The fare
The Seabourn sailings we would shortlist run from about $6,200 per person for 7 nights, depending on ship, suite, season and itinerary.
ResearchLines, ships and destinations, in detail
Seabourn
Seabourn Quest
The smaller Seabourn ship that goes to Antarctica and the fjords.
Overview
Seabourn Quest entered service in 2011 and carries around 460 guests. Ice-strengthened in 2013, it alternates classic itineraries with Antarctic seasons and is the smallest Seabourn ocean ship in regular service.
Quest is one of the three Odyssey-class ships and the one Seabourn fitted for Antarctica. It keeps the all-suite, all-veranda layout, The Restaurant, the Colonnade and the Patio, with fewer venues than Encore and Ovation and a more intimate feel.
For a couple or grandparents who want a smaller ship than Ovation, or Antarctica with Seabourn's service, this is the one.
At a glance
- Line
- Seabourn
- Size
- Small ship, around 460 guests
- Entered service
- 2011 (approximate)
- Our pick
- A Veranda suite midship on Deck 6
Thinking about Seabourn Quest?
We will say whether Seabourn Quest is right for your party, which suite we would book and which sailing, or name the ship we would choose instead.
Best for
- Couples who want the smallest Seabourn
- Grandparents going to Antarctica on a classic ship
- Travelers who like a very sociable crowd
Not for
- Families with children
- Anyone wanting many restaurants
- Travelers wanting the newest design
Price
What Seabourn Quest costs
Upper luxury; often the best value in the fleet for a Mediterranean week, and premium for Antarctica. Planning figures on each sailing page.
What it costs
Planning figures for Seabourn, the line Seabourn Quest sails for
Planning figures from the sailings on this page, not a quote.
What that includes
All-suite accommodation; Drinks and dining; Gratuities; Expedition activities on expedition ships. Anything not on that list, we price alongside the fare so there is no surprise on board.
Around the ship
Flights, hotel nights before and after, private transfers and any excursions outside the fare sit on top. Your proposal sets out the cruise fare and additional costs so you can compare the full trip.
Have a budget in mind?
Tell us what you are looking for and the figure you have in mind. We will say what it buys on each line, and where the same money goes further.
On board
Suites, cabins, dining and evenings on Seabourn Quest
In our words, from the questions we are asked most. Suite names are the line's; which one we would book is ours.
- Suites
- Veranda, Penthouse, Owner's, Signature and Wintergarden; smaller than the Encore class but well kept.
- Cabins we would book
- A Veranda suite midship on Deck 6; a Penthouse for a living area. For Antarctica, midship and low for the steadiest ride.
- Dining
- The Restaurant, the Colonnade, the Patio and Thomas Keller's menu in a smaller setting; all included.
- Entertainment
- Cabaret in the small theater, live music, lectures; in Antarctica the expedition team's evening recaps.
Want the right suite on Seabourn Quest?
Tell us who is traveling and we will name the deck and the suite numbers we would hold, and the ones we would avoid.
Children, grandparents, mobility
Seabourn Quest for the whole family
Three honest notes: what the ship does for children, what it does for grandparents, and what it asks of anyone with limited mobility.
- Children
- No children's club and nothing laid on for them; not a ship we suggest for children.
- Grandparents
- Small and sociable; for Antarctica, Seabourn's expedition team and the Ventures by Seabourn program are among the gentlest introductions to the ice.
- Accessibility
- Few accessible suites; Antarctic landings require Zodiacs. We discuss fit honestly before anything is held.
Planning for the whole family?
Connecting suites, different activity levels, dining that works for everyone, and transfers that suit grandparents and toddlers alike. The best family suites go first, so start early.
Where it sails
Where Seabourn Quest goes
The regions this ship sails as far as we know; the itinerary confirms the ports and the season.
Antarctica
The trip of a lifetime, planned a year ahead and done in real comfort.
Norwegian Fjords
No long flight, dramatic scenery from your terrace, and a season made for grandparents.
Mediterranean
The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.
Caribbean
Winter sun for the whole family, on ships that make Christmas and half-term easy.
Sample itineraries
Sailings on Seabourn Quest
We have not written up a sample sailing on Seabourn Quest yet. Seabourn publishes the current itineraries; tell us the season you have in mind and we will send the two or three we would consider, with planning figures.
Not sure where to go?
Give us the month, who is traveling and how far you will fly. A specialist will name the two or three regions and ships we would choose.
Deck plans and photographs
Deck plans and pictures of Seabourn Quest
On Seabourn's official site; we send the marked-up plan with every proposal.
Seabourn Encore, sister ship to Ovation, approaching DubrovnikPhoto: Wolfgang Fricke · CC BY 3.0 
Seabourn Ovation at anchor off the pastel harbor front of Portofino, ItalyPhoto: Quintin Soloviev · CC BY 4.0 
Seabourn Sojourn under way, twin funnels and tiered aft decksPhoto: kees torn · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Seabourn Venture, the dark-hulled expedition ship, under way on gray waterPhoto: kees torn · CC BY-SA 2.0 
Seabourn Pursuit, Seabourn's second expedition ship, under wayPhoto: Shipsoftheworld11 · CC BY-SA 4.0
Our promise
We will say no.
We do not recommend a cruise because it is expensive, and we do not put people on the wrong ship. If Seabourn Quest is not right for your party, we will tell you and suggest the one that is, even if it costs less or is sold by someone else. We are an advisor, not a booking engine.
Speak to a specialistGood to know
Seabourn Quest FAQs
Is Seabourn Quest a real expedition ship?
It is an ice-strengthened classic ship with an expedition team and Zodiacs in the Antarctic season, not a purpose-built expedition vessel. Seabourn Venture and Pursuit are the purpose-built ones.
Same line
Other Seabourn ships we have written up
Seabourn Ovation
Small, sociable, quietly luxurious; Seabourn at its most polished.
Seabourn Encore
Ovation's elder sister: the same ship, two years older.
Seabourn Venture
Seabourn's purpose-built expedition ship, with two submarines.
Compared
Seabourn against the alternatives
The best luxury Caribbean cruises
Luxury Caribbean cruises shortlisted by Blackbury for families at Christmas, couples in search of small islands and grandparents who want warm, easy weeks.
The best luxury cruises for food
Where the food is genuinely worth the fare: Oceania, Silversea, Regent, Seabourn and Explora compared for restaurants, inclusions and the kind of traveler each suits.
The best luxury cruises for over-60s
Luxury cruise lines that suit travelers in their sixties and seventies: pacing, comfort, inclusive fares, accessibility, no-fly options and the ships we recommend most.
Plan your Seabourn Quest cruise with Blackbury Travel.
Our pick: A Veranda suite midship on Deck 6. Tell us who is traveling and when, and we will say which sailing and which suite, or whether another ship would suit you better.