SEATTLE — The latest high-end cruise line to get onboard with the increasingly popular expedition cruise niche, Seabourn says its two new expedition ships coming in 2021 and 2022 will have 132 oceanfront veranda suites, 2,750 square metres of open decks and two submarines.

Specific details about itineraries and booking availability will be released in spring 2019. The first ship is currently planned to sail in the Arctic in late summer 2021, with a full summer season in Antarctica to follow.

The ships will be a brand new innovative design, created specifically for the ultra-luxury expedition traveller, and will include many features that have made Seabourn ships so successful, says the cruise line.

The first delivery is scheduled June 2021 and the second ship in May 2022.

Seabourn is part of Carnival Corp. and both new Seabourn vessels will have global deployment capability, which will see them venturing farther north and south than any ship in Carnival Corp. history.

“Our primary goal in building these new ships is to give expedition travellers the best possible destination experience onboard and far afield, with an innovative design that enables us to get all guests out into the environment as quickly as possible to fulfill those travel wish lists,” said Robin West, vice president of Expedition Operations for Seabourn. “These ships are being designed from conception for expedition travel blended with ultra-luxury and personalized service by leading travel experts and seasoned professionals with great depth of experience in expedition, hospitality, and luxury cruising.”

The ships’ hulls will be constructed to PC6 Polar Class standards, making them capable of summer and autumn operation in medium first-year ice in Antarctica, the Arctic, and other exotic destinations around the world, adds West.

Other operational design considerations being incorporated include shell doors, which are used by guests to move on and off the ship, placed right at the waterline giving them convenient access to step right into the onboard complement of Zodiacs.

In addition to the two submarines carried onboard, the ships will also be designed to carry kayaks and 24 Zodiacs.

Onboard crew will include a well-travelled 26-person expedition team comprised of experienced wilderness experts, scientists, historians and naturalists.