Explora cruises reviews: is Explora Journeys a good cruise line?

Explora cruise review scorecard

Our verdict in one line: Explora Journeys is the pick for travelers who want the newest luxury ship and a fare that covers almost everything on board, and who don’t mind a larger ship or paying for tours. It is the modern-ship pick in our best luxury and small-ship cruises ranking. The open question is time: the line has sailed only since 2023.

How we grade: see how we rate cruises. These are editorial grades, not passenger scores.

Strengths

• New ships. Explora I was delivered in July 2023, Explora II in September 2024 and Explora III in July 2026. Explora IV and V are due in 2027 and Explora VI in 2028.
• All-suite and ocean-facing. Explora describes every suite as ocean-front, and every suite category it lists comes with a terrace.
• Drinks and internet in the fare. Unlimited drinks, including fine wines, champagne and premium spirits, are served anywhere on board, alongside ship-wide Wi-Fi and onboard gratuities.
• Space. Explora I has six restaurants, 12 bars and lounges and five heated pools, and Explora quotes a ratio of 1.25 guests to each member of staff.
• Wellness included. The thermal area of the spa and group fitness and wellbeing classes are in the fare, not sold as extras.

Weaknesses

• Larger than most luxury ships. At about 63,600 gross tons and 456 suites, Explora I is far bigger than the ships of Seabourn or Silversea, and Explora III and the ships after it are larger still.
• Four restaurants cost extra. Anthology, The Chef’s Kitchen, The Chef’s Table and The Cellar sit outside the fare. Anthology’s tasting menu was 165 euros per person, plus 70 euros for the wine pairing (checked October 2026).
• No excursions on the inclusions list. Plan to pay for tours, which Regent includes.
• A short record. The first cruise left Copenhagen on August 1, 2023, so the line has less history than rivals that have sailed for decades.
• Changing schedules. In September 2026 Explora cancelled the Red Sea and Arabian Gulf cruises it had planned for winter 2027 to 2028 and moved two ships, so check that a booked journey is still running as planned.

Are Explora Journeys cruises all inclusive?

Largely, but not completely. The fare covers dining in the included restaurants, unlimited drinks including champagne and premium spirits, ship-wide Wi-Fi, onboard gratuities, the spa’s thermal area, group fitness classes and port-to-town shuttles where needed (checked October 2026). It leaves out four premium dining venues, bottles from the rare wine and spirits list, spa treatments, flights and shore excursions.

That puts Explora between Silversea and Seabourn, which also leave tours out, and Regent, which includes them. Ground transfers come only with the top residence categories. Our all-inclusive cruise guide compares what each fare covers.

Which Explora ship is best?

Explora III, if your dates allow it. It was delivered in July 2026, is 19.2 meters longer than the first two ships, is the first in the fleet able to run on liquefied natural gas, and adds The Cellar, The Chef’s Table and Shore Club, which Explora I and II weren’t built with. Explora I and II are sisters and differ little from each other.

In practice the route decides it. Explora I and II share the Mediterranean in summer 2027, Explora III sails Alaska from Vancouver, and Explora IV starts in Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland before crossing to New England. Routes by season are in our Explora cruises guide.

Who Explora Journeys suits

• Travelers moving up from a premium line who want a new ship and most extras included, without stepping down to a very small ship.
• Couples who want space, pools and several restaurants. Our cruises for couples guide compares other lines for two.
• Alaska travelers who want luxury in 2027. Compare Explora III with the other lines in our best cruise lines for Alaska ranking and the guide to cruises from Vancouver.
• Mediterranean travelers on a long summer season with new ports such as Istanbul, Amalfi and Trogir. See our Mediterranean cruise guide.

It doesn’t suit small-ship purists, travelers who want tours included, or anyone who would rather book a line with a long record.

Explora against the alternatives

• Explora vs Regent Seven Seas: Regent includes shore excursions and every restaurant; Explora has newer ships and more space but charges for tours and four venues.
• Explora vs Silversea: Silversea has smaller ships, butlers in every suite and expedition voyages; Explora has the newer, larger ships.
• Explora vs Seabourn: Seabourn sails smaller all-suite ships with decades of history; the inclusions are broadly similar.
• Explora vs MSC Yacht Club: MSC Cruises belongs to the same group, and its Yacht Club is a private suite area on a large resort ship. Explora is a separate line where the whole ship is all-suite.
• Explora vs Windstar: Windstar is the opposite: yachts of 148 to 342 guests with drinks, Wi-Fi and tips sold as a package.

Explora cruise reviews FAQ

Is Explora Journeys a good cruise line?

Yes, for travelers who want new all-suite ships and a fare that includes drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities. It is a weaker choice if you want a small ship, tours in the fare or a line with a long record.

Is Explora Journeys a luxury cruise line?

Yes. MSC Group runs it as a separate luxury brand, with all-suite ships and an inclusive fare. It competes with Regent, Silversea and Seabourn, on larger ships.

Who owns Explora Journeys?

MSC Group, the Geneva-based company that also owns MSC Cruises. Explora is run as its own brand, and its ships are built by Fincantieri in Italy.

How many ships does Explora Journeys have?

Three in October 2026: Explora I, II and III. Explora IV and V are due in 2027 and Explora VI in 2028, for a fleet of six.

Are these Explora cruise reviews based on passenger ratings?

No. This is our editorial review, graded on the criteria in how we rate cruises and based on Explora Journeys’ published inclusions, fleet and itineraries. We don’t publish star ratings or passenger scores.