‘An easy sell’: Agent’s verdict on Seabourn’s first expedition ship
Mundy Cruises’ Sharon Trigg is one of the first agents to sail onboard Seabourn Venture. She tells TTG what she makes of Seabourn’s debut ultra-luxury expedition ship
The delayed debut of Seabourn Venture earlier this year meant Seabourn Cruises’ first purpose-built expedition ship was never showcased to the trade or media as it sailed straight into service.
However, Mundy Adventures reservations manager Sharon Trigg became the first UK travel agent to set foot on the 264-passenger new-build – which boasts two submarines, eight two-person kayaks and a 24-strong fleet of Zodiac boats – during a four-night Caribbean passage from Puerto Rico to Barbados last week.
Here is her verdict:
“My overall impression of the ship was excellent, and anyone taking an expedition on it will have a brilliant experience,” she said.
“I have been on other Seabourn ships, and there is not a great difference in the design. I was pleased to see a decent amount of outdoor deck space for guests to use, which is good for warmer waters as well as the polar regions.
“I thought the Bow Lounge was a lovely idea, with real-time screens showing the same information that officers are seeing on the bridge, and the opportunity to walk out on deck and stand at the front of the ship. I think this will be well used. I liked the infinity pool and thought that was a nice touch, along with the four hot tubs too.”
On dining venues…
“There are only really two venues – The Restaurant and The Colonnade. The quality of food in both was good. It’s a shame that Earth & Ocean [Seabourn’s eclectic menu of traditional flavours with a fresh twist] is not featured more regularly in The Colonnade – it is on Seabourn’s other ships and it could be classed as a different dining experience. I thought the food in The Restaurant was very good; there was a wide selection of dishes and the wines were good quality. For anyone who is a foodie or onboard for any length of time, they would probably be looking for more variety, but that doesn’t suit everybody. It’s personal choice.”
On the suites…
“I thought the veranda suites were excellent and have everything you need. The ensuites have a bathtub and a shower, which is a big advantage as people like that choice.
“The absolute comfort is there. Having done polar regions, for me the heated cupboard, which you can hang items in, is a brilliant idea. I’ve not seen that before.
“It’s also so good to have a veranda. I never thought you needed one in Antarctica, but you really do. When I was there I spotted so much from mine, so my recommendation has changed and anyone going on Seabourn Venture will get a lot of benefit from this."
On the public areas…
“I liked The Club, where they were offering sushi. I have not seen that before. Normally you go into a separate part of the restaurant for that, but it’s a brilliant idea to have it with pre-dinner drinks. All the lounges looked very comfortable and a lot of people were in them before dinner."
On the service…
“The staff on Seabourn Square [reception area] were excellent. Overall, I thought everybody did a good job service-wise. I can’t fault it. The only weakness is the [unreliable] WiFi, which could cause some issues or a backlash from clients."
Summing up…
“From an agent’s point of view, Seabourn Venture is quite an easy sell for expedition. Being a brand-new ship it has everything people need. What we have to be clear about is meeting people’s expectations. Don’t book an expedition cruise thinking you are definitely going to be doing kayaking or will be doing a submersible ride [as these could be cancelled due to adverse conditions] – but that’s down to us [as agents] to make clear.
“Seabourn Venture is covering key destinations in 2023/24 with the Arctic and Antarctica, Greenland, Iceland and not forgetting the Amazon. I think it is suited to both cold and warm climates with good viewing from deck, plus sophisticated cameras and drones to send film back to television screens around the ship and in the suites, making sure guests don’t miss a thing.”
Quick facts: Seabourn Venture
* 264 passengers
* Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened hull
* Eight lounges and bars
* Eight dining experiences, including two main dining venues: The Restaurant and The Colonnade
* Two six-passenger submarines capable of diving to 1,000ft
* 24 Zodiacs
* Eight double sea kayaks
* 26-person expedition team
* 132 suites, all with a veranda, including new two-storey Wintergarden Suites. Some suites also sleep a third person on a sofa-bed.
* A 4K GSS Cineflex camera that captures images up to five miles away, broadcasting them to video screens around the ship.
* Spa, sauna and gym
* 2,750sq m of open deck for viewing opportunities
Book it: A 13-night Antarctica Exploration that includes a round-trip 12-night sailing from Ushuaia, overnight stay in Buenos Aires pre-cruise and return flights between the Argentine capital and Ushuaia costs from £14,199pp, departing on 25 January 25 2023. Flights not included (seabourn.com)
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