Please Go Away Travel Podcast
Please Go Away Travel Podcast
Inside Explora Journeys: Suites, Cuisine, And Immersive Travel
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Think luxury hotel vibes with a horizon that changes every morning. We sit down with Alison Farrell from Explora Journeys to explore how a yacht‑like, all‑suite ship can win over lifelong land lovers: more space, more choice, and more unhurried time in each destination. If you’ve ever sworn off cruising because of crowds, rigid dining, or early all‑aboards, this conversation will reset your expectations.
We break down what makes the hardware different—461 oceanfront suites, private terraces, and the largest lead‑in suite in the category—then dig into the culinary scene: up to nine distinct restaurants with city‑restaurant design, a marketplace built around fresh cooking stations and hosted table service, and 24/7 in‑suite dining for terrace breakfasts and quiet nights. The onboard vibe trends younger and more varied than traditional luxury lines, welcoming solo travelers, honeymooners, multigenerational families, food lovers, and wellness fans who want relaxed polish without boredom at sea.
Destination time is the secret sauce. Explora builds itineraries with later departures and overnights so you can linger over a sunset dinner in port or stroll old towns after dark. Signature partnerships elevate access: a five‑night floating hotel at the Monaco Grand Prix with optional grandstand or paddock VIP, plus cultural deep dives like a two‑day Andrea Bocelli Foundation experience with premium concert seating and a studio visit. We also chart where the fleet is headed next—Alaska, Asia, South America, the Amazon, the Red Sea, and Dubai—along with a 128‑night world journey designed for community, flexibility, and comfort, including business class air to origin cities and added suite credits.
Sustainability sits at the core: shore power connectivity, DNV Silent‑E to protect marine life, LNG on the next ships, and plans for hydrogen storage and fuel cells in the pipeline, paired with plastic‑free practices onboard. As a privately owned brand within the MSC Group, Explora has the freedom to build thoughtfully and invest for the long term. Ready to rethink what a voyage can be? Follow the show, share this episode with a friend who “doesn’t cruise,” and leave a quick review telling us where you’d sail first.
Meet Explora Journeys
SPEAKER_01Hello, everyone, and welcome to the Please Go Away Travel Podcast. I am here from Largay Travel in Waterbury, Connecticut. I'm Amanda Klimack, president and co-owner. And I am joined today by a good friend, Alison Farrell from Explora Journeys. Welcome, Allison.
SPEAKER_00Thank you, Amanda. I am so excited to be here today to talk all things Explorer Journeys with your clients.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Well, you guys are the new kids on the block. And it's one of those things that for years I've heard this talk about this new cruise line who's going to come in the industry and it's for non-cruisers and it's hotel philosophies. Talk to me a little bit about this brand because it is very different than the normal standard cruise ship.
Built For Non‑Cruisers
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we are brand new. Uh, we've we've been around for just over two years. We launched in August of 2023. Uh, so it was a long journey till when we got uh started sailing, which has been fantastic because we've gotten so many incredible reviews and accolades that, you know, we do feel like we're exceeding expectations from when we launched this brand for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, and and from some of the people at your company, one thing that I know is these are not regular cruise line people. When you built this ship, the whole concept was for those self-proclaimed hotel snobs and for those people that maybe hadn't taken a cruise before because they were thinking they weren't cruisers. How do you guys bridge that gap and differentiate yourselves?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, 100%. I mean, really, Explorer Journeys was created for the non-cruiser or for the land lover. So, you know, our goal for the last two years has to overcome stereotypes of people, what they think cruising really is. Uh, you know, I'm asked all the time, who do we compare ourselves to? And I never say another cruise line in the luxury space. I always say we're like a one and only, a Mandarin Oriental, a Rosewood Hotel. You know, we really are like a cosmopolitan hotel at sea. And we we try to let them know all of the unique offerings that we have that really sets us apart from typical cruising.
Suites, Space, And Terraces
SPEAKER_01Yeah. Well, and you're but you're not a large cruise ship either. So the ships themselves, how many cabins are we talking?
SPEAKER_00So we're a medium-sized ocean cruise line, but we really consider ourselves more yacht-like. Uh, we only have 461 suites on board, which is actually fantastic because it really gives the clients a lot of space and choices on board. And we're just so proud of the fact, too, that we have the largest lead-in suite in the industry. So, you know, a lot of your clients may go to luxury hotels and they'll find that when they're on board Explora, their lead-in suite is going to be a lot larger than a typical luxury hotel suite. I love that.
SPEAKER_01Well, and you know, as much as we always say, oh, you don't spend that much time in your cabin, it really, when you have a suite, it's a different feel. Like you don't mind staying in bed late or relaxing and maybe watching a movie. Um, so it really is a different concept. And I could feel that I actually had the privilege of sailing with you guys last year. Our top producer trip was on one of your ships, and it was just fabulous because it is so different.
SPEAKER_00Yeah. I I like too that we really focus not only on the indoor space, but the outdoor space. So, you know, you could go to a luxury hotel and yes, you can get a fantastic view, but you might also get, you know, an obstructed view, or you might get, you know, an interior view. Where with Explora, all of our suites are oceanfront. Uh, all of them have panoramic views, and every day is a new, you know, view, whether you're in Croatia or Greece or Sicily. So it's fantastic. The view changes as we sail. Uh, but when you're in your suite, you have that private terrace, uh, oversized Italian day bed. You can dine al fresco out on your terrace. So you really have the best of both worlds, um, as well as having that incredibly spacious accommodations.
SPEAKER_01Okay. And then you have some of those huge suites too on board, right?
SPEAKER_00I mean, that's you have choice. Yeah. So we have obviously our lead-in suite, like I mentioned, is just under 400 square feet. So quite spacious. But our suites go all the way up to over 3,000 square feet. So you have the opportunity to book some of our penthouse suites, uh, our residence suites, and they really do rival, you know, luxury hotel villas. They're that spacious and have so much to offer. So you have wraparound terraces that are over 850 square feet. Um, so yeah, we have a lot of different categories to choose from. And then if you also have want those connecting suite options, we also offer that as well, complimentary. Oh, I love that.
SPEAKER_01So let's talk about the food because I know you guys, you know, one of the older concepts was the main dining room. Everybody goes to the same dining room and, you know, has a menu every night that they choose from. Talk about the dining on board because I think a lot of our clients are entrepreneurs. They like the idea of choice. And that's something that I really enjoyed on this ship.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I love what they did with the dining experience because you're exactly right. We didn't want a main dining room where you had a first seat in and a second seat in. We really wanted to offer a wide variety of choices through the journey. So, you know, guests can enjoy up to nine culinary experiences, and it could be as casual as they want, or it could be an elevated, fine dining experience. Uh, and what I really like is that the restaurants, that the way they design them, really feel like your favorite hometown or city restaurant. They don't feel like a typical cruise dining room. Uh, the decor, the design is so unique. You have ceiling to floor windows and all of the restaurants. So it's just so great to have so many selections, so many a la carte dining options. And we all know when you do go to a luxury resort, um, every coffee, every cocktail, every meal that you have has a price that is is attached to your room as well as gratuities, where when you're on Explorer, you have all these choices, but you know, most of them are included in the journey. So you're not only are you getting a wide variety, you're also getting it, uh, not having to worry about, you know, how much things cost or, you know, setting aside that as far as what you want to pay for on board.
SPEAKER_01Well, and what I loved was we made, you know, three restaurant reservations in advance. So we already had some reservations set up, but then once we got on board, I loved the steak restaurant. Like it was just amazing. So we made a second reservation while we were there because it was just so good. And I love that ability to be able to, you know, make changes once I was there. If we liked something, we'd go back again, which was awesome.
Marketplace And In‑Suite Dining
SPEAKER_00Um I agree. And I I feel like I've asked all the time, what's your favorite restaurant? It's really hard to choose because the cuisine on board is such an elevated experience and it's so fantastic that you, you know, you can't go wrong. There's so many different options. Um, you know, I went with my husband and kids, and they're definitely more casual than me. So they wanted to eat at the marketplace because there's 18 different fresh cooking stations and the food is fantastic. You know, where I wanted to eat at Secora, where we have, you know, open-air kitchen, pan Asian, uh, you can dine al fresco. So it's really, you know, it really fits everybody's vibe when you're on board, the different options you can have. And we also wanted to offer, you know, enhance the clients', you know, experiences. So you don't have to be limited to just the res the restaurants. We offer immersive cooking classes where you get to dine in an ocean front uh dining room with the guests that cooked with you that day. Uh so there's lots of other options too, as far as the culinary experience that you can add on to enhance the journey for sure.
SPEAKER_01Yeah. And one of the things I really liked about the marketplace was, you know, you have a buffet and then you have a non-buffet buffet. So what I loved about it was they were cooking things fresh for the guests on board, giving you a pager, and then they were bringing the food to you. It was a totally different experience just by a few simple adjustments, and it didn't make it feel like you were at a buffet. It was a cooking station, like you, your wording is very specific, and I love it because it is a differentiator for Explorer journeys.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, because you can browse and walk around and kind of see what you know what they have that day. Sometimes they have theme days, uh, so you could do different cuisines. And I love it because I could go around and browse, but then I don't have to wait online. I have a host that can help me bring it to my table. Um, you know, I could take small portions, go up and choose again, but there's never any lines. You walk around, you kind of browse the different cuisines, and it's a very, you know, effortless dining experience, which I love. And, you know, I and I do also want to highlight the in-suite dining because I love having breakfast in my suite, out on my terrace. Um, you know, the the room service is 24-7. It's an elaborate food menu. So you can even have that privacy of casual dining within your suite as well, which I love.
Younger Guests And Vibe
SPEAKER_01Oh, I did not try that, but I think on my next journey I will, for sure. So, you know, I know you guys have a very interesting uh ownership of the cruise line, as well as your clientele is different on board. There's a younger demographic on board, it's a different type of client, and you could certainly feel feel that when you're there. Talk a little bit about that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, if it's true. So we our ideal client is definitely new to cruise. We get a lot of people that have never sailed before, land lovers. Uh, we also get a younger demographic, like you mentioned, because we are all ages. Uh, our average age is 55 years old, where most other cruise lines in the luxury space you're gonna see about 65 to 70 years old for the average age. But you know, when you're on board, you'll see a lot of solo travelers, you'll see a lot of honeymooners, you'll see multi-generational families, foodies, uh, and for sure people who are into health and wellness, because we have some great programs for that. So we do get a wide variety of clients on board. Um, it definitely has a very country club casual vibe when you're on the ship. Uh, we definitely want our guests to feel rest and have relaxation, but we do offer a lot of programs day and night for them to take part in so they don't feel bored, you know, during those sea days when we're not in port.
Ownership And Brand Vision
SPEAKER_01Absolutely. And the ownership of this of this cruise line is MSc Cruise line, correct? The MSC.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so a lot of people don't know that, but we we are privately owned. Um, the owners are the owners of the MSE uh group, which is the largest privately owned shipping company in the world. Uh, it's actually great being privately owned because we don't have to, you know, when it's publicly owned, you kind of have to follow certain rules and restrictions. And, you know, with with Explora, you know, the owners dictate the direction of our brand. And I think that they've done such an incredible job. Uh, when they started Explora, it was a dream, it was a passion project to recreate something different. So they really wanted to redefine luxury cruising and they took their time. They actually interviewed over 20,000 luxury travelers, many of them who had never sailed, and said, What do you want in saline, in luxury saline? And that's really became the brand pillars of exploring because everything we heard was space, which we offered. We have the highest deck space to guest ratio, so it never feels crowded. People wanted a lot of choices. We have 18 restaurant bars and lounges. Uh, people wanted immersive journeys. You know, you sometimes you go on some of these cruise lines and you have to get back on the ship by 4 p.m. So you miss an incredible sunset or you miss a great dinner in that destination. So Explora really wants our guests to immerse themselves. So we're in destination much later into the evening, sometimes 11 midnight. Uh, we also offer more overnight stays so the guests can really, really enjoy each port that we visit.
Late Stays And Overnights
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's fantastic. Well, and I speaking of itineraries, I know you guys have some great itineraries all over the world, but there's a few itineraries that are really super special and exclusive. Tell me about F1 and some of the different neat things you're doing.
Monaco F1 Floating Hotel
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so F1 is actually a great partnership that Explorer Journeys has. They actually have a few incredible partnerships. Uh, F1 really stands out. We have it's going to be over the next five years that we will be the only ship docked in the heart of Monaco for F1 Grand Prix. So it's very, very special because we're basically going to be like a floating hotel for five nights right there in the heart of things. And it's great because our clients can come on and off the ship. Uh, we will have activities geared around F1, like virtual racing. We have F1 drivers on board doing QA. And we even have the opportunity as an elevated experience to offer our clients uh the opportunity to purchase paddock VIP tickets, grandstand tickets. So it's really, you know, an all-inclusive hotel that's docked right there with all the action. Uh, I highly recommend it. It's this June, but we are going to be there again in 2027. But it's uh it's definitely a very cool experience, especially if you like fan voyages. Oh, that's cool.
SPEAKER_01That that alone is just one of the coolest things I've heard in a long time. And I I love the idea that, you know, there will be drivers, there will be special events, and and depending on what clients want, are they able to get tickets and things like that through Explore Journeys, or is that something dubbed separately?
SPEAKER_00No, it's all done through Explorer, so it's super easy. Uh, you could book the suite alone, or you could book it with grandstand tickets, or you could book it with paddock VIP. So we give you a lot of options for those five nights. You also have the opportunity to do uh pre or post-cruise. So maybe you want to sail, you know, from Italy to Monaco and do one of our post pre-salins and then enjoy five nights on the ship for all the festivities uh in Monaco. So you really have a lot of flexibility around that date.
SPEAKER_01Yes. Oh my gosh. Well, and I think for most, you know, people that are into these kinds of events, you do want to add something on because it's not only uh, you know, something that one of the, you know, if you have a couple, say maybe one person is really into it, the other person maybe not as much, but because of the ship, you have the option of spa appointments and fitness classes. And do you still offer tours at the same time? Is that something that still happens?
Bocelli Partnership And Experiences
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so we we offer in destination experiences everywhere we go. Uh so for those, yeah, like you said, we might have, you know, a husband or or a friend who's a big F1 fan and they want to do all the grandstand tickets, whereas somebody else might want to explore Monaco. So they have the opportunity to be flexible and choose what they want, which is fantastic. Um, and and you know, that brings us into destination experiences. You know, we offer like several different types of experiences for each client. Maybe you want something, you know, more, you know, the must-see destination essentials, or maybe you want something a little bit customized or private for just the two of you. So you really have the opportunity to pick what kind of experience you want at F1 or any journey for that matter when you do select uh with Explorer Journeys. I do want to highlight one, because we were talking about partnerships. So Explorer Journeys this year actually entered into a collaboration with uh the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. So while we're in Italy, uh I think this is so, so cool and an elevated experience. Clients can do a two-day excursion where they get off the ship in Portofino, uh, they go to see a live Andrea Bacelli uh concert, then they get uh premium seats, they get to visit the Andrea Boccello Foundation recording studio, they visit the countryside in Italy, and then the next day they re-embark on the ship in Lavarno. So it's a very cool partnership that we we just entered into. And we offer these types of experiences for our guests who want something a little bit more unique.
SPEAKER_01Oh my gosh, that sounds so fantastic! And for people who are huge fans or aren't but want the experience, that's amazing. Well, talk a little bit about your itineraries because I know you have some seven-day itineraries, but then you can also combine those to make 14-day, 21-day. Talk a little bit about that.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, so I mean, Explorer wanted to traditionally have been just since we launched, doing the Caribbean in the winter and the Mediterranean in the summer. But we are so excited because we are growing very quickly. So we're gonna have six ships altogether by 2028, but we have our itineraries through the middle of 2029. So you have a lot of time to prepare. Uh, we are now branching out into different parts of the world. We're gonna be in Alaska, we're gonna be in Asia, we're going to be in South America, the Amazon, the Red Sea, Dubai. So we're so excited to bring these new itineraries. And like I said, because we're a younger demographic, not everybody can take off for a month or two weeks. So we offer a lot of seven-night journeys, uh, but clients can certainly do extended journeys, back-to-back journeys uh to make it 14 nights, 21 nights, 28 nights. Uh, and we were so excited because we just launched this week our first world journey, which will be 128 nights from Dubai to Barcelona. Uh, and we gave the clients, again, flexibility. You could do the 128 nights from Dubai to Barcelona, you could do 118 nights from Dubai to Miami, or 10 uh uh eight nights from Dubai to New York. So there's some flexibility in there as well, but it's a great way to be a part of a community on this world journey because you're with people that are going to be there the entire time. So, because of that, we've added extra inclusions, including uh business airfare to the origin cities, as well as extra sweet credits that they can use for spa or destination experiences during their journey.
Sustainability And Future Tech
SPEAKER_01Oh, that's fantastic. I've always, you know, we've done a lot of bookings on world cruises throughout the years, and it's always fascinating to me. And I just love living vicariously through the clients that take those journeys because I can't even imagine getting on a ship and four months later getting off the ship. But it's definitely on my list, I must say. Um, that's just fascinating. So, one of the big topics that comes up a lot now when we're working with clients and talking to them about the different companies we use, talk to me about sustainability because it is something that's becoming more and more important to our clients as they look at working with companies that are responsible. What does Explora Journeys do, Allison, to maintain a conscious footprint on the earth?
SPEAKER_00So we take we really think our approach to sustainability is, you know, at an elevated level. Our owners definitely have a connection to the sea. They want, they're really passionate about protecting the oceans as well as the cultures that we visit. Um, so we've done a lot with technology to create these ships that offer, you know, an incredible approach to sustainability. So all of our ships have shipped to shore power. Most of the water on board uh is from us. We don't take it from the local destinations. Uh, we also have all of our ships' arena dolphin technology approved. That means that the noise operation under the ship will not affect the sea life or the mammals. Uh so we want to make sure we protect, you know, dolphins. Uh and we also have used the best technology as far as fuel and emissions. So we are very excited because Explorer 3 and 4, which launched this July and next March, will be our first LNG-powered ships in our fleet. Uh so that just means it's, you know, better for the oceans, better for the environment. And we're not stopping there. Uh, we've we already have advanced technology for Explorer 4, I'm sorry, Explorer 5 and 6, which will have um hydrogen storage and uh fuel cells, which are of course a more advanced uh fuel option for these cruise lines. So we're doing great with the technology, but we're also on board, you know, not having plastic, no single-use plastics on board. You'll find in the suites that we have review uh reusable and refillable bathroom amenities, uh reusable water bottles on board. So we really make sure that we, you know, do as much as we can to not leave a footprint for sure.
Advisor Partnership And Closing
SPEAKER_01I love that. And knowing that the owners have this very large logistics company that they're thinking about these things. And I think that responsibility is well respected by our travelers and certainly by us as travelers. Travel advisors. So is there anything else you'd like to tell us about Explorer Journeys? I know there's a lot going on and you work very closely with our advisors. I think we were looking in uh over a third of our company, almost a half of our company, have all sailed on Explorer Journeys as well. Is there anything else you'd like to tell us?
SPEAKER_00Well, I would say uh obviously you're a preferred partner with Explorer Journeys, and Large A Travel has not only sailed with us, but really, you know, we wouldn't be successful without you. I mean, we've had so many Largay Travel clients on board, repeat clients, groups on board. So of course, thank you so much for that, because that is our success as well. Uh, I would say again, when you think about Exploring Journeys, think about something unique, something different. Um, I love this line. One of my um colleagues said it's like it's everything that you won't expect, but everything you want when you're on board because it is so unique. Uh but yeah, definitely reach out to Large to find out more because I almost feel like some of the Large agents are more experts than me because they've been on the ship so many times and they've said so many clients. But for sure, I think it's we're here to stay and we're growing. And I think we're gonna have even more exciting news as we grow as a brand. So uh definitely keep us in mind for your next holiday plans.
SPEAKER_01I love that. And I love you because you know what, you've really helped us to understand the brand. It's, you know, being prepared before you get on board just helps you enjoy that experience even more once you're there. And I think it's something that we've learned as travel advisors, helping our clients that the more we prepare them and the more we talk about the different options, itineraries, excursions in advance, the easier it is once you're on board. So thank you so much, Allison, for your partnership, your and your help, and for being here and talking about this wonderful new brand.
SPEAKER_00Thank you so much, Amanda. I look forward to many more Laura Gay clients heading our way and of course making their trip extra special. Awesome.
SPEAKER_01Thank you so much for tuning in today to the Please Go Away Travel podcast. And if you're interested in taking an explorer journey, let us know. We'll match you up with one of our specialty specialists. Have a great day, everyone, and enjoy.