Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury voyages and expedition travel, is transforming their ships to feature its new fine dining restaurant, Solis, to be as fresh and inviting as the Mediterranean cuisine on the menu.
Having debuted on Seabourn Quest in January 2024, Solis offers a distinctive space for guests to enjoy dishes inspired by destinations along the Mediterranean Sea.
Solis will feature design touches that create a warm and inviting ambiance for our many guests,” said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn. “Our expert in-house interior design team designed the perfect setting to celebrate the Mediterranean atmosphere combined with our signature Seabourn style. I hope our guests will feel the elevated style of fine dining while also experiencing the warmth that you would typically feel when visiting a Mediterranean family restaurant.”
Soft, Stunning and Inviting
The interior design for Solis is spearheaded by two highly talented design masters at Seabourn, My Nguyen, director of interior design, and Linh Nguyen, senior interior manager. They took a thoughtful path with the design to incorporate sustainable materials. Solis will feature new, soft wool carpeting that extends wall to wall customized by carpetmaker Dansk Wilton, a carpet pioneer in sustainability with a Cradle-to-Cradle certification. In addition, materials were selected through textile partners who create fabrics with at least 50% recycled content. Other design elements of Solis include the bespoke blue and cream leather from Penelopeoggi and custom-made outdoor chair covers by Trimline with Gtex fabrics.
My and Linh had a design vision for Solis, blending modern lines with natural elements creating a light and sophisticated palette taking shapes from the sun and hues from the Mediterranean cuisine. The colors are showcased in the overhead beams with shades of blue while chairs and banquettes are reimagined in a blue and cream leather accenting with gold geometric pillows. Inspired by the tile work at the entrance and behind the bar of each dining space, the carpet will shimmer with patterns of gold, olive and blue that radiate like the sun, a nod to the restaurant’s new name, on a background of warm cream that is bright enough to stand out amid the bustle of elegant service.
“We are most proud of the team collaboration across key departments to fully realize the Solis concept and transforming the existing design into a new, light and warm restaurant that reflects the very inspiration behind the concept,” said My. “The goal was to create a space that feels organic, sophisticated, and elegant without being pretentious. We are excited with the material and color combinations selected for this space to create an inviting experience for guests to be delighted by all senses from the interior design to the cuisine.”
Designing for Ultra-Luxury Guests
Based in Seattle, My and Linh came together more than a decade ago following their respective studies in interior design. My, who earned a Bachelor of Fine Art at the University of Puget Sound before completing the interior design program at the Art Institute of Seattle, interned with Holland America Line before joining a local residential and hospitality design firm. She then circled back to the line in 2013 to lead a team that manages the interior design and refurbishments for the line’s ships. She began working on Seabourn’s ultra-luxury cruise ships in 2013.
Linh earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from the University of Washington followed by an Associate of Arts in interior design from Bellevue College. She joined Holland America Line and Seabourn in 2013.
Both agree that interior design for Seabourn requires a delicate touch. “With their ultra-luxury standards and feel, Seabourn ships are all about texture, material, and finesse because the spaces onboard are so intimate,” notes My, adding that guests of the line are equally elevated in their appreciation of design. “They notice the finer details and refinement on board, and our work for Seabourn is all about nuanced luxury.”
Solis debuted on Seabourn Quest in January 2024 and will be implemented on Seabourn Ovation, Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Sojourn by spring 2024. The new fine dining restaurant will offer light, modern Mediterranean cuisine bursting with colour and character, prepared fresh and entirely from scratch. Solis will showcase a vibrant, chic atmosphere with meticulously curated background music and a menu reminiscent of guests’ and team members’ favourite travel memories. Solis was developed in collaboration with longtime Seabourn partners, Master Chef and Culinary Partner Chef Anton Egger, and Senior Corporate Chef Franck Salein.
