#explorajourneys

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Why We Swapped Dates & Why May is the Perfect Time to Sail!

We know some of you were looking forward to a June departure for our 2026 Med adventure, and we were too! Due to a date change with the 2026 Monaco Grand Prix, our dates have shifted slightly. But trust us, sailing the Mediterranean in May is even better. Picture this: the Mediterranean is waking up, the weather is gorgeous, and the crowds are thinner than in the peak of summer. You'll enjoy the destinations in their full glory, without the hustle and bustle!

Come for either week… or better yet… BOTH!!!

Join Dave & Thierry on Their Favorite Ship!

Get ready to live your Mediterranean DREAM in 2026! We're thrilled to unveil our most exciting adventure yet aboard our absolute favorite luxury ship—Explora Journeys!

Imagine sailing through the Mediterranean in ultimate style, indulging in world-class dining, relaxing on a spacious and stunning ship, and exploring destinations so fabulous you’ll want to experience them all. That’s why we’ve created TWO back-to-back 7-night itineraries that are so irresistible, choosing just one will be the ultimate challenge!

Here’s the magic:

Week One: Sail round-trip from Rome, exploring the charm of Sorrento, Palermo-Sicily, Tunis, Ibiza, Menorca, and Barcelona

Week Two: Keep the adventure alive with stops in dreamy Marseilles for Provence, Porto Selvo - Sardinia, Portofino, Livorno/Florence, Villefranche/Cap Ferrat, ending in Barcelona.

Do Both! Treat yourself to the ultimate 14-night journey and experience it all—every sunset, every shore, and every unforgettable moment.

Can only join us for one week? No worries—each itinerary is packed with incredible destinations and unforgettable experiences. Choose your dream adventure (or both!) and let’s make memories to last a lifetime. 🌍✨

Why Explora? Why Now?

We chose Explora because, to us, it’s simply the BEST luxury ship sailing today—offering incredible entry-level suites with top-tier amenities and unmatched value. From the moment you board, it’s a completely all-inclusive experience: champagne, your favorite drinks, and an elegant “home at sea” vibe with gratuities, spa use, and so much more all included!

Explora redefines dining with some of the finest cuisine we’ve had in 200+ cruises—think fresh-made pasta and pizza, succulent seafood, tender meats, and irresistible European treats—all enjoyed in a sophisticated yet casual atmosphere. And yes, the coffee bar is a standout!

Your suite includes excellent WiFi, 24-hour in-suite dining, concierge service, and free laundry facilities, making every detail seamless. The ship’s spacious design features 5 pools, infinity hot tubs, and plenty of deck chairs, ensuring you’ll never feel crowded as you unwind in Explora’s “Ocean State of Mind.” There is so much to say, we want YOU to come see for yourselves!

But what truly sets Explora apart? The staff. Warm, welcoming, and genuinely delightful—they’re why we sailed FOUR times last year alone.

Hidden Gems & Iconic Destinations

We chose these specific itineraries because they offer the chance to explore some of the Mediterranean’s hidden gems—those enchanting islands and standout destinations in Italy, Tunisia, Sardinia, the French Riviera, and Spain that truly capture the soul of the Med.

Our guests have been asking for something fresh and unique, and we believe this itinerary strikes the perfect balance. It pairs Italy’s iconic highlights with romantic, off-the-beaten-path stops that promise a more intimate experience—far from the usual crowds. Plus, sailing in June means delightful weather and a chance to enjoy these stunning locations before the summer rush!

Each stop is a treasure trove of culture, beauty, and unforgettable experiences!

Your Mediterranean Adventure Awaits!

Trip Dates: Week 1 – May 13–20, 2026 Week 2 – May 20–27, 2026

Ship: EXPLORA I Sailing: Rome to Barcelona / Roundtrip Barcelona

Special Offer:

✅ 25% Savings! ✅ Fixed Low Deposit (Available Through July!)

📣 CLICK HERE TO BOOK / DON'T MISS OUT!

Why Book with DNA Tours?

As your "River Cruise King" (and Mediterranean expert!), I, along with Thierry, am dedicated to crafting unforgettable and seamless travel experiences. We meticulously vet every detail to ensure your journey is nothing short of extraordinary. With our personal touch and expertise, you can relax and savor every moment, knowing you're in the best hands.

We sailed in January... and stayed even longer than intended!

I first heard about Explora Journeys about two years ago and have a confession to make: I was completely 100% uninterested.

With other established companies in the small to medium-sized luxury ship market I was eager to sail Viking Ocean, Ponant, Scenic, Silver Sea, and Seabourn; lines that had already made a splash with their ships and lines where my guests were asking me to plan some of my escorted groups.

A new concept in luxury cruising from MSC was not really on my radar.

I had sailed MSC a decade ago and had relegated them in my mind as a second Costa with ships more for Europeans and folks who liked hearing announcements in 5 languages while enduring lots of kids and families with questionable parenting styles. It wasn't really for me and the way I wanted to travel at this point in my life.

Yet, as the launch of the ship approached, I started hearing more and more buzz... all positive, glowing even.

The ship interior design was being chatted about in travel agent circles and information about Michelin-star chefs was being released... I was still only mildly paying attention.

But then the ship launched and my normally unimpressed colleagues, agents who have seen it all, started to sail on her and were writing massively impressive reviews. Still skeptical, I watched the Explora FB page where inaugural guests started posting photos of the ship and food.

Shortly afterwards, I found out that Oasis was taking their top producers for 2023 on Explora Journeys and suddenly my disinterest turned into an obsession.

Literally everything I was seeing was favorable.. especially the dining... which for me is a key factor in choosing a ship.

Since I finished #6 for the year, I knew I was on the invite list for the cruise from Miami to Cartagena and I was suddenly VERY keen on trying this new ship.

As I learned more, I found that Explora seemed to have everything we wanted in a ship: not too big, elegantly appointed without being ostentatious, no formal nights, a simple dress code in the main restaurants in the evenings of "casual vacation elegance" (translate slacks for gentlemen) and completely casual in the Market Place (translate evening shorts are ok), + truly interesting itineraries.

We started counting the days... and excitedly, I found out that we had also been invited for a 2nd week for an educational seminar exclusively for luxury travel agents who had already sold some Explora cabins (first look classes).

Well, we went... and guess what? We turned 2 weeks into 3 we liked it so much!

If you want to know why... just tune in to the next blog post!

More than a vacation—this is your masterpiece. Paint it with Dave’s help at RiverCruiseKing.com

What You Need to Know Before You Go

In my last blog I told you about the new Explora Journey I and confessed that we really enjoyed our sailing. Today I want to share the things we loved, the things we will avoid in the future, and why this last cruise ranked at the very top of my over 150 cruises.

Pre-Cruise Registration App & Boarding

Sometimes you can just tell that something is going to be great just from the first interaction. As a travel agent, I can say that booking an Explora trip is SUPER easy and I very much like the guest emails sent to clients, the way information is organized, and the ability to see what tours (called Experiences on Explora) are on offer.

Their Explora app also has an easy to use registration process that turns the actual boarding process into a breeze and our favourable impression began during the check-in procedure in Miami.

Uploading the passports into the app was as easy as taking a photo... and after a few other questions about our arrival and departure flights and entering a method of payments for our on board charges everything was set.

Explora had sent us printable luggage tags which we had attached to the handles of our bags so that upon arrival the porters simply checked our names off the list and assured us that anything we left with them would be brought to our suites shortly.

We then proceeded thru security (which took just a few moments) and headed up the escalator to a waiting area that had a table of welcome danishes, hot coffee, juices, water and soft drinks. We were asked to sit in a small waiting area and told that we would be called when one of the check-in tables was free.

We waited at the most, 5 minutes or so before being called and an agent reviewed our info, took our photos for the onboard security, and handed us our key cards.

The entire process from the time we got out of our taxi to having a welcome glass of champagne and juice was about 10 minutes total. We were quite impressed and were in high spirits as we entered the ship for the first time.

Discovering the Explora I / Embarkation

From the start I have to say, Explora I is one of the most beautiful ships I have ever been on and with over 150 cruises on both the seas and rivers, that is saying something. The ship has an incredible design, a gorgeous and gentle colour palette, and the touches of art throughout (including the light fixtures themselves) make for an elegant, yet not ostentatious vessel.

Entrance to the ship was onto Deck 5, directly into the elegant Crema Cafe, one of the central lounges which was always staffed by a team of baristas ready to increase your caffeine intake with a beautifully made cappuccino, espresso, coffee or even a cold brew from the tap (with a shot of something stronger, too) while fattening you up with a selection of chocolate, cookies, cakes or sandwiches. After all, this is a Swiss-Italian company so of course there is a fantastic place to imbibe the bean.

Creme Cafe also looks out over the Lobby Bar of Deck 4, so there is a nice flow of decks as well as styles of hangouts.

This is also a perfect time to explain that Explora rates include an onboard All-Inclusive system so that every bar, every restaurant, and every cafe is basically Willy Wonka for adults and you can imbibe and enjoy without worry of being hit with a huge bar bill at the end of the cruise.

It should also be said, that the included onboard wines, champagnes, and spirits were similar to what you would find on Silver Sea, Crystal, and Seabourn and discussions among guests ranged from happy and impressed to a few grumpy "we're never happy with anything" types who IMHO complained just to hear themselves speak.

The welcome champagne in the cabin was Veuve Clicquot, but I believe they just changed to Mercier. Moet was served everywhere at the bars and restaurants. Naturally there was also an extensive wine list of non-included bottles, but I found the prices to be rather high and had no problem drinking what was on offer.

So let's descend the stairs into the open and inviting Lobby Bar with its 2 story atrium, lined by shops, and with a beautiful piano perched at the top of the stairs filling both areas with gentle music.

Bars & Lounges on Explora

One of the concepts that we loved about Explora became hilariously clear near the end of Week 2 when we were STILL finding bars and sitting areas that we had not yet seen.

"Decentralized" seems to be the word that best describes the concept towards restaurants, bars, and lounges and rather than a few large venues that you expect to find on a ship of this size, we enjoyed making new discoveries and making mental notes to "come back to this bar" later.

In the end, we counted 12 different lounges and bars both indoor and outdoor, each exquisitely designed with both comfort, beauty, and a consistent Swiss-Italian European flair.

It may sound funny to say this, as it is a ship after all, but water seemed to be a central focus of design, with either onboard water features as a focal and aesthetic anchor, or lounges situated with huge floor to ceiling windows that brought the outside in as much as possible.

Even the hot tubs were on the side of the ship, facing outwards, to create infinity views... and the four pools located at various points throughout the ship were beautifully intigrated.

One thing we noticed.. there was AMPLE space to lie at every pool, along with 64 private deck cabanas. Whether you were in the main Conservatory pool on Deck 11 with its retractable roof (with a gelato and crepe bar on one side and a full bar on the other), the back Atoll pool on Deck 10, the Helios Adults Only pool on Deck 12 forward, or the popular Astern Lounge with its infinity wading pool, there was plenty of seating, attentive pool attendants and bar service, and areas to go for peace and quiet.

One issue that people were talking about on our sailing were the lack of shade areas, yet we learned that an earlier conceived umbrella system was being reworked as the initial one was not stable enough. With that said, there were plenty of places to go to be in the shade, just not always directly at poolside. So.. lesson in "you can't have everything".

Restaurants

I will dedicate an entire blog post to the food alone, but something we loved from the very start was the complete lack of a central dining room. Instead you had multiple dining venues, each with its own theme, and a central Market Square on Deck 11 which offered a variety of options, all of them delicious.

We loved that dining on Explora was a low-key and relaxed affair throughout their 9 dining venues and it was more like going to a favourite restaurant or club rather than some loud, large main dining area. We commented many times on how quiet it was and how open. We never felt crammed and it was nice not to hear silverware clanging or the murmur of a large open dining room as we ate.

Something we want to note is that there is a dinner reservation area on Deck 5 at the top of the stairs. It is very easy to find and we recommend going there immediately upon boarding to ensure that you can book your spot at the two reservation required restaurants: Marble and Sakura, as well as if you want to sign up for Anthology (the Chef's Table experience) or the Test Kitchen. No other dining venues require a reservation and everyone is guaranteed at least 1 visit to the two included specialty restaurants.

SAKURA was hands down our favourite. This Japanese fusion restaurant was consistently excellent with creative dishes, nice sized portions so that you could try many, and excellent service, this is one of two restaurants that requires a reservation which you can make immediately upon boarding on Deck 5.

Sakura is open for dinner nightly, and on some sailings it is also open for lunch, so ask upon your arrival. If there is space, you may dine here more than once as we did each week we were on board.

Our next favourite restaurant was the Deck 11 Marketplace Emporium which was a collection of mini stations where food was cooked to order. Selections ranged from home made pasta (which we saw them making in the morning) to grilled lobster to fresh soups and so much more. We were astounded at the quality of this casual restaurant and we appreciated that it was the one place you could go in the evening in shorts if you wanted (it was a Caribbean cruise) whereas the other restaurants requested casual chic (pants for men).

Thierry is a huge sushi fan so he quite enjoyed the sushi bar, which had a nice selection of hand rolled sushi, made fresh before you.

We did eat most of our breakfasts and lunch in the Marketplace, but it must also be said that a la Carte breakfast & lunch could be had in one of the two open seating restaurants Le Fils Rouge or the Mediterranean Yacht Club.

Le Fils Rouge is a French themed restaurant which was elegantly appointed and relaxed, with a nice menu and a Soufflé to die for and as the name indicates, MYC is a Med themed eatery offering tapas and the typical offerings you would expect to find in Spain & Italy.

MARBLE & CO is the other reservation required specialty restaurant on board and we thoroughly enjoyed it. Explora does include the specialty dining as part of the regular cruise fare and like Sakura, you can dine here more than once if there is space. The restaurant has multiple rooms so you truly have an intimate steak house experience.

Like the other restaurants, the menu is not overly extensive, but there is a large enough selection to please every taste. I really loved the caviar appetizer, as well as the crab, pork bellies, and the lobster & veal special.

I am getting hungry again just thinking about it.

Explora did offer night time entertainment in the main Journey's lounge and we really enjoyed guest entertainer Terrell Edwards. He was a masterful story teller and singer and had folks up and dancing as he sang his way thru the decades.

There was also jazz, karaoke, quiz nights and even football on offer in the Deck 5 Astern Lounge, but honestly, we were always so tired after dinner that we would go back to our suite to enjoy a movie on the large screen TV. We told ourselves that we would make it to one of the Movies Under the Stars nights at the Conservatory pool... but that will have to wait for our next trip.

We wouldn't say that Explora offered a LOT to do during the day. They have guest lecturer's and a few hands on classes (like how to take better pictures on your cell phone) or fitness activities, but we didn't attend that many. Overall, there was enough to do, but my impression was that high maintenance, we need organized activities all day long will be left wanting, but the pace of our trip was very port intensive.

Next Up in Part 2 ... Food, Suites, and some of the special stuff we liked (High Tea!)

So we LOVED the food...

While there is a lot that can be said, I will keep it brief: Home-made pizza and pasta... bread that THIERRY complimented, oysters, king crab legs and lobster every night in the Emporium, 24/7 room service, the morning fresh fruit smoothies, the cheese selection, EVERYTHING at Sakura, the desert at Anthology - the Michelin Star Chef led dining experience, perfectly cooked tuna... I could go on and on.

Suffice it to say, we were pleased. The food on Explora is probably among the best I have had on a cruise in a very long time. Was there an occasional dish that was only so-so? Sure.

But on the whole.. we loved it. We think you will, too.

We can't wait to go back in October!

...and since they say that a picture is worth a thousand words...

As you plan future holidays/vacations I wanted to share with you an exciting new option with Explora Journeys. The feeling I have after spending 3 weeks on Explora I last month is that this new brand is truly setting a new standard in luxury & lifestyle hospitality, and I’d love to tell you more.

Explora Journeys is launching a distinctive European lifestyle experience for the discerning traveller, creating a category of their own; a true boutique resort at sea, where the address is the ocean. Through the art of listening, it has been designed with guest centricity - offering more space (the highest space-to-guest ratio in their category), and much more privacy than any other cruise brand. In fact, they don’t think of themselves as a cruise line, they offer transformative ocean experiences with a hotel philosophy, delivering to you lots of choices with slower and more immersive Journeys featuring lesser-known and off-the-beaten-track experiences.

It’s part of why they talk about Discovering your “Ocean State of Mind.”

Explora Journeys really sets itself apart with its ocean experiences. Their first two ships, EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II, feature longer days in port and overnight stays, throughout Africa & Indian Ocean, the Arabian Peninsula & India, Canada & New England, the Caribbean & Central America, Iceland & Greenland, the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, United Kingdom & Ireland, Pacific Coast & Hawaii and South America.

The ships have been designed as if they are super-superyachts by a team of superyacht maritime architects in partnership with Fincantieri, the world's finest luxury shipbuilders. Their maiden journey commenced in the Summer 2023, showcasing their stunning new ship, EXPLORA I.

Explora Journeys is the vision and the dream of the Aponte Vago family, owners of the largest, privately owned shipping company in the world.

They have built and launched over 650 ships (with another 100 on order), and their legacy on the world’s oceans has lasted over 300 years. Now, with the launch of their passion project - Explora Journeys – MSC Group are entering the luxury lifestyle hospitality space.

With the utmost thoughtfulness and mindfulness about not only today’s discerning travellers, but those of the future, Explora Journeys differentiates itself by focusing on the essence of discovery, and those who crave it. Experiences onboard and on land are wholly guest-centric, developed in response to what guests want.

The team at Explora Journeys know that for travellers who want to sail with purpose…who want more space, choice, design, and privacy…who appreciate the Swiss gold thread of luxury…and who hold our planet’s oceans in the highest regard, not just any ocean liner will do.

Every private guest space is a home at sea; an all-suite ship, and each suite is oceanfront with a large terrace offering an abundance of amenities. Foodies will be delighted by eleven onboard culinary experiences, across eighteen sophisticated and varied venues.

Explora Journeys’ ships also offer a comprehensive and holistic well-being experience both indoors and out, both onboard and in select destinations whilst the Hosts onboard are passionate hospitality experts who wish to deliver intuitive personalised service, never obtrusive.

Travellers who holiday with Explora Journeys are those who long to be left exhilarated and not exhausted. Explora Journeys offers a different pace: slower, deeper and with more opportunity for immersion. You may even have a sense that you can touch the impossible; to reach out and fulfill a transcendent need that resonates deep within your being.

The land experiences this team has to offer are also remarkable, with the goal of fostering profound personal enrichment. Think camping on a polar ice cap in Greenland…whale-watching from a whirlpool in Norway…helicoptering over the colourful UNESCO World Heritage Site Iguazu Falls in Brazil, and much more. The Explora Journeys team has created something where luxury becomes joyful, personal, and transformative – whether onboard, exploring destinations with purpose, or reminiscing about the trip long after you’ve returned home.

If I’ve piqued your curiosity perhaps you'd like to join me on my next Explora adventure, scheduled for October 6, 2024 for a10 Night Sailing Roundtrip from Barcelona Oct 6th, 2024 to Malaga, Gibraltar, Lisbon, Portimão, Tangiers.

COME WITH US THIS OCTOBER AND TASTE FOR YOURSELF!!! THIS IS A FOODIE'S DELIGHT CRUISE SHIP LIKE FEW OTHERS!

Learn More

NOTE: Our October 6th round trip sailing from Barcelona can even be combined with our September 29th Virgin Voyage to Marseilles, Cannes, Palma de Mallorca and Ibiza