Seabourn Names Captain, Hotel Director for New Seabourn Ovation
SEATTLE,
August 22, 2017 - Seabourn, the world's finest ultra-luxury cruise
line, has named Stig Betten as captain of its newest vessel, Seabourn Ovation, and Helmut Huber as
hotel director.
Betten will oversee all operations of the line's newest vessel, which is
scheduled to launch in May 2018 in Italy. Huber will oversee the hotel
department, which includes suites, housekeeping, and food & beverage
services.
"These gentlemen are two seasoned professionals and they will be fantastic
as we launch Seabourn Ovation," said Richard Meadows, president of
Seabourn. "They both have years of luxury experience to guide them and our
guests and crews have really enjoyed their distinct personalities during prior
assignments on our ships. I'm confident they will do well as they provide
leadership throughout the ship's delivery and into the maiden season."
Betten was born and raised in the small village called Surnadal on the west
coast of Norway. Hailing from many generations of seafarers, it was natural for
Betten to follow in the footsteps of his father, grandfather and great
grandfather by choosing a career at sea. Betten began his seagoing career in
1997, initially with a Norwegian seismic exploration company. He joined
Seabourn in 2001 and has worked his way up the ranks from Second Officer to
Captain. He has been assigned on past Seabourn ships Pride, Spirit,
and Legend, as well as Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn
and Seabourn Quest, including being a part of the start-up team as Staff
Captain during the construction of Seabourn
Sojourn and Seabourn
Quest. When he is not at sea, Betten enjoys spending time with his
family in Istanbul. When visiting his hometown in Norway, he enjoys fishing,
trekking and hunting.
Huber is a native of Innsbruck, Austria. He started his career in the cruise
industry in 1992 as a busboy/assistant waiter, working his way up through
various positions to the management level. After almost 10 years at sea, Huber
decided to go back to university, acquiring several degrees and certificates.
Once he completed his studies, he returned to the hospitality industry in Food
& Beverage and Hotel Management positions at luxury properties before
returning to the cruise industry in 2007. Huber joined Seabourn in 2015 as
Hotel Director. He splits time between Innsbruck and Los Angeles during his
time off, where he enjoys activities such as scuba diving, snow skiing,
mountain biking and travel.
Seabourn Ovation will expand and build on the line's award-winning and
highly acclaimed Odyssey-class ships, which revolutionized ultra-luxury
cruising with enhanced accommodations and innovative amenities when they were
introduced between 2009 and 2011. Seabourn Ovation will maintain the
line's high ratio of space per guest, enabling highly personalized service. A
sister ship, Seabourn Encore, launched to much acclaim in December 2016.
Designed by hospitality design icon Adam D. Tihany, Seabourn
Ovation will feature modern design elements and innovations consistent with
the line's reputation for understated elegance in a yacht-like environment. The
40,350-GRT ship will be configured to carry just 600 guests, based on double
occupancy. Every suite will also feature a private veranda supported by
impeccable service.
Seabourn will continue to reveal updates about Seabourn Ovation via the dedicated microsite. Filled with imagery, details and news
of the ship's continuing progress, the microsite offers an inside look at the
next addition to the newest fleet in the ultra-luxury category.
For more details about the award-winning Seabourn fleet, or to explore the
worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, contact a travel
professional, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.
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For more Information:
Brian Badura
(206) 626-9158 or BBadura@seabourn.com
or
Ashley Fenton
Hawkins International Public Relations
(212) 255-6541 or Ashley@hawkpr.com