Seabourn Expeditions Deals | SixStarCruises Expeditions

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Sailed With:

✔ Regent Seven Seas Cruises

✔ Crystal Cruises

✔ Oceania Cruises

✔ Celebrity Cruises

✔ Azamara Cruises

✔ Seabourn

Destinations Visited:

✔ Galápagos

✔ Greece

✔ Scandinavia

✔ Canaries

Ship: Celebrity Flora

Summary

Each day is just an incredible as the next in the Galápagos; you never know what you are going to see and the scenery is just stunning, you could blink and miss something incredible.

This really is a once in a lifetime experience where no day is the same, and I can honestly say this was the most incredible trip I have ever taken in my life. The Galápagos Islands are an absolute must for your bucket list!

Celebrity Flora is a luxury yacht holding a maximum of 100 guests which is considerably smaller than any ocean cruise liner, so you have a much more intimate experience where you can get to know who you're travelling with.

The Galápagos itinerary is packed with either one or two islands being visited per day and up to three excursions. There aren't any sea days on this itinerary, and because you don’t want to miss out on any opportunities to see the wildlife, you tend to do all three everyday. We did all the activities offered, and they are catered to all ages which is great. Because of this, the evenings are laid back and relaxed which is nice.

You have a 7PM overview of the day, then at 7:15, you sign up for the activities for the following day. Dinner then starts at 7:30 and most people tend to retire to their suites once they have eaten.

It is an early start most mornings, with the first tour usually beginning around 8AM to 8:30AM, but you do enjoy around three to four hours free time in the afternoon to relax on the top deck.

The staff on Celebrity are phenomenal - I have been on a lot of cruises and this was the best service I have ever received. They knew you by name when you boarded, had your drinks ready for you after the first day, remembering exactly what you preferred. It honestly felt like the staff and guests were one big family, and they went above and beyond in every aspect.

Highlights

Swimming with penguins, sharks and sea turtles was a memory that I will never forget. Although I'd have to say that my main highlight was the Giant Tortoise Ranch. These animals are just incredible to witness, and having the opportunity to be surrounded by them in the wild and walking with them was simply mesmerising.

Recommendations/Advice

My main advice is to immerse yourself in every opportunity to explore. The itinerary is very busy, being only a week to two weeks, so make the most of every moment you have while on your trip.

When packing, comfort is key, due to the itinerary. I'd recommend packing some water shoes or closed toed sandals for the wet landings (As you will be disembarking onto the beach with water around knee height). And make sure you bring a good camera for all of the great pictures that you will capture! Walking shoes or sturdy trainers are also important for the walks and hikes to ensure you're as comfortable as possible.

Sailed With:

✔ AE Expeditions

✔ Silversea

✔ Seabourn

✔ Celebrity Cruises

✔ Scenic Ocean Cruises

Destinations Visited:

✔ Svalbard

✔ Arctic

Summary

I travelled on a 12-night Arctic expedition on board Greg Mortimer - a trip that should be on anyone’s bucket list. The morning after embarkation in Svalbard, we had about an hour of free time, where I took the opportunity to walk on the top deck and enjoy the scenery. During the lecture we were given a Polar Bear Safety briefing, they advised us in detail on what we would do as a collective group if we were out on the Zodiacs/on land should we encounter one of these amazing creatures.

Being advised that there was a pod of humpback whales on the port side of the ship on day eight brought an overwhelming excitement on board, as we all made our way up to the top deck. They were spectacular! The ship was able to virtually anchor right beside them so we could watch these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat. We were all mesmerised by their beauty and felt incredibly lucky to have seen such a magnificent pod.

We all enjoyed a Zodiac landing in Recherchefjord the next day, I opted for the long walk and thoroughly enjoyed it. We were able to see some of the flowers that we had been advised about the day before in the lecture. The terrain was very spongy underfoot but still quite rocky. We saw several varieties of birds such as king eiders, guillemots, purple sandpipers and kittiwakes.

Being able to wake up with the ship stationary and surrounded by ice was so peaceful and tranquil. Everyone was on polar bear watch and eager to find this magnificent animal.

We were all incredibly excited when we were informed that they were going to allow us to walk on the ocean. It was something I don’t think I’ll ever be able to explain as the feeling when you step on the ice sheet was overwhelming. The land where the polar bears roam was right under my feet, and being able to walk where they call home was an experience I will never forget.

Much to our surprise, we then saw a pod of about 40-50 Beluga whales, it was unbelievable, the whales were too far to photograph to get a clear image of these beautiful animals, but the sight was magnificent.

We then had our daily recap, and they gave us some further information about Beluga whales.

After dinner we then went to enjoy our evening…but then we heard ‘Ding Ding Starboard Side!’ – there was a buzz in the air as we ran to any viewing platform we could find and grabbing the binoculars and cameras for our first glimpse of the one thing we had all been searching for… the polar bear! It was a mesmerising moment seeing how gracefully this beautiful animal walked along the shore one through the water and onto the sheet ice whilst it stalked the seals it had hoped to catch. We were all in awe of its beauty and watched this magnificent polar bear until the early hours of the morning.

Highlights

Watching a polar bear walking along the ridge, before entering the water and swimming in front of us - what an amazing experience! Walking out onto a floating ice sheet where polar bears roam was another experience I will treasure for the rest of my life. The childlike excitement from the passengers as they’re making snow angels in the ice was just magical. Each day is different to the next, and every moment is more surreal and spectacular than you could ever imagine. We also enjoyed a Zodiac cruise around Yoldiabukta Bay.

We had an unbelievable time, admiring the pointed mountain backdrops and tidewater glaciers. We were in awe of the amazing walrus we were able to see as they really are huge! It was incredible how close we were able to get to these amazing animals.

We were also taken to a beautiful landing spot where we were able to see many of the Arctic birds – kittiwakes, Brünnich’s guillemot and northern fulmars. It was stunning! We were even lucky enough to see some puffins!

Recommendations/Advice

Whether it’s diving into the Arctic waters for the polar plunge or the moment you set eyes on a polar bear, every traveller takes away something truly special from an Arctic Expedition. My advice is to throw yourself into it and grab hold of every opportunity - it is a once in a lifetime experience, so savour every moment!

Sailed With:

✔ Silversea

✔ Atlas Ocean Voyages

✔ AE Expeditions

Destinations Visited:

✔ Antarctica

✔ Arctic

Ship: Silver Endeavour

Summary

My entire trip to Antarctica was just incredible - an absolute dream come true. The pictures do not do it justice, and it is a place one must experience and see first hand to understand the continent's beauty. I sailed with Silversea and the ship was incredibly luxurious, the food was exceptional and with a small ship, the service is unbeatable. It was a once in a lifetime adventure!

My favourite experiences were kayaking and seeing the whales whilst out on a zodiac cruise. I also loved sitting on my balcony, sailing past the icebergs and watching the penguins, which was such a surreal moment.

Sailed With:

✔ Seabourn

✔ Silversea

✔ Atlas Ocean Voyages

✔ AE Expeditions

Destinations Visited:

✔ United Kingdom

✔ Antarctica

Ship: Seabourn Venture

Summary

My expedition around the British Isles was an incredible experience. It was wonderful to enjoy the adventure whilst still experiencing the luxury of Seabourn. I'm going into my 15th year working in the travel industry and this was the best trip I've ever done.

The welcome/safety meeting onboard is where we first met the crew. There are 19 Expedition Team Members on board, ranging from academics, scientists and naturalists. Their knowledge, passion and enthusiasm really showed throughout the whole cruise, the tours and the lectures. You can tell they are genuinely excited to be there.

We spotted plenty of puffins and seals while exploring the Isle of Man and Isles of Scilly on zodiac excursions, led by members of the expedition team. They were always on hand to share their knowledge and expertise so we could learn more about the incredible creatures we were seeing. We had Luciano Bernacchi, the Expedition Leader, guiding our zodiac excursion. We sailed around the coast of the Calf of Man, taking our Swarovski binoculars (which are available to all guests) to spot the variety of different wildlife.

There are 24 zodiacs on board, varying in size. I was surprised by how sturdy they are on the water, even at speed. The guide gauges how fast you want to go, either a leisurely ride or a full-on jet ride as they’re taking you to and from the shore.

The onboard experience was phenomenal; exquisite dining and expedition talks really do bring the day’s activities and excursions to life. The relaxed ambience on board provided the perfect respite from a busy day of exploring. Expedition cruising with Seabourn truly combines the best of exploration and ultra-luxury cruising.

One of the notable differences with an Expedition cruise is that the schedule is fluid, plans can and do change depending on sightings, the weather and many other factors - safety will always come first. Seabourn talked about one of their Expedition cruises where the captain stopped the ship at 1am as there was a polar bear right beside them, and guests were woken up to take pictures!

The Seabourn Venture ship itself has a very different feel compared to ocean ships; you really feel like you're staying in a luxury ski lodge. There were only 160 guests on board, with maximum capacity of the ship holding 264 passengers. There are no formal nights and the dress code is much more relaxed. There are two main restaurants on board: the Colonnade, for more relaxed dining and The Restaurant, which is perfect if you want something a little more formal. We had breakfast delivered to the suite and dined on the veranda several times.

All in all, we had a fantastic trip. It really helped me get an even better understanding of the product and just how special the expedition cruises are. I cannot wait for my next one!

If you have been looking into expedition cruising, enjoy a bit of adventure, or would like some more information, I would be happy to speak with you in more detail about the operations behind the expeditions and how it all works on board.

Highlights

My favourite moment has to be using the zodiacs and getting up close and personal to the all the wildlife! It was incredible to enjoy the adventure whilst experiencing the luxury of Seabourn.

Recommendations/Advice

Seabourn have Parka jackets, designed exclusively for them by Helly Hansen. We ordered our Seabourn Expedition Parkas six days before travelling, which I'd recommend, as they were then waiting for us in the suite when we embarked. Mine was a little on the large side, however, and this was easy to change at the Parka Exchange the following day. The parka is multi-layered and perfect for zodiac tours.