What elements define a luxury expedition cruise line?
To James Rodriguez, CEO of Atlas Ocean Voyages, a luxury expedition cruise is a “very intimate” experience delivered in deluxe fashion and focused on active exploration and cultural enrichment.
“Our experience is very engaging because it’s based on the expedition formula,” Rodriguez said in a recent interview. “Every voyage is designed as an expedition, whether you’re in the polar regions or you’re in the Med or any other region we travel to,” he said.
In fact, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ vessels are purpose-built for Arctic exploration yet offer the additional element of five-star luxury, Rodriguez said. Carrying fewer than 200 passengers, the globe-trotting vessels offer spacious suites and multiple dining options plus spa and sauna amenities and luxurious public spaces for gathering with fellow travelers.
“We designed this [company] as a year-round expedition product and part of that was based on the DNA of how this brand started as a polar expedition product,” Rodriguez said.
However, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ orientation also emerged “from my realization of what expedition is all about,” Rodriguez said, including an onboard camaraderie enhanced by plush accommodations and white-glove service.
Indeed, the Atlas fleet’s intimacy and deluxe accommodations serve to connect travelers to one another, Rodriguez said.
“The hardware that we have is absolutely beautiful and it allows for this type of communal activity,” he said, “and the size of our yachts lends themselves to this type of experience.”
Rodriquez added, “You can’t formulate this experience of community with expedition team members and [guests] aboard ships that carry 600 passengers or 800 passengers.”
Cultural Cruising
Cultural enrichment also factors heavily into the Atlas Ocean Voyages expedition equation. Earlier this year, the company launched a series of expert-led onboard workshops, lectures and seminars as part of its 2024 Cultural Expeditions program.
The new programs are offered as part of Atlas’ year-round polar and epicurean-focused expeditions. The educational agenda includes drone photography classes, culinary culture sessions and instructional workshops with destination experts and distinguished authors, scientists and diplomats.
The company’s culturally focused programming became a linchpin as Atlas Ocean Voyages expanded beyond its polar expedition origins, Rodriguez said.
“This kind of inspired, immersive and educational experience is what we wanted to take into the Med,” he said. “I wanted to have a product that is a little bit different.”
As a result, said Rodriguez, “We created a program that really brought those elements – the immersive part of it [and] the educational component of it – together.”
Atlas’ cultural programming has since expanded to multiple destinations. The “Atlas Focus Lab: Drone & Photo Workshops,” are offered in conjunction with World Navigator’s departures from April 18 through August 10, sailing the Canary Islands, Iceland, Ireland, and Norway.
The sessions provide guests with photographic instruction and visual storytelling education from destination and drone experts. The attached itineraries allow guests to test their acquired photo skills as they navigate the Canary Islands’ dunes and volcanoes and traverse rugged Icelandic trails in ATVs.
The Cultural Expeditions program’s 2024 “Cooking Culture” itineraries will feature guest chefs and food historians who communicate the culinary character and heritage of each region visited via onboard demonstrations, presentations and specialized tastings.
Focused on Caribbean, South American and Northern European itineraries, the series will be held aboard World Traveller’s March 31 departure, World Navigator’s sailings April 18, April 28, July 12, August 10 and October 27 voyages and World Voyager’s March 27, April 5, April 24, and May 2 cruises.
“We are excited to introduce a unique mix of immersive onboard and shoreside experiences where guests can gain insights from experts to further enrich their expedition,” said Rodriguez.
Atlas Ocean Voyages will remain connected to its roots in Arctic exploration in 2024, offering a selection of nine- to 12-night expeditions visiting Svalbard, Greenland and Iceland, with departures on August 5, August 15, August 21, August 25, September 1 and September 6.
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