Atlas Ocean Voyages, the new small-ship adventure cruise brand, announced some cool new overland trips that take place during a sea voyage – and one of these vacations-within-a-vacations includes a visit to the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
The Max Shore excursions are guided three- to six-day land adventures bundled in with a cruise package. Max Shore trips include air and land transportation, lodging, meals and beverages.
Consistent with Atlas’ “All Inclusive All the Way” style, air and land transportation, lodging, meals and beverages are included on Max Shore voyages.
“The great thing about Max Shore is that they are sold as one commissionable package with everything included,” said Brandon Townsley, vice president of sales and trade partnerships. “We’ve seamlessly wrapped cruise, land adventures, cultural immersions and transportation in one complete package for travel advisors to sell. It’s a great value, and travel advisors ‘Get Paid Now’ and earn a great commission.”
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Further, travel advisors who book their clients on 2021 Max Shore odysseys will receive a $500 or $750 gift card now – and 15 percent commission at time of their clients’ sailing – as part of the program known as “Get Paid Now.”
The first two Max Shore options are bundled into Black Sea and Holy Land cruises by the World Navigator, launching in July 2021.
The 16-night “Black Sea in Full,” departing July 28, 2021, from Athens, Greece, includes a two-night overland adventure from Odessa to Kiev and Pripyat, Ukraine, to explore and overnight in the country’s vibrant capital city and in the infamous Chernobyl Exclusion Zone.
The power plant, where a reactor suffered a catastrophic failure in 1986, has since been designated safe for escorted visitors, and Atlas Ocean Voyages says it is the first cruise brand to offer this excursion to its passengers.
The Black Sea cruise also will transit the Dardanelles and Bosporus straits and overnight at Sochi, Russia, as well as call at Ephesus (Kusadasi), Turkey; Nessebar, Bulgaria; Bucharest (Constanta), Romania; Novorossiysk, Russia; Batumi, Georgia; and Sinop and Amasra, Turkey, and conclude with an overnight in Istanbul, Turkey.
The 24-night “Comprehensive Anatolia & The Holy Land” Max Shore, departing Aug. 13, 2021, will circumnavigate the Levantine Sea to Athens, calling at Troy (Kepez), Bozcaada, Dikili, Esphesus, Bodrum, Marmaris, Fethieye, Kekova Island and Demre, Turkey; Patmos and Crete, Greece; Limassol, Cyprus; and Cairo (Port Said) and Alexandria, Egypt.
At Ashdod, Israel, guests depart on a five-night Max Shore caravan journey through Israel and Jordan to visit the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Petra; head off-road with a local Bedouin team for desert glamping under the stars; and delve into the rich history and cultures in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Masada, and Madaba.
Atlas Ocean Voyages is an all-inclusive, luxury cruise brand that will operate the 196-passenger World Navigator, a green, small expedition ship that will be Polar Category-C and Ice Class-1B certified. World Navigator will embark on its inaugural 2021 year, sailing seven- to 24-night itineraries in the Holy Land, and Black and Mediterranean Seas in the summer, followed by nine- to 13-night itineraries in the Caribbean, South America and Antarctica in winter 2021/22.
All Atlas Ocean Voyages journeys include complimentary round-trip air travel from major U.S. and Canada gateways; prepaid gratuities; alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages; Wi-Fi; L’Occitane bath amenities; a free shore excursion in select ports on every itinerary; international gourmet dining; coffee and tea service; and onboard binoculars and butler service in suites.
World Navigator’s construction in Portugal is on schedule, and sister ships World Traveller, World Seeker, World Adventurer and World Discoverer will join the fleet before the end 2023.
