ANN RUPPENSTEIN
Explora Journeys strives to deliver a “home at sea” concept, but as I developed a morning ritual of breakfast from the comfort of my private terrace while cruising from Oranjestad, Aruba to Miami, Florida on Explora II, it felt more like a “better than home at sea” concept.
Each night before bed I’d select my order and place the card outside of the door of my suite. The next morning, like clockwork, a crew member would arrive within precisely my designated time window to deliver avocado toast with a poached egg, signature in-suite pancakes or a bagel served with cream cheese and smoked salmon — a perk I could only dream of having back home.
Basking in the warmth of the sun, knowing it’s full fledged winter back in Canada, while listening to the soothing sound of waves crashing became an extremely relaxing way to start each day. With each sip of coffee overlooking the water, stress loosened its grip.
This must be what Explora Journeys means when it encourages guests to find their ocean state of mind — a state of mind that’s inspired by the sea and ocean, known to reduce stress and boost well-being.
“Today’s discerning traveller values space, choice, design, and actually, a slower pace — the luxury of time, the luxury of slowing down. We’re not simply moving guests from port to port, we’re creating a sense of belonging at sea, a feeling of calm,” explains Chris Austin, president of North America at Explora Journeys. “It’s about finding your own space, reconnecting with those you’re travelling with, having a transformative experience and discovering your ocean state of mind.”
Although the maiden voyage for Explora I was only recently in August of 2023 and Explora II followed in September of 2024, Explora Journeys is on track to have six ships in operation by 2028. The vision behind the brand was to redefine what ocean travel could be, inspired by the luxury lifestyle on a superyacht.
“We’re more than a cruise line. We’re a boutique, ultra-luxury European resort, whose home is the ocean,” Austin says.
Considering that Canada has only 12 per cent of the population of the U.S., yet it contends with the destination as the top two or three source market, the brand is resonating extremely well with Canadian travellers. For travel advisors, Austin believes Explora Journeys represents a huge growth opportunity.
“If you look at how many people cruise, the biggest opportunity is designing a brand where your cruisers feel exceedingly welcome, but the non cruisers say: ‘Why haven’t I done this before?’ And they fall in love with the experience immediately,” he adds. “It starts with interior design to a degree, the ship feels far more like a boutique luxury hotel. In the lobby bar, one of the most common things we hear people say is ‘wow, I could be in a luxury hotel anywhere in the world now.’ They don’t feel they’re on a cruise ship. And that continues as you go through all the spaces, which are very intimate, smaller spaces. You’d never know how many guests are on the ship.”
Travel Courier recently experienced the ship to get a firsthand look at its all-suite accommodations, gourmet dining, and wellness-focused activities designed to help guests unwind.
A ROOM WITH A VIEW:
All staterooms are ocean-facing suites, increasing upwards in size from the standard Ocean Terrace Suites at 377 sq. ft., with a walk-in wardrobe (complete with a Dyson Supersonic hair dryer) and a separate bathroom with heated floors.
The largest suite is the Owner’s Residence at 3,015 sq. ft. All guests receive a complimentary welcome bottle of champagne. There are coffee and tea stations, along with a stocked mini bar and replenished still and sparkling water. There are only 461 suites in total, purposely designed to create an exclusive atmosphere with a high space-to-guest ratio.
DINE AROUND:
There are six main restaurants on Explora II, as well as cafes and lounges. A highlight was Sakura, which offers Pan-Asian cuisine with unique design touches like a picturesque white floral ceiling. The best spot in the house are the tables overlooking the action in the open-concept kitchen. Ask your server for a highlight reel of favourites to sample the most popular sushi, sashimi and appetizers like tuna tartare.
Head to the Med Yacht Club, a nautical-themed restaurant, for dishes like handmade stuffed tortelloni with ricotta cheese and spinach in a tomato-sage butter sauce or the showstopper Piedmont hazelnut semifreddo for dessert. Unlike a traditional buffet, Emporium Marketplace has made-to-order food cooking stations, along with a pizza oven for tasty Neapolitan-style slices. Save room for the nearby crepe and gelato station. The Sky Bar is the place to go to watch the sunset.
LIFE AT SEA:
A variety of programming is available for guests ranging from soothing sound healing sessions and sunset yoga to lively music trivia. At an added charge, clients can take part in hands-on cooking classes in The Chef’s Kitchen, intimate culinary experiences led by master chefs.
As part of its Luminary series, Explora Journeys also features sessions led by experts in various fields, designed to enrich guests’ understanding of destinations, culture, nature, and the arts.
Our sailing featured creative painting workshops and live painting sessions with Vancouver-based wildlife artist Mathias Horne as well as a deep dive into explorer, adventurer, and environmentalist Mike Horn’s most memorable solo treks across Antarctica, the Arctic, and the Amazon. For younger guests, there’s the Nautilus Club for guests aged six to 17, with foosball, a pool table, the latest generation of video games and VR consoles, such as PlayStation 5 and PlayStation VR2, Xbox, Nintendo Switch and more.
SPA DAY:
For a bit of indulgence, the Ocean Wellness spa offers ocean-inspired treatments, including massages, facials and Medi-Luxe treatments. The intensive muscle release massage was a full-body experience for the books. Even those who don’t have a spa treatment can access the hydrotherapy pool and thermal spa facilities in the area complete with a Finnish sauna, steam room, salt cave, hydrotherapy pool, heated marble loungers and more.
A SHORE THING:
Instead of shore excursions, Explora Journeys offers destination experiences. Rather than just a tour, these are carefully curated excursions designed to immerse guests in the culture, history, nature and flavours of each port of call.
During a visit to Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve, a 95-acre private island in the Bahamas designed exclusively for MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys guests, we headed out on a memorable catamaran ride to Gun Cay to get up close and personal with the resident sting rays.
Thanks to its much smaller capacity than MSC ships, a visit to Ocean Cay is a completely different experience with Explora. The hardest decision will be where to spend the day lounging!
