Four Seasons Explorer

The 2002-built (originally as Island Explorer) luxury yacht Four Seasons Explorer (also known as "FS Explorer" and "Pulau Explorer") is a catamaran deployed year-round in Palau (Micronesia, Oceania) and homeported in Koror.

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

Before 2023, the yacht (marketed as "FS Explorer Maldives") was deployed in the Maldives, operating roundtrips from Landaa Giraavaru Island (Four Seasons at Landaa Giraavaru) in the Baa Atoll. Itineraries also included Four Seasons Resort Maldives at Kuda Huraa (a resort island southwest of Huraa Island).

Landaa Giraavaru hosts the company’s luxury resort (opened in 2004), where room rates start from US$1400 per night. The resort offers 103 beachside villas, 8 restaurants and bars, a large spa, multiple leisure and entertainment facilities, a fleet of tour boats, a 5-star PADI Dive Center, and a marine discovery center.

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

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

In 2023, Four Seasons Explorer departed the Maldives on May 1st, and Palau cruises opened for booking on May 24th. Her new deployment began with a maiden voyage on October 1st.

The yacht has a catamaran hull (deadweight tonnage/DWT 77.8 tons) and a shallow draft of just 1.7 m (5.5 ft), allowing close-to-shore navigation in sensitive marine areas and coral reefs.

Decks and Cabins

Four Seasons Explorer staterooms (11 total) all feature large windows, air-conditioning, LCD TV with DVD/CD player (MP3 connection), mirrored vanity/writing desk with chair, corner couch with low table, electronic safe (in the closet), phone, alarm clock, refrigerated mini-bar, king-size bed (or two twins), bedside cabinets with reading lamps, spacious wardrobe with silk-padded hangers, flashlights, and en-suite bathroom (WC, washbasin, shower over tub).

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

Housekeeping is provided three times daily.

Cabin categories: EXPLORER STATEROOM (20 m² / 215 ft², accommodates 2 adults), FAMILY STATEROOM (20 m², accommodates 2 adults + 1 child aged 8–15), and EXPLORER SUITE (45 m² / 485 ft², accommodates 3 adults).

Family Staterooms feature a double bed (or two twins) plus a sofabed.

The Explorer Suite, the yacht’s largest accommodation, has a separate dining area, walk-in closet, and a private bow-facing sundeck.

In 2023, Four Seasons Explorer Palau cruise rates started from US$2800 per night (Explorer Stateroom), US$3200 (Family Stateroom), and US$6000 (Explorer Suite).

The yacht has 3 decks, with cabins on two of them.

Shipboard Facilities and Amenities

Facilities include a Restaurant (indoor/outdoor dining), two Bars (one indoor with lounge seating, one outdoor on the lower sundeck), Lounge, Library (books, magazines, board games, DVDs, CDs), Dive Centre, and two sundecks (one with a massage area).

All public areas are air-conditioned and offer panoramic sea views.

The expedition team includes a marine biologist. The crew also features a master chef, spa therapist, and watersports experts (diving and surfing instructors).

All meals and beverages are complimentary (excluding alcoholic drinks). Lunch and dinner menus change daily, with wine served by the glass. Meals are prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients, including seafood (catch of the day). Breakfast is served buffet-style or à la carte.

Enrichment activities include lectures on Palau’s and Oceania’s cuisine, culture, history, music, and arts. Free Wi-Fi is available up to 1 km from the yacht. Laundry service is offered at an additional cost.

The yacht is also equipped with a telescope for stargazing, and carries a resident spa therapist and professional videographer.

Four Seasons Palau Cruise Itineraries

The yacht’s itineraries vary by season and weather, with weekly calls at Koror.

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

Palau Airport (Koror City) is just 9 km (6 mi) from Four Seasons Explorer Palau. Officially Roman Tmetuchl International Airport, it serves flights from Taiwan (Taipei), Philippines (Manila), Cambodia (Phnom Penh), Papua New Guinea (Port Moresby), USA (Honolulu via Guam), and Australia (Brisbane). Airlines include United Airlines, China Airlines, Jeju Air, Sky Angkor Airlines, Belau Air, and Air Niugini.

Transfers from Palau Airport to the yacht are by speedboat (~1–1.5 hours). Some late-night arrivals require overnight stays in Koror.

Embarkation at Koror Marina is at 1 pm after the speedboat transfer. Disembarkation is at 11 am, followed by transfer to Koror Marina.

Upon arrival, Four Seasons representatives assist guests with transfers or hotel arrangements in Koror.

Koror Marina is about a 20-minute drive from the airport. Transfers are arranged according to flight schedules. Guests staying overnight pre- or post-cruise in Koror use taxis or a Four Seasons vehicle (advance booking required).

Palau has ~20,000 residents, ~0.5 million km² (~193,000 mi²) of protected marine territory, and 340+ islands (9 inhabited). Divers can access Palau’s top dive sites—Chandelier Cave, Jellyfish Lake, Clam City, WWII Helmet Wreck, Peleliu Wall, Ngedebus Coral Garden, Blue Corner, and the German Channel—via the ship’s PADI Dive Center and tour boats.

Palau’s waters are home to 1400+ fish species and ~500 coral species. In 2009, UNESCO designated 230,000+ mi² of marine territory (Rock Islands Southern Lagoon) as a World Heritage Site and shark sanctuary. Cruise diving amenities include multilingual PADI instructors, the latest snorkeling and scuba gear, and professional video services by an onboard photographer.

Shore excursions include visits to Airai Bai (Palau’s oldest meeting house), the Badrulchau Stone Monoliths, Ulong Island (cave paintings), and WWII sites. Other tours include Ngardmau Waterfalls, the Milky Way Lagoon (mud baths), and watersports such as kayaking, paddleboarding, sailing, windsurfing, and deep-sea fishing.

Shore experiences also feature beachside dining (lunches, barbecues, parties), wellness activities (massages, yoga), as well as stargazing, hiking, birdwatching, and even language lessons.

Palau Cruise Policies

Entry to Palau requires a valid passport (with at least 6 months’ validity and one blank page) and a return ticket. A 30-day tourist visa is issued on arrival and can be extended.

All guests must complete an online Cruise Registration Form and sign the General Conditions and Liability Release Agreement before embarkation.

Guests who have not dived in the past 3 months or logged fewer than 30 dives must complete an orientation dive before joining cruise dives. Certification card and logbook are required. Diving should be avoided for 12 hours after and 24 hours before a flight.

Palau’s only hospital, Belau National Hospital, handles outpatients and emergencies and is equipped with a hyperbaric chamber for diving incidents.

Four Seasons Maldives Cruise Itineraries

While in the Maldives, the yacht operated 3-, 4-, and 7-night itineraries (scheduled departures) as well as private charters.

The yacht was often booked by guests combining resort stays at Four Seasons Landaa Giraavaru and/or Kuda Huraa with a 3- or 4-night cruise.

Transfers in the Baa Atoll (including to the yacht) were by speedboat or seaplane.