After some delays, Seabourn Venture, Seabourn’s first ultra-luxury expedition ship, welcomed its first guests onboard today, July 27, in Tromsรธ, Norway. The vessel is heading to Svalbard, one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas and home to wildlife from puffins to polar bears.
Seabourn Venture Built To Explore
The first guests boarded Carnival-owned purpose-built expedition ship today in Trรธmso, Norway, sailing north on a 12-day cruise to the Arctic and the Svalbard Archipelago, home of Polar Bears, Seals, and Puffins.
With the changing times, Seabourn took its time to launch its newest vessel, delaying the arrival from April this year to now. This ensures the ship is up-to-date with the most modern systems available for health and safety, giving guests peace of mind while they explore the furthest reaches of our planet.
“Exploration has always been part of our brand legacy, but the launch of Seabourn Venture turns the page on a new chapter for us, offering our guests opportunities to explore remote destinations in every corner of the globe and truly be a part of the natural wonders, wildlife, history, and culture they’ll find there,” said Josh Leibowitz, president of Seabourn.
Seabourn is not new to expedition cruises. Seabourn Quest was outfitted to explore the Antarctic region in 2010, a task that Seabourn Venture will now be taking over:
“Seabourn guests are as passionate about discovery as they are about traveling in ultra-luxury, and Seabourn Venture offers a new type of expedition experience allowing our guests to discover the magnificence from the Arctic to the Antarctic.”
Seabourn took delivery of its newest 23,000 gross ton expedition ship last month. The vessel has space for 264 guests in 132 all-veranda suites. Originally scheduled for delivery in July 2021, the build was delayed by the pandemic and several other issues; as Josh Leibowitz explains:
“I donโt think thereโs a business out there thatโs not impacted by the disruptions in all sorts of supply whether itโs parts, machinery, equipment, food items, labor, weโre all seeing it everywhere,” Leibowitz said. “Itโs never just one thing. This is bringing online a state-of-the-art billion-dollar piece of equipment.”
Seabourn Venture To Explore The Arctic & Antarctic, Amazon, and South America
The inaugural season for the ultra-luxury ship will see her sailing a series of 12- to 15-day voyages exploring the Arctic, Greenland and Iceland, and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago.
From October 2022, the ship will be heading south to the Antarctic, stopping in the Caribbean, Central America, Columbia, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile on a series of 10- to 14-day voyages.
During these stops, the itineraries will not be the traditional cruise stops. The voyages have been designed so guests can explore in Zodiacs, visit cliffs teeming with birds, kayak among tropical coral islands, visit ancient Incan sites, and snorkel in unspoiled Caribbean coral gardens.
From November, Seabourn Venture will be based in Ushuaia, Argentina, the most southern city in the world, from where she will be sailing the Southern Ocean. The ship’s destinations include the Antarctic Peninsula, the Weddell Sea, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands.
During each cruise in Antarctica, guests will have the chance to board Zodiacs for landings and cruising along the Antarctic Peninsula, seeing wildlife such as Whales, Seals, and Penguins up close. Optional excursions such as kayaking and the ship’s submarines will also be available, allowing guests to explore the vast frontier below sea level.
In March and April 2023, Seabourn Venture will embark on a series of 7- to 12-day expedition cruises in Brazil and the Amazon basin.
Designed for Luxury Exploration
Seabourn Venture is a step away from the ships that made the cruise line a household name in Ultra-Luxury cruises. Instead, the vessel is designed and built for diverse and extreme environments. This includes PC6 Polar Class standards, modern hardware, and technology that extends the ship’s global deployment and capabilities.ย
What stays is the crew Seabourn is renowned for. Guests can expect the same high service levels, all-inclusive food, drinks, and even Caviar and Champagne. During expeditions, guests will be escorted by a team of expedition professionals, which includes wilderness experts, scientists, historians, and naturalists.
Something that genuinely sets Seabourn Venture apart is its open bridge policy.
Where most cruise lines would charge for a bridge visit, Seabourn Venture’s Captain will be opening the bridge for guests to see the officers at work, while members of the expedition team will be on hand to give insights on the wildlife, geology, and history in the area.