Ed. Note: The Seabourn Pride, Seabourn Spirit and Seabourn Legend were sold a year after this article was written (February 2013) to Windstar Cruises but are staying with the fleet until 2015 (Pride until 2014). You can read the article here.
I am REPEATEDLY asked this question and I REPEATEDLY inquire of the top folks at Seabourn (and trust me on this…whomever those folks on CC believe they have connections with, my connections are better…I have the best).
So I will tell you what I have said/believe before and that hasn’t changed after speaking with the SVP and two VPs in the past week including a conversation yesterday:
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| Goldring Travel has a new address: 9 Professional Circle, Suite 202 Colts Neck, New Jersey 07722-2427 but the Seabourn little sister still has the same home! |
While there are things that I know that I cannot share (some of which may be pretty cool stuff), there is a known frustration with the small ships being quite slow (limiting itineraries), needing lots of long term investment, etc. I mentioned this back when the building of the Odyssey was first announced…over five years ago!
Based on that, I could not say that should the right cruise line (not directly competitive) make the right offer at the right price on the right terms and at the right time, Seabourn (‘er, umm, Mickey Arison) wouldn’t consider the offer.
That said, I can assure you that Seabourn has absolutely no plan or desire to reduce its inventory.
Tea leaves anyone?
BTW, I will – again – be at the Seatrade Cruise Shipping Conference in Miami in mid-March and I can assure you I will be meeting with many and will have my ear to the wall, floor and ceiling for any info on many, many subjects.
I would also remind folks that news organizations require at least two reliable sources for a reason. The sale of the triplets was assured on Cruise Critic back in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011 and now 2012. I am confident that at some point when the ships are sold…and they will be sold/too old at some point…the person who said it was happening back in 2008 will say, “I told you so.”
I put the deal together for, and consummated the transaction of, the sale of SS United States to Norwegian Cruise Line. Do you know who many deals I allegedly had made before that?
When it happens – this year or in 5 years – it will be a very quickly done deal that nobody could have accurately forecast/predicted; whether it be one, two or all three of the little sisters. That I am very confident of.
