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SEABOURN PRIDE |
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The ship
that started it all inspired one critic to
declare that “Seabourn is in a class by itself.”
And in 1988, when the sleek, 10,000-ton Pride
emerged from the Schichau Seebeckwerft shipyard
in Bremerhaven, Germany, that was literally
true. At that time, most ships of Pride’s size
(and there were more then than now) carried more
than 400 guests. Seabourn Pride, christened by
Ambassador Shirley Temple Black, topped out at
half that many. The idea that every guest sailed
in an expansive, ocean-view suite was
revolutionary. The concept of open-seating
dining accommodating all guests was exceptional.
And the notion of including nearly everything
for the cost of the fare was a rare thing as
well. But the most important element of the
Seabourn experience, to founding president
Warren S. Titus, was the unparalleled level of
personalized service provided to guests.
Hand-picked staff, recruited from the finest
European hospitality schools and hostelries, are
re-trained and managed according to the
philosophy that every request is a golden
opportunity to create delight, that the
unexpected pleasure is what truly makes an
experience memorable, and that the rendering of
the very best service is a product of
professional pride, not influenced by the
expectation of a gratuity. That remains a core
value of all Seabourn ships today. By a trick of
history, Seabourn Pride and its sisters remain
as exceptional today as they were when launched
– in a class by themselves.
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