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Dining Guides

Explora Journeys Anthology Review – Is the €165 Dinner Worth It?

Sep 27
7 min read

Updated: Oct 4

Anthology's New Menu on all ships since september 2026

Anthology is Explora Journeys’ only restaurant with an additional charge. At €165 per person for the seven-course tasting menu, it is also one of the most talked-about dining experiences onboard. Add the optional wine pairing at €70 per person, and a couple pays €470 in total.


Having experienced Anthology aboard EXPLORA I, EXPLORA II and EXPLORA III, we think the answer depends on what you want from dinner. Anthology is not necessary to eat very well on Explora Journeys.


It is, however, a slower, more theatrical and detailed fine-dining experience for guests who want to make dinner the main event of the evening.



Chef and guests at Explora Journeys Anthology restaurant.
Chef Franck Garanger with Rexhell Cruise & Travel

What Is Anthology on Explora Journeys?

Anthology is Explora Journeys’ signature specialty restaurant and the only dining venue in the fleet with an additional charge. It presents a multi-course tasting menu built around contemporary Italian cuisine, combining familiar references with premium ingredients, detailed presentation and a more formal style of service.


Anthology is not intended to replace the included restaurants. Sakura, Marble & Co. Grill, Med Yacht Club, Fil Rouge and Emporium Marketplace already offer plenty of variety, and it is entirely possible to eat very well throughout a sailing without paying extra.


How Much Does Anthology Cost?

The seven-course Anthology tasting menu costs €165 per person. The optional wine pairing costs €70 per person. Two guests choosing both pay €470 in total.


At €165, Anthology is expensive. The question is whether the additional time, service, ingredients and presentation justify the price for you.


A New Anthology Menu Debuting on EXPLORA III

The latest Anthology menu debuted aboard EXPLORA III. It was created by Franck Garanger, Head of Culinary at Explora Journeys, who was present in the restaurant during our dinner aboard EXPLORA III.


The menu feels like a confident continuation of the concept, rather than a complete departure from it.


How Does the Seven-Course Anthology Dinner Work?

The official menu consists of seven courses: First Course; Second Course; Pasta & Risotto; Palate Cleanser; Main Course; Pre-Dessert; and Dessert.


Most courses offer a choice. Amuse-bouches arrive before the official menu, and Piccole Delizie, a selection of Italian mignardises, concludes the meal. The pacing is deliberately slow.


DOWNLOAD THE NEW ANTHOLOGY MENU HERE



The Full New Anthology Menu

Course — Choices


First Course —

Ricordo del Mare: Oscietra Royal caviar, lobster, green apple and sweet & sour vinaigrette; Gambero Rosso di Mazara del Vallo: Sicilian red prawns, burrata foam, green peas and white peach;

Panzanella: tomato tartare, cucumber, bell pepper, olives and rustic Tuscan bread.



Second Course —

Vitello Tonnato: veal loin, Albacore tuna espuma, caperberries, gremolata and Lessatini olives;

Astice al Burro e Acqua Pazza: butter-poached lobster, Datterino tomato nage, braised fennel and Taggiasca olives;

La Mia Primavera: cauliflower and Sicilian Avola almond panna cotta with morel ragout.


Pasta & Risotto —

Caramelle Ripiene di Granchio Reale: king crab caramelle, zucchini, lemon caviar and a tomato, lobster and sea urchin broth;

Risotto delle Colline Venete: Acquerello Carnaroli rice, Treviso radicchio, goat cheese and 25-year-aged traditional balsamic vinegar “Extravecchio”; Calamarata di Sogliola: Pietro Massi calamarata pasta, Dover sole, saffron broth, Amalfi lemon butter and confit Datterino tomatoes.


Palate Cleanser —

Granita alla Grappa di Bolgheri Sassicaia, based around Bolgheri Sassicaia grappa.


Main Course —

La Montagna: A5 Japanese Wagyu beef, Amarone sauce, potato-truffle millefoglie and vegetable bouquetière;

Il Mare: Mediterranean sea bass in potato scales with DOP Contratto vermouth and Sicilian blood orange sauce, plus baby zucchini;

La Campagna: plant-based braised celeriac prepared “osso buco” style with thyme flower, almond foam and tonka bean.

  • Anthology La Campagna


Pre-Dessert —

Fior di Latte Gelato: milk ice cream, rosé Champagne granita and Ligurian pesto.


Dessert —

Millefoglie: caramelised crispy puff pastry, vanilla cream and fresh raspberries;

Arancia & Espresso: mascarpone cream, orange and smoked Chantilly;

Euforia di Cioccolato: 85% dark chocolate and silken tofu with amaretto and toasted almond.


After Dinner —

Piccole Delizie: a selection of Italian mignardises.


Before the Seven Courses Even Begin

Before the official menu started, we were served sea urchin and langoustine tartare, fried pizza prepared à la minute with Parmesan cream, arugula pesto and Taggiasca olive, a foie gras bite infused with Marsala, and rustic tomato bread. The fried pizza was particularly memorable: refined, but relaxed and recognisably Italian.


The Food – What Is the New Menu Actually Like?

The menu is built around recognisable Italian references such as Panzanella, Vitello Tonnato, risotto, pasta, sea bass and Millefoglie, but they are reconstructed through a fine-dining format.

Gambero Rosso di Mazara del Vallo was delicate and fresh, while La Mia Primavera brought cauliflower, Sicilian Avola almond and morel ragout together in an earthy, creamy course.


Caramelle Ripiene di Granchio Reale combined king crab pasta with zucchini, lemon caviar and tomato, lobster and sea urchin broth. Calamarata di Sogliola paired Pietro Massi pasta with Dover sole, saffron, Amalfi lemon butter and confit Datterino tomatoes.


The risotto used Acquerello Carnaroli rice, Treviso radicchio, goat cheese and 25-year-aged balsamic vinegar, creating a dish with plenty of contrast.


The Most Playful Course Might Be the Palate Cleanser

The granita combined crushed ice, lime, sugar and popping candy around Bolgheri Sassicaia grappa. In the formal setting of Anthology, it brought a welcome sense of fun and gave the meal a playful side.


La Montagna – A5 Wagyu as the Centrepiece

La Montagna features A5 Japanese Wagyu beef, Amarone sauce, potato-truffle millefoglie and vegetable bouquetière.

It is visually impressive and naturally works as the hero image or central dish in a review. Il Mare offers Mediterranean sea bass, potato scales, DOP Contratto vermouth, Sicilian blood orange and baby zucchini.

La Campagna is a plant-based option featuring braised celeriac prepared in an osso buco style with thyme flower, almond foam and tonka bean.


Do Not Underestimate the Pre-Dessert

Fior di Latte Gelato combines milk ice cream, rosé Champagne granita and Ligurian pesto. It sounds unusual on paper, but works as a good example of Anthology’s creative style.

Desserts include Millefoglie, Arancia & Espresso and Euforia di Cioccolato, followed by Piccole Delizie.


The €70 Anthology Wine Pairing

The wine pairing is an important part of the complete experience, but it is not essential.

During our dinner, the wines included Contratto Millesimato Alta Langa DOCG Pas Dosé 2022; Allucià Grillo Sicilia DOC 2025 from Tenute Navarra; Pennisi Etneide Etna Bianco; Fior di Rovere Gavi del Comune di Gavi DOCG from I Moncalvi; Ronchedone 2023 from Ca’ dei Frati; and La Morandina Moscato d’Asti.


The pairing moves through different Italian regions, grape varieties and styles. The pours during our dinner were generous. Personally, we might choose a bottle next time instead of the full pairing.

Wine selections can change, so this list applies specifically to the dinner reviewed.


Is Anthology Worth €165?

No, you do not need Anthology in order to eat very well on Explora Journeys. The included restaurants Sakura, Marble & Co. Grill, Med Yacht Club, Fil Rouge and Emporium Marketplace provide plenty of choice.


First-time guests with only a few evenings onboard may want to prioritise these restaurants first.

Yes, Anthology can be worth the money if you want a complete tasting-menu evening with a slower pace, more presentation, storytelling, service and wine.


It offers a more complete fine-dining experience, rather than simply better food than everything included onboard.


Who Should Book Anthology?

Anthology is likely to appeal to food-focused travellers, guests who enjoy long tasting menus, couples celebrating an anniversary or birthday, returning Explora guests who have already experienced the included restaurants, and guests who want dinner itself to become the main event of the evening.


It may not suit guests on a short first journey who have not yet experienced the included restaurants, people who dislike long dinners or detailed presentations, guests uninterested in wine pairings, or travellers who mainly prefer relaxed and quick dining.


Our Verdict After Anthology on EXPLORA I, II and III

Anthology does not need to rescue Explora Journeys’ dining offering. The included food is already very good. Anthology instead offers a separate and more advanced evening, and the new menu feels like a confident continuation of the concept.


The luxurious ingredients matter, but details such as the fried pizza, granita, presentations, wine and pacing also make the experience memorable.


We recommend Anthology for the right type of guest, but would not describe it as essential. It can be very good value for guests who appreciate tasting menus, wine, service and presentation.


Watch Our Complete Anthology Dinner

Watch: Explora Journeys’ NEW Anthology Menu – Now on All Three Ships: Is It Worth €165? This video, filmed aboard EXPLORA III, shows the complete Anthology experience course by course, including the wine pairing.


Earlier footage from EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II is used where necessary to show every dish on the current menu.


Frequently Asked Questions

Is Anthology included on Explora Journeys?

No. It is an additional fine-dining experience. The price is €165 per person.


How much is the Anthology wine pairing?

€70 per person.


How many courses are served at Anthology?

The official menu consists of seven courses, but amuse-bouches and mignardises make the experience feel more extensive.


Who created the Anthology menu?

Franck Garanger, Head of Culinary at Explora Journeys.


Is Anthology available on EXPLORA I, EXPLORA II and EXPLORA III?

Anthology is available across Explora Journeys’ current fleet. The latest menu debuted aboard EXPLORA III and is being progressively introduced across the fleet.


Do you need to book Anthology in advance?

Reservations in beforehand are recommended, particularly if dining at Anthology is an important part of your journey.


Do you need the €70 wine pairing?

No. It adds another dimension, but a bottle may be a better choice for some guests.


Is Anthology worth it?

Yes, for guests looking for a special fine-dining evening who appreciate tasting menus, service, presentation and wine. No, if the main goal is simply to find better food than what is already included onboard.


More Explora Dining



More Explora Reviews


More Explora Videos



 
 
 

Explora Journeys Bars Guide: Where We Like to Drink Onboard

Sep 8
5 min read

Updated: Sep 21

Explora Journeys Bars Guide: Where We Like to Drink Onboard


One of the things we appreciate about Explora Journeys is that having a drink onboard rarely feels like simply going to “the bar”.


The different lounges and outdoor venues each have their own atmosphere, and where we choose to sit often depends as much on the time of day as what we want to drink.


After sailing across the Explora fleet and collecting menus along the way, we have also built something we wished existed when planning our own cruises:

a searchable Explora Journeys Drink Finder.


You can search cocktails, wines, spirits, alcohol-free drinks, ingredients and even individual venues — and see whether an item is included or carries an additional supplement.



But first, here are the bars and lounges worth knowing about. Enjoy our Explora Journeys Bars Guide

Wanna experience Explore with us? Watch our videos!

Malt Whisky Bar

For us, Malt Whisky Bar is one of the most distinctive bars onboard.


As the name suggests, whisky is a major part of the offering, but you certainly don't need to be a whisky drinker to enjoy the venue. There are cocktails and other spirits too, and the atmosphere makes it particularly well suited to a slower drink later in the evening.


If you are interested in premium whisky, this is also one of the most interesting menus to explore because the selection extends beyond the included offering into bottles and pours carrying a supplement.


Best for: whisky, an after-dinner drink and a quieter evening atmosphere.



Lobby Bar

The Lobby Bar occupies a completely different role.


It is one of those places you naturally pass throughout the day, making it easy to stop for a drink without really planning to “go to a bar”.


On EXPLORA III, the lobby area has become an even more important social space, and we like the way drinks here can become part of the wider atmosphere rather than the destination in themselves.


Best for: an easy pre-dinner drink and watching the ship come to life around you.


Explora Lounge

Explora Lounge is one of the more relaxed indoor spaces onboard and a venue we often return to during the daytime.


It works particularly well when you want somewhere comfortable to sit for longer rather than just ordering a drink and moving on.


It is also home to afternoon tea at certain times during the voyage, giving the space a different character depending on when you visit.


Best for: daytime drinks, a slower afternoon and sea days.


Journeys Lounge

If Explora Lounge is about relaxing during the day, Journeys Lounge becomes much more important in the evening.


This is one of the primary entertainment spaces onboard, so drinks here are often part of a show or an evening rather than a standalone bar visit.


On EXPLORA III in particular, we felt the entertainment had taken a noticeable step forward, making Journeys Lounge somewhere we spent more time than on our earlier Explora sailings.


Best for: cocktails with live entertainment and later evenings.



Sky Bar

Few locations onboard make more sense at sailaway than Sky Bar.


It is about the setting as much as the menu: open deck, sea views and a natural connection to where the ship is going next.


A good sailaway atmosphere can transform this venue, particularly when music and the crowd come together.


Best for: sailaway, sunset and an outdoor cocktail.


Conservatory Pool Bar

The Conservatory Pool is one of the most useful all-weather spaces onboard, and its bar naturally becomes part of that experience.


Because the pool can remain protected from the weather, this is somewhere you can realistically spend time even when conditions outside are less inviting.


It is an easy place for a drink during a pool afternoon without needing to relocate elsewhere on the ship.


Best for: pool days and drinks regardless of the weather outside.



Helios Pool Bar

Helios is the adults-only area and has a very different feel from the Conservatory.

When the weather is right, this is one of the strongest outdoor places onboard for combining sunshine, sea views and a drink.


It feels more like a destination in itself rather than simply a bar beside a pool.


Best for: sunny sea days and a quieter adults-only atmosphere.


Astern Pool Bar

At the aft of the ship, Astern Pool Bar gives you one of our favourite combinations onboard: a drink and a view over the wake.


The outdoor spaces around Astern are naturally appealing when the weather cooperates, and this is an easy place to spend considerably longer than originally intended.


Best for: aft views, warm afternoons and watching the wake.


Astern Lounge Bar

Inside, Astern Lounge provides another evening option with a different atmosphere from Journeys Lounge or Malt Whisky Bar.


That variety matters on longer voyages. You don't necessarily want every evening to feel the same, and moving between the different venues is part of what makes the ship feel more interesting at night.


Best for: an indoor evening drink when you want a change of atmosphere.


Sakura Bar

Sakura has one of the most interesting drink selections we have collected.


Alongside the wider bar selection, its menu includes Japanese beers, sake and shochu, Japanese-inspired drinks and its own cocktails.


That makes it worth looking at even if you are not eating at Sakura at that particular moment.

Some of the drinks that stood out from the menu include Kai, made with gin, sake, elderflower, yuzu and grapefruit, and the Sakura Sour, combining shochu, yuzu and seaweed syrup.


Best for: Japanese spirits, sake and cocktails that feel different from the rest of the ship.


The Cellar on EXPLORA III

The Cellar deserves to be treated separately.


Rather than being another general cocktail bar, this is much more focused on wine and premium bottles. The menu we collected on EXPLORA III extends from wines by the glass into a remarkably broad premium selection.


For someone genuinely interested in wine, this is one of the menus worth exploring in detail.

Best for: wine discovery and premium bottles.


Are Drinks Included on Explora Journeys?

A large part of the onboard drinks selection is included, while certain premium wines, spirits and other selections carry an additional supplement.


One problem when looking through individual menus is that it can be difficult to understand quickly which is which.


That is one of the main reasons we created our Drink Finder.


When a source menu shows no price, we mark the drink as Included.


When a price is shown, we display it as the additional supplement.


Where we have collected menus showing different supplement prices for the same drink, our database displays the highest confirmed price we have seen. That gives you the more conservative number when planning your cruise.


Search the Explora Journeys Drinks Menus


Our database now contains hundreds of drinks collected from Explora Journeys menus.

You can search things like:

  • Espresso Martini

  • French Bloom

  • whisky

  • fruity gin

  • passion fruit

  • alcohol-free

  • Sakura Bar

  • Malt Whisky Bar


You don't need to know the exact name either — the finder is designed to handle broader descriptions and slightly imperfect spelling.


Find Your Drink Before You Sail

Search by drink, ingredient, flavour or venue and see what is included and which selections carry a supplement.


Which Explora Bar Is Our Favourite?

It depends on the moment.


For a whisky after dinner, Malt Whisky Bar.

For sunshine and a sea day, Atoll.

For sailaway, Sky Bar.

For something a little different, Sakura.


And if the evening entertainment is good, we are increasingly likely to end up in Journeys Lounge.


That is perhaps the strongest

part of the Explora bar experience: there isn't really one bar that needs to do everything.

Different venues work for different moments of the voyage.


Continue Exploring Explora Journeys





 
 
 

Emporium Marketplace on Explora Journeys: A Different Take on Casual Cruise Dining

Sep 2
6 min read

Updated: Sep 21

There are cruise ship buffets, and then there is Emporium Marketplace on Explora Journeys.

Calling Emporium simply a buffet does not really describe what happens here. The concept is built around a collection of individual culinary stations, open kitchens and smaller displays where chefs prepare, cook or finish much of the food in front of you.

Across our cruises with Explora Journeys, Emporium has become one of the venues we return to again and again. Not because it is simply convenient, but because it gives you an enormous amount of choice without feeling like a traditional mass-market buffet experience.

We recently documented the venue in much greater detail, including its individual stations, dishes, Sunday Brunch selections and many of the things we actually tried ourselves.

You can find our complete Emporium Marketplace guide here:




So, Is Emporium Marketplace on Explora Journeys a Buffet?

Technically, parts of Emporium work like one. You walk around, choose what you want and build your own meal.

But the similarities largely stop there.

Instead of one continuous buffet line filled with large trays, Emporium is organised more like a luxury food hall. Different stations specialise in different areas, and many dishes are freshly prepared, cooked to order or finished by the chefs.

During our visits, we have watched chefs prepare sushi, cook pasta, finish seafood, grill meats, assemble burgers and work with freshly made pizza dough.

Other dishes are presented in small individual portions rather than in large serving trays.

The result is a dining experience where you can create a meal that would normally require visiting several different restaurants.

You might start with sushi, move on to fresh seafood, have a small pasta dish, try a slice of pizza and somehow still find space for dessert.

And that freedom is a large part of what makes Emporium work.

A Collection of Culinary Stations

One of the easiest ways to understand Emporium is to think of it as a collection of small restaurants sharing the same dining room.

The exact offering rotates throughout the day and can vary between sailings, but there are several recurring areas and concepts.

You will typically find selections built around seafood, sushi, freshly prepared pasta and pizza, grilled meats, salads, vegetables, charcuterie, cheeses, bakery items and desserts.

Some stations are clearly designed around one speciality, while others change their dishes depending on lunch, dinner or the particular day of the cruise.

That changing selection is important because Emporium is not a venue where you simply see the same food every day.




Ocean Pearls and Seafood

For many guests, the seafood displays are among the most visually impressive parts of Emporium.

Fresh fish is displayed on ice and seafood selections can include oysters, prawns, crab, lobster and other shellfish depending on the day and sailing.

Some items are available chilled, while others can be prepared or finished for you.

On special occasions such as Sunday Brunch, the seafood selection can become particularly elaborate.



Sushi Prepared in Front of You

Emporium also has a dedicated sushi station where chefs prepare sushi throughout service.

Selections can include maki, uramaki, nigiri, sashimi and other preparations using salmon, tuna, yellowtail and vegetables.

Because the chefs are working directly behind the counter, the station feels considerably closer to a small sushi bar than to a conventional buffet sushi display.

We have also seen the selection change between services and sailings, giving the station more variety than you might expect.



Fresh Pasta Made Onboard

The pasta station is another good example of what separates Emporium from a traditional buffet.

Fresh pasta is produced onboard in several shapes and varieties, with examples we have seen including spaghetti, fettuccine, pappardelle, caserecce, maccheroni and spinach pasta.

Different sauces and prepared dishes rotate through the station.

During our cruises we have seen everything from classic Bolognese and tomato-based sauces to lobster risotto, truffle ravioli, artichoke risotto and seafood preparations.

The experience is much closer to walking up to an open-kitchen Italian restaurant than simply helping yourself from a large pasta tray.



The Pizzeria

The pizza station deserves its own mention.

Fresh dough is worked behind the counter and baked in the onboard pizza oven, producing pizzas with the airy, blistered crust you would expect from a proper high-temperature oven.

There are classic options such as Margherita alongside rotating pizzas and different styles.

One of the interesting parts of documenting Emporium has also been learning more about the people behind the food.

We have had the opportunity to meet members of Explora Journeys’ culinary team involved in the development of the pizza and bakery concepts, including Alban Gkjoka, Gian Luca Mazza and Frederic Godineau.

During one of our cruises, I also had the chance to sit down with Alban over coffee and hear more about his journey, the development of the product and some of the thinking behind where the concept may go in the future.

Those conversations make it easier to understand just how much work sits behind something that, to the guest, can look as simple as ordering a pizza.

Grill, Burgers and More Casual Choices

Emporium is not only about seafood and carefully plated dishes.

There are also plenty of more relaxed choices.

Burgers can be prepared fresh, grilled meats rotate through the station, and you may find chicken, steaks, sausages or other dishes depending on the service.

The burger is actually a good example of the concept.

Rather than sitting under a heat lamp waiting to be picked up, it can be assembled and served much more like something you would order in a casual restaurant.

Desserts Are a Destination of Their Own

The dessert section could almost be its own venue.

Across our cruises we have seen individual cakes, mousse, cheesecake, fruit tarts, cookies, chocolate desserts and beautifully presented small pastries.

The presentation is frequently closer to a pâtisserie display than a traditional buffet dessert counter.

Some of our photographed selections include chocolate mousse, peanut cheesecake, key lime pie, vanilla and raspberry cake, cassis choux, chocolate hazelnut desserts and a wide range of small individual pastries.

There is also fresh fruit and, depending on the service, other sweets and bakery items.

Sunday Brunch Is Something Different

A small but important note about the photos in our Emporium coverage: not everything you see represents a normal lunch or dinner service. Sunday Brunch is typically 09:30–13:30 on selected Sundays/sea days. Availability and times may vary by sailing.

Some of the most elaborate displays were photographed during Sunday Brunch.

Sunday Brunch can feature significantly expanded selections, including impressive seafood presentations and other dishes that are not necessarily part of the regular daily offering.

It is also not something that should automatically be expected on every itinerary or every sailing.

That is why we always recommend looking at our photos as examples of what Emporium can offer rather than treating every individual dish as a permanent menu item.



The Dining Room Matters Too

One thing that is easy to overlook when concentrating on the food is the actual dining room.

Emporium is the largest dining venue onboard the current Explora Journeys ships, but its design helps break the space into smaller areas.

There are window-side tables, booths, more open seating areas and outdoor seating depending on the ship and weather.

Large windows bring in a huge amount of natural light during the day, while the atmosphere becomes noticeably different in the evening.

It never really feels like one enormous cruise ship buffet hall.

And that is probably intentional.



What We Like About Emporium Marketplace

What makes Emporium successful for us is not simply the number of dishes.

It is the combination of choice, flexibility and quality.

You can have a very casual meal, or build something that feels considerably more elaborate.

You can eat quickly before heading somewhere else, or sit by the windows with several small plates and turn lunch into a much longer experience.

And because so many of the stations operate independently, two people sitting at the same table can have completely different meals.

That flexibility has made Emporium one of the places we naturally return to whenever we sail with Explora Journeys.

Want to See Everything?

This article only scratches the surface.

We have created a much more detailed Emporium Marketplace guide where we walk through the individual stations, show many more dishes, explain what each area offers and share photos from lunch, dinner and Sunday Brunch.

Read the complete guide:

If you are planning your first Explora Journeys cruise, it should give you a much clearer idea of what to expect before you step onboard.


 
 
 

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