Anyone gone with Seabourn?

Trying to arrange our first cruise to Antarctica. Hubby is set on Seabourn because of the comfort as well as the fact it also goes down the Chilean coast with excursions there. However, I am concerned it may be too large with close to 400 passengers. Also worried a bit about the lack of history/experience as they only just started going there last year. Would love to hear from someone with experience about this. With that many passengers, how much time do you actually have with each landing? And I also assume that it will be limited to one landing per day?

If Seabourn is not the way to go, any suggestions?

Trying to arrange our first cruise to Antarctica. Hubby is set on Seabourn because of the comfort as well as the fact it also goes down the Chilean coast with excursions there. However, I am concerned it may be too large with close to 400 passengers. Also worried a bit about the lack of history/experience as they only just started going there last year. Would love to hear from someone with experience about this. With that many passengers, how much time do you actually have with each landing? And I also assume that it will be limited to one landing per day?

 

If Seabourn is not the way to go, any suggestions?

We did the Jan 4 sailing with Seabourn and everything was excellent

Seabourn have a lot of "experts" on board who have done the Antarctica trip lots of times. As you I wondered about going ashore with 440 passengers but Seabourn shuttled the passengers and we felt we had enough time each time each day

Highly recommend Seabourn

Trying to arrange our first cruise to Antarctica. Hubby is set on Seabourn because of the comfort as well as the fact it also goes down the Chilean coast with excursions there. However, I am concerned it may be too large with close to 400 passengers. Also worried a bit about the lack of history/experience as they only just started going there last year. Would love to hear from someone with experience about this. With that many passengers, how much time do you actually have with each landing? And I also assume that it will be limited to one landing per day?

 

If Seabourn is not the way to go, any suggestions?

Hurtigruten on Fram.

Half the number of passengers, usually two landings each day, plenty of time ashore (we never felt rushed/cheated on either of our two trips to Antarctica or our trip round Spitsbergen) more than comfortable, excellent crew, expedition staff at the top of their fields, decent pricing.

And just in case you're not sure of our enthusiasm for Fram, we're booked for Greenland on her next year and will most likely be visiting Antarctica on her for a third time...

You should look at a smaller ship. We ended up choosing G Adventures Expedition because it has decent amenities. One big advantage is the mud room where your wet things are kept so they are not in your room.

Here is the place to do some research and ask questions: http://www.tripadvisor.ca/ShowForum-g1-i12337-Antarctic_Adventures.html

Look at the itinerary carefully. Only 100 can be on shore at one time so with 400 you cut available time in one quarter.

Good to hear from someone who has done Seabourn :) How many landings did you make, and how much time did you have on land each time? As I said, that's my one BIG concern with it. Also, how close in were you able to get with the boat?

digitl, I thought about Hurtigruten, but they have nothing that works date-wise. I really don't want to wait until 2016 if I don't have to. I'm not a very patient person :(

maryann, I am on that forum also. Everyone is in favor of the smaller ships, but no one - other than cat above - has actually done Seabourn. As far as I know, Seabourn is the only "luxury" line with a mid-size boat that actually does Antarctica with landings.

Plus, I have to admit that the pricing has been surprising. Seabourn is quite high end, yet it's far less than Quark or Lindblad. $19K pp as opposed to $30K.

We went with Ponant on-board the L'Austral (restricted capacity for Antarctica) and had a wonderful cruise. We had 2 landings per day (one day we had a third during dinner) and an impromptu ice landing on a floe with a solitary little penguin (we stayed as far away as possible to not stress him). South Georgia or not is an important consideration.

I suggest checking out the Member Reviews to gauge impressions. Seabourn is pretty new to the expedition cruising world. I would check out Silversea (went with them to the Arctic), Hurtigruten (as previously mentioned), A & K (they usually partially charter a Ponant ship), Ponant, Quark, Lindblad/National Geographic, Tauck (again, they usually partially charter a Ponant ship), etc. Find what seems to be the best fit as far as ship, dates, itinerary, budget, etc.

Enjoy. It is an incredible adventure!

Good to hear from someone who has done Seabourn :) How many landings did you make, and how much time did you have on land each time? As I said, that's my one BIG concern with it. Also, how close in were you able to get with the boat?

 

digitl, I thought about Hurtigruten, but they have nothing that works date-wise. I really don't want to wait until 2016 if I don't have to. I'm not a very patient person :(

 

maryann, I am on that forum also. Everyone is in favor of the smaller ships, but no one - other than cat above - has actually done Seabourn. As far as I know, Seabourn is the only "luxury" line with a mid-size boat that actually does Antarctica with landings.

 

Plus, I have to admit that the pricing has been surprising. Seabourn is quite high end, yet it's far less than Quark or Lindblad. $19K pp as opposed to $30K.

Watch for sales. I think Quark might have just concluded a really good sale. We booked directly with Ponant when we went with them in 2011. The pricing was unbelievably good. The ships are extremely comfortable, the food was outstanding (at least, in my estimation) although the number of choices at dinner was not as broad as some might like, and service was terrific. The expedition team was very capable. The photograhic and videographic team was extremely helpful. Their rates (for packages sold in the US and Canada) are now pretty much all-inclusive. Take a look - highly recommended.

Are they not primarily French speaking, Mike?

Are they not primarily French speaking, Mike?

They are indeed French flagged vessels and I estimate more than 50% of the passengers were French. The balance were American, Canadian, other Europeans, Australians, an extended family group from South Africa, and a few from Hong Kong. There was a Tauck group on board that was, I believe, almost all American.

We speak no French and the crew spoke English ranging from fluent to a little broken. Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time and would sail with them again in a heartbeat. In fact, we are looking at a late 2015-2016 return to Antarctica (with South Georgia this time) and Ponant will be our first choice.

Plus, I have to admit that the pricing has been surprising. Seabourn is quite high end, yet it's far less than Quark or Lindblad. $19K pp as opposed to $30K.

My spouse and I traveled with Lindblad in 2013 on their Journey to the White Continent expedition. (This is "just" Antarctica, not the Falklands and South Georgia.) I can assure you that the cost was nowhere near $30K pp.

But if there really is a big price difference on comparable itineraries, it's because there are only 148 pax on the Nat Geo Explorer. It's a much smaller ship, which should translate to more landings and more time ashore. For me, in terms of seeing Antarctica, that would be far more important than a "luxury" cruise. Obviously, just speaking for myself here.

I think you also want to ask what pax on Seabourn are doing when others are ashore. Are they taken out on zodiac cruises (just about as phenomenal as being ashore); can you kayak? Or are you waiting aboard the ship for your turn at a landing?

Whatever you decide, have a great time!

Thanks, Turtle. Seabourn won't say whether they'll allow zodiac tours while others are on land. Their customer service said "it's up to the captain". I guess that's my concern. If you only have 60-90 minutes on land, what in the world do you do the rest of the time? I realize there are lectures and sightseeing/photography from the ship, but I would like more than an hour off the ship.

Thanks, Turtle. Seabourn won't say whether they'll allow zodiac tours while others are on land. Their customer service said "it's up to the captain". I guess that's my concern. If you only have 60-90 minutes on land, what in the world do you do the rest of the time? I realize there are lectures and sightseeing/photography from the ship, but I would like more than an hour off the ship.

rivah we found that by the time one had "dressed" before going ashore, going ashore, wandering around then coming back to " undress" it took awhile. Seabourn took decks, I think, at a time changing the deck order each day. I cant remember but I would think that if one wanted to and there was spare seats one could have gone back again. I hadn't heard of anybody wanting to, asking do this again or complain there wasn't enough shore time, when we were socialising. Seabourn are very obliging in every thing they do.

I think we had the best trip weather wise of all the trips Seabourn did last year as we went ashore each day

Have you had a look at Seabourn"s page on Cruise Critic as you will get more of a feed back from there?

One of our passengers, Roxburgh wrote a very good diary of our cruise, of about 3 pages which will give you a good over view

http://forums.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1966337

cat, yes I did read that thread as well as Roxburgh's page. It was fantastic. Still, though, it didn't really address the time allowed on the landings, so I am very appreciative of the info you've given me. I will be referring back to that thread to plan our cruise if we book it. So much great info.

I actually called Seabourn today to ask if they did any Zodiac tours while other groups were on land, and I was told that it was up to the captain... that I should inquire on board. That would be perfect if they would allow that. From what I've seen on various forums, the zodiac "cruises" are almost as good as being on the land... and sometimes better.

Should we book this (which we must do by tomorrow if we are going), are the Veranda Suites ok, or do you think the Penthouse is worth the upgrade?

From what I've seen on various forums, the zodiac "cruises" are almost as good as being on the land... and sometimes better.

 

Should we book this (which we must do by tomorrow if we are going), are the Veranda Suites ok, or do you think the Penthouse is worth the upgrade?

Going ashore they took us for Zodiac rides around the icebergs but that was the coldest part of the trip due to the wind chill

As you can see from that forum everybody was very happy with no complaints.

We were on deck 5, 519, with a balcony I don't know if the passengers with Penthouses received any more extras than we did. Every passenger on Seabourn seems to be treated as special. The cabins are a lot larger than any other cruise ship we have ever been one. We even had a walk in wardrobe :)

 

I actually called Seabourn today to ask if they did any Zodiac tours while other groups were on land, and I was told that it was up to the captain... that I should inquire on board. That would be perfect if they would allow that. From what I've seen on various forums, the zodiac "cruises" are almost as good as being on the land... and sometimes better.

No one sitting in an office can answer that question for you. The decision is made daily - if not hourly - by the captain and expedition leaders after assessing wind/sea/ice conditions. The major key word you are told before booking a polar trip is "Flexibility". The only guarantees are the day you will board the ship, and the day you will disembark the ship. Everything in between those days is out of your control.

Yes there have been many voyages where passengers dont make a single solitary landing. On the other hand there are voyages that hope to make 2 landings a day and manage to make 4 per day.

Its all in the lap of mother nature.

The best thing to do is to not focus on that in your decision making. Go with the flow.

Have you had a look through the Seabourn forum here as there are several polar trips discussed on there by past passengers.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=130

digitl, I thought about Hurtigruten, but they have nothing that works date-wise. I really don't want to wait until 2016 if I don't have to.

That's a pity as it's a very smooth operation.

Have you contacted them directly, or just checked the website? Direct contact sometimes comes up with a pleasant surprise... Alternatively, it might be worth checking from-time-to-time to see if any availability comes up.

I'm not a very patient person :(

Neither am I, far from it, but some things really are worth waiting for. We have booked 18 months in advance each time!

Still, though, it didn't really address the time allowed on the landings,

One of the important determinants of 'time on a landing' is the number of passengers needing to land. With a limit of 100 at any one time, the more passengers there are, the less time each one will get.

I actually called Seabourn today to ask if they did any Zodiac tours while other groups were on land, and I was told that it was up to the captain... that I should inquire on board. That would be perfect if they would allow that. From what I've seen on various forums, the zodiac "cruises" are almost as good as being on the land... and sometimes better.

Everything is up to the captain.

We have had a number of what Fram calls 'scenic cruises' and they have been huge fun. Some have been incorporated into transfers for landings, others have been separate while landings were taking place (but we still got the landing). Marguerite Bay was a stand-out and is frozen into my memory. Simply stunning, under an almost clear blue sky, piloted by the First Officer (so we took a very special route) and alternately travelling at speed or creeping up close to ice and 'creatures'!

Should we book this (which we must do by tomorrow if we are going), are the Veranda Suites ok, or do you think the Penthouse is worth the upgrade?

We haven't used Seabourn but we have always travelled low down in a basic cabin for good reasons. First, we only sleep, bathe and change in the cabin: there's too much going on elsewhere to be able or want to spend any time in there. Second, we don't 'pay to sway'. Drake Passage, and anywhere else for that matter, can be seriously rough and so the higher you are, the more the sway is amplified...

If you only have 60-90 minutes on land, what in the world do you do the rest of the time? I realize there are lectures and sightseeing/photography from the ship, but I would like more than an hour off the ship.

You may be scheduled for a meal within the landings period. Otherwise you go out on deck and see what there is to see. And there's always plenty. We have never been short of things to do: the days are very full!

Lectures usually take place while the ship transits from one location to another and not during landings. The lecturers are the expedition staff and are involved in hosting the landings so they are off the ship.

If you want more than an hour off the ship you are more likely to get it on a small ship.

No one sitting in an office can answer that question for you. The decision is made daily - if not hourly - by the captain and expedition leaders after assessing wind/sea/ice conditions. The major key word you are told before booking a polar trip is "Flexibility".

That's true!

The phrase that is used constantly is 'we hope to...'. No-one should expect to see any particular creature or visit any particular location, it's not that kind of trip. The only reasonable expectation is to expect the unexpected.

The only guarantees are the day you will board the ship, and the day you will disembark the ship.

And even those guarantees may fail. Drake Passage may, and does, intervene to delay the ship's arrival and departure.

Many thanks to ALL of you for your comments and advice.

digitl, thank you for your responses to my questions. I do understand that nothing is guaranteed and that we could have no landings whatsoever the entire time. Heck, we recently returned from Alaska, and it was far from a brochure cruise. No whales or bears and record rainfall. Still, it was fantastic. In any event, I was just trying to get a feel for how the landings would work IF they actually took place. I wasn't taking issue with Seabourn's customer service saying that it was "up to the captain" regarding Zodiac tours. I didn't express myself well on this. I was concerned that it sounded more like "I don't know that it's even a possibility" i.e. not really in their repertoire. As it turns out, I was mistaken. They actually do offer that... at least at times. This was a positive. I'm still curious to hear how long you're typically off the boat (between Zodiac cruising and on land) for each landing on smaller boats such as Orion.

Also, I did both call and email Hurtigruten. Their dates just don't work. It looks like a fantastic company, though.

With all of that said, we made a decision last night that is ideal. I am booking with Seabourn this morning. My husband and I will be traveling quite a lot in the coming years, but our bucket list of lengthy vacations (3+ weeks) is fairly short... Africa; Australia and New Zealand; Asia (destinations TBD). 1-2 week ones are plentiful. SO, I struck a deal with him that - if we love Antarctica as much as I think we will - we will add Orion's 24 day expedition to our bucket list and do it in the next few years. He agreed. I think Seabourn will be a great opportunity to explore many areas... not just Antarctica. I am very, very excited... especially as I'm fairly certain we'll be heading back down there for a truer expedition experience... and to also see South Georgia!

I'm sure I will have more questions as we near Feb 3rd - even with the fantastic info posted here.

Thank you again :D

I'm still curious to hear how long you're typically off the boat (between Zodiac cruising and on land) for each landing on smaller boats such as Orion.

On Fram we've been ashore for anywhere between one and just over two hours. Usually one and a half hours. Sometimes it's limited not by numbers to get ashore but by what there is to see when ashore. It may be super-interesting and well worth the visit, but not enough to need a really long time there.

I struck a deal with him that - if we love Antarctica as much as I think we will...

It will be better than that!

... - we will add Orion's 24 day expedition to our bucket list and do it in the next few years. He agreed. I think Seabourn will be a great opportunity to explore many areas... not just Antarctica. I am very, very excited... especially as I'm fairly certain we'll be heading back down there for a truer expedition experience

Oh, you will, you will!

... and to also see South Georgia!

South Georgia is a must. As are the Falklands.

Fortunately, this Seabourn cruise does include Falklands with some really good excursion options there. But I will miss South Georgia.

Fortunately, this Seabourn cruise does include Falklands with some really good excursion options there.

Excellent! Make sure you enjoy a meal and a drink in one of the pubs (we enjoyed a meal in The Victory a couple of years ago). It will make a pleasant change from dining on board and will help the Falkland economy (a little).

But I will miss South Georgia.

Then you will have to go back...

Sorry Rivah,

Late to the party.

I did the same sailing as Thecat and Roxburgh.

if you promise not to tell anyone you may get to stay on land longer than your allocated slot ;)

Asking one of the expedition staff when onshore will give you an idea.

IMHO there was so much happening on board during landings with spotting etc and talks and just general atmosphere and often we were so close to land or icebergs that you could still "participate"

As for the Penthouse…. NO

We had 3 in a Verandah and it was perfectly adequate. I decided against a Penthouse due to motion and was very glad when were came back across Drake as the forward elevators were switched off and the motion in the ocean much more noticeable.

You'll have a great trip. The rental boots etc were top notch and they had "market days" before arrival so if you guessed your sizing incorrectly you could swap.

They are indeed French flagged vessels and I estimate more than 50% of the passengers were French. The balance were American, Canadian, other Europeans, Australians, an extended family group from South Africa, and a few from Hong Kong. There was a Tauck group on board that was, I believe, almost all American.

 

We speak no French and the crew spoke English ranging from fluent to a little broken. Nonetheless, we had a wonderful time and would sail with them again in a heartbeat. In fact, we are looking at a late 2015-2016 return to Antarctica (with South Georgia this time) and Ponant will be our first choice.

Hi Mike,

I am working on booking a Ponant cruise. I left a message for Ponant a week ago and have heard nothing back. How far in advance did you book? We are looking at a February 2016 sailing. I have a few emails out to a number of travel agents. Would you have any interest in sponsoring us? we are looking to book 2 cabins. I should have written to you earlier in the week, I was just stranded in Rhode Island after the storm, we might have been close.