Atlas Ocean Voyages World Seeker

The Balconies and Picture Windows: All 98 staterooms and suites feature an ocean view—and nearly 90 percent have a balcony. They come in seven categories, ranging from 183-square-foot Adventure Staterooms with a large picture window and a mosaic-tiled spa shower to 466-square-foot one-bedroom Navigator Suites with a spa shower and bathtub plus a 106-square-foot veranda. A notable option is the 269-square-foot Horizon Staterooms, which feature a floor-to-ceiling glass wall with an upper panel that slides open to make the entire cabin a veranda. Atlas’s Porto-based parent company originally developed the concept for its DouroAzul river ships. 

The World-Spanning Itineraries: If World Navigator’s initial 2021 and 2022 itineraries are an indication of what’s to come—the first ship will visit six continents and offering access to everything from the red sandstone facades of Petra to the gleaming blue icebergs of the Antarctic Circle—World Seeker’s cruises can be expected to range from seven-to-24-nights and focus on off-the-beaten path and bucket-list destinations. 

Design That’s Not Fussy: Easy elegance is the brand’s design mantra and using a blend of classic and contemporary styles—a touch of Art Deco in muted greens, blues and neutrals in the staterooms and panoramic lounge—combined with a heated pool and whirlpools and restaurants featuring Michelin-star-inspired cuisine, Atlas has created a soothing environment for its luxe-adventure brand.

A Focus on Sustainability: Like a growing number of cruise lines, Atlas has banned single-use plastics aboard its ships. But when World Seeker cruises off on its first voyage sometime in 2022, it will also do so with the benefit of the latest hybrid power management and propulsion system that consumes as little as one-fifth the fuel of conventional cruise ship systems. And with its alternate hydro-jet propulsion, it can quietly cruise up to five knots without disturbing sensitive marine wildlife. 

MAX SHORE Excursions: On select sailings, for example in the Black Sea and Holy Land, World Seeker passengers will have the option of enjoying complimentary multi-night, off-the-ship land immersions to destinations such as Kiev, Petra and a Bedouin camp.

Authenticity Seekers: Atlas describes its intended cruise clientele as “low-key connoisseurs in search of authentic cultural experiences and once-in-a-lifetime journeys.” And 423-foot-long World Seeker is built to deliver that with a 1B-Ice Class-certified hull and 18 custom-designed Zodiac MilPro Mark V inflatable boats to ferry passengers ashore in even the remotest locales.

All-Inclusive Luxe-Adventure Has a High Price Tag: Yes, it’s all included—roundtrip airfare, accommodations, food and premium beverages, Wi-Fi, gratuities and complimentary excursions in select ports—but it may be beyond some traveler’s budgets: 2021’s published fares on the first ship, World Navigator, start at $5,299 per person for a seven-night sailing in Greece and Italy and $15,499 for a 12-night Antarctic journey.