Aboard Seabourn Ovation with Seabourn
Cruise Overview
On one of the best stretches of the Mediterranean, this classic luxury destination is one of the most sought-after addresses in the world.
With all the high-rise towers you have to look hard to find the Belle Époque grace of yesteryear.
But if you head to the town's great 1864 landmark Hôtel de Paris—still a veritable crossroads of the buffed and befurred Euro-gentry—or enjoy a grand bouffe at its famous Louis XV restaurant, or attend the opera, or visit the ballrooms of the casino, you may still be able to conjure up Monaco's elegant past.
Prince Albert II, a political science graduate from Amherst College, traces his ancestry to Otto Canella, who was born in 1070.
The Grimaldi dynasty began with Otto's great-great-great-grandson, Francesco Grimaldi, also known as Frank the Rogue.
Expelled from Genoa, Frank and his cronies disguised themselves as monks and in 1297 seized the fortified medieval town known today as Le Rocher (the Rock).
Except for a short break under Napoléon, the Grimaldis have been here ever since, which makes them the oldest reigning family in Europe.
In the 1850s a Grimaldi named Charles III made a decision that turned the Rock into a giant blue chip.
Needing revenue but not wanting to impose additional taxes on his subjects, he contracted with a company to open a gambling facility.
The first spin of the roulette wheel was on December 14, 1856.
There was no easy way to reach Monaco then—no carriage roads or railroads—so no one came.
Between March 15 and March 20, 1857, one person entered the casino—and won two francs.
In 1868, however, the railroad reached Monaco, and it was filled with Englishmen who came to escape the London fog.
The effects were immediate.
Profits were so great that Charles eventually abolished all direct taxes.
Almost overnight, a threadbare principality became an elegant watering hole for European society.
Dukes (and their mistresses) and duchesses (and their gigolos) danced and dined their way through a world of spinning roulette wheels and bubbling champagne—preening themselves for nights at the opera, where such artists as Vaslav Nijinsky, Sarah Bernhardt, and Enrico Caruso came to perform.
Along with the tax system, its sensational position on a broad, steep peninsula that bulges into the Mediterranean—its harbor sparkling with luxury cruisers, its posh mansions angling awnings toward the nearly perpetual sun—continues to draw the rich and famous.
One of the latest French celebrities to declare himself "Monégasque," thus giving up his French passport, is superchef Alain Ducasse, who said that he made the choice out of affection for Monaco rather than tax reasons.
Pleasure boats vie with luxury cruisers in their brash beauty and Titanic scale, and teams of handsome young men—themselves dyed blond and tanned to match—scour and polish every gleaming surface.
As you might expect, all this glitz doesn't come cheap.
Eating is expensive, and even the most modest hotels cost more here than in nearby Nice or Menton.
As for taxis, they don't even have meters so you are completely at the driver's mercy (with prices skyrocketing during events such as the Grand Prix).
For the frugal, Monaco is the ultimate day-trip, although parking is as coveted as a room with a view.
At the very least you can afford a coffee at Starbucks.
The harbor district, known as La Condamine, connects the new quarter, officially known as Monte Carlo with Monaco-Ville (or Le Rocher), a medieval town on the Rock, topped by the palace, the cathedral, and the Oceanography Museum.
Have no fear that you'll need to climb countless steps to get to Monaco-Ville, as there are plenty of elevators and escalators climbing the steep cliffs.
But shuttling between the lovely casino grounds of Monte Carlo and Old Monaco, separated by a vast port, is a daunting proposition for ordinary mortals without wings, so hop on the No.
1 bus from Saint Roman, or No.
2 from the Jardin Exotique - Both stop at Place du Casino and come up to Monaco Ville.
Tour description Capri, Italy Popular since Roman times when the emperors built their villas on Capri, this island is surely one of the world's most famous and beautiful spots.
Visiting Capri, it is easy to see why the ancient Romans fell in love with this place 2,000 years ago - the craggy mountains, the sea caves and grottos and the brilliantly colored flowers cast a magic spell then and still capture the admiration of today's travelers.
There are sleek yachts moored in the deep blue waters of the bays, and beautiful villas and tiny villages cling to steep slopes.
An excellent year-round climate and a breathtaking landscape complete the picture of a storybook island.
There are two main villages - Capri Town, site of the popular meeting point "Piazzetta," and Anacapri, the upper town, dominated by 1,750-foot-high Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island.
Both remain the "in" scene for international travelers.
By spending millions on comfort and style, the island has ensured its continuing success.
After a trip to upper-level Anacapri, visitors enjoy strolling the narrow, cobbled streets of Capri Town, browsing in chic boutiques and spending time in the Piazzetta with a drink in one of the outdoor cafés.
There is a funicular from the main port of Marina Grande to Capri Town; from Anacapri, a chair lift whisks visitors to the top of Monte Solaro for a spellbinding view.
The magical Blue Grotto can be reached by boat from Marina Grande, but entrance into the grotto depends for the most part on sea conditions.
Please Note: For your convenience, the shore excursions offered for this port of call are available to reserve in advance at www.silversea.com until August 8 , as well as offered for purchase on board, unless otherwise noted in the description.
Going Ashore in Capri Pier Information The ship is scheduled to anchor off Capri's main port, Marina Grande.
Guests will be taken ashore via local tenders, arriving at the pier just a short distance from the funicular to Capri Town.
Taxis and minibuses are also available near the pier area.
Be sure to agree on the fare before starting out.
Shopping Capri is a shopping mecca, though by no means inexpensive.
Upscale shops and boutiques offer an array of jewelry, designer fashions, resort wear, straw articles and souvenir items.
Start from the Piazzetta and the streets fanning out from the square.
Some shops may be closed between 12:30/1:00 p.m.
And 4:00/4:30 p.m.
The local currency is the euro.
Cuisine Capri features plenty of open-air eateries in addition to top rated restaurants.
Fresh seafood and delicious pasta dishes make for a nice lunch; for a quick meal there are tempting sandwiches and pizza.
You might enjoy a hearty Italian table wine with lunch.
Other Sights Capri Town La Piazzetta is the main square of Capri Town located just opposite the upper funicular station.
The square is an ideal place from where to start exploring or shopping.
Sidewalk cafés around the square provide residents and visitors with a popular pastime - people-watching while sipping a drink or enjoying a coffee. Anacapri Reaching Capri's second town is via local minibus.
In addition to numerous souvenir shops and designer boutiques, attractions include Axel Munthe's Villa San Michele and the chair lift to Monte Solaro.
Blue Grotto Boat excursions to the Blue Grotto can be booked locally at Marina Grande.
Be aware that it is necessary to transfer into smaller boats in front of the grotto.
Also, entrance to the grotto is subject to weather and sea conditions.
For this reason, tours to the Blue Grotto are frequently cancelled.
Private arrangements are not available in this port.
With all the high-rise towers you have to look hard to find the Belle Époque grace of yesteryear.
But if you head to the town's great 1864 landmark Hôtel de Paris—still a veritable crossroads of the buffed and befurred Euro-gentry—or enjoy a grand bouffe at its famous Louis XV restaurant, or attend the opera, or visit the ballrooms of the casino, you may still be able to conjure up Monaco's elegant past.
Prince Albert II, a political science graduate from Amherst College, traces his ancestry to Otto Canella, who was born in 1070.
The Grimaldi dynasty began with Otto's great-great-great-grandson, Francesco Grimaldi, also known as Frank the Rogue.
Expelled from Genoa, Frank and his cronies disguised themselves as monks and in 1297 seized the fortified medieval town known today as Le Rocher (the Rock).
Except for a short break under Napoléon, the Grimaldis have been here ever since, which makes them the oldest reigning family in Europe.
In the 1850s a Grimaldi named Charles III made a decision that turned the Rock into a giant blue chip.
Needing revenue but not wanting to impose additional taxes on his subjects, he contracted with a company to open a gambling facility.
The first spin of the roulette wheel was on December 14, 1856.
There was no easy way to reach Monaco then—no carriage roads or railroads—so no one came.
Between March 15 and March 20, 1857, one person entered the casino—and won two francs.
In 1868, however, the railroad reached Monaco, and it was filled with Englishmen who came to escape the London fog.
The effects were immediate.
Profits were so great that Charles eventually abolished all direct taxes.
Almost overnight, a threadbare principality became an elegant watering hole for European society.
Dukes (and their mistresses) and duchesses (and their gigolos) danced and dined their way through a world of spinning roulette wheels and bubbling champagne—preening themselves for nights at the opera, where such artists as Vaslav Nijinsky, Sarah Bernhardt, and Enrico Caruso came to perform.
Along with the tax system, its sensational position on a broad, steep peninsula that bulges into the Mediterranean—its harbor sparkling with luxury cruisers, its posh mansions angling awnings toward the nearly perpetual sun—continues to draw the rich and famous.
One of the latest French celebrities to declare himself "Monégasque," thus giving up his French passport, is superchef Alain Ducasse, who said that he made the choice out of affection for Monaco rather than tax reasons.
Pleasure boats vie with luxury cruisers in their brash beauty and Titanic scale, and teams of handsome young men—themselves dyed blond and tanned to match—scour and polish every gleaming surface.
As you might expect, all this glitz doesn't come cheap.
Eating is expensive, and even the most modest hotels cost more here than in nearby Nice or Menton.
As for taxis, they don't even have meters so you are completely at the driver's mercy (with prices skyrocketing during events such as the Grand Prix).
For the frugal, Monaco is the ultimate day-trip, although parking is as coveted as a room with a view.
At the very least you can afford a coffee at Starbucks.
The harbor district, known as La Condamine, connects the new quarter, officially known as Monte Carlo with Monaco-Ville (or Le Rocher), a medieval town on the Rock, topped by the palace, the cathedral, and the Oceanography Museum.
Have no fear that you'll need to climb countless steps to get to Monaco-Ville, as there are plenty of elevators and escalators climbing the steep cliffs.
But shuttling between the lovely casino grounds of Monte Carlo and Old Monaco, separated by a vast port, is a daunting proposition for ordinary mortals without wings, so hop on the No.
1 bus from Saint Roman, or No.
2 from the Jardin Exotique - Both stop at Place du Casino and come up to Monaco Ville.
Tour description Capri, Italy Popular since Roman times when the emperors built their villas on Capri, this island is surely one of the world's most famous and beautiful spots.
Visiting Capri, it is easy to see why the ancient Romans fell in love with this place 2,000 years ago - the craggy mountains, the sea caves and grottos and the brilliantly colored flowers cast a magic spell then and still capture the admiration of today's travelers.
There are sleek yachts moored in the deep blue waters of the bays, and beautiful villas and tiny villages cling to steep slopes.
An excellent year-round climate and a breathtaking landscape complete the picture of a storybook island.
There are two main villages - Capri Town, site of the popular meeting point "Piazzetta," and Anacapri, the upper town, dominated by 1,750-foot-high Monte Solaro, the highest point on the island.
Both remain the "in" scene for international travelers.
By spending millions on comfort and style, the island has ensured its continuing success.
After a trip to upper-level Anacapri, visitors enjoy strolling the narrow, cobbled streets of Capri Town, browsing in chic boutiques and spending time in the Piazzetta with a drink in one of the outdoor cafés.
There is a funicular from the main port of Marina Grande to Capri Town; from Anacapri, a chair lift whisks visitors to the top of Monte Solaro for a spellbinding view.
The magical Blue Grotto can be reached by boat from Marina Grande, but entrance into the grotto depends for the most part on sea conditions.
Please Note: For your convenience, the shore excursions offered for this port of call are available to reserve in advance at www.silversea.com until August 8 , as well as offered for purchase on board, unless otherwise noted in the description.
Going Ashore in Capri Pier Information The ship is scheduled to anchor off Capri's main port, Marina Grande.
Guests will be taken ashore via local tenders, arriving at the pier just a short distance from the funicular to Capri Town.
Taxis and minibuses are also available near the pier area.
Be sure to agree on the fare before starting out.
Shopping Capri is a shopping mecca, though by no means inexpensive.
Upscale shops and boutiques offer an array of jewelry, designer fashions, resort wear, straw articles and souvenir items.
Start from the Piazzetta and the streets fanning out from the square.
Some shops may be closed between 12:30/1:00 p.m.
And 4:00/4:30 p.m.
The local currency is the euro.
Cuisine Capri features plenty of open-air eateries in addition to top rated restaurants.
Fresh seafood and delicious pasta dishes make for a nice lunch; for a quick meal there are tempting sandwiches and pizza.
You might enjoy a hearty Italian table wine with lunch.
Other Sights Capri Town La Piazzetta is the main square of Capri Town located just opposite the upper funicular station.
The square is an ideal place from where to start exploring or shopping.
Sidewalk cafés around the square provide residents and visitors with a popular pastime - people-watching while sipping a drink or enjoying a coffee. Anacapri Reaching Capri's second town is via local minibus.
In addition to numerous souvenir shops and designer boutiques, attractions include Axel Munthe's Villa San Michele and the chair lift to Monte Solaro.
Blue Grotto Boat excursions to the Blue Grotto can be booked locally at Marina Grande.
Be aware that it is necessary to transfer into smaller boats in front of the grotto.
Also, entrance to the grotto is subject to weather and sea conditions.
For this reason, tours to the Blue Grotto are frequently cancelled.
Private arrangements are not available in this port.
Cruise Itinerary
Aboard Seabourn Ovation
Launch Year: 2018 Length: 210 Width: 28 Currency: USD Capacity: 604 Crew Count: 450 Deck Count: 12 Cabin Count: 300
Introducing Seabourn Ovation, the sister-ship to the already prestigious Seabourn Encore. Seabourn Ovation represents another welcome stage in the evolution of small ship cruising, which Seabourn pioneered and has consistently expanded and enriched for all of our small ship cruises. Both ships will deliver a wealth of new concepts, a fresh vision and a host of illuminating ideas to delight the world's most discerning travellers.
Seabourn Ovation Facilities
Seabourn Ovation Includes
Cabin Details
Like all Seabourn ships, Ovation is an all-suite vessel, but every suite aboard this Seabourn vessel, has a private veranda. All accommodations are thoughtfully appointed, designed as homes with separate lounge room to unwind and entertain.
