From Lisbon to the Canaries with Atlas Ocean Voyages
Late September I travelled with a small group on a relatively new cruise line, Atlas Ocean Voyages.
This ship is just 159 people – almost like a large yacht. We visited Lisbon, Seville, Casablanca, various stops in Morocco, and the Canary Islands for 9 days. It was a really different and interesting itinerary.
This ship would be great for someone that has been on a river cruise but would like to try ocean, as it’s about the same size as a river ship. It’s also great for those that prefer a more intimate and personal feel, with just one small pool, one small spa, and one dining room – everything is just smaller, so this may be for you.
It’s a really nice little ship – I would rate it 4.5 out of 5. The cabins are also smaller but well laid-out. The food is great, and the staff is excellent.
Lisbon was great. It’s a big city, yes, but has so many different areas to explore, great food, great shopping, and I really enjoyed it during the 3 days we spent there. We boarded the ship here and then it was off to Seville (Spain).
Seville is a spectacular city, and because the ship is small, we were one of very few (other than private boats) that could go down the river and through the locks right into the heart of old town Seville. Seville’s old town is special, with lots of history within the walls. It’s really a lovely city and this was my favorite stop.
Next we were on to Casablanca – and of course the major attraction here is the Hassan II Mosque – it is one of the very few mosques that you can visit without being Muslim. It really is stunning. Casablanca is on the Atlantic Ocean, so there are some lovely beaches. The medinas are fun to explore as well.
Our next stop was Tangier (Morocco). This is where the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea meet. There is lots to see, and we enjoyed having lunch at a beautiful restaurant overlooking the ocean. Once you are in Tangier and further down the coast, Argan Oil is a big thing. It comes from seeds of the Argan Tree and is a significant part of the local economy, so Argan products are sold everywhere. One must be very careful to be sure to get the real thing, and there is also Prickly Pear Oil, which is harder to get but also excellent.
On to Safi… one can stay on board for this port as there is really nothing of importance to see.
Next up was Agadir which was a bit of a surprise. It was so clean, with beautiful beaches and whitewashed buildings which were quite beautiful. There is a lot of history as you can imagine. Once again, there are also many Argan and Prickly Pear shops and great, huge (and I mean huge) markets. They sold absolutely everything from televisions to fish to socks!
Arrecife was also very clean, with interesting history, vibrant markets, and great food.
On to the Canary Islands… I was surprised here as well. We did have 2 stops here before we ended in Las Palmas. Honestly, I wasn’t too thrilled with the ports until we got to Las Palmas, which I thought was really nice. It’s a big city, yes, but beautiful beaches, very nice old town, and the south island is where you would stay if you are coming long term, which many do. It’s a place where people go for the winter (particularly from England).
All in all, the stops were really interesting with lots of history, nice beaches, great food, and well, it was just different. All my group have said they very much enjoyed this trip, as well as the Atlas Traveller, which is the ship we were on.
Written for Paull Travel by Lesley Paull, October 2025
