EXPLORA I: Unlike Any Other Luxury Experience at Sea
Images Provided by Explora Journeys
Our friends at Explora Journeys have created a transformative ocean travel experience that redefines the luxury cruise category. Since their founders initially envisioned Explora Journeys, the power of imagination has been central to their brand. Not only did imagination fuel their creation of a new approach to luxury cruises, but it also became paramount to their business: they asked travel advisors and travelers to imagine an experience unlike any other luxury experience at sea. We feel fortunate and honored our very own Geoffrey Ravoire sits on the brand’s Advisory Board. Read on to learn how they marked this transition from dream to reality and also cater to the infinite reasons for you to pause, cheer, and cruise!
Imagine Your Ocean State of Mind
This summer, EXPLORA I set sail for the first time, marking the transition from dream to reality. Now, travelers are experiencing firsthand how their ocean journeys inspire them to travel further, immerse deeper, and linger a little longer – and, perhaps, to imagine more wildly.
Every guest onboard enjoys a Suite with a private terrace – giving you plenty of time to enjoy the benefits of proximity to the sea and its mysterious healing powers.
When it comes to culinary exploration, EXPLORA I boasts 18 restaurants, bars, and lounges to gather, some indoors and some outdoors, each with its own intimate, immersive ambiance. Entertainment and enrichment are designed to ignite discovery and joy and offer what they call ‘the right vibe at the right time,’ meaning you can dip in or out of any experience you like. There are no large theatres or productions on the ship, and there is no one large, ‘main’ dining space. Everything, from the breathtaking lobby reminiscent of the most coveted cosmopolitan hotels to the hidden-gem hideaway nooks found on the upper decks outdoors, invites you to step in, be present, and rediscover your happiest self.
Ocean Wellness offers you the opportunity to balance wellness and self-care while traveling. Much more than a spa, this mindful program draws upon the oceans’ calming and revitalizing influences. Facilities include a 2,906 sqft indoor and open-air fitness center and fitness studio area, bespoke fitness classes in partnership with Technogym, and a range of disciplines that can both inspire and enhance at-home fitness practices, like functional strength training, Pilates Reformer classes, outdoor cycling, and rowing.
Complementing their Ocean Wellness program are numerous activities that promote movement, like the sports court onboard and its touchtennis, pickleball, and basketball offerings, and countless destination experiences that stimulate body, mind, and spirit.
And for the many travelers who find great contentment in relaxing poolside, EXPLORA I offers three outdoor pools, including one only for adults and one indoor pool under a retractable glass roof – and breathtaking poolside cabanas.
Celebrate It All
Delve into life with a happiness mindset to find festive moments everywhere! We do tend to mark our lives with the drumbeat of occasion-based celebrations. Big life moments. Professional achievements. Surviving a challenging time. And, of course, holidays.
On July 20, as Explora Journeys took delivery of EXPLORA I and brought the Aponte family’s vision for a new approach to luxury ocean travel to life, they celebrated. This momentous achievement is both a milestone of accomplishment and, importantly, a marker in all that is yet to come in the growth of Explora Journeys as a way for discerning travelers to discover the world in an entirely new, highly cosmopolitan, yet profoundly relaxing way.
This winter, EXPLORA I introduces its first-ever Caribbean and Central America season, a collection of journeys that offer endless ways to feel a sense of elevation, as well as one extra-special sailing that incorporates Christmas and New Year’s.
EXPLORA I’s inaugural Caribbean and Central America season runs from November 2023 through early April 2024. From UNESCO World Heritage sites to jaw-droppingly blue waters, from rocky hideaways to historic forts, the myriad of destinations they will visit are a compelling collection of the spectacular and the sublime alike.
For those looking to celebrate Christmas and New Year’s in truly luminous style, their Extended Holiday Journey into White-Sand Wonderlands sailing in and out of Miami from December 22, 2023, to January 5, 2024, uncorks warm holiday memories with gala dinners, live music, and champagne toasts. While connecting with family or friends, you will layer in even more magic as you discover white-sand wonderlands in the Virgin Islands, Antigua and Barbuda – and their enchanting private island, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve.
Find your Ocean State of Mind: a transformative experience offering an opportunity for inner and outer discovery inspired by the ocean, resulting in physical, intellectual, and spiritual rejuvenation. We believe this sense of wonder can become part of us, a precious element of our ability to find happiness in the everyday. And that’s something worth celebrating.