The Small Ship CollectiveExplora Journeys
The newest name in luxury cruising, and the one my clients cannot stop talking about.
I have not sailed Explora Journeys yet myself. I am actively reviewing itineraries now to find the right fit for my schedule, and it is one of the next new lines I am prioritizing. Until I get there, everything I know comes from close attention to the line and from clients who have already sailed it and come home with a lot to say.
What they mention first is the space. Multiple pools and multiple outdoor areas mean nobody is fighting for a lounger by nine in the morning, which is a small detail until you have lived the alternative. The gym and spa facilities come up again and again as some of the best my clients have experienced on any ship, luxury or otherwise. And the food and the service both get the kind of praise that is hard to manufacture, the kind that shows up unprompted, mid-conversation, when a client is telling me about something else entirely.
Why does that matter to you? Because a brand new cruise line makes a lot of promises before it has a track record to back them up. What I am telling you is not marketing copy. It is what real travellers, the kind with the same standards you hold, have actually experienced on board.
Explora is still a young line, only three years in, with Explora I and Explora II already sailing and Explora III just launched. The redesign on Explora III came directly from customer feedback, which says something about how closely this line listens. Not every brand is willing to rework its own spaces based on what guests actually tell them. Across Explora I and III, up to 40% of guests end up rebooking, and for solo travellers that number jumps to almost three quarters, driven by a solo program that is rebuilt every single week around whoever happens to be on board. The crew meets with solo guests early in the sailing to ask what they actually want: dinner together, a group excursion ashore, drinks one evening, afternoon tea. No two weeks look the same, because the program is built around the people in front of them rather than a fixed script. I am tracking all of this closely so that when you are ready to consider it, I can tell you exactly where things stand, not where they stood a year ago.
Ships currently sailing
Explora I, Explora II, and the newly launched Explora III.
Best for
Travellers who love a boutique luxury hotel more than a traditional cruise ship, since Explora is known for drawing people who never thought of themselves as cruisers. Multi-generational families, with more than 80 connecting suites on board and dedicated children's programming, while adults who prefer a quieter atmosphere have an adult-only pool area of their own. Few lines in the luxury category manage to serve both of those travellers this well at once.
Partnership Benefits
Through my relationship with Explora Journeys, I have access to additional onboard credits, a referral incentive for anyone who sends a new client my way who books with them, and meaningful group benefits for sailings of ten suites and twenty guests or more. Details vary by sailing, so reach out and I will walk you through exactly what applies to your situation.
What My Clients Rave About
- Multiple pools and outdoor spaces, so no one is competing for a lounger
- Gym and spa facilities among the best they have experienced on any cruise line
- The food, consistently and without prompting
- The level of service throughout the ship
"If Explora is on your list of cruise ships to try, let's talk about whether it fits the trip you are picturing."
Travelling solo? The rebooking numbers alone say something about how well this line takes care of you.
Travelling with the whole family, from grandchildren to grandparents? Between the connecting suites and the programming built for every age, Explora may be the easiest place to give everyone their own version of a great trip at the same time.
Book a Discovery CallYou can also browse current Explora sailings through my co-branded page.