The WORST Possible Cabin On This Luxury Crew Ship

Introduction

After nearly a 24-hour travel day flying into Barcelona, the Travel Squad is boarding their first-ever ultra luxury cruise — Explora Journeys' Explorer 2. The kicker? They booked it at roughly half the standard price, paid in full with no influencer perks or travel agent discounts. What they paid for their suite is comparable to what most people spend on a standard balcony cabin on Royal Caribbean's Star of the Seas. The itinerary covers Barcelona, Morocco, and Lisbon — two of which are brand new countries for them — with all rooms being suites, unlimited dining, unlimited drinks, and three-device Wi-Fi per person all included.

Arrival in Barcelona & Boarding

The boarding experience sets the tone immediately. Security feels calm and unhurried — a noticeable departure from the usual embarkation rush. Right at the top of the gangway, instead of a duty-free shop, there's a Birkin display, which says everything. Upon stepping on board, staff greet guests with a welcome glass of rosé champagne, which holds up well in quality. The ship's overall feel is more yacht and boutique hotel than traditional cruise ship — smaller scale, quieter, and noticeably more refined.

Room key cards come in elegant little card holders, similar to the Haven experience on NCL — and notably, there are no drink package stickers, because drinks are folded into the cruise fare entirely. The artwork throughout the ship is gallery-quality and tastefully curated, with standout pieces including a Campbell's Tomato Soup-inspired print and a Lily Pulitzer-esque floral work.

The Suite – Room Tour

Booked as a guarantee cabin (the most affordable tier, assigned about a week before sailing), the suite comes in well above expectations.

Closet & Entryway A generous walk-in closet greets you first, featuring pull-out jewelry and tie drawers, standard drawers, velvet-lined hangers, and a full vanity mirror.

Bathroom Spacious and well-appointed with a rainfall showerhead, a seated bench inside the shower, heated floors, dual counter space, body lotion, and liquid hand soap. The only minor critique is the half-height shower door, but it's a small trade-off.

Bedroom King-sized bed with nightstands on each side, a large pull-out TV that extends far from the wall, a sizeable mirrored dresser, and a comfortable couch. Storage includes multiple additional drawers and a dedicated charging station. Gold MSC status bag tags were provided as a status match perk.

Mini Bar & Coffee Station A fully stocked minibar — included in the cruise fare — plus an espresso machine and electric kettle round out the in-room amenities.

Balcony Larger than a standard cruise balcony, with a full dining table, chairs, and a separate lounge chair. Enough space to walk around freely, with sunset and mountain views looking out over Barcelona at embarkation.

Butler service is included at this level — every room on the ship is a suite.

Bed Test: Soft, comfortable, and one of the best beds experienced on any cruise — comparable to Wonder of the Seas.

Ship Overview & Atmosphere

Explorer 2 is compact by cruise ship standards — you can walk the full length of the ship in about five minutes. That intimacy is part of the appeal. The pools are clean and uncrowded (you can see the bottom), the cabanas and day beds on deck are first-come, first-served and complimentary, and the overall vibe is decidedly relaxed. No forced entertainment, no sail-away wobblers or cha-cha slides. Just house music, chilled drinks, and people enjoying the scenery.

Bar highlights include Casamigos, 1942, and Cavazier — most of which are included in the fare. Even at the outdoor sailaway bar, premium spirits like Cavazier show no price tags, meaning they're covered. There's a small category of drinks that do carry a surcharge, but the vast majority are included.

The ship is noticeably quiet even at capacity, according to the bartenders — a consistent feature of the Explora Journeys experience. As the hosts put it: if you want a party ship, this isn't it. If you want upscale, relaxed, and unhurried — this is exactly it.

Dining

Pool Grill (Embarkation Afternoon) With most dining options wrapping up by the time boarding was complete, the pool grill was the only spot open. Burgers and fries — simple, but well executed. Fries rated an 8+. Service went above and beyond, with a server bringing food directly to the table after the buzzer went off rather than letting guests get up themselves — a small but telling detail about the service standard.

Chef's Table Cooking Class (Booked) One of the few paid add-ons on the ship at £165 per person, the Chef's Table cooking class is a fully equipped kitchen experience with stations, chef hats, aprons, and hands-on instruction. Given the Barcelona-to-Morocco itinerary, the session focuses on Middle Eastern flavors rather than pasta. Described as a near-dream experience for anyone who's had culinary ambitions.

Marble & Co. Steakhouse (Dinner) An open-kitchen steakhouse with a menu that leans into classic luxury steakhouse fare. All items ordered were included in the cruise fare.

Dishes ordered:

• Mashed Potato with Caviar & Gold Flakes – A complimentary starter. Served with pearl spoons (which don't taint the flavor of the caviar the way metal does). Caviar described as buttery, intensely salty but not fishy — used as a dip for the potatoes. A genuinely surprising and memorable first course.
• Surf & Turf (Lobster & Filet Medallion) – Small medallion, beautifully cooked with a solid char. Rated 7/10 — good, not exceptional.
• Filet Mignon (Laura's) – Slightly larger cut with pepper cream sauce and creamed spinach. Rated 8.5/10 — solid and satisfying.
• Crispy Brussels Sprouts – A lighter side, described as "somewhat healthy."
• Crushed Fingerling Potatoes – Marble & Co. signature side.
• Lamb Chops – Ordered as a secondary main.

Sailaway Party & Evening

The sailaway party is low-key by design — house music, a full DJ setup, passed appetizers (including notably large olives), and casually mingling guests against the backdrop of Barcelona's coastline. The vibe is closer to a rooftop lounge than a pool deck blowout. The ship's DJ doubled as the muster station crew member, earning an instant connection.

After the party, the evening closed out with cocktails at the main lounge bar — tall ceilings, rich décor, a live cellist or violinist in the corner, and a bartender named Jess making a standout Cosmo. The hallway back to the suites smells distinctly like Abercrombie circa 2004, which is apparently either a selling point or a very specific nostalgia trigger depending on who you ask.

Itinerary Update

Following the sailaway, news arrived that the Lisbon port day has been canceled, replaced by a second sea day. The only port stop remaining is Morocco. Disappointing, given how much the hosts were looking forward to Lisbon — but a timely reminder of why travel insurance matters. They've been long-time users of Allianz Travel Insurance for exactly these situations, noting that coverage extends beyond illness and injury to include itinerary changes.

First Impressions Summary

Day one on Explorer 2 delivers on its promise as a genuinely different kind of cruise experience. The all-suite, all-inclusive model creates a noticeably more seamless and stress-free flow — no drink package wristbands, no congested buffet lines, no lines at the bar. The trade-off is scale and energy: this is a small, quiet ship built for relaxation, not a floating theme park.

Standout positives: Embarkation process, suite quality, bartender and server attentiveness, steakhouse dinner, Chef's Table booking, overall calm atmosphere, and included premium spirits.

Considerations: Not the right ship for guests seeking high-energy nightlife or a packed activities schedule. Lisbon cancellation was an unwelcome surprise, though handled well with travel insurance in place.

Overall first-day verdict: Already loving it.