Seabourn to add two new expedition ships

First ship planned to sail in the Arctic in late summer 2021, with a full winter season in Antarctica to follow

Luxury cruise operator Seabourn is looking to grow the expedition cruise market with two new expedition ships, scheduled to arrive in June 2021 and May 2022 respectively to increase capacity for the company in Antarctica, the Artic and other exotic destinations round the world.

Seabourn has signed a letter of intent for the construction of two new ultra-luxury expedition ships with a new partnership between Italian shipbuilders T.Mariotti and Damen, which will collaborate on the building of the two ships under the common name Mariotti Damen Cruise.

First ship planned to sail in the Arctic in late summer 2021, with a full winter season in Antarctica to follow

Designed specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition travel, the 170m, 23,000 gross ton vessels will each offer 132 oceanfront veranda suites and accommodate up to 264 passengers each. Both vessels will also carry their own two submarines, as well as kayaks and 24 motorised Zodiac boats for exploring.

“It’s been amazing to watch the growth of our expedition-style experiences since our first sailing to Antarctica in 2013 through today, where we now offer the Ventures by Seabourn programme in a number of desirable destinations around the world,” said Robin West, vice president of expedition operations and planning for Seabourn, commented in a press statement.

“A year ago we started developing the concept for this next chapter of our expedition story with dedicated ships built to take luxury travelers to the most coveted places on the planet and they will be thrilled to see these remote destinations in Seabourn style.”

Seabourn will announce design and service details for the new ships later this year. Specific details about itineraries and booking availability will be released in early 2019. The first ship is currently planned to sail in the Arctic in late summer 2021, with a full winter season in Antarctica to follow.

Onboard crew will include outstanding and well-travelled expedition teams comprising of experienced wilderness experts, scientists, historians and Zodiac operators. These experts are also part of the Seabourn Conversations programme, providing in-depth insights into the history, ecology and culture of the places they visit. Their insights are offered both in complimentary formal presentations on a variety of topics and in more casual conversations over meals or at leisure.

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