We had booked our cruise about a year before its departure date and were fine with the lowest-tier room available.

About a month before we left, we received an offer to upgrade to a panoramic penthouse for $8,500 more per person. When that upgrade price later dropped to $3,500 per person, we decided to do it.

Lastly, before we left, we bought waterproof outer layers, thermals, and other items that were essential for our upcoming cold landings.

We flew from the Northeastern US to Buenos Aires a day early since we were concerned about potential flight delays due to storms.

We spent a night at the Faena Hotel, which felt chic and offered fantastic service. The next day, we headed to the luxurious Avelar Palace for a one-night stay, which was included in our cruise fare.

After checking in, we visited the Seabourn hospitality room, where a representative handed us our boarding passes and told us to leave our tagged luggage outside our rooms before bed.

The next morning, we boarded an early bus to the charter flight to our ship in Ushuaia, Argentina.

This flight was also included in our cruise fare, and a Seabourn representative accompanied us on the journey. Our tagged luggage was already en route, so we didn't have to lug it with us.

The service was fine, though legroom on the plane was limited.

After a short walk around the small town of Ushuaia, it was time to board Seabourn Pursuit.

Our panoramic suite featured plenty of storage space, heated floors, and incredible floor-to-ceiling windows.

It also came stocked with thoughtful touches like umbrellas and Swarovski Optik binoculars for us to use throughout our trip.

We had a more sizable shower than we've had on other cruises and a jacuzzi tub.

There was a double vanity with a large mirror above it and, again, plenty of storage space.

Most days, we had breakfast and lunch at onboard restaurant The Colonnade. These meals were served buffet-style, though we could also order eggs or daily specials from the waitstaff.

The main dining room, The Restaurant, offered waiter service for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

For the most part, the food on our trip was quite good — especially considering we were essentially on a floating base camp for three weeks.

Room service was also available 24/7, which we often took advantage of during rough seas. I loved that we could order caviar anytime and anywhere.

We also spent time at the onboard lounge The Club, where we could listen to live music and order a selection of nigiri, sashimi, and rolls.

The main reason to embark on an expedition cruise like this is to witness awe-inspiring landscapes and encounter wildlife.

We frequently saw whales and birds from the boat, but the true highlights of our trip were the excursions and Zodiac cruises, where we boarded a small boat called a Zodiac to explore more remote locations.

Most days, the expedition team offered both a morning and afternoon activity.

Every day was truly an adventure, as the weather frequently changed, so too did our plans.

Our captain and expedition leader emphasized the need for flexibility throughout the trip and later reported that we'd deviated from our planned itinerary 86 times during the 21-day journey.

It didn't bother me. The Antarctic was truly breathtaking.

Each evening, we had a briefing about the plan for the following day.

Our first landing was on New Island in the Falklands.

We hiked about 5 miles through stunning terrain and saw rockhopper and Magellanic penguins, elephant seals, and other wildlife.

We also had our only "dry landing" of the trip in Stanley, the capital of the Falklands. I particularly enjoyed our visit to Bluff Cove, where we saw several King Penguins.

After three days in the Falklands, we set sail for South Georgia. Here, we saw countless fur seals amid the ruins of old whaling stations.

We also visited Salisbury Plain, home to tens of thousands of breeding pairs of King Penguins. We visited by Zodiac but did not land in order to take precautions against avian flu.

In between activities and excursions, I often headed to the cruise's onboard spa (an added cost) to indulge in a massage or enjoy the sauna.

The ship had multiple jacuzzis and a small pool, too. Most of them had incredible views of the landscape and waters surrounding us.

I also spent some of our time at sea attending talks and lectures from members of the expedition team, who spoke about a range of topics, such as marine biology, geology, history, and oceanography.

Perhaps the most incredible part of the trip was peering below the ocean floor in one of the ship's two submersibles.

After hearing about the OceanGate submersible disaster in 2024, I was nervous to set foot in one of these vehicles. However, our pilots thoroughly explained the submersible technology and how it was tested.

They also noted we were descending only 300 meters — OceanGate's vessel had attempted to go thousands of meters underwater.

Reassured, I took a Zodiac to the sub, then climbed down a short, three-rung ladder into the craft, which holds up to six guests and a pilot. I found it surprisingly easy to navigate getting in and out.

Once under the water, the experience felt otherworldly. We observed a variety of invertebrates on the seafloor, and the phenomenon of polar gigantism, where animals living in the poles are far bigger than their counterparts near the equator

The Seabourn Pursuit felt more like a luxury basecamp than a cruise ship, with a dedicated team of marine biologists, geologists, historians, kayak guides, and even submarine pilots.

Each day at sea was truly an adventure. I saw colonies of chinstrap and Adélie penguins, countless whales, and striking geological formations. I got to go under the water and explore a continent I'd long dreamed of seeing.

The trip was expensive but felt like a worthwhile investment considering our journey was long and included multiple incredible stops and excursions.

I had such a good time on this cruise that I booked another expedition trip on the Seabourn Pursuit to Australia's Kimberley region while still on board.