Explora Journeys Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 1: December 12, 2025

Fresh off 21 days onboard Holland America’s Rotterdam, I’m already back at sea on a brand-new cruise adventure. This time, I’m sailing aboard Explora Journeys’ Explora I, and I’ll be spending the next 18 days traveling deep into the Caribbean.

What makes this itinerary especially interesting is that it includes several ports of call that are completely new to me, which honestly does not happen very often anymore. When you cruise as much as I do, it takes a lot for an itinerary to feel truly different – and this one qualifies.

Explora Journeys is also a brand I’ve been curious about for a while, so this sailing feels like the right moment to finally see what they’ve built and whether it lives up to the expectations they’ve set.

Who Is Explora Journeys?

Explora Journeys is owned by the MSC Group, the privately held global shipping and cruise company owned by the Aponte family. Gianluigi Aponte founded MSC as a cargo shipping company, and over time it grew into one of the largest shipping and cruise operations in the world. While most people know MSC today because of MSC Cruises, the company’s roots and expertise in the maritime industry go far beyond mass-market cruising.

I’ve been sailing with MSC Cruises since they first began sailing from the United States more than a decade ago, and I’ve watched that brand evolve, quickly becoming the third largest cruise line in the world behind Carnival Corporation and Royal Caribbean Group. One of the most significant things MSC ever did was creating the MSC Yacht Club on their newer ships and now putting it on some of their older vessels as well.

The Yacht Club concept, a ship-within-a-ship upscale experience, proved something important: there was a strong demand for a more private, more refined, more service-focused experience to make the larger ships feel more exclusive. Dedicated spaces, more attentive service, fewer guests, and a calmer onboard environment struck a note with a lot of cruisers, myself included.

Explora Journeys was born from the success of the Yacht Club.  MSC took the lessons learned from Yacht Club and applied them to an entire brand built around that experience. Smaller ships. Fewer guests. All suites. Slower travel. Longer stays. Explora’s mission is not to compete with mainstream cruise lines. It is to offer a modern luxury experience that feels unforced, unhurried, and relaxing.

Explora Journeys fits into the luxury cruise space, and it competes against:

• Silversea
• Seabourn
• Regent Seven Seas
• Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection
• Four Seasons Yachts

Where Explora stands out is in ship design and overall experience. Their ships are larger than many luxury vessels but far smaller than mainstream cruise ships. That gives Explora more room to work with while still keeping the guest count low.  This extra space translates to:

• Less than 1,000 guests onboard
• More dining venues and public spaces than many luxury ships
• Larger suites with private terraces
• A residential design
• A relaxed onboard pace with light daily schedules

Explora also does away with formality. There is no strict dress code – think country club casual. There is no sense that luxury equals stiffness, or is reserved only for those spending their great grandkids inheritance. Instead, it’s designed to feel more like a high-end resort at sea than a traditional cruise ship.

The Explora Fleet and the Ship I’m Sailing

Explora Journeys is taking a slow approach to building its fleet.

Explora I is the first ship in the fleet and entered service in August 2023. She was followed by Explora II in September 2024, with Explora III, IV, and V expected to enter service in 2026, 2027, and 2028. All of the ships are being built by Fincantieri in Italy, one of the most respected shipbuilders in the world.

When it comes to the ship I’m cruising on, Explora I comes in at just under 64,000 gross tons and carries fewer than 1,000 guests, with a passenger capacity of 922 at double occupancy. That low guest count immediately sets the tone onboard. There’s space to breathe, no crowds, and public areas that never feel overwhelmed.

Every accommodation onboard Explora I is a suite, and nearly all feature private terraces. There are no interior cabins or no oceanview-only rooms.  Suites are designed to feel residential rather than hotel-like, with neutral tones, plenty of storage, and layouts that actually work for longer stays. On a cruise that lasts nearly three weeks, that matters more than flashy décor.

You will not find any amusement-style attractions, sorry kids, no water slides or splash pads. Instead, the ship’s amenities are focused on relaxation, dining, wellness, and being social.

Onboard, there are multiple restaurants and bars, but no main dining room, and the “buffet” is anything but!  As I go through the week, I’ll be talking a lot about dining (and drinking) onboard.  All dining, with the exception of the Chef’s table-like experience claled Anthology, is included at no additional cost.  So is Wi-Fi for up to three devices with no restrictions on streaming, and all your beverages with the exception of a handful of premium spirits.

When it comes to lounges, there are plenty, including a beautiful lobby bar with a soaring backdrop, a whisky bar complete with an adjacent cigar lounge, and multiple outdoor bars with plenty of seating.

Even though Explora I is a small vessel, she has four, yes FOUR, pools!  The Astern Pool located at the stern of the ship that features an infinity edge,  the Conservatory Pool on Deck 11 which is is the largest pool and has a retractable glass roof, the Atoll Pool on Deck 10 with is one of the smaller pools, and the Helios Pool with is for adults only – not that you’re likely to find a lot of kids on Explora.

Entertainment exists, but it’s not the centerpiece. There are no Broadway-style production shows and no constant push to get guests into a theater. The ship has a cast of vocal performers and a band that entertain in the small, lounge-like venue at the front of the ship with cocktail-style seating all on one level making it an intimate venue rather than a massive showroom.

Explora Journeys’ Loyalty Program: Explora Club

Before I get into embarkation day and a closer look at my suite, it’s worth taking a minute to talk about loyalty and Explora Journeys’ loyalty program, called Explora Club.

Since I’m Diamond with MSC Cruises, which is their second-highest loyalty tier, I was able to status match into Platinum with Explora Journeys, also their second-highest level. That match happened immediately and gave me access to several great perks right from the start. It also sent a pretty clear message that Explora Journeys is making a real effort to take care of existing MSC loyalists who are curious about their new brand.

That matters, especially when you’re asking experienced cruisers to try something new at a higher price point.

Explora Club has five loyalty levels:

• Classic – This is the entry level once you sail with Explora Journeys. You start earning points, gain access to member-only offers, and officially become part of Explora Club.
• Silver – Silver adds small savings on future journeys and early access to select offers. It’s a recognition tier, but not one that dramatically changes the onboard experience.
• Gold – Increased savings on future sailings, priority access to itineraries, and onboard recognition make this the tier where things start getting interesting.
• Platinum – This is the level I’m sailing at for this voyage thanks to the MSC status match, and it comes with perks that are useful, especially on a longer cruise, including onboard credit, complimentary daily laundry service (HUGE!), priority access to new itineraries and services, invitations to select onboard experiences, such as bridge tours when available, increased savings on future bookings, and more.
• Diamond – Diamond is the top tier and is clearly aimed at guests who plan to make Explora Journeys their long-term cruise line. It offers the highest level of recognition, the most savings, and access to exclusive experiences designed specifically for repeat Explora guests.

What’s great about Explora Club is that it’s not built solely around how many nights you sail. Instead, it rewards how you cruise.  You earn Explora Club points in three primary ways:

• Nights Sailed – First and foremost, points are earned based on nights at sea. Longer itineraries naturally earn more credit, which makes extended journeys like this 18-day Caribbean sailing especially valuable from a loyalty standpoint.
• Suite Category – Explora Club also takes into account which suite category you book. Higher-category suites earn more points per night.  This is one of the biggest differences compared to mainstream cruise loyalty programs.
• Eligible Onboard Spending – The third way points are earned is through eligible onboard spending, including things like: spa treatments, shore excursions (they call them destination experiences), and onboard shopping.  Not every onboard charge counts, however, there are some exclusions.

Ok, all that is a brief warm-up.  I’m going to go indepth on all of this as the cruise goes on and will cover things in much more detail, but everything I talked about so far should give you a basic overview of who Explora Journeys is and what the brand is all about.  So without further ado, let’s get into day 1 and man, and I excited to get to it!

Embarkation at MSC’s Terminal at PortMiami

For this cruise, I had a few days in between debarking Holland America’s Rotterdam and boarding Explora I, which meant I was home for a bit before heading back out. That also meant making the trek down to PortMiami, and like I do every single time I sail from that disaster of a port, I took the Brightline high-speed train from Boca Raton to Miami Central Station.

I grabbed an Uber from my apartment to the Brightline station and arrived around 9:30am for my 9:58am departure. Boarding in Boca was quick and painless, and the roughly one-hour train ride had me pulling into downtown Miami right around 11:00am.

One of the things I love about Brightline is how easy the connection is once you arrive. You can catch an Uber directly outside the station. As I was coming down the escalator inside Miami Central, I hit the “request ride” button. By the time I stepped outside, I waited less than five minutes for my ride to show up.

Once the bags were loaded, it was a quick eight-minute drive to Terminal AA/AAA, MSC’s brand-new terminal at PortMiami.

Terminal AA/AAA is hard to miss. It is massive, modern, and pretty impressive. This terminal is now the largest cruise terminal in the world, coming in at nearly half a million square feet. It is also the only cruise terminal capable of handling up to three ships at the same time and is designed to handle 36,000 passengers per day.

The terminal serves as the home base for both MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys, and on this particular day, Explora I and MSC Seaside were both in port.

For those driving themselves, the parking garage is attached directly to the terminal, which is a huge plus at PortMiami. For rideshare passengers like me, there is a dedicated drop-off area, and the whole process was smooth and well-organized.

Once I arrived, I handed my luggage over to the porters. One thing worth noting here is that Explora Journeys does not send luggage tags ahead of time. Instead, the porters print your luggage tags on the spot and attach them to your bags right there in front of you at the terminal. It’s surprisingly convenient and one less thing to worry about pre-cruise.

With that done, I entered the terminal where clear signage directed MSC Seaside guests to one entrance and Explora I guests to another. Everything was well-marked and easy to follow.

Inside, I was directed straight to an agent who checked my passport and handed me my room key in a small wallet-style holder. From there, it was on to security, where carry-on bags went through the X-ray.

When I say there was nobody ahead of me, I mean exactly that. I walked straight through check-in and security with zero wait and was onboard within minutes.

One thing to note about this terminal is just how large it is. The walk from security to the ship is long, but there are moving walkways to keep things moving and help out those who can’t walk that long of a distance.

Once onboard, suites were not ready yet, so I spent some time wandering around the ship before I found a spot to join my 12:00pm Zoom meeting, which worked out perfectly. The complimentary Wi-Fi performed flawlessly, with no lag and no issues with audio or video quality.

At around 1:40pm, the announcement finally came that suites were ready. That was my cue to head off and check out my home for the next 18 days.

Ocean Grand Terrace Suite 6067 on Explora Journeys Explora I

For this cruise, I was originally booked in an Ocean Terrace Suite, but like many cruise lines these days, Explora Journeys uses a bidding system that allows guests to bid on upgrades. These upgrades are handled by a company called Plusgrade, which airlines also use. Once the upgrade emails started coming in, it was easy to see which suite categories were available to bid on. For this particular sailing, everything from the Owner’s Suite all the way down to the Ocean Grand Terrace suites was offered. I placed a bid specifically on the Ocean Grand Terrace, and the reason was simple: the larger balcony. With 18 days onboard and plenty of sea days, I knew that extra outdoor space would be the perfect place to sit, work, and write these reports during the day.

A few weeks before the cruise, I received the email letting me know my bid had been accepted and the upgrade was processed. I was assigned Suite 6067, located midship on Deck 6. And yes, for those paying attention, that is 6-0-6-7. Hey there, 6-7. It is worth pointing out that there is no difference in the interior layout or amenities between the Ocean Terrace and Ocean Grand Terrace suites. The only difference is the size of the balcony. The interior space, furniture, and layout are exactly the same.

The moment I opened the door, it was an immediate OMG moment. The suite is absolutely beautiful, and if I did not know what ship I was on, I would have immediately guessed this was an MSC stateroom. MSC has a very specific design aesthetic that runs across its fleet, and Explora I clearly shares that DNA. As soon as you enter the suite, you insert your keycard into the slot to activate the power and air conditioning. Yes, I tried other cards, and no, they do not work. Only the microchip-embedded keycard turns everything on. Just inside the door you will also find the thermostat, which is set in Celsius, meaning I had to do some quick math, along with buttons for Do Not Disturb and Make Up Room.

Off to the left is a walk-in closet and dressing area, and it is excellent. There is plenty of hanging space, lots of drawers, and a dedicated makeup counter with a chair. This space essentially replaces a traditional desk or vanity in the bedroom or living area, and it works very well.

Moving into the bedroom area, there is a king-size bed that can be converted into two twins. One important thing to note is that some suites on Explora I have beds that cannot be converted, either from king to twins or vice versa, so if bed configuration matters to you, it is worth paying close attention to the deck plans. This was adjusted on Explora II after some early feedback from guests.

On each side of the bed are light controls, USB-A and USB-C ports, and a wireless charging pad built into each nightstand. One side of the bed also includes both US and UK power outlets. The nightstands themselves have motion-sensor lights, so when you get out of bed at night, the lights automatically turn on. Some people may love this and others may not, but I appreciated it. Across from the bed is a full wall mirror (kinky), while the TV is located in the living area rather than in the bedroom, making TV watching from bed a little challenging.

The living area includes a small sofa and a table, with the TV mounted directly across from it. Below the TV and along that wall are additional drawers for storage, and one of those drawers houses the in-room safe. Just before stepping out onto the terrace, there is a large cabinet that serves as the suite’s beverage station. The top half contains glassware, an assortment of coffee, tea, and espresso, along with a coffee maker and electric kettle. This counter also includes US and UK outlets, USB-A and USB-C ports, and the telephone. Below it is a fully stocked minibar with wine, beer, soda, and mixers, all of which are complimentary. There is also a card where you can select your preferred in-room spirits such as whiskey, gin, vodka, or rum, which your steward will bring and keep stocked for the duration of the cruise.

The bathroom is just as impressive. The shower is large and includes both a rain shower head and a standard handheld shower head, along with a built-in bench. You cannot use both shower heads at the same time, but the water pressure was fantastic and the hot water was… hot. One thing to note is that there is no shower door, so water does tend to end up on the bathroom floor during showers. The vanity area is huge, with a single sink and a two-level counter that provides plenty of space for storing toiletries and personal items. There is also, of course, a toilet, and yes, an actual toilet brush. Many cruise lines skip this detail, but MSC does not, and Explora follows that same approach.

The bathroom also includes a nightlight plugged into a USB-A port, a USB-A port, a USB-C port, and heated floors.

Yes, heated floors.

Out on the terrace is where the Ocean Grand Terrace really earns its name. The balcony is massive and includes a full-size daybed, a large round table, and two chairs that are perfect for dining al fresco. All of the cushions are weather-resistant, which means if it rains, you simply wipe them off rather than dealing with soaked fabric.

Overall, the suite is simply amazing. There are even several books placed throughout the room, which adds to the residential, lived-in feel Explora Journeys is clearly going for. Between the layout, storage, amenities, and that oversized terrace, Suite 6067 is an incredible home base for an 18-day sailing and easily one of the nicest accomodations I have stayed in at sea – and I’ve done cruises on some of Explora’s competitors including Regent, Oceania, and Crystal and hands-down this room is the best out of all those.

Video Tour of Ocean Grand Terrace 6067 on Explora I

Departing PortMiami & Pre-Dinner Cocktails

We were scheduled to depart PortMiami at 5:00pm, and while we didn’t pull away exactly on the dot, it wasn’t long after. At 5:00pm we were still finishing up bunkering fuel, but once that wrapped up, we were on our way. As we made our way down toward the turn basin, we were treated to some great views of the Miami skyline at night, along with a beautiful sight of MSC Seaside sitting nearby, waiting for her turn to head out.

Once Explora I completed the turn and started heading out to sea, Seaside followed along behind us, which made for a pretty cool sendoff with a bit of a horn battle going on. After that, it was back to my suite to get ready for the evening and finally test out that shower and, more importantly, the heated bathroom floor. I can confirm both were excellent.

Like most cruise lines today, Explora Journeys uses an onboard app, and you’ll be using it constantly throughout the cruise. It’s where you check what’s happening onboard, make dining reservations, view menus, sign up for events, and keep an eye on your onboard account. Before heading out for the evening, I checked the app to figure out a good spot to grab cocktails inside rather than outside. It was a bit chilly for these Florida bones, and I had no interest in freezing on night one.

After wandering around the ship for a bit, I settled into the Malt Whisky Bar, which also happens to have an attached cigar lounge. There were only a few of us at the bar at that point, which made it easy to relax and chat. I ordered a Manhattan and spent some time talking with the bartender while browsing through the various beverage-focused events scheduled throughout the cruise.

I ended up signing up for a Whisky and Chocolate event happening the next day, a Gin event scheduled for Monday, and a Cigar and Cognac event later in the sailing. These are offered at an additional charge, and there are quite a few options spread throughout the cruise. I’ll get into those in more detail later, but it’s nice to see such a wide range of tasting-style experiences available.

Dinner at Med Yacht Club on Explora I

After a couple of cocktails, it was time for dinner, and for night one I headed to Med Yacht Club, one of the restaurants onboard that does not require reservations. Med Yacht Club is described as “a celebration of the flavors, ambiance, and laid-back spirit of the Mediterranean, pulling inspiration from Italy, Spain, Greece, France, and North Africa.” The restaurant is open for lunch on sea days and for dinner every night.

As I mentioned earlier, there is no main dining room on Explora I and no rotating nightly menus. Instead, there are four full-service restaurants, plus the Emporium Marketplace buffet and Anthology, which is the chef’s table-style experience. I’ll go much deeper into dining as this cruise goes on, but for night one, Med Yacht Club felt like the right choice.

I walked up around 8:20pm and was seated immediately. The space itself is beautiful. It’s not overly dark, not overly bright, and there is plenty of space between tables. It genuinely felt like dining at a restaurant back home rather than eating on a cruise ship. Since there are no rotating menus, my server pointed out a few additions for the evening and walked me through the tapas selection and the pasta of the night.

While I was looking over the menu, a basket of bread was brought to the table, which I absolutely ate way more than I should have. It was served with olive oil and balsamic, along with roasted garlic, which was perfect for spreading on the bread and also ensured no one would be standing too close to me for the rest of the night.  Perfect!

I started with the pintxos, which were the evening’s tapas selection. One featured mortadella in a caprese-style preparation, and another was goat cheese with fig on crispy crostini. Both were solid starts.

For the pasta course, I went with the homemade burrata ravioli, which were cooked perfectly and topped with Parmigiano cheese and a very light tomato sauce. While the pasta itself was excellent, the sauce was honestly a bit disappointing. It lacked richness and didn’t quite have the homemade taste I was expecting.

For the main course, I ordered the veal osso buco, and this is where the meal really shined. It was fork-tender, a generous portion, and served in a rich brown sauce that more than made up for the earlier pasta course. I paired it with a side of perfectly cooked spinach loaded with garlic, which was exactly what it needed.

When it came time for dessert, I passed. Throughout the meal, service was excellent, with multiple servers checking in, keeping my water glass topped off, and making sure my gin and tonic never ran dry.

Evening Entertainment: Playlist

After dinner, I had just enough time to make my way over to the show lounge to catch the evening’s entertainment, a production called Playlist. The show featured the ship’s vocalists and live band performing a mix of pop hits, eventually wrapping things up with some ABBA, which had a handful of people out on the dance floor by the end.

As I mentioned earlier, this is not a traditional theater setup. The venue is more of a lounge-style space, complete with a bar and cocktail seating, and it’s used for a variety of things throughout the cruise, from live music and dancing to lectures and presentations. The setup feels intentional rather than like a scaled-down theater trying to be something it isn’t.

The entertainment itself was good. I wouldn’t be on the phone afterward telling someone back home that I had just seen the greatest show of my life, but it fit the bill for a first night onboard. The performers were solid, the music was enjoyable, and the energy picked up nicely as the show went on. The lounge itself is beautiful, and one thing I appreciated was that bar servers were actively working the room throughout the performance, taking drink orders without being disruptive.

The show ran about 45 minutes and once it wrapped up, I decided to call it a night. With the next two days at sea, there will be plenty more time to explore the ship, settle into the routine, and really get a feel for what Explora Journeys is all about before we reach our first port of call on Monday in La Romana, Dominican Republic.

Plenty more to come on this adventure aboard Explora I. Thanks, as always, for following along.

Daily Schedule

Personal Day-By-Day Explora I Cruise Review: