Seabourn Cruise Line — cruise line overview

Seabourn is a luxury cruise line, founded in 1986 (operational since 1988), with headquarters in Seattle, Washington. Seabourn Cruise Line operates all around the globe, from short 7-day Caribbean cruises to exotic 100+ day world voyages. It is owned by Carnival Corporation and is part of the "World's Leading Cruise Lines" group, which also includes AIDA, Carnival, Costa, Cunard, Holland America, Princess, and P&O Cruises.

Seabourn Cruise Line was founded in 1986 under the name "Signet Cruise Lines" by the Norwegian private investor Atle Brynestad and Erland Raastad (president of the companies "Kloster Cruise" and "Royal Viking Line"). The name "Seabourn Cruise Line" was adopted shortly afterward following objections over trademark ownership by Signet Oil.

Seabourn Pride (company's first liner) entered service in 1988. It was followed by Seabourn Spirit, an identical sister, in 1989. A third ship (originally planned for 1990) had to be delayed due to financial constraints and was eventually purchased by Royal Viking Line as Royal Viking Queen in 1992. In 1994, the ship was transferred to Royal Cruise Line as Queen Odyssey.

In 1991, Carnival Corporation purchased a 25% stake in Seabourn. In 1996, Carnival upped its stake to 50%, providing Seabourn with the needed capital to buy Queen Odyssey. The ship was renamed Seabourn Legend. In 1998, Carnival Corporation purchased the remaining 50% stake in the line, acquired the time-honored Cunard Line from Kvaerner ASA, and finally merged the two brands into the Cunard Line entity.

In 1999, three ships of Cunard, Royal Viking Sun, Sea Goddess I and Sea Goddess II, were transferred into the fleet of Seabourn as Seabourn Sun, Seabourn Goddess I and Seabourn Goddess II. In 2001, Carnival Corporation bought out the Norwegian shareholders. The parent company of Seabourn became Carnival's wholly owned subsidiary. Seabourn Goddess I and Seabourn Goddess II were purchased for SeaDream Yacht Club by the original founder of Seabourn, Atle Brynestad.

In 2002, Seabourn Sun was transferred to Holland America (a Carnival-owned line), reducing the fleet of Seabourn to its three original ships. The company was demerged from Cunard and reorganized as an independent brand of Carnival Corporation.

On March 31, 2011, Seabourn Cruise Line ceased operations from Miami FL and transferred operations to the quarters of Holland America Line in Seattle WA.

In 2014 Seabourn Pride left the fleet and was transferred as Star Pride to Windstar Cruises. In 2015 Seabourn Legend and Seabourn Spirit also left and were transferred to Windstar Cruises as Star Legend and Star Breeze.

Since 2018 are offered fleetwide "K+M Chocolate" products. These are high-quality chocolates by the "Keller Manni Chocolate" company (founders Michelin chef Thomas Keller and Armando Manni / olive oil producer from Italy). The custom-made for Seabourn chocolates are hand-crafted (produced in Napa Valley, California). Among the signature flavors are the milk-based hazelnut, smoked chili, blood orange, cherry, as well as the dark chocolate "sea salt".