All three port days were aborted due to weather, leaving the 14-day itinerary with seven consecutive days at sea to finish out the voyage. On the back half of the itinerary, the original schedule included two port days, two sea days, another port day and two more sea days. Other planned excursions, such as hikes and helicopter sightseeing, were also scrapped. What needs work Contingency plansĪs the expedition staff on Seabourn Venture says, sailings to places like the Arctic require 'flexibility, flexibility, flexibility.' Passengers were forced to be flexible after poor conditions forced the staff to cancel most of the voyage's scheduled submarine dives and kayaking excursions, both of which cost extra. Apart from a slight age gap that caused several of my fellow cruisers to mistake me for a crew member, I found there to be no shortage of friendly conversation and invitations to grab drinks or play cards.īecause the ship is small and the sailing lasted two weeks, I ran into the same people again and again and had more time to get to know them - a welcome occurrence because I was traveling by myself. I was a bit worried that, given the voyage's high price point - cabins started at $36,000 for two people - I might feel out of place among the other passengers. (It also meant that onboard trivia sessions were a close race every single time, often with ties for first place.) During my sailing, I was surrounded by doctors, lawyers, government workers, finance experts and others whose life experiences made for some of the most intelligent conversations I've ever had on a cruise. Seabourn passengers are a largely well-traveled group. Here, I'll further break down what makes the ship truly feel like a luxury experience and what Seabourn is still learning about expedition cruising.įor more cruise news, reviews and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter. The biggest pain point, however, is that onboard activities are limited in regions where the itinerary can change at a moment's notice due to weather or sea conditions, there should be more contingency plans in place. Like the line's other ships, Seabourn Venture houses Seabourn Square, a social hub with snacks, coffee and a guest services desk The Restaurant, which serves as the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner and The Colonnade, a buffet and table-service venue that converts to table-service-only Earth & Ocean for dinner, offering bistro-style cuisine that rotates throughout each voyage.Īlthough the vessel excels in the way of aesthetics and food, there were some minor service niggles in the dining room (long waits between courses, incorrect items delivered) that I'm sure will be worked out soon.

That similarity will work well for the line because many of my fellow cruisers on a 14-night voyage around Greenland and Arctic Canada were Seabourn stalwarts - loyalists who sail with the brand over and over and enjoy the sense of familiarity it provides across its vessels.

Carrying up to 264 passengers, the ship features a small atrium with a crystal sculpture and gorgeous skylight comfy lounges reminiscent of upscale lodges, complete with faux fireplaces two submarines that take passengers on for-fee underwater excursions and elegantly appointed accommodations, all of which are suites with their own bathtubs and clothes dryers (perfect for use in the Arctic and Antarctic).Īlthough it's beautiful, the ship doesn't feel like a private yacht or, conversely, a rugged ice-breaking vessel, but a smaller, more adventurous version of a typical Seabourn Cruises ship. Seabourn Cruises' new Seabourn Venture, the line's first expedition vessel, is absolutely one of the most aesthetically pleasing and luxurious to enter the expedition sector.

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