Ask me what the best cruise I’ve ever taken was, and I’d have to say a Mediterranean cruise on Explorer II.
So when Explora Journeys launched its third ship, I was very keen to see whether it had actually improved on something I already loved – or whether Explora III would simply feel like more of the same.
At first glance, the ships are certainly similar. But Explora III isn’t just Explora II with a few new cushions and a different carpet.
She’s around 20 metres longer, there are several completely new restaurants and venues, the wellness area has been significantly expanded and some of the ship’s most important public spaces have been completely redesigned.
I spent a day onboard exploring Explora III from top to bottom, and there are some changes that I think could make this the best Explora Journeys ship yet.
Explora III is bigger – but not simply to squeeze in more passengers
One of the things I’ve always loved about Explora Journeys is how spacious the ships feel.
Explora III is 19.2 metres longer than Explora I and II, but thankfully, that extra space hasn’t simply been filled with as many additional cabins as possible. In fact they’ve only added one extra suite!
There are 461 oceanfront suites onboard, and Explora says the ship has 19.5 square metres of public space per guest, which is an impressive amount.
There’s also almost one crew member – or ‘host’, as Explora calls them – for every guest.
And you really notice the space when you’re walking around!
There are huge outdoor areas, plenty of loungers and lots of little places where you can sit without feeling as though you’re sharing the ship with hundreds of other people.
The new lobby makes a much bigger impression
One of the most immediately obvious changes is the Lobby, since it’s the first thing you’ll see when you board. On Explora III, it’s now a dramatic double-height space with a sweeping staircase, enormous chandeliers and a circular bar in the centre.
It definitely has more of a ‘wow’ factor than the lobby on Explora II.
But what I like is that it still doesn’t feel stuffy. That’s something Explora Journeys gets very right. Everything looks incredibly expensive, but you don’t get the feeling that you need to put on your very best clothes and sit up straight just because you’ve walked into a luxury hotel.
Around the Lobby you’ll also find Guest Services, Destination Experiences and the onboard shops, which are very much at the luxury end of the scale with jewellery, watches, clothing, skincare and accessories.
The pool decks feel more like a luxury resort
Explora III has several very different pool areas, which means you shouldn’t have everyone trying to occupy the same space on a sunny sea day.
The largest is the Conservatory Pool, which sits underneath a retractable glass roof.
The pool itself is almost 15 metres long, and having the retractable roof means the space can work whether you’re sailing around the Mediterranean in glorious sunshine or somewhere where the weather isn’t quite cooperating.
Then there’s the adults-only Helios Pool at the front of the ship. This was one of my favourite areas on Explora II because it was often a little quieter, and you get fantastic uninterrupted views straight over the front of the ship.
When I say it’s adults-only and it’s quieter, please don’t get the wrong idea. I’ll touch on this more later, but it’s not like you’ll find tons of kids splashing around in every pool onboard. It’s quieter more just because it’s a little more tucked away.
At the opposite end, there’s the Atoll Pool and Bar, while down on Deck 5 you’ll find the shallow Astern infinity pool looking straight out over the wake.
There are also whirlpools dotted around the ship and lots of padded loungers and cabanas. And, importantly, the cabanas don’t cost extra.
I’ve been on plenty of cruise ships where something like this would be turned into a premium sunbathing area with a fairly painful daily charge, so I’m very glad Explora hasn’t gone down that route.
There’s now somewhere to eat right beside the main pool
One of my favourite practical additions to Explora III is Shore Club on 11. This is a new Mediterranean-style restaurant beside the Conservatory Pool.
And while it might not sound as exciting as some of the more elaborate new venues onboard, I think this could end up being one of the most useful.
Because sometimes, when you’re having a very nice afternoon beside the pool, you really don’t want to go back to your suite, get changed and head into a restaurant. Here, you don’t need to. You can stay by the pool and have a proper lunch right there.
It’s one of those relatively simple changes where you wonder why it wasn’t there before.
There are plenty of places to eat – and most are included
One of the biggest differences between Explora Journeys and some other luxury cruise lines is the sheer amount of choice when it comes to dining. Almost all of the restaurants are included in the cruise fare too.
Sakura serves sushi and Pan-Asian dishes and was my favourite restaurant when I sailed on Explora II. There are some very good plant-based choices here as well, which is always a big plus for me.
Marble & Co. Grill is the steakhouse, although despite the name there are alternatives if steak isn’t your thing.
Then there’s French-inspired Fil Rouge and Med Yacht Club, which serves Mediterranean food. These sit opposite each other on Deck 4.
Emporium Marketplace is technically the buffet, although calling it a buffet really doesn’t do it justice. Instead of lots of trays of food that guests help themselves to, everything is served to you from behind the counters.
Once you sit down, somebody will usually be over pretty quickly to bring water and take your drinks order too. It feels much more like a restaurant than a traditional cruise ship buffet.
There’s a huge choice of food though, including pizza, pasta, Asian dishes, seafood and salads, and there’s plenty of seating outside at the back of the ship too which is really nice when you’re on a warm-weather cruise.
Anthology is the main fine-dining experience and one of the relatively few restaurants onboard where there is an additional charge.
Explora III has some completely new dining experiences too
Alongside Shore Club, two of the most interesting additions are The Cellar and The Chef’s Table. These are additional-charge experiences, so not part of the inclusive dining.
The Cellar is a small wine venue where guests can discover rarer wines and unusual grape varieties with help from the onboard wine experts.
Nearby, The Chef’s Table is a much more intimate dining experience. Rather than simply having your meal brought to the table, you can watch the chefs preparing the food in front of you while they explain the dishes and ingredients.
There’s also the existing Chef’s Kitchen, but that’s a different experience again, with small-group cooking classes where guests get more hands-on.
These aren’t huge venues designed to cater for hundreds of people at once. And I think that’s the point. They’re the kind of small experiences that fit particularly well with the style of Explora Journeys.
The wellness area is one of the biggest improvements
For me, one of the most significant changes on Explora III is Ocean Wellness.
On Explora II, the spa was on Deck 5 while the fitness centre was several decks away on Deck 10. On the new ship, everything has been brought together into one much larger wellness area on Deck 5.
There’s a hydrotherapy pool, Finnish sauna, steam room, salt cave, experience showers, an ice area, heated marble loungers and various spaces where you can just relax.
And better still, you don’t need to buy a separate thermal suite pass to use the thermal facilities!
Spa treatments such as massages cost extra, of course, but I really like that you can enjoy the main thermal area without immediately reaching for your cruise card.
The gym has moved here too and features Technogym equipment, Pilates equipment and a private training studio. And if you’d rather exercise outside, there’s plenty more up on deck 14 right at the top of the ship.
The sports court has been expanded and now includes a full-size padel court alongside pickleball and basketball, while the running track is longer too.
Personally, though, if I’m choosing between the gym equipment and the nearby whirlpool, I know which one is probably going to win.
Then there’s the rather unusual Sound Pod…
Explora III has also gained something I’ve never seen on a cruise ship before – the Sava Sound Pod.
You lie down inside it and it uses low-frequency sounds and vibrations that are designed to help you relax.
It looks a little futuristic and is certainly one of the more unusual additions to the ship. Whether it would turn me into an incredibly relaxed and serene person remains to be seen, but I’d definitely give it a go.
Every suite faces the ocean
There are no inside cabins on Explora III. In fact, Explora Journeys doesn’t even call the accommodation cabins.
The ship has 313 Ocean Suites, 109 Penthouses and 39 Ocean Residences, and every one faces the ocean. You also get your own private terrace.
The standard of the accommodation was already one of the big selling points of Explora I and II, so there hasn’t been any need to completely reinvent things here.
There are, however, more options further up the accommodation categories.
Explora III has two Owner’s Residences rather than one, with one of them designed by architect and designer Patricia Urquiola.
At 315 square metres, it’s considerably bigger than my house, with a private steam room, marble bathroom, outdoor whirlpool and its own dining and lounging areas.
There are also 104 connecting suites, which brings me to something that people sometimes misunderstand about Explora Journeys…
Yes, you can bring children!
Explora Journeys isn’t adults-only. Explora III actually has two separate Nautilus Club spaces for younger guests.
However, you shouldn’t expect giant waterslides, rollercoasters, cartoon characters or enormous children’s play areas. That’s simply not what Explora is trying to be.
Families are welcome, but the number of younger guests is limited on each sailing, which helps the ship retain the quiet atmosphere that people book Explora Journeys for in the first place.
One very minor issue that I have with Explora Journeys is that the most of the suites only accommodate a maximum of three guests. So families of four would need to upgrade to either a ‘residence’ or book two rooms.
This significantly increases the price. So yes, you can bring the kids, but it will cost you. Again, though, this isn’t aiming to be a family-first cruise line.
What about entertainment?
Explora III also isn’t trying to compete with the enormous entertainment venues you’ll find on some of the newest mainstream cruise ships.
There isn’t a huge theatre seating a thousand people. Instead, the Journeys Lounge is a much more intimate entertainment space with live music, cabaret-style entertainment and other performances.
There’s also the Astern Lounge, which is one of the more sociable spots onboard. You might find live music, talks, quizzes, karaoke or a silent disco happening here, and there’s a pool table too.
The Explora Lounge is another lovely space, with enormous panoramic windows, plenty of comfortable seating and live music in the evenings.
So there is entertainment. It’s just not the type of ship where you’re rushing from an ice show to a Broadway musical and then onto a late-night comedy club. It’s a lot more relaxed, without ever being boring.
Explora III is the first LNG-powered ship in the fleet
There’s also a major difference hidden below the surface.
Explora III is the first ship in the Explora Journeys fleet to be powered by LNG. Explora Journeys says this forms part of its efforts to reduce the environmental impact of its marine operations.
LNG isn’t a zero-emission fuel, so I wouldn’t describe the ship as environmentally friendly simply because it uses it. But it is a significant technical change from Explora I and II and part of the company’s wider plans for its newer ships.
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So… has Explora III replaced Explora II as my favourite cruise ship?
That’s the big question.
And after spending just one day onboard, I don’t think I can quite answer it yet. There’s a big difference between touring a ship and actually living onboard for a week.
What I can say is that Explora III feels like more than simply another sister ship. Explora Journeys hasn’t tried to completely reinvent everything that worked so well on Explora I and II.
And I’m very glad about that.
Instead, it feels as though they’ve looked at the original ships and asked where a little more space or an extra venue could genuinely improve the experience.
The enormous new wellness area is a big upgrade. Shore Club makes perfect sense beside the pool. The Cellar and Chef’s Table add experiences without making the ship feel busier. And the redesigned Lobby gives Explora III much more impact when you first step onboard.
Most importantly, it seems to have kept the thing I liked most about Explora II. It feels luxurious without feeling pretentious.
So I’m not quite ready to hand Explora III the title of my favourite cruise ship in the world, not after one day.
But there’s one thing I’m fairly certain about…
Now I really want to come back and cruise on her properly.
Planning an Explora Journeys cruise?
My preferred cruise specialist can help you find the best sailing for your budget and travel style.
