SINGAPORE -- Guests boarding the new Seabourn Encore may
notice that its lines and designs are softer and more curvaceous than the other
Seabourn ships, said Adam Tihany, lead designer for the new ship.
The Seabourn Encore arrived here on Jan. 5 on a voyage from
the shipyard in Italy where it was built. It is scheduled to depart on Jan. 7
on an inaugural cruise to Bali.
Tihany, president of New York-based Tihany Design, said one
example is the Seabourn Square gathering spot on Deck 7 that serves as a
library/guest services/coffee bar for the ship. "It's literally not a
square anymore," he said.
This staircase bannister is an example of the more rounded, curvaceous design of the Seabourn Encore. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
On the Encore, the area has been opened up to guests by
lowering partitions that once kept service personnel walled off. Now, the area
is shaped in more of a circle. It has also been brightened with a lighter color
scheme.
Another example is the bar in the Observation Lounge, which
has been converted from a square shape to a circle. Tihany's design also makes
the lounge brighter by incorporating a skylight into the ceiling above the bar.
In addition to being more "sexy" and aesthetically
pleasing, the reduction in the number of hard angles and sharp edges will
reduce the wear and tear on crew members bumping into these obstacles, Tihany
said.
"The ship is taking into consideration how passengers
move in space," Tihany said.
The Encore is the first new Seabourn ship since the 2011
delivery of the Seabourn Quest. It has an additional deck, raising the capacity
at double occupancy from 450 to 600 guests.
Seabourn president Rick Meadows and ship designer Adam Tihany at a news conference aboard Seabourn Encore in Singapore. Photo Credit: Tom Stieghorst
The design of the previous three Seabourn ships, including
Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Sojourn, was more "Nordic," Tihany
said. Tthe Encore and its sister ship due in 2018, Seabourn Ovation, will look
more like luxury yachts, he said.
Tihany spoke in a news conference on the ship with Seabourn
president Rick Meadows. Tihany said his favorite space on the new ship is The
Retreat, a relaxation area of 11 cabanas surrounding a whirlpool and
covered by an arched canvas dome. Entrance is limited to guests who pay the
rental fee for a cabana, which is $349 on sea days and $249 on port days.