Seabourn, an ultra-luxury and expedition cruise line, has announced that its two purpose-built expedition ships, Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit, will be outfitted with SpaceX’s Starlink.
Seabourn Venture is the first ship in the Seabourn fleet to offer Starlink’s Wi-Fi technology beginning with its May 12, 2023 voyage, just in time for the ship’s second Arctic season. The line’s second expedition ship, Seabourn Pursuit, will be equipped with Starlink connectivity after it launches in the summer of 2023.
“We are committed to providing the best ultra-luxury expedition experiences at sea, and the Starlink partnership will offer a significantly enhanced connectivity experience during our expedition journeys,” said Natalya Leahy, president of Seabourn. “From the polar regions to Australia and the South Pacific, our guests will experience a more reliable connection, allowing them to share those special moments and experiences with their loved ones as they sail on Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit.”
Guests sailing on Seabourn Venture will have access to Starlink Wi-Fi service on board from the Arctic to Antarctica. The ship will sail on two voyages to British Isles and Ireland in May before kicking off its second season in the Arctic. Between June and August 2023, the ship will sail on a series of 14- and 15-day voyages to Greenland and Iceland, as well as a 23-day adventure through the Northwest Passage.
The ship will then head down the West Coast of the Americas before reaching Antarctica, where it will sail between November 2023 and February 2024. In late February 2024, Seabourn Venture will cross the Atlantic, sail up the West Coast of Africa and Europe to be in position for the 2024 Arctic season.
Seabourn is just the latest small cruise line to add Starlink to its fleet, following in the footsteps of the largest cruise lines in the world like Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean. SpaceX is content with just offering its Starlink service on the water and in the air, as it recently expanded to also include trains, partnering with passenger rail service Brightline in the southeastern US.