47 PLANNER PERSPECTIVE Opening new adventures Michael Braathen of Mystic Cruises talks with Alex Smith about how the brand selects destinations and plans expedition itineraries Atlas Ocean Voyages is preparing to expand into Asia and Africa for the first time with the introduction of Atlas Adventurer in 2028. For Michael Braathen, director of itinerary planning, port operations and land programmes at Mystic Cruises, parent company of Atlas Ocean Voyages and Nicko Cruises, successful expansion into these new regions has involved identifying destinations that combine operational suitability with distinctive experiences. With Atlas Adventurer being built at China Merchants Heavy Industry’s Haimen Shipyard, Braathen says positioning the ship in Asia for its inaugural season provides a logical and efficient starting point. However, the decision to enter the region for the first time was driven by far more than the shipyard location. “We consistently evaluate guest feedback, market demand, destination appeal and the ability of a region to deliver experiences that align with the Atlas brand promise,” says Braathen. “Asia and Africa have featured strongly in guest feedback, while destinations such as Japan are currently generating significant interest. At the same time, we are looking beyond established cruise destinations to identify distinctive places that can offer authentic cultural engagement, compelling natural environments and experiences that feel genuinely new to our guests.” Once a region has been selected, Atlas’s priority is to define and confirm the turnaround ports, which Braathen says “provide the operational framework for the itinerary”. The line considers air access, infrastructure, provisioning, regulatory requirements and the overall length and direction of the voyage. “With those anchor points established, we can design the journey between them with greater confidence and ensure an appropriate balance of sailing time, meaningful time ashore and operational resilience,” says Braathen. Atlas then assesses individual ports on destination appeal, navigational and operational suitability, shoreside infrastructure and alignment with its style of cruising. Where possible, the team visits destinations in advance to “assess them first hand”. The line has already completed two familiarisation trips to Japan and is considering a third “to deepen our knowledge and develop a more immersive programme for future seasons”. Atlas is also expanding its Arctic programme in 2028, covering Svalbard, Greenland, Iceland and eastern Canada, where conditions can place greater constraints on itinerary design. “Designing expedition itineraries in the Arctic requires a careful balance between safety, seasonal conditions and operational flexibility,” says Braathen. “We begin by reviewing historical weather patterns, sea and ice conditions, daylight, local operating windows and our own experience in the region. That information helps us identify the periods that offer the strongest probability of delivering the intended programme while maintaining appropriate operational margins.” With conditions liable to change quickly and difficult to predict later in the season, Atlas plans to conclude its Antarctic sailings by mid-March, which Braathen says will “support a more Photo: Atlas Ocean Voyages Atlas Ocean Voyages is expanding its Arctic programme for the 2028 cruise season
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