Explora Journeys: Beautiful Ship, Wonderful Trip

Explora is undeniably one of the most talked about cruise lines in the luxury market right now; it is hard to be in cruise travel circles and not be asked, “Have you tried Explora Journeys?” As you know, I am a big fan of Regent Seven Seas cruises, especially when cruising their newer ships, but was SO EXCITED to try Explora II and see how it compared to other luxury lines. It did not disappoint!

From the moment you board Explora II, you know you are in for a treat; the rich color pallet, the warm leathers, the beautiful lighting… it feels like you are in a sophisticated, Italian designed hotel with beautiful scale and décor. Inaugurated in 2024, Explora II includes 14 decks, 461 all-oceanfront suites, and a 922 passenger capacity. Staying in a Premier Penthouse (PP) Suite was lovely, as I usually just stay in a smaller suite on ships.

The bathroom had heated floors (albeit one sink), and there was a lot of drawer space in the suite. The service was excellent!

The interior and exterior public spaces are both elegant, and somehow welcoming and inviting. The four pool options, including the main pool with a retractable roof and a massive big-screen TV, provide a lot of options for where to relax when outdoors. Additionally, the whirlpools are installed parallel to the ship edge, which is one of the most beautiful and relaxing designs I have ever seen. Pool seating included sofas, large loungers, group seating, and some cabanas. It was super comfortable and relaxing. There are many interior areas to hang out, including the lobby, café, whiskey bar, and many others. The theater was quite small for a ship this size, but the shows were very good and enjoyable.

The dining is exceptional. Sakura is the Pan-Asian cuisine and we ate there, I think four times! You can do walk up at the sushi bar, and that was fantastic with Chef Joseph. There is Marble & Co for steak, Med Yacht for Mediterranean, Fil Rouge (red thread) for French flair, and Emporium Marketplace with 18 high-end food stations. Anthology is a specialty restaurant which we thoroughly enjoyed—yes, we did the wine pairing and even with our picky wine tastes, we loved it! Additionally, room service was seamless and delicious.

The food at Sakura was as spectacular as the decor!

I think the key to this review is how I compare Explora to Regent and other cruise lines I have experienced, and the buzz on the ship. Common questions were: “Have you been on Explora before? What do you think? What line do you usually cruise?” That made it pretty fun and led to lots of lively conversation. The vast majority loved the cruise and the ship, and planned to sail with Explora again. I know I am in that category. For me, the experience was both awesome, and different than Regent. Here are just a few examples:

• Kids: Allowed and welcomed on Explora. I really wanted to see how this worked out to know if I could recommend Explora as a luxury experience with kids on board. I definitely see a need for a small-luxury ship experience that can be multi-gen, especially as my age group becomes grandparents. The first morning, a couple came to the aft pool area where we were, popped their two little ones in the pool. The 3-year old cried and the father panicked and dashed off with her, and the 5-year old was sad she was getting pulled out by mom as they dashed off. My initial thought is that this is not fun for anyone, including the parents. However, there must have been a little network formed because I never again saw kids in any pool, and only saw smiling and happy families a couple times at restaurants or heading to or from excursions. It was lovely to have this diversity in age. I am guessing there were only eight kids on the ship, but it is a guess.

• Age: Every cruise is different for sure, but the age on Explora skewed about 10–12 years younger than what I usually experience on Regent. One factor is that our Explora cruise was only 10 days vs an average of at least 15–30 days on Regent, but the vibe was younger, for sure.

• Dining and bars: The food was equally amazing on both ships. The Emporium concept on Explora offered really amazing food, but the concept is simply different than Regent. My experience was that Explora dinner dress felt more casual, there were fewer barstools at bars, there were several seating groups with a sofa for two and a chair across from it, which meant meeting people was not as easy as it feels on Regent. This was a theme in the comments people shared in the elevators.

• Excursions/destination experiences: Many of the experiences available on Explora sold out early, and a few were canceled due to weather, with limited back-up opportunities per the guests I talked to. We did three organized excursions and they were great: We kayaked and swam in St Thomas; visited the volcanic ruins in Montserrat, and saw an old sugar factory in St. John. Each destination experience was provided for a fee; on Regent most excursions are included, with a small upcharge for a special trip like kayaking. Ironically, I have always much preferred the excursions included because I find I try something new every day, and it creates a bond with other travelers. On Explora, ironically, I liked not going out every day so kind of enjoyed not paying for something I did not use.

• Spa/gym/pool area: I understand Explora III will have a larger spa and gym area. That will be a positive step in my opinion, as the spa and gym area on Regent’s newer ships are much more comprehensive and luxurious than on Explora. That said, I liked the multiple pools and resort-style seating by the pools better on Explora.

St Thomas "kayak, swim and hike" was super fun!

Overall, I am happy to say I would gladly recommend Explora Journeys. The design, food, service, and thoughtful itineraries would make any journey a pleasure!!! If Explora has an itinerary you like, you are in for a treat!!!

St John Sugar Plantation Tour ended with a stop at an incredible bar.

Cruising out of Miami is a lot of fun, the water is beautiful, and there are so many itineraries to choose from. Bon Voyage!

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