The fare
The Explora I sailings we would shortlist run from about $5,500 per person for 7 nights, depending on ship, suite, season and itinerary.
ResearchLines, ships and destinations, in detail
Explora Journeys
Explora I
The ship we shortlist first for three generations in the Mediterranean.
Overview
Explora I is Explora Journeys' first ship: all-suite, every suite with a terrace, nine or so places to eat, four pools and no formal nights. Large for luxury, and that is the point for a family party.
Explora I entered service in 2023 and carries around 920 guests in suites that all have a terrace. The design is contemporary hotel rather than cruise ship: light wood, long sight lines to the sea, several pools including one under a retractable roof, a large spa and a dress code that stops at smart casual.
It is the ship we sketch first for families of eight to twelve. The suites connect in reasonable numbers, the children have real spaces of their own, and the ship is big enough for a party to split up during the day and meet again at a table booked for the week.
At a glance
- Line
- Explora Journeys
- Size
- Mid-size ship, around 920 guests
- Entered service
- 2023 (approximate)
- Our pick
- Connecting Ocean Terrace suites midship, with an Ocean Residence for the grandparents
Thinking about Explora I?
We will say whether Explora I is right for your party, which suite we would book and which sailing, or name the ship we would choose instead.
Best for
- Families with children and teenagers
- Grandparents hosting the whole family
- Anyone who dislikes dressing for dinner
- First-time luxury cruisers who want a modern hotel at sea
Not for
- Couples who want a small, intimate ship
- Travelers who enjoy gala nights and a captain's table
- Anyone wanting a port-intensive, expedition-style program
Price
What Explora I costs
Mid to upper luxury: a little below Silversea and Regent per person for a comparable Mediterranean week, with dining, drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities in the fare. Planning figures, not quotes, sit on each sailing page.
What it costs
Planning figures for Explora I
Planning figures from the sailings on this page, not a quote.
What that includes
Dining across most venues; Drinks and minibar; Wi-Fi; Gratuities; Wellness facilities. Anything not on that list, we price alongside the fare so there is no surprise on board.
Around the ship
Flights, hotel nights before and after, private transfers and any excursions outside the fare sit on top. Your proposal sets out the cruise fare and additional costs so you can compare the full trip.
Have a budget in mind?
Tell us what you are looking for and the figure you have in mind. We will say what it buys on each line, and where the same money goes further.
On board
Suites, cabins, dining and evenings on Explora I
In our words, from the questions we are asked most. Suite names are the line's; which one we would book is ours.
- Suites
- Ocean Terrace suites are the core category and the ones that connect; Ocean Grand Terrace suites add space for grandparents hosting; the Ocean Residences at the top have a separate living room and are the ones we book for the head of a family party.
- Cabins we would book
- Two connecting Ocean Terrace suites midship for parents and children, with an Ocean Grand Terrace or Residence for the grandparents on the same deck. Avoid suites directly below the pool deck if anyone is a light sleeper.
- Dining
- Around nine venues, all included except a chef's table: a Mediterranean grill, a steakhouse, a pan-Asian room, a buffet that is better than the word suggests, and a very good gelato bar. No fixed seatings, so a family eats when it wants.
- Entertainment
- Low-key by design: live music in the lounges, a small theater with cabaret rather than production shows, a cinema under the stars some nights, and a casino kept out of the way. Evenings are long dinners rather than shows.
Want the right suite on Explora I?
Tell us who is traveling and we will name the deck and the suite numbers we would hold, and the ones we would avoid.
Children, grandparents, mobility
Explora I for the whole family
Three honest notes: what the ship does for children, what it does for grandparents, and what it asks of anyone with limited mobility.
- Children
- Dedicated spaces for younger children and for teenagers, with a program on school-vacation sailings. Children are welcome in every restaurant. This is one of the few luxury ships where children are expected rather than tolerated.
- Grandparents
- Quiet pools, a serious spa, a wide choice of restaurants and no formality. Grandparents who want to host without running the week do well here: the ship gives everyone somewhere to be.
- Accessibility
- A small number of accessible suites exist; we confirm the exact suite numbers and door widths with the line before anything is held. Most Mediterranean calls are alongside rather than by tender, which matters for anyone with a mobility aid.
Planning for the whole family?
Connecting suites, different activity levels, dining that works for everyone, and transfers that suit grandparents and toddlers alike. The best family suites go first, so start early.
Where it sails
Where Explora I goes
The regions this ship sails as far as we know; the itinerary confirms the ports and the season.
Mediterranean
The easiest great cruise there is: short flights, famous ports, and a ship for every kind of family.
Greek Islands
Small ships, island overnights, and a late season that runs into October.
Adriatic & Croatia
Venice, Dubrovnik and Kotor in a week, on ships small enough for the old harbors.
Caribbean
Winter sun for the whole family, on ships that make Christmas and half-term easy.
Baltic & Northern Capitals
Copenhagen, Stockholm, Tallinn and Helsinki in a week, with culture the whole way.
Sample itineraries
Sailings we would consider on Explora I
Planning figures per person; the final price depends on date, suite and availability.
Explora I: a Western Mediterranean week for three generations
Barcelona to Rome with connecting suites, a real kids' program and nobody dressing for dinner.
Not sure where to go?
Give us the month, who is traveling and how far you will fly. A specialist will name the two or three regions and ships we would choose.
Deck plans and photographs
Deck plans and pictures of Explora I
Explora publishes the deck plans on its official site; we send the plan marked with the exact suites we recommend, and why, with every proposal.
Explora I alongside in Monaco at dusk, with a terrace set for an evening reception in the foregroundPhoto: Matti Blume · CC BY-SA 4.0 
Explora II alongside in port in late-afternoon light, her dark hull and tiered decks catching the sunPhoto: Jacopo Tofani · CC BY-SA 4.0
Our promise
We will say no.
We do not recommend a cruise because it is expensive, and we do not put people on the wrong ship. If Explora I is not right for your party, we will tell you and suggest the one that is, even if it costs less or is sold by someone else. We are an advisor, not a booking engine.
Speak to a specialistGood to know
Explora I FAQs
Is Explora I too big to feel luxurious?
No. Around 920 guests is large for luxury but the space per guest is generous and the ship rarely feels full. A couple wanting intimacy should look at Silversea or Seabourn instead; a family will be glad of the room.
Are there connecting suites on Explora I?
Yes, in reasonable numbers in the Ocean Terrace category. They are the first to sell for July and August, which is why we ask families to decide nine to twelve months ahead.
Same line
Other Explora Journeys ships we have written up
Explora II
Explora I's twin, a year newer, with the same room to spread out.
Compared
Explora Journeys against the alternatives
The best luxury Caribbean cruises
Luxury Caribbean cruises shortlisted by Blackbury for families at Christmas, couples in search of small islands and grandparents who want warm, easy weeks.
The best luxury cruise for a family of 10
Planning a luxury cruise for ten people: how many cabins, which ships have the connecting suites, where to go, when to book and how to split the cost. Blackbury's working method.
The best luxury cruises for first-time cruisers
Which ships change the mind of someone who thinks they would hate cruising: relaxed modern ships, yachts and one all-inclusive line, and the itinerary we suggest for a first week at sea.
Plan your Explora I cruise with Blackbury Travel.
Our pick: Connecting Ocean Terrace suites midship, with an Ocean Residence for the grandparents. Tell us who is traveling and when, and we will say which sailing and which suite, or whether another ship would suit you better.