Five Things to Know About Seabourn's Encore Cruise Ship

Designer Adam D. Tihany’s goal was to make Seabourn Encore feel like a luxury yacht. And indeed, intimate, elegant spaces swathed in mahogany and nautical colors abound. But what most passengers will notice are the curves: the piazza-like Seabourn Square has been transformed into a circular space and you’ll be hard pressed to find a bar or a piece of furniture with a single hard edge. Another sexy touch: a spherical skylight above the Observation Bar.

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Spacious and stylish, even the smallest stateroom on this all-suite ship has outdoor space. Sizes range from 246 square feet for the smallest Veranda Suite, each of which comes with a walk-in closet and marble bathroom, to 989 square feet for the Wintergarden suites, which stun with a large balcony and a glassed-in solarium with a tub and a day bed.

This is the second Seabourn ship with The Grill by Thomas Keller, a riff on the classic American chophouse. Expect tableside preparations of Caesar salad and traditional favorites like lobster thermidor and creamed spinach. New to Seabourn is the Japanese restaurant Sushi, decorated in the shades, says Tihany, of a delicate Japanese eggshell. The main dining room is called The Restaurant. There, guests choose among cruise classics like beef carpaccio and filet mignon, and creative options like chipotle-glazed escargots and sautéed scallops in coconut curry. You can also go casual at The Colonnade, where menus are regionally themed, or al fresco at poolside grill The Patio.

When Encore launched, so did the Onboard Spa by Steiner’s partnership with Dr. Andrew Weill. The program is helmed by the ship’s new Wellness Guide, a yoga and mediation instructor. Along with seminars created by Weill, multiple meditation and yoga lessons will be offered, including classes that focus on healing the body or mind.

Another first on the Seabourn Encore is The Retreat, 15 private luxury cabanas shaded with sail-like canopies on Deck 12. For a fee, expect a day of attentive service, cool cocktails, tasty bites, soaks in the hot tub, and, if you wish, a treatment in the spa cabana.