How Do Living Trusts Work in California Learn More with This Guide

Table Of Content

• Control Your Assets
• SELLER’S ADVANTAGE FOR LOS ANGELES TRUST HOMES
• Who’s Responsible For A Mortgage After The Borrower Dies?
• How to transfer real estate property into a living trust
• Types Of Trusts For A House With A Mortgage
• How Much Does It Cost To Put Your House In A Trust?
• Rocket Mortgage
• If A Property Is In Trust Can It Be Sold?

Remember to also adjust your insurance policies to reflect the new ownership. However, it’s important to communicate with your mortgage lender before making the transfer. Doing this allows you to manage how the property is handled after your passing. These are the quirks of homes in a trust that a professional may be able to guide you through more easily than if you do this on your own.

Control Your Assets

However, if you are a beneficiary and receive a home as a specific gift, then you can choose to sell the property out of the trust assets. Some states offer a TOD designation on a deed which essentially names a beneficiary for that property. First of all, if a child is added as a co-owner, there are gift tax considerations. There is a limit to how much someone can gift another person without paying a gift tax, both yearly and in a lifetime.

SELLER’S ADVANTAGE FOR LOS ANGELES TRUST HOMES

The cost of creating a living trust in California depends on which method you use. If you do it yourself by buying a book or an online guide, it will likely cost less than $100. John is one of few California attorneys certified as a Specialist by the State Bar of California Board of Legal Specialization in both Taxation and Estate Planning, Trust and Probate. One way to help minimize that risk is to include language in the trust guaranteeing that trust assets would always remain under the jurisdiction of a state court within the United States. You may wish to utilize a state such as Nevada, which does not have a state income tax for its residents. The successor trustee would need to live in that jurisdiction for that to be effective.

Who’s Responsible For A Mortgage After The Borrower Dies?

The cost of a trust also may not be worth it for you if you still plan for other assets to go through probate, especially valuable possessions that could slow down probate or result in a contested will. However, if your house is the only big investment you own, using a trust just for that house could be worth it. Putting a house in trust means transferring the ownership of your house from your name to a trust. It is also prudent to have a durable power of attorney for finances in addition to a living trust to grant the new acting trustee the power to manage any property and finances outside of the trust. If the trust is set up as an individual trust, then the trustee can take over and manage the assets.

Consider a trust fund for your kids even if you're not rich - The Globe and Mail

Consider a trust fund for your kids even if you're not rich.

Posted: Tue, 05 Aug 2014 07:00:00 GMT [source]

In certain situations, a trust may be subject to higher taxes than an individual. If you have an irrevocable trust, those assets may not be protected from creditors. Finally, a trust may be particularly beneficial for families that own properties in more than one state. Without a trust, an estate may pass through probate in multiple states.

Types Of Trusts For A House With A Mortgage

For a wealthy estate that could otherwise be subject to a state or federal estate tax, putting assets into a trust can help avoid or minimize the estate taxes. Estate taxes generally apply only for estates worth millions of dollars. A revocable living trust, on the other hand, is more flexible and allows for modifications and the removal of property and/or beneficiaries if needed. With a revocable living trust you’ll retain control of the assets you place in the trust, whereas with an irrevocable living trust you’ll permanently give away your assets and thus relinquish control of them. This means that taxes on the assets in an irrevocable trust apply to the trust, not to you.

How Much Does It Cost To Put Your House In A Trust?

Move Your Amazon Echo Now: 5 Areas to Avoid - CNET

Move Your Amazon Echo Now: 5 Areas to Avoid.

Posted: Sun, 28 Apr 2024 14:00:00 GMT [source]

Be sure to talk to a qualified elder law attorney in your area to decide what method will work best for your family. The downside is that once the house is in the irrevocable trust, it can't be taken out again. Although the house can be sold, the proceeds must remain in the trust. Similar to making a gift, if you apply for Medicaid within five years of transferring the house, you may be subject to a Medicaid penalty period.

The 120-day period may be extended by up to 60 days if a beneficiary requests a copy of the trust document after receiving the initial notice. We explain the five phases of retirement planning, the difference between a 401(k) and an IRA, types of investments, asset diversification, the required minimum distribution rules, and more. Understand the ins and outs of insurance to cover the high cost of nursing home care, including when to buy it, how much to buy, and which spouse should get the coverage. Applying for Medicaid is a highly technical and complex process, and bad advice can actually make it more difficult to qualify for benefits.

If a home is put in a trust, it’s much easier for inheritors to assume ownership and sell the home if it doesn’t fit into their future plans. After you create the trust and transfer ownership, you will need to send a copy of the deed to your county recorder’s office. Sending the deed to the recorder’s office makes the trust official and legally binding, so you can’t skip this step.

This could happen if the owner sold a house that had been transferred to the trust, but then bought a new house and failed to transfer it into the trust. Any new real estate purchases should be recorded with the trust as the owner. If this step is neglected before the estate owner dies, there is no way to avoid probate. Real property, including a person’s personal home and any real estate investments, calls for a different set of steps. Essentially, a new deed has to be created that names the trust as the owner of the property. Putting your house in a trust is a brilliant way to ensure a seamless transfer of ownership to your loved ones.

The most widely-known case of Conservatorship is that of Britney Spears, whose father has maintained strict control over her Estate and financial affairs for over a decade. While the matter is a widely-debated topic, it is safe to say that no one wants just anyone presiding over everything they have worked for, especially if they are ill or incapacitated. Join the 100,000+ executors who have downloaded our free step-by-step blueprint to probate. Backed by our seasoned estate professionals and estate accountants with decades of experience, we rigorously research and fact-check every piece we publish. Creating a trust for a house is relatively the same across all states. Still, it’s best to communicate with your lender to avoid any potential issues.

After signing, the trustee signs the deed over to the purchaser to complete the sale and the buyer pays the sales price. Get a solid grounding in Social Security, including who is eligible, how to apply, spousal benefits, the taxation of benefits, how work affects payments, and SSDI and SSI. If steps aren't taken to protect the Medicaid recipient's house from the state’s attempts to recover benefits paid, the house may need to be sold. Trust & Will is an online service providing legal forms and information. Avoiding Probate Court can be even more alluring for those wishing to keep their assets private. Because there is no Probate Court process with a Living Trust, there is no need for your assets to be public record, and the contents of the Trust stay between the Successor Trustee and the Beneficiary.

Also, it was nice to have Jennifer, with her happy voice, to talk to when needed. I’ll definitely pass your name on when anyone I know needs an attorney. We need to plan for the possibility that we will become unable to make our own medical decisions. This may take the form of a health care proxy, a medical directive, a living will, or a combination of these. Understand when and how a court appoints a guardian or conservator for an adult who becomes incapacitated, and how to avoid guardianship.

We handle many trust contests on a contingency fee basis, which means you do not pay any upfront costs. If and when we negotiate a settlement or obtain a court award for you, we will retain an agreed-upon portion of the amount recovered to cover our legal fee and expenses. But remember to appoint a successor trustee who may step in if you’re no longer able to manage the trust. Say the home you put in a trust is an investment property on which you earn rental income. You can report any income you receive from a property held in a trust on your personal tax returns.

Co-design: A Powerful Force for Creativity and Collaboration by Stratos Innovation Group

Table Of Content

• Community
• EU opens probe of TikTok Lite, citing concerns about addictive design
• New role of the designer under co-design
• Co-design as processes, mindsets↪ and principles

In lesson 2, you'll learn about and explore multiple examples of sustainability and circular design in practice. In lesson 3, you'll dive into humanity-centered design and learn how to apply incremental modular design to large and complex socio-technical problems. The High Line, a public park built on a historic freight rail line elevated above Manhattan's West Side, is a prominent example of codesign in urban planning. The project involved community members, architects, landscape architects, and city officials.

Community

However, it is important that the researcher guides the sessions at all times and instructs team members on how to best participate and interact with user participants, e.g. what types of questions to ask, what kind of language to use, etc. We leverage our expertise of design and research, but don’t let our own ambitions or ideas drive the outcomes. While guiding stakeholders through the design process of ideation and development, we help people develop and raise the fidelity of their ideas.

EU opens probe of TikTok Lite, citing concerns about addictive design

Why Papa Johns needed more than just a new logo - Fast Company

Why Papa Johns needed more than just a new logo.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

In these cases, an email with three to four detailed questions might suffice in order to get the participants thinking and reflecting. For example, if the study is about understanding people’s emotional responses to an experience, the research methods can have participants reflect on this by pairing abstract words and images with text descriptions. However, if the study is related to how people use a product and how they would like to use it in the future, a mobile diary study reflecting on specific activities throughout a fixed period of time would be a better choice. But when feedback can be quickly given, easily captured, and widely shared—momentum can build.

New role of the designer under co-design

As we begin opening Meta Horizon OS to more device makers, we’re also expanding the ways app developers can reach their audiences. We’re beginning the process of removing the barriers between the Meta Horizon Store and App Lab, which lets any developer who meets basic technical and content requirements release software on the platform. App Lab titles will soon be featured in a dedicated section of the store on all our devices, making them easy for larger audiences to discover. All of these devices will benefit from Meta’s long-term partnership with Qualcomm Technologies, Inc., which builds the Snapdragon® processors that are tightly integrated with our software and hardware stacks. Rivian plans to start R2 production in the first half of 2026 at its Normal, IL plant. New upgrades will enable Rivian to build up to 215,000 vehicles annually, up from 150,000 previously, while slashing costs.

Intimate, elegant, and timeless in West Hollywood’s heart.

An example of this is eYeka, an online platform that supports crowdsourcing efforts of large brands in Europe and the U.S. These initiatives are presented as video, animation, and design contests to a large community of creative people including filmmakers, animators, graphic designers, etc. It can aid in presenting research findings in direct connection with users’ ideas and feelings in more engaging and understandable forms. In some cases, the self-reflection research exercises can be shortened or bypassed. This normally occurs when the research is about a specific product or service and the team is dealing with users who have long and expert-level experience and can talk about it without much preparation. These are users who generally deal with the product on a daily or weekly basis and are passionate about finding ways to improve it or expand its potential.

Agile documentation: Examples and best practices

Begin by bringing your users together and giving them some markers and paper, or grab some dry erase markers and gather around a whiteboard. If you’re remote, use an online whiteboard platform like Mural and upload photos of your sketches. Review your research together and ask participants to roughly sketch out ideas to the challenges uncovered. On the right side of the Double Diamond, referred to as “the solution space,” we have the ‘develop’ phase, where we again diverge and go broad, this time while envisioning solutions to the challenges discovered in the problem space.

We’ve summarised the best practices and brainstorming rules from the Institute of Design at Stanford (d.school) and the successful design company, IDEO who celebrates Design Thinking. This Smashing Magazine piece offers thought-provoking insights on collaboration and co-creation. We are a strategic design company that helps people live better and work smarter. When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile.

Lastly, consider stakeholders affected by the design outcomes, including community members or organizational employees, to ensure the design meets broader needs and gains necessary support. To effectively facilitate a co-design session, clearly define goals and establish a collaborative environment. Use a structured process with clear stages but allow flexibility for creativity and discussion.

Kartell is now making designer Barbie furniture - Fast Company

Kartell is now making designer Barbie furniture.

Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Creating Concept Posters is a quick and visual way to flesh out ideas without spending too much time and effort. Since it’s done quickly — in an hour or less — Concept Posters need to be highly collaborative. The Double Diamond method is a design thinking framework that can be used in co-design to involve stakeholders in the design process.

Co-design is a process for developing products, initiatives, and strategies directly with stakeholders—both the eventual users and the partners and staff who will deliver them. It is not the gathering of input before making major decisions (that’s research), nor a gathering of input after making major decisions (that’s prototyping). Rather, co-design requires administrators and executives to cede a degree of their decisionmaking authority to their eventual beneficiaries and downstream staff. These case studies illustrate the diverse applications of codesign across industries and the significant impact it can have on developing innovative, inclusive solutions that are deeply aligned with user needs. Furthermore, when project goals are very clear, or if the project involves minor updates with minimal impact, the extensive engagement and iterative nature of codesign might not add significant value. It's also less suitable in environments characterized by conflict or high competition, where the necessary trust and openness for collaborative design are lacking.

It emphasizes collaboration between designers and stakeholders, including users, at all stages of the design process. Rather than stemming from a political movement, it represents an inclusive approach to innovation and creativity. Its application spans various fields, extending beyond workplace environments to product development, urban planning, healthcare, and more. Many local governments require community consultation in any major changes to the built environment.

Although participatory design has been of interest in design academia, applied uses require funding and dedication from many individuals. Co-design is an attempt to define a new evolution of the design process and with that, there is an evolution of the designer. Within the co-design process, the designer is required to shift their role from one of expertise to one of an egalitarian mindset.[7] The designer must believe that all people are capable of creativity and problem solving. Thumbnail Sketching with people is a fun way to come up with a lot of ideas together in a short amount of time.

This long-term investment that began on the mobile-first foundations of the Android Open Source Project has produced a full mixed reality operating system used by millions of people. Teenagers and young professionals might be more inclined to use certain kinds of technologies when participating in a research study, which may not be the case with senior participants or children. Therefore, designing research projects with a user-centered approach is important. Would they need any help going through the research exercises (e.g. they are children who need parental guidance). Co-design workshops help designers partner with users to include their perspective in knowledge development, idea generation, and product development. The impetus to work together to create innovative ideas in areas such as healthcare, education and governance is more pressing, and exciting, than ever.

Remember, co-creation is a chance to combine skill sets and knowledge to cover all the bases early on and, ultimately, co-design even the most complex services and systems more successfully. You can bring customers into co-creation with service staging, to test your prototypes. As design is often termed a conversation and service delivery happens inside the organization as well as outside to the customers, co-creation is the way to speak to everyone involved. Co-creation is the practice of collaborating with other stakeholders to guide the design process.

Rivian R2 builds off R1S, R1T at a lower price says design boss

Table Of Content

• 💬 are non-designers designing things?
• Services
• Written by Stratos Innovation Group
• A TALE OF TWO PROJECTS
• Stage 3 in the Design Thinking Process: Ideate
• a few key terms

Once you’ve sketched out ideas, you can employ a method such as Critique to evaluate the ideas. The Problem Tree Analysis is a great method for digging into the causes and effects of a problem or challenge people might be facing. Bring together a group of your users and have them capture their thoughts about a challenge on stickies. Most of the existing adjustable prosthesis on the market are designed for adults and not kids. The students’ design could last a year, which would be an improvement over quarterly replacements that can be the reality during a growth spurt.

Co-designing Care to Improve Black Maternal Health Outcomes Apr 11 AHA - American Hospital Association

Co-designing Care to Improve Black Maternal Health Outcomes Apr 11 AHA.

Posted: Wed, 20 Mar 2024 15:48:58 GMT [source]

💬 are non-designers designing things?

Governs the storage of data necessary for maintaining website security, user authentication, and fraud prevention mechanisms. Read Co-creation and the New Landscapes of Design to learn more about co-design. Read Co-creation and the New Landscapes of Design and A Social Vision for Value Co-creation in Design to learn more about co-design. In this video, UX design pioneer Don Norman talks about the importance of collaboration between design and other fields.

Meet the quietly powerful company that's changing how business values design - Fast Company

Meet the quietly powerful company that's changing how business values design.

Posted: Thu, 11 Apr 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Services

It is important to debrief the results of each session with the team that was part of the process or that observed the sessions. The researcher should capture everyone’s ideas on sticky notes and collect them on a board dedicated to each participant. The important thing is that participants are given the opportunity to think about the topic of the study and reflect on it before meeting with the design team for an onsite co-creation workshop. The results of these initial exercises can serve as inspiration for the actual co-design sessions, kick-starting and guiding the conversation, or helping participants dig deeper into specific areas. • A national industrial product brand minimized risk by co-designing customer engagement ideas, with a new market segment, before investing large amounts of money. • In today’s rapidly changing media environment, a media outlet engaged Stratos to help break down company silos that hindered production time and effectiveness.

Written by Stratos Innovation Group

Participatory work in software development has historically tended toward two distinct trajectories, one in Scandinavia and northern Europe, and the other in North America. The Scandinavian and northern European tradition has remained closer to its roots in the labor movement (e.g., Beck, 2002; Bjerknes, Ehn, and Kyng, 1987). However, some more recent work has tended to combine the two approaches (Bødker et al., 2004; Muller, 2007). However, participatory practices are not impossible to implement in commercial settings. It may be difficult for those who have acquired success in a hierarchical structure to imagine alternative systems of open collaboration. Participatory design was actually born in Scandinavia and called cooperative design.

You’ll also learn how to create a service design culture in your organization and set up a service design team. We’ll provide you with lots of case studies to learn from as well as interviews with top designers in the field. For each practical method, you’ll get downloadable templates that guide you on how to use the methods in your own work.

Rivian made a “conscious decision to make it feel like a smaller R1S,” according to Hammoud. To keep the brand essence, Hammoud said the company picked the key design elements to ensure R2 is recognizable. According to Rivian’s design chief, Jeff Hammoud, the R2’s lower price point was one of the biggest challenges. Rivian wants to shake up the industry with its next-generation R2 electric vehicle. Starting at around $45,000, the R2 is expected to open up a new market of buyers. Talking about specific roles and responsibilities in co-design is dependent on the context in which we are working.

Community College of Denver

Most importantly, you'll understand what gaps currently exist and will be able to recommend better ways to implement projects. You will build on your case study in each lesson, so once you have completed the course, you will have an in-depth piece for your portfolio. Don Norman challenges traditional numerical metrics since they do not capture the complexity of human life and the environment. He advocates for alternative measurements alongside traditional ones to truly understand the complete picture. This course is based on his latest book “Design for a Better World,” released in March 2023. Don Norman urges designers to think about the whole of humanity, not just individual people or small groups.

Considerations When Choosing Home Design Software

In recent years, it has been a major challenge to participatory design to embrace the fact that much technology development no longer happens as design of isolated systems in well-defined communities of work (Beck, 2002). At the dawn of the 21st century, we use technology at work, at home, in school, and while on the move. The Scandinavian projects developed an action research approach, emphasizing active co-operation between researchers and workers of the organization to help improve the latter's work situation. While researchers got their results, the people whom they worked with were equally entitled to get something out of the project. The approach built on people's own experiences, providing for them resources to be able to act in their current situation. In this stage, the insights from the discovery phase are used to define the problem and determine what the design solution should achieve.

a few key terms

He brings expertise in design research and strategy, service design, and product development and has worked across the healthcare, TMT, mobility, and consumer packed goods industries. He has keynoted the SDN Global Conference, DMI Design Leadership Conference, and Quirks Conference. Eindhoven University of Technology (TU/e) is a young university, founded in 1956 by industry, local government and academia. Today, their spirit of collaboration is still at the heart of the university community. We foster an open culture where everyone feels free to exchange ideas and take initiatives.We offer academic education that is driven by fundamental and applied research. Our educational philosophy is based on personal attention and room for individual ambitions and talents.

Collaborating with people takes different forms depending on where you are in the Double Diamond process. If you’re in the problem space (discovering what challenges people are facing), or if you’re in the solution space (envisioning ideas), then there are reliable design methods you can use to collaborate with people. The practice of co-design allows users to become an active part of the creative development of a product by interacting directly with design and research teams. It is grounded in the belief that all people are creative and that users, as experts of their own experiences, bring different points of view that inform design and innovation direction. What industry leaders are already figuring out, though, is that the cost-benefit equation for co-design has changed.

I hope the information presented in this article can serve as a guide and inspiration for UX researchers, designers, and stakeholders. The information presented here is not exhaustive, and it should be applied differently to each research project. At the same time, each section of this article can be researched deeper depending on what needs to be discovered.

Hanna and her team’s work has been featured in Vogue, Rue, The Wall Street Journal, CBS, NBC, Luxe, amongst others. Hanna currently lives in Pasadena, CA where she also teaches Breathwork and Acro-Yoga. We seek to ensure that all of the data presented on the site regarding new homes and new home communities is current and accurate. It is your responsibility to independently verify the information on the site. If you don't have a particular city in mind, Denver is a great place to start, with over 600 new home communities for perspective residents to explore. At lower elevation sits Colorado Springs, a beautiful area sheltered by a large valley, surrounded by mountainous vistas.

A typical co-design workshop has at least two different parts, one where the participant is interviewed about current experiences in order to start the conversation, and one where hands-on co-design exercises take place. The workshops generally involve a collection of materials, instructions for the co-design exercises, and considerable amounts of many people’s time . It is also vital to keep in mind the limitations of the research tools people would be using for the study. For example, when doing mobile studies, it is important to keep the instructions and the questions as short and succinct as possible. Typing long paragraphs on a mobile device is uncomfortable for most users, so the questions should be designed acknowledging these limitations.

At its most basic level, a Brainstorm session involves sprouting related points from a central idea. Brainstorming is one of the primary methods employed during the Ideation stage of a typical Design Thinking process. Brainstorming is a great way to generate many ideas by leveraging the collective thinking of the group, engaging with each other, listening, and building on other ideas. This method involves focusing on one problem or challenge at a time, while team members build on each other’s responses and ideas with the aim of generating as many potential solutions as possible. Participants must then select the best, the most practical, or the most innovative ideas from the options they’ve come up with.

Whether you’re designing a new addition or building a new home from the ground up, home design software is an essential part of the process. But, unless you have experience with CAD software, it’s hard to know where to start.In this guide, we’ll discuss seven considerations when selecting the best home design software for your project. Emerging trends in co-design include digital collaboration tools that facilitate remote and asynchronous participation, broadening access and diversity of input. There's a growing emphasis on inclusivity, ensuring designs cater to a broader range of abilities and backgrounds. Sustainability is becoming a key focus, integrating environmental and social considerations into the co-design process.

Alaska cruises Your questions answered

Table Of Content

• White Pass & Yukon Route Railway ride
• Alaska cruise departure ports: Which embarkation city should I choose?
• Cultural and historical tours in Alaska
• Fjord & Tundra National Parks Explorer 6A

Embark on an unforgettable Alaska adventure cruise and experience the ultimate vacation. Immerse yourself in the thrilling destinations that Alaska has to offer, each brimming with its own unique style and vibe. Discover the wonders of Alaska with the Best Cruise Line for 20 years running. In some parts of the state, dog sledding is still the primary mode of transportation through the winter months. Visit Alaska and get the experience for yourself at the Skagway Yukon Discovery and Dog Sled Tour.

White Pass & Yukon Route Railway ride

Choosing what to do in Juneau on a cruise can be a difficult decision in the planning process, as the city offers a wide range of options for all interests and fitness levels. Nonetheless, you can occasionally come across a good deal by booking in advance or finding a last-minute deal offered by a hotel. If you really need a budget hotel, your best bet is to stay further from downtown or near the airport. Unsurprisingly, these excursions are not cheap, and it’s not uncommon to pay hundreds of dollars for a spot on a smaller boat.

Alaska cruise departure ports: Which embarkation city should I choose?

Not for the beginner hiker, the Mount Roberts trail has over 3,700 feet of elevation gain, but the views are definitely worth the climb. To access Yakutania Point, simply walk over the pedestrian bridge west of downtown (near the Skagway airport). If you’d like to continue further along the trail, consider walking to Smuggler’s Cove for even more pristine views.

Cultural and historical tours in Alaska

Come discover the prettiest spots to take pictures with our travel photo guide. The best Alaska food to try on a cruise includes king crab, salmon, fry bread, birch syrup, wild berries and more. Royal Caribbean excursions tend to be priced higher than independent excursions because the cruise line receives a cut of the excursion cost from the tour operator. Booking on your own eliminates the middleman, often leading to more affordable prices.

Alaska Wildlife Express 1A

Since so many people value a private balcony on Alaska cruises, demand for these categories is even higher than on Caribbean or European itineraries. In addition to a 7-night Alaska cruise, you can extend your trip with a land-based tour. Both the most technologically advanced, large Quantum Class ships and the smaller, more traditional Radiance Class ships will offer a wonderful Alaska cruise experience.

The Ships and Sailing Schedules

If you’re up for a challenge, push yourself to reach the top of Deer Mountain. With three thousand feet of elevation change over seven miles, it is certainly not easy, but you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of Alaska in every direction. The wake-up call opportunities show just how much scenery is a part of an Alaskan vacation -- in addition to many hours riding buses, trains and boats. One of the most scenic rides is from Seward to Anchorage, along the Turnagain Arm, where snow-capped mountains and rolling hills rise on each side of the bay. At the museum guests can browse exhibits on Juneau’s history, Native Tlingit culture, Juneau’s geography, the state’s mining history, and more.

QUANTUM OF THE SEAS

Both classes of ships also have a thermal suite available at an extra cost, which includes hot stone loungers, saunas, and steam rooms—all of which are perfect for Alaska’s chilly weather. Vancouver, though, is an excellent embarkation port for the itinerary options. All Alaska cruises departing Seattle must include a port stop in Victoria, British Columbia to meet the requirements of the Passenger Vessel Services Act (PVSA). Every guest must complete the eMuster drill before your cruise ship can depart, and getting it done quickly on embarkation day is recommended. If you want to book a balcony or suite, then booking early becomes even more important.

The resident population varies by the season but can include caribou and moose calves, fawns, porcupines, birds, lynx, and brown and black bears. Local connections are the difference between a good trip and a truly memorable one. And Royal Caribbean Cruise Tours are guided by a local Adventure Specialist who act as guides, historians and concierges. They are by your side for the entirety of the land tour, providing insider tips and local perspective. From North America's tallest peak, Denali, to the stunning coastal route of the Inside Passage, Alaska is one of the most breathtaking natural landscapes on Earth.

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips - Royal Caribbean Blog

How to Make your Alaska Cruise Travel Easier: Tips.

Posted: Wed, 17 Apr 2024 17:23:24 GMT [source]

Royal Caribbean Cruisetours: Visit inland Alaska and Canada

Downtown Juneau is scenic, with a picturesque waterfront and magnificent peaks surrounding the city. Right in front of where cruise ships dock downtown is a boardwalk perfect for taking a stroll and admiring the views. Another way to go is to book directly with a tour operator in one of the ports.

Walking tours are also offered, although with the exception of the state capitol tour, they come with a cost of $31.50 per person. There is the option to take a public city bus to the glacier, but the ride takes around an hour as opposed to the usual thirty minutes. Additionally, the bus stop closest to the glacier, on Dredge Lake Road, is still a half hour walk away from the visitor's center. At only $2 per adult, however, it’s still an option for those on an extremely tight budget. The cost to visit Mendenhall Glacier is just $5, which includes access to the trails and visitor center.

Seward is the gateway to Kenai Fjords National Park on the Kenai Peninsula, where you’ll explore an ecosystem forged by ice over the millennia and rich with wildlife. The Kenai Peninsula extends from the mainland between the Cook Inlet and Prince William Sound, down to the Gulf of Alaska. Alaska Cruise Tours are a combination of a one way cruise and a land tour of Alaska. Both pre and post-cruise tours are available, meaning that you can decide to fly one-way to Alaska, do a land tour, and take a cruise back to Seattle or Vancouver, or do it the other way around. Land tours range from an extra 2-5 nights on land in addition to your time on a cruise ship.

With this full-day, small-group excursion, you hit the waters in search of king, silver or chum salmon, as well as halibut. The captain will take you to known fishing spots where various techniques -- weather permitting -- are employed for salmon fishing and halibut fishing. Be aware that small boats on the open sea can make swells and wind chop feel all the stronger. Witness everything from wood-carving and ceramic work to jewelry-making and glass-blowing, before trying your hand at Venetian glass-blowing yourself. You'll also have free time at the end to browse a gallery and to shop for souvenirs. This tour is ideal for anyone who wants to take a short excursion and still have enough time left in the day to explore Sitka on their own.

Given the long hours spent in port, having a ton of activities or whizz-bang features may not be as important. If you're trying to figure out the best time to visit Alaska, there's advantages to every month. The key is to prioritize if weather, crowds, or price is the most important to you. Cruising to Alaska in the early season, April and May, brings lower crowds and prices. Expect to see daily temperatures with highs in the mid 50s and lows around 40 degrees.

Likewise, the tundra starts showing fall colors as early as mid-August, and bears are visible as they frantically beef up for the winter. For more inspiration, check out our list of the nine best Alaska cruise tour destinations. Dolly was one of the most famous madams working on Creek Street between 1919 and 1954. After prostitution was deemed illegal, she continued living in the house until moving to a nursing home.

Shore Excursions & Cruise Guided Tours

Table Of Content

• Leave plenty of time to make it to the airport on disembarkation day
• Popular Now
• Ketchikan’s Misty Fjords Flightseeing by Floatplane
• ALASKA WILDLIFE CONSERVATION CENTER
• What are good excursions to do that are not booked with the cruise line?

Even though you’ll be surrounded by glaciers, it can get relatively warm in southeast Alaska, especially in the summer months. If you’re looking for more inspiration on what to do on an Alaskan cruise, read our live blogs from Alaska on Explorer of the Seas and Ovation of the Seas for more ideas. In addition, don’t forget to check out our full ship tour of Ovation of the Seas if you will be sailing her to Alaska next summer. A recommendation, especially if you do not have a balcony room, is to scope out the ship’s best areas for viewing the scenery when you get onboard. You may find a few “secret” areas, like the Solarium bridge wings or the outdoor seating area at the Windjammer, that offer fantastic views with fewer crowds.

Leave plenty of time to make it to the airport on disembarkation day

Take your adventure underwater and discover a whole world that’s teeming with life. Most people tend to focus on the Caribbean for summer cruises, but an Alaska summer vacation can be a great option, too. Embark on a thrilling journey with young explorers through breathtaking landscapes. Barnette ran aground in the shallows of the Chena, so he set up a trading post. A year later, the nearby discovery of gold transformed the remote settlement into a boomtown, and Barnette the first mayor. Fairbanks today remains a destination for adventure seekers, as the gateway to Alaska’s northern wilds and some its most isolated terrain.

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There are also art galleries, where rotating modern art exhibits showcase a range of media. Kids will likely love the interactive Discovery Center where they can explore science, art and history. From a seat on the back patio of the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge, you could see a black bear wandering down a walking trail behind the hotel.

Ketchikan’s Misty Fjords Flightseeing by Floatplane

It’s always a better idea to book excursions as far in advance as possible to ensure you can pay the lowest price and secure a spot on the chance the excursion sells out. Because shore excursions are so popular on an Alaska cruise, it’s not uncommon to see popular tours like whale watching, glacier visits, and helicopter tours sell out. Helicopter and flightseeing tours are both popular shore excursions in Alaska, offering the unique opportunity to view the state’s nature from above. Helicopter tours often include a landing atop one of Alaska’s glaciers, where visitors have the chance to walk–or dogsled–on the glacier itself. Whale watching tours are offered through Royal Caribbean shore excursions or can be booked directly through local providers.

First, if you're flying to your cruise port, make sure to fly the day before your cruise begins. Airline delays are common, and you don't want to miss your cruise because of a canceled or delayed flight! Spending the night at a hotel in Seattle or Vancouver before your cruise can help ensure your vacation is off to a great start. In fact, when Royal Caribbean announces new Alaska itineraries is the best time to book.

The lodges typically feature a carefully created rustic look with exposed-log exteriors and blond-wood interiors. Lobbies are homey with cozy seating, fireplaces and taxidermy mounts of various animal heads, like moose and caribou. If you're OK with skipping out on the Denali trip altogether, several lines propose an alternative option via a Canadian Rockies trip that takes in scenic spots like Banff, Jasper and Lake Louise. In May, one of the best months to cruise to Alaska, Denali emerges from its snowfall with wildflowers and animals searching for food.

Royal Caribbean releases new 2025 Alaska cruises to book - Royal Caribbean Blog

Royal Caribbean releases new 2025 Alaska cruises to book.

Posted: Wed, 01 Nov 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]

Accordingly, passengers can opt in for a version of the excursion that includes a post-tour motor coach transfer to Anchorage hotels and its airport. You're not likely to see any scenery prettier than this, and you'll stand a good chance of spotting wildlife like eagles, bears, mountain goats, deer and wolves. Your assigned musher will introduce you to the dog team, fill you in on the sport of sled-dog racing and snap some photos of you along the way. Popular kayak spots in Juneau include the Mendenhall wetlands and Smuggler’s Cove. Guests hoping to get a closer look at Mendenhall Glacier will be in luck on a kayak, with some tours offering loops of Mendenhall Glacier Lake. Some floatplane excursions take off in Juneau, fly around the area, and land back in Juneau.

When packing for an Alaska cruise, we recommend bringing a pair of sneakers that are water resistant. Unless you plan on doing some serious trekking in each port, there’s no need to bring hefty hiking boots or rain boots. A pair of sneakers made from a water-resistant material will keep your feet dry and warm under most weather conditions.

If you could, would you do a one-way sailing over a roundtrip cruise? It seems to give much more time exploring Alaska.

View Dall sheep, wolves, caribou, moose and the mighty grizzly bear among many. And come summer, they are joined by more than 160 species of migratory birds. Bringing a waterproof or water-resistant daypack on an Alaska cruise is essential to ensure your electronics, identification, and any other valuables remain protected throughout the excursion. While not the most budget-friendly excursions, seeing Alaska from above is well worth the splurge for many cruisers.

Certain ports, such as Juneau and Icy Strait Point, tend to offer better whale watching opportunities than other Alaska cruise ports. Be sure to read our whale watching guide before booking your whale watching excursion to ensure you book it at the right port and time of year. The Alaska cruise season generally runs from April to October, and each month offers its own advantages and disadvantages. While there is no best time to cruise to Alaska, knowing what to expect in terms of weather, wildlife, and activities is helpful before booking your cruise or shore excursion. It is the largest town visited in Alaska on a cruise and offers the most excursion options of any Alaska port. Activity highlights in Juneau include whale watching, exploring Mendenhall Glacier, and riding the Goldbelt Tramway up Mount Roberts.

Located on the Lynn Canal, panoramic vistas surround Skagway and the town is a gateway into Canada’s Yukon Territory. Many passengers choose to ride the White Pass & Yukon Railroad, taking visitors through a mountain pass once climbed by those hoping to strike it rich in the gold-rush era. On a Royal Caribbean cruise to Alaska, navigating the largest state in the U.S. and exploring multiple sought-after places is easy to do. With four ships headed to the 49th state of the U.S. this summer, you can have your pick of ways to do all that in one vacation.

Passengers should ensure they have enough time to complete the hike before their cruise ship departs, as it usually takes around 5-8 hours depending on your fitness level. If you’re hoping to keep costs down but still have a wonderful experience while visiting Alaska, it’s helpful to know what options are available in each port. Indeed, in some cases, the cruise lines own the tour operators in Alaska ports, or at least a piece of them. For instance, the parent company of Princess Cruises and Holland America is a part-owner of Skagway's big attraction, the White Pass & Yukon Route Railway.

Smaller ships tend to sail from Vancouver whereas larger ships sail out of Seattle. This is due to the fact that Quantum Class ships are unable to fit under Vancouver’s Lion Gate Bridge outside of a very low-tide. Therefore, ships like Radiance of the Seas, Serenade of the Seas, and Brilliance of the Seas sail out of Vancouver instead.

One of the most popular active activities is a kayak tour along Alaska’s scenic fjords, lakes, and glaciers. Kayak tours are offered in most cruise ports, offering passengers the chance to feel connected with nature by the gentle rock of a kayak. Juneau is a popular port for expensive excursions like whale watching tours and helicopter rides to glaciers. However, there are still more than enough cheap or free ways to spend a day in the city, and here are five of our favorites.

Walking through Creek Street can give insights into the town’s historic red light district, and visiting the Saxman Totem Park provides a lesson on the Native Tlingit peoples’ culture and traditions. Kayaking, hiking, the Great Alaskan Lumberjack Show, and walking through downtown are all great options for a day in Ketchikan as well. No one enjoys navigating crowds, but it’s almost inevitable when cruising to Alaska. If you want to avoid the highest crowds, we recommend disembarking your ship early on each port day. In Alaska, on the other hand, you will want to lower your expectations when it comes to weather.

21-Day Antarctica, South Georgia & Falkland

Table Of Content

• We Love to Talk Travel
• How This Remote Norwegian Archipelago Became a New Travel Hot Spot
• Food on Seabourn Venture Includes Several Options; Expansive Room Service
• Other Public Spaces
• Antarctica & South America Travel Articles: Learn More About Antarctica & South America

At dinner time, the Colonnade transitions to the Earth and Ocean restaurant. This is a more casual dinner option with theme meals based on different regions of the world. Earth and ocean is a sit down dinning facility with table service. A luxury Antarctica cruise had been at the top of our travel bucket list for a long time. When it finally happened, Alan and I chose to cruise to Antarctica with Seabourn. We’re puzzled at Seabourn’s decision to store the Zodiacs on the ship's top deck, as opposed to water level, as it slows down deployment.

We Love to Talk Travel

Or take advantage of Seabourn two submersibles and explore the seafloor. Only Seabourn Antarctic cruises provide you with these unique experiences. The White Continent Antarctica expedition deals are usually only available in November when the pack ice is thick and most animals are just arriving and landings are limited. Or other deals tend to occur in early March when the sea ice starts reforming and the weather changes as winter starts to set back in. However, I have an amazing deal for both Veranda Suites or Penthouses for a single departure in December 2024. The bow lounge is a great place to meet the expedition team and see the ships navigation tools.

How This Remote Norwegian Archipelago Became a New Travel Hot Spot

There is no pool deck, per se aboard Seabourn Venture, at least in the traditional cruise ship sense. Instead, there’s an infinity pool and hot tubs at the back of the ship on Deck 5, outside the Patio/Colonnade. Still, for people who want a true luxury cruise experience at the ends of the earth, Seabourn Venture will check all the boxes, and then some.

Food on Seabourn Venture Includes Several Options; Expansive Room Service

While roughly 50 or so cruise ships now serve this market, the ultra-luxe segment is still the tip of the spear. Not only is it really the only way to get here (charters aren’t an option, although you can fly), it’s also where innovation occurs. We went aboard to see what fresh advantages this ship has over the competition. Depending on weather, ice conditions and reported wildlife distribution during your voyage, your captain and expedition team will program an additional day of discovery and adventure for you in Antarctica.

See weddell seals, orca’s, humpback whales, chinstrap, adelie, gentoo penguins and more. From the world’s largest ice bergs to dynamic mountains, there’s no place in the world like Antarctica. Spend each day walking and exploring the white continent by foot and zodiac. Under international agreements, ships with more than 500 passengers are restricted from landing sites, with Seabourn this is not a problem.

There are plenty of shared spaces to relax and enjoy the view as you sail into some of the most remote regions in the world. New lounges that have a decided expedition focus include the underutilized (by guests; the expedition staff loved this area) Bow Lounge at the front of the ship on Deck 6. Here, navigation instruments that mimic the bridge give maritime geeks all kinds of stats about the ship's position and progress, and you can also find sodas and snacks. We also loved pre-dinner cocktails in the cozy Expedition Lounge on Deck 4, squarely between the Discovery Center (which has multiple uses as theater and briefing room) and the Restaurant. Launched in 2022, the 264-passenger Seabourn Venture marks the luxury cruise line’s first expedition ship, with a sister ship, Seabourn Pursuit, coming in 2023.

Other Public Spaces

But the line isn’t exactly a neophyte when it comes to expedition cruising. Seabourn has been running cruises to Antarctica for years on Seabourn Quest and the line developed its Ventures by Seabourn program that offers expedition options in various locales across its fleet in 2015. Offering a luxury expedition cruising experience, Seabourn Venture allows you to explore without compromising on comfort. Seabourn Pursuit carries up to 264 passengers in 132 oceanfront suites (some Antarctic cruises carry 1,000). Better still, each suite comes with downy bedding, 24/7 room service (including caviar—a win), and a state-of-the-art spa that ticks all the best travel boxes. But that’s not why you cross the dreaded Drake down to the Great White Continent.

Each day on board offers delicious dining options, world-class entertainment and enriching activities. Embark on a photo expedition of expedition history from over a century ago. See the world through the eyes of Jean-Baptiste Charcot on this island named for the expedition’s photographer Paul Pleneau. In addition to Caribbean-blue lagoons, and stunning ice formations, this island hosts a number of gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies, complete with abundant opportunities to dote on adorable chicks from afar. You will have the chance to observe onboard lectures from the expedition crew and various guest experts, as well as take advantage of the facilities onboard, such as the pool, casino, onboard spa and fitness centre.

Expert Review of Seabourn Pursuit Cruise Ship - Cruise Critic

Expert Review of Seabourn Pursuit Cruise Ship.

Posted: Wed, 12 Jul 2023 16:10:57 GMT [source]

Seabourn Antarctica Expedition on Sale: $8,999

All passengers are offered daily zodiac cruise options along with landings. If the weather cooperates you can expect getting off the ship 2-3 times a day for 1-3 hours at a time. IAATO regulations limit 100 tourists on land at a time and prohibits ships with greater than 500 passengers from landing in Antarctica. This elegant and very capable 264 guest ship boasts innovative design throughout and the unique opportunity to explore a part of Antarctica very few others get to see, through the use of its submarines. Purpose-built in Italy, the ship launched in 2022 and offers a luxury expedition cruising experience; on Seabourn Pursuit you can explore Antarctica without compromising on comfort. Antarctica is one, luckily, but Svalbard and many other countries where expedition ships go do not allow their use.

The Seabourn Venture and Pursuit are both brand new ultra-luxury polar class vessels. These Antarctica Seabourn cruise ships are much smaller than the more well known Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Encore ships. Instead of hosting 500+ guests, Seabourn’s new Antarctica expedition ships hold a maximum of 264 people. I cannot stress enough how this is one of the best experiences guests can have visiting the white continent. We’re talking about an experienced cruise and expedition team which preemptively anticipates your every need.

“Paradise” and “frigid, frozen Antarctica” might not seem like they go together, but the tranquil, blue beauty of this place makes the name fitting. Paradise Harbor is one of many sites that expedition ships visit and is known for its absolute beauty with its mountains and glaciers. The area is characterized by jagged, ice mountains in all different shades of blue. Visitors can jump on smaller Zodiac boats to travel across the slimmer channels that their cruise ship won’t be able to access on the more remote Western coast of Antarctica.

Transformed by wind and sea, ice formations of surprising shapes and sizes fill the channel, leaving fortunate visitors in awe of this pristine environment. Sail to the southernmost reaches of the world to experience icy, otherworldly landscapes in Patagonia and Antarctica. There is a club for live music and dancing in the early morning hours. Plus there is the constellation lounge at the front of the ship with live music.

Guests will be accompanied by a veteran Expedition Team, who in many cases have made Antarctica the focus of their life’s work. They’ll tell you what they know, point out what they think you ought to see, and step ashore with you to share the profound experience of adventure and discovery that brings them back year after year. Are you ready for an awe inspiring 6 star luxury Antarctica Expedition at a 3 star price?

ANTARCTICA & SOUTH AMERICA

Table Of Content

• Seabourn’s Latest Expedition Ship Brings a Safari Sensibility to Antarctica. We Hopped on Board.
• South Georgia Experience
• Subscriber Services down caret
• Which year to travel?
• Find a Seabourn Venture Cruise from $4,411

Transformed by wind and sea, ice formations of surprising shapes and sizes fill the channel, leaving fortunate visitors in awe of this pristine environment. Sail to the southernmost reaches of the world to experience icy, otherworldly landscapes in Patagonia and Antarctica. There is a club for live music and dancing in the early morning hours. Plus there is the constellation lounge at the front of the ship with live music.

Seabourn’s Latest Expedition Ship Brings a Safari Sensibility to Antarctica. We Hopped on Board.

Or take advantage of Seabourn two submersibles and explore the seafloor. Only Seabourn Antarctic cruises provide you with these unique experiences. The White Continent Antarctica expedition deals are usually only available in November when the pack ice is thick and most animals are just arriving and landings are limited. Or other deals tend to occur in early March when the sea ice starts reforming and the weather changes as winter starts to set back in. However, I have an amazing deal for both Veranda Suites or Penthouses for a single departure in December 2024. The bow lounge is a great place to meet the expedition team and see the ships navigation tools.

South Georgia Experience

Cruising the Neumayer Channel at the end of a sunny Antarctica day was worthy of an addition to our travel bucket list. Click on Cruising in Neumayer Channel to read all about the experience. For the best cabin choices, book an Antarctica trip as early as possible. Be sure to confirm the cruise line’s cancellation policies, just in case your plans change. We traveled on the 450-passenger Seabourn Quest through South American fjords to the tip of the continent and then across the Drake Passage to Antarctica and South Georgia before disembarking in Buenos Aires.

Subscriber Services down caret

If you are free to travel in December 2024 I have the ultimate Seabourn Expedition special offer for you. Save over $4,000 on a Veranda Suite or Penthouse when you book with Scott & Thomas travel. All landings and Zodiac cruises are complementary and included in every Seabourn Expedition. Kayaking and submarines do cost more and should be signed up for before departure. The Seaborn Venture and Pursuit ships carry 2 submarines and 10 sea kayaks.

Seabourn’s Latest Expedition Ship Brings a Safari Sensibility to Antarctica. We Hopped on Board. - Robb Report

Seabourn’s Latest Expedition Ship Brings a Safari Sensibility to Antarctica. We Hopped on Board..

Posted: Tue, 16 Apr 2024 17:00:00 GMT [source]

Which year to travel?

Guests will be accompanied by a veteran Expedition Team, who in many cases have made Antarctica the focus of their life’s work. They’ll tell you what they know, point out what they think you ought to see, and step ashore with you to share the profound experience of adventure and discovery that brings them back year after year. Are you ready for an awe inspiring 6 star luxury Antarctica Expedition at a 3 star price?

There is no pool deck, per se aboard Seabourn Venture, at least in the traditional cruise ship sense. Instead, there’s an infinity pool and hot tubs at the back of the ship on Deck 5, outside the Patio/Colonnade. Still, for people who want a true luxury cruise experience at the ends of the earth, Seabourn Venture will check all the boxes, and then some.

Adventure Activities

SEABOURN MAKES HISTORY AS ITS ULTRA-LUXURY EXPEDITION SHIPS, SEABOURN PURSUIT AND ... - PR Newswire

SEABOURN MAKES HISTORY AS ITS ULTRA-LUXURY EXPEDITION SHIPS, SEABOURN PURSUIT AND ....

Posted: Wed, 22 Nov 2023 08:00:00 GMT [source]

All passengers are offered daily zodiac cruise options along with landings. If the weather cooperates you can expect getting off the ship 2-3 times a day for 1-3 hours at a time. IAATO regulations limit 100 tourists on land at a time and prohibits ships with greater than 500 passengers from landing in Antarctica. This elegant and very capable 264 guest ship boasts innovative design throughout and the unique opportunity to explore a part of Antarctica very few others get to see, through the use of its submarines. Purpose-built in Italy, the ship launched in 2022 and offers a luxury expedition cruising experience; on Seabourn Pursuit you can explore Antarctica without compromising on comfort. Antarctica is one, luckily, but Svalbard and many other countries where expedition ships go do not allow their use.

Find a Seabourn Venture Cruise from $4,411

Each day on board offers delicious dining options, world-class entertainment and enriching activities. Embark on a photo expedition of expedition history from over a century ago. See the world through the eyes of Jean-Baptiste Charcot on this island named for the expedition’s photographer Paul Pleneau. In addition to Caribbean-blue lagoons, and stunning ice formations, this island hosts a number of gentoo and chinstrap penguin colonies, complete with abundant opportunities to dote on adorable chicks from afar. You will have the chance to observe onboard lectures from the expedition crew and various guest experts, as well as take advantage of the facilities onboard, such as the pool, casino, onboard spa and fitness centre.

Seabourn Venture Review

There are plenty of shared spaces to relax and enjoy the view as you sail into some of the most remote regions in the world. New lounges that have a decided expedition focus include the underutilized (by guests; the expedition staff loved this area) Bow Lounge at the front of the ship on Deck 6. Here, navigation instruments that mimic the bridge give maritime geeks all kinds of stats about the ship's position and progress, and you can also find sodas and snacks. We also loved pre-dinner cocktails in the cozy Expedition Lounge on Deck 4, squarely between the Discovery Center (which has multiple uses as theater and briefing room) and the Restaurant. Launched in 2022, the 264-passenger Seabourn Venture marks the luxury cruise line’s first expedition ship, with a sister ship, Seabourn Pursuit, coming in 2023.

But the line isn’t exactly a neophyte when it comes to expedition cruising. Seabourn has been running cruises to Antarctica for years on Seabourn Quest and the line developed its Ventures by Seabourn program that offers expedition options in various locales across its fleet in 2015. Offering a luxury expedition cruising experience, Seabourn Venture allows you to explore without compromising on comfort. Seabourn Pursuit carries up to 264 passengers in 132 oceanfront suites (some Antarctic cruises carry 1,000). Better still, each suite comes with downy bedding, 24/7 room service (including caviar—a win), and a state-of-the-art spa that ticks all the best travel boxes. But that’s not why you cross the dreaded Drake down to the Great White Continent.

While roughly 50 or so cruise ships now serve this market, the ultra-luxe segment is still the tip of the spear. Not only is it really the only way to get here (charters aren’t an option, although you can fly), it’s also where innovation occurs. We went aboard to see what fresh advantages this ship has over the competition. Depending on weather, ice conditions and reported wildlife distribution during your voyage, your captain and expedition team will program an additional day of discovery and adventure for you in Antarctica.

The Seabourn Venture and Pursuit are both brand new ultra-luxury polar class vessels. These Antarctica Seabourn cruise ships are much smaller than the more well known Seabourn Odyssey and Seabourn Encore ships. Instead of hosting 500+ guests, Seabourn’s new Antarctica expedition ships hold a maximum of 264 people. I cannot stress enough how this is one of the best experiences guests can have visiting the white continent. We’re talking about an experienced cruise and expedition team which preemptively anticipates your every need.

“Paradise” and “frigid, frozen Antarctica” might not seem like they go together, but the tranquil, blue beauty of this place makes the name fitting. Paradise Harbor is one of many sites that expedition ships visit and is known for its absolute beauty with its mountains and glaciers. The area is characterized by jagged, ice mountains in all different shades of blue. Visitors can jump on smaller Zodiac boats to travel across the slimmer channels that their cruise ship won’t be able to access on the more remote Western coast of Antarctica.

At dinner time, the Colonnade transitions to the Earth and Ocean restaurant. This is a more casual dinner option with theme meals based on different regions of the world. Earth and ocean is a sit down dinning facility with table service. A luxury Antarctica cruise had been at the top of our travel bucket list for a long time. When it finally happened, Alan and I chose to cruise to Antarctica with Seabourn. We’re puzzled at Seabourn’s decision to store the Zodiacs on the ship's top deck, as opposed to water level, as it slows down deployment.

See weddell seals, orca’s, humpback whales, chinstrap, adelie, gentoo penguins and more. From the world’s largest ice bergs to dynamic mountains, there’s no place in the world like Antarctica. Spend each day walking and exploring the white continent by foot and zodiac. Under international agreements, ships with more than 500 passengers are restricted from landing sites, with Seabourn this is not a problem.

That’s mostly because you have to board the subs via Zodiac in the open water. The heart of the ship remains Seabourn Square, at the back of the ship on Deck 6. This multi-use space has guest services, a library, a coffee and snack bar and an outdoor area – all with plenty of comfy seating. The Club has been reborn on Seabourn Venture as a chic lounge that serves sushi before and during the dinner hour.