Ultra Luxury cruise line
Seabourn in Alaska
Seabourn operates ultra luxury ships carrying roughly 450 to 600 guests, with all suite accommodation and an all inclusive fare. In Alaska its defining feature is Ventures by Seabourn, an expedition style programme of kayaking and zodiac excursions led by an onboard expedition team, which gives a luxury ship genuine access to places the large ships pass by.
The short answer
Seabourn combines ultra luxury service with a real expedition programme. Ships carry 450 to 600 guests, all accommodation is suites, and the fare includes drinks, gratuities and most dining. The Ventures by Seabourn kayak and zodiac programme is what separates it from other luxury lines in Alaska. Budget $6,000 to $14,000 per person for a week.
Key points
- Ultra luxury, all suite ships carrying roughly 450 to 600 guests.
- Ventures by Seabourn offers kayaking and zodiac excursions led by an onboard expedition team.
- All inclusive fare covering premium drinks, gratuities and all dining venues.
- Small enough to use anchorages and secondary berths the large ships cannot.
- No children's facilities. Adults and, at most, mature teenagers.
Seabourn at a glance
- Segment
- Ultra Luxury
- Price band
- $$$$$
- Alaska home ports
- Vancouver, Seward, Juneau
- Parent company
- Carnival Corporation & plc
- Glacier access
- Glacier Bay National Park on selected sailings, plus Hubbard Glacier, Tracy Arm, Endicott Arm and small fjords reachable only by a shallow draft vessel.
- Best for
- Ultra luxury travellers · Active travellers who want kayaking · Repeat Alaska visitors · Couples
Ships used in Alaska
| Ship | Guests | Launched | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seabourn Odyssey | 458 | 2009 | Odyssey class. All suite, with a marina platform at the stern for water activities. |
| Seabourn Sojourn | 458 | 2010 | Odyssey class sister, frequently deployed to Alaska. |
| Seabourn Quest | 458 | 2011 | Odyssey class sister with the same layout. |
Typical Alaska itineraries
Alaska and the Inside Passage
10 to 14 nightsVancouver to Seward or reverse
Ketchikan · Juneau · Sitka · Haines · Glacier Bay · Hubbard Glacier · Wrangell
Alaska Fjords and Glaciers
11 to 12 nightsRound trip or one way
Tracy Arm · Endicott Arm · Icy Strait Point · Kenai Fjords · Small community calls
Cabins
All Seabourn accommodation is a suite with a separate sitting area, and the great majority have a veranda. The standard is consistent enough that the category decision is mostly about space rather than experience.
| Category | Typical size | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean View Suite | 295 sq ft | Picture window rather than a veranda. The best value on the ship. |
| Veranda Suite | 302 sq ft | Private veranda with floor to ceiling doors. The most common category. |
| Penthouse Suite | 436 to 611 sq ft | Larger living area, guest bathroom and a bigger veranda. |
| Owner's Suite | 611 to 1,182 sq ft | Multiple rooms, dining for six and a wraparound veranda on some. |
| Wintergarden Suite | 914 sq ft | A glass enclosed solarium with a tub. Genuinely well suited to Alaska weather. |
Dining
Seabourn dining is open seating throughout, with no fixed times, no assigned tables and no surcharge in any venue. The kitchen operates at a standard that would earn attention ashore.
- The Restaurant is the main dining room, open seating, with a menu that changes daily.
- The Colonnade is a casual indoor and outdoor venue that becomes a themed restaurant in the evening.
- The Patio serves grilled food poolside, and works better than expected in Alaska thanks to heaters.
- Solis or Earth and Ocean provide the evening alternative venue depending on the ship and season.
- In suite dining at any time from any menu, with a proper table setting rather than a tray.
- Caviar service on request anywhere on the ship, including on a zodiac beach in some circumstances, which is a signature the line leans into.
Entertainment and programming
The evening programme is small scale: a singer, a pianist, a small show, conversation in the Observation Bar. The substantive programme is expedition activity and enrichment.
- Ventures by Seabourn provides kayak and zodiac excursions led by an onboard expedition team of naturalists, marine biologists and geologists. These carry a supplement on most itineraries.
- Expedition team lectures run throughout the voyage and are pitched at an interested adult audience rather than a general one.
- Observation Bar forward on deck ten has floor to ceiling glass and is the natural gathering point during scenic cruising.
- Retractable marina at the stern deploys in sheltered water for kayaks and paddleboards, weather permitting. In Alaska it opens less often than in warmer regions.
Family suitability
Seabourn has no youth facilities and does not accommodate young children in any structured way. Mature teenagers travelling with adults can do well on an expedition focused itinerary, but that is the practical limit.
Strengths
- Kayaking and zodiac activity genuinely engages an active older teenager.
- Suites are large enough for three.
- The expedition team will take an interested young person seriously.
Trade offs
- No youth programme, childcare or children's dining.
- Minimum age requirements apply, and typically no children under six months on any sailing.
- Almost no other young people on board.
- The cost per family is prohibitive.
Suites and luxury features
Seabourn is consistently rated among the top few ultra luxury operators, and in Alaska its strengths compound because the small ship advantage matters more here than in most regions.
- All suite accommodation with a separate living area as standard.
- Premium spirits, wines and gratuities included, with no bill to sign anywhere on the ship.
- Open seating in every venue with no surcharge, so there is no specialty restaurant hierarchy.
- Crew to guest ratio around one to one point three, which produces service that anticipates rather than responds.
- Shallow draft and small size allow calls at Haines, Wrangell and small communities that most ships skip, and entry to fjords that larger vessels cannot navigate.
Strengths and trade offs
Our editorial assessment: 4.7 out of 5 for Alaska specifically, weighing itinerary access, suitability for the travellers this line serves, and value. How we rate is explained in our editorial policy.
Strengths
- Ventures by Seabourn is the best combination of luxury and genuine expedition activity in Alaska.
- Small ships reach ports and fjords that mainstream vessels cannot.
- All inclusive with no surcharges anywhere, which removes onboard friction entirely.
- Glacier Bay entry on selected sailings, which is unusual among luxury operators.
- Longer itineraries visit small communities that give a fuller picture of coastal Alaska.
Trade offs
- Very expensive, with entry fares above most mainstream suites.
- No facilities for children.
- Ventures excursions carry a supplement on most itineraries despite the all inclusive positioning.
- Evening entertainment is minimal, which some travellers find flat.
- Limited Alaska capacity, so popular dates go early.
Pricing
Seabourn prices at the top of the Alaska market alongside Silversea and Regent. Its fare genuinely includes almost everything, and the main exception in Alaska is the Ventures excursion programme.
| Suite | 10 to 12 nights | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Ocean View Suite | $6,000 to $9,000 | No veranda, which matters less than expected in Alaska |
| Veranda Suite | $7,500 to $12,000 | The standard category |
| Penthouse Suite | $12,000 to $18,000 | Guest bathroom and larger living area |
| Wintergarden Suite | $18,000 to $28,000 | Glass solarium, the best Alaska specific cabin at sea |
| Ventures excursions | $200 to $800 each | Kayak and zodiac programme, usually a supplement |
Frequently asked questions
What is Ventures by Seabourn?
Does Seabourn visit Glacier Bay?
How does Seabourn compare to Silversea in Alaska?
Is Seabourn all inclusive in Alaska?
Can Seabourn ships reach places large ships cannot?
Is Seabourn suitable for a first Alaska cruise?
Related destinations and planning guides
A complete Glacier Bay cruise guide: the permit system, which cruise lines have entry, what a Glacier Bay day looks like hour by hour, wildlife, and how it compares.
A complete Tracy Arm cruise guide: the narrow fjord, North and South Sawyer glaciers, why large ships often cannot enter, wildlife and how it compares to Glacier Bay.
A complete Sitka cruise port guide: Russian colonial history, Tlingit heritage, Sitka Sound wildlife, raptor centre, excursion costs and tendering advice.
A complete Icy Strait Point cruise port guide: Tlingit owned destination, whale watching in Icy Strait, the ZipRider, Hoonah village and excursion costs.
How to choose Alaska shore excursions: what is worth booking, ship versus independent operators, real prices by port, weather cancellations and how many to book.
Planning an Alaska cruise for couples: which lines suit, adults only spaces, the best cabins, quiet excursions, honeymoon and anniversary planning.
What travel insurance matters for an Alaska cruise: medical evacuation limits, trip interruption, missed connections, pre existing conditions and what cruise line policies leave out.
Planning an accessible Alaska cruise: accessible cabins, tender port limitations, port by port accessibility, excursions with step free access and equipment hire.