Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Seabourn Sojourn Cruise Ship Review

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Overall, the ship offers an effortless vacation experience, in which crew members go above and beyond to pamper passengers and make them feel at home. Whether it's too big, too small or just right is a matter of personal preference and the ability not to sweat the small stuff in the face of incredible destinations and a truly gorgeous, luxurious ship. However, on our cruise, there were more service hiccups than passengers might expect, given Seabourn's reputation for flawless, intuitive service. Waiters didn't materialize immediately to take a drink order, and we often found ourselves trying to flag someone down, in either the Colonnade or a bar. Orders were misheard in The Restaurant, hot water for tea came lukewarm multiple times and dress code infractions were handled inconsistently and without empathy.

Night British Isles, North Cape & Norwegian FjordsDetails

That’s why aboard both Venture and Pursuit, Seabourn has two custom-made submersibles. Six guests at a time can go up to 980 feet below the surface, a place less than 10,000 people have explored in the history of the world. There is no pool deck, per se aboard Seabourn Venture, at least in the traditional cruise ship sense. Instead, there’s an infinity pool and hot tubs at the back of the ship on Deck 5, outside the Patio/Colonnade. New lounges that have a decided expedition focus include the underutilized (by guests; the expedition staff loved this area) Bow Lounge at the front of the ship on Deck 6. Here, navigation instruments that mimic the bridge give maritime geeks all kinds of stats about the ship's position and progress, and you can also find sodas and snacks.

Night Moroccan Gems & Canary IslandsDetails

We loved the fact that there are no set dining times; that wine is described in varietals, not colors; and that a meal from The Restaurant could be delivered to your stateroom, course by course, complete with a formal table setting. Plus, a fleetwide partnership with celebrity chef Thomas Keller adds further culinary techniques and styles to the mix. Between November 2025 and March 2026, a total of 16 departures are planned, offering 11- and 13-day Antarctic voyages.

What is a Seabourn Expedition?

During school breaks, expect to see quite a few families, mostly in multigenerational groups. When there are enough kids onboard to justify it, a kids' program is introduced. The ship is laid out such that all the accommodations are forward and all the public areas are aft. The compact size, combined with the presence of forward and aft elevators and staircases, in addition to a dazzling spiral feature staircase looping from Deck 10 down to Deck 3, means that passenger flow is excellent.

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Find a Seabourn Sojourn Cruise from $2,424

Dining, too, maintains a high standard, no matter where on the ship you might be. Whether it's The Colonnade -- a buffet during the day that turns into a waiter-served dining area at night -- or The Restaurant, the ship's main dining room, meals are sophisticated and tasty, with plenty of choices for those with food allergies and preferences. In a new addition for autumn 2025, Seabourn introduces cruises amidst Japan's vibrant foliage aboard Seabourn Quest.

Hotel Reward Programs

Seabourn Cruise Line is a luxury small ship cruise line headquartered in Seattle, Washington.[1] It is owned by Carnival Corporation & plc. For any cruises listed, Cruise Critic does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. The vessel also has a high-definition Cineplex camera that can pick up wildlife like a polar bear up to 4 miles away, streaming the footage into an onboard "discovery center" while leaving the wildlife undisturbed. When sailing outbound from Barbados, the trips typically bring stops at the islands of St. Vincent, Martinique, Guadeloupe, Nevis, Antigua and St. Kitts. On the return to Barbados, the itinerary is a bit different, with stops at Tortola, Anguilla, St. Kitts, Guadeloupe, St. Lucia and Grenada.

Book by January 31 and enrich your experience even more with up to $1,000USD per suite shipboard credit. Mark your calendar now for Seabourn’s Sail of the Year, and get ready for moments you’ll treasure for years to come. Wildlife rules the operations in Antarctica, where penguins, seals, and whales are at the top of travelers’ checklists. Therefore, the ship is run more like an adventure safari in Africa than a cruise. The ship’s expedition team consists of 26 Antarctic experts, each specializing in a different fauna.

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While there were a few minor hiccups, food was generally well executed, interesting and delicious. Seabourn Encore represents an evolution of Seabourn Cruise Line's popular Odyssey-class ships. It's bigger -- 40,340 tons as opposed to 32,000, with an extra deck -- and carries 600 passengers in 300 suites, while the smaller ships take 458. Note that Seabourn traditionally also has offered voyages around the Baltic Sea that visit such classic Baltic ports as Helsinki and Stockholm, and have included overnight stays in St. Petersburg, Russia — the latter considered the highlight of any Baltic cruise. However, in the wake of Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Seabourn has eliminated all its sailings to the Baltic as part of removing Russia from its itinerary schedule.

Find a Seabourn Encore Cruise from $2,154

In just the last year, Seabourn also has begun to base a ship during the winter at the southern tip of South America for regular sailings to Antarctica — a move made possible by the 2022 debut of its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture. The vessel was specially built to operate in polar regions and also sails in the Arctic. Although most cruise ships are formerly named and christened prior to setting sail, Seabourn Pursuit entered service when its maiden voyage embarked on its 8-day maiden voyage from Valletta, Malta, to Rome, Italy, on August 12, 2023.

Our Expeditions are centered around authentic, personalized experiences, all facilitated by a 24-person Expedition team. This select group of academics, scientists and general naturalists share your passion for exploring and learning about some of the world's remote regions. The purpose of naming the Wunambal Gaambera Traditional Owners as godparents isn’t just symbolic, but rather a commitment to investing in sustainable cruise tourism. As part of the appointment, the 7-ship cruise line will also make a donation to help the Wunambal Gaambera develop a self-sustaining industry through the production of authentic works of art and crafts made by indigenous artists to sell. “We believe no one can give a better blessing to our ship than the communities we visit.

The original Seabourn megayachts and their new fleet mates have been lovingly maintained and proved to be a great success over the years. Recognized as a leading small-ship luxury line, Seabourn delivers all extras, expected by its clientele - a stocked minibar in all suites, elegant amenities, complimentary wines, and spirits. On February 21, 2023, Seabourn signed a multi-year ship charter agreement/exclusive partnership with APT Travel Group (Australian Pacific Touring) for chartering two ships (Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit). APT expedition cruises were scheduled for 2025 with a deployment in Northern Europe (UK, Faroe Islands, Iceland, Greenland), Australia/Kimberley, and Antarctica in 2025.

Passengers who don't comply with the company's smoking policy are fined a cleaning fee (USD 250 per day). Smoking is also banned in the ships' Observation Lounge (previously allowed after 8 pm). Smoking is allowed on Sky Bar's open-air starboard area (midship Deck 9 / Deck 10 on Encore and Ovation ships) and also on the starboard open-air pool terrace of The Club lounge (Deck 5 aft).

Most dishes are made with the freshest, locally sourced ingredients (depending on the visited regions/destinations). "Sushi in the Club" (on the ships Odyssey, Sojourn and Quest) is available every night (between 6-9 PM) and offers fresh-made sushi bites served with sake. Seabourn Pursuit carries up to 264 passengers in 132 oceanfront suites (some Antarctic cruises carry 1,000). Better still, each suite comes with downy bedding, 24/7 room service (including caviar—a win), and a state-of-the-art spa that ticks all the best travel boxes. But that’s not why you cross the dreaded Drake down to the Great White Continent. Between March and November 2025, Seabourn's ships Encore and Ovation are deployed in the Eastern Mediterranean and Adriatic for a total of 24 sailings (7 to 14 days).

While there, Seabourn Pursuit was able to meet Seabourn Venture, its older sister and fellow expedition ship, for the first time. The occasion was celebrated with toasts, caviar, and champagne onboard both of the ultra-luxury ships. Antarctica is one, luckily, but Svalbard and many other countries where expedition ships go do not allow their use. That’s mostly because you have to board the subs via Zodiac in the open water.

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