Atlas Ocean Voyages: the back story

About Atlas Ocean Voyages: the back story

By the ULTIMATE the world’s cruise lines Editorial Team

Editor-in-Chief: Jai Michael

Atlas Ocean Voyages, a Mystic Cruises company, sails small, purpose-built yachts on year-round expeditions: polar voyages with Zodiac safaris, and cultural and culinary voyages in Europe, Asia and Africa.

Yachts for every latitude

Atlas Ocean Voyages builds small yachts with Polar Category C and Ice Class 1B ratings, which, in the line’s words, let them explore the globe from pole to pole. Each has no more than 200 suites. World Navigator is styled after the 1940s, with art deco touches; World Traveller is Italian in mood, La Dolce Vita at sea; World Voyager is Nordic, with pale woods and marble.

Three kinds of expedition

Polar expeditions to Antarctica and the Arctic use Zodiac safaris and shore landings, guided by expedition teams with first-hand polar experience. Epicurean expeditions travel with culinarians who cook and teach on board and ashore; cultural expeditions bring artists, historians and other local experts aboard. The yachts sail all year, from the Falklands and the Antarctic Peninsula to the Rivieras, the Dalmatian coast, Japan and East Africa.

Return to the yacht as you are, and share the day with fellow voyagers.

Everything included

Atlas calls its inclusions Always Included: dining with ever-changing menus, open bars and lounges with fine wines, spirits and craft beers, specialty coffees and fresh-pressed juices, a stocked minibar, 24-hour room service and gratuities for onboard staff. Binoculars and walking sticks are provided, and the fare carries trip-delay and medical-evacuation cover.

On board

Porto, the main restaurant, serves dishes that change daily, with a plant-based option every night; by night the 7AFT Grill becomes an open-air chophouse cooking on a Josper charcoal grill on Epicurean and Cultural expeditions. Afternoon tea is served in The Dome, with 270-degree and overhead views. Water’s Edge puts you about 30 ft above the sea, with heated seats, for watching whales and dolphins.

Under sail

Atlas Adventurer, the first Atlas-class yacht, combines sails with Polar Class capability; the line calls her the world’s first luxury expedition sailing yacht. Her itineraries on the line’s site begin in December 2028.

Our advice: choose by expedition type first. For Antarctica, book a polar voyage from Ushuaia; for a first taste of the style, a Mediterranean epicurean voyage on World Traveller shows the yachts at their most relaxed. The Concierge Collection is the sweet spot for a veranda and laundry.

Opening hours, prices and seasonal openings change, so please check with Atlas Ocean Voyages: the back story before you go.