Ovation, Seas of Sinbad ex Athens to Singapore – 23 Oct 2021

36 Night Cruise sailing from Athens to Singapore onboard Seabourn Ovation.

Re-Defining Ultra-Luxury Cruising…Again. As Seabourn celebrates 30 years of enriching and enhancing ultra-luxury cruising, we’re proud to introduce the next stage of our evolution. We welcome Seabourn Ovation, sister ship to the already renowned Seabourn Encore. Her arrival has crowned a fleet that is already the newest, most modern and most acclaimed at sea and will deliver a wealth of new concepts, a fresh design vision and a host of illuminating ideas to delight the world’s most discerning travelers.

As with Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn enlisted the participation of master designer Adam D. Tihany. Recognized as one of the preeminent designers in the world, Tihany specializes in developing elegantly individual spaces for the most highly rated restaurants, hotels, resorts and spas in the hospitality industry. He is also renowned for his unique ability to realize and embody the particular personalities of his clients and the preferences of their clientele in his designs.

Highlights of this cruise:

Piraeus (Athens), Greece
Piraeus has been the port for Athens since 482 BC. The busy harbor is filled with ferries and cruise ships making their way to the Greek Islands and other Mediterranean cities. The busy metropolis of Athens and its treasure trove of antiquities lie just a few miles from the port. Even as the reality of the modern city took hold, with its high-rise apartments, crowded sidewalks and bustling traffic, the beauty of the Acropolis, the outstanding museums, charming cafés, sidewalk markets and startling views come together in a cultural mosaic for all to enjoy.

Ashdod (Jerusalem), Israel
The largest port in Israel, Ashdod is a gateway to Jerusalem, the 5,000-year-old walled city that is considered sacred to more than a third of the people on Earth. Numerous sites exist nearby, including the Jewish sacred Western Wall, and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre said to be the site of Calvary and to contain a piece of the true cross. Meander along the seaside promenade, or dip your toes in the Dead Sea waters, long known for their health benefits. Visit the Bar-Gera Museum to view a collection of art by artists who were either banned or persecuted by the Nazis and other fascist governments. The Yad Vashem Memorial Museum is dedicated to the six million Jews who lost their lives during the Holocaust.

Transit The Suez Canal
A canal linking the Red Sea and Mediterranean is an old dream. Evidence of attempts to construct such a seaway across the desert isthmus have been detected dating from Egypt’s pharaonic era and Persia under the rule of Darius. Venetian doges plotted, and Napoleon fervently wished for one, to save ships the 4,300-nautical mile diversion around Africa. When the 120-mile canal between Suez and Port Said was opened in 1869, the seafaring map underwent its most impactful change in history. The canal is at sea level, so no locks are required. Your ship will meet other ships of every sort and size from every corner of the globe around the entry at Suez, to join a convoy. It starts early in the morning, proceeding in single file at a sedate 8 knots (to reduce erosion of the banks) and passing other convoys either in the Great Bitter Lake or at the Bailah Bypass. On average, about 97 ships transit the canal each day. Sights during the transit tend toward the monotonous: the ship ahead and the one behind, and an endless bank of sand on either side, ceaselessly refreshed by dredges stationed along the shore and pumping wet sand over the berm. The town of Ismailia with its tall, minareted mosque is a welcome diversion, as are the two bridges and one massive powerline crossing the canal. The transit takes between 11 and 16 hours.

Aqaba (For Petra), Jordan
Aqaba is a sleepy fishing village with a long and historic past. At various times, the port was a stopover on ancient caravan routes, a garrison for Roman troops and meeting place for pilgrims en route to Mecca. Recent excavations have revealed a third-century church, one of the worlds oldest. In medieval times, Aqaba was an important part of Palestine before being absorbed into the Ottoman Empire, a time when Lawrence of Arabia figured in local history. Today Aqaba is important as Jordan’s only deep water port and the jumping-off point for excursions to Petra, the country’s premier historical attraction.

Dubai, United Arab Emirates
The United Arab Emirates is strategically located at the crossroads of East and West, and the traditional trading routes from Asia and the Far East to Europe and further afield are even more significant today than they were hundreds of years ago. Nestled at the very heart of the Islamic world, the country is unique in its embrace of the Western world. Here you can see the contrasts of the nomadic Bedouin people, and the opulence and splendor of the Sheiks, set against a backdrop of Western lifestyles.

Mumbai (Bombay), India
Mumbai (formerly called Bombay) is a captivating city, known for its striking contrasts. The fastest growing, most affluent and industrialized city in India, Mumbai represents the ever-changing face of today’s India: the old coupled with the dynamic new. This vibrant city is a kaleidoscopic mixture of intriguing people and incredible places, where within a block or two you can find modern skyscrapers, ornate Victorian buildings, and bustling bazaars.

Sabang, Pulau Weh, Indonesia
Sabang is a cozy town on the Indonesian island of Pulau Weh with a sleepy yet charming old colonial atmosphere. Many old colonial buildings are still standing, shadowed by huge trees that the Dutch once imported from Suriname. Thanks to its excellent harbor and good water supply Sabang became an important coal loading station for ships en route between Europe and Asia, and at one time was even larger than Singapore. Enjoy the local restaurants and coffee shops (don’t miss the traditional Acehnese coffee), the morning market and the nearby beaches. The reefs along nearby Sabang Fair are particularly nice for snorkeling.

Singapore, Singapore
Founded as a British trading colony in 1819, Singapore joined the Malaysian Federation in 1963. Two years later, it became an independent island-state, developing into one of the world’s most prosperous countries. With ultra-modern skyscrapers combined with a medley of Chinese, Indian and Malay influences, Singapore is a dynamic city rich in contrast and color, exhibiting a harmonious blend of culture, cuisine, arts and architecture.