13 nights, San Juan to San Juan
Explora's name for it: An Extended Journey into Island Delights, Hidden Coves & Chic Coastlines
Thirteen nights, ten calls, a loop out of San Juan and back. The arc runs through the northern Leewards and Virgins, then west to Miami, before turning south through Turks and Caicos and the Dominican Republic. It is a full schedule with little water between islands, so expect short hops and busy mornings rather than long sea days. The ship ties up at the Old San Juan piers themselves, so the cobbled grid of plazas and the cathedral start a few steps from the gangway. In Tortola, the Road Town ferry terminal sits about a 12-minute walk away and the crossing to The Baths on Virgin Gorda runs roughly 30 minutes, a better sight than anything on Tortola itself. St Barths keeps large ships out by design, so Gustavia's red-roofed harbor never feels crowded. On Anguilla you tender onto Sandy Ground Beach itself, then taxi to Shoal Bay East for the sand the island is known for.
This sailing rewards anyone who wants the islands at a working clip, with beach days at Grace Bay and Jost Van Dyke balanced against forts and old towns at San Juan, Basseterre, and Puerto Plata. Several stops are weather-dependent tender ports, so go early when the trades blow. Skip it if you want unhurried sea days, or if a Miami call in the middle of a Caribbean loop reads as a wasted day to you.
EXPLORA III is all-suite and all-oceanfront.
The itinerary, port by port
10 calls over 13 nights, round-trip from San Juan. Open any port for my full day-ashore guide, what to see, when to go, and how the day actually runs.
Getting there: Flights to San Juan (SJU) are already bookable for these dates. I watch the fare for booked clients so you book at the right moment. When to book your flights →
- Embark
- 2
- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7
- 8
- 9 La Romana
- Disembark
Fares on this departure, decoded
Reading the fare fine print is the job. Here's what this sailing currently carries:
- Invitation to Discover More
- Explora's discovery fare, available across most of the calendar. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
- Founders Fare
- A founding-era fare on a selected set of sailings. Onboard credit where the offer applies.
- Air-Inclusive Fare
- A fare that folds airfare into the voyage price on a smaller set of sailings.
The ship and your suite
This sailing is aboard EXPLORA III, all-suite, every suite with a private ocean-front terrace. Suites run from the entry Ocean Terrace to the Owner's Residence; the right tier depends on how you travel. Compare suites → · What's included →