Onboard Review: Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Voyager—Convivial Vibes, Intimate Luxury

SHIPAtlas Ocean Voyages’ World Voyager—Convivial Vibes, Intimate LuxuryBy Regina BarabanExcited to be sailing Atlas Ocean Voyages’ World Voyager on a bucket-list cultural expedition from Iceland to Ireland, I tentatively slipped out of my lovely stateroom on the first night of the cruise for a “Meet Your Neighbors” gathering in the hallway. The friendly buzz was instantaneous, and I quickly got to know many of my fellow passengers, hailing from Denver to New York to London—all excited to be on this off-the-beaten-path journey. Fortified by passed drinks and hors d’oeuvres, we chatted until dinner. Connections were made, stories were shared and a convivial vibe defined the tone for our week ahead.LOUNGEAn Intimate Yacht World Voyager, the third ship in the Portugal-flagged Atlas fleet of luxe yet unstuffy yacht-like expedition vessels, set sail in 2023. Like its sister ships, World Voyager offers an all-inclusive experience. With 100 outside cabins, it comfortably accommodates up to 198 passengers. The vibe is stylish yet relaxed, with a nearly 1:1 guest-to-staff ratio of officers, staff and crew courteously attending to your clients’ every need. Eight nationalities were represented on my voyage and I quickly got to know many friendly staff and crew members. On board World Voyager, there’s a lovely abundance of indoor and outdoor spaces on the six decks to chill out and enjoy the views. The Dome observatory lounge on the highest deck has curved floor-to-ceiling windows and a wraparound viewing platform. Lower decks sport four additional outdoor viewing areas, including Water’s Edge at the ship’s bow where clients will appreciate a heated wraparound bench on cold days. Inside, windowed lounge areas with comfortable upholstered seating bring the outdoors in. I enjoyed an excellent massage in the small L’Occitane spa— bookings should be made early. The spa’s large sauna is free of charge, with great outdoor viewing in a lounge area that has four heated lounge chairs plus tables and chairs facing floor-to-ceiling windows.My chic Veranda stateroom, decorated in neutral hues with pops of color, was a comfy home away from home. The bathroom is a standout, with L’Occitane toiletries and a spacious mosaic glass shower with a rain shower head, body jets and handheld wand. The ship also has Horizon staterooms with Juliet balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows, and three categories of 1-bedroom suites with extra amenities such as a deep bathtub and personal butler. Atlas is committed to reducing environmental impact and this is reflected in such details as reusable glass bottles and complimentary water bottles in the staterooms. Stateroom attendants fill the glass water bottles nightly and there’s a water station on the ship for guests to fill their water bottles before heading out on excursions.For FoodiesRoom service is free and available for all guests, and there’s a small cafe with a variety of snacks, smoothies and coffees—this is the place for a cappuccino. I enjoyed eating all my meals in the main restaurant, impressed with the food quality and range of vegetarian options. Breakfast and lunch buffets offered a bounty of delicious choices and the dinner menu included plant-based starters and a veggie main course every night—there’s no need for vegetarian clients to make special requests. There are also three chef-driven entree choices each night, such as Black Angus Chateaubriand with smoked green beans, truffle sauce, baked garlic aioli and green asparagus foam. Always available main courses on the menu include grilled grass-fed dry aged ribeye steak, sous vide salmon steak wrapped with herbs, chargrilled plant-based steak, pasta items and a traditional Portuguese main course. A tip for clients who eat healthy: ask for a fruit plate dessert. The kitchen gave me a different, elevated fruit presentation each night that tasted as good as it looked.SPAConnections and CamaraderieMany onboard happenings throughout our cruise week encouraged mingling and continued the convivial tone of the “Meet Your Neighbors” activity. Among my favorites was the Yachtsman’s Cookoff, an Iron Chef-type competition enthusiastically hosted by our charismatic cruise director Greg. Gathering in the comfy Atlas Lounge set up with ingredient-laden tables, we watched four couples compete in a cookoff to create a cold dish that was evaluated by fellow-passenger judges for presentation, taste and cleanliness. The “Voyager Surf & Turf” winner was offered as a starter course on our dinner menu a few nights later. By the time we gathered for a lively crew talent show towards the end of the cruise, it felt like a fun family get-together, with guests exchanging contact information and chatting about future travels.STATEROOMHidden Gem DestinationsWhile the Atlas ships are outfitted and equipped for Polar expeditions, there are two other categories of cruises available during Polar off-seasons: Epicurean and Cultural. My Reykjavik to Dublin cultural expedition in September was a deep dive into off-the-beaten path destinations, often docking in ports accessible only to small ships. Severe weather conditions prohibited us from visiting our first scheduled port of call in Denmark’s Faroe Islands, but on an extra day in Reykjavik I discovered the restorative geothermal waters of nearby Sky Lagoon that healed my tired body and wiped away all traces of jet lag. I highly recommend this beautiful new oceanside experience for clients with limited time in Reykjavik. After that, our expedition took us to three stops in Scotland—Stornoway (Isles of Lewis), Fort William (Loch Ness) and Greenock (Glasgow), then Belfast (Northern Island) and Dublin. It wasn’t easy to choose from among the choices of Atlas Ashore excursions in these beautiful and historical locales. One standout was an exploration of the Isles of Lewis in the remote and breathtaking Outer Hebrides archipelago. Walking among Scotland’s most famous stone circle, the Callanish (also known as Calanais) Standing Stones, felt indescribably mysterious. The ancient stones, which pre-date England’s Stonehenge, are set on a prominent ridge overlooking land and sea and radiate outward to form a rough cross shape. There’s a center stone circle that suggests ritual activities but the makers of these stones and their purpose remains unknown. Among my other excursion highlights was a gondola ride and short hike on the UK’s highest mountain range, the Nevis Range, with views for miles; the fascinating Titanic Belfast museum in Belfast; and exploring the spectacular geological wonder called the Giant’s Causeway on the coast of Northern Ireland. And I enjoyed onboard lectures from cultural expert Barry Walsch, who covered Northern European history from the Vikings to Charles Rennie MacIntosh. Advisor note: Atlas’s 2025 season of Epicurean and Cultural Expeditions will visit Northern Europe, the British Isles, Iceland and the coastal regions of northern France, the Netherlands and Denmark, with 50 new ports from the grand twin abbeys of Caen to the cascading waterfalls of Zadar. Contact Information Atlas Ocean Voyages: atlasoceanvoyages.com

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