Four Seasons Yacht has attracted much attention and is scheduled to Launch in the Mediterranean in 2026.
But a catamaran under the Four Seasons flag has been carrying passengers for 22 years, the first in the Maldives for 21 years. Since last October, in Palau.
The Four Seasons Explorer is essentially a five-star “live-aboard” vessel, which is the name given by divers to ships that conduct full-day excursions through areas rich in coral reefs and marine life, offering multiple dives per day before returning to land.
Life on board is fairly simple; for most divers, the attraction is being underwater, not on the boat.
The Explorer Suite is about twice the size of any other room at the Four Seasons Explorers. Photo credit: Arnie Weissmann
But aside from private superyachts, the Explorer is probably the most luxurious shipboard accommodation in the world. It doesn’t have all the amenities you’d expect to find at a full-blown Four Seasons resort or a fancy cruise ship; there’s no fitness center, and its “spa” is a curtained-off massage bed on the upper deck (the masseuse also offers sunrise yoga classes). The food, served alfresco on the aft deck or in the open-plan restaurant/lounge/shop/bar/library, is delicious.
There are 10 identical staterooms and one Explorer Suite, which is about twice as large as the other rooms at 485 square feet. The staterooms are comfortable and low-key; the suites have panoramic views of the front of the yacht, a balcony, a bathtub and access to the dining room (private dining is also available in the suites).
The cruise runs for seven days, but guests can board at any time and stay as long as they want. Two small boats, one for snorkelers and one for divers, pick up the yacht each morning and take them to a suitable reef or wall. The boats also ferry guests between Koror (where the airport is) and the yacht; as Palau is small, the trip from Koror to the yacht takes no more than 45 minutes.
Sunrise over the Rock Islands. The Explorer has a special permit to stay in the Rock Islands South Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Photo credit: Arnie Weissmann
Unprecedented underwater views
The yacht has a special permit to stay within the Rock Islands Southern Lagoon, a UNESCO World Heritage Site made up of hundreds of small islands, most of which are uninhabited and many with inland lagoons or small lakes. The Rock Islands themselves are picturesque and their coral reefs are very special, with 385 species of hard corals and 150 rare soft corals.
With so many tropical reefs dying or bleaching, Palau’s underwater landscape is colorful and diverse, as is the marine life. On one trip, in addition to seeing abundant, diverse, and healthy corals, I saw dozens of brightly colored small and medium-sized fish, as well as sharks, rays, hawksbill turtles, and green turtles.
Traditional Bai houses on Koror Island. Photo credit: Arnie Weissmann
The Four Seasons service comes in the form of providing you with professional guides and taking care of your equipment before and after you are out on the water; we were always welcomed with a cold wet towel and a glass of juice or cocoa when we returned to the boat.
Another highlight was snorkeling in Ongeim'l Tketau, also known as Jellyfish Lake, on Mechechar Island. The lake is filled with thousands of stingless jellyfish. I've swam with stingless jellyfish before in Fiji, but these were special: They were golden in color and had a layered, skirt-like structure with petticoats. (The lake also has the more common dome-shaped, translucent jellyfish, which are also stingless.)
A marine biologist explains what to expect before dinner, and after each dinner there’s an “afterglow”: a videographer follows divers and snorkelers in turn, editing each day’s adventure for guests to watch. At the end of their stay, guests are given a USB stick with all their dive logs.
An American tank overturned in the jungle of Peleliu Island. Photo credit: Arnie Weissmann
Land Exploration
The week-long experience also includes some land excursions. The southernmost island of Peleliu played a major role in the Pacific Theater of World War II. About 1,250 U.S. Marines died in the Battle of Peleliu, about half the number of American casualties lost in the Normandy landings. Another 11,000 Japanese died before the Allies captured the island. A bike tour of the island visits beaches, a network of caves dug by the Japanese, and the remains of buildings and vehicles from both sides.
Koror's National Museum explores Palau's complex history – its role in international wars and colonial history is not pleasant. But evidence of its traditional culture remains on Koror, including 52 prehistoric monoliths and a Bai house where tribal leaders would settle disagreements. Ancient cave paintings can be seen on Udon Island.
One reason Explorer came to Palau from the Maldives is that Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts is building a resort on Koror Island that is expected to open in 2026. Ali Shidad, Explorer’s front desk manager, said the move was to raise awareness of Palau before the resort opens and to provide guests with an additional option once it opens.
But for some, the Explorer is all they need. American Bob Underwood has dived around the world and returned to the yacht suite with his wife Leilani for the second time in two months.
“This is unprecedented,” Underwood said. “This is a unique opportunity.”
