Why I Keep Looking Beyond the Obvious
What more than a dozen cruises taught me about finding the right luxury experience.
I’ve always been drawn to what’s next.
Long before Portugal became one of Europe’s hottest destinations, I was exploring the country. In 2015, I was already experimenting with a digital nomad lifestyle —years before it became part of everyday conversation.
Whether it’s travel, business, or technology, I’ve always been fascinated by what’s just over the horizon rather than what’s already mainstream.
I’ve never been interested in following trends. I’ve always been more interested in recognizing them before everyone else does.
That’s exactly what happened when I first heard about a brand-new luxury cruise line called Explora Journeys.
If you’ve been reading Rare Finds for a while, you’ve probably noticed a pattern. I’m rarely interested in the biggest, busiest, or most obvious choice. I’d rather introduce you to a remarkable place, hotel, or experience before everyone else discovers it. That’s become part of our journey together—and it’s exactly why I wanted to share this story with you.
Looking Back, the Signs Were Always There
When I launched Lux Club Travel in 2023, a friend suggested I combine two things I’d loved my entire life: travel and creating memorable experiences for other people.
The more I thought about it, the more I realized I’d been preparing for this role for decades.
At eighteen, while studying abroad in the Netherlands, I planned an entire three-week European adventure for my parents. We traveled through eleven countries using nothing more than a Eurail pass, paper maps, train schedules, and a sense of adventure. This was long before smartphones, Google Maps, or online booking sites.
My parents trusted me completely.
Thankfully, we had the adventure of a lifetime.
Looking back, I realize I wasn’t simply planning a vacation. I was creating an experience—the same thing I still love doing today.
Years later, when I owned an ice skating arena in South Florida, I often joked that I wasn’t in the skating business—I was in the business of Ice Cold Fun and Entertainment. Every public skating session, birthday party, competition, celebrity and special event was really about creating memories people would talk about long after they went home.
That thread has followed me throughout my career.
Today, I have the privilege of working with a select group of luxury travel partners who invite me to experience their hotels, destinations, and ships firsthand. They trust me to share authentic stories with travelers who appreciate exceptional experiences as much as I do.
One of my greatest joys is introducing people to places—and sometimes brands—they may never have discovered on their own. I suppose that’s been the common thread throughout my life. I’ve never been satisfied with simply following someone else’s recommendations. I’ve always enjoyed finding something special first, then sharing it with others.
Discovering Explora Journeys
When I first learned about Explora Journeys, the ships hadn’t even entered service.
That immediately caught my attention.
As part of the privately owned MSC Group, Explora wasn’t trying to become another luxury cruise line. They were reimagining what luxury at sea could feel like.
I interviewed members of the Explora team for my YouTube channel while the ships were still under construction.
Looking back, it’s been fun to watch several of those executives rise through the organization as the brand has grown.
Soon afterward, my Virtuoso host agency invited me to become an Explora Journeys Brand Ambassador after seeing one of those interviews. My enthusiasm for the brand was pretty obvious.
I was pre-selling Explora Journeys before the brand had even hit the water, organizing a small group for only the second voyage of Explora I—from Iceland to Copenhagen. I was fortunate to be invited aboard, and the experience exceeded every expectation.
I remember waking up that first morning somewhere between Iceland and the Faroe Islands, stepping onto my balcony with a cappuccino in hand. There were no loud announcements, no crowds rushing for lounge chairs, no sense of urgency. Just the sound of the sea, endless sky, and a feeling that this was luxury reimagined. It didn’t feel like a cruise ship. It felt like I was staying in a beautiful boutique hotel that just happened to be sailing across the North Atlantic.
The Difference Wasn’t One Big Thing
It was hundreds of thoughtful little things.
Luxury isn’t marble bathrooms or expensive champagne.
Luxury is intentionality.
I remember learning that the culinary team tested fifteen different pizza dough recipes before choosing one. Their sushi chefs trained in Japan. Every suite has a private terrace. There are no inside cabins. Even the language reflects the philosophy—you don’t stay in a cabin; you stay in a suite. You don’t take a cruise; you go on a journey.
With fewer than 1,000 guests, the ship never feels crowded. The crew quickly remembers your name, your favorite drink, and how you like your morning coffee.
Nothing feels accidental.
Everything feels carefully considered.
I sailed Explora a second time.
It confirmed what I’d already suspected.
This wasn’t simply a beautiful new ship.
It was a brand that genuinely understood the kind of luxury I value.
That feeling has only grown stronger. As I was finishing this article, Explora III was officially delivered — the halfway point in Explora Journey’s six-ship vision.
I Decided to Put It to the Test
There’s something I’ve learned over the years.
The best way to know whether you truly love something is to compare it with something else.
For years, I’d heard Regent Seven Seas described as one of the finest luxury cruise lines in the world. Friends loved it. Advisors praised it. Expectations were high.
So I booked a voyage.
Unfortunately, my experience didn’t match the reputation.
The ship I sailed was overdue for a significant renovation. My suite—and several others—lost air conditioning during the voyage. At one point, maintenance actually opened the ceiling in my room while trying to repair it.
The dining was average, but not memorable.
The biggest disappointment, however, was the itinerary.
The two marquee ports—the primary reason I booked the cruise—were canceled. I completely respect that safety comes first at sea, and captains make difficult decisions based on conditions. But it also became apparent that the age and limitations of the ship influenced what it could comfortably handle.
Even in the ports we did visit, we anchored offshore, boarded tenders, and then transferred to buses before finally reaching town.
None of those experiences alone would have ruined the trip.
Together, they changed the way I think about luxury.
Oddly enough, I’m grateful for that experience. Had everything gone perfectly, I might never have understood what I truly value when I travel. Sometimes disappointment brings clarity.
Continue reading as a paid subscriber to discover why that voyage completely changed my definition of luxury cruising, the three questions I believe every traveler should ask before booking, and why I’ll soon be sailing aboard the brand-new Explora III.
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