Seabourn Quest - 10/12/23 New York harbor for New England, Nova Scotia, New Brunswick & Quebec

In the Seabourn Cruise Line family, the 458-passenger Seabourn Quest stands out as the adventurous triplet. Though its layout and luxurious amenities are nearly identical to its two Odyssey-class sisters, it's the only ship in the fleet that's ice-rated. Instead of chasing the sun, Quest chases the cold -- cruising Antarctica in the North American winter and Northern Europe in the summer.
This means that its beautiful pool and deck areas often go unused, and its aft marina no longer carries water toys for passenger play. The popular place to be onboard is wherever the best view is -- often the Observation Bar or its forward deck -- and the line's stash of warm throw blankets are greatly appreciated.

Other than these small differences, Seabourn Quest offers the same upscale cruising experience as its sun-seeking sisters. The ship's inclusive fares (covering tips and drinks) and small size makes for a stress-free sailing -- no need to constantly sign chits, worry about who's buying drinks or wait in line. While service isn't always intuitive, the crew does try hard to make your cruise the best ever. That might mean creating an exclusive menu of your choosing in The Restaurant one night, helping you find the perfect wine or tailoring a fitness class to your needs. But you have to ask. In our experience, the crew is always friendly but they won't remember how you like your morning tea and sometimes they'll take too long to take your order or refill your glass.

Dining is a decadent affair, and Seabourn doesn't skimp on ingredients. Fresh berries at breakfast, caviar anywhere and anytime you want it and huge portions of steak -- even a partnership with top chef Thomas Keller -- shows that this cruise ship takes good food seriously. We did wish the menus had more choice and the restaurants open a bit longer, but perhaps by limiting options, a small ship can better guarantee excellent results. Omnivores will love it; travelers with dietary restrictions and picky eaters might want to talk options with the dining team on embarkation day.

Entertainment is both a highlight and a lowlight on this cruise. The line's partnership with renowned lyricist Tim Rice has changed casting requirements for onboard singers for the better, and the ship's song-and-dance revues are fun to watch. The jazz trio and dance band who perform in the club are memorable and fun, rather than forgettable background noise. Yet the guest performers on our sailing did not live up to the onboard talent, and were surprisingly amateurish for a ship that attracts a cultured clientele.

Ultimately, the onboard experience will play second to the destination on Quest. Passengers choose these itineraries because they want to experience bucket-list destinations like Antarctica, the Arctic or the Amazon. But they choose to travel to those places on Seabourn because they know they will be treated well, they will dine well, they will sleep in comfortable beds in spacious cabins and they don't have to bother with the hassles that would mar the total enjoyment of their vacation.

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