First Steel Cut For Seabourn's Newest Ultra-luxury Vessel, Seabourn Ovation, Due For Delivery In Spring 2018

SEATTLE, June 7, 2016 -- Seabourn, the world's finest ultra-luxury cruise line, has taken a giant step forward toward the launch of its next new vessel, Seabourn Ovation, with the commemorative cutting of the first steel. The ceremony, held today at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy, was presided over by Seabourn President Richard Meadows and Genoa shipyard Director Raffaele Davassi.

"The cutting of steel is a significant milestone in the creation of Seabourn Ovation, as well as the continuing evolution of the Seabourn fleet and the ultra-luxury cruise segment," noted Meadows. "We are excited to witness this important step and look forward to seeing the ship come together. With Adam D. Tihany's extraordinary design vision and the excellent craftsmanship of Fincantieri, Seabourn Ovation will be matched only by its sister ship, Seabourn Encore, as the most beautiful ultra-luxury vessel ever built."

Scheduled to join the Seabourn fleet in spring 2018, Seabourn Ovation will expand and build upon the line's award-winning and highly acclaimed Odyssey-class ships, which revolutionized ultra-luxury cruising with enhanced accommodations and innovative amenities when they were first introduced between 2009 and 2011. Seabourn Ovation will maintain the line's high ratio of space per guest, enabling a highly personalized level of service.

Sister ship Seabourn Encore will debut in late 2016, and with the addition of Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn will have the youngest and most modern ultra-luxury fleet in the industry.

Designed by hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany, Seabourn Ovation will feature modern design elements and innovations consistent with the line's reputation for understated elegance. The approx. 40,350-GRT ship will be configured with one additional deck and new expanded public areas, and is expected to carry just 600 guests, based on double occupancy. In addition, every suite will feature a private veranda.

For more details about the award-winning Seabourn fleet, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, contact a professional travel advisor, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

Click to Tweet: Set to debut in spring 2018, @SeabournCruise celebrates the commemorative cutting of the first steel for #SeabournOvation in Genoa, Italy

About Seabourn:

Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world's top travel choices by professional critics and the discerning readers of prestigious travel publications such as Departures, Travel + Leisure and Condé Nast Traveler. Its stylish, distinctive cruising vacations are renowned for:

Intimate ships with no more than 300 suites
Unique itineraries visiting must-see cities and hidden gems where larger ships cannot follow
Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests
Spacious all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views - many with verandas
Gourmet dining experiences as fine as the best restaurants anywhere
Open bars throughout the ship and fine wines poured with lunch and dinner

Seabourn is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. The exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, AIDA, P&O Cruises UK, P&O Cruises Australia and fathom. Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc . It has formed a partnership with United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) to help protect World Heritage, and also supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment.

SOURCE Seabourn

CONTACT: Brian Badura, (206) 626-9158 or bbadura@seabourn.com, or Ashley Fenton, Hawkins International Public Relations, (212) 255-6541 or Ashley@hawkpr.com