In Memorium: Deborah Natansohn

Laura, thanks for this thread.

I had the pleasure of meeting Deborah while Martha and I were aboard the Legend in April to visit Captain GA. I found Deborah to be extremely warm and personable and was looking forward to sailing with her on the President's Cruise in 2007. I am very sad to hear of her sudden and tragic passing. God bless her and her family.

Deborah and I exchanged a few emails around the time of the pirate attacks. Her emails were professional yet personable.

I'm sorry for her family's and Seabourn's loss.

How extremely sad...... :( :(

Debbie was so nice when I had an issue with a booking quite awhile back. She didn't hesitate to call me herself, and take care of it. What a classy woman. She will be missed by all...

My prayers are with her family..

Host Dan

Deborah broke the glass ceiling in the cruise industry when she became the first woman to be President of a cruise line. She was a mentor and a role model to many women in the cruise/travel industry. She was an amazing person and I think why she was so successful is that she always related to her guests on whatever cruise line she worked for. She was like that with the people who worked for her too. The crew on the triplets loved her.

I think some of her proudest moments were of course the launching of the QM2 in Southhampton, meeting Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth II in Buckingham Palace and maybe the proudest, announcing last week two new builds for Seabourn.

She will be missed by many, many people. Our thoughts and prayers are with her parents, siblings and nieces and nephew. God bless you Debbie.

I always sign my posts with Bon Voyage and that is what I wish you now Debbie.

A great loss for the Seabourn family. My prayers and best wishes to Debbie's colleagues at Blue Lagoon, and to her parents, sisters and brother. She will be missed.

Denyse

The last couple of days have been so very hard for those of us who were fortunate enough to know Debbie.

Debbie was not only an exceptional head for Seabourn, she was a warm, caring and very personable human being. She made you feel good and always, no matter what, as though you really were important to her...and you were.

Oh, yes, and Debbie was fun! She could make you laugh. I will alway remember that.

A calm sea. A slight breeze. The sun setting. Peace.

Perhaps she is not a star, but an opening in the Heaven

where the love of our lost Debbie pours through

She shines upon us....to let us know....that she is happy

and will be with all of us forever.

Debbie's light will shine on and on and on.

We are not prepared for this loss....but God is always prepared to help us through this loss.

Debbie was a joy to all who knew her.

Sincere sympathy to her parents and family and her beloved Seabourn family.

Martha B.

Even though I never met Deborah I felt her presence both on Seabourn and on the QM2 and therefore will feel her loss. I know we all will.

I never had the opportunity of meeting Debbie Natansohn but I know how well-liked and respected she was in the cruise industry and was saddened and shocked to hear this awful news.

My deepest condolences to her friends and family.

I was very saddened to hear of Ms. Natansohn's passing. While I never had the pleasure of meeting Deborah, I have read some wonderful stories of her accomplishments. Deborah will be greatly missed.

My sincere condolonces to her immediate family, her friends, and her family at Seabourn.

During our first Marco Polo sailing we had some unresolved cabin problems. Deborah was Manager of Customer Services at Orient Lines at the time; she addressed our concerns and handled them in a personal as well as professional way. I followed her career from Orient through Cunard to Seabourn where I think she found her niche--she related so well on a person to person basis and the whole Seabourn ambiance was just "right" for her. CEOs are generally not perceived as people persons. Deborah was very people (guest) oriented and her size nines will be terribly difficult to fill.

Good bye my friend. Your imprint on cruising will not be forgotten.

Winnie

I share in the views expressed by everyone to this tragedy.

My family and I had the pleasure of sailing with Deborah and some family members for the later part of Christmas 2004 on the Legend, where she joined mid-cruise in St. Maarten.

There is no doubt as to her impact on the Cruise Industry, all positive.

To her family, friends and all those who grew through the experience of meeting and knowing her we join in sending our warmest wishes and condolences.

Love and Light,

Dan

I did not know Debbie, but reading about her brought a tear to my eye and belated respect to her accomplishments. I'll say Kaddish for her.

Mrs Muir

I had exchanged a few very friendly emails with Debbie but met her only once when she came on board the Legend for a few hours in April while I was in transit. She was having lunch in the dining room with her family who had come on with her but she still found time to meet me and have a few words. I was very much hoping to to have an opportunity to get to know her better but that cannot now be.

My deepest sympathy goes to her family - I wish them long lives - and to her whole Seabourn family.

Norm

Laura,

We are all heart sick today.....and grieving over the loss of our good friend and President/CEO of Seabourn. I wanted to share this with you and with our CC family~~~

Deborah was a "hands on," detailed executive and carried out duties that would often surprise me~~~

She read our Seabourn Cruise Critic board often....and would e-mail me commenting on different matters/subjects we were discussing. She was the most energetic being I have ever known~~~where did she find the time?

Would it be possible for those of us who would like to particpate, stop tomorrow (Thursday) at 2:15 p.m. for a collective minute of a "Thanksgiving" prayer for Deborah?

Debbie's services will be in Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow at 2:15

Martita B.

While I never had the opportunity to meet Deborah, I always enjoyed reading the communications that we received from her. Clearly, she provided wonderful leadership for the Seabourn cruise line, and was focused on each passenger.

Laura, thank you for initiating this thread as your post and all of the others are indicative of the family atmosphere that one finds on these boards.

Last year we had a very unexpected loss of a family member at a relatively young age. It has taught us to live life to its fullest and to never put off what you can do today to tomorrow.

Our thoughts and prayers go out to Deborah and to those that she was close to.

Martha, I for one will participate in a 2:15 PM "Thanksgiving" prayer for Deborah.

Keith

Although I never had the pleasure of meeting Deborah, I certainly admire and respect what she did to preserve and expand a cruise line that my wife and I feel is the best in the industry. I think it only fitting that one of the new twins be named something that reflects her influence and her passing. I would respecfully submit

"Seabourn Memory"

My wife Judy and I have never met Deborah, but we have always felt she was looking over all her triplets every day of the year. It was her passion. She has always demanded respect and she alway gave it back as well. Just talking to her immediate group of co-workers she was respect by all. She will be a great loss both to Seabourn as well as the cruise industry. What a shame she will not see her new ships from down here. But I am sure she will see them from above.

Judy and Steve

Debbie did indeed love a good laugh. Some friends have shared a couple that I thought you'd like to hear.

Debbie and her friends had a monthly Hearts card game that was sort of like our onboard team trivia--fun but SERIOUS fun! Debbie really liked to win...one of her friends' son, 16, also had developed a competitive streak, and one night when he joined the game he came out on top. Debbie, walked over to the lady and whispered in her ear, "You know I really love him, but next time LEAVE THE KID AT HOME!" Then they had a good laugh.

Alan Wilson, who edits the e-newsletter Cruise News daily, today pondered why it is that we would lose someone so promising at so young an age. His slightly irreverent conclusion is that probably God wanted to start a cruise line and needed to import the talent. He also surmised that Debbie may be cackling right now, thinking of how the rest of the earthly cruise line executives are sweating who she might tap for her team..

I spent a short -- and insanely crazy -- weekend in Debbie's company during the launch of Queen Mary 2. I was with a group of U.S. journalists and we were all there to cover the festivities.

I didn't know her well but I remember, on one particularly rainy night, when they'd bused us all out into the middle of nowhere (somewhere in the New Forest) for dinner and then the bus forgot to come back...and everyone's jet-lagged and we finally get on the bus going back and she and her staffers totally got the silly-giggles.

I totally understood the stress they were under -- but it was so funny to listen to them laughing, probably out of sheer exhaustion...and you couldn't help but laugh along with them.

We interact with a lot of cruise line presidents here -- but I will say that Debbie never forgot her writerly life and I always felt like there was a bond for her with the journalists. She didn't seem to regard us as the pests we usually are :).

Carolyn

Editor, Cruise Critic

bgood,

I read Allan's article yesterday and thought Debbie would be laughing. It is good to remember and live for the good.

Should those take comfort for they hath not received the tap?

Thanks.

'Alan Wilson, who edits the e-newsletter Cruise News daily, today pondered why it is that we would lose someone so promising at so young an age."

As it says in the Psalms, His loved ones are very precious to Him and He does not lightly let them go.

Jane

Thanks everyone for all these great stories... How bittersweet it is reading them all. The comment about God wanting to start a cruise line did bring a smile to my face though!

It's clear that Debbie Natansohn was a wonderful person and a great loss to Seabourn and the cruise industry altogether.

Hello Seabourn Family Members. You might recognise my handle. Simon here, formerly Cruise Sales Consultant...now Assistant Cruise Director. Currently aboard Spirit. My heart also goes out to Debbie's family and all our Seabourn extended family members. I sailed with Debbie 3 times, and spent 2 weeks with her in the Miami office in early '05. This lady was total class. Friendly, down to earth and approachable. Just a good soul. I shall miss her, and I can assure you all that all the crew on the ships are deeply saddened by this awful news.

She always knew us by name, knew what we did and was always supportive and there for 'us.' I will always remember her kindness.

Bon Voyage Debbie - You were one of the good 'uns.

Kiwi.