Explora-ing with a Toddler – Chelsea’s experience on Explora I

Explora Journeys’ luxury cruises are sensational, and there’s something for every type of traveller to enjoy when embarking on these incredible adventures. Yes, that’s right – even if you’re cruising with a toddler, something that isn’t for the faint of heart. But, how did we fare travelling aboard the luxurious Explora I with a two-year-old? This is one of the best small luxury cruise ships sailing right now, so keep reading to find out more about our experience on Explora Journeys’ exciting itinerary: A Journey of Mythology & Magnificent Ruins.

Day 1 - Valletta, Malta

Embarkation was the most seamless embarkation we have ever experienced. With a capacity of only 922 guests, Explora 1 offers a passenger-to-crew ratio of 1.25:1, so you’ll find little to no queues, and we found this throughout our entire stay. Our luggage was tagged and taken, then we were personally guided onboard and to the Journeys Lounge to complete check-in, retrieve our SeaPass cards, and told our Suite was ready for us. No waiting until later in the afternoon.

All cabins are regarded as Suites, and we were lucky enough to be in a Grand Terrace Suite, and oh my - I’ve never seen a balcony space so large!

And, for all the mums a little worried (especially if you have climbers), the sliding door is heavy and there is a lock right at the top of the door for extra security and peace of mind.

A cot, pillow, and linens were provided. We requested their removal because we co-sleep; however, there would have been plenty of space in the living area for the cot should you require it. The sofa also turns into a bed in some suites, making it great for older kids, too.

To our surprise, there was an age-appropriate Montessori toy in the suite, which went down a treat, as did our welcome champagne!

But, what about Valletta itself?

We easily walked from the port and into Valletta for the afternoon. For €1 each return (children under 10 ride free), you can take the Barrakka Lift to Upper Barrakka and the old quarter of Valletta. Valletta, in general, is very pushchair-friendly within the centre; however, the further out you go, the streets do become more cobbled and aren’t as smooth under wheels.

Back on board and after a busy day, we wanted something informal and relaxed, so we headed up to the Emporium Marketplace, which is essentially their ‘buffet’ but with a twist - you don’t serve yourself. Whether you fancy a burger, lobster, sushi, or salad, it’s all made fresh to order. There’s plenty to choose from, even for the fussiest of eaters (thankfully, our 2-year-old is happy to try most things!)

Once back in the cabin, we decided to utilise the in-suite dining and preordered breakfast for the following morning!

Day 2 - Sea Day, Explora I

We had an indulgent morning eating breakfast in our Suite. Fresh omelettes, bacon, fresh fruit, and cereal were delivered on time - and hot! After enjoying a slow morning sipping coffee on our balcony, we decided to use our one and only Sea Day to explore Explora I and their pools!

The Nautilus Club is the area designed for the younger guests. There weren't many children on our sailing, and so there only appeared to be afternoon activities for those aged 6-17. There are designated times when children aged 3-5 can attend the Nautilus club with parental supervision.

However, since we only had one ‘Sea Day’ on our itinerary, this wasn't an issue for us, as we would be ashore for the majority of the voyage. For a young teen, this room would be their dream, offering the latest computer games; it was an extremely cool hangout.

In addition to the number of pools, you’re spoilt for choice on where to sit! You’ll find no fighting for sun loungers and no reservations with towels here. The abundance of free sun loungers, cabanas, and seats where you can simply lounge is just unbelievable.

Our chosen spot, The Conservatory Pool, features a retractable roof that was open during the day. What we found most impressive was that one of the heated whirlpools to the side of the Conservatory pool was dedicated for children only, which is unusual even for the larger ships. We found that we were the only ones using it - perfect!

It's also worth mentioning that the Astern Pool is the infinity pool overlooking the back of the ship, which is perfect for sailaways, sunsets, and Prosecco. Even better if this coincides with nap times…

We ate dinner at the Med Yacht Club, an excellent, calm dining room located towards the back of the ship that specialises in Mediterranean cuisine. They provided a high chair without question, and we feasted on beef carpaccio and pasta! But, what did our two-year-old eat today? Whilst there was no children's menu, they were happy to provide anything from the main menu as a smaller portion, or make something as requested.

Day 3 - Chania, Crete

Explora provided a complimentary coach transfer to the Old Town as we docked more than a walk away, which ran every 15-20 minutes. The main walkways are very pushchair-friendly, which is pleasantly surprising; however, the smaller side streets are cobblestone.

You can walk leisurely to the Venetian Lighthouse from the main Marina area. We walked around the Marina, which is full of restaurants, bars, and shops, along with live music from various buskers. It was busier than we expected, but not so busy that we struggled to find a table with a view - ideal for people watching and our first gyros of the trip!

Tonight we had dinner at Fil Rouge, which is an elegant dining room positioned next to the Med Yacht Club. Inspired by French Cuisine, you can choose from classics like Foie Gras or Escargots. We heard rave reviews about the Lobster before boarding, but unfortunately, it wasn’t on the menu for us this time. Instead, we shared Veal Wellington and Lamb chops as we couldn’t decide.

What did our two-year-old eat today, though? Today, he ate an entire side dish of French beans and threw a tantrum before we could order the soufflé or their speciality, Mille-feuille. You win some, you lose some.

Instead, for dessert, we went up to Emporium Marketplace and he chose a little panini whilst we ate dessert. We found Emporium Marketplace served many of the same or similar dishes and desserts as the restaurants (the paninis are also available in Crema Café). Whilst we didn’t get our soufflé, there was plenty to choose from.

Day 4 - Rhodes Old Town, Rhodes

Everything is easily accessible on foot; the ship docks directly opposite the gates to the Medieval City. The streets within the City are cobblestone, with some easier to navigate using a pushchair than others. Rhodes Old Town is very picturesque and quintessentially Greek, just as you would imagine, with all the tavernas and small side streets, shops, and eateries (more gyros!) There is plenty to see and eat! The locals were friendly, and whilst there were two cruise ships docked, it didn’t feel overly busy.

One of the main attractions is the Palace of the Grand Master and the Street of the Knights.

These are, as you can imagine, all cobblestone; however, the Street of the Knights does have two pathways on either side to make for easier walking. However, I still wouldn’t advise pushchairs or wheelchairs in this area.

Outside the Medieval City, we walked to the Ancient Stadium and the Acropolis of Rhodes. I would recommend a taxi, as it was quite a long walk; however, it is pushchair-friendly. The area itself has a new walkway to take you to the ruins, but after this, you will need to walk. After a stroll around the Olympic Stadium, we made our way back through the Medieval city for delicious waffles and back to the ship.

Having heard many great reviews about Sakura, it did not disappoint. We opted for the Sushi platter to share, followed by Lobster Pad Thai (chef's kiss!) There were many things we could have ordered from this menu. If our sailing had been longer, we would have tried to dine there again another evening. The restaurant overlooks the Astern pool, and during the day, the restaurant opens to serve Bento Boxes for lunch. An excellent option for a sea day if you don’t wish to dine in the Emporium (or leave your sun lounger!)

What did our two-year-old eat? He woke up from his nap late and wasn’t interested in eating at this point. He had vegetable fried rice and salmon, but didn’t eat the Salmon. The server was amazing and provided plenty of options. After we ate, we ventured up to the buffet to get him his favourite panini and watermelon!

Day 5 - Kusadasi, Turkey

Today was... Beach day!

Admittedly, we didn’t see ‘Kusadasi’ as we perhaps should have done. The weather was beautiful, and after a couple of days sightseeing, we fancied a relaxing day on the beach.

After a little Google search, we found ‘Ladies Beach’. We thought it was a short walk, but it turned out to be quite long and very uphill. So whilst pavements may have been pushchair-friendly, I would recommend jumping in a taxi. There was a Taxi rank just outside the terminal, and another at the beginning of Ladies Beach, so it would have been easily accessible for anyone. So we spent a lazy afternoon at the beach, building sandcastles, paddling, and eating ice cream.

What did our two-year-old eat today? As there was no nap at the beach, by the time we returned to the ship, he was fast asleep. We took advantage of the opportunity and phoned to move our dinner reservation at Marble & Co forward.

We didn’t expect much on the menu for a toddler, so we let him enjoy his long nap, and we had the best meal we had onboard! We are steak fans in general, so we knew we were going to simply love this restaurant. It was decorated with dark marble and moody lighting.

We shared a lobster brioche and slow-cooked pork belly to start, enjoyed truffle fries with our Steaks (that were cooked to perfection!) and drank beautiful red wine.

Day 6 - Milos, Greece

It’s safe to say that Milos was the highlight of our trip.

We’d never heard of this island before, so we didn’t have any expectations. This small island doesn’t have direct flights from the UK, and you can only reach the island via a flight from Athens. We arrived early, and the tender process was flawless. We docked in Adamantas, which has an array of bars and bakeries along the marina, but also many car rental companies. We decided this was the best way to see the island. So, for €30, and having chosen a suitable car seat, we drove around the island in a Fiat 500 all day, visiting the spots the car hire company recommended - and it was so worth it. It was beautiful, and having the car gave us the freedom to really see everything.

We first drove to Sarakiniko, their most photographed and well-known beach. It's not what I would describe as a beach, but rather a stunning white cliff. Many people explore the caves and sunbathe on the rocks.

Next stop, Pollonia. We found many of the bars and restaurants were busy preparing for the summer season. We took advantage of the opportunity and enjoyed a drink by the sleepy marina, watching the fish in the crystal-clear waters.

Plaka is the capital and yet still a small, picturesque village. It gives hints of Santorini with white washed walls and blue window shutters. It’s full of traditional restaurants and taverns, bars, and shops. And the flowers - climbing up the walls and over walkways. Whilst walking around, we spotted a little hatch serving Aperol Spritz. Plaka is not pushchair-friendly; we couldn’t explore as much as we wished, as we needed to stay around the main walkways. There are a lot of steps, so do be aware if you are less mobile or with a pushchair.

The fishing village Klima was not open for the summer season yet, which was a real shame. We can imagine it being a buzzy place to be in the summer with all the colourful boathouses, which have been restored into accommodation, bars, and restaurants. You do have to park along the road heading into the marina, located at the bottom of a steep hill. But there are no pathways; it’s all beach and rocks.

After getting back onboard late, we headed straight for dinner at Emporium Marketplace, where we enjoyed fresh pasta, lobster, and grilled prawns. We then took a selection of desserts back to our suite - the perfect way to end the day.

Day 7 - Athens, Greece

Disembarkation, like embarkation, was again seamless. We left our luggage outside our suite late the prior evening and used one of the Explora totes provided to store our overnight bits. These bags are huge and very useful; we used them every day ashore and brought them home - they’re still in use now!

From the Port of Piraeus, there are plenty of taxis, whether you have pre-booked a transfer or wish to jump in a taxi. We easily located our transfer and headed to our hotel in Athens, where we were spending one night. The journey took only 30 minutes. We stayed a little outside of the main tourist areas; however, we wouldn’t recommend it to others.

The majority of Athens is pushchair-friendly; however, when we visited the Acropolis, it was not pushchair-friendly, as expected. They do provide a secure pushchair storage area, and there are toddler carriers. This is something we didn’t use, but wish we had, so definitely take advantage!

The most popular tourist destinations, Plaka and Monastiraki, are ideal places to stay. If we return to Athens, this is the location we would choose. This is one of the top historical destinations to see on a cruise for a reason, after all.

Plaka is the Old Town, and just what you'd expect. It has quaint shops, bars, and an abundance of restaurants – plenty to choose from. Monastiraki has a strip of restaurants with a view across the ruins, which looked breathtaking at night whilst we ate our final gyros of the trip.

Overall thoughts?

Service

Whether you’re in Emporium Marketplace or one of the many restaurants, the service was impeccable. From our Suite Host to our Server, from breakfast to dinner, it didn’t falter. The attention to detail from the Hosts, whether that be remembering your name or your drink order, was incomparable. Children were treated like mini-celebrities while onboard; they went out of their way to make their younger guests feel welcome (Lots of High-Fives and fresh watermelon!) I only wish I’d written down the names of our servers, as they really are a credit to Explora I and the cruise line.

Ship

Explora I is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful ships I’ve ever had the pleasure of boarding. The design is intended to give you the impression that you belong to an exclusive club, without being so obviously ‘luxurious’ as to make you feel out of place.

The Suites were incredibly designed. The suite itself is spacious, featuring a large balcony, a walk-in shower, and a walk-in wardrobe. The suite features a range of amenities, including a coffee machine, TV, Dyson hairdryer, and automatic lights. The little details and decor create a beautiful space.

Children

This ship is great for small children and teenagers. Small children don’t need hugely entertaining, and teenagers usually just require wifi. The Nautilus club was beautifully designed for the teenagers. For those aged 3-12, there was a lack of entertainment options. There were very few children on our sailing, so this may be the case if they have more on board and in the school holidays.

Entertainment

You will not find high-energy west-end style shows or loud entertainment onboard. Relaxation and Wellness are two key words in the Explora language. With a 2-year-old, this wasn’t a massive issue for us. Although there could be more upbeat music throughout the day around the pool areas and bars, and on an evening, a little more entertainment post-10 pm would have been great for those without children.

Explora’s primary focus from the very beginning has been wellness, luxury, and enrichment. If you would like to sail on an elegant ship, sleep in beautiful suites, eat the most fantastic food, and visit the most wonderful places. Then maybe this is the one for you.

Would I go again?

Let me grab my Passport…

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While Explora I cruises are always worth considering, Iglu Cruise offers an abundance of excellent luxury cruises and family cruises to choose from, visiting exciting destinations around the world throughout the year. You'll also find fantastic solo adventures, last-minute deals, and short breaks here – all of which are options worth considering ahead of your next holiday.

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