Explora Journeys Celebrates Three Ship Milestones in Genoa

Lots of celebrating happened Monday at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa Sestri Ponente, as Explora Journeys marked three pivotal milestones in its fleet; EXPLORA lll float out, the coin ceremony for EXPLORA lV and steel cutting for EXPLORA V.

MSC’s luxury fleet, which will comprise six ships in total by 2028 at a cost of approximately $4.8 billion CDN, is on schedule, with EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II already welcoming guests. EXPLORA III will join the fleet in 2026, followed by EXPLORA IV and EXPLORA V in 2027, and EXPLORA VI in 2028.

“Today marks a proud milestone for Explora Journeys as we celebrate three remarkable ships – each a symbol of our ambition to redefine ultra-elegant ocean travel,” said Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys. “This triple celebration reflects the strength of our vision and the power of collaboration between our team, our partners at Fincantieri, and the unwavering support of the Aponte-Vago family. Guided by our values of care, respect, and excellence, we are not just building ships – we are creating a legacy of transformative journeys that will endure for generations to come.”

Caroline Cooney-Hurrell, Customer Journey Strategist at Explora Journeys, was honoured as godmother for the coin ceremony of EXPLORA IV in recognition of commitment to the brand over the past five years. From the Fincantieri team, Franca Parisi, Head of Quality and Performance Improvement, proudly served as the godmother for the ceremony.

Explora Journeys aim to be more sustainable with energy-efficient onboard systems to optimize engine performance and reduce fuel consumption. Starting with EXPLORA lll, the four newest ships will be powered by liquefied gas (LNG) and take a step further by possibly using technology capable of converting LNG into hydrogen to significantly reduce emissions at ports.