Explora Journeys - 1
The idea of four nights at sea evokes relaxation, time stretching to infinity. Having done two such short cruises in the space of as many weeks, Girlahead can testify that it is jolly hard work. It's impossible to do justice to destinations, activities on board, facilities on board, food and beverage opportunities, and the networking, including meeting new people, that is essential on such a work cruise.
This is being written in the departure lounge at the end of the four-night pre-official 2nd August sailing on MSC-owned EXPLORA III. Rome to Barcelona, by way of Portofino. Waiting for the disembarkation – and pre-embarkation - cars that Explorea Journeys always provides, one of the many elements of ultra-elegance for which this ocean travel company is renowned. In the lounge right now, they're setting up for tonight’s events, the welcome party for just-arrived paying guests, of whom at least a third have never cruised. Except this isn’t cruising. This is a floating five-star hotel whose location, the ocean, changes continuously (thank you, McCann Paris).
Last night, this lounge, which probably seats a thousand, had to accommodate twice that for the naming ceremony of EXPLORA III. Overall host, the charming Executive Chairman, MSC Cruise Division, Pierfrancesco Vaga, was in such theatrical form that at the end of his speech he leaped back on to the stage to take a selfie, to a backcloth that included the Who’s Who of Barcelona and beyond as well as ocean biggies, and MSC-magnates. As well as being the world’s biggest container company, MSC’s inventory includes seven cruise ships, cargo carrier MSC Air and seven B-777 freighters, over 150 freight engines and appropriate rail rolling stock, and, partly, Italy-centic passenger high-speed rail great Italo. Here, last night, a bottle of Martell – the same bubbly that, with carefully-concealed dry ice, had greeted us on boarding all those days ago (see above) – was successfully cracked on the ship’s exterior by EXPLORA III godmother, marine biology legend Cristina Ozores. Those inside, in the Explora Lounge, cheered unanimously, led by the Executive Chairman, seen below with President Explora Journeys Anna Nash.
The party afterwards, either way, went on until the early hours this morning. After a gala dinner in at least two locations, there was an on-deck show by seven pretty, and jolly good, female dancers in minimalistic flowing gold and glitter. This was followed by an awe-inspiring drone show, and then a DJ who turned the table in a remarkably small place, allowing as many people as possible to jiggle and jive on at least three of the ship's 13 decks (they're numbered up to 14 because there is no 13). Maybe superstition lives on…
