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Explora Journeys is one of the newest names in luxury cruising, designed to sit somewhere between a boutique hotel at sea and an ultra-premium resort. We sailed on Explora I for a six-night journey through Turkey and the Greek islands, and while the ship is genuinely beautiful, the question most travellers ask is simple: is it actually worth the price?

This guide breaks down what Explora does well, where it falls short, and which types of travellers will feel they’re getting genuine value for money. It’s not a sales pitch — just a clear look at what you really get when you book one of the most talked-about new cruise lines.

What Explora Journeys Promises

Explora positions itself as a “new category of ocean luxury”, somewhere between traditional cruising and high-end land resorts. The brand focuses heavily on:

space and serenity over crowds
slow travel rather than busy activity schedules
culinary experiences instead of entertainment spectacles
personalised service without formality
European-style elegance rather than American-style flashiness

This is a deliberate choice. You’re not meant to feel like you’re on a mega-ship with water slides and theatre shows. Instead, the experience is calm, polished and understated — closer to a luxury retreat than a floating resort.

For travellers who want quiet luxury, plenty of personal space and thoughtful service, this positioning is highly appealing and worth it. For those looking for big entertainment and energy, it may feel too subdued.

What You Actually Get for the Price

Explora is marketed as “all-inclusive”, and while that’s broadly true, it’s important to understand what’s included — and what makes the experience feel premium. we have a whole article on this if you need more details.

Suites and Personal Space

Every accommodation on the ship is a suite, starting at roughly 35–40m², with a private terrace. Ours was spacious, quiet and genuinely comfortable, with a hotel-like feel rather than a typical cruise cabin. The large bathroom, Dyson hairdryer, well-designed wardrobe space and included minibar all contribute to the sense of luxury.

Housekeeping is discreet and consistent, with twice-daily service and 24-hour in-suite dining that’s included and surprisingly polished.

Dining Experience

You have access to multiple included restaurants — Mediterranean, pan-Asian, French-inspired, a high-end steakhouse, and a premium take on the cruise “buffet.” Food quality was one of the real highlights of our sailing, and the ability to move between venues without reservations or extra charges added to the relaxed feel.

Room service, served course-by-course on your terrace if you prefer, is also included. Only one restaurant, Anthology, carries an extra charge.

Drinks and Café Culture

Explora includes a generous drinks package in the fare: cocktails, wine, champagne, craft spirits and proper barista coffee at Crema Café. You’re never signing receipts or being upsold — a refreshing change from mainstream lines. Premium labels cost extra, but the standard offering will satisfy most guests.

Wi-Fi and Gratuities

Both are fully included.
No packages.
No daily service fees.
No end-of-cruise tipping pressure.

For many travellers, this single point significantly improves overall value.

Pools, Decks and Relaxation Spaces

The ship has multiple pools and whirlpools spread across the decks, and because Explora carries fewer passengers than most ships its size, these areas feel quiet and luxurious. Sun loungers are comfortable, there’s no frantic “towel reservation culture,” and the overall outdoor atmosphere leans towards spa-like calm rather than entertainment.

Wellness Access

The spa’s thermal zone is included on port days. On sea days, access is limited unless you book a treatment. Fitness classes and the gym are included, and sessions are small and relaxed.

These inclusions contribute to the luxury feel, but they also help explain the higher fare — you’re paying for space, calm and quality rather than quantity.

**What’s Not Included (Important for Calculating Value)**

Explora Journeys is often described as “all-inclusive,” but it’s not fully inclusive. To understand whether the fare represents value, it’s important to know what falls outside the package. We have a whole article on what is not included on Explora Journeys here on the site as well as a video if you prefer.

Shore Excursions

None of the excursions are included. Explora’s tours are small-group, well-curated and often genuinely excellent, but they’re priced firmly at the luxury end. Many travellers choose private or independent tours for better value.

Anthology Dining

Anthology is the only dining venue with a surcharge. It’s a tasting-menu concept created by rotating guest chefs.
The price — around €165 plus €70 for wine pairing — is something to factor in if you enjoy speciality dining.

Premium Alcohol Labels

Most cocktails, wines and spirits are included, but certain high-end champagnes, rare whiskies and top-shelf labels cost extra. For most guests this won’t matter, but enthusiasts will notice it.

Spa Treatments & Some Wellness Services

The thermal suite is included on port days and partially accessible on sea days, but all treatments — massages, facials, rituals, salon services — carry a fee. Private or one-on-one fitness sessions cost extra too.

Retail

Explora has luxury boutiques on board, including Cartier, Rolex, Piaget and high-end fashion brands. Naturally, these are not included, but they do set the tone of the ship.

Transfers & Pre-/Post-Cruise Hotels

Unlike some luxury lines, Explora doesn’t bundle transfers or hotel nights into most fares.

These extras don’t necessarily diminish value — but they’re essential to know when comparing Explora to other premium or luxury cruise options.

Pricing: How Explora Compares to Other Lines

Explora Journeys sits in an unusual space: more luxurious than “premium” cruise lines, but not quite as all-inclusive as the ultra-luxury brands and without the stuffiness that can sometimes come with them (makes it worth it for that alone) . Understanding the price comparison can help you decide if it’s worth the cost.

While the service is consistent across the fleet, the ships themselves are evolving. We’ve compared the original sisters to the new, ‘stretched’ Explora III to help you decide which one to book.

How Much Does Explora Cost is it worth it?

Our six-night sailing in September cost around US$6,300 for an Ocean Terrace Suite — roughly US$1,000 per night.
In 2025 and 2026, pricing for similar itineraries is commonly closer to US$1,500–1,800 per night, depending on route and season.

It’s a premium price point, even within the luxury cruise market.

Dress Code Explora Journeys worth it msc

Worth it Compared With Mainstream Lines (MSC, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian)

Mainstream lines can be four to five times cheaper. For example, we sailed MSC Bellissima shortly after Explora for a fraction of the cost — and while it wasn’t perfect, the entertainment and energy were undeniably better.

However, when you add up:

drinks
Wi-Fi
speciality dining
gratuities
coffees
room service
spa access

…the value difference shrinks, especially for travellers who enjoy included drinks and premium dining and on one sailing on Princess cruises in a balcony cabin it was more expensive than an all inclusive luxury trip on Explora for a similar itinerary

Still, if you’re a budget-minded traveller or don’t care about inclusions, mainstream lines are unquestionably better value.

Worth it Compared With Premium Lines (Celebrity, Princess, Viking Ocean)

Explora is more expensive than premium lines, but offers:

significantly larger suites
more spacious public areas
better inclusions
quieter, more relaxed atmosphere
no upselling

Celebrity or Princess may offer better entertainment and a livelier vibe, but they won’t match Explora’s space or calm.

Viking Ocean is the closest competitor in this bracket, and travellers often compare the two directly.

Worth it Compared With Luxury Lines (Seabourn, Silversea, Regent)

This is where the pricing becomes more comparable.
Explora often costs similar or slightly less, but with a very different style:

more modern design
more restaurant choice
larger standard suites
included Wi-Fi and gratuities
more of a “luxury resort” feel than a traditional cruise line feel

Regent and to lesser extent others often include excursions and have more structured service, whereas Explora offers more independence and privacy.

For some travellers, this difference is exactly why they choose Explora.

Who Explora Is Worth It For

Explora Journeys delivers a very specific style of cruise experience, and for the right type of traveller, it can feel absolutely worth the price. The value isn’t in entertainment or activities — it’s in the atmosphere, the space and the overall design of the holiday.

Worth it for Travellers who value peace and quiet

If your dream cruise involves reading by the pool, enjoying slow sea days, quiet evenings and minimal noise, Explora excels. Calm is built into its DNA. You never feel rushed, crowded or overstimulated.

Worth it for Couples and adults who want a boutique-hotel feel

Explora is ideal for travellers who normally stay in small luxury hotels or high-end resorts rather than large chain properties. The ship feels intentionally intimate despite its size, and the suites create a residential, hotel-like environment rather than a typical cruise cabin experience.

Food-focused travellers

Dining is a genuine highlight, with multiple venues offering restaurant-level meals at no extra charge. If you enjoy good food, slow dinners and trying different cuisines each night, Explora delivers far better culinary value than most premium or mainstream lines.

Travellers who appreciate “included luxury”

Explora eliminates constant receipts, packages and add-ons. If you enjoy the ease of not budgeting for drinks, Wi-Fi, room service or speciality dining, the overall experience feels seamless and stress-free.

Worth it for People who love personal space

Explora offers more outdoor space, fewer guests, larger suites and uncrowded lounges. If you dislike queues or busy pool decks, this is where the line provides real value.

Wellness-oriented travellers

If you like yoga, stretching, light fitness classes and spa-like quiet, Explora feels tailored to you. The outdoor spaces, the calm atmosphere and the spa access on port days all support a more mindful style of travel.

For travellers in any of these groups, Explora is not only “worth it” — it may become a new favourite style of cruising.

Royal Caribbean – Senior Rates Available on Select Cruises

**Who Explora Is Not Worth It For**

This is where expectations matter. Explora isn’t designed to be all things to all travellers, and if you’re looking for a more energetic or budget-conscious cruise, the value simply won’t be there.

Families with younger children

There’s no waterslide flow rider action here, and only a small themed children’s area and some structured entertainment for young travellers. Children are welcome, but families looking for activities will be far better served on MSC, Royal Caribbean or Norwegian.

Not worth it for Travellers who want big entertainment

Explora’s nightly entertainment is intimate — singers, jazz sets, small musical showcases. There are no production shows, acrobatics or flashy large scale performances.
If large-scale entertainment is an essential part of the holiday, the ship’s offerings may feel limited.

People who enjoy a busy daily schedule

Some travellers love full activity programmes, trivia, games, events and parties on boulevards with non-stop things to do. Explora is intentionally less in your face in its programming. Many days feel slow and unstructured — great for relaxation but not great for those who need stimulation.

Not worth it for Budget-focused travellers

Explora is expensive, and even with its inclusions, it won’t deliver the same “cost per day” value as mainstream lines. Our time on MSC Bellissima immediately after Explora made this difference very clear: the two lines serve entirely different audiences.

Not worth it for Nightlife and party cruisers

If you enjoy late nights, DJs, busy bars or dancing, Explora may feel too subdued. The bars are elegant but calm, and most evenings wind down earlier than on big ships.

Not worth it for Travellers who want excursions included

Because excursions come with a separate (often premium) price, travellers who prefer a fully packaged experience may find Explora’s structure less appealing than lines like Regent or Viking, where tours are bundled into the fare.

In short, Explora isn’t “worse” for these travellers — it’s simply not the right match for what they enjoy at sea

Our Real Experience: The Good & The Not-So-Good

After six nights on Explora I through Turkey and the Greek islands, we walked away impressed by many aspects of the cruise — but also surprised by a few shortcomings. Luxury doesn’t mean perfection, and Explora is still a relatively young cruise line finding its rhythm. Here’s how it realistically felt though as our introduction to the world of cruising it was definitely worth it for that. .

The Good

The food was consistently excellent. Especially the Emporium Marketplace, but every restaurant offered something different, and there wasn’t a weak venue among them. Being able to enjoy high-quality meals without worrying about specialty fees added real value, and room service on the terrace became a daily highlight.

The ship itself is stunning. Decor, lighting, deck furniture and the overall atmosphere feel more like a boutique hotel than a cruise ship. The outdoor spaces are especially beautiful — plenty of loungers, quiet corners, and pools that never felt crowded. Service onboard was warm and friendly, and many staff members went out of their way to anticipate preferences as the days went on.

We also appreciated the calm. No announcements, no queues, no pressure to join anything. It was truly a “slow travel” kind of cruise.

The Not-So-Good

That said, not everything matched the premium price point. Communication was inconsistent — from conflicting answers about food availability to missed notes about celebrations. We also experienced a few minor service lapses, such as missing cabin amenities or moments when staff seemed rushed or distracted. These weren’t deal-breakers, but they stood out more because Explora positions itself at the luxury end.

Entertainment was limited and sometimes felt repetitive. After sailing MSC Bellissima shortly afterward, the contrast in energy was striking. If you enjoy lively evenings or large-scale shows, Explora won’t scratch that itch.

Post-cruise customer service also felt weaker than expected, with slow replies and generic responses. While this won’t matter to every traveller, it’s something worth being aware of.

These points don’t make Explora bad — but they do make it important to book with the right expectations.

Final Verdict: Is Explora Journeys Worth It?

Explora Journeys can absolutely be worth the price — for the right traveller. If you want a calm, spacious, luxurious cruise that feels more like a high-end resort than a ship, Explora delivers beautifully. The suites are generous, the food is excellent, and the inclusions take away much of the usual cruise nickel-and-diming. For travellers who prioritise serenity, comfort and quality over entertainment and attractions, it’s a fantastic fit.

However, Explora won’t be worth it for everyone. If you want big shows, non-stop activities, lively nightlife or family-focused programming, you’ll find it elsewhere — often at a much lower price. Even premium lines like Celebrity or Princess may offer a more exciting experience at a fraction of the cost.

Explora shines when travellers book it for what it is, not what other cruise lines are. With the right expectations, it can feel indulgent, thoughtful and genuinely memorable. With the wrong expectations, it may feel quiet or overpriced and not worth the extra cost.

Our best advice: before booking, decide whether you want luxury, informal relaxation and calm, or energy, parties and variety.

Explora excels at the former — and doesn’t attempt the latter this is intentional and its a niche they fill exceptionally well.