They may be expensive, but there’s no denying that luxury expedition cruises offer travelers true once-in-a-lifetime, not-found-elsewhere opportunities – like making historic discoveries in maritime history, more than 300 feet below the ocean surface.
Sound extraordinary? Unforgettable? Almost magical? That’s exactly how the experience was described by guests and cruise line executives when a submarine tour from Seabourn Pursuit made a monumental discovery on Monday, October 14, 2024 off the coast of Chile.
The tour – a submarine experience exploring near Alejandro Selkirk Island in Chile’s Juan Fernández Archipelago – was guided by a local fisherman, Gino Perez, whose family has long been involved with the island’s history. On this particular expedition, the group was seeking the Titania, a German supply ship lost in 1914.
Weather conditions were ideal for the dive, and with Perez’s knowledge of the ship’s suspected location, the submarine was able to navigate to the location and eventually site the wreck on the ocean floor, roughly 4.25 nautical miles northwest of Selkirk, 95 meters (311 feet) deep.
The island’s harbor master has confirmed that no other submarine or diver has visited the wreck, marking this as a true discovery. Local fishermen had occasionally found metal fragments believed to be part of Titania, but the vessel had never been officially located until now.
“Experiences like these are a testament to the spirit of expedition, and this discovery is nothing short of historic,” said Robin West, vice president and general manager of expeditions at Seabourn.
Read Also: Exploring the Abyss – How Deep Is the Titanic?
“Seabourn’s expeditions and particularly our submarine explorations often take our guests to places where no other human has ever explored. I am so incredibly proud of our expedition team for delivering this once-in-a-lifetime and truly unforgettable ‘Seabourn Moment’ to our guests and the local community on Selkirk Island.”
For travelers, the opportunity to be a part of maritime history is a unique one indeed.
“It was almost magical. It really was quite extraordinary,” said Irene Blum, who was aboard the submarine during the discovery.
The submarine’s pilot, Mauricio Fernandez, was equally stunned at the discovery and thrilled to share it with guests.
“We were there witnessing history, and our guests had the chance to be a part of this discovery of Titania and the first to see this ship after she sank to the bottom of the ocean 110 years ago. This was truly a special moment of discovery and a perfect example of how Seabourn expeditions continue to provide our guests with incredible Seabourn Moments throughout each journey,” he said.
With his family history and connection to the region, Perez’s reaction to the discovery is even more profound and emotional.
“I imagined this ship so many times and now I can see where she is, how she looks like and how she is resting at the bottom. Thank you so much, my father manages this sector of the island, this means a lot to us and our family history,” Perez said.
Undoubtedly, the experience also means a great deal to the travelers who were able to witness the historic event, and who will now forever be able to tell tales of the rediscovery as one of their most extraordinary cruise experiences.
Cruising With Seabourn Pursuit
The entire event was part of Seabourn Pursuit‘s current South Pacific voyage between Melanesia, French Polynesia and San Antonio, Chile. The 20-night sailing departed French Polynesia on September 27 and arrived in San Antonio on October 17.
While the cruise began with the disappointment of losing a port of call and other itinerary adjustments for underwater hull cleaning ahead of her coming Antarctica season, the rare opportunity to be part of maritime history has surely made up for the change.
The 23,000-gross-ton Seabourn Pursuit is Seabourn Cruise Line’s newest ship, able to welcome 264 guests per sailing for unique expedition opportunities.
The ship features two custom-built, battery-powered expedition submarines, offering tours in exotic and unparalleled locales – along Antarctic reef walls, deep in archipelagos, and throughout tropical marine ecosystems, depending on the ship’s itinerary.
Acrylic spheres flanking the pilot’s station give submarine guests unmatched views of their dive locations, with rotating seating for the best sightlines and undistorted views. The subsea craft are operated by highly trained pilots and certified with Lloyd’s Register with annual inspections to ensure maximum safety at all times.
