Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (2024)

Are you looking for a cruise ship that can take you to the most remote places in the world in style? Seabourn Pursuit will surely be on your short list of candidates.

Unveiled in August by Seabourn, one of the world's best-known luxury lines, Seabourn Pursuit is a small and agile expedition ship designed to visit such hard-to-reach and rugged destinations as Antarctica and Australia's Kimberley coast. But it's also a luxury ship that delivers some of the highest levels of service and pampering at sea.

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As I saw during a recent 10-night voyage in the Kimberley region, Seabourn Pursuit combines some of the best attributes of both expedition ships and traditional luxury ships to offer an unusually upscale adventure experience.

The biggest caveat to picking this ship: It doesn't come cheap. Suites on the vessel — and every cabin is a suite — often start at around $2,000 per day.

Overview of Seabourn Pursuit

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (1)

Seabourn Pursuit is one of the world's newest and most elegant expedition ships.

Like all expedition ships, it's specifically designed and equipped to get travelers to remote and hard-to-reach places like Antarctica that most people never get to see.

For starters, it's built to be inordinately tough. Its strengthened hull allows it to bump through ice in polar regions, and its unusually large fuel tanks and food storage areas allow it to operate for long periods in remote areas without reprovisioning.

Additionally, it travels with its own landing craft — small rubber Zodiac boats — to get passengers ashore in remote areas. It also carries other adventure gear for exploring remote areas, including kayaks, snorkeling equipment and scuba gear, and it has two submarines for exploring deep underwater.

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (2)

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Related: Expedition cruises: The ultimate guide to cruising to remote, hard-to-reach places

As is typical for expedition ships, Seabourn Pursuit travels with a large expedition team of experts on the places it goes. The members of the team lead landings and lecture on board.

While small compared to most cruise ships, including Seabourn's five traditional luxury ships, Seabourn Pursuit is relatively large for an expedition ship at 23,615 gross tons — something that has both advantages and disadvantages when it comes to operating expedition-style trips.

Twice the size of the latest expedition vessels built for such expedition cruise leaders as Lindblad Expeditions and Quark Expeditions, it offers a wider array of eateries, lounges and other onboard venues than is typical for such a vessel. But its bigger size also comes with a capacity for more passengers, which can be a drawback when operating expedition-style landings in remote areas.

Seabourn Pursuit is the second of two nearly identical expedition ships that Seabourn has launched over the past two years as it moves into the expedition cruising space for the first time. The first vessel in the series, Seabourn Venture, also sails to remote parts of the world, including Antarctica and the Arctic.

What I loved about Seabourn Pursuit

Its elegant and upscale onboard experience

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Seabourn Pursuit offers an elegant and upscale onboard experience that is unlike almost anything else found in the expedition cruise space. Its onboard venues, including its restaurants, lounges and spa, are beautifully designed, as is typical for Seabourn ships. It also sails with an extraordinarily high ratio of crew to passengers, allowing for high service levels (on my sailing, the ratio was exactly one-to-one, with 238 crew and 238 passengers).

Essentially, what Seabourn has done with Seabourn Pursuit is create an expedition ship that mimics the luxury feel of its traditional ocean ships. Or, to put it another way, Seabourn Pursuit is a luxury ship with all the adventure-focused trappings of expedition cruising overlaid on top.

This is relatively unusual in the expedition cruise space. Some of the best-known luxury cruise operators, including Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Crystal, don't operate expedition ships. Those that do, such as Silversea Cruises, don't always operate expedition vessels that are as elegant and upscale in feel, in part because they sometimes are older vessels.

Its always available caviar

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (4)

Speaking of elegant and upscale, one of the wonderful little luxury touches on Seabourn Pursuit is that you can order caviar to your room or anywhere else you happen to be on the ship at any time, day or night. There's no extra charge. It's a small thing, but it speaks to the luxury level you'll get when sailing on Seabourn Pursuit. Just note that Seabourn doesn't advertise this much on board, presumably because of the cost. You sort of have to be in the know (and now you are, so ... order away).

What I didn't love about Seabourn Pursuit

The high passenger count

Seabourn Pursuit can carry up to 264 passengers — a large number in the expedition cruise ship space. The newest ships from two of the best-known expedition cruise operators, Lindblad Expeditions and Ponant, by contrast, carry just 126 passengers and 184 passengers, respectively. New ships from Aurora Expeditions are built to hold 132 people. In expedition cruising, this sort of differential in passenger capacity is a big deal. It can make a considerable difference in the quality of the expedition cruise experience.

The more passengers an expedition ship has on board, the more its expedition guides have to break them up into separate groups for landings, slowing down the process of exploring at any single landing site. The result is that passengers on smaller ships often get to see more wildlife and scenery up close than passengers on bigger ships. This is particularly true in polar destinations such as Antarctica, where passenger landings are restricted to 100 people at a time.

Related: Is this the ultimate Antarctica cruise ship? Our take on Lindblad's National Geographic Resolution

Seabourn built Seabourn Pursuit larger than many existing expedition ships in part to offer passengers the same sort of luxury experience that they get on the line's traditional ocean ships. The ship had to be bigger to make room for all the upscale venues, including multiple restaurants and lounges, that Seabourn passengers expect. But in expedition cruising, sailing on a smaller vessel with fewer people is its own type of luxury.

Seabourn Pursuit cabins and suites

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Picking a room on Seabourn Pursuit isn't as complicated as it is on some ships. There is basically just one main cabin category that accounts for the vast majority of the 132 accommodations on board: the Veranda Suite.

On paper, there are five categories of Veranda Suites, but all the rooms in these categories — 101 in all — are basically the same, with the only difference between them being their location. Higher-category Veranda Suites are toward the middle of the ship, which is considered more desirable. Lower-category Veranda Suites are toward the front of the ship.

My cabin was one of the lower-category Veranda Suites toward the front of Deck 6, and just like the higher-category Veranda Suites, it measured 355 square feet — a generous amount for an expedition ship cabin. That space included a 78-square-foot balcony area, the same as you'll find with higher-category Veranda Suites.

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Veranda Suites have a residential feel with some nautical touches. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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As with all Veranda Suites, my room featured a queen-size bed that could be split into two twin beds, a built-in cabinet and wall-mounted TV opposite the bed and an adjacent seating area with a sofa, a chair and a built-in desk. There was also a walk-in closet and a bathroom.

Decor-wise, it was a lovely cabin with all the high-end finishings and amenities you would expect on a luxury ship. The look was contemporary and residential, with synthetic walnut and bronze cabinetry topped with expensive marble, quality bone white furnishings, patterned mocha and bone carpeting and walls covered in faux parchment.

I particularly liked the custom bedside panels with perfectly placed built-in bedside lights and foldaway reading lamps controlled by vintagelike toggle switches. The bed itself was opulent, with a super-comfortable mattress and high-end sheets. Each side of the bed was topped with three large white pillows that, from top to bottom, were extra firm, firm and soft (as explained on a pillow menu). Two red patterned throws and a sumptuous faux fur pillow rounded out the high-end look.

Among thoughtful touches to the room were its heated compartment for fast-drying wet clothing after Zodiac landings and Swarovski Optik binoculars to borrow during the voyage. A minibar was also stocked with almost any drink I wanted. (Though the one drink I wanted most in my cabin, a morning coffee, was unavailable. Unlike many cabins on high-end ships, the room had no espresso maker.)

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (12)

On a practical note, the room was loaded with power outlets of all sorts — enough to keep even the most device-laden traveler fully charged. The bedside panels on both sides of the bed had both U.S.-style 110-volt and European-style 220-volt outlets, as well as two USB ports (alas, there were no fast-charging USB-C ports, something that is increasingly standard on new ships). More outlets and USB ports were located at the desk area and above the cabinet across from the bed.

If there was a flaw to the room's design, it was its storage space, which seemed to take a back seat to the overall look. The built-in cabinet across from the bed was stylish but too narrow to be practical. The desk across from the sofa lacked drawers that would have made it more functional — no doubt to keep its minimalist line.

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More notably, perhaps, the room's walk-in closet was just a tad too narrow to be fully functional. It offered lots of room for hanging clothes on one side but was light on shelving for sweaters, folded shirts and the like — the result of a significant amount of its space having been left open so that passengers could walk into it. A less elegant but more practical use of this block of space would have been to forgo the idea of a walk-in closet and create large built-in wardrobes that opened from the outside.

The same sort of style-over-practicality in design was evident in the bathroom. It was a beautiful space with marble tile walls and floors, a built-in marble vanity and high-end Grohe fixtures, but it wasn't optimally designed for function. Despite being larger than the typical cruise ship bathroom, it had a comically tiny shower (so tiny it was an exercise in contortion to soap up) and lacked a single drawer for hiding away toiletries. The only storage was three impractically small and narrow shelves to the side of the vanity and several hard-to-reach shelves tucked under the corners of the vanity.

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The bathroom also contained a bathtub that few people would use. A bathtub is a nice touch when there is room for one, but in this case, there wasn't. The bathtub ate up the space that could have allowed for a bigger shower — something everyone expects these days.

For those who want something more spacious than a standard Veranda Suite such as mine (and are willing to pay significantly more for the privilege), Seabourn Pursuit also has more than two dozen larger suites — a few truly spectacular.

The most over-the-top suites on the ship, by far, are its two Wintergarden Suites. Measuring a whopping 1,175 square feet, they are two-story-high apartments that each have an expansive living area on their lower floors and a stunning bedroom with a bed facing floor-to-ceiling glass walls on their upper floors. Both of the suites can be combined with an adjacent Veranda Suite to create an even larger two-bedroom complex that measures 1,605 square feet.

Also spectacular are the ship's two rear-facing Signature Suites, which fill up the entire back of Deck 8. Each of the suites measures 1,380 square feet, not including its balcony, and has a massive living area overlooking the ship's wake in addition to a bedroom. Each also has a seemingly endless wraparound balcony with its own Jacuzzi and elegant lounge furniture.

Related: Ditch the polar gear: 7 warm-weather expedition cruises that will wow nature and adventure lovers

Two more larger suites on the ship are its Owners Suites, which measure 1,023 square feet, including balcony space. Located at the front of the vessel, they also have large living areas separate from their bedrooms.

Two other categories of suites on Seabourn Pursuit that are larger than the standard Veranda Suites but not nearly as big as the Wintergarden, Signature and Owners suites are its nine Penthouse Suites and 16 Panorama Veranda Suites. These two categories of rooms measure 527 square feet and 417 square feet, respectively, including their balcony space.

Seabourn Pursuit restaurants and bars

As is typical for small ships, Seabourn Pursuit has just a handful of eateries. Still, it manages to offer a wide range of cuisines with rotating theme nights in one of its restaurants. Several bars and lounges offer a diversity of drink choices.

Restaurants

Seabourn Pursuit has two main restaurants: The Restaurant and The Colonnade.

The Restaurant is the more formal of the two, offering a fine dining experience in a stylish space filled with custom-designed, modern Italian furniture and bronze-framed wine displays.

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Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, The Restaurant offers classic cuisine such as eggs Benedict in the morning and grilled snapper and beef tenderloin in the evening.

The Colonnade is a more casual alternative eatery that offers a buffet service for breakfast and lunch (augmented with some a la carte menu items that you can order from your waiter). It then transforms into a waiter-served sit-down restaurant at dinnertime.

The Colonnade's cuisine at dinner changes daily, offering passengers a more diverse dining experience in the evenings than one might expect from a ship with just two restaurants. One night, it'll have a French focus, the next, Spanish. When I was on board, nights devoted to Australian, Thai, Italian and American cuisines were also on the schedule.

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The Colonnade. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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Additionally, on several nights of each cruise, The Colonnade morphs into a pop-up eatery called Earth & Ocean that offers an eclectic mix of dishes inspired by the places the ship visits around the world.

The Colonnade has both indoor and outdoor seating, with the outdoor area known as The Patio. Seabourn touts The Patio in its marketing material as a separate eatery, but it's not really.

In addition to the above, passengers will find sushi made to order every evening in The Club, one of the ship's bars. A nod to the popular sushi eateries found on Seabourn's bigger ships, the sushi dishes at The Club can be something you order as an appetizer before heading to The Restaurant or The Colonnade for dinner, or they can be your full meal. Just note the sushi menu is relatively limited.

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Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (27)

You'll also find quick grab-and-go bites available during the day in The Bow Lounge, a small, unstaffed lounge space overlooking the ship's bow. It has a refrigerator stocked with small portions of salads and wraps in glass containers. The Bow Lounge also has a self-serve espresso machine for cappuccinos, lattes and other espresso drinks.

Additional small bites are available throughout the day at Seabourn Square, a living roomlike lounge space that is home to the ship's main coffee bar, guest services desks, games tables and a library area.

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Seabourn Square is a living roomlike space that's home to a European-style coffee bar and library area. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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Along with barista-made coffee drinks, Seabourn Square's European-style coffee bar serves pastries in the morning and small sandwiches, homemade cookies and desserts during the day. It's also one of two places on the ship where you'll find lovely homemade gelati — the other being The Colonnade (at lunchtime).

Should the above options not be enough to keep you satiated, you can always order room service. Seabourn Pursuit offers in-suite dining around the clock, with an all-day menu of six starters, a dozen mains and various desserts. The menu is a mix of casual items such as sandwiches and burgers and more elegant dishes such as a Black Angus New York steak. During dinner hours, passengers can also order anything they want off the day's The Restaurant menu.

In general, the cuisine on board Seabourn Pursuit is high-end but nothing that will leave you wowed. Dishes in The Restaurant skew to classic continental fare that is traditional and safe, with relatively simple plating. A typical night might bring such main dishes as a filet of red snapper draped over cooked Swiss chard with piped mashed potatoes on the side or slices of pork tenderloin over polenta with vegetables. The choices don't typically include anything overly innovative. On my sailing, the execution was also hit-or-miss.

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Additionally, for those who like flavorful food, be warned that dishes at both The Restaurant and The Colonnade come out very unseasoned — that is, they are very light on salt, pepper, herbs and spices. This is by design, as Seabourn has many older customers who are on low-sodium diets or have other health or taste concerns for which they have requested blander dishes. Still, it could be a turnoff if you're the type of luxury traveler who travels in part for distinctive culinary experiences.

Foodies also should note that the complimentary wines included with meals are more down-market than you might expect for a luxury ship. On my sailing across Australia's Kimberley region, the ship was serving a 19 Crimes shiraz as its main red on some nights that retails in Australia for under 10 Australian dollars (about $6.70). Tastewise, it was about what you'd expect at that price point.

There are plenty of wonderful wines on Seabourn Pursuit, for sure. But for the most part, they're only available with an upcharge.

One standout element of Seabourn Pursuit's culinary offerings is its breakfast buffet in The Colonnade. I loved such luxury touches as the giant juice machine for making fresh orange juice to order; the wide array of available fruits, including fresh berries (something you generally only find at breakfast buffets on luxury lines); the array of homemade breads; and the congee station.

Bars

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If you're heading out for a drink in the evening on Seabourn Pursuit, you're probably heading to one of three places: the Expedition Lounge, the Constellation Lounge or The Club.

Just outside the ship's theater, where expedition-related briefings take place, the Expedition Lounge is a cozy space that evokes the age of exploration with steam trunk-inspired leather and fabric furnishings. Anchored by two fireplaces with faux flames, with a bar tucked into the wall in between, it lacks a menu of signature drinks, but its bartenders will make you whatever you desire.

Given its location, the Expedition Lounge is popular as a drinking spot just before and after the evening expedition briefing.

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The Expedition Lounge is another lounge venue. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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Five decks higher at the top front of the ship, the Constellation Lounge is a classic observation lounge with stunning 270-degree views through floor-to-ceiling glass walls. As its name suggests, it takes its theme from the night sky with carpets and cushions patterned from the constellations. Even the lighting follows the theme, with dozens of ceiling-mounted lightbulbs mimicking the stars above.

Unlike the Expedition Lounge, the Constellation Lounge has live music every night (on my sailing, it was a singing and guitar-playing duo), and it's also home to a signature cocktail menu designed by mixologist Brian Van Flandern — a well-known drinks creator. In the early evening, it offers a self-serve buffet of tapas along its back wall.

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The Constellation Lounge. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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The Club, on the same deck as the Constellation Lounge but at the back of the ship, is another cozy space with a faux fireplace and warm, residential furnishings. As noted above, it features sushi made to order in the evenings. It also has a signature drinks menu with an array of sake-infused Saketinis, as well as handcrafted cocktails with such names as Smokin' Margarita and Honey Dew Wop.

Like the Constellation Lounge, The Club has live music nightly. During my sailing, it was home to a piano player.

Because of its made-to-order sushi bites, which are popular, The Club is always the busiest of the bars at night. There were times in the early evening when I had trouble finding a table.

The Club also has the most interesting cocktail menu on the ship. That said, in general, the cocktails on Seabourn Pursuit aren't as cutting edge as what you'll find at high-end cocktail lounges on land, despite the brand's relationship with mixologist Van Flandern. You're not going to find sophisticated garnishes, handmade bitters, smokers for infusions or unusually shaped ice cubes as you do nowadays at upmarket cocktail bars on land. The bartenders don't appear particularly steeped in cocktail culture.

Related: The most epic cruise ever? What it's like traveling to the North Pole on a luxury icebreaker

I was especially surprised to find Old-Fashioneds and Negronis ordered at the ship's bars arrive loaded with small machine-made ice cubes of the sort you get in your soda at a fast food outlet. These ice cubes melted fast and diluted the drinks to a point where they were undrinkable after a few sips. If you want a mixed drink, be sure to order it "up" (served without ice).

In addition to the above, Seabourn Pursuit offers two small outdoor bars that are open part of the day: the Sky Bar and the Patio Bar.

The Sky Bar is at the top of the ship just outside of The Club and serves a small outdoor sunning area with hot tubs. It's also the one bar area on the ship where you can smoke.

The Patio is the bar for drinks around the infinity pool at the back of the ship.

Seabourn Pursuit activities

As is typical for expedition ships, the activities on Seabourn Pursuit revolve heavily around experiencing and learning about the wildlife and natural wonders of the mostly remote destinations that the vessel visits.

Seabourn Pursuit sails with a 24-member expedition team that includes experts in geology, marine biology, ornithology, local cultures and other topics of relevance. The team leads outings for exploring, typically by Zodiac boat, and lectures on board about what passengers are seeing on such outings.

A typical day in Antarctica, for instance, might include a Zodiac landing to see penguins, a secondary Zodiac outing to cruise coastal waters in search of whales and icebergs, and an onboard lecture on the history of Antarctic exploration.

In Australia's Kimberley, a typical day might bring a Zodiac cruise down a mangrove-lined river in search of crocodiles or an up-close look at the region's otherwordly red rock formations, followed by a lecture on the region's thousands-of-years-old Indigenous Australian rock art.

The hub for such activities is the Discovery Center, a theaterlike space used for daily lectures, recaps of the day's explorations and briefings on the next day's off-ship exploring.

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Seabourn Pursuit also has two side-by-side mud rooms (called The Landing Zone) with lockers where passengers can change, clean and store their boots and gear following excursions.

Just off the mud rooms are the side-of-the-ship portways where passengers board Zodiacs for the daily outings.

Seabourn Pursuit sails with a fleet of 24 Zodiacs for such outings, stored at the very top of the ship and lowered by cranes during landing operations. The ship also carries eight sea kayaks for included-in-the-fare kayaking tours, snorkel gear for snorkeling during outings and two submarines for extra-charge underwater exploration. The latter is still relatively rare on expedition ships.

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Passengers embark and disembark Zodiac boats from portways at the side of the ship. GENE SLOAN/THE POINTS GUY

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Both kayaks and submarines are used on the ship's Antarctica and South Pacific sailings but not in the Kimberley. The presence of crocodiles in the Kimberley makes the use of kayaks risky. Other factors, such as strong tides, keep Seabourn from using the submarines in the Kimberley.

In addition to the above, Seabourn Pursuit offers complimentary scuba diving sessions led by an onboard divemaster in select warm-water destinations in the South Pacific.

While expedition cruise-style adventure is the focus of trips on Seabourn Pursuit, the vessel also offers traditional cruise ship allures such as a sun deck with an infinity pool, two whirlpools and chaise lounges at the back of Deck 5. More chaise lounges are located at the backs of Deck 6 and Deck 7. There are two more whirlpools at the back of Deck 9.

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Passengers can look out over Seabourn Pursuit's wake from an infinity pool on Deck 5. BELINDA LUKSIC FOR THE POINTS GUY

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Seabourn Pursuit also has a small but elegant spa and wellness center with four treatment rooms (including a room for couples treatments), separate men's and women's saunas that offer stunning views of the ocean through floor-to-ceiling windows, a hair and nail salon and a small fitness room.

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Just be prepared to pay up for spa services. As is often the case on cruise ships, particularly luxury cruise ships, the pricing is sky-high. A 50-minute facial, for instance, will cost you about $270, including an 18% gratuity that is automatically added to bills.

Unlike on Seabourn's bigger ocean ships, there is no casino on Seabourn Pursuit. Seabourn regulars also will notice the ship lacks a back-of-the-ship marina or a secondary pool area.

Another difference with Seabourn's bigger ocean ships is its open-bridge policy. On most days, while the ship is underway, passengers can visit the bridge at will and watch it in operation. This is more common on expedition ships than on bigger traditional vessels.

Seabourn Pursuit itineraries and pricing

Seabourn Pursuit currently spends its summers in the Kimberley region of Australia and its winters in Antarctica. In both cases, the ship operates expedition-style trips that revolve around landings to see wildlife and scenery.

Seabourn Pursuit also offers a few one-off sailings across the South Pacific and down the coast of Chile in the spring and fall, traveling between the Kimberley region of Australia and Antarctica.

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (60)

The Kimberley sailings are mostly 10-night trips that follow one-way routings between Broome and Darwin, Australia. The Antarctica sailings range from 11 to 21 nights in length, with the longer sailings including visits to South Georgia Island and the Falkland Islands.

Fares start at $8,499 per person, based on double occupancy, for a 10-night Kimberley cruise.

An 11-night Antarctica trip that includes 10 nights on the ship and a night at a hotel in Buenos Aires, Argentina, starts at $8,498 per person.


What to know before you go

Required documents

Seabourn Pursuit sails global itineraries for which passengers always need a valid passport. For some itineraries, passengers also need visas to enter countries on the schedule. Be sure to research visa requirements far in advance of your sailing so you have time to get everything in order before you go. Visa processing can be a time-consuming process. Note that you will very likely be denied boarding if you arrive for your cruise without the proper travel documentation. In such cases, you are not eligible for a refund.

When assembling your documents, be sure your passport will be valid for six months beyond the end of your cruise, as that's a requirement to enter many countries.

You will also need to fill out preboarding documents online before your cruise.

Related: When and how to renew your passport, according to the State Department

Gratuities

Seabourn's all-inclusive fares cover all crew gratuities, and passengers thus aren't expected to tip when on board Seabourn ships. The only time you might be expected to tip while on a Seabourn cruise is during an off-the-ship excursion, as gratuities for tour guides and drivers on shore tours are not included in fares.

Wi-Fi

All passengers can access the ship's Wi-Fi for free. Passengers in Ocean View and Verandah suites receive unlimited standard internet service (basic browsing, messaging and emailing) on one device, while passengers in higher-category Penthouse and Premium suites get unlimited premium internet service (streaming and video calling) on multiple devices. Passengers who have reached the Diamond tier of the Seabourn Club loyalty program also will receive the faster premium service, no matter their suite category.

Passengers in suites that only come with standard internet service can pay about $20 a day to upgrade to the premium service that allows for streaming. Upgrading also lets you access the internet on up to four devices simultaneously.

Carry-on drinks policy

All drinks are complimentary on Seabourn Pursuit, with the exception of the most expensive wines and liquors. However, if you are particular to certain brands, you can bring on board an unlimited amount of wine and liquor, both on embarkation day and in ports of call, and you do not have to pay a corkage fee.

Smoking policy

The only place you can smoke cigarettes, cigars or pipes on Seabourn Pursuit is along the starboard half of the ship's outdoor Sky Bar area. Smoking such items anywhere else on the ship, including in all interior areas, in suites and on private balconies, is prohibited.

The rules are slightly looser for electronic cigarettes, which can be smoked in passenger suites and the Sky Bar area.

Passengers caught smoking traditional cigarettes, cigars or pipes in their suites or on balconies will be charged a $250 per day cleaning fee.

Laundry

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (61)

You have two options for doing laundry on Seabourn Pursuit. You can pay to have your clothes washed, pressed or dry-cleaned by the ship's laundry service, or you can clean them yourself for free using the self-service launderette found on Deck 5.

If you choose the former option, your suite attendant will pick up your dirty clothes and bring them back clean. Prices for such service range from $6.50 for a men's shirt to $11 for a dress unless you have status in Seabourn's loyalty program. If you do, you might get some or all of your send-out laundry done for free. The amount depends on your loyalty level, with top-tier Diamond Elite members getting complimentary normal laundry and pressing services throughout their sailing, plus limited dry cleaning services.

For those doing their own laundry, the ship's launderette has washers, dryers, complimentary detergent and ironing boards.

Electrical outlets

Seabourn Pursuit suites offer both U.S. 110-volt and European 220-volt outlets, as well as USB ports next to beds. You'll find additional outlets and USB ports at the built-in desks in suites and above the cabinets across from beds in Veranda Suites. Americans may want to bring an adapter for charging devices in public rooms, where the outlets are all European-style.

Currency

The onboard currency is the dollar, regardless of where Seabourn Pursuit is in the world. The ship operates on a cashless system. You will use your cruise keycard to pay for all purchases and then receive a final bill at the end of the cruise. You can pay that bill with a credit card (Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club, American Express or Discover) that you've registered with the ship or with cash.

You can request a cash advance on board but will be charged a 3% fee on the amount.

Drinking age

The minimum drinking age on Seabourn Pursuit is 21, with some exceptions. On sailings departing and returning to Australia, New Zealand, Europe and some parts of Asia, the drinking age is 18. For cruises departing and returning to Japan, the drinking age is 20.

The ship's crew can also refuse to serve alcohol to anyone they deem excessively inebriated or a danger to others on board.

Dress code

Pack for your cruise like you would for a stay at a high-end resort. During the day, you'll want casual outfits suitable for the day's weather and activities, including appropriate swimwear cover-ups and comfortable shoes for walking. Guests tend to be stylish and elegant even when dressed casually, but shorts and jeans are welcome in all lounges and dining venues.

In the evening, after 6 p.m., guests should adhere to Seabourn's "elegant casual" dress code. For men, it's slacks with a collared dress shirt or sweater; jackets are optional. For women, it's slacks or a skirt with a blouse, a pantsuit or a dress.

Seabourn makes a point of noting jeans are not allowed in The Restaurant after 6 p.m.

Bottom line

Seabourn Pursuit is one of the most elegant and upscale expedition ships currently sailing the world's oceans. Like all Seabourn ships, it features lovely interior venues designed by noted hospitality design firm TIhany Design, and it has spacious, high-end accommodations, including some truly spectacular suites. It sails with a large number of crew to passengers, ensuring high levels of service. If you're looking to explore the ice-filled coast of Antarctica or the rugged shores of Australia's rugged Kimberley region in the utmost style and are willing to pay up for the privilege, this could be the ship for you.

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Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Seabourn Pursuit cruise ship review: An luxury expedition vessel - The Points Guy (2024)

FAQs

How many guests are on Seabourn pursuit? ›

This elegant and very capable 264 guest ship boasts innovative design throughout and the unique opportunity to explore a part of Antarctica very few others get to see, through the use of its submarines.

What is included in a Seabourn expedition cruise? ›

Included Experiences
  • 90-120 min of scenic cruising guided by naturalist. Zodiac® Tours.
  • In partnership with local communities and operators. ...
  • Explore diverse waters and marine life. ...
  • Explore alongside your knowledgeable guide. ...
  • Zodiac® shore landings in areas with no infrastructure, from beaches to rocky coastlines.

Where is Seabourn pursuit being built? ›

The steel-cutting ceremony and the construction of Seabourn Pursuit commenced in September 2020. Installation of the ship's hull started at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genova, Italy, in April 2022.

When was Seabourn pursuit built? ›

Launched in 2023, the Seabourn Pursuit, a sister to the Seabourn Venture, is the second expedition ship introduced by the line. It was created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveler, and includes many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful.

What is the average age of Seabourn passengers? ›

Seabourn Cruise Line is at the top of the luxury cruise market with an exclusive service, superb cuisine, numerous inclusive extras in an elegant but unpretentious atmosphere. All cabins are suites and are well equipped. The age of most Seabourn passengers is on average around 60 years, generally between 45 and 65.

How many formal nights on a Seabourn cruise? ›

Cruises up to 13 days: One Formal evening. Cruises of 14 to 20 days: Two Formal evenings. Cruises of 21 or more days: Three Formal evenings.

What is not included on Seabourn? ›

In some ports the cruise line offers free shuttles to town. Not included: Seabourn would rank alongside Regent as being truly all-inclusive but for the shore excursions, which are not part of your fare. Spa treatments also cost extra. Airport to ship transfers come when you buy your air through the cruise line.

What drinks are free on Seabourn? ›

Complimentary premium spirits and fine wines are available on board at all times.

Are Seabourn cruises high end? ›

The Seabourn fleet represents the pinnacle of ultra-luxury ocean and expedition cruising.

Does Seabourn pursuit have a pool? ›

Onboard Activities

Soak up the sun on the Sundeck or make a splash in the main pool and relax or, for those wanting to experience divine luxury, dip into one of the 4 Jacuzzis onboard Seabourn Pursuit for a truly blissful experience.

What is the difference between the Seabourn Venture and the pursuit? ›

The primary difference between the Pursuit and the Venture is the art, which Adam Tihany, the ship's designer, said varies "significantly." There are more than 700 pieces onboard the Pursuit, and Tihany said that for each ship, he and Seabourn worked with different art consultants with different sensibilities.

Does Carnival still own Seabourn? ›

Despite being a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, Seabourn Cruise Line operates independently and has its own management team. The company's president is Richard Meadows, who has been with Seabourn since 2011.

Is Seabourn a 6 star? ›

3 lines are rated 6* - Regent, Seabourn & Silversea.

Is Seabourn being sold? ›

SEATTLE , March 16, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Seabourn, the leader in ultra-luxury cruising and expedition travel announced the sale of Seabourn Odyssey to Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL). Following the sale, Seabourn will continue to operate all published voyages through August 22, 2024 , under a charter arrangement.

How big is the Seabourn pursuit? ›

Specifications of Seabourn Pursuit
Year of build2023 / Age: 1
Building costEUR 225 million (USD 265 million)
Speed22 kn / 41 km/h / 25 mph
Length (LOA)170 m / 558 ft
Beam (width)26 m / 85 ft
4 more rows

How many passengers are on the Seabourn ships? ›

Seabourn pioneered small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, and continues to represent the pinnacle of that unique style of travel. Our fleet of ultra-luxury ships, comprised of all ocean-front suites, carries between 264 and 600 guests each, brought to life by an award-winning team numbering nearly as many as the guests.

Is there a pool on the Seabourn Pursuit? ›

As the ship's fleet of 24 zodiacs is stored on the top deck, Seabourn Pursuit doesn't have a typical pool deck. Instead, it has a small infinity pool and a pair of hot tubs on Deck 5 at the back of the ship as well as a couple of hot tubs on Deck 9.

References

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