Everything We Know About Seabourn's 40th Anniversary Celebrations
Picture the scene: the year is 1988. Seabourn have just set sail as ‘The Yachts of Seabourn’ for the first time. Passengers aboard Seabourn Pride are getting their first taste of luxury small-ship cruising, revelling in all-suite accommodation and the chance to explore off-the-beaten track ports inaccessible in a larger vessel. A new era of cruising has dawned.
Now: the year is 2026 and Seabourn’s 40th anniversary is fast approaching. Their fleet totals five ships (including two state-of-the-art expedition vessels). Passengers still flock to Seabourn, in search of that perfect blend of immersive adventure, delectable cuisine, sumptuous surroundings and service that is both intuitive and personalised. 2028 is on the horizon and with it, Seabourn’s Ruby Anniversary celebrations.
As part of the event, guests will be delighted to discover a commemorative collection of 54 ‘Ruby Voyages’, all setting sail in 2028, all boasting a selection of onboard offerings, exclusive experiences and themed entertainment and events inspired by Seabourn’s storied history.
“Some journeys stay with travellers forever,” said Mark Tamis, president of Seabourn. “Our own journey began in 1988 when we redefined cruising with the world’s first fleet of luxury small ships, designed to feel like private yachts. As we celebrate 40 years of exploration, that same pioneering spirit shapes The Ruby Collection, featuring voyages across our ocean and expedition fleet that reflect where we began while pushing further into the places and experiences that define what exploration means with Seabourn”.
From the jewelled island paradise of the Caribbean and Asia’s enigmatic treasures to the Mediterranean’s sun-drenched splendour and the wild frontiers of Alaska, Antarctica and the Arctic—these journeys will take Seabourn guests anywhere their hearts desire. With an 120-day Cape to Cape World Cruise and a Pole-to-Pole expedition extravaganza, even those in search of something a little more long-haul will be spoilt for choice.
THE YACHTSMAN COLLECTION
If you’re one of those travellers that has already ‘been there, done that, got the t-shirt’, then you might want to look towards Seabourn’s Yachtsman Collection, which has been specifically curated to celebrate Seabourn’s small ship ethos, taking discerning travellers down the road less travelled. The journeys have been designed to maximise time in unique ports like Beqia, Elba, Martinique and Taormina as well as including plenty of leisurely sea days. Guests on a Yachtsman Collection sailing will of course have opportunities to enjoy those oh-so-sought-after signature Seabourn events, including overnights in port Caviar in the Surf and Shopping with The Chef market tours.
NEW AND DISTINCTIVE
Whilst you can expect to see some familiar crowd favourites amidst the 2028 sailings, a cruise line like Seabourn has not become so successful by rehashing the same thing over and over. In fact, the word ‘innovator’ springs to mind.
That being the case, their anniversary celebrations would not be complete without a sprinkle of brand-new itineraries and ports for their guests to get stuck into.
ALASKA
Alaska…it’s got to be on your bucket list, surely? If you’ve somehow already ticked it off, why not consider visiting again? Seabourn’s Ruby Voyages to this far-flung corner of the globe offer an entirely new perspective, with extended hours of daylight showing maiden ports like Valdez, Petersburg and the Chiswell Islands at their very best. The experience becomes even more unforgettable if you opt for the eight-day pre-cruise Denali extension, which features a train journey into the very heart of Denali National Park and incredible excursions including (but not limited to) helicopter flightseeing tours.
SOUTHEAST ASIA AND JAPAN
The jewels of Southeast Asia are high on many a ‘must-see’ list—and for good reason. In order to provide the most immersive experience possible, the Asian Ruby Voyages are centred around overnights in exciting ports like Osaka, Tainan, Shanghai, Taichung and Kobe. Daily activities include local-led town tours, an array of traditional festivals and Shop with The Chef market experiences.
NORTHERN EUROPE, THE ARCTIC AND THE CANADIAN MARITIMES
Do you hear that? It sounds like….the north is calling your name. We’re talking an exciting Reykjavík round-trip, wildlife-centric tours of Svalbard, a new-to-brand glimpse of Ireland, a Greenlandic odyssey. Time to answer the call.
SOUTH AMERICA AND ANTARCTICA
Oh, wait, was it the Southern Hemisphere you were pining after? Well then, you should know that although more and more cruise lines are venturing to the bottom of the globe, no one is doing it quite like Seabourn. Why not combine a journey to the White Continent with a tour of the Chilean Fjords and the Juan Fernández Islands? Or perhaps you’d like the full package, with stops in Brazil, South Georgia and the Falklands all included? Or maybe you want the ultimate bragging rights, in which case you might want to consider the itinerary that calls at Tristan de Cunha, the remotest inhabited island in the world? Whichever you choose, you’re guaranteed to tread paths that very few have walked before.
CANADA AND NEW ENGLAND
2028 does not just mark Seabourn’s 40th birthday. It also signifies an entire decade since Seabourn visited Canada’s iconic Red Bay.
Red Bay, Ruby Anniversary…could there be a more fitting time to make a big comeback? We don’t think so. And neither does Seabourn, it would seem.
2028 CAPE TO CAPE WORLD CRUISE
The jewel in The Ruby Collection’s crown is undoubtedly the 120-day Cape to Cape World Cruise. If you’re feeling bold, climb aboard Seabourn Quest for the ultimate global adventure, hitting a staggering 58 destinations across 23 countries and five continents.
Kicking off in Miami, Seabourn Quest will then travel down south, calling at Ecuador, Peru and Chile along the way. At the southernmost point of the voyage, the ship will visit several key Antarctic ports, meaning that for the first time in Seabourn history, World Cruise guests will get a taste of expedition cruising, exploring incredibly isolated destinations, led by an 18-strong Expedition Team. From there, it’s back up north, along a route that takes guests around Africa and the Canary Islands, before winding up in the Mediterranean.
It's safe to say you’ll make pretty good headway on your bucket list.
2028 GRAND EXPEDITION: POLE TO POLE
Fancy a walk (or a sail) on the wild side? You’re in luck, as Seabourn are offering their second ever Pole-to-Pole sailing. This 96-day voyage will take the most intrepid guests from the High Arctic all the way down to the Antarctica—talk about killing two birds with one stone.
Although technically, it’s 14 birds, as that’s how many countries you’ll visit along the way.
THE ATLANTIC
Oh, you thought they were done? No.
Seabourn actually have one more surprise in store, and that is a one-off voyage in collaboration with ‘The Atlantic’ magazine. Departing from Montréal, this 12-day voyages will be jam-packed with cultural pursuits and lectures led by some of the world’s greatest thinkers.
So, as Seabourn approach their 40th year, it’s clear there’s a lot to be excited about—and they’re just getting started.
You can find out more about Seabourn here.
