When did Explora II launch?

Explora II launched in 2024 as the second ship in the Explora Journeys fleet, identical to Explora I. Its godmother is Rosalba Giugni, the marine conservationist and founder of Marevivo.

Is Explora II the same as Explora I?

Effectively yes. Explora II shares Explora I's hull, its 461-suite roster, its nine culinary venues, and its layout. The differences are the launch year (2024 versus 2023) and the godmother. For booking purposes they're interchangeable; itinerary and date should decide.

Is Explora II better value than Explora I?

Often, yes, slightly. As the newer and less-hyped of the two identical sisters, Explora II sometimes prices a little more keenly for the same product on comparable dates. It's worth checking both when your itinerary exists on each.

Ship · Explora Journeys

Explora II: the identical sister, often the smarter booking.

Explora II launched in 2024 as the twin of Explora I: the same 461 suites, the same nine venues, the same layout. I've sailed her near-identical sister, Explora I, with my family across more than one voyage, so when I tell you these two ships are interchangeable, that's from walking the layout, not reading a deck plan. Because Explora II is the newer and less-hyped of the pair, it's frequently the better-value way to book the exact same product. Here's the honest read.

Specifications from Explora Journeys' published materials. The hull-specific details on this page (godmother, launch year, deck plan) come from Explora's documentation; the read on what the ship is actually like comes from sailing its identical sister, Explora I, with my family. Photo: Explora Journeys.

Explora's Astern Pool at sunrise, with loungers facing the ship's wake — The Astern Pool at sunrise. Photo: Explora Journeys.

The essentials

Launched: 2024, the second ship in the fleet
Suites: 461, identical roster to Explora I, all with private terraces (10 with accessibility features)
Public space: roughly 16,600 sqm (about 178,680 sq ft), served by 14 lifts (8 for guests)
Guests: up to 922, guest-to-host ratio about 1.25 to 1
Pools: 5 pools and 5 whirlpools, including the retractable-glass-roof Conservatory Pool
Dining: nine culinary venues plus bars, lounges, and 24-hour in-suite dining
Godmother: Rosalba Giugni, marine conservationist and founder of Marevivo

The value angle

Here's the advisor's-eye observation, and it's grounded in time aboard the sister ship. When two ships are functionally identical, the newer one often carries a little less of the launch-attention premium. Explora II tends to price marginally more keenly than Explora I for the same suite on comparable dates. It's not a dramatic gap, but on a long sailing in a higher suite tier it's real money for an experience I can tell you, from sailing Explora I, holds up. When your itinerary exists on both, I check each.

How to choose between the sisters

Don't overthink the hull number. I've walked Explora I, and Explora II is the same ship in every way that affects your trip: the same suite you'd book, the same quiet under-crowded decks, the same kitchen behind the included Sakura and Marble & Co. Let the itinerary, the date, and the price decide. The decision that actually matters is whether to sail the current fleet now or wait for the new Explora III, which adds venues and an LNG hull. I've laid that one out in my Explora III vs II comparison.

Go deeper: the Field Guide

First-hand and technical reads on the ship, from sailing Explora I.

Explora II: the identical sister, often the smarter booking.

The essentials

The value angle

How to choose between the sisters

Go deeper: the Field Guide

More on the fleet

Considering Explora II?