Seabourn has abandoned plans to deploy Seabourn Ovation to Australia and New Zealand waters for the 2021/22 summer season due to ongoing travel restrictions.
Josh Leibowitz, President of Seabourn confirmed the decision, which will also see Seabourn Encore‘s Asian deployment over the same period, spanning 1 September 2021 to 26 April 2022, shelved.
Instead, Seabourn Ovation will now operate a transAtlantic and Panama Canal voyage that was originally planned to be operated by Seabourn Sojourn. Ovation will then operate its first-ever US season, from Miami to the Caribbean, with a dozen brand-new departures between January and May 2022. After which, the vessel will resume its originally planned Western Mediterranean schedule.
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The ultra-luxury cruise line revealed the changes while providing updated restart dates across its ocean fleet, which includes Seabourn Ovation‘s imminent Greek Isles program and Seabourn Odyssey‘s Southern Caribbean voyages which begin next month, on 3 July and 18 July respectively. Further, Seabourn Quest will resume operation in early November ahead of its planned Antarctica season.
Seabourn Sojourn is scheduled to resume service on 11 January 2022, departing on its World Cruise from Los Angeles. With that in mind, Seabourn Ovation will pick up a selection of departures planned for Sojourn from 9 October to 21 December this year.
Seabourn Encore will also return to service from Athens, Greece on 17 April 2022.
“In order to plan the restart of our remaining ships we thoughtfully assessed the changing impacts and travel restrictions throughout the world. Using the information we have available to us today, and forecasting to the best of our ability, we have developed what we believe is the most viable plan to deliver the Seabourn experience we have all come to expect,” Leibowitz said in an update shared on social media (view below).
Seabourn’s President of 12 months said the cruise line has tried to preserve its original published itineraries “wherever possible”. He also noted that these “dynamic times” mean the upcoming deployments remain subject to change due to travel restrictions.
Tony Archbold, Seabourn’s Senior Director of Sales & Marketing for Australia & New Zealand, said: “We know the intense desire that our guests have to cruise again in local waters with Seabourn and we are sorry that circumstances have lead us to have had to make this call.”
“We also deeply feel for our trade partners who have been so patiently waiting for Seabourn’s local season to recommence and we remain so very thankful for their support over this period.”
Seabourn said that guests and travel advisors with impacted bookings will receive information on rebooking, alternative sailing date options, opportunities for bonus future cruise credits or full refunds. Specific offers and details vary by itinerary.
Impacted guests and travel advisors are advised to use the online resources available on its website first rather than calling the Reservation Call Center for information about the cancellations due to the possibility of high call volumes and the potential of long on-hold wait times.
Seabourn Ovation‘s new sailings will open for booking on 8 July 2021.