
Velvet on the Water: Inside OITOEMPONTO’s Glamorous World Navigator
A Voyage Draped in Velvet: OITOEMPONTO’s Floating Dream, the World Navigator
There are ships, and then there are sanctuaries — crafted not just to cross oceans, but to seduce the senses along the way. The World Navigator, designed by the illustrious Portuguese design duo OITOEMPONTO, is precisely that: a vessel born not only of steel and engineering, but of style, soul, and a deep reverence for La Dolce Vita.
Commissioned by Atlas Ocean Voyages and brought to life with architectural precision and cinematic elegance, this boutique expedition yacht is a love letter to the glamour of the 1940s, wrapped in the tactile richness of polished wood, marbled baths, and velvet whispers. With only 98 staterooms designed for just 196 guests, luxury here isn’t loud — it’s discreet, personal, and impossibly chic.
Nostalgia, Reinvented
Designed by Artur Miranda and Jacques Bec, the minds behind OITOEMPONTO, the interiors of the World Navigator feel like walking through a film set from another era — one where every guest wears silk scarves and secrets, and the bar echoes with jazz and murmured conversation.
Art Deco meets contemporary ease, with sculptural furniture, custom carpets, rich navy and white tones, and curated contrasts of terracotta, green, and slate. This isn’t retro — it’s timelessly European. A deep, modern nostalgia that doesn’t imitate, but reimagines.
And yet, no detail is accidental. Every lounge, suite, and hallway respects maritime tradition while delivering pure indulgence. Safety, of course, is stitched invisibly into every seam — but luxury is what lingers.
Cabins of Calm, Windows of Wonder
After a day of Arctic glacial hikes or Mediterranean vineyard strolls, guests return to suites that feel like salons. Plush bedding, private balconies, and panoramic windows wrap you in serenity. A palette of light, texture, and stillness creates a space not to crash — but to truly exhale.
Add a L’Occitane spa, fine dining salons, private auditoriums, and a sense of scale that never overwhelms — and you begin to understand why this ship feels more like a floating estate than a cruise vessel.
Adventure in Tailored Tones
World Navigator’s mission isn’t just to travel — it’s to immerse, offering off-the-map explorations with the finesse of a five-star address. This is adventure dressed in tailored tones — elegant, essential, exhilarating.
For those who adore the idea of disappearing — not to escape life, but to taste it more fully — this ship is a revelation.
So the next time you dream of going somewhere beautiful, choose a place that moves with you. One that carries not just your luggage, but your longing for elegance, intimacy, and wonder. The World Navigator isn’t simply a cruise.
It’s a state of mind. And it’s dressed in velvet.
photocredits: OITOEMPONTO World Navigator © Francisco Almeida dias
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