We’re docked amid the massive yachts of the super-rich, who compete to have the biggest and flashiest water toys. But sorry, boys, we have you beat.
We’re aboard the impressive new mega-yacht World Traveller, 126 meters long and 7 decks tall. Like all good yachts she can sail into practically any port deemed worthy of its elegant presence, carrying a crew that’s almost one-to-one with its nearly 200 guests.
And because Atlas Ocean Voyages built this ship for adventure, those ports can include places with no ports at all, like Antarctica and the high Arctic. And yet, it’s got all the luxury amenities and elegant marble and polished wood grain finishes of an ultra- luxurious seagoing home.
We’re sailing the Mediterranean in search of new epicurean delights, slipping into seldom-visited harbors to explore regional foods with our gustatory guide, ”master foodie” Mara Papatheodorou and guest chefs. We’ll be exploring local markets and small seaside cafes sampling gourmet treats, fresh oysters and local wines.
Over the next 12 days we are about to become part of a friendly family. The roster covers a range of ages, including family groups with young children. A number of Atlas repeaters got their first tastes on Antarctic expeditions and are back for a warm weather experience, with fascinating stories to tell.
Our balcony cabin packs a lot into its 270 square feet. The walls feature rich wood-grain panelling and fabrics are in Mediterranean shades of blue, yellow and green. Along with the queen-sized bed there’s a desk, a table and two comfortable side chairs. Hanging space is a bit cramped but there are many shelves and drawers. A shallow closet that’s specifically designed for hanging damp clothes on polar expeditions is where the life vests live on this voyage. The marble lined bathroom is large, with an ample shower enclosure that features a choice of hand-held spray or rainforest shower and body jets. The toiletries are premium French brand L’Occitane.
It’s an easy ship to get to know. Grab a drink at the bar in the lounge –a kir royale is a house specialty–and we’ll take a tour. Public spaces are all located on deck 4, including the theater, lounge, the all-day coffee and snack bar Paula’s Pantry and the Lisboa dining room. Deck 7 at the top of the ship features the panoramic Dome lounge, deck bar and grill and an ice cream cart open all day long. A pool and whirlpool is on a raised platform amidships. The dress code is casual by day and smart, but informal, at night.
Docked near the famous Onassis yacht, we steal the show–Photo by Wallace Immen
In years of cruising in Europe, I’ve never had the opportunity to explore many of the ports we’re visiting on this voyage. We’re starting in the port for Rome and are visiting Nice and Barcelona. In the yacht basin of Nice, we looked down from our fifth deck balcony onto the legendary Christina O – the fabled yacht on which Ari Onassis wooed Jacqueline Kennedy. Gossip says you can charter her for a mere $700,000 US a week, plus tips and food of course. All in all, I think we still got a better deal aboard the World Traveller.
Most days though, we’re going ashore in places where we’re the only cruise visiting. There’s Portoferraio, on the island of Elba, for a look at how an island that once was a place to exile Napoleon has become a thriving playground for the Euro elite. There’s Portovenere, a gorgeous, historic town on the Italian Riviera that’s an unspoiled treat compared to the crowded cruise ship regulars of Portofino and the Cinque Terre.
Every exclusive harbor gives us the opportunity to have unique adventures, with groups often small enough to travel in small luxury vans rather than buses.
One day it was Mahón on the island of Menorca, (try to find that on an itinerary of any other cruise line). Our group of 10 for a tour of recently discovered ancient sites included a guide and an archeological researcher, who invited us to stop for breakfast at their favorite local café. We felt like explorers visiting recently discovered pre-historic limestone dwellings and towering stone monuments built by the little-known Talayotic culture that developed on the island more than 3,000 years ago. We were gathering insights and sifting for pottery shards along with the experts.
Most exclusive of all the stops on our voyage is Porto Cervo on Sardinia, a place that has become a hideaway of the ultra-rich. As if to rub it in, their floating mansions docked around the bay sport names like Magnum and Oversized and still we outweigh them all. We join the ongoing beach party for yachties, where even when people are wearing hardly anything at all, they look like a million dollars.
It’s an amazing show, and if you don’t want to sample a pricey dish ashore, just head back to World Traveller for a gourmet lunch. In the evening, it’s cocktails and snacks on our yacht for a glorious sail-away.
The fare includes gourmet dining and open bars everywhere on the ship, as well as gratuities, and extras like an exclusive evening rooftop party on the Promenade des Anglaise in Nice with a hot band and cool sangrias. But there are some puzzling exclusions. Even though this is a well-connected crowd, wi-fi is not among the perks and it will add $245 to your bill for a week. But that’s not out of line with prices on other ships and the connection is speedy and reliable even for streaming. Another anomaly is that while all cocktails and many premium liquors are included, others are not. For instance, if you insist on Grey Goose or Ketel One instead of Titos or Absolut vodka there’s a $7 supplement.
On board World Traveller you can choose your schedule your way. There are no set meal times and for dinners one of our favorite places to dine in the Lisboa restaurant was to choose a quiet table on the covered rear deck with a beautiful view of the setting sun.
There are no floor shows or virtual reality on World Traveeller. There’s no need.. The reality of this cruise is memorable enough. You may not have heard of Atlas Ocean Voyages, that entered the cruise market in 2020 just when the cruise industry was locking down, but it’s a must-try discovery now that cruising is hot again.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
1 Trackback / Pingback
Comments are closed.