It’s not long past breakfast on a Saturday morning but David Coulthard, former Formula 1 driver and now broadcaster, is waxing philosophical.
“Life is dangerous,” he says, “and here’s some bad news — we’re all going to die. But hopefully at the end of a long life, and hopefully after having a lot of fun.”
DC, as he’s known to pretty much everyone, won 13 Grands Prix over 15 seasons, mostly with McLaren, and as you’d imagine, he has some stories to tell. “I had a crash at Silverstone in 1995 and got knocked out. I hit the barrier, which had wooden sleepers, and my head smashed the side of the cockpit. Turns out if I was ever killed in a Grand Prix, my final thoughts wouldn’t be full of fear. It was a revelation. As far as I’m concerned, it wasn’t a scary thing.”
Over the next hour DC and fellow raconteur Sir Jackie Stewart — a three-time F1 World Drivers’ champion and still, at 86, a tireless advocate for the sport — speak candidly on a range of subjects, from lucky underpants (a vital component in a driver’s toolkit, according to DC, even though he once had to be cut out of them following a crash in which he broke his leg) to Stewart’s memories of The Beatles coming to Monaco for the Grand Prix and how George Harrison became one of his best friends. Stewart is a big fan of the city-state: “The color! The excitement! Monte Carlo is more glamorous [than other races] but it’s a very difficult race track.”
His enthusiasm is well placed, as this exchange is taking place aboard a ship in Monaco’s harbor during F1 weekend, and I’m joined by other race fans who are enthralled by the honesty and intimacy of the conversation. But this isn’t your typical charter experience and it certainly doesn’t come with your typical charter expense (more on that shortly). Instead I’m ensconced in a velvet armchair aboard the Explora II, an 814-ft cruise ship moored some 500 ft from the race track. And if your first thought is, ‘This isn’t for me, I don’t do cruising,’ maybe Explora II and the Grand Prix could be the combination to change your mind.
Explora Journeys — to give the brand its full name — first set sail in 2021 under parent company MSC Cruises, but the first Explora vessel debuted in 2023, with Explora II following in 2024. The ships are very similar in layout, style and amenities; both have all oceanfront suites and a higher-than-average guest-to-host ratio of 1.25:1. Exploras III through VI are scheduled to launch by 2028. (The company has nothing to do with Explora Hotels, the remote luxury lodgings in South America.)
Monaco is one of the most anticipated dates on the F1 calendar, thanks to an unforgiving course with tight turns that snakes its way through the principality’s streets. Overtaking is high-risk, so performing well in qualifying is essential — which means the Saturday precursor can sometimes be a tenser, more visceral affair than the race itself on the following day. At this year’s event, a new mandatory two-stop rule was in effect, with teams required to use at least three tyre compounds. This was met with strong opinions from some drivers; Max Verstappen commented that it felt more like Mario Kart.
Following the qualifying, I have a few beers with DC and Mika Häkkinen on the ship’s upper deck bar — DC predicting Sunday’s winner, Lando Norris, though his Nostradamus act doesn’t quite extend to the manner of the victory, as Norris beat Charles Leclerc by one-tenth of a second. From there I can see the superyachts neatly aligned in Port Hercule. Some of the most expensive berth fees in the world are charged during the Monaco GP, and there’s further admin to consider, according to Rory Noble, head of marketing and brand for Edmiston.
“As you can imagine, the trackside berths are the most expensive and there’s only a limited number available,” he says. “For a 124-ft yacht it’s around $127,000 for five days, and only yachts of up to 131 ft can have them [due to size restrictions]. The yacht also has to be in its berth at least one, maybe even two days before the start of the Grand Prix, and obviously, once you’re in, you can’t come out until the end of it. I believe applications close around February so you have to apply well in advance.” By contrast, the Owner’s Residence on Explora II costs around $150,000 per person for five nights.
Up until now, cruise ships were not permitted to dock here. They don’t quite fit in, literally and figuratively. This is the first year that a ship of this type has been able to join in, partly thanks to its size — despite its 814-ft length, Explora II is petite in comparison with the usual 1,000-ft-plus cruise ships — and also because of a continued partnership with the race organizers, with around 200 of its 461 ocean-facing suites booked for F1 use. Explora will return to Monaco for the race next year, on June 3-8.
So how does the experience compare with a berth in Port Hercule? The most obvious difference is the need to disembark to see the race up close, unless you’re happy watching it on one of the many screens on board. That means it can feel like you’re somewhat removed from the atmosphere. On the flipside, Explora can arrange Paddock Passes so you can stroll past Lewis Hamilton’s monogrammed motorbike casually leaning against a wall and hang out near the action.
And being that bit further from the grandstand turns out to be not so bad. For one thing, the ship does offer respite from the incessant noise. Stewart notes that people arrive in their yachts and rapidly realize they won’t get any rest: “The clever ones are in the harbor so they can actually sleep,” he declares, though Explora might have encouraged him to say that. But there’s undeniably a sense of calm here that in my experience isn’t replicated elsewhere.
The programming onboard gives guests access to F1 greats, not just the aforementioned Coulthard, Stewart and Häkkinen, but also up-and-coming racers from the BWT Alpine Formula One Team, Pierre Gasly and Franco Colapinto. On the Friday night, a Vanity Fair party was held on the ship’s upper deck — the lights of Monaco below were rather more glittering than the somewhat B-list guest list, however.
If you’re not into a rolling cycle of 24-hour motorsport chat, don’t panic. Between race events there was a private viewing of Buccellati’s Snake Collection (which included a $1.16m pink sapphire parure), Panerai masterclasses, and live engraving demonstrations by Piaget.
There are multiple heated pools on board: the Conservatory pool (which transforms into an outdoor cinema); the adults-only Helios pool; the Atoll pool, an infinity pool at the ship’s stern; and several whirlpools. The outdoor gym is a fun touch too, with Technogym rowing machines, bikes, and a small selection of dumbbells. There’s also an outdoor 360-degree running track looping around the ship and a sports court where you can play touchtennis, half-court basketball, and pickleball, or join one of the yoga classes. Alternatively, kit can be delivered to your suite so you can work out with a virtual coach.
If you want to exercise on the balcony, though, that Owner’s Residence at 3,014 sq ft, comes with a wraparound terrace, plus an infinity whirlpool, dining table for eight, and butler service. There are other ‘residences’ available, which all come with butler service and private whirlpools (the Cocoon Residences have a prime spot on the aft deck), and a number of penthouses — the largest of which are the Grand Penthouses at 506 sq ft. The Ocean Suites are the smallest at a compact 377 sq ft. They have a balcony with a lounger and small table and chair – big enough for alfresco room service and watching the post-race parties, but not for a workout.
While you don’t have the services of a personal chef, as you would on a yacht, there’s plenty of choice when it comes to cuisine. Out of the six restaurants, Marble & Co Grill takes pole position, with Sakura a close second. Marble serves exceptional steaks. Go for the grilled prime rib from Jersey’s La Ferme des Belles Robes, which is famed for its marbling and buttery tenderness. Sakura is Pan-Asian: skip the menu and ask to sample a bit of everything. The Wagyu beef tataki with wakame salad and Madagascan smoked pepper is superb. Sakura has a strong selection of sakes and shōchūs, or opt for the signature Sakura Sour with Shoshu 35 Ohishi, yuzu juice and seaweed syrup.
Of course, nothing can really compare to having your personal floating mansion just a few feet from the F1 track, but Explora II offers an interesting alternative — one that trades exclusivity for ease, and is more about seeing than being seen.
