Seabourn has held the launch ceremony for its newest expedition ship, Seabourn Venture.

The event, which took place at the T. Mariotti shipyard in Genoa, Italy, saw a bottle of celebratory Champagne smashed against the hull.

In line with tradition, a ‘madrina’ – the Italian word for godmother – played a prominent role in the ceremony.

For Seabourn Venture, this position was filled by Jarda Versloot-West, Seabourn’s senior manager of expedition staffing.

The 264-passenger ship will now move from its dry dock to its outfitting dock at the shipyard, where it will undergo its final construction phase.

Seabourn Venture’s inaugural season is scheduled to start on 10 April 2022, with the ship exploring the UK on its maiden voyage, departing from Greenwich. New inaugural itineraries will go on sale on 19 August.

It had been due to launch in December this year, but the date was changed due to “pandemic disruptions and related supply chain challenges”.

Guests currently booked on Seabourn Venture voyages scheduled to depart between 11 December 2021 – 24 April 2022 will receive more details about cancellations specific to their booking.

Seabourn president Josh Leibowitz said: “This ceremony carries on a rich shipbuilding tradition, representing a significant step toward the launch of our first purpose-built ultra-luxury expedition ship.

“I receive notes from guests and partners across the travel industry on a regular basis, who eagerly await the arrival of this beautiful, very capable ship that will take them to places many people dream of visiting one day.”

A second yet-to-be-named sister expedition ship is also under construction at the T. Mariotti shipyard.

Both ships will be designed and built for diverse environments to PC6 Polar Class standards and will include “modern hardware and technology” that will extend their global deployment and capabilities, the line said.

Each will carry two custom-built submarines, 24 zodiacs, kayaks and a 26-person expert expedition team.