#Seabourn/Windstar – Seabourn Cruises ulta-luxury Seabourn Legend that called to Dun Laoghaire Harbour yesterday, is making her final cruise to Irish and UK ports before her transfer to Windstar Cruises next year, writes Jehan Ashmore.

Her sale along with a pair of sisters to Windstar Cruises, will see the intimate 212 guest superyacht-like vessel renamed Star Legend enter service in April 2015.

By coincidence, the fourth and final caller to Dun Laoghaire this season will be Windstar Cruises sail-assisted five-mast cruiseship, Wind Surf which is due to visit this week. She has become the harbour's most frequent caller since the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company re-launched in promoting the cruise business in 2011.

Returning to Seabourn Legend and under the command of Captain Dvergastein, the 9,975 tonnes vessel took a pilot before entering the embracing harbour arms of Dun Laoghaire (see previous report). She is on a 15 day 'Route of Britannia' cruise which had departed from the Pool of London,  from where the 134m vessel transited through Tower Bridge.

She had visited St. Mary's, Scilly, and as previously reported on Afloat.ie, Waterford City Quays, marking an historic record-breaking total of three callers visiting on the one day. Today, she is in Belfast, where she is reunited with Hamburg which too had formed the trio meeting in the south-eastern city along with Silver Cloud.

The Seabourn Legend has an almost full occupancy booked for this cruise and this evening she is bound for ports along the western isles of Scotland and also a call to Greenock.

Following her Clydeside call, she is to return through the Irish Sea with further calls to the Isle of Man, France and Belgium before terminating her cruise back in London.

As to be expected with an upmarket cruise operator, Seabourn Cruises offers a very high standard in cuisine. They are a member of the Chaîne des Rôtisseurs, one of the world's most prestigious gastronomic societies devoted to fine dining, in which The Restaurent on Deck 3 is the place to be.

Among the other facilities there is the Veranda Café Lounge and nearby outdoor pool plus a pair of whirlpools. Also on that deck is the beauty salon, spa and gym. There is The Club bar and piano lounge, Casino, Show Lounge, Library / Video, Boutique and Card room.

As for accommodation, there are six categories of suites, in which there are a pair of owner's suites (54sq m) located on Deck 6. Features include living room with semi-circular couch, ocean view, dining area, forward-facing private veranda, bedroom with one queen size bed only, a walk-in closet and alcove closet. There is a bathroom with tub, shower and vanity plus a guest bath.

In addition the Owner Suites come equipped with two flat-screen TVs with DVD players, Bose Wave CD stereo system and there is complimentary Wi-Fi / internet service.

#CruiseControl – The Hollywood blockbuster 'Speed 2: Cruise Control' released in 1997 starring Sandra Bullock and filmed on board Seabourn Legend, is to make her maiden call to Dun Laoghaire Harbour tomorrow, writes Jehan Ashmore.

This will be the first time that Seabourn Cruises, a prestigious operator in the high-end of the cruise market will visit Dun Laoghaire Harbour as part of a 15-day 'Cruise of Britannia'. The five-star 208 capacity cruiseship embarked her guests in London and she has a crew of 164 to pamper their requirements.

Her high-quality suites are renowned for personalized service coupled by award-winning choice of restuarents serving French fries to foie-gras.

Only a year after entering service for Seabourn, she was home for three months to the film production crew and actors including co-stars Willem Defoe and Jason Patric.

In addition to the many on board shoots, those that required high-drama stunts scenes, required construction of a replica of her bow which saw her crashing ashore in the film set in the Caribbean.

As previously reported, Seabourn Legend was one of record three callers to Waterford City Quays today, is currently underway tonight along with two other cruiseships. She was originally launched in 1988 as Royal Viking Queen as one of a trio of intimate yacht-like ships ordered by Royal Viking Line. The sisters were built by German shipyard, Schichau Seebeckwerft in Bremerhaven.

When her current owners took ownership, she was re-christened by Linn Brynestad, the wife of Seabourn founder Atle Brynestad. She retained her name for the film.

Tomorrow's call of the near 10,000 tonnes Seabourn Legend marks the third of four cruiseships due this season. Last year the harbour had 13 callers, there were four in 2012 and in the re-launching of the cruise business in 2011 saw two visits by the same cruiseship.

A record number of cruiseships, totalling 23 are confirmed for the 2015 season according to the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company.
In addition, the harbour is to welcome another record with 66,867 passengers, which for the first time exceeds those visiting across the bay in Dublin Port where 60,751 passengers are expected to visit the capital.