Explora is the most exciting new entrant in ultra-luxury since Regent launched Explorer. The MSC pedigree gives them serious shipbuilding muscle, and it shows — the suites are enormous for the category, the four pools are a revelation on a 922-guest ship, and the nine dining venues are all included without surcharges. It's still finding its sea legs as a brand, but the hardware and the all-inclusive pricing already rival Silversea and Regent. Watch this one closely.
Explora Journeys is the ultra-luxury brand of the MSC Group, launched in 2023 with the debut of EXPLORA I and followed by EXPLORA II in 2024. It represents one of the most ambitious new entrants in the luxury cruise market in a generation, backed by a EUR 3.5 billion investment across a planned fleet of six ships. The brand merges Swiss precision with Italian hospitality — the Aponte family behind MSC brings decades of maritime expertise, and it shows in the build quality, the spatial design, and the sheer ambition of the product.
Each ship carries 922 guests in 461 all-suite, all-balcony accommodations — making the entry-level Ocean Terrace Suite, at roughly 375 square feet of indoor space plus a 75-square-foot terrace, one of the largest starting cabins in ultra-luxury cruising. The suites are finished with bespoke king beds, espresso machines, Dyson hairdryers, walk-in wardrobes, and marble bathrooms with underfloor heating. At the top end, the Owner’s Residence spans approximately 3,000 square feet with a wraparound terrace, glass-walled infinity whirlpool, fireplace, and a full-width dining room. Butler service is included for all Penthouses and Residences.
The public spaces are designed around four swimming pools (one with a retractable roof), nine dining experiences — all included without surcharges — and a 1.25-to-1 crew-to-guest ratio that enables genuinely attentive service. The culinary programme has already earned recognition, with U.S. News ranking Explora as the number two luxury line for dining. Venues range from Mediterranean-inspired to pan-Asian, with flexible dining times and no assigned seating, reinforcing the brand’s “Ocean State of Mind” philosophy of relaxed, unscripted luxury.
EXPLORA III arrives in summer 2026 as a larger, LNG-powered evolution of the original design — 19 metres longer, with expanded public spaces and redesigned venues. A fourth, fifth, and sixth ship follow through 2028, with the final two planned to run on hydrogen fuel cells. Itineraries span the Mediterranean, Caribbean, Northern Europe, Red Sea, and Arabian Peninsula, with Alaska inaugurated aboard EXPLORA III in 2027. For travellers who find the established ultra-luxury lines either too traditional or too small, Explora offers a compelling contemporary alternative with the financial backing to sustain its ambitions.
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