BY JOANNE SASVARI | PHOTOS BY JEFFREY BOSDET
When Explora I docked at Victoria’s cruise ship terminal recently, YAM got a sneak peek on board this industry-changing vessel, and now we’re sharing the inside scoop with you.
We say “vessel,” but Explora I is really more of a luxe boutique hotel that just happens to sail the open seas (mostly in the Mediterranean and Caribbean). It’s not your everyday cruise ship. It’s more like a private luxury yacht, and that’s just what the owners, Italy’s Aponte family, who also own MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), had in mind.
Explora I is the first of six vessels, which will all be rolled out by 2028, and is already being recognized by industry experts like Travel + Leisure as the “newest and hottest thing in the industry.”
What makes it so special? Explora Jouneys has one of the highest ratios of staff and space to guests, and some of the industry’s most thoughtful sustainability initiatives. All 461 of its oceanfront suites have terraces, plus it has 18 bars and restaurants, a spa, four pools, 64 cabanas and several whirlpools designed for gazing at the ocean while you soak.
After all, as Chris Austin, Explora Journeys’ chief sales officer, told us, “A journey is far more than a cruise … a journey is also transformational.”
Learn more: https://explorajourneys.com/ca/en
For special pricing and perks contact Colleen at Departures Travel