Explora Journeys marked a pivotal moment in its evolution Monday by hosting a triple ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente in Italy that underscored its ambitious vision for the future of luxury ocean travel.
The brand celebrated the float-out of Explora III, the coin ceremony for Explora IV, and the steel cutting for Explora V — three major construction milestones that speak to the speed and scale of Explora Journeys’ six-ship expansion.
With Explora I and Explora II already in service and sailing at near-full capacity, the triple event was a halfway mark of sorts: Explora III debuts in 2026, with IV and V to follow in 2027, and Explora VI set for 2028. But these aren’t copy-paste builds.
The brand is using each new ship as an opportunity to refine, innovate, and stay true to its guest-first approach.
“The vision is that all six ships within the fleet offer much the same exceptional level of customer service,” Anna Nash, president of Explora Journeys, said in an interview with Luxury Travel Advisor ahead of the ceremony. “We will have the youngest fleet on the oceans and the best hardware that there is.”
Though Explora III is a little more than 62 feet longer than its predecessors due to the addition of LNG fuel cell capacity, the ship only includes two additional suites. However, more emphasis has been placed on higher-category accommodations, including a second Owner’s Residence to meet guest demand for more luxurious multi-room configurations.
“What we didn’t do was put in a load of extra suites,” Nash added. “We knew that the generosity of space was a highlight for our guests, and we wanted to keep that generosity of space, that freedom [and] that sense of connection to the sea.”
The triple milestone in Genoa also included a coin ceremony for Explora IV, with Caroline Cooney-Hurrell, customer journey strategist at Explora Journeys, honored as godmother. Franca Parisi, head of quality and performance improvement at Fincantieri, served as co-godmother.
Explora Journeys was created on a white sheet of paper, as Nash described, with the full backing of the MSC Group (Explora’s parent company).
“As a family-owned business, that yes, of course, we have budgets, but for us, putting the guests at the center of everything that we do is much more important than value engineering,” Nash said. “It was getting the product right.”
That guest-centric mentality is already paying off, not only with repeat travelers but with a growing cohort of first-time cruisers: Between 20 and 25 percent of Explora’s guests are new to ocean travel.
“There’s a whole market out there that just doesn’t know what they’re missing,” Nash said.
Itineraries are a key differentiator. Explora III will chart new waters in Northern Europe, with sailings to the Baltic Sea, Iceland, Greenland, and the East Coast of Canada and the U.S., including fall foliage cruises. With each new ship, Explora Journeys can offer more destination diversity and continue avoiding repetitive roundtrip routes.
“We tend to journey and offer those extended trips for our guests so that they can stay on board and sort of move as the ship moves,” Nash said.
Sustainability is another priority. From Explora III onward, all new ships will run on LNG, with Explora V and VI prepared to integrate hydrogen fuel cell technology. But Nash emphasized that the environmental mission is shared, not just ship-based but reliant on port infrastructure and bolstered by initiatives from the MSC Foundation.
Even amid such rapid growth, the brand is maintaining its boutique feel. Explora ships are designed with a superyacht silhouette, offering six restaurants, 12 bars and lounges, and a casino but also plenty of spaces for guests to retreat solo.
“Luxury can also be quite divisive,” Nash said. “For us, it's about this sort of European elegance, this cosmopolitan lifestyle that exists on the sea. It's relaxed, but it feels special.”
As construction continues and new itineraries take shape, Explora Journeys seems intent on charting not just new routes but also a new standard for life at sea.
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