Initially doubtful, Sue Williams is won over by Explora I’s understated luxury, ocean-focused design and effortless indulgence on a relaxed Mediterranean voyage.
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I’m sceptical. A new luxury cruise ship that aims to put its passengers into an ‘ocean state of mind’, billed as the ultimate relaxation on the high seas, and an experience that will make them feel at one with the water all around?
A tall order, I think, especially for Australians who grow up swimming, surfing and lounging around some of the best beaches in the world. What cruise ship could possibly hope to match that?
But two days into my seven-night Mediterranean voyage on Explora I – a new ship from cruise giant MSC Group and its first foray into small ship luxury cruising – and my defences have been well and truly sunk.
I woke in my penthouse suite to watch the sun rise over the tide lapping the coastline of the ancient Italian city of Ravenna and then ducked out to the outdoor gym on the ship’s top level 14 for a rowing machine workout, gazing down at the sea below.
After breakfast, I visited the ‘ocean-inspired’ wellness centre for a sluice in the hydrotherapy pool to feel water hammering my tight back muscles, then relaxed on a lounger in the salt room, before 10 minutes in the Finnish steam room and an ‘ice blast’, then finally choosing an invigorating ‘tropical rain’ shower over a ‘cool breeze’ mist, and floating back to my suite to prepare for my first trip ashore.
The ship does everything to allow the outside marine vistas in, too. Everywhere, there are tall, floor-to-ceiling windows to make the most of views, and lounges, bars, restaurants and cafés are all light and airy. The suites, too, allow the ocean to play the leading role, with oversized terraces sporting tables, chairs, and daybeds.
And then there’s the water within: the four heated swimming pools – three outdoor and one indoor with a retractable glass roof, and, it seems, an endless number of spa pools.
Explora I, the first of a new fleet of a proposed six, is certainly making waves around the world. For a start, there’s its huge range of dining and drinking options, from 18 food and beverage venues, including six specialty restaurants and a Chef’s Kitchen offering a different region’s cooking every evening, as well as 12 bars and lounges. Then there’s the generous wellness centre and gym, complemented by a running track, a sports court for basketball, touch tennis and pickle ball, a beauty salon and a small casino.
But with all that, its size is a surprise; it’s built to carry fewer than 1,000 passengers in 461 ocean-front suites, with a guest-host ratio of 1.25:1. So it’s not big enough to be overwhelming, but not too small to be over-intimate.
“I think it’s the absolutely perfect size for Australians,” says cruise expert Meg Hill, managing director of Sydney-based travel agency Cruise Express. “It’s neither too big nor too small. It’s absolute luxury, but it’s done in a very casual way. There’s pampering and exquisite dining, but it’s all very informal, which really suits us Australians.”
Our cruise is from Venice to Athens, with stops in Ravenna, Dubrovnik, Brindisi, and the Greek Islands Nydri and Milos. It’s a leisurely, relaxed pace, allowing enough time to explore each destination during the day, and even pop back later, after dinner onboard, for a very European promenade, a gelato and a nightcap.
Australian passengers, public servant Shannon Dearing, 53, and engineer Nick Appleyard, 52, say they’re loving it, as many Australians do, because it brings back fond memories of backpacking around Europe on a tight budget earlier in their lives.
“It feels so good to be here again, but this time doing it in luxury,” Appleyard says. “It’s a great opportunity to take your foot off the pedal and totally relax. I love not having to make a single decision; it’s all done for us.”
Dearing agrees. “I’m loving retracing our footsteps – that was a rite of passage for all Australians – but doing it in far more comfort this time.”
What makes it easier is that all food and drinks are included in the price, except for some speciality beverages, so no one ever has to wear a lanyard or sign for service. The restaurants too, with the exception of the Chef’s Kitchen and the fine-dining Anthology are completely free, whether that’s the Japanese Sakura, Emporium Marketplace, Marble & Co Grill, Med Yacht Club, or the French Fil Rouge.
The suites are also among the most spacious in their class at sea. My penthouse has a living area and a separate dining area for four, as well as the lounge, bedroom with a king-sized bed, walk-in wardrobe, bathroom with underfloor heating and sun terrace.
It’s little wonder the suites are all so comfortable. Their design and construction were overseen personally by MSC billionaire co-owner Rafaela Aponte-Diamant, the wife of co-founder Gianluigi Aponte, who, according to Forbes in 2024, was estimated to have a net worth of $33.1 billion, ranking him the 48th richest person in the world.
The ship’s captain, Sebastiano Chrisam, who grew up on Venice’s Lido under the shadow of the shipbuilding operations and started his career as a gondolier, is equally enthusiastic about the company’s Explora I and II and its proposed four more ships in the next three years.
“I look forward to taking one of these ships into Sydney Harbour,” he says. “I’ve sailed there five times before and consider it one of the most beautiful harbours in the world.”
Explora I’s 7-night Fusina (Venice) to Piraeus (Athens) cruise starts from A$7,200 per person, with a penthouse suite from A$10,610 right up to the owner’s residence at A$61,610. explorajourneys.com/au. The author travelled with Explora at her own expense.
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