Ultra-luxury cruise line ยท Founded 1986
Seabourn Review: All-Suite Ultra-Luxury at Sea
Short answer
Is Seabourn a good cruise line?
Seabourn is an ultra-luxury line of 264 to 600-guest all-suite ships where fares include all drinks, all dining, gratuities and caviar service. Suite fares start near $620 per person per night, the crew-to-guest ratio approaches one to one, and marina platforms open at anchor for swimming.
Key takeaways
- All suites, all ocean-facing, with 90 percent having a verandah.
- Fares include all drinks including premium spirits, all dining, gratuities and in-suite bar setup.
- Ships carry 264 to 600 guests, so ports are small and disembarkation takes minutes.
- The retractable marina platform opens at anchor for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.
- Two expedition ships, Venture and Pursuit, carry submarines and ice-capable hulls.
Overview
Seabourn is what people picture when they imagine a luxury cruise: a small white ship at anchor off a Greek island, a marina platform folded down into the water, and a crew member who knows your drink by the second evening. The crew-to-guest ratio approaches one to one and the fare covers effectively everything, including premium spirits and gratuities.
The scale is the point. A 600-guest ship anchors off Portofino rather than docking in Livorno two hours away, and the entire ship goes ashore in twenty minutes. On the smaller Odyssey class vessels at 458 guests, you recognise most faces by day three.
The two expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, are a separate proposition: ice-strengthened hulls, 24 zodiacs and two submarines, for Antarctica, the Arctic and Kimberley coast. Our reviewer sailed Seabourn Ovation in the Mediterranean in May 2026.
Seabourn competes with Silversea and Regent at the top of the market. Against Regent it includes less, since Regent covers flights and all excursions. Against Silversea it is broadly comparable, with Seabourn generally judged stronger on food and Silversea on suite size and butler service.
The inclusive fare covers all dining including specialty restaurants, all drinks including premium spirits and a stocked in-suite bar, gratuities, and Seabourn's signature caviar service delivered anywhere on the ship on request.
The atmosphere is sociable rather than stiff. There are no formal nights on most sailings, dress is elegant casual, and open-seating dining means you sit where and with whom you like.
Our Seabourn score
4.7 / 5
Averaged across the six criteria below, each scored independently by our reviewers after sailing the line. It is an editorial judgment, not a user poll.
- Value for money
- 4.3
- Cabins
- 4.8
- Dining
- 4.8
- Entertainment
- 3.9
- Service
- 4.9
- Family friendliness
- 2.0
Judged on fare versus what is included before you spend a cent onboard.
Judged on square footage, storage, bathroom and balcony quality at each grade.
Judged on included restaurant quality, not just the specialty venues.
Judged on range and production quality across a full sea day.
Judged on crew ratio, consistency and how problems get resolved.
Judged on kids clubs, cabin configurations and pool space for children.
The fleet
Seabourn runs two distinct fleets. The four classic ships, Odyssey class at 458 guests and Encore class at 600, do the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe and world voyages.
The two expedition ships, Venture and Pursuit at 264 guests, are polar-capable, carry 24 zodiacs, two six-person submarines and a full expedition team of 26 scientists and guides.
| Ship | Class | Guests | Launched | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seabourn Ovation | Encore | 600 | 2018 | Newest classic ship. Mediterranean and Northern Europe. Best suite layouts in the fleet. |
| Seabourn Encore | Encore | 600 | 2016 | Asia and Australia deployment. Introduced the Adam Tihany interior design language. |
| Seabourn Quest | Odyssey | 458 | 2011 | Smaller and more intimate. South America, Antarctica peninsula and Northern Europe. |
| Seabourn Sojourn | Odyssey | 458 | 2010 | World voyages and long-format itineraries. |
| Seabourn Pursuit | Expedition | 264 | 2023 | Kimberley coast, Arctic and Antarctica. Two submarines and 24 zodiacs. |
| Seabourn Venture | Expedition | 264 | 2022 | Polar Class 6 ice-strengthened hull with a 26-strong expedition team. |
What Seabourn costs
Seabourn fares are high and cover almost everything. A seven-night Mediterranean veranda suite runs about $620 to $890 per person per night, which includes all drinks, all restaurants, gratuities and the in-suite bar.
The comparison that matters is against a premium line plus its extras. A Celebrity AquaClass week at $310 per night plus drinks, WiFi, gratuities and two specialty dinners lands around $410 per night. Seabourn at $620 is still materially more, but the gap is roughly 50 percent rather than the 100 percent the headline fares suggest.
Expedition sailings price higher, from about $1,150 per person per night for Antarctica, with submarine dives charged separately at around $600 per person.
| Item | Typical price | What it covers | Worth it? |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean View Suite | $540 to $700 per night | Suite with picture window, all inclusions | The entry point; limited availability |
| Veranda Suite | $620 to $890 per night | Suite with verandah, all inclusions | The core Seabourn booking |
| Penthouse Suite | $980 to $1,420 per night | Larger suite, guest bathroom, priority everything | Only for a special occasion |
| Antarctica expedition | $1,150 to $1,780 per night | Expedition ship, zodiacs, expedition team | The best small-ship Antarctica product |
| All drinks | Included | Premium spirits, wine, champagne, in-suite bar setup | Saves $90 to $130 per person per day |
| Gratuities | Included | No service charge of any kind | Saves about $126 per person per week |
| All restaurants | Included | Including The Grill by Thomas Keller | Saves $120 to $300 per person per week |
| Submarine dive, expedition ships | About $600 per person | Six-person submersible, roughly 45 minutes | A genuine once-in-a-lifetime item |
Included in the fare
- All dining in every restaurant, including The Grill by Thomas Keller
- All drinks, including premium spirits, wines and champagne, throughout the ship
- A stocked in-suite bar restocked to your preferences
- Gratuities, with no service charge added at any point
- Caviar service on request, anywhere on the ship, at any time
Costs extra
- Shore excursions, other than the complimentary Seabourn Shore Experience on some itineraries
- Spa treatments, though the thermal area is included
- Premium wines outside the standard list
- Submarine dives on the expedition ships at about $600
- Laundry beyond the included allowance in lower suite categories
Pros and cons
What it does well
- Crew-to-guest ratio approaching one to one, and service that genuinely reflects it.
- All-suite accommodation with no inside cabins anywhere in the fleet.
- The Grill by Thomas Keller is included and is among the best restaurants at sea.
- Marina platform opens at anchor for swimming and watersports directly from the ship.
- Small ships reach ports that even Oceania cannot.
Where it falls short
- Entertainment is minimal: a small lounge, a pianist and occasional guest performers.
- No dedicated facilities for children, and few sail.
- Shore excursions are extra, unlike Regent, and are expensive.
- The Odyssey class ships are now 14 to 16 years old.
- Fares are high enough that the value case depends heavily on how much you drink.
Who it suits
Book Seabourn if you are
- Experienced cruisers moving up from premium lines
- Couples celebrating a milestone
- Travellers who want small ports and short tender queues
- Expedition travellers wanting Antarctica with genuine comfort
- Anyone who values service consistency above all else
Look elsewhere if you are
- Families with children
- Travellers who want strong entertainment
- Anyone comparing on headline fare alone
- Guests who want included excursions, where Regent is better
- First-time cruisers, who will not appreciate what they are paying for
Cabins
Every accommodation on a Seabourn ship is a suite, every one faces the ocean, and about 90 percent have a verandah. Entry-level Veranda Suites run about 300 square feet plus verandah, which is considerably larger than a premium-line balcony cabin.
The in-suite bar is stocked to your stated preferences before you board and restocked daily, which is the detail guests remember. Bathrooms have separate showers and tubs in most categories.
Penthouse and Wintergarden suites add substantially more space and a guest bathroom, and on Encore class the Wintergarden suites include a private solarium with a tub.
- All accommodation is a suite; there are no inside or standard cabins.
- Veranda Suites are about 300 square feet plus verandah.
- In-suite bar stocked to your preferences and restocked daily.
- Separate shower and tub in most suite categories.
- Wintergarden suites on Encore class include a private solarium.
Dining
Seabourn's food is among the best at sea. The Restaurant is the main open-seating dining room and cooks at a genuinely high standard. The Colonnade serves regional themed dinners, and Earth and Ocean is an outdoor evening venue.
The Grill by Thomas Keller is the headline: an American grill room developed with the chef of The French Laundry, serving properly executed classics. It is included, which no premium line comparison can match.
Caviar service is the signature. You can ask for it anywhere on the ship, at any time, and it arrives with the traditional accompaniments. Guests who find this excessive tend not to book Seabourn twice; guests who love it book nothing else.
- The Grill by Thomas Keller is included and among the best restaurants at sea.
- The Restaurant runs open seating with no fixed times or tables.
- Earth and Ocean serves outdoors under the stars on suitable evenings.
- Caviar on request, anywhere, any time, included.
- In-suite dining from any restaurant menu at no charge.
Entertainment
Entertainment is the weakest element and Seabourn does not pretend otherwise. There is a small show lounge with a resident ensemble, a pianist, occasional guest performers and an enrichment lecture programme.
The Seabourn Conversations programme brings genuinely interesting speakers aboard, and the partnership with UNESCO shapes destination programming on relevant itineraries.
The evening centres on the Observation Bar, dinner and conversation. If you need a theatre, this is not the line.
- Small show lounge with a resident ensemble rather than production shows.
- Seabourn Conversations brings serious speakers aboard.
- UNESCO partnership shapes destination programming.
- Evenings centre on bars, dinner and conversation.
- Expedition ships replace entertainment with an expedition team briefing programme.
For kids
Seabourn has no children's facilities, no youth programme and no babysitting. The minimum age is six months on classic ships and higher on expedition sailings.
Very few children sail, and those who do are typically travelling with grandparents on a multi-generational trip.
For families, this is a clear no.
- No kids club, youth programme or babysitting anywhere in the fleet.
- Minimum age six months on classic ships, higher on expedition sailings.
- Very few children sail on any voyage.
- No family suites or connecting configurations of note.
- A clear no for families.
For adults
The whole ship is an adult environment. The Observation Bar forward is the best room on any Seabourn ship, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a proper cocktail programme.
The retractable marina platform is the signature adult pleasure: at anchor in calm water the stern opens into a swimming platform with kayaks, paddleboards and a floating pool.
The spa, run by Molton Brown on the classic ships, includes a thermal suite at no charge in most fares, which is unusual even at this price point.
- Marina platform opens at anchor for swimming, kayaking and paddleboarding.
- Observation Bar is the best forward lounge in the luxury segment.
- Thermal suite typically included rather than sold as a pass.
- No formal nights on most sailings; dress is elegant casual.
- Open-seating dining means you choose your table and companions nightly.
Terms worth knowing
- Marina platform
- A retractable stern platform that folds down at anchor to create a swimming area with kayaks, paddleboards and a floating pool.
- All-suite
- A ship where every accommodation is a suite with a separate sitting area, and there are no inside or standard cabins.
- Polar Class 6
- An ice classification permitting summer and autumn operation in medium first-year ice, carried by Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit.
- Caviar service
- Seabourn's signature: caviar with traditional accompaniments delivered anywhere on the ship on request, included in the fare.
| Inclusion | Seabourn | Silversea | Regent Seven Seas |
|---|---|---|---|
| All drinks | Yes, including premium spirits | Yes, including premium spirits | Yes, including premium spirits |
| All dining | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Gratuities | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Shore excursions | No, some complimentary | Some included on Door-to-Door fares | Yes, all included |
| Flights | No | On Door-to-Door fares | Yes, on most itineraries |
| Typical veranda, per night | $620 to $890 | $560 to $780 | $690 to $960 |
| Guests per ship | 264 to 600 | 240 to 728 | 490 to 750 |
Should you book Seabourn?
At this level the choice is between three lines that are all excellent. The differences are specific and easy to act on.
Book Seabourn
Choose it when: Food and service consistency are your priorities and you want a small, sociable ship with open-seating dining.
Book Seabourn expedition
Choose it when: You want Antarctica or the Kimberley coast with genuine luxury and access to a submarine.
Book Regent instead
Choose it when: You want every excursion and your flights included in the fare and prefer a slightly larger ship.
Book Silversea instead
Choose it when: Suite size and butler service matter more to you than dining, or you want a Door-to-Door fare including flights.
Book Oceania instead
Choose it when: You want most of the food quality at roughly half the fare and are happy to pay for drinks separately.
Ready to price a Seabourn sailing?
Lead-in fares from $690 per person per night in our latest sampling. Compare live fares, then come back and check our cost guides before adding packages.
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Seabourn questions, answered
What is included in a Seabourn fare?
All dining in every restaurant including The Grill by Thomas Keller, all drinks including premium spirits, wines and champagne throughout the ship, a stocked in-suite bar restocked daily, gratuities with no service charge at any point, and caviar service on request anywhere on the ship. Shore excursions and spa treatments are the main exclusions.
How much does a Seabourn cruise cost?
A seven-night Mediterranean Veranda Suite runs about $620 to $890 per person per night, all-inclusive of drinks, dining and gratuities. Ocean View Suites start near $540 and Penthouse Suites run $980 to $1,420. Antarctica expedition sailings on Venture or Pursuit start around $1,150 per person per night.
How big are Seabourn ships?
The four classic ships carry 458 or 600 guests and the two expedition ships carry 264. All are small enough to anchor off small ports rather than docking at commercial terminals hours away, and the entire ship can go ashore by tender in about twenty minutes.
Seabourn or Regent, which is better?
Regent includes all shore excursions and return flights in the fare, which Seabourn does not, so Regent is usually the better total value on a port-heavy itinerary. Seabourn has smaller ships, better food and a more sociable atmosphere. If you plan to take an excursion in every port, Regent wins on cost; otherwise Seabourn is the better ship.
Does Seabourn allow children?
Children over six months are permitted on classic ships, but Seabourn provides no youth programme, kids club or babysitting of any kind, and very few children sail. Expedition ships carry higher minimum ages. Families with children should look at Disney, Royal Caribbean or MSC instead.
What is the Seabourn marina platform?
It is a retractable platform at the stern that folds down at anchor in calm water, creating a swimming area with a floating pool, kayaks, paddleboards and, on some ships, a small sailing dinghy. It only operates in suitable sea conditions, so it is used on roughly half of scheduled occasions in the Mediterranean.
About the author
Ports and Destinations Writer
Lena Hartley covers the parts of a cruise that happen off the ship: departure port logistics, shore excursions, weather windows and whether a port call is worth leaving the ship for at all.
48 sailings logged across 8 cruise lines.
This page was fact-checked by Captain Alberto Ruiz, marine and operations reviewer, on . Prices and policies are re-checked against cruise line sources at least every 90 days. Read our editorial policy.