After taking delivery of its debut ship EXPLORA 1 last week, Explora Journeys, the luxury lifestyle brand of the MSC Group, will officially set sail on Aug. 1 after an initial delay. The maiden voyage will depart from Copenhagen, Denmark, for a seven-night sailing to Reykjavik, Iceland, with visits enroute to Lerwick, Shetland Islands, and Kirkwall, Orkney.
The handover of EXPLORA I took place on July 20 at the Fincantieri shipyard in Monfalcone, Italy, where the construction of the 63,900 GT vessel began on June 10, 2021. The investment of the new ship amounted to over €500 million (approximately $737), with a total investment plan of €2.5 billion ($3.7 billion) for the four ships on order.
The traditional maritime event was attended by Gianluigi Aponte, Founder and Chairman of the MSC Group and other dignitaries.
Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman, Cruise Division, MSC Group, said, “Today is a historic day, and represents a decisive step in our growth path, because it marks the entry of the MSC Group into the luxury travel sector. This segment has strong growth prospects, in which we strongly believe and whose standards we aim to redefine, focusing as always on excellence and luxury.”
Michael Ungerer, CEO, Explora Journeys added, “We (are) finally be able to showcase our highly anticipated, extraordinary new ship. We have pushed the boundaries of innovation and design to create a ship that embodies our commitment to excellence (and) provide unparalleled luxury experiences…”
After it’s inaugural voyage, EXPLORA I will spend several weeks in Northern Europe, offering a range of different itineraries, both on and off the beaten path, and will then cross the Atlantic Sea via Greenland to spend the autumn in North America, the winter in the Caribbean, and spring on the US West Coast and Hawaii, before returning to Europe in Summer 2024 for a collection of journeys in the Mediterranean Sea – all featuring lesser-travelled ports designed to give guests a more authentic experience.
With journeys from seven to 11 nights which are all combinable, cruises will feature non-conventional arrival and departure times combined with overnight stays in port.
EXPLORA II is currently being built at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente, Italy and will come into service in August 2024. EXPLORA III will become the first of two LNG-powered vessels to join the Explora Journeys’ fleet with the ship due to be delivered in 2026 and EXPLORA IV in 2027.
All of the Explora Journeys vessels will be equipped with the latest environmental and marine technologies, including selective catalytic reduction technology, shore power plug-in connectivity, underwater noise management systems to help protect marine life, and a comprehensive range of onboard energy efficient equipment to optimise engine use to further reduce emissions.