Atlas Ocean Voyages sails three yacht-style expedition ships, each with 100 suites and fewer than 200 guests, to Antarctica, the Arctic and Europe. A larger sailing yacht, Atlas Adventurer, joins in late 2028 for Asia and Africa. Atlas suits travelers who want real expedition days and a polished ship to come back to. We sailed World Navigator to Antarctica.
Where does Atlas sail?
Atlas mixes polar expeditions with warm-weather voyages. The ships work the poles in their seasons and Europe in between. Seasons below come from Atlas's current schedule. Confirm each departure with us.
November to March, from Ushuaia, with longer voyages adding the Falklands and South Georgia. Ships: World Navigator, World Traveller. Our experience: we sailed World Navigator to the Antarctic Peninsula in February and March 2024.
Antarctica by air (“Fly the Drake”)
Atlas flies guests by private charter between Punta Arenas, Chile, and King George Island, about two hours each way, instead of the two-day Drake Passage crossing. The “Drake Express” is a seven-night round trip from King George Island. “Drake Fly & Sail” crosses the Drake by sea one way and flies the other.
June to September. Ships: World Navigator, World Voyager. Our experience: we toured World Voyager in Svalbard in July 2025.
Greenland and the Canadian Arctic
July to September, including voyages between Nuuk and Churchill, Manitoba. Ship: World Navigator.
Summer. Ships: World Navigator, World Voyager.
Mediterranean and Europe
Spring to fall, on Atlas's food-focused “Epicurean” and “Cultural” voyages. Ships: all three.
Asia and Africa (from November 2028)
See What's new from Atlas? below.
Regions and seasons from Atlas's ship pages and press releases at atlasoceanvoyages.com, checked October 2026.
What ships does Atlas have?
Atlas has three yacht-style expedition ships in service and one sailing yacht due in late 2028. Atlas calls them yachts.
| Ship | Guests | Gross tonnage | Regions sailed | Our experience |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| World Navigator (launched 2021) | Fewer than 200 (100 suites) | Not published by operator | Antarctica, Svalbard, Iceland, Greenland, Canadian Arctic, Norway, Europe, Caribbean | Sailed |
| World Traveller (launched 2022) | Fewer than 200 (100 suites) | Not published by operator | Antarctica, South America, Mediterranean | Not yet aboard |
| World Voyager (launched 2023) | Fewer than 200 (100 suites) | Not published by operator | Svalbard, Iceland, Norway, British Isles, Western Europe, Mediterranean | Toured |
| Atlas Adventurer | Up to 400 (200 suites) | 26,000 | Japan, Southeast Asia, Indian Ocean, East and Southern Africa | Announced, due November 2028 |
From Atlas's yachts page, ship pages and its January 20, 2026 announcement of Atlas Adventurer. Atlas does not publish exact guest numbers or gross tonnage for its current ships. It describes them as carrying fewer than 200 guests in 100 suites.
Atlas says all its ships carry Polar Category C and Ice Class 1B ratings, which let them sail pole to pole.
What is Atlas like aboard?
Atlas calls its style “luxe-adventure.” On board, it feels like a small, well-run hotel. Dining is open seating with menus that change daily, and the dress code is relaxed, with no formal nights. There are no casinos or big-ship shows. Atlas moved to all-suite accommodations across the fleet in 2026, and Reserve suites come with butler service.
Atlas's “Always Included” list covers meals, bars and lounges with wines, spirits and craft beers, a stocked in-suite minibar, 24-hour room service, gratuities for onboard service staff, binoculars and walking sticks, and trip delay and medical evacuation coverage. Some activities cost extra. In Antarctica, kayaking and an overnight camp ashore are optional activities you reserve. Atlas includes the polar plunge.
We sailed World Navigator from Buenos Aires to the Antarctic Peninsula from February 24 to March 6, 2024. The days were real expedition days. Humpbacks spyhopped around our Zodiacs in Fournier Bay, and we watched leopard seals hunt chinstrap penguins at Duroch Island. We also took Atlas's overnight camping option at Eckener Point: nine hours, twenty-five minutes and forty-seven seconds off the ship, listening to glaciers crack. Then we came back to a warm suite and a good dinner. Read our full trip journal.
Atlas says its Antarctic voyages carry a 17-member expedition team of polar experts, naturalists, marine biologists, historians, photographers and kayak guides. Expect Zodiac cruises, landings, lectures and daily briefings.
Luxury does not make an expedition less real. Judge Atlas by what happens when you leave the ship, not by the dinner waiting when you get back. Some travelers want both.
What we heard at ECN in London, September 2026
Operator-supplied and forward-looking. Atlas briefed us on this ship at the Expedition Cruise Network conference in London in September 2026. Details below come from Atlas's own announcements. The ship is not yet in service.
Atlas is building Atlas Adventurer, which it calls the world's first luxury expedition sailing yacht. She is due in November 2028. Atlas says:
- She will carry up to 400 guests in 200 suites, at 26,000 gross tons and 690 feet long.
- She has three carbon masts with solid sails. When wind and sea allow, Atlas says she can sail with zero emissions and almost no noise.
- She also has dual-fuel engines, electric-hybrid propulsion and a 9-megawatt battery system.
- Her ice rating matches the current fleet: Ice Class 1B and Polar Category C.
- She will have seven dining venues, including a culinary studio, plus Zodiacs, motorboats and a marina platform with an ocean pool for kayaking and swimming.
She is about twice the size of Atlas's current ships. We will update this page once we have seen her.
What's new from Atlas?
Atlas has announced several new itinerary collections. All dates come from Atlas's own announcements.
- Japan, from November 2028. Atlas Adventurer's first season begins in Kobe, Japan. Two 12-night round trips from Kobe sail on November 6 and November 18, 2028 (“Far East Mystique” and “Shinto Shores & Samurai Legacies”). A 10-night Kobe to Hong Kong voyage follows on November 30, 2028.
- Asia and Africa, November 2028 to May 2029. Atlas Adventurer's inaugural season has 16 voyages of 8 to 21 nights through Southeast Asia, the Indian Ocean and East and Southern Africa, including Thailand, Indonesia, the Philippines, the Seychelles, Madagascar and Kenya, ending in Athens.
- Extended voyages of 40 to 128 nights. The longest, the 128-night “Grand Odyssey,” sails from Kobe to Cape Town on November 30, 2028.
- Fly the Drake, 2027–2028. Atlas expanded its fly-cruise Antarctica departures to six for the 2027–2028 season.
- Arctic 2028. Atlas announced 13 Arctic voyages of 7 to 17 nights, including Greenland and Churchill.
- Europe 2028. Atlas announced 37 food- and culture-focused European voyages.
Who is Atlas right for, and who should look elsewhere?
A strong fit if you want
- Adventure without roughing it
- Real expedition days and a refined ship to come back to
- Food, wine and service as part of the trip
- A first expedition that feels comfortable as well as adventurous
- Antarctica by air, without the Drake Passage both ways
Look elsewhere if you want
- The ship to barely matter, with every dollar going to time ashore
- A rugged, traditional expedition atmosphere
- A science or citizen-science program at the center of the trip
- The smallest possible ship and group
How does Atlas compare?
Ultra-luxury cruising with expedition voyages added to the range. We have sailed Seabourn.
French style and design-led ships. We have toured a Ponant ship.
Less polish on board, with naturalists and National Geographic experts at the center of the day. We have sailed Lindblad.
For the opposite style: Oceanwide puts almost everything into time off the ship.
We book across every operator, so we compare Atlas's ships and dates against these before you commit. For a ship-to-ship view, see SH Diana vs World Navigator, or browse every expedition cruise line.
Atlas Ocean Voyages FAQs
How many ships does Atlas Ocean Voyages have?
Three in service: World Navigator, World Traveller and World Voyager. Each has 100 suites and carries fewer than 200 guests. A fourth, the sailing yacht Atlas Adventurer, is due in November 2028.
Is Atlas a real expedition line or a luxury cruise line?
Both. Atlas pairs a luxury-style ship with Zodiac cruises, landings and an expedition team in Antarctica and the Arctic. Outside the poles, its voyages lean toward food and culture.
What is Atlas Adventurer?
Atlas's new ship, which it calls the world's first luxury expedition sailing yacht. She is due in November 2028, with up to 400 guests, three carbon masts with solid sails and hybrid propulsion. Her first season sails Japan, Southeast Asia and Africa.
Does Atlas sail to Japan?
Starting in November 2028. Atlas Adventurer's first voyages are 12-night round trips from Kobe on November 6 and November 18, 2028, followed by Kobe to Hong Kong on November 30.
Can you fly to Antarctica with Atlas?
Yes. Atlas's "Fly the Drake" voyages use private charter flights between Punta Arenas, Chile, and King George Island, about two hours each way.
Have you sailed with Atlas?
Yes. We sailed World Navigator to Antarctica in February and March 2024, including a night camping ashore. We also toured World Voyager in Svalbard in July 2025.
Our experience with Atlas: Chris and Erika sailed World Navigator from Buenos Aires to the Antarctic Peninsula, February 24 to March 6, 2024, and toured World Voyager in Svalbard in July 2025. We have not been aboard World Traveller. Atlas Adventurer is not yet built. What we say about her comes from Atlas.
