4 Ways to Fall in Love with Caviar on a Seabourn Cruise

If you ask past guests what they remember most about their Seabourn cruise, chances are that caviar will come up. Complimentary caviar has been a signature of Seabourn since its earliest days, and the delicacy has become woven into the tapestry of the luxury Seabourn lifestyle and some of the most memorable moments of any Seabourn cruise.

Here are some of the ways you’ll fall in love with caviar on your next Seabourn cruise:

Whenever and wherever the urge for a formal service of caviar strikes you while you’re on board a Seabourn cruise, one call or word to a staff member is all it will take for your desires to be answered – along with your beverage of choice to accompany the caviar, of course.

Perhaps with mimosas and your smoked salmon for breakfast?

With pre-dinner vodka in a lounge?

A steward will deliver a silver platter of caviar in a server on ice, toast points and all the traditional accompaniments, including sour cream and crumbled boiled egg yolks, to your side, along with starched linen napkins, serving plates and napkins.

You may notice from this picture of caviar service in a lounge in the evening that Seabourn pays attention to every detail: dedicated caviar aficionados know that silver flatware should never touch caviar – it may taint the delicate flavor of the exalted sturgeon roe. Seabourn serves its caviar with mother-of-pearl spoons that neither absorb nor transfer flavor that could overwhelm your caviar.

One of the great delights of Seabourn style at sea is in-suite dining. In addition to being able to order a meal from the dining room menu to be served course by course on a white linen-covered table in your suite, complimentary caviar service can also be ordered to your suite.

Along with your breakfast order? Certainly.

As a late-night snack while you watch a film? Why not.

For me, maybe the ultimate indulgence is lounging on your suite veranda in the sun, sipping champagne and nibbling caviar from mother-of-pearl spoons as you listen to the waves lapping against the side of the ship. The fresh, salty sea air enhances the flavor of this luxe seafood treat.

So much is caviar part of the Seabourn lifestyle, the cruise line has crafted whole experiences around it. Like other ‘Seabourn moments’ that surprise and delight you with the effort and thoughtfulness of the crew to put a smile on guests’ faces, Caviar on Deck parties pop up seemingly out of nowhere during your Seabourn cruise.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the top deck is transformed into a party, with masses of ice displays of caviar and both champagne and vodka, whichever caviar chaser you prefer! Chefs and some of the ship’s officers, your favorite bartenders and servers are all there, where you mingle with your fellow guests in delight at this little pop up Seabourn moment.

It really highlights one of the best things about small-ship cruising – that you really get to know and spend time with your fellow guests, and ship’s officers and crew members, and create new friendships you can toast at events like Caviar on Deck.

In tropical climates, Seabourn may present a variation on Caviar on Deck: Caviar in the Pool, where a surfboard in the pool becomes a serving surface and everyone just wades on in – even in full uniform!

Caviar in the Pool is clearly inspired by one of the most famous and celebrated Seabourn moments of all: Caviar in the Surf.

For over a decade, Seabourn cruises in the Caribbean have called at Carambola Beach in St. Kitts, and cruises in Southeast Asia have called at Ko Kood in Thailand, for private beach parties, served up with Seabourn cuisine, beverage and service.

The pinnacle of one of your best cruise shore calls ever is Caviar in the Surf: with ship’s officers and members of the culinary and beverage teams standing waist-up in the sea, serving caviar and all the trimmings off of surfboards, along with champagne and cruise memories of a lifetime!

Video and article by: Lynn Elmhirst, cruise/ travel journalist and expert