Vitamin Sea: Dr. Andrew Weil and Seabourn’s World of Wellness

Imagine combining the relaxation and adventure of a luxury cruise vacation with the priceless gift of extending your life and gaining permanent peace of mind. Thanks to two leaders in their respective fields, that incongruous pairing has become a living, working reality. Seabourn, arguably the world’s most prestigious cruise line, and Dr. Andrew Weil, Harvard-trained physician, best-selling author, lecturer and preeminent expert on alternative medicine, are continuing a brilliant partnership that began in 2017. That’s when Dr. Weil signed on to facilitate two life-changing onboard programs featuring talks, seminars, and demonstrations.

One of them was held on Seabourn Sojourn, the other on Seabourn Odyssey, and both were overwhelmingly well received. Based on that success, Seabourn and Dr. Weil repeated the phenomenon last year, with their “Route to Ancient Wellness” cruise aboard Seabourn Ovation. It embarked from Athens on November 13, 2019, bound for Dubai, following the old historic Mediterranean trade routes with stops in Agios, Nikolaos, Crete, Haifa, Ashdod, Doha, Qatar, and other enchanting ports, returning to Dubai on December 2. Lectures on board focused on topics such as energy medicine, medical hypnosis, and the health benefits of traditional diets.

Now, they’re about to do it again. On February 21, 2020, the 15-night “Wellness in the South Pacific” voyage embarks from Auckland, New Zealand, on Seabourn Encore. The journey covers each of the country’s islands. Then it heads over to the most scenic ports of Australia, culminating in Sydney on March 8.

Just the thrill of visiting fascinating ports like Rotorua, Picton, Wellington, Christchurch, Halfmoon Bay — and a cruise around the steep peaks and misty waters of Milford Sound — before calling on the Australian arts scene in Melbourne and the aptly named garden city of Eden, New South Wales, is destined to be an unforgettable experience.

But for some health-conscious and serenity-seeking passengers, the wonderful ports are not what matters most. These enthusiasts are coming more for what happens right there on the ship than for where the ship takes them.

Dr. Andrew Weil and Seabourn

Every day, guests will enjoy meditation and yoga classes and take part in hands-on demonstrations led by Dr. Weil and a team of the most sought-after and knowledgeable experts on the planet. Dr. Weil is considered by many to be the world’s leading authority on holistic healing, also known as “integrative” medicine. His bestselling books like Spontaneous Healing and Eight Weeks to Optimum Health, advocate an approach to healthy living that combines proper diet and nutritional supplements, yoga, mindful meditation, and other behavioral changes and habits.

On board, he will be teaching those lifesaving techniques and life-extending practices and answering questions one-on-one, so that guests come away with treasured benefits that will stay with them for the rest of their lives. Much of his focus will be on mindfulness, a simple form of meditation that keeps practitioners centered in the present moment.

And even though most of the activities will take place on the ship, don’t be surprised to find some special shore excursions dedicated to the practice of holistic health. Last November’s “Route to Ancient Wellness” cruise featured a specially designed “mindful living” stop at the Lassithi Plateau in Crete, walking through scenic farmland and visiting a 17^th-century monastery before….

By Alex Darlington

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