I was impressed from the moment I set eyes on this stunning ship, which is slightly larger than the line's other vessels, accommodating 600 passengers. Despite that, it never once felt busy or crowded, and the service was perfect and seamless from start-to-finish. The staff were upbeat, informative and (importantly) genuinely delighted to be back at sea.
Each suite aboard Ovation features its own veranda, and we loved sitting on ours - whether to eat breakfast, sip a morning coffee or just watch the world go by. Our suite also included fabulous furnishings, a huge television system, impressive marble bathroom and the services of an amazing butler, who was never once intrusive but always helpful! The (completely complimentary) in-suite mini-bar was also a wonderful touch.
Elsewhere on the ship, there was the amazing main pool (where there was always something go on) as well as quieter whirlpool decks which were ideal for getting away from the crowd. There's also a superb spa (created in partnership with Dr. Weil, a visionary pioneer in integrative medicine) and a state-of-the-art fitness centre. If there's anything that will motivate you to work out, it has to be that fabulous wall of windows overlooking the ocean!
The voyage I took was a roundtrip from Athens, which stopped at various gorgeous Greek and Cypriot ports, including Rhodes, Paphos and many more! There were so many inspiring excursions to choose from in each - from photography tours to cookery classes to historical daytrips with expert guides. While tough to choose as they were all simply stunning, my favourite destination had to be Santorini. It was my first time visiting the island and my expectations were not only matched but exceeded. We took a coach to Thira, the cascading caldera town that you'll probably picture when you think of Santorini, where we wandered along the super-cute streets, popped into the beautiful, boutique shops and had lunch at a lovely local restaurant. We also rode the famous cable car from Thira, which allowed for some seriously spellbinding views! Each time we sailed away from a port, there was low-key, tasteful entertainment held alfresco on the pool deck. I particularly loved the evening we sailed away from Paphos, during which we enjoyed Champagne and canapés, backed by the feel-good tunes of ABBA!
Throughout my luxury Seabourn cruise, the food was to-die-for, and there was a huge choice of restaurants. In fact, you can try a different venue for five nights without repeat (six, if you count in-suite dining). As well as the bountiful buffet and the main Restaurant (which served classic favourites and dishes inspired by the destination) there was the ever-so elegant Grill by Thomas Keller and an exciting new alfresco dining concept, Earth & Ocean at The Patio. I also loved the lunchtime bento boxes (filled with sushi, rice and soup) at the newly introduced Sushi restaurant. Even better, all of these dreamy dining venues were included in the voyage, complimentary fine wines were poured plentifully with lunch and dinner, and you could order anything you fancied at the many bars too.