Explora Journeys Takes Delivery of Explora I

It’s finally officially. After several delays, Explora I finally belongs to Explora Journeys after being handed over by Fincantieri during a special ceremony in Italy.

The hand-over had most recently been delayed after problems with a fire-resistant safety panel came to light.

“Today is a historic day, and represents a decisive step in our growth path, because it marks the entry of the MSC Group into the luxury travel sector,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman, cruise division of MSC Group. “This segment has strong growth prospects, in which we strongly believe and whose standards we aim to redefine, focusing as always on excellence and luxury.”

“This traditional maritime moment marks the most important milestone for Explora Journeys as we will finally be able to showcase our highly anticipated extraordinary new ship,” added Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys. “With the delivery of Explora I our vision to provide unparalleled luxury experiences has become an incredible reality.”

Explora I will depart on its maiden journey on August 1 from Copenhagen for a seven-night sailing to Reykjavik. It will spend several weeks in Northern Europe before crossing the Atlantic via Greenland to spend the autumn in North America, the winter in the Caribbean, and spring on the U.S. West Coast and Hawaii. It will return to Europe for summer 2024.