Seabourn has launched the first of its two expedition cruise ships – Seabourn Venture embarked on its first voyage in July and Seabourn Pursuit is due to set sail next year.
Seabourn Venture’s first itinerary was a 12-day Northern Isles expedition, departing from Tromsø, Norway, bound for the Arctic and the Svalbard Archipelago, one of the world’s northernmost inhabited areas and home to an array of wildlife, from puffins to polar bears.
Its inaugural season began with a series of 12- to 15-day voyages exploring the Arctic, Greenland and Iceland, and the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in Nunavut. The ship then sailed south in October for a series of 10- to 14-day voyages on which it stopped at various locations in the Caribbean, Central America, Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Chile.
Next, it will sail on several 11- to 22-day voyages to Antarctica between November and February 2023. Finally, in March and April next year, it will embark on a series of seven- to 12-day expedition voyages in Brazil and the Amazon.
Seabourn Venture has been designed and built to PC6 Polar Class standards for diverse environments and includes modern hardware and technology that extends its global deployment and capabilities.
It is equipped with kayaks and enough Zodiacs to transport all guests on expeditions, and also has two custom-built submarines, each with a capacity for six people and the capability to explore shipwrecks and the natural wonders under the sea.
It has 132 oceanfront suites, and several adventure-inspired gathering spaces, including the Expedition Lounge, the Discovery Centre, and the Landing Zone.
The ship is staffed with a 26-person expedition team, including wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists.
Seabourn is represented by Whitestar Cruise & Travel in South Africa.