Explora Journeys Launches Cruise Stigma-Busting “Maybe” Brand Campaign

Explora Journeys, the luxury cruise brand of the MSC Group, unveiled a cinematic global campaign at a glitzy affair in New York City on Wednesday night. The campaign is designed to challenge strict definitions of what luxury travel “should” look like.

The campaign “questions why in the past luxury has always been seen to have had a fixed address. Maybe it shouldn’t?” Explora Journeys president Anna Nash explained to TMR at a sit-down interview before the event.

She added, “Maybe the narrative has been wrong. Maybe it needs to be positioned in a different way.”

Developed by McCann Paris and brought to life by award-winning director and photographer Jonas Lindstroem, the TV commercial – and corresponding social media and print marketing assets – reveal glimpses of the Explora experience, accompanied a series of “Maybes” that position the brand not simply as a cruise line, but as a five-star floating hotel where the boundaries of land-based luxury are surpassed.

• Maybe the most exclusive address is latitude and longitude.
• Maybe the best rooftop bar doesn’t need a city.
• Maybe the chicest wake-up call is sunrise at sea.
• Maybe the best hotel isn’t a hotel.

The use of the word “maybe,” the brand asserts, has an evocative power – a single word that invites curiosity, possibility, and personal interpretation, and becomes both question and answer.

By wrapping its brand messaging in these maybe statements, Explora seeks to address the “stigmas that exist around [our] industry to break down those barriers and stop and make people think about the positives behind this form of travel.”

“By embracing a more playful, cinematic narrative, we are inviting the most discerning guests to see ocean travel from a new perspective – one where the ocean is not simply a passage between destinations, but a place for enrichment, restoration, and personal discovery,” Nash said.

She added, “The campaign comes with a deliberate twist: it reframes the very idea of a hotel, proposing that the most compelling destination in hospitality may not sit on a street, but sail the sea – fluid, evolving, and endlessly inspiring. As we look ahead to having six ships on the water by 2028, we are excited to share this bold new campaign that really captures the essence of our ‘Ocean State of Mind.’”

Both Nash and Chris Austin, president, Explora Journeys, North America told TMR that they expect the campaign to resonate with potential new-to-cruise clients as well as past cruisers.

“Existing cruisers will look at this campaign with a bit of a sly smile, like I know what that’s all about. I recognize that feeling, almost like their secret is out,” Nash said. “And the yet-to-cruise, will think why didn’t I do this before?”

Ship As Destination

While some of the biggest, most amusement-park like cruise ships have often been positioned as a destination unto themselves, Explora’s positioning is different. Yes, Explora wants people to understand that any Explora ship can be the destination, but it’s less about the onboard bells and whistles and more about the overall vibe.

“At the heart of the campaign’s hero film and numerous striking visuals is a simple but powerful idea,” added Liam Fearn, executive creative director at McCann Paris. “An Explora Journeys ship is more than a ship. It’s a place that moves with you, adapts to you, and opens new perspectives every day.”

Chris Austin, president, Explora Journeys, North America, added that in the world of luxury hotels, from which both he and Nash come, the concept of an iconic hotel as a destination unto itself is not uncommon.

Nash told TMR, it’s more than just the ship’s hardware that make it a destination. It’s the experience clients can have at sea – often at a slower pace than when traveling solely by land.

“From a guest perspective, the fact that we’re moving gives you permission to slow down and stop. Allow us to move you. That’s what people are looking for, permission to slow down and take stock because we’re all living extremely busy lives,” she said.

The campaign, which is now live across media globally, does not replace the line’s “Ocean State of Mind” tagline, but it does give it more substance, making it easier to travel advisors to convey the brand’s unique value proposition.

“We wanted this campaign to really explain that ocean state of mind, that feeling that only the horizon can bring… On the ship, time slows down. You’ve arrived. You’re untethered from land and something freeing happens. That’s where the ocean state of mind really starts.”

Accompanying Trade Campaign

Accompanying the consumer campaign is a series of visuals aimed at teaching the trade more about Explora Journeys using the same “maybe” framework.

• Maybe the best commission is earned on ocean travel bookings.
• Maybe your clients’ next favorite hotel is an address at sea.
• Maybe when clients can slow down, bookings move faster.
• Maybe your clients are missing out on something remarkable.
• Maybe five destinations are best enjoyed without five hotel check-outs.

“What we have to do is ensure that travel advisors understand, articulate, retell our story and the value proposition that we have from a price point,” Austin said, adding that if they do that they will benefit commercially from better compensation and from having a high repeat ratio of clients booking onboard.

Starting next week in North America, Explora Journeys will kick off a series of trainings, starting at the leadership level of the consortia, Hosts, and larger agencies and eventually cascading down to individual agencies and advisors. Each training will walk participants through the entire campaign, with plenty of time for questions.

“We hope that the transference of the story, the positivity, and the passion is translated into the growth of our businesses together,” Austin said.

Advisors will also have access to a series downloadable, customizable assets that they can add their logo, branding, and contact information to.