Explora Journeys Caribbean Cruise Review – Day 7: December 18, 2025

Well, here we are. Day 7 onboard Explora Journeys Explora I, and we’ve officially hit the one-week mark of this cruise. Today’s port of call is one that’s actually new to me, which doesn’t happen all that often anymore, considering how many times I’ve looped around the Caribbean. This is not a port built for large cruise ships, with shopping villages, or manufactured cruise experiences. Instead, today we’re visiting Les Trois-Îlets in Martinique, a stop that’s generally visited by smaller ships for one simple reason: there’s no dock and not a whole lot going on.

Explora I dropped anchor around 8:00am, quite a way offshore, and tender operations began shortly thereafter. For this stop, the ship’s lifeboats were used as tenders, ferrying guests back and forth. When tender service began, the assistant activities host announced that guests with pre-arranged excursions, along with those wanting to explore independently, should come down to collect a tender ticket and wait for their group to be called. It wasn’t until around 10:45am that tender tickets were no longer required and open boarding began.

Before getting into what there is (and isn’t) to do here, a little background.

Les Trois-Îlets is located on the western side of Martinique, an overseas part of France, meaning this is technically France, just with palm trees. The official language is French, though you’ll hear some Creole as well, and while English is understood it’s not really spoken everywhere. The currency here is the Euro, not U.S. dollars, so keep that in mind if you’re planning on spending anything ashore, as most places do not accept U.S. currency, as I quickly found out when I went into a pastry shop.  This particular bakery also didn’t take credit cards, so that chocolate croissant that was fresh out of the oven turned out to be just a tease.

In terms of safety, this is generally a safe area, especially around the marina and main tourist zones. That said, the usual advisory is key – keep your belongings close, be mindful of your surroundings, and don’t wander too far into residential areas where tourists clearly don’t belong. This is not a place where you need to be on high alert, but common sense is key.

Since there’s no cruise pier here, ships anchor offshore and tender guests into the marina at Les Trois-Îlets. The tender ride itself is isn’t quick.  It takes about 15 to 20 minutes, but once you step off the tender, you’re immediately in the small marina area, which is where all the shops and restaurants in a village-like setting are located.

If you’re planning to explore on your own, Les Trois-Îlets is walkable, although a block or two in from the marina the neighborhoods are up steep hills and built on the side of mountains, but if you stick just along the main strip, everything is flat. The town itself is small, quiet, and all residential. There are a few shops selling souvenirs, beachwear, and local goods, and a couple of spots where you can grab a drink or a bite to eat, but that’s about it.

This is not a port where you’re going to spend hours wandering through historic streets, climbing forts, or checking off must-see landmarks. It’s more about slowing down, grabbing a drink, people watching, and enjoying a bit of faux-France.

Excursions in Les Trois-Îlets

If you’re looking to venture further than the marina area, you’re going to need to take a shore excursion, or get a taxi and do things on your own. Popular choices include trips over to Fort-de-France (which we will be visiting later on in the cruise), rum distillery visits, island tours, and beach-focused excursions. You can also grab a taxi right outside the marina, but don’t expect a long line of them waiting. There is a small taxi stand, and availability can be hit or miss.

If you do grab a taxi, it’s a good idea to agree on pricing upfront, as meters aren’t always used.

Beaches in Les Trois-Îlets

One of the best parts of this stop is that you don’t need transportation to get to a beach. There are small beaches located directly near the marina that you can walk to in just a couple of minutes. These are beautiful, relaxed spots where you can take a dip, sit on the sand, or just enjoy the view.  They definitely are “locals” beaches as this really isn’t a big tourist spot, so be mindful that you’re not among fellow tourists, you’re among the locals!

Additionally, lining the street along the waterfront are several restaurants and bars with beach access, making it easy to grab a drink, order some food, and settle in without much effort. But again, check the menus, as prices are in Euros, the spot you may want to grab lunch at may not take American money, or credit cards.  You definitely need to ask up front, as you don’t want to get caught by surprise when the bill comes!

Wandering Around Les Trois-Îlets

When it finally came time for me to head ashore today, I made my first attempt around 1:00pm. I headed down to the tender waiting area and, about ten minutes after I arrived, the heavens opened up. Not a sprinkle. Not a passing shower. A full-on “nope.” I turned right around and headed back to my suite.

About 45 minutes later, I tried again. I get down there… and bingo. It starts raining again. At that point I just had to laugh. Finally, after waiting about another hour, the clouds moved out, the rain stopped, and I figured I might as well go for it even though there wasn’t a ton of time left in the day.

As I mentioned earlier, the tender ride here is on the longer side, but Explora kept the tenders running continuously, so there really wasn’t much of a wait. I waited maybe ten minutes before boarding, and the ride itself took about 15 to 20 minutes.

Once ashore, I wandered around the marina area, which has a very French look and feel. There are several small shops, a handful of restaurants, a small bakery, and even a wine shop selling all kinds of French wines. It’s quite charming, actually.

One tip if you’re walking around: hang a right when you exit the marina. If you go left, you’ll quickly realize you’re basically walking past people’s apartments. Yes, you are that close to where locals actually live. Heading right puts you on the main waterfront street, where you’ll find a row of casual restaurants and bars right along the water. Nothing fancy. No Instagram-worthy hotspots. Just simple places with chairs on the sand.

Most of these spots let you use their beach access if you order food or drinks. The beaches here aren’t going to make it onto any postcards, but they’ll absolutely do in a pinch if you’re just looking to sit by the water for a bit. Just don’t come here expecting paradise-level beaches.

And that’s really the theme of this stop: don’t expect a lot to do, because there isn’t. This is very much a walk-and-wander port. Grab a croissant and a coffee in the marina village, have lunch by the water, maybe dip your feet in the sand, and call it a day. Unless you’ve booked an organized excursion, that’s about the extent of it.

It was nice to see, but it’s also one of those places I wouldn’t rush back to unless I had a specific tour planned.

The last tender ashore was scheduled for 6:00pm, though the final run back actually happened a bit earlier since most guests returned well before that. Explora I weighed anchor and we started sailing away just before 7:00pm, on our way to the next stop.

I Found A New Species of Chair Hog

As I watched the lights of the island fade away while Explora I made her way back out to sea, it was officially pre-dinner cocktail time. I made my way to the Lobby Bar. It’s one of the best spots onboard for people-watching, sitting right in the middle of the ship where everyone passes through on their way to dinner. If there’s one place you’re guaranteed to see all types, this is it.

Now, anyone who cruises regularly knows about chair hogs. They’re usually found poolside at 4am, reserving loungers with a paperback, a towel, and sometimes an entire personality disorder, only to disappear for the next six hours. What I did not expect to find… was a chair hog at the bar.

I spotted the one open barstool, politely asked if anyone was sitting there, and was immediately met with a sharp, “I’m saving that for my wife.” No smile. No explanation. Just a territorial claim staked like a beach towel on a pool longer at sunrise.

No problem, I said, and moved along.

I grabbed a seat on one of the nearby couches and, over the next thirty minutes, watched this bar-stool chair hog proudly keep that seat empty. The wife never appeared. Not once. What did appear, however, was the same guy he’s been attending the LGBTQ+ meetup with every evening, which makes me fairly confident that “wife” may not have been the most accurate term here.

But I digress.

Money can buy you luxury cruises, premium cocktails, and fancy clothes, but it still can’t buy class or basic bar etiquette. Next time, I think I’ll just say, “I’m going to sit down and have a drink. When your person arrives, I’ll happily move.” Because chair hogs don’t get a free pass just because they’re indoors.

Dinner at Marble & Company Grill on Explora Journeys

Next up, dinner at Marble & Company Grill. And if you’ve been following along with my ongoing dining dilemma, you already know the side I’ve taken in me vs Explora’s reservation policy for Marble and Sakura. I won’t fully rehash it again here because I went deep on this in the Day 5 and Day 6 reports, but after my meeting the other night, I was optimistic that we had finally reached some kind of understanding.

So, with no reservation in hand, I headed over to the steakhouse a little after 8pm to see what would happen.

As I walked in, the hostess had a menu in her hand, looked up, smiled, and said, “Mr. Scott, we’ve been waiting for you.”

Well then.

I’m happy to report that it seems we’ve reached an amicable resolution to my steakhouse saga, and hopefully this continues for the remainder of the cruise.

Once seated, my server came over, followed shortly by the bartender who already knew my drink, the exact glass I like it served in, and just like that, we were off and running.

Now, before anyone says, “Well yeah, you complained, so of course they’re rolling out the red carpet now,” let me be clear. I didn’t complain to complain. I complained about a policy that made zero sense and a system that didn’t allow staff to solve a simple problem creatively. If my bit of vocal frustration helps loosen that policy or makes it easier for the next steak-loving guest onboard, I’ll call that a win for the meat eaters among us. If you’re late to this saga, do yourself a favor and go back to Day 5, then Day 6, and meet me back here.

Now… on to dinner.

I started with the featured appetizer of the evening, a blackened crab cake. This thing was loaded with lump crab, lightly blackened on both sides, no heavy filler, no nonsense. A very solid start.

For my main, I ordered something that caught my eye the other night but I hadn’t tried yet: the Iberico de Bellota roasted pork rack with Taggiasca olive crust. For those unfamiliar, Iberico de Bellota pork comes from free-range Iberian pigs in Spain that feast on acorns during their “final stages of life.” The result is pork that’s incredibly rich, tender, and is often compared to wagyu beef in the pork world.

This was a small chop, cooked medium rare, juicy, well-seasoned, and the olive crust added a salty twist that worked perfectly with the meat. Absolutely delicious. I paired it with french fries (don’t judge) and creamed spinach.

Since the chop was on the smaller side, I did indulge a bit when dessert rolled around and went with the Eton Mess. Meringue, Chantilly cream, mascarpone, and fresh berries. Light, not overly sweet, and a perfect way to end the meal without feeling like I needed to be rolled back to my suite.

Service was impeccable from start to finish, both cocktails were spot-on, and honestly, I’m happy we were able to work this out. Marble & Company Grill is very much my style of dining, so fingers crossed this is the end of the reservation drama.

Evening Entertainment

After dinner, I headed over to the Journeys Lounge, the ship’s showroom, to catch the evening performance titled simply “The Movies.” The ship’s singers and live band took the stage for about 45 minutes, running through some of the most memorable songs from movies spanning several decades.

Overall, the talent is there. The band was solid, and both the male and female vocalists are very good. Having a live band backing them up always kicks things up, and it definitely does here. That said, the song selection could have used a bit more energy throughout. They kicked things off strong with Mustang Sally, then leaned pretty heavily into slower love songs for a good chunk of the show before finally picking the pace back up toward the end with a few numbers that actually got people out on the dance floor.

It wasn’t bad by any means, just a little uneven in terms of energy. Still, for a small ship, the production quality and musicianship were impressive.

Because Explora I is a smaller ship, there’s only one showtime, which tonight was at 9:45pm. The entertainment schedule also runs in segments, so the performers won’t be back on stage again until the next leg of the cruise. Their next show isn’t until Monday, and I’m told that next week’s performances will lean heavily into Christmas themes, which should be interesting to see.

After the show wrapped up, I called it a night and headed back to my suite with a full belly and zero complaints in that department.

We’re now sailing toward our next port of call, and another first for me, Bequia in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, where we’re scheduled to arrive at 8am. More on that tomorrow, and as always, thanks for following along.

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