Seabourn Pursuit delay?

[Fletcher]

Just had an email from Seabourn saying that the Pursuit, a purpose-built expedition ship, will not have an expedition team aboard on the Amazon and zodiacs will not be used anywhere.  That's frankly shocking.  I'm sure the ship won't be ready in time or will break down or will have its bow smashed by a river dolphin so this is all theoretical anyway.  

 

I'm going to Silversea for a similar itinerary. 

Edited January 30, 2023 by Fletcher

[Mr Luxury]

41 minutes ago, Fletcher said:

Just had an email from Seabourn saying that the Pursuit, a purpose-built expedition ship, will not have an expedition team aboard on the Amazon and zodiacs will not be used anywhere.  That's frankly shocking.  I'm sure the ship won't be ready in time or will break down or will have its bow smashed by a river dolphin so this is all theoretical anyway.  

 

I'm going to Silversea for a similar itinerary. 

I am boarding August 27th in Barcelona.

We won't need the zodiacs or the Submarine for St Trop and Portofino 😀

[commodoredave]

On 1/30/2023 at 7:02 AM, Fletcher said:

Just had an email from Seabourn saying that the Pursuit, a purpose-built expedition ship, will not have an expedition team aboard on the Amazon and zodiacs will not be used anywhere.  That's frankly shocking.  I'm sure the ship won't be ready in time or will break down or will have its bow smashed by a river dolphin so this is all theoretical anyway.  

 

I'm going to Silversea for a similar itinerary. 

Fletcher, I agree with you. Why pay the extra money for an expedition ship when none of the expedition benefits will be included. I am currently booked on the Amazon cruise from Barbados but will likely cancel and choose another cruise line for this voyage. If one looks at the prices for non-expedition but luxury line ships on Amazon voyages, they are less expensive than the Pursuit. Why would anyone want to pay more for less?

[commodoredave]

Ps - please let me know which other options you think are better as I am actively looking for an alternative. Thanks.

[Fletcher]

6 hours ago, commodoredave said:

Ps - please let me know which other options you think are better as I am actively looking for an alternative. Thanks.

Silversea has a rather astonishing trip in April 2024 - a full expedition voyage on the Amazon, across the Atlantic, then Sierra Leone, the Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau, then Gambia and ending in Dakar, Senegal.  This is probably a one-off, never to be repeated trip. I would love to be aboard but I'll be in French Polynesia at that time. Putin willing.

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/south-america-cruise/manaus-to-dakar-wi240414021.html

Edited February 5, 2023 by Fletcher

[commodoredave]

4 hours ago, Fletcher said:

Silversea has a rather astonishing trip in April 2024 - a full expedition voyage on the Amazon, across the Atlantic, then Sierra Leone, the Bijagos Archipelago in Guinea-Bissau, then Gambia and ending in Dakar, Senegal.  This is probably a one-off, never to be repeated trip. I would love to be aboard but I'll be in French Polynesia at that time. Putin willing.

https://www.silversea.com/destinations/south-america-cruise/manaus-to-dakar-wi240414021.html

Fabulous itinerary and well priced. And full expedition! I’ve asked my TA to check with Seabourn and confirm there will be no zodiacs on the Amazon cruise. If so, I’m moving on. 
thanks.

[Cantara24]

Pursuit is now live on AIS.

[Fletcher]

Just a little update on the Pursuit voyage in September to the Guianas and the Amazon.  If you take the 24-day cruise from Miami to Manaus in the UK it's about £8500 plus airfares.  If you take the 14-day cruise from Barbados to Manaus it's about £10,500 plus airfares.  Confused?  A Seabourn rep today said the long cruise is amazing value. And it most certainly is. She also confirmed that the Barbados-Manaus portion is now a full expedition cruise with all excursions included.  Miami to Barbados is just a regular cruise.  Two downsides - Tobago has been replaced by Port Of Spain and Georgetown, Guyana, has been nixed altogether and replaced by a sea day.  So the Guianas have been reduced by a third.  Great value, most certainly, but the itinerary isn't what it should be.  Definitely a no for us. 

[kej1]

Good news!  Looks like the Pursuit will be sailing in the South Pacific after all.  We were so disappointed when the previously shown cruises disappeared. We are looking at Papette to Guam 30 day trip in spring of 2024.  We are excited to do Soloman Islands and New Guinea in particular, but also would love to see French Polynesia again ( done by land in past and will do a bit again pre cruise.  Any thoughts or ideas on this cruise?

[commodoredave]

On 3/22/2023 at 7:17 PM, Fletcher said:

Just a little update on the Pursuit voyage in September to the Guianas and the Amazon.  If you take the 24-day cruise from Miami to Manaus in the UK it's about £8500 plus airfares.  If you take the 14-day cruise from Barbados to Manaus it's about £10,500 plus airfares.  Confused?  A Seabourn rep today said the long cruise is amazing value. And it most certainly is. She also confirmed that the Barbados-Manaus portion is now a full expedition cruise with all excursions included.  Miami to Barbados is just a regular cruise.  Two downsides - Tobago has been replaced by Port Of Spain and Georgetown, Guyana, has been nixed altogether and replaced by a sea day.  So the Guianas have been reduced by a third.  Great value, most certainly, but the itinerary isn't what it should be.  Definitely a no for us. 

I too am disappointed by the removal of Georgetown as a port of call. However, the ship has an intensive Amazon River itinerary which means more ports of call on the river than with bigger ships. Plus, now that it has been clarified that the Amazon portion is expedition with zodiacs, I'm sticking with it.

[Fletcher]

2 hours ago, kej1 said:

Good news!  Looks like the Pursuit will be sailing in the South Pacific after all.  We were so disappointed when the previously shown cruises disappeared. We are looking at Papette to Guam 30 day trip in spring of 2024.  We are excited to do Soloman Islands and New Guinea in particular, but also would love to see French Polynesia again ( done by land in past and will do a bit again pre cruise.  Any thoughts or ideas on this cruise?

This is a wonderful itinerary which we have done twice on different ships.  Funnily enough, we have been to relatively few of the islands chosen by Seabourn which proves the incredible choice you have in the SW Pacific.  Many of these islands will be extremely remote and have no tourist infrastructure at all. You will just show up on a beach in a zodiac and go with the flow.  Generally villagers are warm and welcoming, sometimes they will put on a little dance show.  I wish you went to the French territory of Wallis & Futuna which is one of the best places we've ever seen - amazing churches, world class beaches - but you are visiting Bougainville which is unusual and also Pentecost. Hopefully they will do the bunjee-jump for you, though you are there on a Sunday which might preclude it.  Honiara, on Guadalcanal, has a superb US war memorial.  You are way off the tourist track in this part of the Pacific.  It is by far my favourite part of the world. My photo is of Rabaul - 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Fletcher

[highplanesdrifters]

4 hours ago, kej1 said:

Good news!  Looks like the Pursuit will be sailing in the South Pacific after all.  We were so disappointed when the previously shown cruises disappeared. We are looking at Papette to Guam 30 day trip in spring of 2024.  We are excited to do Soloman Islands and New Guinea in particular, but also would love to see French Polynesia again ( done by land in past and will do a bit again pre cruise.  Any thoughts or ideas on this cruise?

Very excited about the Pursuit South Pacific itineraries.   Grabbed 40 day Guam to Santiago fall of 2024, but will look to see what they have for Spring of 2025.

 

We're headed to New Guinea and Solomans next month on SS Explorer will report. But it looks like you've got the thumbs up from Fletcher,  which is all you really need. 😃

[kej1]

Thank you Fletcher and HPD!  It’s booked and we are looking forward to it!  Love the photo of Rabaul!  
 

Kim