The MSC Group’s contemporary luxury brand: a private terrace in every suite, nine included restaurants, and drinks, Wi-Fi and gratuities in the fare. Australians fly to join EXPLORA I, II or III.
Explora Journeys is the MSC Group’s contemporary luxury brand, built as an all-suite line rather than adapted from an older ship design. Every cabin has a private terrace, graded as an Ocean Terrace Suite, Ocean Penthouse or Ocean Residence by size, and the fare already includes drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities and the spa’s thermal area. There is no single main dining room: guests book across nine included restaurants, cafes and lounges instead. It suits couples and experienced cruisers who want a smaller, design-led ship and are happy to fly to meet it.
Explora Journeys has no Australian season: no ship visits an Australian or New Zealand port in the 2026 to 27 year, so Australians fly to join a voyage. EXPLORA I, II and the newly delivered EXPLORA III currently sail the Mediterranean and Western Europe, Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland, the Caribbean, Alaska, and the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula, with EXPLORA IV, V and VI still to be delivered. We build the flights, a pre-cruise hotel night and transfers into the quote so the total in AUD is clear before you book.
EXPLORA I and II are sister ships of 456 Ocean-Front Suites each, carrying about 900 guests with a guest-to-host ratio near 1.25 to 1. Nine dining experiences are included, from the Pan-Asian Sakura to the Mediterranean-leaning Med Yacht Club, alongside twelve bars and lounges, an Ocean Wellness spa with a thermal suite, and an adults-only pool deck. EXPLORA III, delivered in 2026 as the line’s first LNG-capable ship, added a beach-club restaurant and a private chef’s table found only on the newest ships.
Starting-from fare per person, twin share, as listed by our booking partner on 14 September 2026. Explora Journeys often prices cruise-and-stay packages with pre-cruise hotel nights built in; ask us for a cruise-only fare if you would rather book your own stay.
EXPLORA I · from Fly to Barcelona, cruise Barcelona to Barcelona · 19 April 2027, 4 nights in Barcelona with a Madrid day trip, plus a 10 night cruise
Want the total for two on a specific date? Our experts check availability and every extra before you commit.
Call a Cruise Expert · 1300 214 840 Enquire TodayExplora Journeys has no Australian season; Australians fly to meet the ships in Europe, the Caribbean or the Arabian Peninsula.
EXPLORA I opened the brand in 2023, designed to feel like a private yacht rather than a cruise ship: 456 Ocean-Front Suites, five heated pools and twelve bars and lounges built around six restaurants. Nine of the dining venues are included in the fare, from the Pan-Asian Sakura to the Mediterranean-leaning Med Yacht Club, and the adults-only Helios Pool sits forward on deck 12 with sweeping ocean views.
Also in the fleet: EXPLORA II, her sister ship launched in 2024; EXPLORA III, delivered in 2026 as the line’s first LNG-capable ship; and EXPLORA IV, V and VI, still to be delivered through the rest of the decade.
What each cabin type gives you. Fares vary by ship, sailing and date, so ask us for the rate on the departure you want.
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A taste of the restaurants, bars and spaces. Anything marked Included carries no extra cost.
The signature fine-dining restaurant: refined Italian cuisine from Head of Culinary Franck Garanger, with a tasting menu and wine pairing.
An immersive, authentic Pan-Asian restaurant, one of nine dining experiences included in every fare.
A redefined European steakhouse experience, included in the fare.
A relaxed celebration of Mediterranean flavours, ambience and dolce vita.
A global tasting tour of French-inspired international cuisine.
Energetic all-day dining celebrating flavours from across the globe, the ship’s answer to a buffet.
European all-day café culture: coffee from selected connoisseurs, loose-leaf teas and a pastry counter.
A luminous lounge with 270-degree ocean views, light meals and afternoon tea by day, live jazz by night.
A refined tour of the world’s whisky regions with a walk-in humidor; rare and vintage pours cost extra.
The thermal area is included in every fare; individual spa, beauty and fitness treatments are booked and charged separately.
An ocean-facing gym designed to motivate, reduce stress and improve sleep, open to all suite categories.
A panoramic, adults-only pool on deck 12, the sunniest spot on the ship.
Basketball, touch tennis and pickleball with a dedicated Sports Host, plus bookable private coaching.
Guest artistes from Broadway, the West End and Steinway & Sons, alongside cabaret-style shows in the Journeys Lounge.
The Journey Fare covers the dining, drinks anywhere on board, gratuities, Wi-Fi and the spa thermal area. Shore experiences sit outside it.
In an Owner’s Residence? A residence manager, a private driver ashore once a journey, transfers, unlimited laundry and a spa treatment.
The Sky and Sea fare sold in Australia adds international flights, a hotel night and private transfers.
Nowhere in Australia: there is no Australian season and no ship calls at an Australian or New Zealand port. Australians fly to join a voyage, most often in the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean or the Arabian Peninsula. We build the flights, a pre-cruise hotel night and transfers into your quote so the total cost in AUD is clear before you commit.
Your suite, nine dining experiences including in-suite dining, unlimited drinks such as wine, champagne, spirits, coffee and soft drinks, Wi-Fi, gratuities, and access to the Ocean Wellness spa thermal area. Higher suite categories add extras such as laundry, priority embarkation and a dedicated Residence Host or Manager.
A yacht-styled ship of 456 Ocean-Front Suites and around 900 guests, small by cruise ship standards. There is no main dining room; instead six restaurants plus cafes and lounges make up nine included dining experiences, from the Pan-Asian Sakura to the Mediterranean Med Yacht Club, alongside an adults-only pool deck and an Ocean Wellness spa.
Couples and experienced cruisers, typically over 40, who want a smaller, design-led ship, a private terrace in every suite, and fares that already include drinks and dining. It is not aimed at young families: there is a space for younger guests, Nautilus Club, but none of the waterslides or scale of activities larger family ships offer.
Most of the nine included venues take reservations once you are on board, though In-Suite Dining can be booked ahead: from 75 days before sailing for Ocean Suites, 90 days for Ocean Penthouses, 120 days for Ocean Residences and 180 days for the Owner’s Residence. The higher the suite category, the earlier you can lock in the sitting you want.
Northern hemisphere summer, June to September, covers the Mediterranean and Northern Europe season, when EXPLORA I, II and III are all in the region; the Caribbean and Arabian Peninsula fill the northern winter. Since Australians fly to join, shoulder-season flights either side of the cruise are often the cheapest way to travel.
Tell us the destination or dates in the enquiry form on this page, or call 1300 214 840. We are an independent Australian cruise agency: we quote Explora Journeys’ published fare, confirm the total for two in AUD with taxes and fees, price in flights if you want them handled, and one specialist looks after your booking from quote to homecoming.
Call 1300 214 840, message us on WhatsApp, email, or tell us what you want and a Explora Journeys specialist will come back with a quote.
Enquire TodayLuxury Cruises Guide is an independent Australian cruise agency operated by Orange Ninja Pty Ltd, ABN 17 682 640 713. It is not owned or operated by Explora Journeys. Explora Journeys and its ship names are trademarks of their owner and are used here to identify the cruise line. Fares shown were published by the cruise line at the time of writing and change with availability.