The high-end arm of MSC Cruises has only been on the seas a few short years but there’s already a loyal fan base. They’re not your average cruise ship passengers, who might be discussing drinks packages at check in. Instead, these well-heeled Australians and European travellers (plus a cohort of Californians on our sailing) are swapping tips about dry aged beef and salted caramel brownies. By the time we get to our Ocean Terrace Suite, I’m salivating and bolt to the reservations desk. There was no need to panic. After all, this is still a cruise ship, an all-inclusive one at that. There’s no shortage of food. We quickly learn even without a reservation at Marble & Co. Grill, where the beef and brownies are on the menu, the Emporium Marketplace serves oysters, lobster tails and crab legs every evening. Phew. Luckily the Hosts (crew are called ‘hosts’ aboard EXPLORA I) work their magic, securing us a table at the European-inspired steakhouse before the end of our journey.

Why the buzz, apart from the brownies? There’s cruise ship food, then there’s fine dining at sea. Then there’s Marble & Co. Grill. The 80-seat restaurant has an in-house dry ager, an open kitchen and a very well stocked cellar. Caesar salad tossed tableside, lobster tail buttered brioche and black truffle roasted chicken bring a fair amount of flair to the menu, but steak is what we’re here for. The two French Ferme des Belles Robes, sirloin and prime rib, are the largest cuts at 450 gram and 400 grams respectively, but it’s the French 160 gram Aubrac filet that is best in show. Served solo, with just a sprig of rosemary, once paired with a glass of Syrah from the Rhone Valley I know why the other guests are so enamoured. Add a serve of French Fries and voila, it’s almost like you’re eating steak frites in Montmartre. The brownies veer more American than Parisian though; stacked and slathered in silky salted caramel sauce and topped with crunchy walnuts, they’re delicious but best shared.

With Marble & Co. Grill ticked off our list, there’s six nights and five other restaurants to work through. Plus the 24-hour room service menu. As mentioned, this is all-inclusive cruising. We could dine on handmade tortellini at the Med Yacht Club, dainty veal medallions at Fil Rouge and Yellowtail sashimi at Sakura without spending a cent. French champagne, fine wines, killer cocktails and top shelf spirits are at the ready and included too. The only specialty restaurant with a fee is Anthology, where the seven course degustation menu is crafted by Franck Garanger, Explora Journeys’ Head of Culinary and a knighted French master chef. Even with the not insignificant cover charge of 165 euros per person, it’s almost as tricky to get a table here as the steakhouse.

With too little time and too much food to try, I’m forced to work up my appetite. The ship sails with just over 900 passengers, who don’t seem as worried as me about their hunger. The state-of-the-art gym is never busy, and the small group training classes (also free) are never fully booked. Except for the outdoor bootcamp, which takes place on Deck 12. I pair up with a Californian who’s happy to high five each time one of us completes a lap of the running track and it’s an absolute blast. We swap between running laps, cycling, weighted squats and push ups all before breakfast. The open-air gym on deck 14 also has Pilates equipment, rowing machines and more bikes to keep the calorie burn going. The only place you’ll have to wait your turn is on the pickleball court. Each morning, sports director Zack teaches drop-in classes, hosting friendly tournaments after lunch. Tennis superstar Jannik Sinner, Explora Journeys’ newest ambassador, was rumoured to be joining a sailing following ours and Zack was already planning pickleball play offs.

With exercise out of the way, it’s time for freshly squeezed juice and a colourful zucchini and goats cheese frittata on our suite balcony. On days I make it up to the Emporium Marketplace, the pancake menu, omelette bar, breakfast charcuterie and fruit selections are staggering. Many of the dishes are prepared to order, saving on wastage, which is a serious part of the ship’s sustainability ethos. Our week-long cruise has just one sea day so it’s a quick, easy breakfast before heading ashore. Explora Journey’s two ships, EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II, spend European summer bouncing between Spain, Greece and Italy on action packed sailings. EXPLORA III arrives mid next year, and will call Northern Europe, Iceland and Greenland home before heading to the Caribbean. We’re kept busy in blockbuster ports Bodrum and Rhodes with ancient ruins and glitzy old towns, but it’s the time tendered in less common stops Paros, Milos and Samos where we can slow down. Wandering narrow white-washed backstreets of Parikia, Paros’ pretty port village, until we find Ragoussis Bakery is a morning well spent. Dating back to 1912, the Willy Wonka-esque range of traditional Greek biscuits, pastries and cakes keep the bakery busy from 6am until midnight. I’d go back every day for a sweet tahini koulouri sesame bread ring if I could. On Samos, a quick 15 minute taxi drive takes us to Pythagoreio. The birthplace of Pythagoras is now famous in its own right for quaint seafood restaurants curved around a darling crescent-shaped harbour.

I never thought I’d pass up time on a Greek island for a cruise ship, but after a few hours ashore each day, a glass of crisp French champagne and the cabanas at the Astern Pool are calling my name. The pool’s infinity edge is Instagram worthy – at the aft of the ship, the blue water perfectly matches the Aegean in the afternoon sun. It’s one of four pools, though the oversized rectangular hot tubs on decks 11 and 12 are pool-sized, bringing my pool count to nine. These ‘whirlpools’ become my favourite spot for a sail away sundowner. The Conservatory pool on deck 11 also serves dual purposes. The heated pool sits underneath an elegant cantilevered glass roof – the captain is happy to leave it open for most of our sailing. Day beds fill up for live Formula One screenings, but we have the place to ourselves during a 9pm silent cinema session under the stars. Popcorn and fresh cookies included.

When it’s time for bed, the suite life is calling. Forget ‘cabins’ and ‘staterooms’, there’s only suites, penthouses and residences aboard EXPLORA I. Every room has a balcony terrace. The ship’s entire design drives towards guests feeling like they’re on a superyacht or in a luxury hotel, not a large ship. Nowhere is that clearer than inside our Ocean Terrace Suite. A walk-in wardrobe, complete with dressing table and Dyson hairdryer is just the beginning. Heated floors in marble bathrooms, large day beds on the terrace, complimentary binoculars, charging pads on the bedside tables and well-stocked mini bars are a few standout features in our sprawling entry level suite. Jump up to the Ocean Residences and there’s deep soaking tubs, outdoor whirlpools on wraparound terraces, gym equipment and living rooms. The Owners Residence has all that, plus its own private dining room for eight, an outdoor shower (alongside the whirlpool) and a TV that looks big enough to be a cinema screen and butler service. We don’t have a butler during our journey, but we do have access to desserts from the room service menu. Severed to our room in silver cloches at 10pm and devoured soon after on the terrace, this is sailing like I’ve never seen it before. For more, see explorajourneys.com The writer travelled as a guest of Explora Journeys.