The most amazing ship I’ve ever been on.
Right from the start of embarkation you are met by the most wonderfully kind, friendly and helpful staff.
The ship was spaciouls, light, calm and tranquil.
We ate in The Emporium marketplace most days for lunch, although it technically is a buffet, they don’t call it a buffet, the choice of food is similar to your usual however it is served to you on a plate freshly cooked, your drinks are refilled as soon as your glass is empty, dirty plates are cleared away immediately.
The staff have the time and dedication to be on hand to offer the exceptional level of service.
There are 18 separate cooking stations which change throughout the day, they feature sushi, fresh seafood, pizza, a daily rotisserie, freshly cooked pasta and breads, patisserie station, salads, and freshly made sandwiches.
for dinner there are several included restaurants onboard.
Fil Rouge and the Med yacht club were as equally spectacular, the menu choices were plentiful and as always service was out of this world.
I liked the size of the restaurants, they were cosy and elegant, very different to what I’ve been in before on cruise ships where you cant hear your self think let alone have a conversation with your dining companion, elbows don’t touch the person next to you as the seating is widely spaced out giving you a feeling of intimacy and luxury.
We ordered room service for breakfast, I was tempted by the vast choice that was on offer and again all complimentary, between us we had poached eggs and bacon with a selection of breads and pastries.
Luckily for us, the weather in Invergordon was bright and sunny so it was just perfection to be able to sit out overlooking the highlands whilst enjoying the delicious breakfast freshly delivered to our suite.
It was so good that we had the same breakfast on our balcony for the rest of the cruise, just in a different location each day.
We also ordered room service for dinner one evening, we’d been in the Isle of Skye for the day and spent sometime relaxing in the spa so was in a relaxed mood and was happy to enjoy something light in our cabin,
Café Crema was a coffee lounge onboard, which offered a selection of pastries for breakfast, then sandwiches and cakes from lunchtime onwards.
we enjoyed coffee and cake one day instead of lunch.
I had a mozzarella panini freshly toasted with a Pastel de Nata for dessert.
Another of the restaurants which we tried was Med Yacht club, one that you don’t have to make a reservation in.
Again I was in awe of the simple yet effective décor, it felt like I was eating in a restaurant in a Marina someone along the Mediterranean coast.
Low ceilings and intimate cozy tables made for a wonderful experience.
We had a selection of tapas to start and I chose the Tortellini for main, Fran had the beef fillet which was cooked to perfection.
The wine waiters were always on hand topping up your glass, and made excellent recommendations to pair wine with your chosen dish.
Nothing was ever too much trouble, waiters were excellent in every restaurant we visited.
Whilst on that subject, every single ‘host’ not crew member was a pleasure to talk to.
They had the time to stop and chat to you, they made you feel welcome and always asked how your day was going.
I loved that, they were never rushed off their feet, they were calm and engaging, I completely understand Explora’s moto ‘Ocean State of Mind’, more often than not when I come back from either a cruise or a land based holiday, I feel like I need another holiday to get over it, but Explora is in a different league and I think its all down to the hosts on board, no chaos, no rush, no queues, just the most wonderful relaxing experience I’ve ever had.
