On Tuesday, August 1, EXPLORA I set off on its maiden voyage from Copenhagen, sailing through Lerwick in the Shetland Islands and Kirkwall, Orkney, before heading to Reykjavik in Iceland.
The festivities of the day included the traditional crest exchange, a maritime tradition to celebrate the ship’s first visit to a destination, on board with Captain Serena Melani, Director of Cruise Baltic and Cruise Copenhagen Klaus Bondam, and Explora Journeys CEO Michael Ungerer.
Ungerer said: “It is our absolute honour to welcome the very first guests on board our extraordinary ship and share this special moment with them as we embark on the maiden journey of EXPLORA I from Copenhagen. A new era of transformative luxury ocean travel begins now with the first sailing of EXPLORA I.”
The ship’s northern European journey, the first in a series of upcoming itineraries spanning three continents, was designed to illustrate the brand’s ‘Ocean State of Mind’ philosophy with immersive experiences to reward guests on a physical, intellectual and spiritual level. Land activities include exploring Copenhagen’s waterways by kayak, Shetland through its heritage ponies and an overnight stay on Iceland’s Golden Circle tourist route.
