Atlas Ocean Voyages, one of the newest entrants in the fast-growing luxury, small-ship expedition sector, is making its mark with travelers.
On a recent repositioning cruise aboard World Traveller as it headed from Buenos Aires to Ushuaia, Argentina, to begin the Antarctic season, I was surprised to discover nearly half of the 138 passengers onboard had been invited to the top deck Dome lounge for a reception for repeat travelers.
I guess I really shouldn’t have been surprised, given that I was on my third hosted sailing with Atlas in two years. And with each trip, it only seemed to get better.
But given that Atlas really only started sailing the first of its three ships four years ago as a completely unknown brand, I was impressed to find they have garnered such a loyal following among big-ship cruisers, noncruisers and small-ship lovers alike.
One couple was on their sixth sailing; others were on their second or third. Sue Terry of Nova Scotia was on her fourth, and she was preparing for her fifth: a trip to Antarctica with her partner, Kelly Bryden, in March.
Terry said she and Bryden had done their share of Caribbean and European cruises on larger ships over the years, but once they found Atlas and did a circumnavigation of Iceland in 2024, they were hooked.
“We fell in love with it,” Terry said. “I don’t think we’ll ever go back [to big ships].”
Terry said they really liked the luxury cabins and amenities, the friendly staff and the fact that the smaller ships can get to lesser-visited ports.
They also love the clientele.
“It’s a different type of passenger,” she said. “They are interesting people who love the outdoors. They’re not just there for a big cruise party.”
The yachts
Atlas has three yacht-style ships in its fleet, sleek blue vessels that look at home whether they’re anchored off the beaches of Sardinia or sailing in Antarctica.
With a capacity of 200 passengers, they are the perfect size for exploring polar regions, where there are increasingly tight controls on what size ships can enter sensitive areas and how many people at a time can make landings.
They are also small enough to escape the summer crowds in Europe and the Mediterranean, where Atlas sails cultural and epicurean expeditions.
The cabins, services and amenities are all luxury, but with an intimate, more casual feel than traditional luxury cruise ships. There’s no need to pack heels or pearls — unless you want to.
Most of the cabins and suites are 300 square feet or larger, with sitting areas and balconies or floor-to-ceiling windows that retract halfway to create an open-air feel. Bathrooms are spa-like, with colorful tiles and large showers that feature multiple heads and small benches.
There are two main lounges; one main dining room with an impressive array of constantly changing fine-dining options; a self-serve sandwich and snack bar; a pool deck with a hot tub and outdoor grill; a spa with a spacious sauna with floor-to-ceiling windows; a fitness center; and a small lecture hall.
The staff
When I asked other repeat Atlas cruisers what keeps bringing them back (besides the comfortable ships), an almost universal first response was the staff.
Yes, friendly staff who remember guests’ names along with their personal preferences are a staple of luxury hospitality. But on Atlas, you can tell these people really love their jobs. After all, sincerity is hard to fake.
On my first sailing with the line, not only did they remember my name and preference for rose wine from the first day, but one new staffer remembered me from a sailing two years prior — on another cruise line.
And the staff is always at the ready, whether it’s to help you get your parka and life jacket secured in the mud room before heading out on a Zodiac excursion or stopping to help you carry coffees to your room.
The experiences
My first sailing with Atlas was to Antarctica on World Voyager’s maiden expedition in November 2023. It was a traditional polar cruise and pretty much what I expected from the new generation of luxury small-ship players in the expedition space.
But where Atlas is really setting itself apart is with its cultural and epicurean expeditions, which give travelers a deeper dive into the food and history of the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and destinations like Morocco and the Azores.
On a 13-day epicurean adventure along the Italian and French Riviera, Spain, Sardinia and Sicily in the summer of 2024, I had almost as much fun learning about the local food and wines onboard as off. There were interesting lectures, cooking lessons with an Italian chef and lively competitions between teams of guests.
In port (save for a stop in Barcelona) we managed to avoid other ships and crowds by skipping bigger ports in favor of places like Sete, France, where we happened upon a water-jousting tournament on the main canal; Menorca, Spain, where we kayaked and snorkeled among underwater caves; and Sardinia, where we found a beachfront restaurant overlooking a harbor that is a favorite docking spot for the rich and famous.
But I think this trip was my favorite: the repositioning sailing this past November from Buenos Aires to the vineyards and beaches of Uruguay, to penguin and albatross colonies in the Falkland Islands, through the Chilean fjords and finally to Ushuaia. Though only offered once a year, it was what I would describe as a perfect hybrid of their culinary, cultural and traditional expeditions all in one 13-day trip.
Courtesy of Travel Weekly
