One extraordinary yacht, one incredible voyage, and 450 godparents. Those are the numbers behind the highly anticipated launch of Seabourn Odyssey, the newest member of the Seabourn fleet, in June 2009. Those fortunate enough to secure one of the few remaining spots aboard Odyssey’s maiden voyage will share the unprecedented honor of being named a “godparent” of the new vessel – a distinction usually reserved for a celebrity or otherwise noteworthy personality. It’s an honor that will be recognized for the duration of the luxury yacht’s seagoing life.
“Everything we do at Seabourn is focused on our guests who, in a very real sense, are the reason this superb vessel is being built,” said Pamela C. Conover, president and CEO of The Yachts of Seabourn. “Those joining Odyssey’s maiden voyage will not only be treated like a celebrity, but will become a part of the vessel’s history, representing the many guests who have sailed with us in the past and those who will sail on her in the years to come.”
Each passenger aboard Odyssey’s maiden voyage, scheduled to depart Venice, Italy, on June 24, 2009, will have his or her name engraved on a plaque to be displayed on board the sleek yacht. An early-evening ceremony to christen the new yacht is planned to coincide with the summer sunset over the domes and steeples of Venice’s skyline – with all 450 godparents taking part in the momentous event. Seabourn Odyssey will then make its stately way from the canals to the lagoon and beyond – a gala, 14-day voyage exploring the Dalmatian coast, the Greek Isles, and Turkey.
Highlights of the cruise will include sailing into the dramatic fjord of Kotor in Montenegro, a day of water sports from the yacht’s marina while anchored off the Greek Isle of Mylos, and a signature Exclusively Seabourn evening reception and concert in the torch-lit ruins of Ephesus in Turkey.
The cruise industry’s first ultra-luxury vessel to be launched in six years, Seabourn Odyssey is first of three “new builds” to be introduced by Seabourn. The 32,000-ton yacht will accommodate 450 guests in luxurious all-suite accommodations measuring from 290 to over 1,600 square feet, more than 90 percent of them outfitted with private verandas. The cruising yacht will offer guests five dining alternatives, five lounges and bars, an expansive pool and sunbathing area, and a spectacular two-deck, indoor/outdoor spa facility of more than 11,400 square-feet. Seabourn Odyssey’s maiden season will include voyages from the grand cities and romantic isles of the Mediterranean to the sparkling waters of the Caribbean, before embarking on Seabourn’s first-ever World Cruise in January 2010.
