I spent a night on a new $560 million luxury cruise ship and now I think Explora could dominate the upscale cruise market

Brittany ChangJan 13, 2024, 14:22 IST

Explora Journeys' first vessel, the Explora 1, hit the seas in August 2023. Next year, itineraries start at $3,000 per person.Brittany Chang/Insider

I spent a night on Explora Journeys' first cruise ship, the $560 million Explora 1.
Explora is MSC Group's newest cruise line, joining its eponymous MSC Cruises.

I spent a night on the new luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys' first vessel. And if its five upcoming ships look anything like this Explora I, I have no doubt the brand could become a dominant player in the growing premium cruise market.

If you've never heard of Explora, you may recognize its owner. This luxury brand isn't backed by cruise giants like Royal Caribbean Group or Carnival Corp. Instead, it has an unconventional parent company: Europe-based MSC Group, one of the world's largest shipping companies.

This name should ring a bell. MSC Group also owns its eponymous cruise line, MSC Cruises, which calls itself the "fastest-growing" cruise line today.

But in terms of their products, this is where the similarities between MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys end.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But don’t call Explora “cheap” — 2024 sailings on this Explora I start at $3,000 per person for a six-night January cruise from Miami to Cartagena, Colombia.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But don’t call Explora “cheap” — 2024 sailings on this Explora I start at $3,000 per person for a six-night January cruise from Miami to Cartagena, Colombia.

Explora really wants you to know that unlike most cruise giants, they are family owned and European.

Brittany Chang/Insider

In the simplest of terms, I just think it’s a really nice ship.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Maybe my bar is low — until now, I had only been on one premium cruise ship.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But after spending one night on the Explora I, I can confidently say this new vessel tops my list as the most luxurious cruise ship I’ve ever been on.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Ungerer calls this vessel a “boutique-style resort on the water.”

Brittany Chang/Insider

But I do agree with Ungerer when he says there are elements of luxury hotels speckled throughout this ship.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Unfortunately for families that love traveling with big cruise brands, the Explora I doesn’t have waterslides, arcades, or any colorfully kitschy interior designs that have become popular on mega ships.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Unfortunately for families that love traveling with big cruise brands, the Explora I doesn’t have waterslides, arcades, or any colorfully kitschy interior designs that have become popular on mega ships.

While I like the fun and flashy amenities on ships like the Norwegian Prima and Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas (shown below), I didn’t miss them on the Explora 1.

Brittany Chang/Insider

While I like the fun and flashy amenities on ships like the Norwegian Prima and Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas (shown below), I didn’t miss them on the Explora 1.

The new vessel has 461 suites from 377 square-feet to 3,014 square-feet.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Inside, I was welcomed with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, an espresso machine, a Dyson hairdryer stored in its own drawer, and a semi-separated living room.

Brittany Chang/Insider

My cabin looked more like a sizable and efficiently designed hotel room than a cruise ship stateroom.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And this feeling of spaciousness was reflected throughout the 813-foot-long Explora I.

Brittany Chang/Insider

If all of the rooms are filled at double occupancy, the ship can sail with 922 guests.

Brittany Chang/Insider

To feed these passengers, the Explora I has six dining and 12 bar venues. All but one are included in the price.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The only dining venue that’s not is Anthology.

Brittany Chang/Insider

But that doesn’t mean the other dining venues aren’t upscale as well.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Even the buffet was swanky from the sushi station to grilled lobster tails and crab legs.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Besides this all-you-can-eat epicenter, there were several spaces on the Explora I that made it stand out from the typical cruise ship.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This classy watering hole is flanked by tunes from the overhead Steinway and Sons piano and onboard shopping, which includes a Cartier outpost and the first Rolex store at sea.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This classy watering hole is flanked by tunes from the overhead Steinway and Sons piano and onboard shopping, which includes a Cartier outpost and the first Rolex store at sea.

And in place of one giant pool deck that grounds the ship, the vessel has four smaller pools.

Brittany Chang/Insider

For the fitness enthusiasts, there’s even a small outdoor gym on the top deck.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Throughout the ship, there are 64 private cabanas to make outdoor lounging feel more exclusive.

Brittany Chang/Insider

The Explora I seems more like a place to unwind than a jam-packed destination with exhilarating amenities to explore.

Brittany Chang/Insider

It seems I’m not the only one whose affinity for luxury has made me a fan of Explora.

Brittany Chang/Insider

Right now, about 60% of its customers are from the US and Canada, primarily because the ship is in the US now.

Brittany Chang/Insider

And like the less luxurious MSC Cruises, Explora is growing.

Brittany Chang/Insider

This first Explora I only just set sail in August 2023. Explora II will hit the seas in the summer of 2024.

Explora Journeys' first vessel, the Explora 1, hit the seas in August 2023. Next year, itineraries start at $3,000 per person.Brittany Chang/Insider

A cruise isn't the place to celebrate Halloween with Disney — sorry

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I spent a night on a new $560 million luxury cruise ship and now I think Explora could dominate the upscale cruise market

But in terms of their products, this is where the similarities between MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys end.

But don’t call Explora “cheap” — 2024 sailings on this Explora I start at $3,000 per person for a six-night January cruise from Miami to Cartagena, Colombia.

Explora really wants you to know that unlike most cruise giants, they are family owned and European.

In the simplest of terms, I just think it’s a really nice ship.

Maybe my bar is low — until now, I had only been on one premium cruise ship.

But after spending one night on the Explora I, I can confidently say this new vessel tops my list as the most luxurious cruise ship I’ve ever been on.

Ungerer calls this vessel a “boutique-style resort on the water.”

But I do agree with Ungerer when he says there are elements of luxury hotels speckled throughout this ship.

Unfortunately for families that love traveling with big cruise brands, the Explora I doesn’t have waterslides, arcades, or any colorfully kitschy interior designs that have become popular on mega ships.

While I like the fun and flashy amenities on ships like the Norwegian Prima and Royal Caribbean’s Wonder of the Seas (shown below), I didn’t miss them on the Explora 1.

The new vessel has 461 suites from 377 square-feet to 3,014 square-feet.

Inside, I was welcomed with a bottle of Veuve Clicquot, an espresso machine, a Dyson hairdryer stored in its own drawer, and a semi-separated living room.

My cabin looked more like a sizable and efficiently designed hotel room than a cruise ship stateroom.

And this feeling of spaciousness was reflected throughout the 813-foot-long Explora I.

If all of the rooms are filled at double occupancy, the ship can sail with 922 guests.

To feed these passengers, the Explora I has six dining and 12 bar venues. All but one are included in the price.

The only dining venue that’s not is Anthology.

But that doesn’t mean the other dining venues aren’t upscale as well.

Even the buffet was swanky from the sushi station to grilled lobster tails and crab legs.

Besides this all-you-can-eat epicenter, there were several spaces on the Explora I that made it stand out from the typical cruise ship.

This classy watering hole is flanked by tunes from the overhead Steinway and Sons piano and onboard shopping, which includes a Cartier outpost and the first Rolex store at sea.

And in place of one giant pool deck that grounds the ship, the vessel has four smaller pools.

For the fitness enthusiasts, there’s even a small outdoor gym on the top deck.

Throughout the ship, there are 64 private cabanas to make outdoor lounging feel more exclusive.

The Explora I seems more like a place to unwind than a jam-packed destination with exhilarating amenities to explore.

It seems I’m not the only one whose affinity for luxury has made me a fan of Explora.

Right now, about 60% of its customers are from the US and Canada, primarily because the ship is in the US now.

And like the less luxurious MSC Cruises, Explora is growing.

This first Explora I only just set sail in August 2023. Explora II will hit the seas in the summer of 2024.