters: Luggage handlers at the pier are not Seabourn employees; tipping $2–$5 per bag is standard.

Can you tip extra?

If a crew member provides truly exceptional service, you are permitted to offer an additional cash tip at your discretion.

• Crew Fund: Many guests prefer to make a donation to the Crew Fund at the Guest Service desk. This money is used for crew parties, amenities, and off-duty excursions, benefiting the entire team (including those behind the scenes like laundry and engine room staff).
• Comment Cards: In the luxury world, a glowing mention by name on your mid-cruise or final survey is often more valuable to a crew member than a cash tip, as it directly impacts their promotions and bonus eligibility.

All-Suite, Oceanview Accommodations
Every Seabourn guest stays in a spacious oceanview suite, most featuring a private veranda. Luxurious furnishings, walk-in closets, marble bathrooms, and personalized in-suite service elevate the onboard experience.

Nearly All-Inclusive Luxury
Seabourn cruise fares include fine dining, premium spirits, champagne, wines, gratuities, onboard entertainment, and enrichment programs offering exceptional value in ultra-luxury cruising.

Intimate, Yacht-Like Ships
With small, elegant ships carrying fewer guests, Seabourn delivers a relaxed atmosphere, easy navigation onboard, and access to exclusive ports unreachable by larger cruise ships.

World-Class Dining Experiences
Menus curated by Michelin-starred chefs showcase gourmet cuisine crafted with premium ingredients, regional flavors, and open-seating dining with no fixed schedules or assigned tables.

Exceptional Personalized Service
A high staff-to-guest ratio ensures attentive, intuitive service. The crew quickly learns guest preferences, creating a highly personalized and welcoming experience.

Carefully Curated Global Itineraries
Seabourn sails to iconic destinations and lesser-visited ports across Europe, the Mediterranean, Alaska, Antarctica, Asia, Africa, and beyond, offering immersive cultural experiences.

Award-Winning Expedition Cruises
Seabourn’s expedition fleet provides expert-led voyages to remote regions, featuring Zodiac landings, kayaking, and guided exploration with a highly trained expedition team.

Refined Yet Relaxed Atmosphere
Seabourn combines elegant surroundings with a casual, stress-free onboard culture no formal seating times, no pressure to dress up, and a sophisticated social ambiance.

Enrichment and Cultural Programs
Guests enjoy lectures from destination experts, historians, naturalists, and guest speakers, enhancing each voyage with meaningful insights and discovery.

Wellness and Spa Excellence
Seabourn’s spa and wellness programs focus on relaxation, fitness, and holistic well-being, offering treatments, fitness classes, and tranquil spaces at sea.

Exclusive Shore Experiences
Select itineraries include unique experiences such as private events, cultural immersions, and complimentary expedition activities that bring destinations to life.

Outstanding Value for Ultra-Luxury Travelers
When considering inclusions, personalized service, and destination access, Seabourn delivers one of the best values in ultra-luxury cruising.

What is included in a Seabourn cruise fare?
Seabourn fares typically include luxury accommodations, all dining venues, premium beverages, gratuities, onboard entertainment, and enrichment programs.

Are drinks included on Seabourn cruises?
Yes, complimentary premium spirits, fine wines, champagne, and non-alcoholic beverages are included.

Does Seabourn offer Wi-Fi?
Complimentary internet is included, with enhanced packages available for guests who need higher bandwidth.

Are shore excursions included?
Select excursions and special experiences may be included, depending on the itinerary. Additional excursions are available for purchase.

What is the dress code onboard?
The dress code is elegant casual during the day and evenings, with optional formal attire on select nights.

Are Seabourn ships large?
No, Seabourn operates small, intimate ships designed to access ports that larger vessels cannot reach.

Is Seabourn suitable for first-time luxury cruisers?
Yes, Seabourn is an excellent choice for travelers new to luxury cruising due to its inclusive pricing and attentive service.

Does Seabourn offer spa and wellness services?
Yes, guests can enjoy a full-service spa, fitness center, and wellness-focused programs onboard.

Can special dietary needs be accommodated?
Yes, Seabourn accommodates special dietary requests with advance notice.

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