Having completed a successful Antarctic season, it was an excellent opportunity to tour the ship and a chance to meet and get to know Natalya Leahy, appointed as Seabourn president in March this year having previously worked for Holland America Group for seven years providing operational oversight.
One of the most striking things about Seabourn Venture is how instantly recognisable it is as a Seabourn vessel. The welcoming Seabourn Square has coffees and chocolate lava cookies available in an instant.
The walkaround bar and forward position of the Constellation Lounge is very reminiscent of the Observation Bar. Even The Club, although moved to deck 9, has a distinctive Seabourn familiarity, with two Jacuzzis outside offering an alternative to the small main pool.
Although, the main pool is where the differences do start. To make way for the compliment of 24 Zodiacs, used for landing guests ashore and supporting kayaking and submarine operations, the main pool is infinity style at the aft on deck 5.
There has also been the introduction of the Bow Lounge directly underneath and imitating the Bridge, with screens displaying navigational information, superb forward views and access to expansive deck space, including the chance to be so far forward as to see the bulbous bow cut through the water, or ice.
The ship boasts a huge amount of deck space in addition to the all-balcony accommodation, where the design reverts to Seabourn's popular style with considered touches including heated jacket storage.
The split-level Grand Winter Garden Suite is noteworthy in being unique to Seabourn expedition ships and offering double height ocean views with the ocean-facing bedroom upstairs and lower living area. Also worthy of attention are the two large Owners Suites at the aft which each feature a Jacuzzi on the impressively large balcony.
The Expedition Lounge is another new area at the heart of the ship. Faux fires and furs give a distinct hygge vibe, ideal as the area is the gathering point for guests moving through the Landing Zone to don boots and embark the Zodiacs.
As well as exploring the ship, presentations were hosted to highlight the approach taken by Seabourn - an unwavering commit to excelling in all aspects of the expedition cruise experience, from the itinerary planning that sees sailings include the Arctic, Antarctica, Kimberly and Pacific to the onboard WiFi (they are now using Starlink), to their commitment to minimising their environmental impact - both Seabourn Venture and sister ship Pursuit, due to launch in August, have a dedicated environmental officer onboard.
During a meeting with Seabourn's new President, Natalya Leahy, it's clear her focus is on maintaining the exceptional delivery onboard. Staff training has become a top priority and she's already listening to guest feedback noting the reintroduction of a paper version of The Hearld for those not keen on the app version.
It was reassuring to see that as well as her ambitions to develop the Seabourn offering, at the heart of this is to excel in all that make Seabourn so loved by those that know it.
