Seabourn’s Expedition Ships Set to Expand and Transform the Cruise Market

Seabourn, which took delivery of its second expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, from Genoa’s T. Mariotti shipyard on July 31, is banking on the expedition sector to expand its business – and that of the general cruise industry.

“We really think the expedition product is one of the key ways in which to grow the entire cruise segment,” said Seabourn President Natalya Leahy during a press conference following the handover of Seabourn Pursuit to the ultra-luxury line.

“It is one of the areas that’s growing the cruising segment with people who have might not have considered cruising before,” she said, adding that travelers are drawn to the prospect of the once-in-a-life time experiences that expedition cruising offers.

“Over the last 12 months about 50 percent of Seabourn adventure guests were loyal Seabourn guests and about 50 percent were new to our brand,” Leahy said.

“Our goal is to provide our guests with more out-of-the-ordinary experiences, and Seabourn Pursuit and Seabourn Venture are designed to do exactly that.

“We take people to places where only a few ever visit in their lifetime and enable them to experience these places in the most innovative ways you could ever imagine.”

With Seabourn Pursuit – which enters service on Aug. 12 out of Malta – joining Seabourn Venture those places are expanding exponentially.

“Seabourn Pursuit really allows us the opportunity to explore further and in different regions,” said Seabourn Vice President of Expedition Operations Robin West.

While Seabourn Venture moves between Antarctica through the Atlantic Ridge up into the British Isles and to such destinations as Svalbard, Iceland, and Greenland, Seabourn Pursuit will sail across the Pacific, spending eight months cruising on an eclectic collection of destinations including Australia’s Kimberly region.

“The Kimberley region has been described as Antarctica without the ice,” West said. “You’re talking about a 2 billion-year-old rock environment with incredible sandstone gorges, waterfalls and Aboriginal art.”

Seabourn Pursuit, which will operate its first five to seven-sailings in the Mediterranean as an ocean vessel, is scheduled to arrive in Bridgetown, Barbados, on Oct. 10, where it will transition into an expedition vessel.

“From Bridgetown, we’re heading quite deep into the Amazon – way beyond Manaus,” West said.

“Most of the Amazon operators head up as far as Manaus. We’re going four or five days past Manaus really deep in the Amazon.”

Like Seabourn Venture, Seabourn Pursuit will offer Antarctica voyages in November, December, January and into early March.

“With these two vessels the world is our oyster,” West said.