First Class on Ultra Luxury Cruise | MSC Explora

today I'm going first class on this Ultra Luxury cruise ship for 7 days to Barcelona I'll show you exactly what it's like to live on board from a huge Suite with private hot tub fine dining in the multiple restaurants and five-star facilities as we explore this brand new neverbe scen luxury vessel all this doesn't come cheap though with prices north of $20,000 but you're invited along for the journey with that let's pick up my story in larti h and welcome back to the channel you join me here in the beautiful Porter Del Carmen however we have no time to waste as our transfer is here ready to take us over to the cruise terminal our drive will take us across the spectacular volcanic landscape of lanzarotti over to the port of Arif where our ship is [Music] docked our first glimpse of Explorer 1 only increases the anticipation rather than a traditional cruise ship this looks closer to a luxury yacht and I can't wait to explore with you a porter meets our vehicle and assists with my luggage leading us over to the dock side check-in here check-in formalities are completed such as the processing of my passport and credit card for any incidentals on board my bags are then checked where they'll be taken separately to my stateroom next we must pass through a brief security screening before being directed over to our ship it's not exactly small by any stretch but in terms of the cruise industry it's mid sizee 813 ft in length or uh 2 and 1/2 statue ues of Liberty what set this aside though is the near 1:1 crew to passenger ratio and indeed a passenger capacity of just over 900 but I guess there's only one way of finding out how special this actually is a few minutes later and I'm presented with my cruise card which will act as my room key and identification during the voyage welcome to Explorer 1's Grand Lobby which feels more like a hotel lobby than a cruise ship first of all let's head to my Suite located up on Deck six let's take one of the ship's eight elevators and check out our new [Music] home I've selected suet 6088 which is on the starboard side of the vessel right at the ship's [Music] AF Welcome to our cocoon res resents but most importantly welcome back to the channel Dad Hi how are you yeah I'm excellent thank you very much yeah I feel good welcome on board your second ever cruise I know at least it's not a train it is not a train I think we should probably first of all take a proper look around our s exciting then of course crack open that champagne yeah at, 1600 fot this is one of the largest Suites on board we'll start with the living room complete with a dining space for four and a welcome bottle of champagne strangely this isn't the promised 2013 Dom which was stipulated when booking so I've queried this with our Butler let's see what happens there's a huge L-shaped sofa for lounging technog gym equipment and a small guest bathroom in terms of amenities there's an in room ell coffee machine filtered water and mini bar stocked with the all important DC let's continue on to the impressive walk-in wardrobe complete with comfy barres for our you on board I'm happy to see a small Dressing Table complete with a dice and hair dryer something my recent Regent 7's Cruise was lacking now for the main bathroom clad magnificently in marble with toilet bday bathtub and separate shower now for the primary bedroom boasting a Super King bed and dual aspect SE views oh and the all important power outlets next to the bed the suite is stunning but what really sets this part is the outside Space featuring The inviting hot tub which we'll of course look at in due course for now it's time for our departure from the beautiful island of larti but first a quick safety video please make your way to the assembly station quickly and quietly Walk Don't Run [Music] so what's the plan well over the next few days we'll sail for a total of 2,000 mil stopping firstly in Casablanca Morocco before continuing to our final destination of Barcelona Spain so with that I think it's almost time for dinner now on board dinner is a little bit different in fact there's not a main dining room per se but there's a lot of different restaurants that we can explore over the next few days we've got a reservation somewhere particularly special so I do need to dress up somewhat um I'm sure we can uh we can work something out let's get [Music] changed oh hello Dad you look very comfortable over there oh hi there good evening why don't you join me for some champagne you'll be pleased to hear the Dom has materialized though do know after asking other passengers in similar Suites it appears as was the only one as this amenity has been taken away just a few weeks ago very sneaky for sure but fair play on them honoring it when pressed well um that didn't quite get to plan did it Dad it was a bit of a mess the beauty of editing eh but it's fine it's fine it's fine cheers fell happy cruising happy [Music] cruising it's time we head to dinner our wonderful Butler MH has made reservations for us at Anthology where we have a seven course tasting menu to try this is located on Deck five so let's grab the elevator down a [Music] level mesh meets us ahead of our arrival into Anthology and escorts us over to the restaurant to ensure we get the best table it's these thoughtful touches which go a long way in my opinion so Anthology it's the ship's only paid venue at just over $200 ahead for the 3-hour culinary experience right should we get stuck into this seven course [Music] menu there is also a wine flight to compliment though this is $100 additional I get this for Dad whilst I order the house champagne which is served complimentary across the ship I'm told this is not allowed in this restaurant and have to order by the bottle at over $100 after querying further I'm allowed to order off the cocktail menu which is thankfully inclusive how strange and one certainly to watch out for meanwhile dad has served his first wine well actually a glass of moette shall we toast with my inclusive peach Bellini our first course consists of the beetroot and despite not really liking beets this goes down a treat next you'll be pleased to see some caviar back on the channel served with a main lobster tartar now for the the scop canalone with black truffles and Parmesan foam with quite the commotion our next course is here barbecued red shrimps served with a sea uten and lemongrass broth with the sun beginning to set it's time for the black cod with spinach and a lime Emulsion as dad is served with a glass of the 2018 Bordeaux we presented with my favorite course the A5 wagu beef I've not actually tried an A5 wagu before but let me tell you well we've made it to dessert hence the dessert wine this consists of a citrus sensation of silky lemon cream and a mandarin sbet and it's followed by a selection from the dessert trolley wow what a gastronomic adventure yes it is an expensive addition but the overall experience was outstanding and we both thoroughly enjoyed it despite being pretty late now there's one last stop on our agenda this evening the journeys Lounge on Deck 4 which is the ship's Main theater tonight we have some live music to enjoy but these performances vary each evening of our [Music] Voyage wow what an evening yeah how was it an evening it was very it was very good I'm a bit tired yeah was that maybe the wine tasting it could have been it could have been the wine tasting yeah well I'm glad you had a good time let's hope it continues you got a few more days on here yet so let's see we have but it's yeah best meal I've had on the cruise there we go is only a second cruise but we'll keep that quiet yeah Rave review so far from D then I believe it's time to get some rest we have the entire ship to explore tomorrow in terms of sleeping Arrangements well while the suite is l it only has one bedroom so I've of course given this to Dad meanwhile I'll be taking the sofa bed for the trip which to be fair does not look bad at all night then catch you in the morning [Music] let's kick off the day with a caffeine hit as you saw earlier there's an in room IE coffee machine which looks far more complicated than it actually is in true Tre trendy fashion we can really only enjoy this to its full potential out on the balcony the balcony in my eyes is the sweet's crowning Glory with over 800t squared of outside inside Space i' definitely opt for an AF balcony where possible if you have a lot of seay in your itinery as forward balconies become nearly unusable if there's even a small amount of wind so breakfast of course this can be served in your cabin whenever you want and for the first morning I thought this might be a good plan MH has beautifully set up our balcony table with our desired fresh p trees fruits and granola I've also opted for the avocado on toast with ham and dad has chosen the banana pancakes with maple [Music] syrup naturally this is all complemented by my second caffeine hit of the day in form of a freshly brewed filter [Music] coffee it's time to go explore our ship which has 14 decks and nearly 200 00t of public [Music] space and I think we're going to start with the outer decks so let's head up to I believe it's deck 10 or 11 let's make that deck 12 deck 12 wraps around the entire upper level of the ship and is the closest you'll get to a traditional prominade on [Music] board you're certainly not struggle to find a sunbed here with more than enough for the amount of guests along with Cabanas and multiple hot tubs dotted around the deck it is however quieter than usual up here and that's mainly due to the strong winds common place in this region thankfully there's a more sheltered space during periods of adverse weather or high winds this is the conservatory on Deck 11 and offers a stunning pool facility with r tractable glass roof so this can used wherever you are in the world you'll also find one of the many inclusive bars with only the most premium of spirits chargeable there are three other pools on board which we'll look at momentarily but I've heard rumor of a games room the other side of deck [Music] 11 okay so technically this is meant to be used for teenagers but given there's none on board and there's a table fo ball and tons of games consoles who are we to not try it out with an AFC bour of win my local team against dad's Aston Villa dad took the liberty to um educate me on table fo ball I make it lunchtime there's a few options to choose from but we'll head to the Emporium Marketplace as we're already on Deck 11 it's essentially the ship's buffet restaurant but it's quite unlike any I've ever seen before there are scores of food stations serving up a variety of grab and go as well as made to order meals from roast beef to Pizza freshly shucked oysters Sushi and my favorite pasta station this is an Italian cruise line after all there's never an issue getting a good seat so let's grab one by the window and see what we've gone for dad's gone for a made to order salmon dish with potatoes and a side salad meanwhile I just have to indulge in some sushi washed down of course by a DC remember most booze is included so a champagne lunch is more than permissible we have to try the pasta of course dad opts for a simple olive oil and garlic spaghetti whilst I go for a rich spinach and ricotta ravioli both are outstanding for dessert we'll head outside to the ice cream and crep bar featuring a wide selection of handmade gelato and creps I think I'll take a peanut butter and pistachio scoop of gelato this has got to be the most impressive Rive buffet lunch I've ever had on board a ship oh hello there Captain hello there do come and sit down oh that's very kind of you thank you glad you've joined me yeah yeah have you ever built a website before no I wouldn't even know where to start and it sounds expensive how does building one in the next 60 seconds and for free sound sounds like you've had too much coffee this is ODU an all-in-one management platform and they have a website builder designed for fast and efficient website creation it's an in inuitive platform with no technical skills required so perfect for you Dad let's give it a go then step one you'll Define the purpose of your site step two choose a color palette now add your pages and features and finally your theme and just like that here's your site now to make it yours you can easily drag and drop the various blocks to personalize your site everything is customizable let's leave dad to populate and check back in in a second [Music] well Dad nice work go check out ODI today using my link in the description to get started for free you'll get lifetime support unlimited hosting and a custom domain name offered for one year now for that well- earned hot tub on the balcony this is something only available on 23 cabins on board though I think it's fair to say the Cocoon residence has the [Music] best it's a great spot when at C though if I had to offer some feedback it's on the more shallow side if you're not fortunate to have your own hot tub that's not a problem as there's plenty of other options in public areas of the ship one brilliant example is the atal pool and bar on Deck 10 ideally located to the ship's aft so it's sheltered by the Atlantic winds though if it shelter in Serenity you seek then perhaps the full service Bara is more up your street this is located on Deck five to the ship's Stern split into two you'll find treatment rooms with masses for around the $250 Mark and of course the complimentary Spar circuit here there's a super sized plunge pool along with steam room and sauna there's even a small outside Sund deck to while away the SE days with a good book and a cocktail I've collected dad as we have afternoon tea to attend hosted every afternoon in the Explorer Lounge on Deck 11 forward it's a beautiful part of the ship offering plenty of space for all guests to enjoy with ample privacy and sweeping ocean views what's more this live music and my favorite cake trollies at least that's what I'm calling them let's take a seat settle in and order some tea I'm disappointed these are the bag variety and would have expected an infuser something competitive silver sea does spot on for afternoon [Music] tea of course next the cake trolley arrives and fresh scones are served if you want to offset some of the Indulgence on board there are several options there's of course a phenomenal gym located on Deck 10 with a variety of cardio machines and free weights however there's also another option in form of a pretty large open air Fitness space on Deck 14 aside from the machines which are again techno gy I love the sports court and of course I will be challenging dad again to a round of pickle ball oh and there's also a small basketball court which I'm Dreadful at but dad seems to have a hidden talent I didn't know about what a fabulous day exploring the ship it's been but now it is time for dinner now of course last night was super special but I'm intrigued how the other restaurants compare so let's waste no more time go and get changed and head to dinner we have reservations tonight at the ship's French restaurant located down on Deck four Phil Rouge is described as a global tasting tour of French inspired International Cuisine we're greeted warmly and shown over to our table by the window remember this is not a paid venue as that's only Anthology from last night bearing this in mind it's a punchy menu from Lobster to caviar short rib and uh [Music] snails thankfully there's no issue with the drinks this evening and free flowing champagne is proactively offered much to our [Music] Delight to begin dad chooses the risotto whilst I have some off menu caviar along with the rock for salad [Music] entree time Dad has the Mediterranean Sea Bass and I have the lobster thermador served with potato puree and green beans now for my favorite dessert time you can choose directly from the trolley just like last night and my eyes are immediately drawn to the chocolate mousse this is phenomenal in contrast however dad SE FL which comes out looking stunning turned out to be massively undercooked and inedible sadly overall a very good meal with a few minor improvements [Music] needed next up let's head to the Grand Lobby which come evenings transforms into the bustling Hub of the ship as before booze is included here aside from topshelf Spirits and wines whilst our drinks are being made let's take a look around the shops they're high-end boutiques which match the luxurious nature of the vessel offering anything from perfume two um sparkly hats to one of the most unique finds at Sea yes this is an authorized Rolex dealer the first and only on any ship and what's more they have nearon full inventory available which if you know Rolex is unheard of anyway back to the bar our drinks have arrived cheers all good morning from the port of Casablanca Morocco I can't wait to get out and explore a totally new city for me but first breakfast let's head upstairs to the Emporium Marketplace on Deck 11 as with lunch yesterday it's equally as impressive as spread from made to order omelets bacon pancakes smoked salmon and the most Divine looking pastries let's head to the marketplace outdoor dining to the ship's aft and tuck in [Music] dad's gone for the steel cut oats and fresh fruit platter and we're sharing the Almond Quant I've also opted for the blueberry pancakes we'll conclude proceedings of course by a cappuccino caffeine hit time to head off and explore then to disembark mid cruise for an Excursion you have to pass through ship security and scan out that way they can keep track of who's on board and who's ashore so that no one gets left behind we're doing our own thing today we haven't booked an Excursion we're just winging it which is what could go wrong what could possibly go wrong [Music] [Music] dad has been organized and booked as a restaurant for lunch this is the famous Rex Cafe opened back in 2004 it's designed to recreate the bar made famous in the classic movie casassa Blanca set in a traditional Moroccan Riad it's an atmospheric place to dine though I'd say the food isn't really traditional Moroccan and more on the theme of fine dining with seafood and steak being predominantly offered to begin we ordered the barata cheese with basil pesto tomato and fresh herbs for Entre dad goes for the sea bass and I go for the duck both are fabulous with a phenomenal few hours of exploring cassablanca it's time to head back on board our ship we have lots more to discover this afternoon on Explorer 1 first up and I can't believe we're only finding out now is the onboard coffee shop Kema Cafe on Deck five complimentary of course aside from the wonderful coffee on offer there's a variety of snacks and even sandwiches if you're fancy as me and Dad enjoy a beautifully crafted cappuccino should we take a look at the various other accommodation available it's basically divided into three categories entry level would be the Ocean Suites which are nothing to be snubbed at offering 300 square foot of space with King beds and spacious Ocean Front Terrace next up the penthouse category with sweets up to 500t of space unfortunately as with our residents the pricey champagne stated here on their website has recently been withdrawn in favor of the $34 merci of champagne finally we get to our category of the residences within the residences you can actually go one level higher in form of the owner's Residence at a staggering 3,000 s ft across the entire width of the ship Dan inquires to whether I fancy a game of pool of course though I fear he may already have me beat on Deck five you'll find the Aston Lounge which aside from being a bar and live entertainment venue durin the evenings offers a fabulous pool [Music] table oh and if you're wondering yes Dad won it's dinner time and tonight we have another new restaurant to try this is Sakura the ship's Pan Asian restaurant available on a reservation basis but at no extra charge it's wonderfully decorated featuring a vibrant pink cherry blossom design [Music] throughout should we take a look at the menu then to be frank I want the entire [Music] menu and as our order is placed we're poured an ice cold glass of champagne each cheers to begin we share the soft shell crab T pora along with today's special the chicken [Music] sat entree time I had to go for the short rib panang curry while Dad has the lobster pad tie both are outstanding now for an indulgent pair of desserts to conclude the choco addict made of tofu and 70% dark chocolate and of course the matcha fondant cooked a lot better than our French sule disaster last night with dinner out of the way it's time to head for a new venue but first we're notified of our ship's departure from Casablanca next stop [Music] Barcelona right back to our priority at hand to find the ship's dedicated Whiskey Bar of course for this we need to head up to deck 11 malt whiskey offers a refined tour of the global whiskey regions and aside from being perched high above the sea it's a cozy and intimate space to enjoy post dinner [Music] drinks in terms of what's included you'll find a modest selection of whiskies and conac but if you're in the market for a hiiki 21 or Hennessy parade you'll need to pay a hefty supplement favoring a longer drink we both go for the whiskey cocktails an old-fashioned and a rusty [Music] nail and just like that we've arrived into Barcelona Spain however we still have a very important topic to discuss the cost there are of course many different item available and just to reference as usual I bought this myself with zero involvement or knowledge by the cruise line so for this seven night cruise it came in at a total cost of £21,500 or $275,000 a lot of money that's for sure but when you compare this to other Ultra Luxury lines you'll be hardpressed to beat this remember the raw Caribbean loft suite that I had earlier in the year on icon of the Seas was over $30,000 [Music] welcome to Barcelona we made it welcome we have finally made it it's been an incredible Adventure thank you so much for joining us and we'll catch you all again next time

Channel: Trek Trendy

Views: 663,789

Keywords: luxury ship, explora 1, msc explora, cruise, luxury cruise

Id: 0TpyOd_LUz0

Length: 28min 21sec (1701 seconds)

Published: Sun Jul 07 2024