Seabourn takes delivery of third ship from Mariotti

Carnival Corporation & plc’s Seabourn cruise brand took delivery of the new 450-guest Seabourn Quest yesterday at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The intimate, all-suite ship is the third vessel constructed by Mariotti for Seabourn’s fleet, completing a three-year expansion that increased the ultra-luxury line’s capacity by more than 200 percent.

“We are very pleased and excited to take delivery of Seabourn Quest,” said Richard Meadows, Seabourn’s president. “She is a beautiful vessel, and I have no doubt she will earn as much praise from the experts, and as much affection from our guests as her two sister-ships. Her officers, staff and crew are ready to welcome travelers on board to experience Seabourn-style cruising on our newest ship.”

Emmy- and Tony Award-winning actress Blythe Danner will serve as godmother and name the ship during a glittering sunset ceremony at the port of Barcelona on June 20, 2011. That evening, the ship will depart on a 14-day Maiden Voyage to Athens, stopping at the sort of beautiful seaside towns in France, Italy, Greece and Turkey that are a hallmark of the Seabourn cruise experience.

Seabourn Quest’s maiden season includes seven-day Eastern Mediterranean cruises, operating alternately between Athens and Istanbul, and Venice and Athens, as well as a seven-day Black Sea voyage. In the fall, the ship will cruise across the Atlantic Ocean from Malaga, Spain, to Fort Lauderdale, Fla., from where it will sail on a series of round trip voyages in the Caribbean. On January 5, 2012, Seabourn Quest will begin a 109-day Maiden World Cruise from Ft. Lauderdale to Venice on a unique eastbound course via South America, South Africa, the Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and the Mediterranean.

Seabourn Quest is the third iteration of the sleek and widely admired design that first appeared as Seabourn Odyssey in June 2009, and has been hailed as “a game-changer for the luxury segment.” The second sister-ship, Seabourn Sojourn, entered service in June of 2010.

Ship’s Registry: The Bahamas

Guest capacity: 450

Crew members: 335

Tonnage: 32,000 grt

Length: 650 feet

Breadth: 84 feet

Draft: 21 feet

Cruising speed: 19 knots

June 1, 2011