Explora IV
Luxury · built 2027

Explora IV

Explora Journeys · Explora III class (LNG-powered)

Pictured: sister ship Explora III, same design. Photo: Dag Chr Halvorsen, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Is she right for you?

Travelers who want a resort-style luxury ship with all-suite, ocean-view rooms and many restaurants.

Think twice if: Large for a luxury ship (over 450 suites), so it feels less intimate than yacht-style lines.

See her Europe sailings ↓ · Where is she now? → · Explora Journeys's page for this ship →

At a glance

What she's like

Size & feelSize not published

Who you'll sail with

'The main language of communication onboard Explora Journeys is English', with support in Italian, German, French and Spanish (translated menus and daily programs).

Price level$$$$$

Our judgment, from $ (budget) to $$$$$ (ultra-luxury).

Included in the fare

Suite, all meals, alcoholic drinks, cocktails, soft drinks, mineral water, gratuities, port charges, Wi-Fi, entertainment, port-to-town shuttles where applicable. Excursions extra.

Children

Infants must be 6 months+ (1 year+ on sailings with 2+ consecutive sea days); infants 6-23 months sail free; children 2-17 up to 50% off. Drinking age 18 on sailings starting in Europe.

What to wear

Resort casual by day; from 18:00 'elevated resort-casual' in restaurants and indoor bars (no sleeveless T-shirts, caps or sportswear).

Where & when

Where she sails in Europe

We don't have her sailing-by-sailing schedule yet. See the line's site for dates.

Your real budget

What it costs beyond the fare

Tips for the crewincluded; Suites: included; Not added automatically
Drinks packageIncluded.
WifiIncluded: complimentary Wi-Fi in suites and public areas for browsing, messaging, and voice and video calls.
Specialty restaurantsUp to two dining reservations before boarding (Sakura and Marble & Co. Grill); any surcharge restaurants not priced on pages checked.
Money on boardnot published (contract is under English law; fees quoted in USD/EUR/GBP by market).

How tipping and money work on a European cruise → · Build a full trip budget →

Her restaurants · 0 included, 0 extra

Where to eatCost
AnthologyNot stated
Marble & Co. GrillNot stated
SakuraNot stated
Med Yacht ClubNot stated
Fil RougeNot stated
Emporium MarketplaceNot stated
Chef's KitchenNot stated
The Chef's TableNot stated
Choosing your cabin

Which cabin to book, and which to avoid

The line doesn't publish cabin sizes for this ship that we could find.

Good to know before you pick

  • Deck 10 midship and aft suites sit under the Conservatory Pool area and Emporium Marketplace buffet (deck 11)
  • Deck 10 aft suites are on the same deck as the Atoll Pool & Bar
  • Accessible and connecting suites are marked with symbols on the suite plan; the legend adds Cove Residence with whirlpool (COJ)
  • Every suite is ocean-front with a terrace; suites fill decks 6 to 10, per the deck plan

If you use a wheelchair or walk with difficulty

Accessible suites are marked on the official suite deck plan (page 1); no count is printed Accessible suites with wheelchair-accessible doorways. Tenders 'may not be suitable' for guests with disabilities; crew guide but 'cannot support, lift or carry Guests'. Our accessibility guide →

Deck plans

Find your way around

Our own deck plans, drawn from the line's official plan: tap a deck to see it from above, with what's at the front, middle and back of the ship. Use “Find on board” to light up every deck with a pool, a bar or a restaurant. Not to scale.

  1. Deck 14 , Sports court; Ocean Wellness open-air fitness; Whirlpool; Sky Bar
  2. Deck 12 , Helios Pool & Bar (adults only); Running track; Infinity whirlpool
  3. Deck 11 , Explora Lounge (with outdoor area); Malt Whisky Bar; Meeting rooms; Nautilus Club juniors and teens; Cigar Lounge; The Conservatory Pool, indoor whirlpool and Shore Club bar; Emporium Marketplace Restaurant; Emporium outdoor seating
  4. Deck 10 , Bridge; Atoll Pool & Bar
  5. Deck 9
  6. Deck 8
  7. Deck 7
  8. Deck 6
  9. Deck 5 , Ocean Wellness The Spa; Fitness Centre; The Cellar / Chef's Kitchen / The Chef's Table; Anthology Restaurant; Crema Cafe; Marble & Co. Grill; MSC Foundation; Galleria d'Arte; Sakura Restaurant; Astern Lounge; Pool & Bar
  10. Deck 4 , Journeys Lounge; The Casino; Guest Services / Destination Experiences / Future Journeys; Lobby & Lobby Bar; The Journey and boutiques (Chopard, Rolex, Cartier); Med Yacht Club Restaurant; Fil Rouge
  11. Deck 3 , Medical Centre

Open Explora Journeys's official deck plan →

Planning your trip

What to book, and when

Booking, check-in and reservations

25% deposit to confirm; full payment 90 days before departure (150 for Ocean Residences). Check-in opens 90 days before departure. 10-day free-cancellation grace period if booked more than 365 days ahead.

Paying and cancelling

Terrace suites/Penthouses: admin fee only until 151 days; then 15% (150-121), 25% (120-91), 50% (90-61), 75% (60-31), 100% within 30 days.

Tips for her Europe sailings

Main disembarkation may start 1 hour 15 minutes after arrival; allow enough time before flights.

Before you go

The details

The ship in numbers

Cruise line
Explora Journeys
Kind of ship
Luxury
Built
2027
Cabins
461
Gross tons
72,810
Class
Explora III class (LNG-powered)
Sister ships
Explora III, Explora V
Worth knowing

Highlights

  • 461 ocean-front suites, 7 restaurants, 12 bars and lounges, 5 heated pools, per Explora
  • Runs on liquefied natural gas (LNG), per Explora
  • Adds The Chef's Table and The Cellar on deck 5, plus separate Juniors and Teens clubs
  • Helios Pool on deck 12 is adults only
  • New ship: first sailings scheduled for 2027
Sources & what we could not confirm · 8 sources · checked 2026-11
Still being confirmed
  • Not yet in a registry we could check (no IMO in the input); length, beam and flag unknown
  • Explora pages call dining 'inclusive culinary experiences' but the fetched pages do not say which venues carry a charge; cost left null
  • Crew count not printed; only the 1.25:1 guest-to-host ratio
  • Explora Journeys: Onboard currency
  • Explora Journeys: Any surcharge restaurant prices
  • Explora Journeys: Nationality mix
  • Deck plan: Lift and staircase positions are icons only; not read
  • Deck plan: Suite sizes not stated in the PDF
  • Deck plan: Explora IV and V assumed to match Explora III (raw4/pdf/explora-iv.pdf, explora-v.pdf not compared)
  • Deck plan: Page 1 zones used an outline length taken from the Explora I plan; suite zone splits are approximate