Inside Explora II, the luxury cruise ship defying convention
Many words have been written about Explora Journeys by people who are not very familiar with cruising and echo the company’s rhetoric that its ships are “redefining luxury travel.”
Concepts put forward to support this theory include boutique hotel feel, lack of a main dining room, level of fine dining, and (undefined) Europeanness. But make no mistake, these are all features found on other luxury cruise ships.
Let me tell you clearly, Explora Journeys may be a new company, but cruise lines are generally traditional. Sometimes you may think you’ve stumbled upon a Viking, Silversea or Scenic ship.
The decor gives no surprises: trendy, soft and a bit bland, and monochrome, leaning towards Scandinavia. You won’t be afraid of color or flash.
There are no surprises when it comes to restaurant options: a steakhouse, a French restaurant with well-dressed sommeliers, a pan-Asian restaurant disguised as Japanese. And contrary to “redefine” claims, there is a buffet place, albeit a rather luxurious one.
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And yes, their ships also have plenty of bars, a cafe, a gym, a wellness center with sauna and salt cave, and nice staff who will beat you up with seaweed and rocks, and several different types of cabins, because every cruise ship has graduated tolerance levels.
So why do I feel strange and confused in Explora II? A few days go by and I can’t pinpoint it. Then I got an idea: This ship has fewer and smaller rest areas than you’d expect.
It’s not a bad thing. Guests are getting younger and not sitting in dark corners drinking whiskey. They gallop on outside treadmills overlooking the stern of the ship.
It seems they were scouting the land until the last minute, as if daring the ship to leave without them. Or they’re back outside at Helios Bar, relaxing with the breeze and a complimentary cocktail. Who needs a living room full of buttoned sofas and potted palms?
And of course, how could I miss it, there is no central swimming pool deck. Thank God, isn’t this a good thing?
The pool deck on luxury ships never matches the beautiful decor inside. Always boring and always the same: a rectangle of water surrounded by sunburnt people turning the pages of the latest murder mystery, and the jacuzzi monopolized by four guests who always talk in the same loud voice.
Launched in September 2024, Explora II is smart and stylish. It has not one but four pools, and while it may not redefine luxury travel, it certainly reimagines it. Each has its own bar – check mark. Each has its own sunbeds and sunbeds; Some are designed to socialize, some are designed to ignore the world.
And yes, each one is small, but they’re not just rectangular, and they’re positioned to take in half the blue from the sea beyond; big sign. The Stern Pool is a semicircular infinity pool at the stern. The Atoll Bar (okay, rectangular) is near the center of the ship. Winter Garden Pool – night cinema with a sliding glass roof that comes in handy on cold days.
My favorite is the kidney-shaped Helios Pool at the front of the ship, which almost no one knows about and makes me feel like a puppet as the ship heads towards the Mediterranean. Bonus, adults only.
In 2023, Explora II owner MSC Cruises entered the luxury end of the cruise market with its sister ship Explora I. They’re ambitious: Four more ships are coming, each costing €500 million ($877 million), and it shows.
The ships carry 922 passengers; That’s a lot for luxury ships, but it’s rarely noticed given the ship’s fragmented layout, numerous pools, restaurants and smaller lounge areas.
Among them, Explora Lounge is the traditional observation lounge; There is nothing redefined there, not even afternoon tea. The Lobby Bar is the most visually striking thanks to its location in the courtyard and huge wall of backlit bottles, but seating is limited.
Actually, there is no such thing as a lobby on the ship. The reception desks are so discreetly located that you have to go looking for them.
Guests can choose from six restaurants. It’s hard to understand why you’d pay a huge additional fee for the Anthology, given that the rest is comprehensive and of a very high standard. Even the Emporium Marketplace buffet is impressive, with multiple cooking stations ensuring freshly prepared meals.
Fil Rouge does great French cuisine; Med Yacht Club is Akdeniz. Marble & Co. Grill is the best for me and it seems the same goes for many others because it’s hard to get repeat reservations.
The most tastefully decorated but least impressive (relatively speaking) is Sakura. “Asian” restaurants on cruise ships will forever disappoint Australian palates. Don’t take it from me, though: other guests rave about the Thai lobster platter, Penang beef and black miso cod.
All three of these dishes are staples on luxury cruise ships, and absolutely nothing about the dining experience has been redefined. The situation is not the same in the cabins, which are as stylish and comfortable as you would expect from a luxury ship, with Italian beds and linens that make you feel like you are floating among the angels on the clouds of a baroque church.
But Explora Journeys is changing luxury cruises in some ways. Most cruise ship entertainment has been foregone because really, who misses a flashy dance routine? The only Rolex boutiques at sea are also located here, but that doesn’t seem like much of a reason to book a cruise.
Still, there are reasons. The ship is sophisticated and elegant but without too much ostentation, allowing for indulgence and relaxation. From unlimited oysters to unlimited champagne to world-class dining, everything is included.
The atmosphere is hard to describe, but this might be the calmest ship I’ve ever been on. Maybe it’s because there are no large halls or a distinct reception area, or maybe it’s because the restaurants are divided into separate rooms. Maybe it could be daily yoga and meditation classes or very well-insulated cabins.
Another thing that’s different is the genuine enthusiasm of the passengers, who all appear to be up early, riding bike machines and chowing down on packets of green vegetables before a day of hiking in the Greek mountains.
I think this cruise line is for a strong new generation of cruise passengers who are often still in business.
It’s a luxury ride in all the ways you’d expect, but made to look refreshing and extraordinary. Big thumbs up.
DETAIL
To wander
Over the next two years, Explora Journeys will expand its itineraries from Europe and the Caribbean to North America (including Alaska), Greenland, Central and South America, the Arabian Peninsula and Asia. Its third ship, Explora III, will set sail in mid-2026, with three ships to follow.
The seven-day “Journey to Legendary Wonders” Mediterranean cruise returns from Piraeus (Athens) and visits Patmos, Istanbul, Kuşadası and Mykonos. Prices start at $7,760 per person on September 28, 2026, including food, drinks, Wi-Fi and tips. To see explorejourneys.com
The author traveled as a guest of Explora Journeys.
Brian Johnston seemed destined to be a travel writer: an Irish man born in Nigeria, raised in Switzerland, lived in Britain and China, and now calls Australia home.
