Seabourn will return to Australia and New Zealand in December 2019 with a number of new ports around the country. The Seabourn Encore and Seabourn Sojourn will make 40 calls across Australia this summer season, along visits to New Zealand

From December 2019 to April 2020, Seabourn’s two ships will visit boutique ports, sheltered coves and hidden harbors as well as favorite marquee ports, with a variety of onboard offerings and on-shore experiences, according to a press release. 

Sailing the South Pacific Ocean from December to March, the cruise line will make its first ever call to Portland, Victoria, site of the first permanent European settlement in the state, when the Seabourn Encore visits on March 14.

Other maiden ship calls include the Seabourn Encore’s first visits to Hobart, Kangaroo Island and Adelaide. The itinerary puts emphasis on ports in the east and south, including New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania and South Australia.

The Seabourn Sojourn will visit six Australian ports as part of her world cruise, including her first calls to Airlie Beach, the gateway to the Great Barrier Reef and Brisbane, officially closing the cruise season on April 29 as the last international ship scheduled to depart Sydney.

“We are thrilled to offer our guests so many choices in ultra-luxury cruising in Australia and New Zealand this year,” said Chris Austin, senior vice president of Global Marketing & Sales for Seabourn. “This fascinating, beautiful part of the world provides our guests with a wide array of extraordinary destinations and experiences in a way that only Seabourn can deliver.”

A selection of departures from December 2019 through February 2020 offer options to explore locations such as Milford Sound, a UNESCO World Heritage site and New Zealand’s most famous tourist destination. Other port calls include Timaru, where the South Canterbury Museum traces the history of the region from the Maori arrival to the present; Lyttelton (Christchurch), where historic Antarctic voyages began and home of the Christchurch Botanic Gardens; and Wellington, with Te Papa, a museum of Australasian natural history, science and culture.

Seabourn will bring a dedicated wellness cruise to Australia and New Zealand for the first time in February 2020, according to a press release. Physician and author Dr. Andrew Weil will join guests onboard with a team of wellness experts. Sailing from Auckland, New Zealand to Sydney, Australia through Milford Sound, the onboard itinerary will include lectures, discussions, classes and demonstrations led by Dr. Weil and his team to help guests enrich their lives for better mental and physical health.