Seabourn Quest: What is life really like on a six-star luxury ship

Louise Goldsbury falls in love with the top-end Seabourn Quest; understated elegance with a side of caviar.

Seabourn Quest check in

The defining moment of a Seabourn cruise occurs within seconds of stepping aboard, when a tuxedoed waiter hands you a flute of champagne.

Seabourn Quest cruise anchors for some watersports — Seabourn Quest

As per the golden rule of five-stars-at-sea, the all-inclusive special touches – and they do mean all-inclusive – start upon arrival when crew members line up to warmly greet you and, impressively, remember your name for the rest of the trip.

As of now, you are one of the privileged few who has discovered the huge difference that a small luxury yacht with truly personalised service can make. Anything you need, Seabourn’s staff will make it happen. The days are relaxed, the nights are sociable, and the entertainment is indulgence in various forms.

Checking in on Seabourn takes place in a living room alongside a European-style coffee bar and library, rather than the conventional ‘lobby’ of most ships. Then it’s time to inspect your suite, which is more spacious than your average cabin and appointed in the style of a modern, high-end hotel.

Crusiing in the Penthouse Suite, Seabourn Quest — Penthouse Suite, Seabourn Quest

Seabourn Quest rooms

Every room offers an ocean view (90 per cent from a private balcony) and a free mini-bar stocked daily with the drinks of your preference. Your marble bathroom has Molton Brown products, a shower and (properly-sized) separate bath with a menu of scented bath oils.

Your personal suite stewardess will happily prepare a warm bath for you, should you ask – or they may surprise you one evening with rose petals scattered across your bed.

Life on board Seabourn Quest

The Colonnade, Seabourn Quest cruise — The Colonnade, Seabourn Quest

I have come on this cruise with my sister-in-law, enjoying her first holiday without the kids, and she can’t believe the decadence. After lunch in The Colonnade, we move to the open-air Sky Bar for a celebratory beverage. All drinks – including cocktails, top-shelf spirits and an extensive selection of international wines, beers and champagne – are complimentary.

Wintergarden Suite (Solarium), Seabourn Quest cruise — Wintergarden Suite (Solarium), Seabourn Quest

A complimentary mini-massage is another poolside treat, and it’s only a matter of minutes before one of the crew offers to polish our sunglasses. On hot days, waiters bring cold towels and spritz your face with Evian to keep cool while sunbathing.

Cruising, Hydro Pool (Odyssey Only), Seabourn Quest — Hydro Pool (Odyssey Only), Seabourn Quest

Our next stop is the two-level spa, where the elegant facilities spread across 1000 square metres.

After a few rounds of water therapy treatment in the steam rooms and aroma-infused showers, we settle on heated lounges in the ocean-view relaxation room. We have the apartment-sized circular space completely to ourselves, interrupted only by staff bringing us magazines and passionfruit smoothies.

Food on board Seabourn Quest

At dinner, we are one of four tables occupied in the specialty Restaurant 2 for an eight-course degustation (no extra charge). This tiny New York-style hot spot is strikingly decorated with black criss-crossed walls, black leather and red velvet chairs.

Sky Bar, Seabourn Quest cruise — Sky Bar, Seabourn Quest

It’s undeniably sexy, and unlike the rest of the ship, dimly lit. Then we’re off to the casino for a flutter on roulette, doubling our money, before going to see a show in the theatre.

As we sail between Hobart and Sydney the next day, lunch is held in the galley (kitchen). Usually off-limits, this behind-the-scenes area is set up for one afternoon with ‘action stations’, meaning chefs are cooking and serving up their dishes to guests.

Everyone is delighted with the personal service at each food stall: fondue, risotto, seafood, a carvery, even a vodka bar. Such an intimate experience would not be possible on a larger ship but, despite the smaller size, the ship is not packed with passengers (or children), so it’s easy to find your own quiet space.

Seabourn Square Deck 7, Seabourn Quest cruise — Seabourn Square Deck 7, Seabourn Quest

When the weather turns Tasmanian, we warm up in the hot tubs at the stern on deck five, which nobody else seems to know exist.

The company recently sold the three oldest of its six vessels and ordered a new ship, which will make it the youngest fleet in the world. Its all-inclusive indulgence attracts couples who enjoy the finer things in life and like to travel with a mix of mainly Americans, Europeans and Australians. And 40 per cent of passengers are return visitors.

The line is increasing the amount of time it spends in Australia as its popularity grows (thanks largely to the strength of the dollar, with fares priced in USD). But for families, Seabourn is not the best choice. With no official kids’ areas onboard, there is little for children to do.

Aft Pool Deck, Seabourn Quest cruise — Aft Pool Deck, Seabourn Quest

As opposed to most Australia-based ships, room service is free on Seabourn, with meals served course-by-course from the restaurant menus, so if you just can’t bear the thought of leaving your suite, you can have a private, waiter-served dinner on your balcony. You can also throw an in-suite cocktail party if you please, complete with your own waiters. Alternatively, simply attend high tea – a Seabourn tradition where white-gloved waiters attend to you each afternoon.

Activities and entertainment on board Seabourn Quest

Shop in duty-free boutiques, visit the private diamond showroom, or attend a lecture in the theatre. But most people pass time reclining on a deck chair or cabana with a book. For more lively fun, an onboard marina is equipped with kayaks, water-skis and banana boats (when the captain decides it’s safe to anchor and let people out to play in the ocean).

Nightly entertainment is a low-key affair.

‘Movies Under the Stars’ are shown on the Sun Deck, if the weather permits.

The live music is classical or opera, the comedians are classier and the casino is the busiest venue. Just as there are no high-energy pool games by day, there are no splashy song-and-dance revues by night.

Seabourn passengers prefer to socialise with each other before and after dinner, perhaps ending up with a sing-along around the piano.

Luxury is far from pretentious and stuffy on Seabourn. Its 16-day Australian cruises are simply two weeks of wonderful.

Seabourn Quest cruise docks in Sydney — Seabourn Quest, Sydney

Beyond the winding bitumen and coastal views lies another side to Victoria’s most famous route.

There’s something hypnotic about this stretch of Victoria’s coast. Maybe it’s the way the road hugs the ocean so tightly, or how the cliffs catch the sun in colours you can’t name. Or, for local Victorians who drove this route as kids, maybe it’s the memories of winding through the impossibly tall trees as they seemingly guide you on your journey like wooden guardian angels. Most travellers know it for the 12 Apostles, but there are plenty of alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road equally as worthy of your time.

So, next time you’re in that neck of the woods, park that car, stretch those legs and try these experiences.

1. Discover living culture at Budj Bim

Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism — Walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Breakaway Creek’s Budj Bim Cultural Landscape is a masterclass in educational storytelling. Join a guided tour with Budj Bim Cultural Landscape Tourism to walk across the world’s oldest known aquaculture system, where the Gunditjmara people built sophisticated eel traps and stone channels more than 6,000 years ago.

Budj Bim’s aquaculture system predates Egypt’s pyramids by roughly 2,000 years, making it one of the oldest examples of human engineering on Earth. If that’s not enough to get your history-loving family members involved in this road trip, we’re out of ideas.

2. Unwind in the hot springs at Warnambool

woman relaxing at Deep Blue Hot Springs — Let mineral-rich water heal you.

If your legs need a break after a long drive, Deep Blue Hot Springs is your remedy. The geothermal pools sit just metres from the coastline, filled with mineral-rich water that bubbles up from deep underground. Move between open-air baths, waterfall pools and quiet zones made for meditation.

The water in Deep Blue’s geothermal pools comes from an ancient aquifer nearly 850 metres below the Earth’s surface, which, in non-scientific terms, means it’s far more likely to have healing properties than the mineral water you’d find at the supermarket.

3. Take to the air at Princetown

12 Apostles Helicopters flight alternate experiences on the Great Ocean Road — See an icon from a different view.

You may have seen the Twelve Apostles from the trusty viewing platform, but a helicopter flight with 12 Apostles Helicopters shows you just how sprawling and rugged this coastline really is.

The trip covers everything from Port Campbell to London Bridge (not to be confused with the UK’s own), giving you a rare chance to watch waves carving the limestone cliffs from above. It’s worth noting that the limestone stacks of the Twelve Apostles are said to erode by roughly two centimetres each year, so the longer you leave it, the less of the Apostles you’ll see.

4. Step into the past at Flagstaff Hill

Continue the tour through Warnambool at Flagstaff Hill Maritime Village and Museum , a recreated 19th-century port town. Hear stories from the days when shipwrecks were as common as seagulls, with an astounding 180 ships believed to have sunk along the Shipwreck Coast in less than five years.

The night show, complete with lights, sound, and sea spray, brings the coastline’s most dramatic stories to life.

If you’re staying the night, Simon’s Waterfront offers relaxed dining with fresh local seafood and oceanfront views. Order the catch of the day and toast to the sailors who never made it ashore.

5. Learn to surf in Torquay, Lorne, or Anglesea

kid having a lesson with Go Ride A Wave — Learn how to hang 10. (Image: Visit Victoria)

Whether you’ve surfed before or can barely stand on a board, Go Ride A Wave will have you upright in no time. Torquay’s calm beaches are ideal for first-timers, while Lorne and Anglesea bring a bit more energy for those unafraid to get dunked.

Bells Beach, just down the road from Torquay, has even hosted the world’s longest-running professional surfing competition since 1962. So, for those eager to have a gander at pros using surfboards like they’re an additional appendage, the competition usually runs sometime in autumn.

6. Tackle the trails in Forrest

Barwon Flow Trails Otways Flow MTB — Hire a bike and explore MTB trails through the Otways.

Forrest is a haven for mountain bikers thanks to an expansive network of trails through stunning natural scenery. The Forrest trail network has almost 100 kilometres of singletrack across 36 trails, so there’s something for every level of rider. That’s including more than 60 kilometres of purpose-built mountain bike trails winding through the Otways’ dense forest. Cycle through ancient myrtle beech trees and towering tree ferns, with smaller ferns and soft mosses forming a carpet at your feet.

Hire a bike from Forrest MTB Hire and take your pick from easy, scenic rides to more challenging singletracks, such as Red Carpet or Rollercoaster.

7. See wildlife up close in Apollo Bay

bush rat on Wildlife Wonders tour — Get help spotting the locals. (Image: Doug Gimsey)

If spotting koalas and kangaroos in the wild feels like winning the lottery, Wildlife Wonders gives you guaranteed sightings without cages or crowds. Every visit to the sanctuary helps fund the Conservation Ecology Centre which supports endangered species across the Otways, so your business is appreciated by humans and animals alike.

The guided walk takes you through protected Otways habitat where you might spot potoroos (or joey lookalikes for those unfamiliar with a potoroo), wallabies, and sleepy koalas lounging in the trees.

8. Visit the Cape Otway Lightstation

Towering over the sea on a cliff above the Southern Ocean, Cape Otway Lightstation has been guiding ships since 1848. Before the lighthouse was built, Cape Otway was one of the most treacherous points on the Victorian coast, with dozens of shipwrecks occurring in its surrounding waters. Pick the right day, and you may bump into a local willing to tell you about the wreck of Eric the Red .

While at the Cape Otway Lightstation, explore the keeper’s quarters, walk the coastal trails, and take in views that only stop short at the horizon.

And no, contrary to popular belief, the Round the Twist lighthouse is actually located in Split Point, just shy of two hours in the direction of Melbourne. Nothing’s stopping you from embarking on a lighthouse crawl, though.

Plan your next no-stone-unturned journey along this iconic Aussie road at visitgreatoceanroad.org.au.