Why is Atlas Selling New Build to Windstar?

[mnocket]

Windstar Cruises has announced the expansion of its fleet with the addition of the Star Seeker and Star Explorer. The Star Seeker was originally ordered by Mystic and slated for its Atlas brand.  This doesn't seem to make sense unless Atlas is under some financial distress and is cutting back its expansion plans.

Windstar Cruises Welcomes Two New Ships to Fleet - Cruise Industry News | Cruise News

[Host Jazzbeau]

IMO the market for the category has gotten oversaturated.  MSC is building 6 ships for Explora (despite major teething problems figuring out how to market the new brand), Four Seasons is building 4 (admittedly at a new hyper-luxury level), Ritz Carlton is building 5, Scenic another 5 (including its Emerald brand).  I wonder if they knew this when they announced 7 Atlas yachts?  They say they are still committed to completing the series, so that would give Atlas 5.

 

[For background, and I may be a little hazy here]:  the company that owns Atlas had a monopoly on building and operating river ships on the Douro; the announcement of Atlas and these new-builds came [I believe] in reaction to losing that and needing to keep their shipyard busy.  That may have led to less-than due diligence on planning this new cruise line.  But luckily the basic design of the ships is very good, and they have now found a good partner.  Hopefully these new ships will work out for Windstar and they will order more – their ex-Seabourn 'little sisters' are not really competitive as they lack verandas.  They would need 4 of these to replace the capacity of the older 3 and even more to expand.]

[skiingj]

Bear in mind AOV recently received the Voyager from a sister operation and this was not originally planned.  Without Seeker they are still at the same ship count.  AOV has a few more ships slated.  I sailed Antarctica last year on Navigator and will be on Traveller in a few weeks in the Med.  We are very happy with the brand.  

Edited April 12 by skiingj

[JanR]

It sounds like Atlas went to three ships faster than they anticipated when in late 2023 the Voyager was transferred over from Nicko Cruises.  Without this transfer, I believe the plan didn't call for Atlas to be at 3 ships until the seeker in 2025.  

 

Only a guess, but I think the real driver was the World Explorer which was being chartered to Quark Expeditions.  I imagine Mario Ferreira realized that it would be more advantageous to sell this vessel to Windstar than continue to charter it out.  As the World Seeker was not needed to build out Atlas to 3 ships anymore, it was rolled into the package for Windstar.  Again, only a guess.

 

 

Edited April 17 by JanR

[Host Jazzbeau]

And like Jay Leno used to say about Doritos:  they can keep making more.