Explora Journeys Announces Destination Experiences for U.S. & Canada, East Coast Voyages
by Dori Saltzman /Explora Journeys guests will have the opportunity to meet a NASA astronaut in Port Canaveral, take an urban forest bath in New York City, or meet a falconer and his falcons in Charlottetown (PEI). These, among many other experiential offerings, will be available on Explora I's East Coast of the U.S. and Canada sailings between September and November 2023. Details of the excursion offerings were revealed at a press conference at this week's Seatrade Cruise Global conference in Fort Lauderdale.
Experiences are tailored to small groups of as little as two and no more than 25 people, and always with an emphasis on exclusive, off-the-beaten-path encounters and focused on a slower pace of travel. Tours are divided into several categories including those that foster interactions with locals, those that inspire mindfulness amidst nature, off-the-beaten path explorations, gastronomic adventures, and art experiences.
"Our team has sought out exclusive partnerships across the globe to ensure our guests are offered a wide array of curated experiences to suit their every desire," said Sacha Rougier, head of itinerary planning and destination experiences at Explora Journeys.
United States
In the U.S., guests will have a variety of options ranging from a private tour of the Museum of Modern Art in New York City before opening hours to meeting with a NASA astronaut or Port Canaveral. Other options include a private performance of musical favorites at a NYC Broadway theater with a meet-and-greet with a Broadway actor, a forest bathing session in the heart of New York City, a trip to Boston's Fenway Park followed by an afternoon of arts and academia at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, a two-hour surf lesson in Florida's Cocoa Beach, and a sailing trip on a lobster boat with fresh seafood tastings in Portland, Maine.
Canada
Canadian ports will feature a mix of the usual – Quebec, Halifax, and Charlottetown – and the lesser-visited – Baie Comeau, Gaspe, Havre-Saint-Pierre, and La Baie.
Excursion options will include sea kayaking in Baie Comeau, learning about the sport of Falconry or experience farm-to-table dining in Charlottetown, hike the Forillon National Park in Gaspe, take a seaplane or take a VIP class with chef Jonathan Grenon in La Baie (Saguenay), and take a 90-minute walk in the tiny seaside village of Havre-Saint-Pierre.
In Quebec, guests can kayak through a fjord, spend an evening on a VIP tour at a "cabane à sucre" (sugar shack), or learn more about maple syrup harvesting.
In Halifax, guests can choose between visiting more popular spots like the iconic Peggy's Point Lighthouse or try their hand on the 18 holes of The Links at Brunello, among other options.
Explora Journeys Destination Experiences for North America are open for booking. Travel advisors can book these experiences on behalf of their clients at explorajourneys.com/traveladvisors.
Explora I will be officially named on July 8 in Civitavecchia near Rome, before heading to Southampton, U.K. to depart on its maiden journey on July 17.
