The Grand Salon

The Grand Salon is Seabourn Ovation’s theatre. It is an intimate, single-level theatre with live shows or film screenings each evening. (There are also enrichment lectures during the day.)

The resident cast or guest entertainers perform in The Grand Salon. There will be either one show at 9:45pm or two shows each evening – one early and one late. Your daily Herald newsletter will indicate this.

Usually the resident cast perform Broadway-style shows. These are really good, without a hint of ‘cruise ship cliche’.  However, the guest entertainers can be a bit hit-and-miss.

There is bar service in The Grand Salon during each evening performance.

An Evening with Sir Tim Rice

“An Evening with Sir Tim Rice” in the Grand Salon is a real treat. It features the big hits he wrote with his most famous collaborators, including Elton John, ABBA’s Benny & Bjorn and Sir Andrew Lloyd-Webber.

Since it debuted on Seabourn Encore the show has changed. The staging is now bolder, there are new songs and – through the magic of theatre – a life-size ‘Sir Tim’ walks on stage to deliver his lines.

Sir Tim regales with the stories behind the hits, like “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat” premiering to an audience of 100 parents at a school in Hammersmith! He also explains how the idea for “Evita” came to him whilst stuck in traffic, listening to a news report about the troubles in Argentina.

The staging on Seabourn Ovation is exceptional. In fact it’s the best I’ve seen on any luxury cruise ship. Beautifully rendered multimedia backdrops wrap right around the performers giving an enhanced sense of theatricality.

“An Evening with Sir Tim Rice” is a highlight of any Seabourn voyage, but especially so on Seabourn Ovation.

The Club – one of the best Seabourn Ovation bars

The Club on Seabourn Ovation is a signature venue. It is a lively place for a drink, especially after dinner. There is a stage and a dance floor, as well as a live band who perform pop hits.

The Club on Seabourn Ovation has been reworked and it is a great success. There is an excellent bar where you can watch the talented mixologists create your favourite drink and there are also lots of comfortable places to relax as well.

Perhaps the only downside is the noise from the disco which can drown-out romantic whispers at the bar. On the earlier Seabourn ships this was overcome with glass partitions separating the bar and disco. But that said, The Club is still one of the best Seabourn Ovation bars.

The Observation Bar

With spectacular panoramic views across the bow, it’s hardly surprising that the Observation Bar is one of the most popular Seabourn Ovation bars.

The designer Adam D. Tihany gave the Observation Bar a curvaceous nautical feel, as well as a spectacular skylight above the bar.

The Observation Bar serves a traditional high tea every afternoon, but in the evening it really shines. The lights are low and the chiffon curtains are drawn. A pianist sets the mood and waiters sail by with champagne and plates of caviar. This is what makes it one the the best Seabourn Ovation bars and a great meeting spot as the sun sets over the horizon.

In addition, the Observation Bar offers an Early Riser’s tea and coffee service too.

The author sailed as a guest of Seabourn Cruises.