Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand of MSC Group, expects to increase its passenger capacity by 57% in 2027 as it works towards a six-ship fleet and a substantially larger share of the luxury cruise market by 2028.
The expansion was outlined by President Anna Nash during an opening leadership keynote address aboard EXPLORA III this week. Travel advisers and media are being hosted on the new ship as it sails from Civitavecchia, the port of Rome, to Barcelona for its official naming ceremony on August 1.
A forecast shown during the address projected that Explora Journeys’ growth trajectory would see it capturing 25% of total fleet capacity by 2028.
Nash said the company’s three existing ships were operating at near-full capacity, with three more ships still to be launched.
“We still have more to build and we still have more room to grow,” she said.
EXPLORA IV and EXPLORA V are scheduled to enter service in 2027, followed by EXPLORA VI in 2028.
The expansion will also increase the brand’s geographical footprint, with Alaska and Asia among the regions it plans to visit for the first time.
The brand’s latest global marketing campaign was “designed to challenge perceptions and inspire a new audience to consider ocean travel”, Nash said. “This unique positioning is resonating strongly, particularly with guests who are completely new to cruising.”
EXPLORA III is the third ship in the MSC Group-owned brand’s fleet and its first LNG-capable vessel. It was delivered by Fincantieri in Genoa on July 23.
The ship is 19,2 metres longer than EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II but has only two additional suites, taking the total to 463. Most of the additional space has been allocated to guest facilities and public areas rather than increasing passenger numbers.
“Many brands would have decided to put in lots of extra suites. We did not. We decided to give that space back to our guests and back to the public areas,” Nash said.
The additions include a second Owner’s Residence, new dining concepts, a wine cellar, an extended running track, a new lobby bar and expanded wellness facilities.
“We are building a brand for generations to come,” she said. “We don’t think in the short term. We look to the long term.”
