Four Seasons Explorer

The 2002-built (as Island Explorer) cruise ship Four Seasons Explorer (dubbed "FS Explorer" and "Pulau Explorer") is a catamaran-type luxury yacht deployed year-round in Palau (Oceania's Micronesia subregion) and homeported in Koror.

The catamaran-design yacht is owned by Four Seasons Hotels Ltd (Hotels & Resorts) via its subsidiary Four Seasons Resort and is now the first boat in the fleet of the 2023-established cruise brand Four Seasons Yachts.

Before 2023, the catamaran (dubbed "FS Explorer Maldives") was deployed in the Maldives leaving roundtrip from Landaa Giraavaru Island (aka Four Seasons at Landaagiraavaru) in the Baa Atoll. The 1-day itinerary also visited Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa (a resort island located southwest of Huraa Island).

Landaa Giraavaru houses the company's luxury resort (2004-opened) which room rates start from US$1400 per night. The resort consists of 103 beachside villas, 8 restaurants and bars, a large spa facility, sevral leisure and entertainment facilities, a fleet of tour boats, as well as a 5-Star Dive Center (with PADI-certified instructors) and a marine discovery center.

Four Seasons Explorer is advertised as a "Cruising Resort" and "Floating Resort".

The vessel (IMO number 9253624) is currently Maldives-flagged (MMSI 511000820) and registered in the Male/Kaafu Atoll.

In 2023, Four Seasons Explorer left the Maldives on May 1st, and on May 24th were officially opened for booking the Palau cruises. The yacht's new deployment started with the maiden voyage on October 1st.

The vessel has a catamaran-type hull (deadweight tonnage/DWT 77,8 tons) and max draft of just 1,7 m (5,5 ft) which allows close-to-shore navigation in sensitive marine areas with close-to-service coral reefs.

Decks and Cabins

Four Seasons Explorer staterooms (11 total) are all with large windows, fully air-conditioned, and fitted with an LCD TV with DVD/CD player (MP3 connection), mirrored vanity table/writing desk with a chair, angle couch with a low table, electronic safe box (in the closet), phone, alarm clock, refrigerated mini-bar, a King-size bed (or two twin beds), bedside cabinets with wall-mounted reading lamps, spacious wardrobe (with silk-padded hangers), flashlights, en-suite full bathroom (WC, washbasin, shower over tub).

Standard cabin amenities also include down pillows, duvets, luxury bedding sets (hypoallergenic bedding available upon request), cotton bathrobes, slippers, hairdryer.

Housekeeping service is provided three times a day.

Cabin types are three - EXPLORER STATEROOM (sized 20 m2/215 ft2, accommodates 2 adults), FAMILY STATEROOM (20 m2, accommodates 2 adults plus a child 8-15 yo), and the EXPLORER SUITE (sized 45 m2/485 ft2, accommodates 3 adults).

Family cabins are with a double bed (or two twins) plus a sofabed.

The yacht's largest accommodation (Explorer Suite) features a separate dining area, a walk-in closet, and a private terrace/bow-facing sundeck.

In 2023, Four Seasons Explorer Palau's cruises were priced/per night from US$2800 (Explorer Cabin), US$3200 (Family Cabin) and US$6000 (Explorer Suite).

The boat has 3 decks, of which 2 are with cabins.

Shipboard facilities and amenities

The luxury yacht's facilities include a Restaurant (Dining Room with indoor-outdoor seating), two Bars (one indoor/with comfortable sofas, and one outdoor/at the lower sundeck), Lounge, Library (shelved books, magazines, cards and boardgames, DVDs, CDs), Dive Centre, two open-deck areas/sundecks (one with a massage area).

All venues are fully air-conditioned and with unobstructed sea views.

Four Seasons' expedition team includes a marine biologist. The onboard staff also includes a master chef, a spa therapist, and watersports experts (diving and surfing instructors).

All onboard meals and beverages are complimentary (except alcoholic drinks). Lunch and dinner menus change daily, with table-served wine by the glass. The food is prepared from fresh (mainly locally sourced) ingredients including fresh fish/seafood (catch-of-the-day). Breakfasts are buffet-style or a-la-carte.

Onboard enrichment programming includes lectures themed on Palau's/Oceania's cuisine, culture, history, music and arts/crafts.

Wi-Fi is free and available up to a kilometer off the boat.

Laundry service costs extra.

The yacht also has its own telescope (for stargazing), and resident spa therapist and a professional videographer.

Four Seasons Palau cruise itineraries

Four Seasons Explorer's itinerary program varies by season and weather conditions. The ship stops in Koror once weekly.

The following map shows Four Seasons Explorer Palau's itinerary (islands and diving sites).

Palau Airport (Koror City) is just 9 km (6 mi) from Four Seasons Explorer Palau. Palau Airport (officially Roman Tmetuchl International Airport) serves international flights linking to Taiwan (Taipei City), Philippines (Manila), Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby), the USA (Honolulu via Guam Island), Queensland Australia (Brisbane). The airlines serving Palau include United Airlines (Guam-Honolulu, Manila), China Airlines (Taipei), Jeju Air (Seoul-Incheon), Sky Angkor Airlines (Phnom Penh), Belau Air (Angaur, Peleliu), Air Niugini (Brisbane and Port Moresby, seasonally with Korea and Japan).

Transfers from Palau Airport to the ship Four Seasons Explorer are via speedboat (~1-1,5 hours travel time). Some international night flights require an overnight hotel stay in Koror.

Embarkation (at Koror Marina) is at 1 pm, and follows the speedboat transfer to the cruise ship. Debarkation (from the ship ) is at 11 am, and follows the speedboat transfer to Koror Marina.

Upon arrival at Palau Airport, Four Seasons' guests are met by the company's representatives who assist them with the transfers to the ship or with the hotel accommodation in Koror City.

Koror Marina is a ~20-minute car drive from Palau Airport. The airport-ship and ship-airport transfers are arranged according to the flight schedule. Guests staying pre-cruise or Post-cruise overnight in Koror travel between the hotel and Koror Marina via taxis or a Four Seasons vehicle (booking in advance is required).

Palau has population ~20,000, ~0,5 million km2/~193000 mi2 of protected marine territory, and 340+ islands (only 9 inhabited). Divers can use the ship's own PADI center and tour boats to explore Palau's best diving sites - Chandelier Cave (Malakal Island), Jellyfish Lake (Eil Malk Island), Clam City (off Mecherchar Island), the WWII Helmet Wreck (Koror), the Peleliu Wall (~55 km/34 mi from Koror), Ngedebus Coral Garden (Koror Island), Blue Corner (barrier reef southeast of Koror) and the German Channel (an artificial channel dug into the barrier reef to connect the lagoon with the ocean).

In Palau's waters can be found 1400+ species of fish and ~500 species of corals. In 2009, UNESCO designated 230,000+ mi2 of the country's marine territory (The Rock Islands Southern Lagoon) as a World Heritage Site and shark sanctuary. Four Season Explorer's "cruise diving" amenities include the PADI Dive Centre (providing multi-lingual expert divers as instructors), the latest snorkeling and scuba diving gear, as well as professional video services by an onboard photographer.

Four Seasons Palau cruise shore excursions include visits to Airai Bai (Palau's oldest meeting house/length 21 m, width 6 m, height 12 m), the Badrulchau Stone Monoliths, (Palau's largest and oldest archaeological site), Ulong Island (cave/rock paintings) as well as multiple WWII (world war 1939-45) sites. On land tours are also visited Ngardmau Waterfalls, the Milky Way Lagoon (famous for mud baths), and watersports and activities like swimming, kayaking, paddleboarding/stand-up paddling, water skiing, sailboating, windsurfing, deep-sea fishing.

Four Seasons' shore experiences always include the company's traditional beachside experiences (lunch breaks, dinner barbecues, parties and celebrations, wellness /spa massages, yoga sessions), as well as activities like stargazing, hiking, bird watching, even language lessons.

Palau cruise policies

For admission to Palau are required a valid passport (expiration date no less than 6 months after the entry date, at least one empty page) and a return flight ticket. On arrival are issued 30-day extendable tourist visas.

All Four Seasons Explorer's guests must fill out a Cruise Registration Form (online) and prior to embarkation to acknowledge the General Conditions and Liability Release Agreement.

Tourists who have not dived within 3 months or with logged less than 30 dives must participate in an orientation dive prior to cruise diving activities. During the registration process, they must present a certification card and logbook. It is advisable not to participate in diving activities 12 hours after and 24 hours before the flight.

Palau's only hospital (Belau National Hospital) is for outpatients and emergency medical cases. The hospital has a hyperbaric chamber for diving emergencies.

Four Seasons Maldives cruise itineraries

While in the Maldives, the ship operated 3-4-7-night voyages (regularly scheduled departures) as well as private charters.

The yacht was often booked by tourists staying a few nights at the Four Seasons island resorts Landaa Giraavaru and/or Kuda Huraa, who spent 3 or 4 days on the ship in between.

Transfers in the Baa Atoll (including to the Four Seasons Explorer ship) were via speedboat or seaplane.