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Explora III
Explora Journeys
EXPLORA III is, in our opinion, the strongest evolution of Explora Journeys so far.
After previously sailing aboard both EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II, we boarded EXPLORA III during her inaugural season with a very different perspective from a first-time guest. We already knew the restaurants, the service style, the suites and the overall Explora concept. What we wanted to understand was what had actually improved.
The answer is more than we initially expected.
EXPLORA III keeps most of what we already loved about the first two ships while introducing a better flowing Lobby and Crema Café area, the new Shore Club, a completely redesigned Helios area and several smaller changes that make the ship feel more refined.
Not everything is better. The new wellness area is one example where, for us, EXPLORA I and II still have an advantage.
This review is based entirely on our own experience onboard and comparisons from sailing all three Explora Journeys ships.
Our Experience / Suite Category
Luxury Ocean Travel | EXPLORA III Inaugural Season / Ocean Terrace Suite 8099+8040
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Short summary
Our EXPLORA III Review
Having already sailed EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II, boarding EXPLORA III felt familiar almost immediately.
That is actually one of the strengths of the ship.
Explora Journeys has not tried to reinvent a concept that already worked. Instead, EXPLORA III feels like the company has looked at the first two ships, listened to feedback and refined certain parts of the experience.
For us, EXPLORA III is currently the ship we would choose if the price and itinerary were identical.
The differences are sometimes surprisingly small, but when you spend several days onboard, those details matter.
A Better Flow Through the Ship
The biggest overall improvement is the layout.
EXPLORA III feels more spacious in several of the areas where guests naturally gather.
The redesigned Lobby and Crema Café area is probably the best example.
There are different levels and smaller seating areas rather than one large open space. That makes the area feel more divided without making it feel smaller.
For us, it works extremely well.
You can find a quieter corner while still feeling connected to the atmosphere around the Lobby.
Moving the piano down into this area was another smart decision.
On EXPLORA III, you both see and hear more of the evening entertainment when sitting around the Lobby and Crema Café.
The whole space feels more alive.
The only compromise is the actual Lobby Bar itself, which we think feels smaller than on EXPLORA I and II.
Shore Club Changed More Than We Expected
If we had to choose one addition that makes EXPLORA III stand apart from the first two ships, it would be Shore Club.
We expected it to be a nice additional casual dining option.
It became much more important than that.
The relaxed outdoor setting, completely different style of food and informal atmosphere give EXPLORA III something that EXPLORA I and II currently do not have.
It fills a gap in the dining experience.
There are already several excellent full-service restaurants onboard Explora Journeys, but sometimes you simply want great food without turning lunch or dinner into a longer restaurant experience.
Shore Club does that extremely well.
For us, it is no longer something we would describe as simply a nice extra.
We would miss it on another Explora ship.
Helios Is Finally a Proper Destination
The redesigned Helios area is another major improvement.
On EXPLORA I and II, the area already offered a quieter adults-only outdoor environment.
EXPLORA III takes that concept much further.
Removing the loungers immediately around the pool has helped create a cleaner and more private feeling.
There is also a new whirlpool, which for us is probably the best part of the area.
The main Helios pool is shallow, and we would describe it as more beautiful than practical for actual swimming.
But that is not really a problem.
It works as a place to cool down, relax and enjoy the surroundings.
Combined with the whirlpool and more private layout, Helios has become one of our favourite outdoor spaces aboard EXPLORA III.
Where EXPLORA III Is Actually Worse
Not every change is an improvement.
The clearest example for us is Ocean Wellness.
EXPLORA III has a newer wellness environment, but we actually prefer the wellness areas aboard EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II.
The biggest reason is the connection to the sea.
On the first two ships, the wellness experience gives you more opportunity to look outside and remain connected to the ocean.
On EXPLORA III, some of that has been lost.
The facilities themselves remain very good, but from a pure atmosphere and relaxation perspective, we think EXPLORA I and II currently do this better.
This is exactly the type of change where newer does not automatically mean better.
Outdoor Spaces
Outside of Helios, the differences between the three ships are much smaller.
All three Explora ships offer excellent outdoor environments.
There are pools, whirlpools, terraces and plenty of places where you can sit looking directly toward the ocean.
We would not choose EXPLORA III specifically because of the general outdoor space.
We would choose it because some of those spaces, particularly Helios, have been improved.
The Overall Explora Experience
What continues to make Explora Journeys special for us is not one restaurant, pool or suite.
It is how frictionless the experience feels.
You rarely feel that you need to be somewhere at a particular time.
You can have breakfast when it suits you, stay by the pool, have lunch later, change your dinner plans, stop for a drink, order something to your suite or simply do nothing.
That freedom is one of the strongest parts of the brand.
You feel looked after without constantly feeling managed.
And after sailing all three ships, EXPLORA III currently delivers the most complete version of that experience for us.
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Dining
Dining on EXPLORA III
Food remains one of the main reasons we continue to book Explora Journeys.
After sailing EXPLORA I, II and III, we do not think there is a meaningful overall difference in food quality between the ships.
That is actually a compliment.
The standard has remained remarkably consistent.
What EXPLORA III does better is expand the choice.
Shore Club on 11
Shore Club is, for us, the most important new dining concept aboard EXPLORA III.
It brings a genuinely different style of food and atmosphere to the Explora Journeys experience.
The setting is casual and outdoor-focused, with food designed to work in a relaxed poolside environment rather than feeling like another traditional restaurant.
We liked the concept immediately.
More importantly, we liked the food enough that Shore Club quickly became somewhere we actively wanted to return to.
For us, this is one of the strongest arguments for choosing EXPLORA III over the first two ships.
Fil Rouge
The French-inspired restaurant combines a refined dining room with food that still feels approachable.
After multiple Explora Journeys sailings, it remains one of those restaurants we genuinely look forward to revisiting. Offers both breakfast and dinner.
Marble & Co. Grill
Marble & Co. remains the steakhouse-style option onboard.
The concept is familiar from EXPLORA I and II, and the quality aboard EXPLORA III continued to be very high during our journey.
This is one of the restaurants where returning guests will immediately recognise the Explora Journeys experience.
Sakura
Sakura remains the Pan-Asian restaurant onboard.
Our relationship with Sakura has changed slightly after several Explora sailings.
It was one of our favourite restaurants during our first journey aboard EXPLORA II.
Today, we would personally like a little more intensity and punch in some of the flavours.
The quality remains high, but it is no longer our personal number-one restaurant onboard.
Med Yacht Club
Med Yacht Club remains one of the most comfortable and reliable dining options.
The Mediterranean concept works particularly well when you want a full restaurant experience without anything feeling overly formal.
Returning guests from EXPLORA I and II will find the experience familiar.
Emporium Marketplace
Emporium Marketplace remains one of the strongest food concepts at sea for us.
We prefer describing it as an international food hall or marketplace rather than a traditional cruise buffet.
There are individual stations, freshly prepared dishes and enough variety that you can build a completely different meal each time.
For us, the freedom is one of its biggest strengths.
You can spend a long evening trying several dishes or have an excellent meal relatively quickly.
Anthology
The Anthology concept aboard EXPLORA III felt more refined to us.
We particularly liked the updated menu and felt that the experience had been trimmed and improved.
Anthology remains an additional experience rather than something every guest needs to do.
The included dining aboard Explora is already exceptionally good.
But for travellers who enjoy longer gastronomic dinners, wine and more detailed presentation, Anthology adds another level.
Crema Café
Crema Café benefits enormously from the redesigned surrounding area aboard EXPLORA III.
It is no longer simply somewhere we think about for coffee and a quick bite.
The integration with the Lobby, evening entertainment and different seating levels makes it somewhere you can naturally remain much longer.
For us, this is one of the less obvious but most successful changes aboard EXPLORA III.
In-Suite Dining
In-suite dining continues to be one of the best parts of the Explora Journeys experience.
After using it extensively across several Explora cruises, we still consider Explora Journeys to offer the best room service we have experienced at sea.
It is not simply useful when nothing else is open.
It is a genuine alternative to going to a restaurant.
That distinction matters.
EXPLORA III Dining Menus – View & Download PDFs
Planning an EXPLORA III journey? Browse and download the actual restaurant menus from our sailing. We have collected the menus in PDF format so you can explore the dining options before your cruise.
Anthology
Anthology is the most elevated dining experience onboard and operates as an additional-cost restaurant.
The menu is designed as a more gastronomic experience, with multiple courses and a stronger focus on presentation, ingredients and wine pairing.
Download the Anthology menu below to see the dishes offered during our EXPLORA III journey.
Marble & Co. Grill
Marble & Co. is Explora Journeys' steakhouse-style restaurant and one of the more energetic dining rooms onboard.
The menu focuses heavily on premium meat, but also includes seafood, starters, sides and desserts.
We have returned to Marble several times across our Explora Journeys cruises, and it remains one of the most familiar and popular dining concepts in the fleet.
Download the full Marble & Co. menu below.
Sakura
Sakura is the Pan-Asian restaurant onboard EXPLORA III.
The menu combines Japanese and wider Asian influences, including sushi, sashimi, fish, meat and several sharing-style dishes.
The PDF below includes both the dinner menu and the sushi and lunch selection from our journey.
Med Yacht Club
Med Yacht Club offers Mediterranean-inspired dining with influences from Italy, France, Spain and Greece.
It is one of the more relaxed full-service restaurants onboard and works equally well for lunch or dinner.
The menu includes seafood, meat, pasta, smaller dishes and Mediterranean favourites.
Browse the lunch and dinner menus below.
Fil Rouge
Fil Rouge is the French-inspired restaurant onboard EXPLORA III.
The restaurant combines classic French influences with international dishes in a refined but relaxed setting.
Breakfast is also served here, making Fil Rouge useful at several different times of day.
The PDF below includes both breakfast and dinner menus from our sailing.
Explora Lounge
Explora Lounge is easy to overlook as a dining option, but it offers a useful selection of lighter food throughout the day.
This can include sandwiches, smaller plates and casual dishes that work well when you do not want a full restaurant meal.
It is also the location for afternoon tea.
Download the Explora Lounge food menu below.
In-Suite Dining
In-suite dining is one of the strongest parts of the Explora Journeys experience for us.
It is available as a genuine alternative to going to a restaurant rather than simply basic room service.
During our Explora journeys, we have used it extensively for breakfast, lunch, dinner and late-night food.
The menu includes a wide range of dishes that can be delivered directly to your suite.
Browse the EXPLORA III in-suite dining menu below.
More EXPLORA III Menus
We are continuing to add menus from our own sailings, including restaurant, bar and drinks menus where available.
All menus shown here are based on our own EXPLORA III journey and can change over time, so individual dishes and availability may differ on future sailings.
Cabins & Suites
EXPLORA III Suites
One reason Explora Journeys works particularly well on longer itineraries is that the accommodation feels designed for actually living in, not simply sleeping in.
The suites have a residential feeling, good storage and private outdoor space.
After sailing multiple Explora ships, this remains one of the most consistent strengths of the brand.
What matters to us is not simply the number of square metres.
It is the combination of practical storage, comfortable beds, minibar, coffee facilities, suite-host service and a terrace you genuinely want to use.
On longer sea days, the terrace becomes another private space rather than simply a balcony attached to the room.
Breakfast, drinks or in-suite dining outside can become some of the most relaxing moments of the journey.
The overall suite philosophy remains very similar across EXPLORA I, II and III.
For us, that is not something that needed dramatic reinvention.
We have always sailed in OT category and are still confident this is far more then we need. For this sailing we had suite 8099 + 8040.
Entertainment
Entertainment on EXPLORA III
Entertainment is one area where we think EXPLORA III has improved over the first two ships.
The most noticeable change is not necessarily the individual performances.
It is how entertainment has been integrated into the ship.
Moving the piano into the Lobby means that music becomes part of the evening atmosphere.
You hear it while sitting around Crema Café.
You see performers when moving through the Lobby.
You can stop for one song or stay much longer.
That style suits Explora Journeys extremely well.
We do not want the brand to suddenly become a ship built around enormous production shows.
Part of the appeal is that dinner, cocktails, conversation and live music can become the evening.
At the same time, entertainment is still one of the areas where Explora Journeys has the most room to develop.
Guests coming from large MSC or Royal Caribbean ships will find considerably less scale and spectacle.
For us, that is generally fine.
But it remains something prospective guests should understand before booking.
One small entertainment-related change we actually prefer on the earlier ships is the location of the pool table.
On EXPLORA III it is at the Malt Whisky Bar, but the area is tight and the noise can interfere with the atmosphere.
We preferred playing around Astern Lounge aboard EXPLORA I and II.
Frequently Asked Questions About EXPLORA III
Is EXPLORA III better than EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II?
For us, yes.
If price and itinerary were identical, we would currently choose EXPLORA III.
The differences are not enormous, but Shore Club, the redesigned Helios area, improved Lobby layout and stronger integration of entertainment make EXPLORA III the most complete version of the concept for us.
What is the biggest improvement on EXPLORA III?
Shore Club is the biggest individual improvement for us.
The new Helios area is another major step forward, particularly the addition of the whirlpool and more private layout.
Is the food better on EXPLORA III?
We would not say that.
We have experienced very high food quality aboard EXPLORA I, II and III.
EXPLORA III's advantage is more about additional choice than a significant improvement in quality.
What is worse on EXPLORA III?
Ocean Wellness is the clearest example for us.
We prefer the wellness environments aboard EXPLORA I and II because they have a stronger connection to the sea and better ocean views.
The actual Lobby Bar also feels smaller, despite the surrounding Lobby and Crema Café area being improved overall.
Is Shore Club worth trying?
Absolutely.
For us, Shore Club is one of the strongest additions aboard EXPLORA III and something we would genuinely miss when sailing on an Explora ship without it.
Is Helios Pool good?
Yes, particularly as an adults-only relaxation area.
The main pool is shallow and better suited to cooling down than swimming, but the new whirlpool and more private layout make the overall Helios area significantly better than before.
Which Explora ship has the best wellness area?
We currently prefer EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II.
EXPLORA III has newer facilities, but the reduced connection to the ocean makes the atmosphere less special for us.
Which Explora ship has the best layout?
For us, EXPLORA III.
We particularly like the redesigned Lobby and Crema Café area, where the different levels and seating areas create more separation and make the space feel larger.
Which Explora ship has the best entertainment?
We would currently choose EXPLORA III.
The integration of the piano and live entertainment around the Lobby creates more atmosphere and makes performances easier to discover naturally.
Is EXPLORA III worth choosing over EXPLORA I or II?
If the price and itinerary are similar, we think so.
The advantage is mainly in smaller details: Shore Club, Helios, the improved Lobby flow and additional dining experiences.
EXPLORA I and II remain excellent ships, and in some areas — particularly wellness — we actually prefer them.
What is the best thing about Explora Journeys overall?
For us, it is the combination of food, value and freedom.
The experience is remarkably frictionless.
You rarely feel tied to a schedule and can structure the day almost entirely around what you feel like doing.
That sense of freedom is one of the main reasons we continue to book Explora Journeys.
How many nights do you need on an Explora cruise?
Based on our experience, seven nights should be considered a good minimum if you want to explore the ship properly.
Four nights can be enough to understand the concept, but not if you expect to experience every restaurant and major part of the ship.
For us, around ten nights gives the Explora Journeys experience much more room to breathe.
What We Liked
What We Loved About EXPLORA III
After sailing all three Explora Journeys ships, EXPLORA III is currently the one we would choose if price and itinerary were identical.
The biggest reason is not that everything has changed.
It is that several small improvements add up.
Shore Club is the standout addition for us. We expected to like it, but we did not expect it to become something we would genuinely miss when returning to EXPLORA I or II.
The redesigned Helios area is another major improvement. We particularly like the addition of the whirlpool and the more private layout created by removing the loungers immediately around the pool.
The Lobby and Crema Café area also feels better.
The different levels and seating areas make it feel more spacious and create more choice depending on whether you want to be part of the atmosphere or sit slightly further away.
Moving the piano into the Lobby has also made a noticeable difference. Entertainment becomes part of the space instead of something happening somewhere nearby.
Dining remains consistently excellent across all three ships, so we would not say EXPLORA III has significantly better food than EXPLORA I or II.
Instead, EXPLORA III simply gives us more ways to enjoy it.
And that is probably the best description of the ship overall.
It is still the Explora Journeys experience we already loved, but with a few more choices and several thoughtful improvements.
What Could Be Better
What Could Be Better on EXPLORA III
The biggest step backwards for us is Ocean Wellness.
While the facilities remain excellent, we prefer the wellness environments aboard EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II because they feel more connected to the ocean.
Sea views matter in a wellness environment on a cruise ship.
You are surrounded by one of the best views possible, so removing some of that connection feels like a missed opportunity.
The Lobby redesign is mostly an improvement, but there is also a compromise.
We like the seating areas and the way the piano has been integrated into the space, but the actual bar area itself feels smaller than on the first two ships.
That can be noticeable when more guests gather around the Lobby in the evening.
Helios is another example where the design is stronger than the functionality.
We really like the area and would absolutely call it an improvement, but the main pool is still relatively shallow.
It is better for cooling down and relaxing than for actual swimming.
Another surprisingly small detail is the pool table.
On EXPLORA I and II, we preferred having it around Astern Lounge.
Moving it closer to the Malt Whisky Bar makes it more visible and accessible, but the space around the table is tight.
It can be difficult to take a proper shot, and the noise of the game also affects the atmosphere around what is otherwise one of the quieter and more refined bars onboard.
And although we think entertainment has improved considerably on EXPLORA III, entertainment remains one of the weaker areas of the Explora Journeys concept overall.
We enjoy the more intimate style, but anyone expecting the scale or variety of entertainment found on larger resort ships needs to understand that Explora Journeys is intentionally very different.
Who Is This Cruise For?
Who Is EXPLORA III For?
EXPLORA III is for travellers who value freedom more than schedules.
That is probably the simplest way we can describe it.
If your idea of a great cruise is waking up without needing to check what you must do next, having excellent food available throughout the day, finding a quiet pool or lounge and deciding your evening plans when the evening actually arrives, Explora Journeys makes that remarkably easy.
Food is a major reason we continue to return.
The quality is consistently high across the ships, and EXPLORA III adds even more flexibility through Shore Club and its expanded dining experiences.
We also think EXPLORA III is particularly appealing to travellers who normally enjoy premium or luxury hotels but are not attracted to some of the more traditional elements of cruising.
There are no formal nights controlling your evening.
There is no need to build your day around one large theatre show.
And there is very little feeling of being processed through a programme.
The ship can also work extremely well for travellers who simply love being at sea.
We learned during our previous transatlantic journey aboard EXPLORA II that we could spend seven consecutive sea days onboard without becoming bored once.
EXPLORA III gives us even more places where we would happily do exactly that again.
If you want water slides, huge production shows, busy nightlife and constant organised activities, this probably is not the right ship.
But if food, space, service, relaxation and the freedom to decide your own day matter more, EXPLORA III is currently our favourite version of Explora Journeys.
