We have talked about it several times and have followed all the news carefully. Finally, there are now also the first images of what will be the new (small) luxury ships from Explora Journeys, MSC’s luxury brand.
How will ships be made?
There will only be on the plane 461 suites, all with sea view thanks to floor-to-ceiling windows and private balcony and will be large from at least 35 m² to 280 owner’s residences that will consist of two bedrooms, a living room and a private balcony of 125 m² with Jacuzzi. Passengers will be able to enjoy nine exclusive dining experiences, four swimming pools (one with a retractable glass roof for swimming in any weather), 64 private cabinsA spa and entertainment on 14 bridges. The ships will have an innovative design that pays attention to comfort and relaxation. There will be several indoor and outdoor hot tubs along the exterior promenade.
On board will be the guests Five star services. They are entitled to an unlimited number of drinks, from wine to spirits to hot drinks including minibar in the cabin. In addition, they will have access to free Wi-Fi for the duration of the trip. There will be butler available 24 hours a day, concierge service and non-stop room restaurant service. The room will be remodeled twice a day, just like in a luxury hotel.
The 1.25 to 1 guest-to-staff ratio ensures timely service at all times.
The ships will have a gross tonnage of about 64,000 tons and will be equipped with the latest technologies, including from the point of view of environment and sustainability.
It will be the first of the four luxury ships Explora I, whose construction began in June 2021 and a recent “coin ceremonies” were held at the Fincantieri factory in Monfalcone. Meanwhile, construction of the Explora II continues, which began taking shape last October at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard and will be delivered in the fall of 2024 by the Sestri Ponente shipyard. The last two ships will enter service in 2025 and 2026.
When the first cruises leave
The first cruises will depart May 2023, but can already be booked online. It will be the inaugural cruise, or the inaugural group cruise. The ships will sail the Mediterranean, northern Europe, the United Kingdom, Iceland and Greenland, but the ships will also sail along the eastern coast of the United States, Canada, the Caribbean, South America and Hawaii.
Small and luxurious ships from Explora . cruises
These super cruises will go to discover unusual places compared to others. There will also be some crossings (40), is somewhat similar.
The cruises will be varied From seven to 44 nightsfor what would be called the Grand Journey – a kind of grand tour, one undertaken by the wealthy European aristocracy, but this time on a ship – which would dock at 132 ports in 40 countries.
Among the new stops covered by luxury ship routes, there are also unpublished locations, such as Kastellorizo, in Greece, the island where “Mediterraneo” was filmed, and Saint-Pierre in Martinique.
How Explora I Ship will be made
“Our ambition is to satisfy the luxury travelers of today and tomorrow by making their desire for exclusive exploration our own.”explained Michael Angerer, CEO of Explora Journeys. You will travel on the best cruise ships along the most exclusive routes.
What will the itineraries be?
The Great trip in the Mediterranean You will touch the ports of Barcelona, St Tropez, Calvi (in Corsica), Rome, Fiscardo (in Kefalonia), Istanbul, Athens, Patmos, Bodrum (in Turkey), Kastellorizo, Santorini, Athens, Mykonos, Gozo (Malta) and Ibiza.
The Great trip in Northern Europe Stops in Southampton, Kristiansand (Norway), Helleselt / Geiranger, Alesund, Molde, Trondheim, Svartisen Glacier and the Arctic Circle, Narvik, Honningsvag, Tromsø, Lekens – Lofoten Islands, Brunsund, Flamm, Bergen, Stavanger), Copenhagen, Rhone, (in Finland), Saint Petersburg, Stockholm, Visby (Sweden), Riga, Klaipeda (Lithuania), Gdansk (Poland), Gothenburg, Oslo, Hamburg, Rotterdam and Bruges, in Flanders.
The swimming pool on the Explora I ship
The A trip to Iceland and Greenland, starting in September 2023, will touch the ports of Reykjavik, Akureyri, Isafjordur, Prince Christian Sund Waterway, Bamut, Nuuk, Kakortok, Bel Island Strait, Sydney and Saint John to terminate in New York City. There will also be an extension into Canada with stops in Newport, Boston, Saint John, San Lorenzo Bay and Quebec City.
The First trips to the Caribbean (From November 2023) to Miami, Key West, Spanish Town, Deshays, Falmouth Harbor, San Juan. Those in the British Isles are in San Juan, Gustavia, Basseterre, Samana, Ocean Cay, Miami. Then there will also be the Panama Canal Cruise which will pass through Bridgetown, Kralendyke, Willemstad, Oranjestad, Cartagena, Puerto Limon, the Panama Canal and Panama City.
How much will the cruise cost?
The 6-night Mediterranean cruise costs €6,650 per cabin, while the 14-night cruise starts from €13,800. The 12-night Norwegian Fjords cruise will cost €12,650, for 21-night €21,000 (A thousand euros a night) while the 25-night cruise starts from 24 thousand euros.
You need more time to board the ship that sails to Canada and New England: the trip takes 24 nights, which costs 10,300 euros.
