“No one else does it better”: Seabourn on expedition cruising, its 2024 Grand Africa Voyage & brand new leadership

By Cindy Sosroutomo

TORONTO — To say it’s an exciting time for Seabourn would be an understatement.

Not only is the cruise line fresh off its hugely successful ‘Extraordinary Expeditions Roadshow,’ which took place in top North American markets, including Toronto, in February, March and April, it’s also on the verge of launching its second purpose-built, ultra-luxury expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, this August. Its summer debut will certainly help Seabourn on its quest to becoming an expedition leader, having launched its first expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, which is identical to the Pursuit, in 2022.

Of course, the 600-plus travel agents who attended the roadshow learned all about the company’s new foray into expedition cruising, which Steve Smotrys, vice president of Global Sales, says has garnered very positive feedback from both agents and guests.

“With our new expedition ships, Seabourn will offer a true ultra-luxury expedition product with no compromise, unlike anything else on the market today,” he tells Travelweek. “It’s easy for other brands to offer elements of luxury, but an authentic ultra-luxury product is one that extends throughout everything a ship does. We believe that no one else does it better than Seabourn.”

Including a Toronto stop on the North American roadshow was essential to spreading the word about new expedition cruises and growing the company’s presence in the coveted Canadian market, Smotrys adds.

“Canadians love cruising and we’ve been blown away by the enthusiasm of the travel advisors here. Their interest in Seabourn expedition expands beyond just learning about the product to understanding how we stand out in the marketplace so that their clients get the best expedition experiences,” he says.

In this Q&A, we ask Smotrys about Seabourn’s future plans in expedition cruising, how the company is working with Canadian travel agents, and any new offerings that they should keep an eye out for.

Travelweek: Can you tell us a little about Seabourn Pursuit’s 2023 launch and inaugural voyage:

Smotrys: “Beginning Aug. 12, 2023, our second purpose-built, ultra-luxury expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, will sail five voyages in the Mediterranean before embarking on two voyages across the Atlantic and through the Caribbean. On Oct. 10, 2023, the ship will arrive in Barbados from where it will begin its expedition journeys, taking guests to remote corners of the globe. Seabourn Pursuit will head south for expeditions exploring coastal South America, the Amazon, and Antarctica into late March 2024.

“Following its inaugural Antarctic season, the ship will head to the South Pacific and Australia, which will include the line’s first exploration of the Kimberley region in northern Australia between June and August 2024. The iconic Kimberley, with its red sandstone gorges, rivers, waterfalls, wildlife, and aboriginal stories, is the ideal setting for a truly, worldclass expedition experience. In addition to the Kimberley, Seabourn Pursuit will visit Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, and sail to the South Pacific from Chile to Melanesia between March and October 2024.”

Travelweek: Expedition cruising has become extremely popular in recent years, with several cruise lines entering the field. Are you worried at all about the market being overly competitive?

Smotrys: “Seabourn is entering this new market with two compelling ultra-luxury expedition ships and extensive operational experience that will appeal to travelers, especially those who may typically choose a land-based experience. These new ships are going to be game changers in the luxury expedition cruise category because they were designed by leading travel experts with deep levels of knowledge in expedition, fine dining, and luxury cruising. Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit are equipped to provide a myriad of experiences from Zodiacs, scuba diving and even submarines, and they are built to explore hard-toreach corners of the world.

“Our 10 years of experience in operating our program in Antarctica and our Ventures by Seabourn program has reinforced that this is a natural extension of the existing ultra-luxury