What's a Caribbean cruise with Atlas Ocean Voyages like?
You might think it easy to set up a luxury cruise line—build a boat, put it in the water, invite people aboard and send it to the Caribbean. Since its foundation in 2019, Atlas Ocean Voyages have made it look so, straddling a fine line between bougie yacht voyages and cultural expeditions in warmer waters and unflinching expeditions around our world’s cold polar region. Their three ships—World Voyager, World Navigator and World Traveller—feature a classic and classy look with a symmetrical design, a single funnel and a navy blue hull. Each looks at home in whichever sea they sail, and I boarded Voyager in Barbados to set sail for eight days in the Caribbean.
Like the merciful trade winds of the West Indies around us, check in was a breeze. Voyager is perfect for those looking to adventure without giving up their creature comforts—a blast of air conditioning as we boarded for the first time, a cold towel for my already-burnt neck, a huge glass of champagne and a canapé. We were soon shown to Horizon Stateroom 365 on the sixth deck which turned out to be perfectly placed. The uncrowded, undiscovered aft deck at the end of our corridor was shaded and empty most of the time with a pick of eight deck chairs; the top sun deck was a hop up one flight of stairs, while the main restaurant, Madeira, was a hop down two.
Portugal is a running theme of this young cruise line and a nod to Atlas’s parent company. Mystic Travel Holding is a heavyweight in the Portuguese tourism industry, with over 25 years of experience as the company behind DouroAzul, Nicko Cruises, Mystic Cruises and more. Each ship’s main restaurant is named after a region of Portugal and every itinerary features at least one Portuguese-themed menu in the evening. Atlas is actually the first cruise line to sail under the Portuguese flag, with their fleet of three registered in their home country.
At 270ft², our stateroom is a spacious twin and the entry-level accommodation. The flagship feature is a floor-to-ceiling Juliette balcony with a remote control drop-top window—perfect for watching the tropical sun rise as paradisiacal islands float past in the morning. Besides the window, we were treated to an L-sofa comfortable enough for my shipmate to fall asleep on more than once, a minibar restocked daily with our favourite drinks by the wonderful maid Melissa, 24-hour food and bar service; Nespresso coffee and Kusmi tea; a wall-mounted television with, amongst other things, a livestream beamed from the theatre; ample wardrobe space for our horde of shorts and t-shirts; plush terry bathrobes and sumptuous Portuguese cotton linens by Lameirinho. Above all the bathroom is a pleasure to be in, featuring a walk-in mosaic glass with additional rain head and body jets. Atlas’s l’Occitane partnership shows itself here, in shower gels, shampoos, conditioners, hand soaps and body lotions that had me smelling—if I must say so myself—delicious.
The rest of the ship is similarly modern, clean and contemporary. A soft colour palette softens further the plush furnishings. Above all, it’s comfortable. From the state-of-the-art Atlas Theatre where we were briefed, debriefed and expertly lectured towards the bow of the ship, through the cavernous Atlas Lounge where we were entertained by the Staff Talent Show—sometimes hilarious, often heartwarming. The reception area is spacious and airy while Paula’s Pantry is the cruise line’s casual cafe. Opening at 7am and closing at 6pm each day, baristas here were well trained to serve all types of coffees (regular and iced), teas, fresh juices and hot and cold snacks; pastries, sandwiches, pinsas, fruit and oat bars. It was a fantastic addition to Deck Five and a caramel frappe saved me more than once after a day exploring under a blistering sun.
And then we come to the ship's irreplaceable main restaurant, Madeira, the setting for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I found something new at the breakfast buffet every day. It was broad, and some standout offerings of a smashing spread included Iberico ham, carved right in front of you, a huge honeycomb that nobody seemed to know what to do with, a wide selection of hot foods (all the ingredients for a full English—beans included) and an even wider selection of cold: Fresh fish, fresh vegetables, cold cuts, warm croissants and fresh fruit. The fruit was especially incredible—always perfectly ripe. There’s also a fresh juice station manned by Jasper, the happiest cruise waiter I have ever met. All in all, breakfast aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages is a winner.
There are two options for lunch. The buffet in Madeira is as far reaching as at breakfast. Porridge and cereals were replaced by soup in the sous vides, bangers, beans and bacon were replaced with all kinds of hot proteins; chicken, turkey, various fish and the rest; even Jasper the Juicer was gone, replaced by a chef. Chef could cook anything, from a beautifully simple Caesar salad to kaiserschmarrn, a chopped Austrian pancake dish that translates literally to Emperor's Mess. The second lunch option sits up on the pool deck at 7Aft, the first Josper Grill at sea and the ship’s speciality restaurant in the evening (bookings required on the day, no surcharge). Open from 2pm ‘til 4pm, a small menu served burgers, hot dogs, chicken wings and fries—all were delicious and followed by homemade ice cream. Flavours change every day, but I’d recommend lemon cheesecake if you get the opportunity.
It’s difficult to surmise dinner. The Always Available menu featured a Caesar salad and tomato soup for starters, a choice between beef, plant-based or salmon steak and a variety of sides. The plant-based amongst us are suitably catered to with their own menu every night. Highlights from my sailing included wild mushroom risotto, a tofu pad Thai and a lip-smacking tarta de Santiago. I can’t claim too much knowledge about those menus though because I was too enamoured by the a la carte, which took on a new theme every night. Indian curries, Mongolian beef, Japanese sashimi, Italian pasta, British beef wellington and New England clam chowder were all fantastic. But it was Guest Chef Luciana Berry who stole the show for me. As part of the Epicurean Expedition programme, she served at least one dish every night she was on board. Linguado is a white fish and it was rolled for a meaty, hearty texture. It was served with a creamy and sweet plantain puree and a cassava crumb to make the full set—a trifecta of perfectly balanced flavours and textures complementing each other. I wish I could eat it again and again.
In the end this wasn’t just a trip, but an exercise in enjoying and indulging myself. If you’re looking for a cruise that combines high seas with high standards, Atlas has charted the course to perfection. An adventure awaits—and the fares are very reasonable indeed.
Call Panache Cruises on 0161 513 8200 if you want to learn more about Atlas Ocean Voyages.
