Like modern megaships, the newest luxury cruise ships are being designed as destinations themselves, especially when it comes to dining.
Today’s luxury travelers want more than gourmet dining between cruise stops. They crave culinary concepts they can only experience at sea and personalized meals that add deeper meaning to their journeys while enhancing connections with destinations visited on the itinerary.
Explora Journeys, the luxury sister cruise line of MSC Cruises, has set out to deliver the depth and personalized discovery that travelers are seeking with its third cruise ship, EXPLORA III, launching this summer.
With a culinary vision shaped by curiosity, personalization, and emotional connection, Explora Journeys is introducing new food and wine experiences on board EXPLORA III designed to take epicurean exploration to a new level.
Want the latest cruise news and deals? Sign up for the Come Cruise With Me newsletter.
EXPLORA III will offer discovery-driven wine experience
Voyages aboard EXPLORA III will nurture curiosity about wine and introduce passengers to wine regions and grape varieties beyond the classics with The Cellar by Explora Journeys. Featuring nearly 350 labels, the intimate and inviting wine experience will feature one of the most extensive and thoughtfully curated wine collections at sea.
The experience will showcase both globally recognized producers such as Pétrus, Château Le Pin, Harlan Estate, and Screaming Eagle and unexpected discoveries from emerging and lesser-known wine regions including Lebanon, England, Hungary, Romania, Japan, and China. Cellar Masters will provide highly tailored guidance as guests explore New World wines, which make up about one third of the collection.
Related: MSC Cruises unveils new luxury private island destination
The wine experience will be paired with elegant bites including caviar, lobster, fine cheeses, and hand-crafted chocolate truffles, as well as rare, cured meats sliced tableside on a traditional Berkel machine.
The collection even adds exclusivity with three special labels from Il Palagio — the Tuscan winery of Sting and Trudie Styler — with just 100 bottles of each label available on board, each personally signed by Sting.
The Cellar by Explora Journeys will offer an intimate, discovery-driven wine experience. Explora Journeys
EXPLORA III to debut Explora Journeys’ first Chef’s Table experience
In addition to The Cellar, EXPLORA III will introduce The Chef’s Table by Explora Journeys, a custom-tailored dining experience designed to turn dining into dialogue.
Guests will be invited to share their preferences and inspirations with the culinary team to influence not just the menu and pairings, but the atmosphere and entire concept behind the evening. Conversations between guests and the culinary team could lead to a dining experience shaped by a destination visited during the voyage or even a cherished memory.
Related: Popular luxury cruise line unveils its first world journey
Perfect for celebrations or spontaneous shared evenings with fellow travelers, The Chef’s Table will deliver memorable, individualized culinary journeys at sea.
“From the highly personalized menu at The Chef’s Table to the depth and discovery offered through The Cellar, we have created concepts that go beyond expectation and set a new standard,” said Alban Gjoka, Explora Journeys’ Senior VP Food & Beverage. “These are not simply dining venues, but immersive journeys in their own right — designed to offer something genuinely distinctive that sets us apart in the industry.”
Mediterranean cuisine will be served poolside on EXPLORA III
On EXPLORA III, travelers will also have the opportunity to savor the Riviera spirit no matter where in the world they’re sailing. Inspired by the rhythm of Mediterranean summers by the water, Shore Club on 11 at The Conservatory will serve made-to-order Mediterranean-inspired cuisine poolside. The menu features fresh salads, grilled favorites, savory and sweet crêpes, artisanal gelato, and wellness-led options, as well as playful crafted cocktails and a wide selection of alcohol-free creations.
EXPLORA III will also debut culinary enhancements across Explora Journeys’ signature dining experiences, which will be progressively introduced across the fleet. These include a new menu at Italian fine dining restaurant Anthology, new lifestyle-led beverage additions at Crema Café, and a refreshed In-Suite Dining menu.
Related: Passport tips and secrets for cruising
EXPLORA III will begin her inaugural season with a Mediterranean Prelude Journey departing on July 24 ahead of her naming ceremony in Barcelona on Aug. 1 and seven-night Maiden Journey to Lisbon departing on Aug. 3.
As her inaugural season continues, EXPLORA III will sail through Northern Europe to the fjords of Norway, Iceland, and Greenland before crossing the Atlantic to sail journeys through the autumn landscapes of New England and Canada’s East Coast.
(The Arena Group will earn a commission if you book a cruise.)
Make a free appointment with Come Cruise With Me’s Travel Agent Partner, Postcard Travel, or email Amy Post at amypost@postcardtravelplanning.com or call or text her at 386-383-2472.
This story was originally published by TravelHost on Jun 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the Come Cruise With Me section. Add TravelHost as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
