Explora III and IV expand an already formidable culinary program—and the results are worth sailing for
Not many cruise lines can claim to have reinvented the onboard dining experience. Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of MSC Group, made a serious attempt with Explora I in 2023—ditching the traditional main dining room in favor of a constellation of distinct restaurants, all included in the fare, all operating without fixed seatings or dress codes. The formula earned the line a Condé Nast Traveler Hot List nod, a Global Tastemakers Award for Food & Wine, and—perhaps more meaningfully—a devoted repeat-guest following.
Now, with Explora III and Explora IV, the culinary team has gone further. Three new concepts debut exclusively aboard these ships, layered onto a foundation of nine distinct dining experiences that already rank among the most accomplished at sea.
Shore Club on 11: the beach club that goes where you go
Poolside dining has long been one of cruise travel’s more disappointing compromises—a grab-and-go afterthought between the sunbed and the bar. Shore Club on 11 at The Conservatory is built on an entirely different premise.
Set within the glass-canopied Conservatory on Deck 11—centered around an expansive pool and flooded with natural light through a retractable roof—Shore Club draws its spirit from the sun-soaked ease of Mediterranean coastal dining. Freshly prepared salads, grilled favorites, savory and sweet crêpes, and artisanal gelato share the menu with wellness-oriented options, while a thoughtful beverage program balances crafted cocktails with an imaginative selection of alcohol-free creations.
The Conservatory itself has been reimagined for Explora III and IV, offering more space, wider sightlines, and what the line describes as a renewed sense of balance and relaxation. On a September sailing from Hamburg to Reykjavík—tracking rugged Celtic coastlines, Iceland’s geysers, and the Isle of Lewis en route—the idea of a warm, light-filled poolside lunch becomes quietly compelling. Good food tastes better when the view demands attention.
The Cellar: where wine becomes conversation
The Cellar by Explora Journeys is not a wine bar in any conventional sense. It is, at its best, the kind of place you stay longer than you planned—drawn in by an unexpected pour and a cellar master who knows exactly when to offer a suggestion and when to let the glass speak for itself.
Located on Deck 5 with a main space for eight guests and a private area for four, The Cellar brings together characterful Old World classics and expressive New World favorites alongside what the line describes as a few quietly remarkable rarities. The cellar masters guide each experience with what Explora calls an intuitive, light touch—whether that means an aperitivo before dinner, a bottle carried through the meal, or a final glass lingered over with handcrafted chocolate truffles.
Small bites complement the tasting program, and the atmosphere is deliberately unhurried and unpretentious. This is wine as pleasure, not performance.
The Chef’s Table: dinner as dialogue
The Chef’s Table by Explora Journeys addresses a genuine gap in the fine-dining landscape: the experience where the guest has no voice. Tasting menus—however technically accomplished—ask diners to surrender agency at the door. The Chef’s Table inverts that entirely.
Located on Deck 5 and reserved for intimate groups, the experience begins with a conversation. Guests collaborate closely with the culinary team to shape a fully bespoke menu, drawing on their own preferences, stories, and the occasion at hand. The result is a one-of-a-kind evening—personally prepared and presented by the chefs—that could not be replicated for any other table on any other night. For milestone celebrations or simply a private evening with the people who matter most, it is among the most genuinely personal dining experiences available at sea.
The program that anchors it all
The three new concepts sit atop a foundation that has already won multiple awards. The six signature inclusive restaurants—Anthology’s refined Italian fine-dining journey, Sakura’s Pan-Asian immersion, Marble & Co. Grill’s European steakhouse, the Mediterranean warmth of Med Yacht Club, the French-inflected Fil Rouge, and the vibrant all-day Emporium Marketplace—continue aboard Explora III and IV, joined by the Chef’s Kitchen, in-suite dining available around the clock, and the new Shore Club replacing the Gelateria & Crêperie found on Explora I and II.
Across more than twelve bars and lounges, the mood shifts from Crema Café’s European café culture—with its barista-made coffees, loose-leaf teas, and pastry case—to the Malt Whisky Bar’s curated tour of global whisky regions, complete with a dedicated outdoor cigar lounge newly open to the elements from Explora III onwards. The Explora Lounge, bathed in 270-degree ocean views, transitions from afternoon tea and light meals to live jazz and sunset aperitivi as the day lengthens. Sky Bar on 14 sits at the ship’s highest point, offering panoramic views and the kind of cocktail that earns its place in the memory.
A season that earns the program
An Explora sailing from Hamburg to Reykjavík this September—ten nights through England, Ireland, and the Isle of Lewis before reaching Iceland—is the kind of itinerary that rewards a ship with something serious to offer at the table. Long days on deck call for a late lunch at Shore Club. Evenings in port, with geysers and fjords still fresh in the mind, seem made for The Cellar’s unhurried last glass.
Explora III debuts August 3, 2026, from Barcelona. Explora IV will follow as the fleet continues to expand. For itineraries and reservations, visit explorajourneys.com.
About the Author: Jason Kerr
