If you’ve ever looked at an expedition voyage and thought, “I want to experience the polar regions in a way that feels close, real, and a bit out of the ordinary,” you’re exactly the kind of traveller Seabourn tends to attract. That’s why this update matters: Seabourn is discontinuing its submarine dives, which have been a distinctive part of its expedition offering.
Seabourn will end the Seabourn expedition submarine program at the close of the current Antarctic season in early March 2026, after reviewing guest engagement, operational demands, and changing regulations. Expedition sailings will continue with zodiac cruising and landings, guided hikes with an expert team, wildlife viewing, cultural visits where possible, optional kayaking (extra charge), included snorkelling when conditions allow, daily lectures and briefings, plus Image Masters photography sessions on select voyages.
This change is specific; the submarines are ending, but the expedition voyages are not. Seabourn framed the decision as the result of a comprehensive review, and the reasoning gives helpful insight into what it takes to run complex expedition experiences safely and consistently. If you’re planning a voyage, it’s useful to understand the “why”, because it also clarifies what is still strong about the overall product.
Seabourn shared that guest participation didn’t meet expectations, and that’s one of those practical realities that can reshape onboard offerings over time. A unique feature still needs steady demand to justify the space, staffing, and operating rhythm it requires. When take-up is lower than anticipated, it becomes harder to keep the experience running in a way that feels seamless for guests and sustainable for the ship.
That doesn’t mean guests didn’t love the idea; it often means the right kind of traveller interest wasn’t consistent across voyages. On expedition itineraries, daily conditions can also influence how people feel about committing to a particular activity. So even a standout add-on can struggle if the “right moment” doesn’t line up for enough guests across a season.
Submarine operations are not like scheduling an extra lecture or adding a new tasting menu; they require specialised systems, safety procedures, and expert oversight. Seabourn emphasised the high level of expertise required to maintain and recertify the submarines. In expedition environments, you’re already dealing with weather, sea state, ice conditions, and strict operational windows, so anything that adds another layer of complexity needs to deliver consistent value.
It’s also worth remembering that specialised programs can create ripple effects onboard. When an activity demands highly technical staffing and ongoing recertification, it can pull focus and resources away from other expedition elements. Seabourn is effectively choosing to concentrate its energy on the experiences that the majority of expedition guests use daily.
Seabourn also noted that changing regulations in certain regions increasingly limit where and how submarine operations can take place. This part is easy to underestimate from the outside, because travellers often assume that if a ship can physically do something, it can also legally do it. In remote environments, rules can shift, permissions can tighten, and operational approvals may become more complicated over time.
For travellers, the big takeaway is reliability. When regulations narrow the zones or conditions where a program can run, it becomes harder to guarantee that an experience will be available across different itineraries. Seabourn’s decision suggests it wants expedition guests to book with confidence around the core activities that can operate more consistently.
If submarine dives were the headline for you, it’s still very possible to have a voyage that feels immersive and active. Seabourn is clearly reinforcing that the expedition experience continues with multiple ways to explore, learn, and spend time outside the ship. The list they provided includes experiences that tend to define the best expedition days anyway.
Zodiac cruising and landings are a big part of what makes expedition travel feel like genuine exploration rather than “scenic cruising”. These small craft help access remote coastlines, glaciers, and wildlife areas where there’s no infrastructure, which is often exactly where you want to be in Antarctica. They also allow flexibility; your expedition team can adjust plans based on conditions and wildlife activity, which is a huge part of why expedition itineraries feel dynamic.
In many ways, zodiacs offer something submarines can’t: they make it easy to step onto shore when conditions allow. For travellers who love movement and variety, that mix of cruising, landings, and close-to-nature viewing tends to be the heart of the trip.
Seabourn highlighted guided shore landings and excursions, including nature walks and hikes led by its expedition team. This is where Seabourn’s approach really shows; the value is not only the landing itself, but it’s the interpretation and leadership that helps you understand what you’re seeing. A great expedition team turns a beach landing into a learning moment, spotting details you might miss and explaining the environment without overcomplicating it.
For travellers who enjoy a sense of context, these excursions can be the most memorable part of the voyage. They also support different activity levels; some guests want a more active hike, others prefer a gentler walk with plenty of stops for wildlife viewing and photos.
Seabourn offers wildlife viewing from the ship and shore, supported by knowledgeable naturalists and wildlife experts. That support matters more than people think, because the “wow” moment is better when you understand what’s happening. Instead of just seeing penguins or seals, you start noticing behaviour, habitats, and the small signals that indicate how animals move through their world.
Wildlife viewing also has a wonderfully unscripted quality. You can be having a coffee on deck, then suddenly you’re pulled into a real-time moment that nobody could plan. Seabourn’s emphasis on experts reinforces that these sightings come with helpful context rather than being left as a quick photo opportunity.
Seabourn isn’t only leaning on landings, it’s also reinforcing the “inside the ship” layers that make the journey richer, plus optional activities that can make the days feel even more hands-on. This matters if you want your trip to feel like a complete experience rather than a collection of scenic moments.
Seabourn included daily expert enrichment, with briefings, lectures, and interpretation led by scientists, academics, and naturalists. These sessions are often what help travellers connect the dots between what they’re seeing outside and how the region functions as a whole. On expedition voyages, a short briefing can change how you see an icy bay or a wildlife colony, and that shift in understanding is part of what people carry home.
This also helps travellers feel involved in the day’s decisions. When you understand conditions and context, itinerary changes feel like part of the expedition style rather than an inconvenience.
Seabourn noted optional kayaking excursions for an additional charge, where conditions permit. Kayaking is often a favourite for guests who like doing something active without needing it to be intense. It’s also a very different way to experience the environment, quiet, close to the waterline, and often incredibly peaceful.
For many travellers, kayaking provides the kind of personal, “I’m really here” moment they expected from a submarine dive. It’s not the same experience, but it can deliver that same feeling of closeness to the environment, especially when conditions are calm.
Seabourn also highlighted snorkelling experiences where conditions permit. This is one of those offerings that can surprise people, because it signals that Seabourn still wants to support adventurous guests with unusual options. It’s not for everyone, but for the right traveller it can become a standout story from the voyage.
The key phrase is “where conditions permit”, because expedition environments are changeable. Still, the inclusion reinforces that Seabourn’s expedition identity is not becoming less adventurous; it’s simply shifting focus to experiences that can be managed more consistently.
A change like this naturally raises questions, especially for travellers who booked specifically for the submarine dives or who are deciding between expedition lines. Seabourn has already indicated that travel advisors with guests booked on a submarine dive excursion have been notified directly. From a planning perspective, it helps to approach this as a reset of priorities rather than a loss of value.
If a submarine dive was part of your plan, the practical next step is to review what was booked and how Seabourn is handling the update for your specific sailing. Most travellers don’t just want a refund or a credit; they want the trip to still feel complete. That means replacing the “highlight moment” with another experience that matches your interests, whether that’s prioritising kayaking days, leaning into photography support, or planning your onboard schedule around expert-led sessions.
This is also where your travel advisor can help keep things calm and clear. The goal is to make sure the overall value of the voyage still lines up with why you chose Seabourn in the first place.
If you’re looking at Seabourn because you want expedition travel with refined comfort, this update doesn’t remove the daily ingredients that define the experience. Seabourn is still leaning heavily on zodiacs, landings, guided excursions, and expert enrichment, and those are the foundation of most expedition itineraries. For many travellers, those elements are what make a voyage feel like an expedition rather than a standard cruise with scenic sailing.
It’s also a reminder to choose an itinerary for what it offers across the whole voyage. A single optional add-on should be a bonus, not the only reason the trip works.
Submarines are a rare feature, but expedition travel rewards flexibility more than certainty. If you’re someone who loves novelty, you can still chase unusual moments through other avenues, like snorkelling, kayaking, or photography-focused experiences. The difference is that these options are often easier to run within changing conditions, which can make the overall trip feel smoother.
In other words, Seabourn is moving away from a highly complex, highly regulated feature and leaning into a wider set of experiences that deliver adventure in multiple ways.
If you’re comparing expedition itineraries and want to see what’s available across different regions, seasons, and voyage styles, a helpful starting point is S.W. Black Travel’s Cruise Finder. It lets you browse options in a way that makes it easier to shortlist what fits your travel goals.
Once you’ve narrowed it down to a few sailings, you can focus on the details that actually shape your experience, landing opportunities, onboard experts, activity options, and the overall pace of the itinerary, then build a plan that suits your style.
Even with the submarine dives ending soon, Seabourn’s expedition voyages are still built around the experiences that make polar travel feel real: zodiac cruising and landings, guided shore time with an expert team, wildlife viewing with knowledgeable support, and daily briefings that add meaning to every day on the water. If you’re planning for Antarctica or other expedition regions and want help choosing the sailing that best matches your pace, interests, and must-see moments after early March 2026, reach out via plan your cruise with S.W. Black Travel.