Dispatch, Entire world Navigator: A throwback ship on its maiden cruise: Journey Weekly

Peter Knego is aboard Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new Planet Navigator for the cruise line’s maiden voyage.

Covid curveball

As Atlas Ocean Voyages’ new World Navigator sailed from Heraklion to Alexandria, the captain produced a sobering announcement.

ABOARD THE World NAVIGATOR — As a supporter of traditional ships and cruising, I was delighted to learn that Atlas Ocean Voyages’ aim is to emulate the shipboard vibe of Sunshine Line, a relatives-owned Greek organization that was renowned for its everyday brand name of luxury and style. 

This ship, the 196-passenger Earth Navigator, is the 1st of 5 ships that Atlas has on get. It is currently on its maiden voyage, a 10-day sailing involving Athens and Alexandria, Egypt by way of the Greek islands.

Sunshine Line was thought of the most deluxe of a number of Greek family members-owned cruise lines that commenced functioning cruise ships in the Aegean, at some point increasing to European, Caribbean and South American itineraries. The line formed in the late 1950s and lasted until finally 1995, when it merged with previous rival Epirotiki Lines to form Royal Olympic Cruises, which went bankrupt in 2003.

The Globe Navigator’s Dome Lounge. Photo Credit: Peter Knego

Atlas president Alberto Aliberti, who is onboard this sailing, shared that his to start with seagoing career was getting in cost of the safety deposit containers aboard Sunshine Lines’ famous Stella Solaris. On that ship, rich females would existing him with silk luggage total of jewellery to treatment for.

But unlike other luxury firms that were being stuffy and reserved, these ladies arrived to enable their hair down and have a excellent time. Most would flock to the Stella Solaris’ Piano Bar, the ship’s social hub, which was just one of people “what transpired there, stayed there” sites. That clarifies why on this ship, there are in fact two piano bars: The Atlas Lounge and the Dome.

As the Atlas fleet expands, Aliberti claimed that he envisions a host of new and daring itineraries this sort of as cruises along the Western Pacific location of Russia, Antarctica cruises that depart from New Zealand and voyages to and all-around the east coastline of Africa. The target is to provide some thing for very well-traveled visitors who are seeking new adventures.

In the meantime, when the Navigator completes its Mediterranean season, the ship will head to the Caribbean and at some point South The usa and Antarctica.

Atlas Ocean Voyages’ Earth Navigator in Patmos, Greece. Picture Credit score: Peter Knego

In building the Environment Navigator, Atlas discovered from its guardian corporation, Mystic Invest Holding, which presently operates about 60 river, cruise and expedition ships.

Our stateroom, a 270-sq.-foot Horizon Suite, has a Juliet balcony, generally a flooring-to-ceiling window, the best half of which slides down with the push of a button. Specially through this heat wave, we have basically preferred this to a regular balcony, which would be uninhabitable.

This attribute has demonstrated well-known on river cruise ships owned by Mystic and is now remaining emulated on other oceangoing ships. It arrived in in particular handy the other day as we sailed out of Nafplion, allowing us to just take some pics and movie as the ship passed, all with out possessing to courageous the swelter.

And mainly because of the further house not taken up with a balcony, our Horizon Suite has a commodious sitting space with a large desk with a developed in mini-bar and a Nespresso espresso maker, in addition to a cocktail desk, two huge chairs and a sofa. The bedroom has a queen mattress (that can be converted to two twins), a pair of night time stands and an elevated shelf for modest goods and electronics underneath a flat-screen television.

A cabin on the Entire world Navigator. Image Credit score: Peter Knego

There is a significant closet with drawers and cabinets and the beds are thoughtfully tall ample to slide our suitcases beneath. The rest room has a satisfying Carrara marble and tile complete and a shower giving rainforest, aspect and hand-held jets that I am still making an attempt to determine out how to operate devoid of scalding or freezing (or perhaps a minimal of each) at the same time.

Other involved extras are plush bathrobes, slippers, upscale L’Occitaine en Provence bath features and binoculars for use in the course of the cruise.

Whilst the atmosphere may well emulate Solar Line, as opposed to the substantially-skipped Greek outfit, Atlas features roundtrip air journey, a shore excursion in each port, prepaid gratuities, polar parkas (not applicable to this itinerary, of class), unexpected emergency medical evacuation insurance and WiFi.