Let's lay it out right from the start, completely unfiltered and unedited: Not everyone can afford the vacation you are about to read about in the following article. This is an exceptionally luxurious cruise, but it is also expensive. Prices can reach up to $50,000 per person for a week! (Although you can also find deals in the area of $4,000 per person for a week). Now that you understand the scale of the expense, decide for yourself if you are ready to keep reading about the ship I visited.
About a week ago, I boarded the luxury ship EXPLORA I from the MSC Group. The ship offers a luxurious sailing experience, with one of the highest crew-to-guest ratios in the industry: An element that provides the feel of a floating boutique hotel, complete with personalized service and an intimate atmosphere.
EXPLORA I entered service in 2023 and serves as the foundation for the design, structure, and experience of the ships built after it. The vessel features 14 decks and a crew of 640, bringing the guest-to-crew ratio to 1.25 to 1. On board are 461 suites, all overlooking the sea with floor-to-ceiling panoramic windows and a private balcony.
The suites range in size from 35 square meters up to 280 square meters in the Owner's Residence suite, and are equipped with a double bed featuring Frette linens, a seating area, a walk-in closet with a vanity area and a Dyson hairdryer, a 65-inch television, a coffee machine, a minibar, and butler service at the touch of a button. And in case you were wondering, everything is included: Whatever you want, as much as you want, and whenever you want.
What is there to eat?
The culinary offering aboard EXPLORA I includes nine culinary experiences, including six main restaurants: Emporium Marketplace for all-day dining, which is essentially an upgraded dining room where no dish sits waiting for you to pick it up. Instead, you walk up to a station and choose what you want to eat (for example, if you order a steak, you specify your preferred doneness, or if you order pasta, you assemble it yourself). The concept is that every dish is prepared specifically for you, tailored to your taste.
In addition to the Marketplace, the ship offers a variety of restaurants to diversify the culinary experience, including Fil Rouge, which offers French-inspired international cuisine; Med Yacht Club, serving Mediterranean dishes; Sakura, featuring Pan-Asian cuisine; the European steakhouse Marble & Co. Grill; and Anthology, an Italian restaurant available for an additional fee. Alongside these are Crema Café, 24/7 room service, and the Chef's Kitchen experience: A private kitchen overlooking the sea designed for 12 guests, available for an extra charge.
You can order meals to your room round the clock. If you fancy an early breakfast in your suite, you can fill out a form with what you would like to eat and mark the exact time you wish to receive it. Breakfast on board includes smoothies, pancakes, smoked fish, omelets, salads, fruits, vegetables, and pastries.
My personal recommendation: At least once, request breakfast as early as possible, start your day at sunrise with an indulgent breakfast on the balcony, and after that, you will still have time to rest a bit and head off for a second course at one of the ship's restaurants.
Kashrut on board
For tradition-observant guests, kosher meat dishes prepared in a dedicated, separate kitchen are offered and served in the restaurant, without a kashrut supervisor on board. Additionally, the ship features 12 bars and lounges (eight indoor and four outdoor) offering cocktails, premium alcoholic beverages, single malt whiskies, champagne, wines, beers, fresh juices, and coffee ground from a variety of beans. Again, everything is included and available around the clock.
Experiences and attractions
The wellness and spa area on the ship spans more than 700 square meters of facilities. The complex includes treatment rooms (including two private spa suites with an outdoor relaxation area, a double treatment room, seven single treatment rooms, and a skin treatment room), alongside a thermal area featuring a hydrotherapy pool, a Finnish sauna, a steam room, a steam shower, a salt room, an ice fall area, heated marble loungers, an outdoor relaxation area, and the main highlight: The hot tub with the most bubbles you will ever see.
Treatments here are not cheap (several hundred euros, depending on the duration of the treatment), but here too, the standard is simply on another level. Before the treatment, you receive a form where you choose the type of treatment you want, the pressure level the therapist should apply, and whether there are specific areas you would like to focus on. Afterward, when you enter the room, the therapist offers a variety of oils with different scents (and different effects for each scent!), and after you choose the oil you like best, the treatment begins.
Indoor pool with a glass roof
For fitness enthusiasts, there is a 270-square-meter gym equipped with Technogym equipment, a studio for classes and Pilates, an open-air fitness balcony, a sports court, and a 360-degree running track around the perimeter. In the outdoor areas of the ship, guests can find three outdoor pools (including an adults-only pool and an infinity pool), and an indoor pool with a retractable glass roof covering 1,200 square meters. You will not lack places to sit, as the ship is equipped with countless seating options, from beds to chairs, all offering maximum comfort.
Onboard activities include cooking workshops with a French chef, yoga classes, live shows, lectures on the cultures along the sailing route, a kids' club, a casino, an art gallery, and shopping at brand-name boutiques such as Rolex, Cartier, and Piaget. It is important to note that some attractions incur an additional charge.
As mentioned, the cruise price is based on an all-inclusive format, which encompasses unlimited drinks, meals at the restaurants, room service, a welcome bottle of champagne, access to the thermal area in the spa, wellness programs, staff gratuities, unlimited high-speed Wi-Fi, and transfers from the port to the city center.
Sailings and prices
- On EXPLORA I, two main cruises are offered: The first is to the Caribbean (Florida, Mexico, Honduras, Belize, and the Bahamas) for eight nights (November 17–25, 2026), with prices ranging between $3,660 and $45,900 per person. The second cruise is in the Mediterranean (Monaco, Italy, France, and Spain) for seven nights (June 7–14, 2027), with a price range of $4,200 to $49,985 per person.
- On EXPLORA II, a Caribbean cruise is offered (Florida, the Dominican Republic, the Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda, Saint Martin, and Puerto Rico) for seven nights (December 12–19, 2027), at prices ranging from $4,020 to $40,145 per person. Additionally, a Mediterranean cruise is planned (Spain, France, and Italy) for nine nights (January 24–February 2, 2027), with a price range of $3,465 to $48,510 per person.
- On EXPLORA III, two additional sailings are planned: The first is in Asia (Singapore, Thailand, and Cambodia) for seven nights (December 3–10, 2027), with prices ranging from $4,920 to $54,060 per person. The second cruise is to Alaska (Canada and the US) for seven nights (July 30–August 6, 2027), with a price range of $5,460 to $52,150 per person.
The writer was a guest of MSC Cruises.