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In place of the typical cruise atrium, the "Lobby Bar" looks more like an actual hotel bar. Don't worry, you can still get some premium wagyu beef at the ship's pan-Asian Sakura restaurant. We sailed from Copenhagen, Denmark; Göteborg, Sweden; Oslo and Stavanger, Norway; to Hamburg, Germany. The itinerary was a nice mix of small, lesser-known Scandinavian towns to popular hits like Oslo and Copenhagen. The food-specific tours were a hit, along with the hike to the popular Pulpit Rock in Norway. Explora Journeys’ partnership with LVMH means suites are also stocked with an ice-cold bottle of Champagne upon arrival (Veuve Clicquot for Ocean Terrace suites, Moet & Chandon in Penthouses and Dom Perignon in Ocean Residences).
MSC Explora 1 cabins review
Rougier also revealed some entirely one-off experiences, such as a stay on a private island accessed by helicopter in Sweden or a Zulu healer experience that is being created for the line’s later sailings. Zwin Nature Reserve is filled with coastal hiking trails, salt flats, wild dunes, and a vast lagoon. This rich landscape attracts an equally captivating array of wildlife, with around 350 bird species, including storks, nightingales and terns, plus butterflies, hares, rabbits and foxes. I learned all of this on a shore experience that saw us looking for coastal ingredients such as sea aster leaves and sprigs of samphire to cook with a chef in the reserve’s cooking facility later in the day. On July 6, 2022, was signed the MoA for building two more MSC EXPLORA ships (Explora 5 and Explora 6), which are both LNG and hydrogen-powered - with engines running on LNG/liquefied natural gas and also fitted with a containment system for liquid hydrogen.
Review: Explora I Ocean Terrace Stateroom Is Better Than Any Hotel - Business Insider
Review: Explora I Ocean Terrace Stateroom Is Better Than Any Hotel.
Posted: Tue, 24 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
And this feeling of spaciousness was reflected throughout the 813-foot-long Explora I.
Expect to pay $190 for the tasting menu or $265 with the wine pairing. Some of the cheapest cruises sailing from now through April 2026 are with MSC Cruises, including several $37 per day itineraries, according to data from budget cruise tracker Cruise Sheet. In New York, guests can visit the Ground Zero Memorial and meet someone involved in the 9/11 recovery. “An emotive and emotional experience,” says Sacha Rougier, the line’s Head of Itinerary Planning and Shore Experiences, who was on my sailing. This experience is not offered by any other cruise line, and it really feels like Explora Journeys has tapped into the zeitgeist by offering something that is truly unique. Cruise lines regularly use cliches such as “off the beaten path” and -- cringe -- “meet the locals,” but it feels like Explora Journeys has put a fresh lens on both well-travelled and lesser-visited destinations with its shore offering.
Other MSC Explora Journeys cruise ships
Tuscan born Captain Diego Michelozzi comes from four generations of seafarers. The importance of preserving the mesmerising beauty of our oceans and marine life was instilled from an early age. EXPLORA I completes her sea trials with flying colours, a critical process ahead of final preparations for her maiden journey in July 2023.
The handful of kids on our sailing tended to gravitate to Nautilus Club or the Conservatory Pool and ate with parents, typically at Emporium Marketplace. With no library onboard, the best options for quiet reading spots are Explora Lounge, Crema Cafe, the Astern Lounge or the sundeck area of Deck 12, under the shade of a cabana. Stay informed and inspired – join our newsletter for the latest offers and destinations.
The first partnership is with Ristorante Uliassi, the Michelin three-starred destination outside Ancona, Italy, which has created an eight-course menu that highlights Adriatic seafood and wines from Le Marche. (The tuna carpaccio alla puttanesca was, for me, a particular highlight.) Other dining rooms, like the Japanese-inspired Sakura and the chops-and-steaks venue Marble & Co., served fantastic dishes that were both technically precise and satisfying. Explora I is a chic ship and that extends to Ocean Wellness spa’s thermal area. It’s a well-designed spot, with subdued lighting and a feature glass-enclosed fireplace in the entrance.
Throughout the ship, there are 64 private cabanas to make outdoor lounging feel more exclusive.
A significant shipbuilding milestone honors the family's seafaring heritage and brings blessings for the ship's future. Explore the evolution of a luxury vessel, from its inception at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, to its grand delivery, marking a significant chapter in maritime history. For Explora Journeys' cabin designs were contracted two architectural and interior design studios - De Jorio Design International (Genoa Italy) and Nenmar (London UK). All OCEAN TERRACE SUITES receive as a welcome gift a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne (Yellow Label). All OCEAN GRAND TERRACE SUITES receive as a welcome gift a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Champagne (Yellow Label).
Fil Rouge is the ship's French restaurant and the largest dining area onboard. Provisioning even a small ship with luxury ingredients is a challenge, especially when you are seeking the best of the best, Garanger said -- the ship's olive oil comes from a small farm in Italy, the sushi rice comes from Japan and so on. Every suite on Explora I comes with a Dyson hair dryer -- a welcome amenity for women who hate the skimpy hair dryers found on most cruise ships. We had wondered before boarding if Explora I would resemble MSC's Yacht Club, the luxury ship-within-a-ship experience on the mainstream lines.
Next up are Ocean Penthouses, which start at 753 square feet, followed by Ocean Residences, also starting at 753 square feet, but with the addition of butler service. The top suite is the single Owner’s Residence, which features plenty of extra perks and one of the best private terraces around. In addition to the standard complimentary provided cabin amenities, the OWNER'S RESIDENCE receives private butler services from the ship's Residence Manager. The service includes packing/unpacking (to the passengers' preferences), pressing/laundering assistance, assistance for making shipboard and ashore reservations, in-cabin dining, itinerary/transport/celebrations planning. The Explora I is unique in that it offers 461 ocean front suites, each with floor-to-ceiling windows and private terraces.
Explora II, launching in summer 2024, will be identical to the prototype, while Explora III and Explora IV will see some small changes (the latter two ships will be LNG powered, for example). The ships are fitted with shoreside power capabilities (for eliminating CO emissions while port-berthed) and advanced underwater noise management systems (for protecting marine life). All MSC EXPLORA ships also have a comprehensive range of onboard energy-efficient/power-saving equipment to optimize engine use and further reduce emissions. WIth Explora I's steel-cutting (June 10, 2021) was also officially launched MSC's expedition travel brand "Explora Journeys".
But from the perspective of a consumer walking around (me), the ship doesn't exude European-ness or family-owned-ness. A cool $500 per day does not compare to MSC's $37 per day pricing. But this higher price point does buy you an incomparably more luxurious cruising experience.
The space also has a big screen, where movies can be shown (everyone watches through headphones). There is also a lovely bar on one side, and a creperie/gelato stand on the other. Our Cruise Critic staff has been impressed by Explora Journeys from our very first peek of Explora I and the ship's first sailing in the Caribbean. I'm happy to report that streak has continued eight months into operation.
All GRAND PENTHOUSES receive as a welcome gift a bottle of Moet & Chandon Champagne (Grand Vintage). The BATHROOM is with a walk-in shower, but some suites additionally have bathtubs. All CACOON RESIDENCES receive as a welcome gift a bottle of Dom Perignon Champagne (Vintage).
Minutes after stepping off the ship, a small group of passengers and I were scampering through the Old Town’s cobbled streets, snapping photos of the whitewashed wooden buildings and chatting with an affable guide arranged by the cruise line. Soon enough, she was filling us in about the history of fish packing — not to mention the Norwegian oil-and-gas industry, municipal politics, and the pros and cons of living in Scandinavia. She also procured for us several tastes of local foods including pickled herring, the flatbread known as lefse, and fenalår, a salted-and-cured lamb leg that might best be described as Norwegian prosciutto. The crew was extremely discreet and operated in a European service style. There were some standards that I, as an American, could have gone without, such as having the female-appearing members of the party order or being served before the male-appearing ones, but overall the ambition of traditional service was appreciated. The illustrious Captain Serena Melani was seen throughout the ship, speaking with guests and ensuring everything was running smoothly outside of the bridge.
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