I recently spent four nights aboard Explora II on a cruise around Spain and France.
I’m often asked if I have a favourite cruise line and so far, my answer has always been no. But, I’m a firm believer that there’s a perfect cruise for everyone – and in Explora Journeys, I may have found mine.
But, while I did fall in love with the ship, there is one thing that may be a deal breaker for me. So read on, and I’ll give you my full review of Explora Journeys.
Note: My husband and I were invited aboard as guests of Explora Journeys, but all of the opinions in this review are mine, and as always, the cruise line has no control over the content.
Embarkation
We embarked Explora II in Barcelona at MSC Cruises’ new terminal, which just opened earlier in the year.
(In case you didn’t know, Explora Journeys is an ultra-luxury cruise line that’s owned by the MSC Group. They also own MSC Cruises, MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company and several other transport and logistics operations)
The new terminal is absolutely stunning – so modern it looks almost futuristic!
Check-in time was 12pm until 5pm. We arrived at 12pm and expected a queue but to our surprise the terminal was empty, so we walked straight up to the desk and before long we were on the ship!
We were greeted with a glass of Champagne and asked to head to the muster station to quickly scan our cards before reaching our cabin.
Accommodation
Explora II is an all-suite ship, and every room has a balcony. We had an Ocean Terrace Suite, and it was incredible.
The decor was modern and luxurious, yet very homely. The room had a huge bed, even bigger and TV and a large balcony too. In fact, everything was just on a larger scale than you would usually get in a cruise ship cabin.
I particularly loved the balcony which had a comfy sofa and a dining table.
There was a fully stocked mini-bar which was filled with our choices of drinks according to a survey I had filled in before the cruise – including a wonderful bottle of rose wine.
There was also a bottle of Champagne on ice. We didn’t drink it right away, but the ice bucket remained topped up each day until we did!
For a closer look at the room, please take a look at this room tour video that I made…
Dining
The food was certainly one of the highlights of the cruise. Everything was the perfect mix of healthy and delicious.
Explora II has four restaurants, all of which are included in your cruise fare. There’s a steakhouse, an Asian restaurant, a French bistro and a Mediterranean restaurant. There’s also the buffet, or you can choose to dine in your suite or on your balcony.
There is also one speciality restaurant, Anthology, but with so many included options available, we didn’t feel the need to try it.
On the first morning, we ordered room service breakfast, and it was incredible. The phone rang to make sure we were awake, and then a few minutes later, a crew member arrived with a huge tray of breakfast items. He set it all up on the balcony for us. It was probably the best breakfast experience I’ve ever had – a real ‘pinch me moment’!
I follow a vegan diet and my husband is vegetarian. We both found that there were plenty of options and we really enjoyed every meal. Everything is labelled clearly on the menus, with no need to ask for a special menu – which I love!
In the buffet, there is no allergen labeling, but that’s not an issue at all, as each station has a crew member there who is ready and waiting to answer any questions about the ingredients.
If you enjoy sushi, I highly recommend that you try not only the sushi bar that’s with the Emporium Marketplace buffet, but also the sushi lunch as Sakura.
Drinks
Drinks are included with Explora Journeys cruises and they are always flowing. It’s really hard to ever get to the bottom of a glass – crew members always seem to appear at just the right moment to ask if you would like anything else!
Even as you relax by the pool, waiters will appear regularly to offer drinks — a lovely touch when you’re used to queuing at the bar.
The cocktail menu was huge and there was a great choice of mocktails as well.
Onboard Activities
Explora II has five pools including an infinity pool at the aft, a large swimming pool with a retractable roof and an adults only pool. There are also five large whirlpools.
Around the ship there are plenty of sun loungers, daybeds and cabanas. Each comes with a fluffy towel – and they’re absolutely huge! We never struggled to find a great spot to relax, even on a sea day.
I loved spending time in the Wellness Area. It has a sauna, steam room, salt room, hydrotherapy pool, experience showers and heated beds. It’s complimentary to use, and you don’t need to book.
Explora Journeys has a real focus on wellness, which is also evident with the fitness facilities. There’s a large fitness centre indoors as well as an additional fitness area up on the top deck where you’ll find more stationery bikes, rowing machines and weights areas.
There’s also a large sports court where you can play pickleball, tennis and basketball. Fitness classes are included at no extra charge.
I left the cruise feeling healthier than when I arrived, which was a great feeling!
Evening Entertainment
As Explora Journeys is an ultra-luxury cruise line, I expected that there might not be much in terms of evening entertainment, but I was wrong!
We loved the Sky Bar, which had a live DJ and an Ibiza-style vibe. It’s a great spot to enjoy sunset or sailaway views.
The Astern Lounge always had something going on, like music quizzes, silent discos or ballroom dancing. Who said ultra-luxury crusing was boring?
Then there’s the Explora Lounge which has some fantastic live music acts. It’s also the place to go for solo traveller cocktail parties and LGBTQ+ gatherings. There’s also ‘Club Soda’ at 7.30pm which is a celebration of an alcohol-free lifestyle – this sounds much more appealing than a ‘friends of Bill W’ meeting in the morning that you’ll find on most cruise ship schedules!
The ship also has a good sized casino, with a great selection of tables and slots. And on certain evenings you can watch a movie under the stars on the big screen by the pool.
Ports & Excursions
Explora Journeys itineraries often include longer stays in each port with late departures over overnight calls. This lets you experience each destination in a much more comprehensive way than you can when you have to be back on board in the mid afternoon.
We called at Ibiza and the all aboard time wasn’t until 3am! That meant that we could experience the Ibiza nightlife before getting back to the ship after midnight and ordering room service in bed!
Sometimes, the ships will visit two ports in a day, such as Genoa from 8 am until 3 pm, and then Portofino from 6 pm until 11 pm. This is great for those who like an action-packed itinerary, as well as those who just want to get off the ship and take a walk somewhere new after dinner.
We took an excursion to Cassis which included a boat trip along the coast to admire the scenery which was stunningly beautiful.
Service
Explora Journeys has a guest-to-crew ratio of 1.25 to , which enables the crew members to provide an exceptional level of service. Wherever you turn, there’s a crew member ready and waiting to assist you in any way they can.
They even bring icy flannels around to help you cool off on a hot day!
Because of the high number of crew members in relation to guest numbers, they have time to chat and get to know you. They also remember what drink you had yesterday and ask if you would like it again!
Explora II is a medium-sized ship. She’s roughly the same size as MSC Armonia, which is MSC Cruises’ smallest ship. However, while MSC Armonia accommodates 2,065 guests, Explora II has just 922.
Having twice as much space per person – and nearly twice as many crew – means that everything just feels so relaxed on board. There are no crowds, and you never have to queue for anything.
Atmosphere
I think it’s important to find a cruise line that matches your vibe, and for me, Explora Journeys gets it just right.
The Explora Journeys philosophy is ‘feel good, look good, be comfortable’. And I love that!
There are no formal nights and no strict dress codes. You’re welcome to wear whatever you feel comfortable in. Most guests opt for smart casual, but if you want to wear a tuxedo or shorts, you can!
The only real requirement is no sportswear, flip flops or baseball caps in the dining rooms during the evening.
Most of the guests on our cruise were from the United States, with the rest being from the UK, Canada and Australia. The demographic was mostly couples aged 40 to 70, although there were also a good number of solo travellers, families and groups.
Family Facilities
Although we took this cruise without the children, I was very impressed by the family facilities and will definitely consider bringing them next time.
There is a kids club for ages 6 to 17 which looks lovely and has games consoles, table football, board games and a pool table. It has organised activities at certain times, and at other times children are able to just go in and entertain themselves.
Children will also enjoy the swimming pools and sports court.
Of course, every child is different, and some parents will prefer a ship with waterslides, zip lines, rock climbing, arcades and go kart tracks. However, after taking my children on all kinds of cruises, my experience is that they’re just as happy to swim, play football, read books and play Xbox with new friends. I know that they would love this ship.
There are no children’s menus, which may be a concern if you have fussy eaters like we do. However, you can order whatever you want and the chef will prepare it. That means they will gladly run down to the buffet and bring pizza to your table in the French restaurant, or rustle up a plate of cheesy pasta without a fuss.
The one thing that I find disappointing about Explora Journeys is the lack of affordable family accommodation…
Kids under 2 sail free, and children aged 2-17 get a 50% discount when booked as the 3rd or 4th guest in a suite, which is fantastic!
However, the entry-level accommodation of Ocean Terrace Suites only sleep three guests. For a family of four, you would need to book a Penthouse or a Residence, and these cost considerably more – more than double, in fact.
Even with the highest level of accomodations, the third and fourth guests are required to share a double sofa bed – something which may not be practical if you have older children of different genders.
The other option would be to book two interconnecting rooms, but that would mean forfeiting the 50% discount for the children.
Pricing and Inclusions
Explora Journeys isn’t cheap – but that’s the point.
Fares typically start at around £2,600 per person for a 7-night cruise.
That’s double the price of a standard cruise… but you’re getting a true luxury escape with virtually everything included.
When you factor in how much your bill usually is at the end of your cruise, and that it could be virtually zero instead, there may not be much difference in the total cost of your holiday.
Here’s what you get:
- All suite accommodation – Every room has an ocean view, private terrace and massive bathroom
- Unlimited premium drinks – Cocktails, champagne, barista coffee, green juice – it’s all included.
- Multiple dining venues – No surcharges for the steakhouse, sushi bar, or anything else.
- In-suite dining 24/7 – No charge for room service, even for full meals
- Wi-Fi – Proper Wi-Fi, not just “check your email if you’re lucky” speeds.
- Gratuities – Tipping is covered
- Access to Wellness Area of the spa – Most cruise lines charge extra for this
- Shuttle services from ports to city centres – No need to pay or arrange your own taxi
You also get slower, more immersive itineraries, with longer port stays and overnight calls.
My New Favourite Cruise Line
Our Explora Journeys cruise was truly magical. We cherished every moment and didn’t want it to end. I think it’s fair to say that after taking almost 50 cruises, I have finally found my favourite cruise line!
We would love to bring the children on our next cruise, although as that would mean booking two rooms and paying double, we may have to keep this one as an adults-only trip for a special occasion.
That said, there are some fantastic itineraries in August and I do also have my eye on a special Christmas sailing in the Middle East!
To learn more about Explora Journeys you can visit ExploraJourneys.com. For expert help with planning your holiday, I recommend that you speak to the experts at Panache Cruises, who will be happy to assist.
As well as giving you dedicated support through every step of your booking, they also offer a price match guarantee plus exclusive discounts.
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Jenni Fielding is the founder of Cruise Mummy. She has worked in the cruise industry since 2015 and has taken over 30 cruises. Now, she helps over 1 million people per month to plan their perfect cruise holidays.
