Vancouver is a delicious juxtaposition of urban sophistication and on-your-doorstep wilderness adventure.
The mountains and seascape make the city an outdoor playground for hiking, skiing, kayaking, cycling, and sailing—and so much more—while the cuisine and arts scenes are equally diverse, reflecting the makeup of Vancouver's ethnic (predominantly Asian) mosaic.
Vancouver is consistently ranked as one of the world's most livable cities, and it's easy for visitors to see why.
It's beautiful, it's outdoorsy, and there's a laidback West Coast vibe.
On the one hand, there's easy access to a variety of outdoor activities, a fabulous variety of beaches, and amazing parks.
At the same time, the city has a multicultural vitality and cosmopolitan flair.
The attraction is as much in the range of food choices—the fresh seafood and local produce are some of North America's best—as it is in the museums, shopping, and nightlife.Vancouver's landscaping also adds to the city's walking appeal.
In spring, flowerbeds spill over with tulips and daffodils while sea breezes scatter scented cherry blossoms throughout Downtown; in summer office workers take to the beaches, parks, and urban courtyards for picnic lunches and laptop meetings.
More than 8 million visitors each year come to Vancouver, Canada's third-largest metropolitan area.
Because of its peninsula location, traffic flow is a contentious issue.
Thankfully, Vancouver is wonderfully walkable, especially in the downtown core.
The North Shore is a scoot across the harbor, and the rapid-transit system to Richmond and the airport means that staying in the more affordable ’burbs doesn't have to be synonymous with sacrificing convenience.
The mild climate, exquisite natural scenery, and relaxed outdoor lifestyle keep attracting residents, and the number of visitors is increasing for the same reasons.
People often get their first glimpse of Vancouver when catching an Alaskan cruise, and many return at some point to spend more time here. Ketchikan is famous for its colorful totem poles, rainy skies, steep–as–San Francisco streets, and lush island setting.
Some 13,500 people call the town home, and, in the summer, cruise ships crowd the shoreline, floatplanes depart noisily for Misty Fiords National Monument, and salmon-laden commercial fishing boats motor through Tongass Narrows.
In the last decade Ketchikan's rowdy, blue-collar heritage of logging and fishing has been softened by the loss of many timber-industry jobs and the dramatic rise of cruise-ship tourism.
With some effort, though, visitors can still glimpse the rugged frontier spirit that once permeated this hardscrabble cannery town.
Art lovers should make a beeline for Ketchikan: the arts community here is very active.
Travelers in search of the perfect piece of Alaska art will find an incredible range of pieces to choose from.The town is at the foot of 3,000-foot Deer Mountain, near the southeastern corner of Revillagigedo (locals shorten it to Revilla) Island.
Prior to the arrival of white miners and fishermen in 1885, the Tlingit used the site at the mouth of Ketchikan Creek as a summer fish camp.
Gold discoveries just before the turn of the 20th century brought more immigrants, and valuable timber and commercial fishing resources spurred new industries.
By the 1930s the town bragged that it was the "salmon-canning capital of the world." You will still find some of Southeast's best salmon fishing around here.
Ketchikan is the first bite of Alaska that many travelers taste.
Despite its imposing backdrop, hillside homes, and many staircases, the town is relatively easy to walk through.
Favorite downtown stops include the Spruce Mill Development shops and Creek Street.
A bit farther away you'll find the Totem Heritage Center.
Out of town (but included on most bus tours) are two longtime favorites: Totem Bight State Historical Park to the north and Saxman Totem Park to the south. It's hard not to like Sitka, with its eclectic blend of Alaska Native, Russian, and American history and its dramatic and beautiful open-ocean setting.
This is one of the best Inside Passage towns to explore on foot, with St.
Michael's Cathedral, Sheldon Jackson Museum, Castle Hill, Sitka National Historical Park, and the Alaska Raptor Center topping the must-see list.Sitka was home to the Kiksádi clan of the Tlingit people for centuries prior to the 18th-century arrival of the Russians under the direction of territorial governor Alexander Baranof, who believed the region was ideal for the fur trade.
The governor also coveted the Sitka site for its beauty, mild climate, and economic potential; in the island's massive timber forests he saw raw materials for shipbuilding.
Its location offered trading routes as far west as Asia and as far south as California and Hawaii.
In 1799 Baranof built St.
Michael Archangel—a wooden fort and trading post 6 miles north of the present town.Strong disagreements arose shortly after the settlement.
The Tlingits attacked the settlers and burned their buildings in 1802.
Baranof, however, was away in Kodiak at the time.
He returned in 1804 with a formidable force—including shipboard cannons—and attacked the Tlingits at their fort near Indian River, site of the present-day 105-acre Sitka National Historical Park, forcing many of them north to Chichagof Island.By 1821 the Tlingits had reached an accord with the Russians, who were happy to benefit from the tribe's hunting skills.
Under Baranof and succeeding managers, the Russian-American Company and the town prospered, becoming known as the Paris of the Pacific.
The community built a major shipbuilding and repair facility, sawmills, and forges, and even initiated an ice industry, shipping blocks of ice from nearby Swan Lake to the booming San Francisco market.
The settlement that was the site of the 1802 conflict is now called Old Sitka.
It is a state park and listed as a National Historic Landmark.The town declined after its 1867 transfer from Russia to the United States, but it became prosperous again during World War II, when it served as a base for the U.S.
Effort to drive the Japanese from the Aleutian Islands.
Today its most important industries are fishing, government, and tourism.
Seabourn Odyssey was built by the Italian company T. Mariotti S.p.A., located in Genoa, Italy and named in Venice. On that occasion, the guests on board for the maiden voyage were all honoured as the ship’s godparents, and a plaque with their names was permanently mounted on a wall inside the ship. Seabourn Odyssey was designed by the same architectural team, Petr Yran and Bjorn Storbraaten, who designed the original Seabourn ships.
Seabourn Odyssey Facilities
Dining
Seabourn Odyssey proudly offers a variety of dining options to suit every mood and occasion. No matter where you choose to dine, you'll be treated to award-winning cuisine and flawless service that rival the finest restaurants on land. Of course, your dining is always complimentary, as are the fine wines served throughout lunch and dinner.
Entertainment
Seabourn Odyssey features a range of entertainment facilities, including lounges, bars and a casino, as well as a choice of daytime activities. Some of the ship's more unique activities are Evening Under the Stars and Movie Under the Stars, which are Seabourn's signature on deck entertainment.
Enrichment
The line's enrichment series is called Seabourn Conversations. On selected sailings experts on topics ranging from arts to World Heritage site join passengers onboard and create a dialogue. Seabourn Pride themselves in not only providing lecturers, but experts with who passengers can talk to whilst enjoying a drink.
Health & Fitness
Seabourn’s spa and fitness facilities have repeatedly been named the Favorite Spas at Sea by the readers of SpaFinder.com. They offer a wide spectrum of massages, facials and beauty treatments, blending traditional practices from around the world with the most up-to-date techniques. Seabourn’s spas are suitable for guests wishing to maintain a personal fitness regime or discover a new one. A well-equipped ocean-view gym and Motion Studio is staffed by professional fitness trainers, and a full-service salon for men and women complement the spas.
Seabourn Odyssey Includes
Disabled Facilties
Seabourn is committed to providing safe, easy, and accessible accommodations for all persons with disabilities, to the extent that is feasible. It is for this reason that Seabourn is honoured to be a part of Carnival Corp., which received the Society For Accessible Travel & Hospitality's (SATH) "Access to Freedom" award. This award is the highest honour in the travel industry that SATH presents to recognise individuals or organisations that have made the greatest strides in advancing opportunities for persons with disabilities, and for promoting the awareness of, and access for, travellers with disabilities.
The Importance of Planning Ahead
Seabourn does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of disability. We seek, to the extent feasible, to accommodate guests with disabilities. However, some needs require adequate time to prepare for a guest's arrival. It is recommended that guests make every effort to contact Guest Accessibility and to submit a Special Requirements Information form (SRI) well in advance of the departure of their cruise and/or cruise tour. We recommend submitting an SRI upon booking or a minimum of 45 days prior to departure.
Guests who are unable to care for their basic needs (e.g. dressing, eating, and attending safety drills) MUST have a capable traveling companion. The medical staff on board is not available for daily care unless an individual is hospitalised in the ship's Medical Centre. In limited situations (either on board or ashore), we may find it necessary to ask the individual to make alternative travel arrangements, such as if an individual with a disability is unable to satisfy certain specified safety and other criteria, even when provided with appropriate auxiliary aids and services.
Our vessels have specially designed suites for guests who need mobility assistance. If you have not booked one of these accessible suites but instead will be using a standard suite you need to know about some limitations that adversely impact manoeuvrability, especially ingress and egress. Most entry doors and bathroom doors in non-accessible suites measure 23 inches wide. Bathrooms have a doorsill and the bathtubs are often difficult to negotiate for guests who have limited mobility. Passageways within the suite may be too narrow for a wheelchair or scooter to manoeuvre throughout the suite.
Accessible Suites offer features such as wider entry doors to the suite and bathroom measuring a minimum of 32 inches wide, accessible showers with grab bars, benches/seats, and hand-held shower heads as well as lowered closed and towel rods.
Accessible suite numbers are detailed in the section below by ship and their locations are noted on the deck plans for each ship within the “Onboard Life” section of this website.
Note: For safety reasons, mobility devices must be stored and charged in the guest’s suite.
If you are on an Expedition voyage click here for information. If you are on another Seabourn voyage please find the below information applicable to your cruise.
Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit
Suites 825, 824, 800, 738 and 737 have transfer shower configurations.
Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation
Suites 1132, 1012, 664, 665, and 550 have transfer shower configurations.
Suite 1191 has a roll-in shower configuration.
Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn and Seabourn Quest
Suite 635 has a transfer shower configuration.
Suites 913, 813, 815, 619, 619 and 408 have roll-in shower configurations.
Special Dietary Requirements
For guests with food intolerances or allergies that are not life-threatening, please contact our Reservations Department. For guests with life-threatening food allergies, we ask that guests provide detailed information to Guest Accessibility by completing a Special Requirements Information form (SRI). Guests should indicate on this form which foods may potentially cause a severe reaction.
Guests with a variety of severe food allergies sail with Seabourn regularly. Our galley staff on board is accustomed to and experienced in dealing with these types of needs. The galley itself has many different areas of food preparation, which can help reduce the possibility of cross-contamination. It is important to note, however, that meals are prepared in open galleys on board the ships, thus there is always the possibility of some cross-contamination. As such, Seabourn cannot guarantee that a guest will not come in contact with those items. Although Guest Accessibility will provide the ship with an advance notice of all food allergies detailed on an SRI submitted to them, it is recommended that guests also contact the Maitre d’ upon boarding to review the details of these special dietary needs.
Age Restrictions
Guests under 21 years of age must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or chaperone who is at least 21 years old; one adult chaperone is required for every five people under age 21. A guest must be at least 6 years of age at the time of embarkation in order to sail on voyages to Antarctica or on Expedition Cruises. We will not accept reservations for infants 6 months or younger for non-transocean sailings, 12 months or younger for transocean sailings at the time the cruise commences. Seabourn cannot accept a booking or carry any guest who will be 24 completed weeks or more pregnant on the last day of the intended cruise. All pregnant women are required to produce a physician’s letter stating that mother and baby are in good health, fit to travel, and that the pregnancy is not high-risk.
Dress Code
Attire During the Day
During the daytime, casual, resort-style attire, including shorts and jeans, is welcome in all lounges and dining venues. Swimsuits, brief shorts, cover-ups and exercise attire should be reserved for poolside, on deck or in the spa and fitness centre.
In the evening (after 6pm) there are two different dress codes:
Elegant Casual
Men: Slacks with a collared dress shirt or sweater; Jacket Optional.
Ladies: Slacks / skirt, blouse, pant suit or dress. This is the dress standard for all dining venues
Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but not appropriate in The Restaurant after 6pm.
Formal
In the Restaurant, Men: Tuxedo, suit or slacks and jacket required.
Ladies: evening gown or other formal apparel. Dress in other dining venues is Elegant Casual.
Jeans are welcome in all dining venues during the day, but not appropriate in the Restaurant after 6pm.
The itinerary in the preliminary document booklet will inform you of the number of Formal evenings to expect during your voyage. As a rule of thumb, Formal evenings are scheduled as follows:
Cruises up to 13 days: One Formal evening
Cruises of 14 to 20 days: Two Formal evenings
Cruises of 21 or more days: Three Formal evenings
(Note: Extended Explorations, Holiday voyages and crossings may be scheduled differently.)
Attire Ashore
Packing clothing that can be layered is the best way to plan for cruising in virtually any climate. For tropical cruises, bring light, loose-fitting garments that can be paired with a lightweight jacket or sweater. For cooler climates, pack extra layers of warmer garments such as a light top coat and some sweaters. When dressing to go ashore, it is helpful to be aware of the customs of the countries you are visiting. In some ports men and women should not wear shorts. Many cultures prefer that women wear dresses or skirts when visiting shrines, churches, mosques and temples.
Some of our more adventurous destinations like Alaska and Antarctica voyages have additional special packing requirements.
Packing for an Alaska Cruise
Packing for an Antarctica Cruise
Please Note: Firearms, explosives, fireworks, other weapons and knives or sharp blades over 2.5 inches long and illegal drugs of any kind are prohibited without exception.
Full list of Prohibited Items
For safety reasons drones and any other remote controlled aerial devices/toys, as well as hoverboards or similar devices are not allowed on board our ships.
Smoking Policy
ON SEABOURN VENTURE AND SEABOURN PURSUIT:
We are implementing a “no smoking” policy on Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, our two expedition ships, which includes e-cigarettes. Expedition travel visits many remote and rarely visited environments that are pristine, with diverse ecosystems and wildlife. We have implemented this policy to eliminate the possibility that cigarette butts and other smoking materials would end up harming the environment.
ON ALL OTHER SEABOURN SHIPS:
For the comfort of all guests, most public areas on board, as well as guest suites are smoke-free.
Cigarette smoking is permitted in the following areas:
Smoking of electronic cigarettes is permitted in guest suites. Smoking of water-pipes, glass-pipes or other smoking devices is not permitted on board. Smoking is not permitted on open decks during fuel bunkering operations in port.
Inside smoking of cigarettes is not permitted.
Outside smoking of cigarettes is permitted in designated areas of Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation:
The designated smoking area for all ships is the starboard half of the Sky Bar open deck.
Cigarette, cigar & pipe smoking is allowed on the starboard half of the Seabourn Square outside deck.
Guests are asked to refrain from smoking anywhere inside the ship, including in guest suites, on verandas and balconies. If you have any doubts about any area, please consult your onboard staff.
Any guest who smokes inside staterooms or on adjoining verandas in violation of our policy will be charged a US$250 cleaning fee per day of violation
Service Animals
Seabourn only permits service animals on board, defined as those animals that are individually trained to provide assistance to an individual with a disability. We do not permit our guests to bring pets, therapy/companion animals, and other animals that do not meet the definition of service animals. If you have any questions about whether the animal you wish to bring on board is, in fact, a service animal, you may contact Guest Accessibility.
Your itinerary may include ports of call that have very specific and strict requirements that need to be met prior to your service animal being allowed off of the ship. Please be sure you understand the requirements for a service animal to disembark in each port of call. The best places to obtain specific information on required documentation and immunisations for your service animal are the U.S. Department of Agriculture's website, local customs offices in the specific ports, and from your service animal's veterinarian. All documentation and immunisation requirements are established by government authorities and not by Seabourn. Should you need assistance in locating this information, please contact Guest Accessibility.
To board the ship, your service animal must have current vaccinations. Records confirming the vaccination status should be provided to Guest Accessibility prior to your departure. We also recommend that you carry the immunisation records with you in case they are required at any port of call. If you do not have the proper documentation and proof of vaccinations for your service animal required at a port of call, or if there are local quarantine requirements, your service animal will be denied the right to leave the ship. If your service animal is denied the right to leave the ship in a specific port of call, the staff and crew will work with you to determine what actions may be possible to allow you to visit the port without your service animal. Please note that in your absence, you will need to provide for the care and supervision of your service animal. Except in those circumstances where your service animal has been denied disembarkation, you may not leave your service animal unattended on the vessel or in your suite at any time.
The Australian quarantine authorities have changed their approach regarding service dogs on-board cruise ships. Unfortunately, their new approach makes it practically impossible for us to accept service animals on domestic or roundtrip cruises from Australia. The Department of Agriculture now considers these cruises to be akin to an international voyage and therefore under ‘biosecurity control’. As a company, we are incredibly disappointed with the Department’s new approach, and we have written to the Federal Minister to ask for a return to their previous way of doing things. At this time guests will not be able to travel with service animals on voyages that end in Australia or call upon a port in Australia after visiting a foreign country. Guests sailing on voyages that begin in Australia will be able to sail with their service animal provided the voyage does not return to Australia after visiting a foreign port. Should you have further questions please contact Guest Accessibility via email at Access@Seabourn.com.
Wi-Fi & Internet Access
Seabourn ships offer guests access to the internet by means of transmission between satellites orbiting approximately 20,000 miles above the earth and our mobile shipboard system. While this technology enables mid-ocean access in virtually every part of the world, satellite service is frequently noticeably slower and slightly less reliable than land-based methods of access due to the motion of the ship and limitations of bandwidth. There are two main reasons for this:
The available bandwidth from satellite transmission is much lower than is available from most shoreside systems served by stationary cables with much greater bandwidth capacity.
In addition, a shipboard system is typically serving a greater number of users simultaneously than most shoreside networks. Many shoreside users use wireless cell phone systems for internet access, further reducing demand on hardwired systems. Each user’s data transmission occupies a portion of the available bandwidth. More users means slower service.
For these reasons, we ask that guests not use internet service for high volume uses such as gaming, file sharing or streaming video content. The internet service on board is generally quite adequate for all guests’ usage when web browsing and sending or retrieving email.
Guests can access the internet either at terminals located in Seabourn Square, or wirelessly using their own wireless-enabled devices in most locations on board, including in guest suites, lounges and most areas on open decks.
Medical Facilities
Your ship's small but modern basic medical facility is staffed by a doctor and a nurse. This facility is equipped to provide medical care for illness or accidents that may arise during the cruise, but is not intended to provide ongoing medical treatment. Since we are either at sea or in ports where availability of medical facilities and pharmaceutical products may be limited, we suggest you bring adequate supplies of prescription medications and other health-related items.
Laundry Services
Full laundry, dry cleaning (on selected ships wet-cleaning) and pressing services are available. Suite attendants take care of pick-up and delivery. Same-day service is available at extra charge if requested by 9:00 a.m. A complimentary launderette with washers, dryers, laundry soap and ironing facilities are available onboard all Seabourn ships..
Seabourn Odyssey offers nine types of suites, eight of which feature verandas. Designed as home away from homes, these suites aim to be the place for you to unwind at the end of the day. Featuring a range of traditional cabin amenities, each also benefit from a Personal Suite Stewardess who will welcome you with Champagne and canapés, draw you a relaxing bath and assist you with anything you might need during your stay.
Grand Wintergarden Suite
Approximately 1189 square feet (110 square meters) of inside space, plus two verandas totalling 214 square feet (20 square meters)
Grand Wintergarden Suites feature:
Large windows
Dining for six
Glass-enclosed solarium with tub and day bed
Bathroom with whirlpool bathtub
Guest bath
Two bedrooms
Convertible sofa bed for one
Pantry with wet bar
Two flat-screen TVs
Complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service
Wintergarden Suite
Approximately 914 square feet (85 square meters) of inside space, one veranda of 183 sq. ft. (17 square meters.).
Wintergarden Suites feature:
Large windows
Dining for six
Whirlpool bathtub
Guest bath
Convertible sofa bed for one
Pantry with wet bar
Glass-enclosed solarium with tub and day bed
Two closets
Two flat-screen TVs
Complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service
Signature Suite
Approximately 859 square feet (80 square meters) of inside space, plus one veranda of 493 square feet (46 square meters)
Signature Suites feature:
Expansive ocean views
Forward-facing windows
Dining for four to six
Bathroom with whirlpool bathtub
Guest bath
Pantry with wet bar
Two flat-screen TVs
Complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service
Owner's Suite
Approximately 526 & 593 square feet (49 to 55 square meters) of inside space, plus one veranda of 133 & 354 square feet (12 to 33 square meters)
Owner's Suites feature:
Expansive ocean views
Forward-facing windows
Dining for four to six
Bathroom with whirlpool bathtub
Guest bath
Pantry with wet bar
Two flat-screen TVs
Complimentary Internet/Wi-Fi service
Penthouse Spa Suite
Approximately 536 to 539 square feet (50 square meters) of inside space, plus one veranda of 167 to 200 square feet (16 to 19 square meters)
All Penthouse Spa Suite feature:
Dining table for two to four
Separate bedroom
Glass door to veranda
Two flat-screen TVs
Fully stocked bar
Spacious bathroom with tub, shower and large vanity
Penthouse Suite
Approximately 436 square feet (41 square meters) of inside space, plus one veranda of 98 square feet (9 square meters)
All Penthouse Suite feature:
Dining table for two to four
Separate bedroom
Glass door to veranda
Two flat-screen TVs
Fully stocked bar
Spacious bathroom with tub, shower and large vanity
Penthouse Suite Guarantee
Approximately 436 square feet (41 square meters) of inside space, plus one veranda of 98 square feet (9 square meters)
Guaranteed Suite: For this option we select the location and specific suite for you, and notify you prior to departure. Guests are guaranteed to be assigned a suite in the category selected or higher.
All Penthouse Suite feature:
Dining table for two to four
Separate bedroom
Glass door to veranda
Two flat-screen TVs
Fully stocked bar
Spacious bathroom with tub, shower and large vanity
Veranda Suite
Total inside space of between 246 and 302 square feet (23 and 28 square meters) plus one veranda of between 68 and 83 square feet (6 and 7 square meters)
Guaranteed Suite: For this option we select the location and specific suite for you, and notify you prior to departure. Guests are guaranteed to be assigned a suite in the category selected or higher.
All Veranda Suites feature:
A full-length window
Glass door to private veranda
Comfortable living area
Queen-size bed or two twin beds
Dining table for two
Walk-in closet
Interactive flat-screen television with music and movies
Fully stocked bar and refrigerator
Makeup vanity
Spacious bathroom with separate tub and shower
*Wheelchair accessible suites are roll-in shower only.
Ocean View Suite
Approximately 295 square feet (28 square meters) of inside space
Guaranteed Suite: For this option we select the location and specific suite for you, and notify you prior to departure. Guests are guaranteed to be assigned a suite in the category selected or higher.
All Ocean View Suites feature:
A large picture window
Comfortable living area
Queen-size bed or two twin beds
Dining table for two
Walk-in closet
Interactive flat-screen television with music and movies
Fully stocked bar and refrigerator
Makeup vanity, spacious bathroom with separate tub and shower
*Wheelchair accessible suites are roll-in shower only.