Head to head
Both are relaxed, modern and welcome children — one is a ship of around 900 guests and the other a yacht of 300 to 450. We compare space, price, children's programmes and where each goes.
This is the modern-luxury shortlist for families who do not want formality. Explora is the bigger, better-value ship with more for children; Ritz-Carlton is the yacht, with hotel service, a marina and a price to match. Both will take a three-generation group and look after it well.
| Criterion | Explora Journeys | The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection |
|---|---|---|
| Ship size | Around 900 guests | 300 to 450 guests |
| Feel | Contemporary resort at sea | Residential yacht |
| Children | Dedicated spaces, broad programme | Programme on board; smaller scale |
| Connecting suites | Reasonable numbers | Very few |
| Marina / water sports | No marina | Stern marina when at anchor |
| Itineraries | Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Alaska | Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe |
| Guide price, 7 nights Med | From about £4,200 pp | From about £6,900 pp |
Stars are Blackbury's editorial opinion, not independent ratings or customer reviews.
Choose Explora for a large group, for young children who need a proper programme, and for value. Choose Ritz-Carlton for a smaller party that wants yacht privacy, swimming off the stern and the anchorages — Bonifacio, Saint-Tropez, St Barths — that a 900-guest ship cannot use.
The connecting-suite count decides many of these conversations: a family of twelve will struggle to find enough on a Ritz-Carlton yacht and will not on Explora.
Tell us who's travelling and what matters most. We'll say which of these we'd book for you, and why.
The lines
Modern, relaxed, generous with space, and genuinely happy to see children.
Hotel-style luxury on yachts of roughly 300 to 450 guests, with a surprisingly warm welcome for children.
Keep reading
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Tell us who's travelling, where you'd like to go and what matters most. We'll recommend the ships we'd actually consider.