Our Veranda Suite on board the Seabourn Encore

For the first time, we board the Seabourn Encore from Seabourn Cruises. She was built by Fincantieri (Italy) for Seabourn Cruise Line and delivered on November 30, 2016. She is the sister ship of the Seabourn Ovation. The Seabourn Encore is 210 meters long, 28 meters wide and offers space for around 600 guests on 12 decks. On our trip there are 577 guests, mainly Americans, English, Australians and Canadians. So we board a small luxury cruise ship with mainly English-speaking passengers.

Let’s go on board the Seabourn Encore

We board the ship in Piraeus and are already very excited about the luxurious Seabourn Encore. Our Veranda Suite is on deck 7 and therefore close to the stores, Seabourn Square and the Coffee Bar. There is also a whirlpool on deck 7 at the bow, which is often rarely used and offers a fantastic view. You can find out more in our article TOP 10 activities on board the Seabourn Encore. Deck 7 is therefore a great starting point for discovering the ship.

As soon as we step on board the cruise ship, we are impressed by the exclusive service. Cruise Director Ross Roberts greets every single passenger with a handshake and a smile on his face. Then we continue to discover our Suite 757. We step into a long hallway with a bathroom to the right and then a walk-in closet a little further on. Further straight ahead is our sleeping and living area with adjoining balcony. We are greeted with ice-cold champagne and an impressive bouquet of flowers – the perfect start to our cruise.

A few minutes after we arrive in the suite, the doorbell rings and our cabin steward greets us with a glass of mimosa and a few canapés. We also receive a selection of soaps from various renowned brands. We are completely blown away by the first-class service and hospitality on board.

The cabin in detail

The entrance area of the suite has two doors on the right. One leads to the bathroom and the other to the walk-in closet. Between these doors is a large mirror with shelf and stool, so that the space can be used for hairdressing or applying make-up. Next comes the comfortable king-size bed, which can be converted into two single beds if required. High-quality bed linen, a large selection of pillows and a huge mirror behind the bed give us a cozy feeling of comfort and relaxation. The two bedside tables next to the bed have two drawers and reading lamps.

In addition to the spacious walk-in closet, which is particularly advantageous for longer trips, the suite offers numerous storage options – from drawers to shelves, which are practically and thoughtfully integrated. For the first time when traveling, we don’t need all the storage space and have enough room to hang all our clothes for two people.

The offer is completed with the modern entertainment system with many TV channels, the free PressReader® app, many 110 and 220 volt sockets and the highly developed lighting concept. The lighting concept takes some getting used to at first, as many switches turn various motion detectors on and off. But you can quickly find the right choice to enable you to get up at night with dimmed lighting. There are nightlights by the bed and in the bathroom.

The living area of the suite is equipped with a comfortable seating area, ideal for relaxing evenings in the cabin. There is also a folder with information about life on board. There is also a daily program “The Herald” and the Dining Guide for the restaurants. There is a large sofa and a glass dining table with two armchairs opposite. We use the dining table a lot, either for eating when it’s too hot on the balcony or for working. The floor-to-ceiling windows provided a wonderful view of the sea and our veranda.

The minibar and bar counter

Particularly noteworthy is the minibar with insuite bar, which can be stocked according to personal preference and contains various glasses. Soft drinks, beer and water are available on arrival and are replenished daily. These drinks are all included. However, the insuite bar can be stocked with additional spirits or wine as desired. Many guests take advantage of this offer to mix themselves an aperitif with a bottle of gin and tonic in the fridge, for example, or to enjoy a whisky on the veranda after dinner. You can also have the bar stocked with various wines and champagnes. The cabin steward will be happy to bring a card so that you can see what is included in the inclusive selection.

The bathroom

One of the absolute highlights of the suite is the spacious bathroom with marble design, which offers a real wellness experience with a bathtub, two washbasins and a spacious shower. The Molton Brown products from the “Inspiring Basil & Vetiver” and “Immersive Samphire & Eucalyptus” ranges were specially developed for Seabourn and lent an exclusive touch. There is shower gel, shampoo, conditioner and body lotion from Molton Brown. If we want to use a fragrance other than Basil & Vetiver in the shower, we can choose between four other products. You can choose from: Coastal Cypress & Sea Fennel, Fiery Pink Pepper, Orange & Bergamot and Heavenly Gingerlily. We simply try a different variety every day and feel like we’re on a wellness trip. There are also various soaps to choose from. Simply fabulous.

There is also a box of cotton balls, a magnifying mirror, shower caps, toothbrush mugs, cosmetic tissues and an emergency telephone in the bathroom.

The walk-in closet

In addition to the bathroom, the walk-in closet also impressed us across the board. The variety of hangers and hanging options is impressive. Whether short items of clothing, pants or long evening dresses – everything has its place, which is invaluable, especially on longer cruises. Two fluffy bathrobes are already hanging here for us and the matching, super soft slippers are ready and waiting. We also find the safe and hairdryer here, as well as umbrellas for bad weather and, of course, our life jackets. We can store T-shirts, jewelry and other items in the five drawers and, conveniently, the door to the walk-in closet has a large mirror across the entire front.

The walk-in closet in the suite

Our favorite place: The veranda

Our favorite spot in the suite is the veranda with two sun loungers with footstools and a small table. It is a real pleasure to have breakfast served on the balcony while enjoying the breathtaking view of the sea. The table is always set and prepared. Those who like it very luxurious should have caviar and champagne served free of charge on the veranda for an aperitif in the evening. Simply call room service and a little later the table is set with a beautiful white cloth tablecloth, the caviar is arranged and the ice-cold champagne is served. The champagne included on board is from the Montaudon brand. Champagne Montaudon was founded in 1891 in Epernay, the heart of Champagne, by cellar master Auguste Louis. The moments of pleasure on the veranda are a real experience for us and truly unforgettable.

Our conclusion about the cabin

All in all, our suite on the Seabourn Encore is a perfect oasis of peace and comfort – with thoughtful details and furnishings that leave nothing to be desired. There is even a really well-functioning and fast Unlimited Internet Package. Overall, the attention to detail and excellent service made our stay a real experience.

Many thanks to Seabourn Cruise Line for the voyage on the Seabourn Encore. This article is not sponsored, we are only reporting on our own impressions.