We tested a cruise aboard the World Explorer, the human-sized liner of Rivages du Monde

The opinion of

Le Figaro

Note ?

8.5/10

- Released in 2019 from the shipyards of Viana do Castelo in Portugal and after having suffered the turmoil of the Covid, the World Explorer is experiencing its first season this year in "normal" condition.

The ship, on a human scale with 126 meters long and 19 wide for a maximum of 180 passengers for 125 crew members, offers intimate and luxurious comfort.

We note in particular the spacious and cozy cabins and the calm of the elegant lounges (we fell in love with the Observation lounge, at the front of the boat, with its 180° view).

The World Explorer also seeks to limit its environmental impact: there are no plastic bottles on board, special attention is paid to waste and the environmental impact is compensated up to 110%, in particular through participation in construction projects. of

wind turbines in Norway.

Hybrid engines also allow the vessel to maneuver in ports by electric propulsion.

Finally, we appreciate the conviviality that goes hand in hand with the reduced size of the boat.

During our stay, the majority of the personnel on board were French-speaking.

As for the cruise director, he sometimes accompanies the trio of musicians on board to share his (hidden) baritone talents with the guests during an improvised concert.

To discover

• Find all the results of the legislative elections

The routes

Note ?

8.5/10

- The World Explorer ventures into the most remote ports during expedition cruises, such as Spitsbergen in Norway on July 7, 2022, Greenland on August 15, 2022 or Patagonia on March 22, 2023. Its system of dynamic positioning allows it to remain stationary without dropping anchor and damaging the seabed, thus allowing it to stop in certain protected areas.

The ship also embarks on cultural cruises to less exotic destinations such as the tour of Scotland on September 9, 2022, that of the Normandy and Brittany coasts on September 13 or the itinerary from the Spanish Basque Country to Portugal on September 22. .

Finally, thematic cruises are offered, gastronomic or musical, such as from Buenos Aires to Rio de Janeiro between tango and bossa-nova on April 3, 2023.

The decor

The interior spaces of the World Explorer, with their elegant sobriety, benefit from pleasant light throughout the day thanks to the large bay windows.

Shores of the World / Press Photo

Note ?

8/10

- The interior spaces of the World Explorer rely on elegant sobriety, with the use of white marble, wood, rugs and carpets with contemporary patterns.

Refinement appears in small touches, as with the chairs in the dining room and their backrests with marbled patterns in shades of grey-blue or ochre.

Everything is bathed in pleasant light thanks to the bay windows that surround the entire boat.

The cabins

A category 6 suite, with its 10 m² balcony.

Shores of the World / Press Photo

Note ?

9 /10

- Strong point of the ship, they are available in nine categories, all with large television screen with selection of films in French, coffee machine, minibar, bathroom and walk-in shower with seat and products toiletries signed L'Occitane.

The Category, with its 17 m², still has a small office with electrical outlets, a wardrobe and a thin shelf under the television, as well as a small tilt-and-turn window.

The large marble bathroom of the Navigator Suite, the most beautiful on the ship.

Shores of the World / Press photo

Categories 2 and 3 are identical but located on different decks: deck 5 for category 2, deck 6 for category 3 (the difference is not significant in our opinion).

They are much more spacious with 25 m² and a large bay window, enough to accommodate a small lounge with sofa, armchair and coffee table.

Same principle for categories 4 and 5, which represent nearly half of the boat's cabins.

They have a 5 m² balcony with two armchairs.

Ideal for admiring the ocean in complete privacy in good weather;

less essential for a cruise in Greenland when the temperature is 3°.

Categories 7, 8 and 9 are duplex suites measuring from 26 to 34 m² with a large terrace of 10 m².

Service and equipment

Deck 7 hosts an outdoor swimming pool and two whirlpools.

Shores of the World / Press Photo

Note ?

8.5/10

- The ship is distinguished by the twenty zodiacs which allow you to observe the fauna and flora as closely as possible, and to have the chance to enter certain fjords in Norway where rowboats are not authorized to navigate. .

A large cloakroom with individual lockers is available before each outing so that you can put on your shoes and dress warmly (wetsuits or warm clothes must be brought by passengers).

The less adventurous will appreciate the heated bench at the front of deck 5, to observe the landscape from the front row even in the polar zone.

In terms of entertainment, concerts are given every evening in the large living room and screenings of documentaries, films, conferences, classical music and theater performances are organized in the auditorium.

Deck 7 has a heated outdoor swimming pool as well as two whirlpools, a fitness room and a L'Occitane spa with a free-access sauna.

There is a 135m running track on deck 8.

At the table and at the bar

Note ?

9/10

- We long remember the sumptuous six-course gala dinner, which closes the cruise, with for example these grilled scallops, green pea and carrot mousse, this poached lobster tail with Cartuxa red wine sauce, and this banana cake and its chocolate trilogy.

Dinners on other evenings are less lavish but have the same gastronomic requirements, with a different menu offered each day.

At lunchtime, a buffet offers less refined cuisine but of a quality that remains decent.

Good point, wine is included during lunches and dinners.

As for breakfast, the quality is there with these pastries, brioches and viennoiseries, these grain breads, wholemeal, ball, baguette or sandwich loaf, and this honey served directly from the beehive.

Not to mention fruit, granola, eggs and cold cuts.

Good to know, a snack is served in the afternoon with an assortment of cookies and pastries.

Value for money

It is necessary to count at least 3170 € per person for seven nights on board.

Shores of the World / Press photo

Note ?

8/10

- From €3170 per person for 7 nights on board in the fjords of Norway, the shorter cruise scheduled for summer 2023. This rate includes transport from Paris and full board.

Reservations

 : côtesdumonde.fr and by telephone on 01 83 79 80 79.