The World Explorer recently kicked off the 2024 cruise program of Belgium-based tour operator Rivages du Monde.
Chartered from Mystic Cruises, the 200-guest ship is set to offer a series of itineraries in Europe and the Atlantic for the company, which caters to French-speaking guests.
The season mixes expedition sailings and traditional cruises and started with a nine-night voyage to Portugal’s Atlantic Isles.
After departing from Porto on April 20, the cruise is set to sail to Madeira and the Azores, visiting a total of six destinations before ending in Funchal.
Among the ports of call on the itinerary are less usual destinations for cruise ships, such as Vila do Porto de Santa Maria and Lajes do Pico. The cruise is also set to visit Ponta Delgada, Ilha da Graciosa and Horta.
Continuing Rivages du Monde’s 2024 cruise program, the World Explorer is also set to offer itineraries to the Norwegian Fjords, the North Cape, the Lofoten Isles, Spitsbergen, Iceland, Greenland and the Canadian Arctic.
Before ending the company’s annual cruise season in October, the 200-guest vessel is also set to offer itineraries in Canada’s St. Lawrence River, as well as the Caribbean, the Panama Canal and South America.
The World Explorer is then set to operate a winter season in Antarctica for Quark Expeditions before offering another cruise program for Rivages du Monde in 2025.
Originally in service for Mystic’s Nicko Cruises brand, the World Explorer was built at the West Sea shipyard in Viana do Castelo, Portugal.
Designed to offer exploration cruises in remote and polar areas, the 9,300-ton ship is equipped with a series of expedition-ready features, including a dedicated mudroom, an ice-class room, a fleet of Zodiacs and more.
Recently sold to Windstar Cruises, the 2019-built vessel is scheduled to undergo a major refurbishment before becoming the Star Explorer in December 2026.
