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The Sea Less Sailed I
THE SEA LESS SAILED
A new luxury cruise explores the rare beauty of Antarctica.
NICOLE WOLF
A virtually uninhabited polar desert that doubles as Earth's coldest, driest and windiest continent, Antarctica is simultaneously something to be revered and feared. It’s a place of beauty—a surreal landscape, icecovered and blindingly white, evoking a feeling of wonder and awe unlike anything else. Where does the ice end, and the sky begin?
Our southernmost continent is also our least explored, with few people ever having the opportunity to explore its barren landscape. In fact, Antarctica is unique in several ways: It has no currency of its own, no foliage, trees, or bushes and no long-term residents—excluding the penguins and seals. What it lacks in diversity, however, it makes up for in adventure.
For those daring enough to take the plunge, there are ways to explore this capricious land in comfort and style aboard one of the most exclusive ships in the world. Intrigued? Welcome aboard the Seabourn Venture.
A pioneer among small-ship, ultra-luxury cruising, Seabourn specializes in curating once-in-a-lifetime travel experiences. The award-winning brand launched in 1988 and has prided itself on delivering lavish hospitality experiences ever since. Their intimate fleet of ships carries between 458 and 600 guests each, employs roughly one staff member per guest and boasts one of the highest space-per-guest ratios in the industry. The result is an elite, fullservice vacation to some of the rarest and unexplored corners of the world.
This past year, Seabourn ushered in a new era of expedition travel with the launch of their latest ship, the Seabourn Venture. As the company’s first ultraluxe, purpose-built expedition ship, the vessel was created specifically for journeys into remote, hard-toreach destinations, including southeast Greenland, Nunavut and Antarctica.
Seabourn’s excursions echo the brand ethos and focus on bespoke, one-of-a-kind experiences. From up-close encounters with untamed wildlife to pulsepounding cliff explorations via Zodiac, kayak trips through picturesque fjords and submarine tours of shipwrecks, Seabourn’s adventures are designed to educate, entertain and immerse. Perhaps most impressive is the Venture’s dedicated 26-person Expedition Team—comprised of highly regarded wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists—who provide guests with insights into the ecology and culture of the places visited. Whether it’s over breakfast before an excursion, on deck during scenic cruising or in the form of a more formal presentation, the experts are there to educate and entertain every step of the way.
The Antarctic's rugged activities and vistas are complemented onboard by the ship’s interiors, designed by brand partner and hospitality interiors
firm, Tihany Design. The boutique design atelier— whose client roster includes the likes of the Four Seasons, Daniel Boulud and Mandarin Oriental—has meticulously outfitted the ship with airy spaces, elegant furniture and richly tactile materials designed to elevate guests’ onboard experience. Among such spaces is the Bow Lounge, an expansive, windowed room set just below the foredeck, making it a prime spot for observing marine life; the Constellation Lounge, located on the ship’s top deck, boasting floor-to-ceiling glass walls and 270-degree views complemented by live piano; and the Discovery Center, a classroom-like setting that hosts cultural programming led by marine and wildlife experts. The ship is also equipped with 132 plush oceanfront suites, two custom-built submarines, each with capacity for six, and an award-winning spa and wellness center.
The Seabourn Venture set sail for the first time in July 2022 and has an intrepid year ahead as it sails around the world to the Arctic, Antarctic, Amazon, Brazil, Chile and beyond. Seabourn.com
