Explora Journeys has revealed details of the maiden voyage for its first of six ships, Explora I, which will set sail in July next year.
The brand will make its debut with a 15-night inaugural journey to northern Europe, with calls to 12 ports.
Explora I will leave Southampton on 17 July 2023 on its first voyage, entitled A Maiden Journey into Epic Fjords and the Arctic Circle.
The ship will call at Zeebrugge before proceeding to Norway, where it will visit Geiranger, Trondheim, Molde, Leknes, Bronnoysund, Flam, Bergen and Stavanger. It then sails to Denmark, with visits to Skagen and Copenhagen.
Michael Ungerer, the chief executive, said: “Our vision and purpose from day one has been to create a travel and ocean experience like no other, and we are thrilled that our ground-breaking new class of ship, Explora I, will introduce guests during her maiden journey to some of the most breath-taking destinations in northern Europe while enjoying the finest luxury hospitality at sea.”
While secondhand sales dominated the cruise industry headlines over the past few months, the shipbuilding business has also been busy during the pandemic.
In addition to the vessels that were already set to be built in 2020, a total of 13 extra ships were also ordered in March 2020.
Here’s the complete list:
SH Diana Cruise Line: Swen Hellenic Order Date: October 2020 Shipyard: Helsinki Shipyard (Finland) Capacity: 192 guests Tonnage: 12,500 Expected Delivery: Q1 2023
Swan Hellenic was among the first cruise lines to order a cruise ship after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to its operator, the LNG-powered ship will feature private residences, in addition to features that include a microbrewery, a hydroponic garden and an art studio.
Emerald Cruises ordered a second cruise ship for its fleet in September 2021. The new Emerald Sakara is set to be delivered in 2023 and will have the capacity of 100 guests.
A sister to the 2021-built Emerald Azzurra, the super yacht is being built by the Halong shipyard in Vietnam.
The 152-guest vessel is set to enter service in 2025 and did not have its buyer revealed at the time of the order.
American Eagle and American Glory Cruise Line: American Cruise Lines Order Date: January 2022 Shipyard: Chesapeake (United States) Capacity: 109 guests each Tonnage: 3,000 each Expected Delivery: 2023
Named Project Blue, the class will include a total of 12 vessels – of which the first two are already in construction at the Chesapeake shipyard.
Ilma and Luminara Cruise Line: Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection Order Date: March 2022 Shipyard: Chantiers de l’Atlantique (France) Capacity: 456 guests each Tonnage: 37,000 each Expected Delivery: 2024 and 2025
Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection ordered two additional cruise ships in March 2022, the Ilma and the Luminara. Following the Evrima, which is set to enter service soon, the vessels will be built at the Chantiers de l’Atlantique shipyard in France.
Designed as mega yachts, the 37,000-ton ships are set to be delivered in 2024 and 2025, respectively.
Explora V and Explora IV Cruise Line: Explora Journeys Order Date: July 2022 Shipyard: Fincantieri (Italy) Capacity: 922 guests each Tonnage: 70,000 each Expected Delivery: 2027 and 2028
SES has partnered with Explora Journeys and will provide global connectivity services onboard the Explora I when it enters service in 2023, according to a press release.
SES’s mPOWERED connectivity service will offer low latency and the highest available throughput aboard, contributing to Explora’s vision of creating an “Ocean State of Mind”, according to SES.
Guests on the Explora I will have free, high-speed, and uninterrupted Wi-Fi access regardless of their location, and they will be able to stream their preferred content or share their cruise experience from any part of the ship.
Crew welfare and training, employee performance, motivation, and retention will all benefit from improved connectivity onboard through this partnership.
“Today’s guests simply expect seamless and uninterrupted connectivity comparable to on land as they want to share their experiences and stay online as much as possible. We are pleased to be able to offer this connectivity experience to our guests onboard Explora I thanks to SES’s services,” said Michael Ungerer, chief executive officer, Explora Journeys, MSC’s new luxury brand.
“Connectivity is one of the most important enablers for such travel experiences from both a guest and crew point of view. Our O3b mPOWER ultra-fast, low-latency connectivity is empowering a new experience that will revolutionise the ultra-luxury expedition maritime segment,” added Simon Maher, vice president of global sales and cruise maritime services, SES.
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