Cruise & Ferry Itinerary Planning 2020

This open approach enables the company to showcase even more distinctive and unique itineraries. Leibowitz shares an anecdotal example: “When I joined Seabourn I spent a lot of time talking to our onboard teams, and during one conversation with a staff captain he said that he had mapped some idyllic spots for deployment. While our crew navigate around the world they spot extraordinary little places that are ideally suited to us, maybe just to drop anchor to let passengers get in and on the water.” The human factor is key. “When several members of our team have been to a destination and agree that it’s a spectacular place, perfectly suited to Seabourn, we are especially motivated to include a call there on an itinerary,” says Leibowitz. Seabourn also seeks expert options outside its own walls. “We track consumer trends, listen to our passengers and travel agency partners. We consume travel research and content fervently, like the terrific Cruise & Ferry Review !” says Leibowitz. “We spend a lot of time immersed in data with sophisticated modelling. Our guest surveys are an important component because they are the ultimate judge, providing us with essential intelligence about how ports, destinations, shore excursions and other activities performed as an itinerary collectively.” Port selection is a serious business for a company with such high standards. “Our guests expect that the entire vacation experience with Seabourn will be a beacon of excellence–from the moment they leave their front door to the moment they return,” says Leibowitz. “So, when we look at a new destination, we always ask whether it can meet that high benchmark.” Berth position is central to this dictate. “Being close to the soul of a destination has always been a paramount factor for us,” says Leibowitz. “Our guests expect a very personal and intimate experience with the places that we visit, and this comes through berthing in the heart of a destination. The selection of Greenwich as the starting point for Venture’s inaugural voyage came about from this ideal.” Awareness of how cruisers select their vacation is an important consideration in the planning process. “We’ve conducted a lot of research on this topic and mostly people are bound by a time frame or have specific destinations that they want to visit. We operate around the world and do our best to visit places at their seasonal peak to accommodate most preferences,” says Leibowitz. “And our guests know that they’re going to get access to some of the most exclusive places and they’re going to get closer to the city because we operate smaller ships – we have the ability to get to places that many other ships can’t reach, sometimes in very remote parts of the world.” Like many passengers, Leibowitz also enjoys the natural break in a cruise that a day at sea affords. “I love sea days, waking up early to walk the quiet decks, or sleeping in and having a leisurely lunch then sitting out on the top deck and finishing a book. My favourite part of any ship is the back deck, where I can sit and look out at the wake of the ship and watch the trail. It’s usually a nice, secluded spot, with minimal wind and fresh air.” Seabourn’s Mediterranean, Alaska and Northern European adventures are noteworthy voyages for the 2021 season. “I highly recommend a Mediterranean cruise once a year. If you look at our deployment, we have achieved the perfect mix of iconic cities, Unesco World Heritage sites and lesser-known destinations and hideaways,” says KEYNOTE “Our guests expect that the entire vacation experience with Seabourn will be a beacon of excellence” Seabourn Sojourn sailing in Alaska, one of the brand’s most popular destinations 8