Yachts & Voyages · Worldwide · Antarctica
Seabourn
The private-club feel · Five ships incl. Venture & Pursuit
Seabourn operates five ships and not one of them is large. Seabourn Quest carries 458 guests, Encore and Ovation 600 each, and the two expedition vessels, Venture and Pursuit, 264 apiece. Every suite is ocean-front, most have a private veranda, and the fare covers premium spirits and fine wines at all times, caviar throughout the voyage, every dining venue on board, and Wi-Fi packages with unlimited minutes powered by Starlink. Tipping, in Seabourn's own words, is neither required nor expected.
The line describes its fleet as small ships designed to feel like private yachts, and the onboard culture follows from that: open seating, no assigned tables, and a set of complimentary Signature Events that tell you more about the house style than any brochure line — Marina Day, Caviar in the Surf, Shopping with the Chef, Polar Plunge.
The expedition arm is the reason to look at Seabourn twice. Venture, launched in 2022, and Pursuit, which in Seabourn's own wording proudly entered service on August 12, 2023, are built to PC6 polar class, carry 132 all-veranda ocean-front suites apiece, and each launches 24 Zodiacs — enough, Seabourn says, to accommodate all onboard guests at once — with a 19-person Expedition Team running the days ashore.
Where Seabourn differs from its nearest rivals is how much of the trip the fare swallows. Air is bought separately through Flight Ease, and on the three ocean ships shore excursions are booked tour by tour; on Venture and Pursuit most excursions, Zodiac cruises, hikes and snorkelling are included, with kayaking and the Image Masters photography programme charged as options. One more thing to know: Seabourn Sojourn left the fleet in May 2026, so those five ships are the whole of it.
The ships
Seabourn Quest
2011 · 458 guests
The last of the Odyssey class in the fleet and the smallest of the three ocean ships, at 650 feet. Seabourn publishes suites from 295 to 1,182 square feet of indoor space, with verandas adding 65 to 558, and names Earth & Ocean, The Colonnade, The Patio, the Observation Bar, Sky Bar, Sushi and The Retreat on board, with the retractable Marina platform among its watersports.
Seabourn Encore
2016 · 600 guests
The first of the larger class, 690 feet long and 92 feet wide, with thirteen categories of ocean-front suite from 251 to 1,306 square feet indoors and verandas of 68 to 960 square feet. Seabourn names The Colonnade, The Patio, The Restaurant, Seabourn Square, The Retreat and the Sun Terrace on board.
Seabourn Ovation
2018 · 600 guests
Sister ship to Encore and effectively identical — same thirteen suite categories, same dimensions, the same reworked Seabourn Square at the centre of the ship. If you are choosing between the two, choose by itinerary, not by hull.
Seabourn Venture
2022 · 264 guests
Purpose-built expedition ship, 557 feet long and 78 feet wide, built to PC6 polar class, with 132 all-veranda ocean-front suites, 24 Zodiacs and a 19-person Expedition Team. Named spaces include the Discovery Center, the Expedition Lounge, the Sky Bar and The Club. Sailing now, across Arctic, Northwest Passage and Antarctic seasons.
Seabourn Pursuit
2023 · 264 guests
Sister to Venture, and in Seabourn's own wording she proudly entered service on August 12, 2023. Same hull, same 24 Zodiacs, same 19-person Expedition Team. She is the ship Seabourn puts in the Kimberley. Sailing now.
The suites
Ocean View Suite
approximately 295 square feet (28 square meters)
The entry category. Seabourn listed it on Sojourn and Quest, and since Sojourn left the fleet in May 2026 it survives on Seabourn Quest alone.
Veranda Suite
246 to 302 square feet (23 to 28 square meters), plus a veranda of 68 to 83 square feet
The standard across the fleet and the one most guests book. Full-length window and glass door to the veranda, walk-in closet, dining table for two, and a bathroom with separate tub and shower.
Penthouse Suite
436 square feet (41 square meters), plus a veranda of 98 square feet
On Ovation and Encore. The first real jump in living space rather than bedroom space, with a separate sitting area, two televisions and a writing desk. The category we usually steer clients towards on a long voyage.
Signature Suite
859 square feet (80 square meters), plus a veranda of 493 square feet
On Ovation and Encore. The veranda is more than half the suite again, which on a Mediterranean summer itinerary is the whole argument for the category.
Wintergarden Suite
989 square feet (92 square meters), plus a veranda of 197 square feet
On Ovation and Encore, and the one to ask about early. Seabourn describes large windows, dining for six, a glass-enclosed solarium with a tub and day bed, a pantry with wet bar, a guest bath and two flat-screen TVs.
What the fare includes
The question every enquiry opens with. What follows is what the line itself publishes as included — we confirm it against your exact sailing before you commit.
- Complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times
- Complimentary caviar, an extra indulgence offered throughout your voyage
- All dining venues are complimentary — dine where, when and with whom you wish
- Welcome Champagne and a complimentary in-suite bar stocked with your preferences
- Tipping is neither required, nor expected, in Seabourn's own wording
- Complimentary Wi-Fi packages with unlimited minutes powered by SpaceX's Starlink
- Complimentary entertainment experiences, offering a variety of shows and live music
- Complimentary Signature Events: Marina Day, Caviar in the Surf, Evening at Ephesus, Shopping with the Chef, Caviar on the Ice, Polar Plunge and more
- On Venture and Pursuit only: inclusive experiences at every stop — shore excursions, cultural tours, guided Zodiac cruises, hikes, nature walks and snorkelling with gear provided, wetsuits excluded
- Not in the fare: flights, bought separately through Seabourn's Flight Ease programme; shore excursions on Quest, Encore and Ovation; and on the expedition ships, kayaking and the Image Masters photography programme, both of which Seabourn lists as optional at charge
On board
Solis
The Mediterranean fine-dining room, developed with Master Chef and Culinary Partner Chef Anton Egger and Senior Corporate Chef Franck Salein. Seabourn names it on Quest, Encore and Ovation — not on the expedition ships. Signature dishes and specials change daily on what the chefs find in local markets on port days.
Earth & Ocean
The second Egger and Salein concept, served in The Colonnade and its outdoor seating area, weather permitting. Seabourn describes a fresh, inventive menu created anew each evening and served under the stars, which in practice makes it the venue regulars book first.
The Colonnade
Buffet and table service both, with indoor and outdoor seating. The relaxed room, and the one most guests default to at breakfast and lunch.
Seabourn Square
Not a restaurant — the ship's living room, with guest services folded into it, freshly roasted coffee, pastries and artisanal gelato. Encore and Ovation were built around a reimagined version of it.
The Retreat
A separate top-deck retreat, named by Seabourn on Quest, Encore and Ovation. Capacity is not published, so we check what is actually available on your sailing before promising anything.
The Marina
Seabourn's retractable Marina platform, which Seabourn lists on Encore, Ovation and Quest, and the reason Marina Day appears among the complimentary Signature Events. Zero@Sea, the zero-proof cocktail programme, runs fleetwide in every bar and lounge.
Where it sails
Alaska and Japan
May to November 2027
Seabourn Encore makes eighteen Alaska departures between May and September 2027, then crosses for three 14-day Japan sailings in October and November. If Japan is the draw, it is the autumn end of Encore's year you want.
The Mediterranean
April to November 2027
Seabourn Ovation takes the Mediterranean from April through November 2027 — the longest single-region run in the ocean fleet, which is why the April and November shoulder dates stay open longest.
Northern Europe, Canada and New England
June to November 2027
Seabourn Quest works Northern Europe between June and September 2027, then Canada and New England in October and November. Quest is also the only ship still carrying the Ocean View Suite, so it is the one to ask about if the entry category matters.
Antarctica, South Georgia and the Chilean fjords
October 2027 to March 2028
Pursuit and Venture make 19 departures of 10 to 25 days. Seabourn includes a pre-cruise hotel stay in Buenos Aires and round-trip charter flights between Buenos Aires and Ushuaia on these voyages.
The Kimberley and the Arctic
May to September 2027
Seabourn Pursuit makes four 10-day Kimberley departures between May and August 2027. Venture takes Scotland, Iceland, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic on eight departures of 12 to 18 days, including two 18-day Northwest Passage voyages between August and September.
What we add · Through 31 Dec 2026
US$250 shipboard credit per guest
A US$250-per-guest shipboard credit on 2026 sailings of the intimate, all-suite fleet — with complimentary caviar and marina days included.
- US$250 shipboard credit per guest
- All-suite, caviar & marina days
- Submarine expeditions available
Booking this line
Book early and book long. The expedition ships sell out first — Antarctica and the Kimberley open well over a year ahead, and suite choice narrows long before the sailing does. On Encore and Ovation, target a Penthouse or above; Seabourn does not publish how many Signature or Wintergarden suites each ship holds, so ask before you commit. We hold the suite, confirm exactly which excursions your voyage carries, and arrange flights and pre- and post-cruise nights separately, since air is never in the fare.
Questions, answered
What is included in a Seabourn fare?
Premium spirits and fine wines at all times, caviar throughout the voyage, every dining venue on board, welcome Champagne and an in-suite bar stocked to your preferences, entertainment, and Wi-Fi packages with unlimited minutes powered by Starlink. Tipping, Seabourn says, is neither required nor expected. Flights are not included — they are bought separately through Flight Ease.
Which Seabourn ship should I choose?
There are five. Seabourn Quest, 458 guests and launched in 2011, is the smallest and the only one Seabourn still lists with the Ocean View Suite. Encore (2016) and Ovation (2018) each carry 600 guests across thirteen suite categories and are effectively twins, so choose between them on itinerary. Venture (2022) and Pursuit (2023) are the 264-guest expedition ships, and they are a different holiday altogether.
Do Seabourn expedition voyages include shore excursions?
Yes, on Venture and Pursuit. Seabourn includes a shore excursion for all guests anywhere a third-party operator delivers the experience, except at turnaround ports, along with guided walks and hikes, Zodiac tours and snorkelling with gear provided — wetsuits excluded. Kayaking and the Image Masters photography programme are optional at charge. On Quest, Encore and Ovation, shore excursions are booked tour by tour.
What do the Seabourn expedition ships actually carry?
Venture and Pursuit are both built to PC6 polar class, with 132 all-veranda ocean-front suites each, 24 Zodiacs — enough, in Seabourn's wording, to accommodate all onboard guests at once — and a 19-person Expedition Team. Kayaking is offered as an optional experience at charge. Seabourn has withdrawn the expedition submarine programme the ships launched with, so treat any older brochure promising a submersible as out of date.
When should I book, and why through an advisor?
Antarctica and Kimberley seasons publish more than a year out and suite choice narrows quickly, so early is most of the game. We hold the suite while you decide, confirm exactly what your voyage includes, arrange the pre- and post-cruise nights and the flights Seabourn does not put in the fare, and stay on the booking afterwards. None of that costs you anything.
Enquire
Sail Seabourn
Tell us roughly when and which region appeals. We check live availability, secure the suite category worth having, and add the amenities that come with booking through us — at the fare you would pay direct.
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