Recently I sailed on the Seabourn Odyssey’s seven day, Southern Caribbean cruise. We embarked from Bridgetown, Barbados on an amazing itinerary through the Caribbean. Because this ship was small and intimate, with a capacity of only 450 guests, we were able to enjoy the smaller ports on the islands of St Lucia, Antigua, Tortola, St Kitts, and Bequia. This particular sailing could be extended to a 14-day trip with visits to several more island.
Seabourn specializes in a luxury sailing experience, with a nearly 1:1 ratio of guest to staff, their focus is entirely on the client experience. It wasn’t long before the staff knew our names and our dining preferences. Even though this was my first time on a Seabourn cruise, I immediately felt like part of the Seabourn family. I was impressed with the number of passengers who had sailed on many previous Seabourn sailings.
All cabins in the Seabourn fleet are ocean front suites. I enjoyed the comforts of the Veranda Suite which included a full bathroom with separate tub and shower, walk in closet, spacious sitting area and baloney with bistro table and chairs. It was a complete treat to wake each morning and enjoy the vista of a new Caribbean island from the convenience of my balcony.
The food on board is exceptional. On the Odyssey there was the option of a formal restaurant, a more casual buffet experience with daily chef specials, the intimate Thomas Keller Italian Grill, the outdoor bar and grill by the pool, and of course in suite dining. Each dining experience was unique and delicious with a large variety of choices. One of my favorite treats was the afternoon English tea in the observation lounge. A beautiful and yummy selection of tiny English sandwiches, cakes, and scones with a wide view of the open sea.
Additionally, Seabourn is a genuinely all inclusive experience with no added costs for gratuities, drinks, or specialty dining experiences. On-board WIFI is also included. The on-board entertainment was classy and enjoyable. Our sailing had a young, talented pianist that could conquer any type of music. There was also an archeologist historian who gave nightly lectures on relevant topics like ancient buried treasures and the pirates parading around the Caribbean. My favorite evening event though was the ship dance party held on the pool deck one beautiful night under the stars.
The highlight of this cruise for me was the unique, small ports we were able to visit. Even with the restrictions of covid, the experience was exceptional.
Rodney Bay, St Lucia
Because of the intimate number of passengers on our ship, those that wanted to go ashore could easily tendered to Rodney Bay for shore excursions. I chose to the Creole experience, where I enjoyed dancing, food, and a tour of a local family farm. Afterwards, a trip up the steep hills to an island estate with a beautifully manicured botanical garden.
St. John’s Antigua
Normally St. John would be a busting cruise port, but Covid has put a temporary damper on this. We were required to stay with our tour operator at all times. We enjoyed a sea kayaking experience around a mangrove filled island followed by a snorkel and private island beach visit. The snorkeling was amazing with plenty of coral and colorful fish to enjoy.
Road Town, Tortola
I choose to take another snorkeling adventure today, the Caribbean is generally a perfect location for this kind of activity. In addition to the coral and colorful fish we also saw a sea turtle and a giant sea bass. Our excursion ended with a relaxing visit to another private beach.
Carambola Beach, St. Kitts & Nevis
After a morning visit to the UNESCO site of Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park, an early military fort that toggled between ownership of the French and English, we spent our afternoon on the beach. Today we enjoyed one of Seabourn’s signature events - Beach BBQ and Caviar on the Surf. We smiled as the captain arrived at the beach aboard an inflatable raft waiving a Seabourn Flag. The crew had already prepped a surf board with crackers and caviar. We marveled at their skillful attention to passing out caviar and drinks without being swamped by the surf.
Port Elizabeth, Bequia the Grenadines
We toured this tiny island in the back of small pick-up trucked - lined with benches and a protective canopy. This was a great way to see the sights. Because of Covid restrictions and the inability to interact with others on the Island, after the tour, Seabourn arranged a visit to a private beach where we could relax for the afternoon.
Bridgetown, Barbados
We had a late afternoon flight from Barbados back the US, so opted for the shore excursion and transfer to the airport this morning. We took a scenic drive around the island hugging the coast and enjoying the colorful store fronts and scenery. The tour concluded with a relaxing lunch on a hilltop over looking Bridgetown and the coast.
Happy travels!
All the best,
Lara Maxfield
Morris Murdock Travel - Salt Lake City
(801) 483-6436
Email me
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