A hotel snob walks aboard a luxury cruise ship and…no, this isn’t the start of a joke.
Instead, you might say the punch line goes: “And falls in love with life at sea.”
It’s amazing what heated bathroom floors, limitless Champagne and sun deck lounging with a book can do to turn someone who was pretty sure he was only about hotel life into the cruise industry’s biggest fan. But a recent three-night stay aboard Explora I from Explora Journeys did just that.
I’m dating myself here, but my only prior dalliance with the cruise industry was seeing Kathie Lee Gifford as the brand representative of the “Fun Ships.” I’ve mainly been one to stick to land and the comforts of decadent hotels, but when opportunity knocked, I flew down to Puerto Rico to join Explora I on its final three nights of a longer journey from Barcelona to Miami.
A few friends might have raised their eyebrows with respect to my sudden interest in the cruise sector, but Explora Journeys seemed like the right fit for me to dip a toe in the pools of cruise — I mean ocean travel, to use the lingo heavily promoted by the Explora Journeys team. It didn’t take long to see why so many are quickly becoming fans of the rapidly growing luxury line.
If there is one thing that has historically kept me planted on terra firma, it is the fear of the “cabin” — a word that implies confinement. But opening the door to my entry-level Ocean Terrace Suite, the claustrophobia vanished. This wasn’t a cabin; it was a legitimate hotel room that just happened to be floating.
At 377 square feet, it surpassed the entry-level inventory at many luxury hotels in major cities. But the devil was in the details that spoke my language: a walk-in wardrobe (essential for an over-packer like yours truly), a seated vanity area with a Dyson Supersonic hairdryer and heated floors in the bathroom. The private terrace, complete with a daybed, became my morning ritual spot for espresso and the news du jour; by night, it was my sanctuary for watching the Atlantic slip by, tea in hand, entranced by the vessel clipping through the ocean.
For those clients who need even more residential sprawl, the ship offers Ocean Penthouses and the staggering 3,014-square-foot Owner’s Residence, which features a private steam room and an infinity whirlpool on the terrace. It’s a hard product that doesn’t just compete with other ships; it competes with the Ritz-Carltons and Four Seasons of the world.
The hotel comparisons continued at dinner. My fear of banquet-style feeding frenzies was unfounded. Instead, I found distinct culinary identities. At Sakura, the Pan-Asian restaurant, the sushi was sliced with the precision one expects in Tokyo. I found myself especially eager to snag a seat at Marble & Co. Grill, a European-style steakhouse where the filet was seared to perfection, and Fil Rouge, where I indulged in Dover Sole that was deboned tableside with old-school hospitality flair.
The wine lover in me adored the Explora team poured Nebbiolo by the glass. Even the casual moments felt curated: The Marketplace felt less like a cafeteria and more like a high-end food hall with a ceviche bar and Champagne.
To work off the treats, I ventured to the wellness facilities, where the sheer scale of Explora I was once again on display. The fitness center was spacious, light-filled, and equipped with the latest Technogym gear. But the real conversion moment happened in the spa.
Before a 90-minute deep tissue massage that rivaled treatments I’ve had at top urban sanctuaries, I spent an hour rotating through the hydrotherapy pool, steam room and sauna. It was a complete resort experience, and the perfect way to unwind after an oh-so-difficult afternoon of lounging poolside on the top sun deck with a glass of something fabulous.
(Explora Journeys)
The Hilton Effect
Converting first-time cruisers is the easy part once you get them on board. After all, us first-timers have nothing else to compare it to, Chris Austin, Explora Journeys’ president of North America, joked to me one day over coffee aboard Explora I.
But getting them there is the hurdle. Explora Journeys is clearly looking to court more travelers like me: loyal hotel guests who are hesitant to cross the gangway.
A few weeks after I disembarked in Miami, Explora Journeys and Hilton launched a new partnership that clearly seems aimed at adding a new on-ramp to first-time ocean travelers via the Hilton Honors loyalty program.
“The mega trend of customers and people in general wanting more experiences is no secret to anybody,” Chris Silcock, president of global brands and commercial services at Hilton, told me shortly after the news broke. He noted that Hilton’s research found that “around 60 percent of those we polled were looking for an opportunity to use Honors points for that objective of different experiences.”
(Explora Journeys)
For Hilton, it’s about retention of top-tier travelers and providing new ways to redeem points earned through more traditional hotel stays or credit card spend. Silcock calls Explora Journeys an “aspirational product” for the program’s 230 million members, placing it as a “best in breed” partner for what the company is dubbing “Hilton Honors Adventures.”
For Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys, the alignment is a natural evolution of the brand’s philosophy.
“I really think this is bringing the suite-to-the-sea mentality, really looking at the hotel-to-sea proposition,” she said.
What This Means for Advisors
Of course, whenever a major supplier partners with a massive direct-to-consumer loyalty program, the travel advisor community holds its breath. Is this a bypass?
Both Nash and Silcock were adamant that the trade remains the backbone of the industry.
“There will always be a firm place in our heart for our travel advisor community,” Nash reassured, noting that with four more ships yet to launch, there is “enough space in our ships and our oceans to fulfill both the trade side, but also any business coming through Hilton.”
Silcock echoed the sentiment, emphasizing the nature of the sale.
(Explora Journeys)
“This is a more complex purchase, so I would expect [advisors] to continue to be massive, if not predominant, way that people purchase this,” he said.
Essentially, they view the partnership as an “on-ramp” — a way to introduce the concept of ocean travel to people who trust the Hilton name but might never walk into a travel agency to ask for a cruise.
As for this particular hotel snob? The conversion is complete.
On my final morning, as Miami came into view from my terrace, I pulled out my phone. I didn’t check emails. Instead, I opened my group chat with my husband and our closest friends — hardened hotel loyalists, all of them.
I sent a link to Explora’s upcoming Asia routes with a simple text: “Let’s book.”
To quote Miranda Priestly: That wasn’t a question.
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