According to the company’s President and CEO, James A. Rodriguez, Atlas Ocean Voyages’ product is made up of three components: inspiration, immersion and education.
The formula is being offered by the company not only in polar and remote regions but also in other parts of the world, including the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and the Caribbean.
After joining the cruise industry in 1998, Rodriguez embarked on his first expedition voyage in 2022.
“There’s something really extraordinary about the expedition experience,” he explained during an industry event in April.
“I always equated an expedition to things I didn’t like, such as bungee-cord jumping or ice climbing a mountain,” Rodriguez continued.
“So, I was a bit reluctant, but had already taken the job, so I had to do it. When I went to Antarctica, I was so taken by the experience that I came back and got my team together to understand what makes expeditions so special,” he recalled.
Rodriguez and his team eventually narrowed the experience down to three elements, including the educational component.
“Whether you want to or not, you’re going to learn. You’re learning about sustainability; you’re learning about animals and birds. I learned more about birds than I ever wanted to know in Antarctica,” he said.
“People are yearning for something like learning. They want a different type of vacation, an immersive experience where they come back changed,” Rodriguez continued.
Immersion is another component of the expedition experience, he said, noting that the product allows guests to be inspired by the trips.
The product also fosters connections not only between fellow guests but also with the onboard crew and staff.
“They’re seeing these extraordinary places like Antarctica or the Arctic and then coming back and sharing those,” Rodriguez said.
Atlas Ocean Voyages has since worked to infuse those pillars across its entire fleet, whether in the remote or traditional destinations.
“If we’re in the Mediterranean, we basically take our polar expedition team members off and put in our epicurean expedition team, which consists of guest chefs and culinary experts who bring the experience of the region to life as a polar expedition team would do in Antarctica,” he explained.
“That connection is really what people are craving. They’re no longer sitting by the pool, drinking margaritas, just relaxing,” Rodriguez added.
“They want to come back and have a story to tell their family members and friends. That’s something really special about the expedition market.”
Furthermore, as new generations gain importance in the market, Rodriguez sees true luxury as authenticity.
“Passengers want to go on a zodiac ride or a black-sand beach in Iceland, but they also want to come back to a curated chef-prepared meal and have a glass of champagne,” he said, noting that luxury and adventure aren’t mutually exclusive.
“People really want both. They want to touch the ice, then return to warmth and comfort,” he said, mentioning experiences like camping in Antarctica.
These demands are especially important for younger travelers, which Rodriguez called affluent Millennials and Gen Xers.
“White Lotus is a perfect example of a family who has a perfectly beautiful villa with a private pool in Thailand, but the two youngest want to go and sleep in a monastery to be in touch with the Buddhist monks,” he added.
“So, we are tapping into those who want the luxury touches but also want to be very rugged and experience the land.”
