Explora 3: Our First Impressions
San Juan PortBonaire CountryPapua New Guinea CountryPuerto Rico CountryExplora Journeys Cruise LineExplora I Cruise ShipExplora III Cruise Ship
Explora III is 63 feet longer than Explora I and II. Can you feel the difference once you’re onboard? We’d already sailed both sister ships, so we were curious what would stand out on our first two days aboard Explora III. We start in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where we arrive ahead of our check-in time, drop our bags, and find coffee a short walk from the pier. Then come aboard with us for our first walk around the ship, a look inside our Ocean Terrace Suite, sailaway from Old San Juan, and our first dinners at Fil Rouge and Marble & Co. Grill. We felt the extra length right away. Whether it makes for a better ship is a question we’re still talking through. We’ll come back to it in our Explora I, II, and III comparison. 00:00 Explora III first impressions 00:11 Is bigger better? 00:50 Early arrival and luggage drop in San Juan 01:50 Coffee near the pier 02:20 Check-in and boarding 03:41 Our first walk onboard and muster 04:58 Lunch at Emporium Marketplace 06:14 Exploring Explora III 08:21 Inside our Ocean Terrace Suite 11:48 Sailaway from San Juan 12:45 Fil Rouge and day two 13:23 Jost Van Dyke beach excursion 14:14 Marble & Co. Grill and first impressions 15:21 How does Explora III compare? #ExploraIII #ExploraJourneys #JanAndTraceyTravels Our Recommended Cruise Gear OREI American to European Plug Adapters—Many cruise ships are equipped with 220 European plugs, which are useless unless you have the correct adapter. These are the essentials we pack in our bags every time we cruise or travel to Europe. They come in an affordable six-pack which you can find at this link: https://amzn.to/44ixS0U Strongman Tools Strong Magnetic Hooks—A couple of these 6-pack sets of hooks are always with us when we cruise. Each individual hook can hold up to 30 lbs of weight and is ideal for hanging coats, hats, and the shelves described below. Get your set of these useful magnetic hooks at this link: https://amzn.to/3UDrVbJ Whitmor 5 Section Closet Organizer—Unfortunately, drawer and shelf space are sometimes limited in some cruise cabins. That’s why we always bring at least one of these inexpensive closet organizers, which gives us plenty of room for our folded clothes. We typically use a couple of magnetic hooks, as described above, to hang these from the ceiling in the corner of our room. Here’s the link where you can get yours: https://amzn.to/3w3GvQn Our Recommended Camera Gear DJI Osmo Pocket 3--You’ll usually see Tracey using this in almost all of our videos. Love this wonderful, small, and versatile camera. Basic Camera: https://amzn.to/3UDJJDF Creators Combo: https://amzn.to/4beP6OP GoPro Hero12—This is the best action camera we’ve ever used. Whether taking videos on the Zodiacs in Antarctica, snorkeling in Papua New Guinea, or scuba diving in Bonaire, this camera is always in our hands. Find the link to get yours here: https://amzn.to/3UkTcy1 Peak Design Slide Lite Camera Strap—If you still carry a DSLR or Mirrorless camera, as Jan does, this is the perfect strap to use. What's great is that this fully adjustable strap can be configured to be worn across your body, distributing the weight of your camera across your back rather than your neck. Additionally, it provides a bit more security when traveling through high-risk pickpocket areas. Get your Slide Lite Strap here: https://amzn.to/3xW6pWR As Amazon Affiliates, we earn from qualifying purchases.