Explora Journeys, the luxury brand recently launched by the MSC Group, today marked another important milestone in its market launch phase with the steel cutting of its second ship, EXPLORA II, in Italy. Construction of the second ship in the Explora Journeys luxury fleet began today, with its first passengers expected to arrive in spring 2024.
This milestone comes just three months after the launch of the Explora Journeys brand and the start of construction on its first ship, EXPLORA I, scheduled to be launched in May 2023. Two more new ships will join the fleet in 2025 and 2026, demonstrating the MSC Group's commitment to the Explora Journeys brand, created for the next generation of luxury travelers.
Pierfrancesco Vago, CEO of MSC Group's Cruise Division, said: “The launch of the second Explora Journeys ship signals our strong commitment to our travel partners for the market launch of our new luxury brand. We have made a significant financial investment in a fleet of innovative and elegant ships that embody our vision and purpose of creating a body-and-soul experience connected to the ocean. Given our belief that this brand will create a new category in luxury travel and lifestyle, we will continue to invest in its expansion to attract the next generation of luxury travelers, who are growing up and have their own aspirations.”
The four Explora Journeys ships will be built by the Italian shipbuilder Fincantieri, and a traditional maritime ceremony was held today at their shipyard in Castellammare di Stabia, near Naples, to cut the first steel for the second ship. Key executives in attendance included Pierfrancesco Vago, Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, and Luigi Matarazzo, Managing Director of Fincantieri's Merchant Ship Division.
Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys, added: “We are very pleased with the tremendous enthusiasm and support we have received so far from the travel agent community who have placed their trust in Explora Journeys since our launch in June and for their great response to our exclusive “By Appointment” service and innovative commercial terms.”
EXPLORA II will feature the same innovative design as EXPLORA I, offering 461 oceanfront suites, all with private terraces and generous outdoor space.
The ships will utilize the most advanced environmental support technologies and will be prepared to adapt to alternative energy solutions as they become available. The design incorporates provisions for battery storage to enable hybrid power generation in the future, as well as the latest selective catalytic reduction (SCR) technology, which allows for a 90 percent reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. Furthermore, this ship will feature ship-to-shore power to avoid CO2 emissions while docked and will be powered by marine diesel, demonstrating the commitment recently announced by the MSC Group's Cruise Division to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from its marine operations by 2050.
Explora Journeys created the industry-first “By Appointment” service, one of many initiatives that allows travel agents to schedule an appointment with a customer experience representative to discuss and place a specific suite on a waitlist for one or more of the eight inaugural voyages taking place during the first year of EXPLORA I, including its maiden voyage. This supports Explora Journeys’ customer-centric approach, offering a consistent service that enables travel agents to schedule an appointment to create a waitlist reservation for their clients, which can then be converted into a later booking. Waitlist options through the “By Appointment” service for EXPLORA II will be available starting in Spring 2022.
