It's time for our now monthly cruise feature and I'm returning to Explora Journeys. Since I last highlighted this still fairly new cruise line, they have won the following awards:
- Virtuoso Global Awards: Best Ocean Luxury Cruise Experience
- Cruise Critic: Best Luxury Cruise Line
- Condé Nast Traveler: Readers' Choice Awards, The Best Cruise Lines in the World
- Travel + Leisure: World's Best Awards, Favorite Midsize-ship Ocean Cruise Lines
- The Wave Awards: Best Luxury Ocean Cruise Line and Best for Wellbeing
- TTG Luxury Awards: Ultra-Luxury Cruise Line of the Year
- Robb Report Monaco & Côte d'Azur: Best of the Best Awards - Best Luxury Cruise Company
- Recommend's Reader's Choice Awards: Best Cruise Line - Overall Small Ship and Best Cruise Line - Ultra Luxury
So you have likely guessed that these boutique resorts are unique for a very special reason… they're on the water, aboard a luxury lifestyle ocean experience. Explora Journeys is designed to offer refined yet effortless luxury across a growing fleet of ships — from EXPLORA I to the soon-to-arrive EXPLORA V and beyond. Each Journey offers an onboard experience that rivals the best hotels in the world, with world-class cuisine, immersive wellbeing, and custom deep-immersion destination experiences.
Whether an experienced cruiser or a potential first-timer, it's time to discard any cruise line preconceptions you may have, and read on for this week's Top 5.
Designed to feel like your own private yacht, the Explora ships offer state-of-the-art amenities and an unmatched list of inclusions, redefining the notion of luxury at sea.
ALL JOURNEYS INCLUDE
- Nine Culinary Experiences
- Unlimited fine beverages*
- Thermal Spa Access
- Complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi
- Wellbeing and fitness programmes
- All on-board gratuities
- Shuttle services from port to city centres**
- Bottle of wine and spirit of the guests’ choice upon arrival
- In-suite welcome bottle of champagne and refreshments
- Authentic, cultured and intuitive service
Drift into the tranquil warmth of tropical paradise. Discover a blend of maritime history, culture and Creole culinary delights. Kayak through colourful wildlife, tour cocoa plantations, wander through pastel-hued villages, snorkel over coral and dance to the rhythms of reggae.
Explora's Grand Journeys offer a rare invitation to step away from the everyday and embrace the true freedom of the open ocean. When booking with J5Travel, enjoy additional 10% savings and embark on a Journey like no other with exceptional sailings that cross the greatest oceans and bridge continents, creating once-in-a-lifetime experiences shaped by the rhythm of the sea and the spirit of discovery. Each Grand Journey is crafted for those who long for deeper exploration — where serene days at sea and enriching destinations offer time for reflection, renewal, and a closer connection to the world around you.
Glide along North America's Atlantic seaboard, where French capitals, Scottish villages, historic strongholds, and vibrant Indigenous cultures await. Journey between cosmopolitan cultural hubs, explore hidden coves crowned with colourful lighthouses, or relax on balmy beaches exuding Latin charm. The Canadian Maritimes beckon in the peak of autumn’s vibrant hues. Sail the scenic Saguenay River, hike through the grassy meadows of a legendary Viking Valhalla, and continue along the St. Lawrence River to Quebec City, a timeless destination of castles, turrets, and fortresses.
Vibrant cities, rich culture, and untamed nature await in Europe’s majestic North. Step aboard the soon-to-be-launched Explora IV. Europe fascinates as a continent of contrasts that appeals to all the senses. Living art and culture blend in cosmopolitan cities, where elegant bars and exquisite cocktails provide moments of pleasure. Or experience tranquility in nature, re-energising body and mind. Ireland's Celtic ballads and Iceland's Norse sagas take you to a magical world where the past comes to life with every melody and tale. In the sheltered harbours of the Baltic capitals and the historic metropolises of Scandinavia, form and function merge: majestic church towers rise above rugged coasts and fjord-rich landscapes.
It’s time to experience the art of ocean travel with Explora Journeys. Renowned for its refined elegance and immersive itineraries, this is more than a voyage—it’s a journey designed around you. When you’re ready to discover how extraordinary your next cruise can be, we’ll curate every detail. Begin your journey at the link below.