Polar Knowledge At The Center Of The Voyage
The Seabourn Antarctica expedition team will guide passengers through the continent’s wildlife, landscapes and history during the cruise line’s 2026–2027 season. Seabourn has announced scientists, researchers, naturalists and expedition leaders for voyages aboard Seabourn Venture and Seabourn Pursuit. Their careers studying remote environments will inform conversations and excursions, giving travelers access to the people whose fieldwork helps explain what they see.
Seabourn Antarctica Expedition Team Connects Multiple Disciplines
Every voyage will be supported by 21 specialists covering marine biology, wildlife research, conservation, geology, environmental science and polar history. Drawing on extensive work across Antarctica and Patagonia, they will interpret the continent through presentations, guided excursions and onboard discussions. This breadth allows passengers to consider a landing site from several perspectives, connecting its physical landscape with its wildlife and historical significance.
Credentials Grounded In Research And Conservation
Members of the Seabourn Antarctica expedition team have affiliations with research and conservation organizations, including GLACIARIUM, one of the world’s largest glacier museums. Their backgrounds also include work supporting Antarctic research vessels, marine mammal studies and oceanographic education programs. Such credentials connect the onboard program with work undertaken in the field, giving passengers access to specialists familiar with the scientific questions surrounding polar environments.
Learning Between The Ship And The Shore
The educational program will extend across shore landings, Zodiac cruises and wildlife encounters, supported by daily briefings, lectures and fireside chats. Optional kayaking excursions provide another opportunity to learn from the specialists. Specialists are selected for both subject knowledge and their ability to communicate. Team members will also participate in Seabourn Conversations, the line’s onboard enrichment program. Throughout these activities, their role is to explain the surroundings and help passengers understand the significance of individual sightings.
Personal Insight Adds Meaning To Polar Travel
Robin West, Seabourn’s Vice President of Expeditions, emphasized the contribution of individual specialists to the guest journey. According to West, passengers regularly report that the knowledge, enthusiasm and personal insights shared by the Seabourn Antarctica expedition team changed how they understood a destination. Identifying animals from a Zodiac, explaining the forces shaping glaciers and recounting historic expeditions are among the ways specialists connect observations with a wider context.
Seabourn Antarctica Expedition Team Leadership Draws On Polar Service
Expedition leaders Luciano Bernacchi, Ignacio Rojas, Juan Restrepo, Dom del Rosario and Fridrik Fridriksson will oversee operations, supported by assistant leaders Joe Cockram and Sean Bercaw. Their collective credentials span decades of expedition leadership, including more than 20 consecutive Antarctic seasons and work across every continent and ocean. They will coordinate expedition planning and delivery, with responsibility for safety and making the most of opportunities for guided activities.
Specialists Interpret Wildlife, Geology And History
The Seabourn Antarctica expedition team includes marine mammal scientist Dr. Sean Todd, conservationist Brent Houston and ornithologist JJ Apestegui. Archaeologist and Viking scholar Dr. Elizabeth Pierce adds historical knowledge, while marine biologist and whale researcher Molly Gaughan and geologist Dr. Lori Snyder contribute scientific perspectives. Astronomer and Indigenous cultures specialist Vishwa Rana and marine ornithologist Kim Stevens further broaden the subjects passengers can discuss with the announced specialists.
More Voices Join Throughout The Season
Additional participants include marine biologist and whale expert Emily Fosbery, wildlife specialist and ornithologist Will Wagstaff, polar specialist Demetri Capetanopoulos, ecologist Rorie Duncan and reproductive biologist and science communicator Dr. Jarrod McKenna. Seabourn identifies these professionals as a selection of the wider roster participating during the season. Their combined knowledge will address the continent’s fragile ecosystems, wildlife, geology and history through onboard teaching and guided activities.
Nineteen Departures Link Ushuaia With Antarctica Between November 2026 and March 2027, the two ships will operate 19 departures roundtrip from Ushuaia. Antarctica sailings last 10 to 12 days, with selected 20-day voyages also visiting South Georgia and the Falkland Islands. All Antarctic voyages include a hotel stay in Buenos Aires before the cruise and roundtrip charter flights to Ushuaia. Throughout the season, the Seabourn Antarctica expedition team will connect these journeys with the knowledge behind each encounter.