Explora Journeys Targeting Luxury Travelers Globally – Cruise Industry News

Explora Journeys is a new lifestyle travel brand with two luxury ships sailing global itineraries and offering travelers an Ocean State of Mind.  Explora Journeys promises guests their own private yacht, with effortless European elegance awaiting them aboard.

Explora Ships

Explora Journeys’ ships are designed with European family heritage in mind by owners MSC Group. A sense of style is reflected in its modern, cosmopolitan and boutique hotel vibe onboard the Explora I and Explora II.

The ships are designed to be vibrant, yet intimate with a luxurious experience. They feature 461 oceanfront suites, all with floor-to-ceiling windows and private balconies.

The Explora I has all oceanfront suites, including one Owner’s Residence, 22 Ocean Residences, 67 Ocean Penthouses and 371 Ocean Suites. The suites range in size from 377 sq ft to 3,014 sq ft, making them some of the biggest at sea.

The Ocean Terrace Suites and Ocean Grand Terrace Suites are among the largest in the category, starting at 377 sq ft and 420 sq ft, respectively.

The Ocean Penthouses offer over 463 sq ft of living space, while the Ocean Residences start at 754 sq ft. The Owner’s Residence is the largest suite on the ship, with a total suite area of 3,014 sq ft.

Onboard the Explora III, which will debut in the summer of 2026, will be 463 suites, slightly more than the Explora I and II. These will include 313 Ocean Suites, 109 Ocean Penthouses, 39 Ocean Residences and two Owner’s Residences.

Luxury Traveling

Explora Journey’s wellbeing experiences focus on combining fitness, recovery, nutrition and relaxation opportunities to provide a high-end and luxury-tailored experience.

Onboard, guests can indulge in culinary experiences, unlimited fine beverages and access a state-of-the-art spa.

The Journeys Lounge offers entertainment and enrichment that evolves throughout the day, encompassing the luxury brand’s Ocean State of Mind.

Generous outdoor decks, which offer more than 26,909 sq ft, offer leisure with stunning sea views and several indoor and outdoor whirlpools.

In addition to this is the Astern Lounge, which offers a social hub hosting live music and enrichment programs, among other features.

Immersive art experiences and privately-owned art collections add to the experience, showcasing limited-edition screenprints and lithographs by Andy Warhol and Roy Lichtenstein, as well as an original acrylic and silkscreen on canvas by Andy Warhol on the Explora I.

Expert art luminaries guide guests through the art, providing an exclusive and rare opportunity to fully take in the onboard experience.

The Buccellati boutique aboard the Explora II, the first of its kind at sea, commits to luxury and refinement with elegance, creativity and cultural enrichment. The selection showcases various selections of jewelry, each providing guests with a unique ambiance and sense of authentic craftsmanship.

Onboard the Explora III, the Ocean Wellness and Fitness area has been reimagined to offer a unified space dedicated to wellbeing. The space, further embodying an Ocean State of Mind, offers an Open-Air Fitness area and an expanded Sports Court.

Explora Journeys Culinary Experiences

Explora Journeys’ ships offer 18 food and beverage venues, including 11 culinary experiences. The culinary experiences focus on healthy, delicious food from local sources.

Restaurants include a fine dining experience, a European steakhouse and a Pan-Asian restaurant.

There is also an all-day dining marketplace with 18 separate cooking stations, as well as a gelateria and creperie.

In addition to the restaurants, there are 12 bars and lounges, including eight indoor bars and four outdoor bars. The bars offer a variety of drinks, including cocktails, wine and beer.

Explora Journeys’ ships also offer a variety of other dining options, such as in-suite dining and a Chef’s Kitchen. The Chef’s Kitchen (pictured above) is an immersive experience in an ocean-front private kitchen setting.

Summer 2025

Embodying ocean wellness, Explora Journeys’ summer 2025 cruise collection features itineraries on the brand new ships, heading to both iconic locales and hidden gems.

Notable journeys from the luxury lifestyle travel brand include Western Mediterranean voyages that delve into the region’s rich history and breathtaking landscapes, with stops in ancient cities and serene coastal towns.

Exploring Greece, Italy and Türkiye, the Explora I will tie together coastal glamour with Turkish ancient vineyards to offer guests standout itineraries. Highlights include hidden gems in Puglia and Istria, the heart of Athens and crystal waters in Istanbul.

Venturing into golden Ibiza days, picturesque piazzas and ancient cities, the Explora II will make calls in Italy, Spain, France and more, highlighting unique marvels in the Mediterranean along the way.

Itineraries available include but are not limited to:

• “An Extended Journey to Formidable Fortresses, Baroque Elegance and Ancient Mysteries”: a 21-night voyage aboard the Explora I from Piraeus (Athens), Greece, to Istanbul, Türkiye, from June 7 to June 28, 2025
• “A Journey to the Turkish Riviera & Ancient Vineyards”: a seven-night voyage aboard the Explora I from Istanbul, Türkiye, to Piraeus (Athens), Greece, from June 28 to July 5, 2025
• “A Journey of Limoncello Days & Sardinian Sunsets”: a seven-night voyage aboard the Explora II from Civitavecchia (Rome), Italy to Barcelona, Spain, from Aug. 18 to Aug 25, 2025, and
• “An Extended Journey through Sparkling Waters to Historic Islands and Ancient Splendour”: a 20-night voyage aboard the Explora I from Fusina (Venice), Italy, to Piraeus (Athens), Greece, from Aug. 9 to Aug. 29.

A particular highlight of the season is the Grand Prix cruise aboard Explora II, offering motorsport enthusiasts an opportunity to combine their passion with luxury travel.

The luxury lifestyle travel brand also offers itineraries featuring overland expeditions that capture the essence of each location and offer authentic experiences, focusing on deep culture immersions.

In country immersions, which are three or more-day overland excursions, offer all-inclusive experiences for intimately-sized groups. Private experiences are tailored to offer guests rare opportunities during sailings, and expert explorers onboard add a next-level exclusivity to the experience of ocean wellness.

Winter 2025-26

Upcoming winter itineraries offer new destinations and immersive experiences aboard the Explora I and II, each designed to redefine the Ocean State of Mind and characterized by calm, unity, elegance and joy.

The Explora I will offer itineraries in the Caribbean, featuring Caribbean gems, island bliss and a mixture of idyllic and volcanic isles.

The Explora II is scheduled to operate itineraries in the Eastern Caribbean, as well as Central America.

A highlight to note aboard both the Explora I and II is the captivating fireworks display in San Juan for New Year’s.

Itineraries for the winter season include, among others:

• “An Extended Journey of Wild Grace”: a roundtrip 19-night voyage through Barbados aboard the Explora I from Dec. 2 to Dec. 21, 2025
• “An Extended Journey into Caribbean Sparkle and Joyful Celebration”: a 16-night voyage aboard the Explora I from Bridgetown, Barbados, to San Juan, Puerto Rico from Dec.21, 2025 to Jan. 6, 2026
• “A Journey to the Land Bridge Connecting the Americas”: a 10-night roundtrip voyage through Miami, United States, aboard the Explora II from Jan 5 to Jan 15, 2026, and
• “An Extended Journey between Idyllic & Volcanic Isles”: a 16-night roundtrip voyage through Bridgetown, Barbados aboard the Explora I from Jan. 3 to Jan. 19, 2026.

2026-27 Highlights

The Explora III will debut in August 2026, offering luxury cruises to the Mediterranean, Northern Europe and North America. Following her maiden voyage in Spain, the brand new ship will sail to western Europe, offering high-end itineraries before repositioning in Miami for her first winter season.

Other highlights from the luxury lifestyle travel brand include a not-to-be-missed adventure into the Amazon aboard the Explora I in February 2027.

The Explora II will navigate the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula from December to March, while the new Explora III will sail the Caribbean and Central America before reaching Central and North America in May.

Onboard the Explora I and III, guests will have the opportunity to see the New Year’s fireworks in San Juan, while those on the Explora II will be in the Arabian Gulf for the fireworks experience in Dubai.

Key itineraries available include:

• “A Journey of Mediative Moments in the Arabian Gulf”: a seven-night voyage through Dubai, United Arab Emirates onboard the Explora II from Dec. 21 to Dec. 28, 2026, and
• “A Journey of Spectacular Festivities & Caribbean Wonders”: an eight-night voyage from San Juan, Puerto Rico, to Miami, United States, from Dec. 28, 2026, to Jan. 5, 2027.