Seabourn Conversations

Winston E. Scott is a retired U.S. Navy Captain and aviator. During his Navy career, Captain Scott served as a helicopter pilot with Helicopter Anti- Submarine Warfare Squadron Light Thirty- Three at NAS North Island, CA flying the SH-2F helicopter. He later served a tour of duty as a fighter pilot with Fighter Squadron Eighty Four at NAS Oceana, Virginia flying the F-14 Tomcat fighter/ interceptor. He subsequently served as a production test pilot and engineering director at the Naval Aviation Depot at NAS Jacksonville, FL. Additionally, Scott served as a research development test and evaluation (RDTE) pilot and Deputy Director of the Tactical Aircraft Systems Department at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division in Warminster, PA.

Captain Scott was selected to become an astronaut by NASA in 1992, serving as a mission specialist he flew two space shuttle missions during which time he logged over 24 days in space, including 3 spacewalks totalling over 19 hours.


Seabourn Ovation
Sep 13 to Sep 26, 2026
New York - Montreal

Ambassador (ret.) Marisa Lino is an Adjunct Political Scientist at the RAND Corporation. In 2019, she retired from Northrop Grumman Corporation after 10 years as a Director in Government Relations.  From 2007-2008, Ambassador Lino served as the Assistant Secretary for International Affairs at the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security.  Prior to that, she was the Director of the Johns Hopkins University’s School of Advanced International Studies' (SAIS) Bologna Center from 2003-2006. During nearly 30 years of distinguished service as a Foreign Service Officer at the U.S. Department of State, Ambassador Lino held overseas positions in Albania, Italy, Pakistan, Syria, Iraq, and Peru

Seabourn Ovation
September 25 to October 31, 2026
Montreal - Montreal

With her Taiwanese roots and love of Asian cooking, Pamela takes guests on an inspiring and flavoursome journey into Asian cuisine and culture.

She combines her love of cooking, design background and cultural heritage to present a unique, authentic experience and fascinating insights that demystify the delights of Asian cuisine and eastern culture.

Through her talks and demonstrations, she shares fascinating — and often funny — stories from a lifestyle that blends eastern and western culture.

Seabourn Encore
February 1 to March 1, 2026
Singapore - Hong Kong

Robert K. Wittman joined the FBI as a Special Agent in 1988. As a result of specialized training in art, antiques, jewelry and gem identification, he served as the FBI’s investigative expert involving cultural property crime. During his 20 year FBI career he recovered more than $300 million worth of stolen art and cultural property which resulted in numerous prosecutions and convictions. 

As a result of his unique experience Mr. Wittman coauthored the FBI Cultural Property Investigative Manual in 2001. In 2005, he created the FBI’s rapid deployment national Art Crime Team (ACT). Mr. Wittman has represented the United States throughout the world conducting investigations and instructing international police and museums in recovery and use of high value asset security techniques in more than 20 countries. Mr. Wittman recently concluded a series of regional security and protection of cultural heritage training lectures to government agencies representing countries in Asia, Central Asia and Serbia sponsored by the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE). 

Mr. Wittman is the recipient of numerous awards and commendations including the Order of Merit for Distinguished Service-Officer Level, presented by the President of Peru, the White Cross of Law Enforcement Merit with Distinction, by the government of Spain, Director's Award for Outstanding Contributions in Law Enforcement from the U.S. Department of Justice, Robert Burke Award for Cultural Property Protection from the Smithsonian Institution, and the S.A.F.E Beacon Award from Saving Antiquities for Everyone.

In 2010, Mr. Wittman penned his New York Times bestselling memoir “PRICELESS: How I Went Undercover to Rescue the World’s Stolen Treasures.” His second book, “THE DEVIL’S DIARY: Alfred Rosenberg and the Stolen Secrets of the Third Reich” is a worldwide best seller published in 29 languages in more than 30 countries. He was featured in the History Channel series “Lost History’ and recently filmed an investigation into the lost artifacts of General George Custer’s brigade at the battle of Little Big Horn in Montana. Mr. Wittman has served as an expert witness in multiple state and federal court cases. Mr. Wittman is now president of Robert Wittman Inc. the firm specializes in consulting in art matters which include expert witness testimony, investigation and collection management.

Seabourn Ovation
August 30, 2025 to September 9, 2025
Monte Carlo - Barcelona 

Seabourn Sojourn
August April 24, 2026 to May 5, 2026
Tokyo - Vancouver

For nearly two decades he has published a weekly column on drinks, formerly in The Wall Street Journal and now The Funday Times. His humorous, informed, down-to-earth writing has been recognized in both the Glenfiddich and Roederer wine writing Awards and in 2022 his podcast Wine Times was named Podcast of the Year at the British Media Awards.. He co-authored “Selecting, Drinking, Collecting & Obsessing A Wall Street Journal Guide to Wine” with fellow a Wall Street Journal wine writer. Will be hosting wine tastings and delivery ‘Seabourn Conversations’ centered on the world of wine. 

Seabourn Ovation
July 31 - August 10, 2025
Barcelona - Rome

Helen is a jewelery historian and gemologist, whose 25-year career has spanned the global gem and jewelery industry from auction houses to academic posts. Her passion for gems has led her all over the world, including the ruby mines of Burma, the emerald shafts of Colombia, the sapphire beds of Sri Lanka, and salerooms and collections from Paris to New York. For ten years she was a jewellery specialist for Sotheby's and Christie's in London and Geneva, where she managed sales of global importance including the private jewellery collection of HRH The Princess Margaret in 2006. She has since held roles as Professeur d’Histoire du Bijoux at the Geneva University of Art and Design and as Managing Director of a gemmological Academy across Switzerland and Asia.

She is now the Senior Curator of Jewellery at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, and Lead Curator for their current blockbuster exhibition, Cartier. Helen has a degree in Classics from Christ Church, Oxford, is a Fellow of the Gemmological Association of Great Britain and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries in London. Her most recent publication, Precious, was released in 2024, and Cartier in 2025.

After marshalling a 47-strong team to clean up Mount Everest, a teenage Paul turned his back on a promising career in refuse collection to become an accidental mountaineer. His exploits include leading an expedition to a massif described by the BBC as “one of the world’s last unexplored ranges”. 

When Paul returned to Everest to try to reach the summit, he became embroiled in its most infamous tragedy. Paul vowed to never return to the mountain. But eight years later, and on the eve of his wedding, he made a final attempt to touch the top of the world.

Away from climbing and Paul has worked with scientists on the frozen skin of the Arctic Ocean, encountered the Nicobarese people on their seldom-visited island, and rowed a boat on Willy Wonka’s chocolate river. He still picks up litter wherever he goes.

Seabourn Sojourn
April 4, 2026 to April 14, 2026
Hong Kong - Busan

Zelda was born in Apartheid South Africa. In 1994 Zelda accepted a job in President Nelson Mandela’s office.  She was promoted to become one of the President’s private secretaries in office and upon his retirement he chose Zelda to start his post Presidential office, now called the Nelson Mandela Foundation. Until his death in 2013 Zelda served President Mandela in various capacities as Office Manager, Spokesperson, Aide-de-Camp, Private Secretary and his personal aide.  

Seabourn Quest
April 26 to May 10, 2026
Miami - Lisbon

Jim Kennedy retired from NASA as the Director, John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in 2007 after 36 years of service.  As Director he was responsible for 15,000 men and women who processed, launched (and landed as appropriate) the Space Shuttle, International Space Station and Expendable Launch Vehicles.   His education includes a BS Mechanical Engineering from Auburn, University and MBA from Georgia Southern University.  Retirement has brought opportunities to tour with the Mannheim Steamroller Band, consult with the aerospace industry, and lecture on Space Exploration and Leadership around the world.   Jim is married to Bernadette and they have two children and four beautiful grandchildren. 

Seabourn Sojourn
April 24, 2026 to May 5, 2026
Tokyo - Vancouver

Kat joined Cloudy Bay in 2017 as Wine Communications Manager. Having spent a lot of time in cellars and vineyards around the world, Kat has extensive knowledge of winemaking and viticulture. She is a member of the Cloudy Bay blending committee and enjoys talking about the wines and the technical processes behind them. 

Seabourn Sojourn
February 2026
World Cruise

Lou and Ant Bentley opened the Akaroa Cooking School in November 2009 in the small seaside village of Akaroa one of the top 10 cooking schools in the world by Lonely Planet. Lou studied at the NZ School of Food and Wine in 2003 and then worked in restaurants and one of NZ’s top catering companies to broaden her knowledge.  They have written two cookbooks and spend all of their spare time growing organic vegetables and fruit, blending their own olive oil and creating delicious recipes to share at their waterfront cooking school. 

Seabourn Sojourn
February 2026
World Cruise

Francis Benali was born and raised in Southampton, England and is a former Professional Footballer who played in nearly 400 games for his hometown club Southampton FC.

In recent years he has completed a number of ultra endurance challenges, which culminated in 2019 and has raised £1.4 Million for Cancer Research UK.  As a result of his fundraising efforts he was the first recipient of the Barclays Spirit of the Game award, a Cancer Research UK Flame of Hope Award Winner and the JustGiving Celebrity Fundraiser of the Year.  He was also recognised by Southampton City Council making him a Freemen of the City. In 2019 he became an official Club Ambassador for Southampton FC and Saints Foundation and was awarded an MBE in the New Year 2020 Honours List.

Francis currently works in the media as a football pundit working with companies such as Sky Sports and the BBC.  

Seabourn Ovation
Dec 28, 2025 to Jan 10, 2026
Willemstad - Barbados

Seabourn Sojourn
Jan 24 to Feb 10, 2026
Papeete - Auckland

Walter Isaacson is the best-selling biographer of our times, with books on Benjamin Franklin, Albert Einstein, Steve Jobs, Jennifer Doudna, and Elon Musk. He was editor of Time Magazine, the CEO of CNN, and the CEO of the Aspen Institute. In 2023, he was awarded the National Humanities Medal by President Biden. He is a professor of history at Tulane.


Seabourn Ovation
Aug 8 - 22, 2026
Dover to Rekjavik

Joanne Harris OBE is the author of over twenty novels, including CHOCOLAT, which was adapted to the screen in 2000, starring Juliette Binoche and Johnny Depp. She holds honorary doctorates from the Universities of Sheffield and Huddersfield, is an honorary Fellow of St Catharine's College, Cambridge, and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature. Her books are published in over 50 countries, and have won many British and international awards.
 

Seabourn Venture
June 11 to 19, 2026
Barcelona - Gijon

Hugo Burnand, a world-renowned portrait photographer, who captures the essence of iconic figures from diverse backgrounds, is also famous for capturing society weddings and star-studded  parties. A long-standing contributor to Condé Nast, particularly Tatler & House & Garden Magazine, Burnand has portrayed luminaries such as Queen Elizabeth II, Bill Clinton, Victoria Beckham, Michael Jackson and many others.

Holding a Royal Warrant from Prince Charles since 2010, Burnand’s royal commissions include photographing pivotal events such as the weddings of Charles to Camilla, and William to Catherine.

In 2023, he notably captured the first digitally recorded coronation, and more recently received Royal Warrant from King Charles III. Burnand is now the first ever official royal portrait photographer for the British Royal Family.
 

Seabourn Sojourn
January 4 to 24, 2026
Long Beach - Papeete

Ann Cleeves, OBE is a mystery crime writer and author of 37 critically acclaimed novels and an international bestseller translated in to over 20 languages worldwide. In 2017, she was awarded the CWA Diamond Dagger, the highest accolade in crime writing. She is the creator of poplar detectives Vera Stanhope, Jimmy Perez and Matthew Venn who can be found on television in ITV’s Vera, BBC One’s Shetland and ITV’s The Long Call, respectively. During the voyage, she will offer fascinating insights into her books and characters and host two hands-on workshops:

• Crime Writing Workshops - Cleeves will offer crime-writing workshops helping budding authors write their own mystery.

• The Glass Room Murder Mystery – Hosted by Cleeves, guests who enjoy a classic mystery during this live event as a mystery plays out before them. As an audience, they must discover who the culprit is and bring them to justice.
   

Seabourn Quest
Dec 20, 2025 to Jan 4, 2026
Sydney - Auckland

Seabourn Ovation
May 30 to June 6, 2026
Dover - Reykjavik