Explora Journeys is no longer the “new kid on the block”. In fact, with incredibly beautiful and well-designed ships, Explora Journeys is fast becoming a leader in the luxury market.  In fact, almost every client of Goldring Travel that has sailed on Explora Journeys has rebooked for a second, third, and even fourth journey.

Itineraries Are Available Through Early 2028 for Exploras I, II, III, IV, and V

One of the frustrations has been the lack of more in-depth and exotic itineraries due, in part, to their currently only being two ships and, of course, the closure of the Red Sea, which excludes many previously planned itineraries. That is about to change with the launch of Explora III this summer. She will be slightly larger than Explora I and II, will maintain the same number of guests, utilizing the extra size to increase the number of premium suites. (The larger size is to accommodate LNG tanks, in a move to reduce its environmental impact.) Further, already under construction are Explora IV,  which is due in summer 2027, and, with a design for hydrogen fuel cells combined with the ability to use LNG and alternative biofuels, Explora V, which is due in late 2027.

With these new ships come new itineraries with Explora III calling on Northern Europe (including Norwegian fjords), then over to Iceland and Greenland, working its way along the Canadian coast to New York City and then Miami, before transiting the Panama Canal, up the west coast of the Americas to Los Angeles (and Goldring Travel’s 2027 Central America Culinary & Cultural Journey – Explora Journey’s Explora III -April 22, 2027 – space is still available) to Alaska and then over to Asia, where, starting in September 2027, she will have an extended stay with departures from Tokyo, Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bangkok, through at least April 2028. 

The first thing I noticed is that Explora Journeys continues its goal of creating shorter journeys (7-11 days) that are readily combinable into longer Extended Journeys. For example, you can sail from Tokyo, call on Busan, South Korea and Shanghai, China, then continue on to Okinawa on your way to Hong Kong and then Vietnam, finishing up in Singapore. Similar journeys through Northern Europe or from Iceland to New York City, among other options,  are also available. 

Explora I will continue her winters in the Caribbean and summers in the Mediterranean, but will have a February 2027 set of journeys from San Juan, Puerto Rico to Manaus, Brazil and then through the Caribbean up to Miami.

Meanwhile, Explora II will be focusing on the Middle East for the Winters of 2027 and 2028 after spending Winter 2026 in the Caribbean and her summers in the Mediterranean.  Explora IV has more of its itineraries focused on Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and some interesting one-offs. Explora V begins in December 2207 in the Mediterranean, then heads to the Middle East, with a focus on Saudi Arabia. 

Improvements and Adjustments

Having lived through the birth of Explora Journeys, I certainly appreciate the improvements in the pre-cruise experience, as they acknowledged the need for them. While there are still some quirks (don’t all cruise lines have them?), they are definitely fewer and easier to deal with because more consistent policies are now in place.

A significant improvement is that you can now Book Air, Hotels, and Transfers through Explora Journeys. To be honest, I haven’t had many requests for these add-ons, but for those that may want to shop pricing or prefer to have everything on one booking, they are now options. 

One of the things I find most interesting is that, because the overall product has exceeded everyone’s expectations, certain relatively minor items have become somewhat inflated in importance.  Dinner reservations have, as they are pretty much everywhere, one of those items.  You can book two reservations (one at Sakura and one at Marble & Co.) before you board. Once onboard, you can book reservations in Fil Rouge and Med Yacht Club, and you can also try to book Sakura and Marble & Co on additional nights…though that is more probably after a day or two after being onboard. A hint:  Because of no-shows and faster-than-expected diners, if you walk into any of the dining venues after the first rush, you might well be able to dine there. And, of course, a bit of flexibility – just like when booking your favorite restaurants at home – goes a long way. 

Improvements have also been made regarding Destination Experiences, both as to the quality and variety of the experiences and being able to book (and pay for) them in advance, including the automatic application of any Destination Experience Credits your booking may have.

There are other refinements being made as Explora Journeys is truly focused on “The Art of Listening”. So, let me know your thoughts and concerns, as well as your compliments. 

And, of course, let me know where you want to journey to on Explora Journeys.