Seabourn Encore

Encore's design was led by noted hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany, who brought a lighter, more contemporary interior to a ship that could easily have skewed conservative. The Retreat, an exclusive sun deck at the bow with cabanas and dedicated service, is included — not an upgrade. That philosophy extends throughout: wine with every meal, specialty restaurants with no supplement, butler service with every suite. The small-print costs that define mainstream cruising simply don't exist here.

The Restaurant, positioned at the stern with panoramic windows, serves contemporary cuisine that changes throughout the voyage. The Grill by Thomas Keller is the marquee dining experience — a classic American steakhouse aesthetic filtered through one of the most respected culinary partnerships at sea. Entertainment leans toward enrichment: guest lecturers, destination experts, and a speaker program that changes by voyage. There is a casino, but the ambience is closer to library than club.

All accommodations are suites, and the entry-level Veranda Suite is meaningfully more generous than a balcony cabin on a mainstream ship — more floor space, a proper living area, and a bathroom with a window. Upper suite categories add more space, but the core experience doesn't suffer in the entry tier. The service-to-space ratio is consistent throughout the ship regardless of which suite category you book.

Encore's Asian itineraries reach ports the larger ships skip entirely — smaller Japanese cities, Indian Ocean islands, Southeast Asian anchorages that appear on almost no other line's roster. The size advantage is felt most clearly in harbors where deeper-draft vessels anchor offshore while Encore ties up directly at the quay.

Seabourn is not for family cruising with children, high-energy entertainment, or travelers who want a casual, anything-goes atmosphere. The pace is unhurried; the other guests tend toward experienced travelers with specific interests. If you thrive in environments calibrated toward conversation and cuisine rather than activity, Encore is designed for you.