Fine Travel’s Jennie Ready experienced an amazing 14-night Mediterranean cruise on Explora Journeys' ship Explora I. As Explora is a relatively new cruise brand, she shares her first-hand experiences so you can decide if this is the right cruise line for your next cruise holiday. Jennie has been selling luxury cruises for over 17 years and has sailed with, or joined ship inspections of, all major cruise lines.
A “True Luxury” Cruise Line
Explora Journeys was the dream of the Aponte family (owners of the MSC Cruise Group), with the aim to redefine luxury travel for discerning luxury travellers. After experiencing our cruise with them I can certainly say they are making their dream a reality.
One of the challenges we face when explaining a cruise line’s onboard experience is that the word “luxury” is used too frequently (and it can be a relative term depending on the user’s experience).
From my experience, Explora should be considered a contemporary of what we refer to as the True Luxury cruise lines (Silversea, Seabourn and Regent Seven Seas). Guests who have cruised with “Upper Premium” cruise lines, like Viking, Oceania Cruises and Ponant, will notice a step up in quality.
The mission of Explora Journeys is to offer guests the chance to experience an ocean state of mind – one where guests can escape to connect with the ocean, themselves and other like-minded people, relax and create new travel memories.
(You may have recently seen Explora Journeys mentioned as they have become partners of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup and also announced sponsorship of Team New Zealand).
Like the other True Luxury cruise lines, Explora Journey’s cruise fares are largely all-inclusive, with your fare including:
- A welcome bottle of champagne and sweet treats
- Unlimited beverages — these included fine wines and premium spirits, speciality coffees, teas and soft drinks available anytime (charges do apply for the extremely top-shelf wine, spirits and liquors).
- Bottle of wine and spirits of your choice on arrival for your suite
- 9 dining options
- Thermal spa access (treatments are additional)
- Wellbeing and fitness programmes
- High-speed Wi-fi
- All onboard gratuities
- Shuttle from port to city centre where required
Explora I
The design of Explora I is stunning, and it feels as though you are in a luxury five-star hotel as opposed to a cruise ship – décor is modern, neutral and has a boutique feel. The ship’s design and layout perfectly showcase the ocean – with its glass conservatory, floor-to-ceiling windows, several outdoor pool spaces and all suites being ocean-facing.
Explora Journeys’ plan is to have six new ships built within a five-year timeframe. All ships are being built by Fincantieri in Italy. Explora I is the first of Explora Journeys’ ships to debut. She has been cruising now for just over a year and her maiden sailing was in August 2023.
Explora II
Explora II had her maiden sailing in September 2024. There have been a few tweaks (cosmetic only) and she is identical in size and very similar to Explora I. Both ships have gross tonnage of 63,900GT, a length of 248m, 461 suites (all ocean-facing) and can carry a maximum of 922 passengers (at full capacity).
There are plans for another four new ships to be built and delivered over the next few years.
Suites
All of the suites are spacious and well-designed. They are all ocean-facing with spacious balconies. There are a total of 461 suites onboard, including 371 ocean suites (some of the largest entry-level suites at sea), 67 ocean penthouses, 22 ocean residences and 1 owners’ residence.
Although the main market isn’t families, Explora Journeys is welcoming of families and multi-generational groups. There are 78 interconnected suites, which are perfect for family groups or friends.
We were in an ocean suite, and it was extremely spacious and comfortable. Amenities included a Dyson Supersonic TM hairdryer (which was amazing and is now on my wish list), Mandala Blue toiletries, mini bar (which was kept well stocked), table and chairs and comfortable day bed on the veranda, down duvets and pillows, complimentary refillable water bottle for each guest, large spacious shower, large dressing area, heated marble floor in the bathroom, a large TV (with a number of on-demand options and plenty of movies) and an Illy ESE Pod Coffee Machine.
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Dining
Where can I start? The food was certainly one of the highlights of our cruise, and this is certainly an area where Explora Journeys is excelling. In 14 days, I can honestly say we didn’t have one bad meal.
There are nine dining options that are included in the cruise fare.
The main options include:
Emporium Marketplace
This is the most casual venue on board. It is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. It is the closest there is to a buffet onboard, however food is not self-service. Food can be made to order and is made and served by the chefs at each station. The food here was amazing and included freshly baked goods, including sandwiches, a pasta station (with homemade pasta and freshly made risotto), a sushi station (with chefs making the sushi), a salad bar, an amazing selection of fresh seafood (including oysters and crab claws), a large selection of hot dishes and a wonderful dessert section. Breakfast had options such as eggs benedict, and there was also an area with freshly made juices and smoothies. Lunches and dinners had a great selection and there are themed choices for the region you are sailing in (in our case, Greece).
Sakura
Explora’s Pan Asian restaurant. It is open for dinner each night, and lunch on some days. The décor of the restaurant is beautiful and adorned with cherry blossoms. It really doesn’t feel like you are in a restaurant at sea – unless, of course, you have a table with a sea view! At lunchtime there are Bento boxes and sushi/sashimi available. One of my favourite foods is sushi, and the sushi at Sakura certainly didn’t disappoint!
For dinner, there are dim sum, dumplings, sushi, as well as a range of Pan Asian options. A couple of my favourites were the Crispy Duck Leg Confit and Jumbo Lump Crab Salad for starters, and the Lobster Pad Thai and Miso Roasted Black Cod Fillet for main course.
Sakura also had my two of favourite desserts of the cruise; Black Sesame Ice Cream and 60% Weiss Chocolate Matcha Fondant with Matcha Ice Cream.
Marble and Co. Grill
This is Explora’s Steakhouse/Grill restaurant. Although I’m not personally a big lover of steak, this did end up being one of my favourite restaurants for two reasons. One: Their Jumbo Lump Crab Meat Salad was amazing (sadly, I only discovered this in our second week). Two: The Mediterranean Tuna Steal “Au Poivre” was also very tasty, as was the Lobster Brioche. There was, of course, a great choice of steak options also available here. The hosts were extremely helpful in guiding you towards the right one. However, my favourite dish of the entire cruise was the Fingerling Potato, with Calvisius Oscietra Caviar, Normandy Butter and Crème Fraiche. It really was divine!!
Fil Rouge
This had a wonderful selection of menu choices with a French influence. Some notable favourites from Fil Rouge are the Langouste (Lobster) Thermidor and the Dover Sole with her butter and chive potatoes (which is boned at the table).
Med Yacht Club
Influenced by beachside Mediterranean restaurants and cuisine from France, Italy, Spain, Greece and North Africa, this was another lovely option. Some of my favourite meals here were the Risotto ai Porcini and the tapas (we loved the Patatas Bravas and Shrimps Saganaki). The Floating Island dessert here was another of my cruise favourites (and the presentation of this was so pretty!)
There are also two dining options with a surcharge:
Anthology
Open for dinner only, this restaurant has a seven-course tasting menu and is the perfect option for foodies. On our cruise, it was A Culinary Journey Through Italy – created by their Head of Culinary, Franck Garanger. This menu does change every few months.
Chefs Kitchen
An immersive experience, which is held in the private kitchen. It can take up to 12 guests who, along with the chef, cook a meal related to the region they are sailing in. On our sailing there were two options. One was Signature Risotto dishes and the other was A Taste of the Mediterranean - Flavours of Greece.
As well as the restaurants above, other dining/snack options include:
Crema Café for a coffee or snack, such as a sandwich. They also make amazing chocolate each day that changes flavour.
Gelateria & Creperie at The Conservatory located just outside the Market Place and close to the pool. This is a lovely, relaxed place to sit and have a sweet snack. Some of the options include ice creams with a number of toppings available, fresh fruit, soft serve ice cream and freshly made pancakes or waffles.
Explora Lounge is in a stunning location with 270-degree views of the ocean. It is a beautiful location for afternoon tea to be served, and you can also order light meals and snacks, coffees, smoothies and freshly pressed juices here.
In suite dining is available 24/7.
Lounges and bars
There are 12 indoor and outdoor bars and lounges onboard. Some of these include:
Lobby Bar
One of the most stunning and eye-catching parts of the ship is the lobby bar located on deck four. This is a beautiful space with a two-story bar (showcasing rows of bottles in the backlit shelving), marble tables and seating. There is a self-playing Steinway piano (one of 3 onboard), and it is a great meeting place at any time of the day (an onboard pianist also plays in the lobby each evening).
Explora Lounge
As mentioned previously, afternoon tea is served daily at the Explora Lounge. This is located forward of the ship on deck 11, and has floor-to-ceiling windows as well as an outdoor area with seating and stunning views.
Journey’s Lounge
The largest venue on the ship is the Journey’s Lounge. There are talks there during the day and performances at night.
Malt Whisky Bar
Located within the Explora Lounge, this bar has a great selection of whiskeys, including some of the rarest. There is also a walk-in humidor, cigar expert and an outdoor cigar-smoking terrace.
Swimming pools / hot tubs
There are four pool areas on the ship (including three heated outdoor pools and one indoor pool).
My favourite of the pools was the Astern pool. It is an infinity pool with stunning views out to the ocean. It is on a low deck (deck five) and aft with its own bar so a great place for sailaway. With its stunning wake views, it is definitely the most popular of the pools.
The indoor pool is a great place to relax on a hot or cold day. The pool is located inside a climate-controlled glass conservatory with a retractable glass roof and surrounded by ceiling-to-floor windows with numerous sunbeds.
As well as swimming pools, Explora I also has five whirlpools. Four of these are long infinity whirlpools (the largest I’ve seen).
The pools never felt overcrowded and there are also plenty of areas to relax around the ship with several comfortable day beds and cabanas available to use.
Boutiques
Onboard Explora 1 are a number of luxury boutiques, including Cartier, Panerai and also the only Rolex shop at sea. At the other side is The Journey (which has a selection of stores selling gifts/clothing/accessories from small luxury brands. There is also a wonderful perfume store selling French brand Memo Paris and Floraiku (which I couldn’t resist).
Internet and technology
If you have cruised before you are likely to be aware that WiFi at sea can be a frustrating thing. Thankfully this was not the case with Explora Journeys, and the WiFi was the fastest I’ve used at sea. In two weeks, we had no connection issues and were able to use the WiFi at all times. This is due to being equipped with Starlink connectivity, which gave high speed and stable internet. It is also complimentary as included in the cruise fare.
Each suite has European and North American sockets as well as USB and USC outlets. There was also a wireless charging base next to the bed.
Our itinerary
Our cruise was two seven-night cruises back-to-back. The first seven nights was Venice to Athens and then the second seven nights was Athens to Istanbul. Some highlights from our ports were:
Venice, Italy
St Marks Basilica and Doge’s Palace (we did the after-hours tour), Murano (glass-blowing demonstration), Burano and Torcello, Rialto bridge and a gondola ride.
Rijeka, Croatia
Trsat Castle (built in the 13th century) with beautiful views across the bay, Church of Mary of God of Trsat (while at the castle we heard beautiful singing and followed it until we came to the church), Central Market, City Clock Tower and Maritime and History Museum (where we saw Europe's only Titanic life vest).
Hvar, Croatia
Hvar was beautiful and I would love to spend more time here. We spent our time here wandering the beautiful harbour area and surrounding streets and looking in the local shops. We also walked up the City Fortress or Hvar Spanish Fortress (construction of this began in 1278). The walk was worth it and the views from the top were great.
Kotor, Montenegro
Located on the Adriatic coast Kotor is one of the most stunning ports I have ever been to. As we sailed into Kotor the scenery was stunning and we cruised past the Lady of the Island Church – which is in the middle of the water. Kotor Old Town is a walled city with a fairy tale feel to it. We loved wandering around and exploring. Our main goal for this port was to walk up the fortress. It was steep at times and took a while (apparently there are 1350 steps to climb) but once we got to the top it was completely worth it. The views across the bay are breathtaking – and we also met some very cute cats of Kotor on the way up!
Brindisi, Italy
There are several beautiful places to explore that are relatively close to Brindisi. We did a shore excursion to explore the beautiful white village of Ostuni. Although we got caught in torrential rain it was still a beautiful place to explore and somewhere I would love to return to. A little further away is the fairytale-like village of Alberobello with its traditional Trulli huts (a UNESCO World Heritage site).
Nydri (Lefkada), Greece
Lefkada was a beautiful port to cruise into with its scattered islands and sailboats. It has a lively marina area with tavernas, shops and a beach club. We had a nice, relaxed day here and spent the afternoon swimming and relaxing in the sun at a beach club.
Athens, Greece
This was also an embarkation and disembarkation point as it was the end of our first seven nights (Venice – Athens). We were able to continue with the same cabin so spent the day off the ship on a shore excursion exploring Athens. The shore excursion included the Acropolis Museum (which was amazing), and also a trip up to the Parthenon and Acropolis. Athens is definitely somewhere I would love to explore a lot more and I will definitely return.
Mykonos, Greece (included an overnight): With it’s white and blue Cycladic buildings Mykonos is certainly a picture postcard place. We spent the day here exploring the beautiful streets, churches and shops, and we even managed to meet Mykonos’ World-Famous Pelican, Petros. We spent the evening up at the 180-degree sunset bar relaxing and eating Greek food as the sun was setting.
Skiathos, Greece
Day 12 was spent at the gateway to the Sporades Islands, Skiathos. Skiathos is certainly a beautiful island with whitewashed houses with terracotta roofs and sandy beaches. It is also well known for being one of the islands where filming of Mamma Mia took place. We spent our time here wandering the lovely streets and stops and plane spotting. Skiathos has a considerably short runway and there is a street close to the runway where you can watch planes landing and taking off (just be extremely careful and keep a very safe distance). We also walked up to the Agios Nikolaos Church and Clock Tower – which had beautiful views across Skiathos town.
Thessaloniki, Greece
Thessaloniki is the second largest city in Greece. There is a lot to explore, including 15 UNESCO sites and several museums. It is also home to the statue of Alexander the Great and the statue of Phillip II of Macedon (Alexander’s father). It is also the home to The White Tower, which was built in the 15th Century after the fall of Thessaloniki to the Ottomans. Thessaloniki was founded in 315BC by the King of Macedonia, and it is certainly a city of great historical significance. If you have a keen interest in history, then this is certainly a great place to explore.
Kavala, Greece
Kavala (also known as the “Blue City”) has never previously been on my radar, however it ended up being one of my favourite ports. It’s winding streets with colourful buildings and beautiful views were fun to explore and, in the centre, there was a great selection of bars, cafes and shops. My personal highlight was visiting and exploring the Kavala Fortress (or the Acropolis of Kavala). Built in the 15th century it is at the top of the Panagia Peninsula and has stunning views across Kavala. The fortress was interesting to explore and somewhere I would highly recommend visiting if you are in the area.
Istanbul, Turkey
Our final destination was Istanbul, and this is where we disembarked. Our last day onboard was a sea day, and we cruised along the Dardenelles Strait on our way to Istanbul. It was an interesting journey as we saw the monuments for Gallipoli, including Çanakkale Martyrs' Memorial, which was built in memory of the quarter-million Ottoman casualties in the Battle of Gallipoli. We also passed under The 1915 Canakkale Bridge. This opened in 2023 and at 2023 metres wide it is the longest suspension bridge in the world connecting the European and Asian continents.
We loved our cruise itinerary, and it had a great selection of ports. Getting on and off the ship was always very easy and we never really had to queue.
Food was amazing in all restaurants and there was a great selection of restaurants. Explora also catered really well to my dietary needs (gluten-free) and I certainly didn’t feel like I was missing out at any stage.
Although the ship is absolutely stunning, it is Explora’s onboard hosts who really make the cruise. They were always so friendly and willing to help with anything.
After 14 nights onboard, we can say with certainty that the Explora Journeys mission had been accomplished and we certainly did reach an ocean state of mind (and didn’t want to leave!!). We definitely look forward to cruising again with Explora Journeys in the future.
Discover upcoming Explora Journey cruises:
- Mediterranean cruises
- Caribbean cruises
- Mexico cruises
- Atlantic trans cruises