Explora Journeys Cruise
Rome to Barcelona
Our longest cruise to date 20 days on board Explora Journeys II, a fall trip covering a lot of new port stops for us.
There’s a unique kind of calm that settles in when a journey stretches beyond a week — when days are measured by light, sea air, and the slow rhythm of the ocean rather than hurried itineraries. As we slipped away from Rome aboard Explora Journeys, that feeling arrived almost immediately. With time on our side, everything began to unfold naturally — unhurried, observant, and quietly enriching. Wonderful port stops the whole way.
It didn’t take long to feel at ease onboard. The barista at the coffee bar greeted me by name each morning and began preparing my order before I even stepped up. Familiar faces appeared throughout the ship — bartenders in the evening lounges, the sports host on deck during the day, and team members who seemed to move effortlessly between spaces, always with a smile and a greeting. Even our trivia team quickly became part of the rhythm, a small group that formed easily and met again and again, turning sea days into shared laughs and friendly competition. Our host would smile and wave as we passed in the hallway, and before long the team knew not just our preferences — a favorite cocktail, a usual snack — but our pace as well.
This wasn’t just a cruise. It was a collection of small moments — sea breezes, familiar faces, shared laughter — that made each port of call and every day at sea feel thoughtfully connected. That gentle sense of belonging is one of the quiet luxuries of longer journeys, and where the heart of travel reveals itself most clearly.
