I toured an ultra-luxury Seaborn cruise ship. It was the opposite of its parent company Carnival's lively vessels — and 11x the cost

The luxury cruise line has six ships; 13-year-old Quest is its second-oldest.

A handful of the ship's 2025 voyages are sold out. The most affordable — a 14-day roundtrip cruise from Yokohama, Japan, to southern Japan and Taiwan — starts at $10,236 per person.

It's a steep cost compared to its mass-market sister brand's cheapest 14-day 2025 voyage, which starts at $934 per person.

Carnival Cruise Line's oldest vessel is 26 years old. But Quest is relatively dated compared to the rest of Seabourn's fleet, which averages eight years old.

As such, expect some small design details reflecting its 2011 birth year, such as lower ceilings and some less-than-modern furniture.

However, indulging in desirable add-ons like specialty restaurants can quickly balloon the cost of your Carnival vacation.

Luxury companies like Seabourn take a different approach by selling pricier — albeit all-inclusive — base fares.

Its voyages may be more expensive than Carnival's, but you won't have to shell out extra cash for specialty dining, alcohol, or Starlink WiFi.

Unfortunately, excursions and spa treatments will still cost extra.

Hey, at least the caviar is free.

The Colonnade operates as a breakfast and lunch buffet until nightfall, when it becomes a table-service restaurant with rotating international themes.

The indoor-outdoor restaurant is more casual than Solis, the ship's upscale Mediterranean-inspired restaurant.

The modern dining room marries the upscale playfulness of a Virgin Voyages dining room with the seriousness of a fine-dining menu, complete with branzino and 32-ounce Tuscan-style porterhouse steak (both prepared tableside).

Don't expect to waltz in at your leisure — guests get one Solis reservation per sailing.

At least it is complimentary, unlike ultra-luxury competitor Silversea, which has upcharged restaurants on its newest ship.

For the intellectual traveler, the cruise line invites guest speakers — such as Apple cofounder Steve Wozniak and King Charles III's former butler, Grant Harrold — to give lectures at the theater.

For travelers who prefer to lounge under the sun, Quest also has a traditional pool deck and an onboard marina that opens directly onto the water.

The latter has become a popular amenity on competing ultra-luxury cruise ships, such as Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collections' Evrima.

Walk toward the bow and past the guest cabins on deck six to find the ship's fifth hot tub.

Or, stroll five decks up to find the quiet, staggered rows of lounge chairs.

It's a great place to read a book or nap under the sun.

There, you can pick from a selection of books, puzzles, or caffeinated pick-me-ups from the coffee shop.

If the puzzles don't appeal to you, the card room's fully stocked board game cabinet is a short walk away.

Unlike Carnival, Seabourn doesn't cater to families with young children. As such, don't expect more kid-friendly activities than the board games and upper-deck shuffleboard.

Quest has 229 cabins, ranging from 295 to 1,182 square feet. Most have balconies, which add up to 558 square feet of space.

The floating hotel rooms feature little touches of luxury, from the personalized in-suite bar to the walk-in closet.

It's certainly more luxurious than its parent company's eponymous cruise line, where paying for the cheapest accommodation means vacationing in a compact windowless cabin.