Explora III, a new way to live the ocean
Imagine waking somewhere off the Mediterranean coast, opening the curtains and stepping barefoot onto your private terrace. There is nothing between you and the horizon. Breakfast can stay here for a while. Later, perhaps a swim, a massage, lunch outside and an afternoon ashore. By evening, another coastline has appeared.
This unhurried rhythm is at the heart of EXPLORA III, the latest ship from Explora Journeys. The third of six vessels planned by the luxury ocean travel brand, she brings a distinctly European sensibility to life at sea.
The most noticeable evolution is space. The ship has been extended by 19.2 meters while welcoming roughly the same number of guests, allowing for more generous public areas, greater privacy and an even stronger sense of openness to the sea. Everywhere, the emphasis is on indoor-outdoor living. Suites face the ocean, with floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces, while the interiors embrace the understated codes of contemporary European design. The result feels less like a conventional ship than a beautifully considered resort that happens to wake up somewhere new each morning.
That residential feeling is even more pronounced aboard EXPLORA III, with an expanded collection of Ocean Penthouses and Ocean Residences and a second Owner’s Residence designed by Patricia Urquiola. It is a subtle but important shift: more room to live, entertain, read, dine outside or simply disappear for an afternoon with the ocean as company. Life on board has become richer, too. Three new dining experiences join the culinary landscape.
The Cellar celebrates wine and discovery in an intimate setting; The Chef ’s Table turns dinner into a more personal gastronomic experience; and Shore Club on 11 brings the easygoing spirit of a seaside club on deck – the sort of place made for a late lunch that quietly slips into the afternoon. Wellness follows the same effortless philosophy. The newly conceived Ocean Wellness brings spa and fitness together in one harmonious space, while five heated indoor and outdoor pools and expansive decks invite guests to spend as much time outside as possible. Even shopping has its pleasures: EXPLORA III introduces the first Chopard boutique at sea.
Then, of course, there is the journey itself. After her Mediterranean debut, EXPLORA III heads north through Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland before crossing the Atlantic to Canada and New England. In 2027 comes Alaska, with glaciers, pristine wilderness and wildlife replacing the familiar blues of the Mediterranean. The itineraries favor longer stays and a slower pace, leaving more time to experience a destination rather than simply pass through it.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the MSC Group’s Cruise Division, and Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys.
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