Seabourn Unveils Expedition Itineraries To The Northwest And Northeast Passage

Seabourn, the ultra-luxury ocean and expedition cruise line, has announced an exciting line-up of adventurous voyages for the summer of 2023 on its two new purpose-built expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. The program includes the line’s first-ever voyages to the Northeast and Northwest Passages in the Arctic, where guests will discover two of the world’s most remote and fascinating regions filled with an abundance of history, wildlife, and unique landscapes.

Seabourn Venture will depart July 29, 2023, for a 26-day journey across the Northeast Passage from Tromsø, Norway to Nome, Alaska. Its sister ship, Seabourn Pursuit, which is scheduled to launch in March 2023, will offer a 21-day adventure to the infamous Northwest Passage departing August 27, 2023, from Kangerlussuaq, Greenland to Nome. The expedition ships will be designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards, with advanced technology to maneuver in these regions. These voyages, as well as the entire summer 2023 season, are open for sale on December 15, and additional details will be available on www.seabourn.com.

Seabourn’s Northeast Passage and Northwest Passage expeditions will trace the footsteps of great explorers and deliver a number of authentic, engaging experiences. Highlights of these voyages, as well as the summer 2023 season on Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, include:

26-day Journey Across the Northeast Passage on Seabourn Venture – July 29, 2023

A remote and sparsely inhabited area, the Northeast Passage is a voyage of discovery that very few have ever taken.Among the many highlights guests may experience on this journey are:

• Navigate across the top of Norway and Arctic Russia and grasp the sheer immensity of this region.
• Revel in the dichotomy of microscopic delicate flora surviving in immeasurably huge frozen landscapes.
• Search for marine life and enigmatic polar bears on Wrangel Island.
• Contemplate sea ice and understand how its presence has shaped the history of this region.
• Search for marine wildlife in the water and seabirds nesting on cliffs or tundra slopes on shore.
• Explore the transformative nature of the area and the impacts that climate change is having on the people, wildlife and landscapes through which the ship passes. 

The ship will visit a number of interesting destinations throughout the expedition, including:

• Storstappen Island, a hotspot for hundreds of thousands of breeding seabirds 
• Mumansk, Russia, with activities including a visit to the Nuclear Icebreaker Lenin
• Sailing the Barents Sea, where nutrient-rich waters host a bevy of migratory sea birds and marine mammals
• Novaya Zemlya, Russia, where guests can explore the islands in the remote Russian High Arctic via hike, kayak, and Zodiac
• Franz Joseph Land, an archipelago of 192 islands in the Russian Arctic National Park where polar bears, Atlantic walruses, bowhead whales, and ivory gulls are among its protected species
• Wrangel Island, Russia, a UNESCO World Heritage Site located well above the Arctic Circle that is often referred to as a polar bear “nursery”
• Provideniya, Russia, the former Soviet military port where a tour will take in a stunning local museum and a visit to the Cultural Center for tea, music, and dance

21-Day Journey Across the Northwest Passage on Seabourn Pursuit – August 27, 2023

Seabourn Pursuit will offer the extraordinary opportunity to travel one of the most infamous and storied passages in the world from the Atlantic to the Pacific. Notable experiences include:

• Navigate through the most infamous passages in the world, one whose history of exploration is more fascinating than any other region on the planet.
• Contemplate the lonely resting sites of the Franklin Expedition on the wild and stark Beechy Island.
• Explore small Inuit towns such as Cambridge Bay and see how modern life has transformed the people of the Arctic.
• Ponder the ice situation in Bellot Strait, where the ship will need to navigate through a narrow and challenging geographical gap.
• Search for marine wildlife both in the water and on any sea ice that may be encountered.

In addition, the ship will visit many destinations, including:

• Sisimiut, Greenland’s second-largest city with the best-preserved historic church in the country
• Ilulissat, which in Greenlandic means “iceberg,” located at the terminus of the Jakobshavn Glacier, which calves spectacularly into the sea
• Pond Inlet in Nunavut, Canada, where local Inuit residents will guide a walk through town
• Croker Bay at Devon Island, the world’s largest uninhabited island in Baffin Bay off the coast of Nunavut
• Nine days tracing the Northwest Passage, where the expedition team will deploy the kayaks, Zodiacs, and submarines for naturalist-led experiences set on a flexible schedule that’s guided by ice
• Five days sailing along Canada’s Northwest and Yukon Territories via the Beaufort Sea, with the expedition team on the lookout for seabirds and marine mammals en route to the journey’s end in Nome, a town born from the discovery of gold in 1898

Seabourn Pursuit’s Maiden Season

Scheduled to launch on March 2023, Seabourn Pursuit will explore the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland & the Canadian Arctic during its maiden season, starting with a 12-day Wild & Ancient Scotland & Iceland pre-inaugural voyage departing on March 23, 2023 from Amsterdam to Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship will then operate a 14-day Lands of Fire & Ice inaugural voyage departing April 4, 2023 roundtrip from Reykjavik. The ship will wind its way along the coast of Greenland and Iceland, where it be filled with snow swept landscapes – the “Ice” – and have a late night in Akureyri, a wonderland providing access to magnificent waterfalls (Goðafoss), hot springs and the lava fields of Dimmuborgir and Leirhnjukur – the “Fire”.

Following its launch and inaugural voyage, Seabourn Pursuit will offer a 14-day Lands of Fire & Ice in Greenland and Iceland, followed by a series of explorations of the Arctic Circle from Norway, most with Seabourn’s popular Svalbard Experience in the mix, including a 14-day Norway & Iceland Polar Bears & Puffins. A series of 14- and 15-day voyages between Greenland and Iceland will follow, as well as a 12-Day Bering Sea & Inside Passage Cruise visiting destinations along the coasts of Alaska and British Columbia, Canada. 

Seabourn Venture’s Second Season

Seabourn Venture will embark on its second year of operation in summer 2023, exploring the Arctic, Scotland, Norway & the Russian Arctic. The ship will begin its summer season on May 12, 2023, with a 10-day Wild Isles of Scotland and Iceland voyage from London to Reykjavik, Iceland. The ship will then offer a 12-Day Fjords of the Norwegian Sea voyage, followed by a series of 11- and 12-day expeditions exploring Arctic Svalbard from Norway. In mid-July, the ship will sail on a 14-day Norway, Novaya Zemlya & Franz Joseph Land expedition. After the Northeast Passage journey, Seabourn Venture will explore the Russian Far East with a 14-day Wild Coasts of Kamchatka expedition in August and 14-day Volcanoes & Wildlife of the Kuril Islands voyage in September 2023.

Built for Exploration

Both Seabourn Pursuit and Seabourn Venture are being designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards and will include a plethora of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ships global deployment and capabilities. The new ships will be a brand-new innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveler, and will include many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful. The vessels will also feature an onboard crew that will include outstanding and well-traveled expedition teams comprised of highly regarded wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists. During each sailing, team members will regularly interact with guests, providing keen insight to deliver a rich holistic travel experience and memories that last a lifetime. These fascinating, accomplished experts are also part of the Seabourn Conversations program, providing in-depth insights into the history, ecology and culture of the places they visit. Their valuable insights are offered both in formal presentations on a variety of topics and in more casual conversations over meals, on deck during scenic cruising or leisure experiences.

Designed by Adam D. Tihany, the ship features public spaces, such as the Expedition Lounge and the Discovery Center, that capture the romanticism of exploration and encourage guests to deepen and share their expedition experiences together. 
Both ships are outfitted with a Landing Zone for launching and landing equipment for naturalist-led explorations, with sea kayaks and inflatable Zodiacs on board to accommodate all guests on exhilarating adventures. The ships will also have two battery-powered U-Boat Work Cruise Sub 7 submarines custom designed for Seabourn to open guests’ eyes to awe-inspiring perspectives on shipwrecks and natural wonders under the sea. True to the line’s reputation for luxury, guests will dive beneath the waves in exquisite comfort guided by their pilot, with each submarine outfitted with custom embroidered leather upholstery, air-conditioning, Bluetooth stereo system, and a Champagne chiller.

Seabourn represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel. Our all-inclusive, boutique ships offer: all-suite accommodations with oceanfront views; award-winning dining; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available at all times; renowned service provided by an industry-leading crew; a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel at home; and a pedigree in expedition travel borne through the Ventures by Seabourn program. Seabourn takes travelers to every continent on the globe travel, visiting more than 400 ports including marquee cities and lesser-known ports and hideaways. The line is also the official cruise partner of UNESCO World Heritage.  Guests of Seabourn expeditions experience extraordinary offerings and programs, including partnerships with Helly Hansen and SWAROVSKI OPTIK, dining, personal health and wellbeing, and engaging speakers. 

For reservations or more details, please contact a professional travel advisor; call Seabourn at 1-800-929-9391 or visit www.seabourn.com.

A dedicated shore excursion call center is available for guests at 1-800-984-3225.