Seabourn is celebrating an important milestone in the construction of its new expedition ship, Seabourn Venture, with the commemorative cutting of the first steel. Seabourn President Richard Meadows and T. Mariotti Managing Director Marco Ghiglione presided over the ceremony in San Giorgo di Nogare, Italy.
“It’s an exciting time at Seabourn, and the cutting of the first steel means we are officially underway in making our first expedition ship come together,” said Richard Meadows, president of Seabourn. “We’re looking forward to watching raw steel transformed into a beautiful vessel. With Adam Tihany’s extraordinary design vision and Mariotti’s excellent and meticulous craftsmanship, Seabourn Venture will undoubtedly be a groundbreaking ship in ultra-luxury expedition travel.”
Seabourn Venture is scheduled to launch in June 2021, with a second yet-to-be-named sister ship slated to launch in May 2022. The ships are being designed from conception for expedition travel blended with ultra-luxury and personalized service by leading travel experts and seasoned professionals with great depth of experience in expedition, hospitality, and luxury cruising.
“The steel cutting ceremony marks an important milestone in the process of shipbuilding, one that ship builder and cruise companies hardly forget”, said Marco Ghiglione, T. Mariotti Managing Director. “We are very excited about this new endeavor that will result in Seabourn’s very first expedition ship. This project marks another milestone in our longstanding relationship with Seabourn, a partnership that has always been linked to crucial developments in the cruise line’s strategy. As we take a further step in our collaboration with Seabourn, we are proud to offer our experience and expertise to service, once again, an important project that will constitute the new frontier of ultra-luxury cruising”.
Both ships will be designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards and will include an array of modern hardware and technology that will extend the ships global deployment and capabilities. They will be a brand new innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveler, and will include many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful. A new and exciting offering will be two custom-built submarines carried onboard, providing an unforgettable view of the world beneath the ocean’s surface. Seabourn Venture will carry 24 zodiacs onboard, giving her the flexibility to take all guests on a Zodiac tour at once, should conditions present a small window of opportunity. Each ship will feature 132 luxurious oceanfront veranda suites, providing the best in accommodation no matter where the ships travel.
For this latest project with Seabourn, renowned hospitality designer Adam D. Tihany will develop the design vision for public areas and all categories of luxurious guest suites, as well as a bespoke furniture collection. Renderings of a selection of these spaces can be found in the link here.
Both expedition vessels will feature an onboard crew that will include outstanding and well-traveled expedition teams comprised of highly regarded wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists. During each sailing, team members regularly interact with guests, providing keen insight to deliver a rich holistic travel experience. These fascinating, accomplished experts are also part of the Seabourn Conversations program, providing in-depth insights into the history, ecology and culture of the places they visit. Their valuable insights are offered both in formal presentations on a variety of topics and in more casual conversations over meals, on deck during scenic cruising or at leisure.
More details and full-color renderings of the ship and its interior spaces will be released in the months ahead.
Seabourn continues to represent the pinnacle of ultra-luxury travel with intimate ships offering key elements that set the line apart: spacious, thoughtfully appointed suites, many with verandas and all 100% ocean front; superb dining in a choice of venues; complimentary premium spirits and fine wines available on board at all times; award-winning service and a relaxed, sociable atmosphere that makes guests feel right at home on board. The ships travel the globe to many of the world’s most desirable destinations, including marquee cities, more than 170 UNESCO World Heritage Sites, and lesser-known ports and hideaways.