Seabourn Highest-Rated Line In Travel + Leisure 'World's Best' Poll

SEATTLE, July 23, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Seabourn collected a fourth consecutive title as the World's Best Small-Ship Cruise Line from the readers of Travel + Leisure Thursday night at a party in New York City celebrating the 2012 edition of the magazine's prestigious annual poll. Readers scored Seabourn's fleet of six intimate, all-suite ships higher than any other cruise line. The award is the ultra luxury line's fifth World's Best win since 2007, and ensured the company's inclusion as a charter member of the publication's "Hall of Fame," comprised of companies that have scored "World's Best" status for a decade or more.

"This is an award that gives our shipboard staff a great deal of pleasure," said Seabourn's president, Richard Meadows. "Their greatest satisfaction is to see guests returning to sail with them again," he continued, "But this World's Best honor also makes them especially proud, because it comes from the guests they serve day after day."

Seabourn's intimate ships and genuine, intuitive style of personalized service have consistently placed it at the top of readers' polls and rankings by knowledgeable cruise experts. Seabourn was named the best small-ship cruise line in the Conde Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards for 2008, 2010 and 2011, and has been on that magazine's elite Gold List of luxury travel options every year since the list was created. Five of Seabourn's six ships are among the top seven ships in the world, according to the Berlitz Complete Guide to Cruising and Cruise Ships (Seabourn Quest, launched in June of 2011, was too late to be reviewed.)

In addition, the line has been honored with the Six Star Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality Sciences.

For more details about the award-winning Seabourn fleet, or to explore the worldwide selection of Seabourn cruising options, contact a professional travel agent, call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com .

Notes to Editors:

Seabourn is consistently ranked among the world's top travel choices by professional critics and the discerning readers of prestigious travel publications such as Departures, Travel + Leisure and Conde Nast Traveler.  Its stylish, distinctive cruising vacations are renowned for:

• Six intimate ships with just 104 or 225 suites
• Unique itineraries visiting must-see cities and hidden gems where larger ships cannot follow
• Intuitive, gracious service provided by a staff passionate about pleasing our guests
• Spacious all-suite accommodations with sweeping ocean views – many with verandas
• Gourmet dining experiences as fine as the best restaurants anywhere
• Open bars throughout the ship and fine wines poured with lunch and dinner 

Seabourn 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 and Costa Cruises. Seabourn is a brand of Carnival Corporation and plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL andNYSE: CUK), and supports the Ocean Conservation & Tourism Alliance, dedicated to education and promotion of best practices for protecting the marine environment.

SOURCE Seabourn