Seabourn Announces Senior Officers for 146-Day “2020 World Cruise: Extraordinary Destinations" on Seabourn Sojourn
SEATTLE, March 18, 2019 – Seabourn, the world's finest ultra-luxury travel experience, is excited to announce the noteworthy onboard team behind the 2020 World Cruise: Extraordinary Destinations, a 146-day cruise aboard Seabourn Sojourn set to visit extraordinary and noteworthy destinations around the world, including the Caribbean, Africa, India, Arabia, Southeast Asia, Indonesia, Australia & South Pacific, and Hawaii. The ultra-luxury vessel will depart Miami on January 4, 2020, and travel eastbound, before ending in San Francisco on May 28, 2020.
"As any world explorer knows, one can't mount an extraordinary journey without extraordinary talent. This group is among the best at what they do in the luxury cruise industry, and all of them are looking forward to providing the finest service as Seabourn Sojourn takes our guests on a memorable voyage around the globe for our World Cruise," noted Gerald Mosslinger, vice president of Hotel Operations for Seabourn.
Leading the once-in-a-lifetime voyage is a talented team of senior officers selected for their vast experience on the bridge, knowledge of the seas, hotel operations and luxury service. They include:
· Captain Timothy Roberts – Born in Liverpool, he was raised in the picturesque Lancashire village of Bolton-by-Bowland, and gained his nautical qualifications at South Tyneside Marine College. Roberts has sailed on a variety of vessels over his 40-plus-year nautical career. After 20 years on the cargo ship circuit, he diversified into the cruise industry and served as captain on several cruise lines, including Holland America Line's Statendam and Prinsendam before joining Seabourn in 2016 as master of Seabourn Sojourn. Roberts will be at the helm of the ship when it embarks on the World Cruise, as well as toward the end of the long voyage.
· Captain Hamish Elliott – Born in rural Norfolk, England but raised in London, Elliott found a passion for the sea at an early age inspired by the stories of his grandfather who commanded a vessel in the Merchant Marine. Following his studies at London Nautical School along the River Thames, at age 16, he joined an oil tanker in Singapore. He worked on cargo ships for several years before moving into the cruise industry as a First Officer in 1996. He has worked in various capacities on a variety of former Seabourn vessels. A veteran of nine World Cruises, Elliott is currently Seabourn's longest-serving captain, having taken command of Seabourn Sojourn upon its launch in 2010. He will join the World Cruise as master one month into the voyage and will be at the helm for approximately three months.
· Hotel Director Luca Di Matteo – A native of Naples, Italy, Di Matteo started in hospitality cooking his mother's recipes during his military service in the Italian Navy. Later, after earning a degree in agriculture, he decided to pursue his true passion and enrolled in hotel management school in Torquay, England. He joined Seabourn in 2001 as a waiter, and with his natural ease and confidence with guests, he advanced to maître d' in 2005. Di Matteo transitioned to Seabourn headquarters in Seattle as Corporate Manager of Restaurants & Bars in 2012, but he returned to sea in 2017 as Food & Beverage Manager and was later promoted to his current role as Hotel Director.
· Cruise Director Handré Potgieter – Potgieter has had a passion for people, entertainment, travel and fashion since growing up in South Africa. He attended the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts and later worked as an arranger/composer before establishing his own production company and winning the South African Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in 1997. He has been at sea since 2002, and with Seabourn since 2009, including Seabourn Spirit, Seabourn Odyssey, Seabourn Sojourn, Seabourn Quest, Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Ovation. The 2020 World Cruise will be Potgieter's third World Cruise with the line.
Seabourn Sojourn will cross a total three oceans and stop at 62 ports in 36 countries on five continents throughout the course of the sailing, featuring a combination of visits to world famous marquee ports and hidden gems. The voyage will include 16 overnights in port, and linger into the late evening another 18 times, enjoying more than one day exploring a port for every day relaxing at sea. There will be several exclusive world cruise events planned, as well as local shows, regional cuisines, and palate-pleasing wines for guests to enjoy as they sail around the globe.
For North American guests who book the full 146-day voyage by May 31, 2019, they will receive a value-packed menu of complimentary benefits and amenities, including:
· Roundtrip Domestic First Class Air
· $2,000USD Shipboard Credit per person
· $3,000USD Shipboard Credit per person for Penthouse and Premium Suites
· Unlimited WiFi
· Private car transfers door-to-door from your home
· Personal Valet® luggage shipping service between home and ship in Miami and San Francisco
· Unlimited Laundry and Dry Cleaning on board
· Gala Bon Voyage dinner & overnight hotel stay prior to departure in Miami
· Three exclusive World Cruise events
· Visa package
· Special World Cruise pillow gifts
In addition, guests who pay in full by May 31, 2019, will receive 3% savings off the cruise-only fare. Certain restrictions apply. For guests who chose not to sail the entire 146-day voyage, shorter segments ranging from 30 to 116 days are also available.
For more details about the award-winning Seabourn fleet, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, please contact a professional travel advisor, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.
About Seabourn:
Seabourn currently operates a fleet of five modern ultra-luxury ships and is a proud member of World's Leading Cruise Lines. The exclusive alliance also includes Carnival Cruise Lines, Holland America Line, Princess Cruises, Cunard Line, Costa Cruises, AIDA, P&O Cruises UK, P&O Cruises Australia and fathom. Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL and NYSE: CUK). Seabourn is the official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage under a multi-year agreement to help promote sustainable tourism at World Heritage sites around the world.
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
