Explora Journeys

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Explora Journeys
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Cruises availables

Explora Journeys is a cruise company renowned for delivering a unique travel experience that blends comfort, discovery, and relaxation. With carefully designed itineraries, it offers travelers the opportunity to explore fascinating destinations while enjoying attentive service, fine dining, and modern onboard amenities. Whether it’s admiring scenic landscapes, visiting iconic cities, or simply unwinding at sea, every cruise promises unforgettable memories.

Ships of Explora Journeys

Explora VI

Explora Journeys: 6 entries in our inventory, 2 ships actually sailing

Start with what you should know before booking. Of the six entries in our inventory, only two match ships in service: Explora I, in service since August 2023, and Explora II, since September 2024. Explora III is expected in 2026, Explora IV and Explora V in 2027, Explora VI in 2028.

And yet we sell departures on them

204 on Explora III, 97 on IV, 33 on V. That is common in this trade: a line opens sales two or three years before delivery. But a shipyard can slip. If you book one of these hulls, ask your advisor what happens if delivery is late — postponement, another ship, refund — and have it put in writing before paying a deposit. Explora VI carries no departure on our calendar.

What we carry, measured

Six entries, 346 distinct departures across 227 dates and 543 routes, from 20 July 2026 to 6 January 2029. Five hundred and forty-three routes for six ships: a high ratio describing a fleet that repeats little. Two departures on the same ship may share almost no port.

The house, and its sister

The brand was launched in 2021 as the luxury division of the MSC Group, of Geneva, owned by the Aponte family. It is therefore MSC Cruises' sister, and the two products have nothing in common: twenty-five ships and thousands of guests on one side, hulls of 63,000 to 70,000 tons sold as luxury on the other. If you compare them, you are comparing two ranges from one house.

The technology, without the promise

The four ordered hulls run on liquefied natural gas, and Explora V and VI add hydrogen. All the ships are built by Fincantieri. That is design information, not a promise about what you will experience aboard. We will not say what the fare covers: ask for the written list of the exact departure.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many ships and departures do you carry for Explora Journeys?

Six entries in our inventory — 6 exactly — and 346 distinct departures across 227 dates and 543 routes, from 20 July 2026 to 6 January 2029.

Do all six ships exist?

No, and it matters. Only Explora I, in service since August 2023, and Explora II, since September 2024, are sailing today. Explora III is expected in 2026, IV and V in 2027, VI in 2028. Explora VI carries no departure with us yet.

So you sell ships that do not exist?

We sell announced departures on ordered ships, and that is common in this trade: 204 departures on Explora III, 97 on IV and 33 on V. But a shipyard can slip. If you book one of these hulls, ask your advisor what happens if delivery is late — and have it put in writing.

Who owns Explora Journeys?

The MSC Group, of Geneva, owned by the Aponte family. The brand was launched in 2021 as the group's luxury division: it is MSC Cruises' sister, and the two products have nothing in common. If you compare them, you are comparing two ranges from one house.

Which ship is the busiest with you?

Explora III, with 204 records — and she is not yet delivered. Then come Explora I with 168 and Explora II with 153, the only two sailing.

Are these ships efficient?

The four ordered hulls run on liquefied natural gas, and Explora V and VI add hydrogen. All are built by Fincantieri. That is design information, not a promise about life aboard.

Five hundred and forty-three routes for six ships — is that a lot?

It is a high ratio describing a fleet that repeats little. Two departures on the same ship may share almost no port. Read the route before the name of the hull.

What does the fare cover?

We will not say it in the line's place. What the fare covers changes here from one departure, market and cabin grade to the next, and we have not measured it departure by departure. Ask your advisor for the written list of the exact departure before booking, not after.

How do you count a departure?

One ship on one date. If the same ship leaves on the same day, that is one departure, not two. Our database holds more records than departures, and what we publish is the number of departures.

Are these the line's figures?

No. Everything given here — number of hulls, number of departures, dates, routes — comes from OUR inventory, measured on 31 August. A zero with us is not a zero with them.

Can I book a departure you do not carry?

Often, yes. Your advisor can look beyond what appears here. The online catalogue is a way in, not the limit of what exists.

What happens if a ship is not delivered on time?

The line usually offers a postponement, another ship or a refund, depending on its contract. This is not a classroom hypothesis: deliveries do slip. Have the rule spelled out in writing before paying a deposit on a hull that does not yet exist.

Is service available in French?

It depends on the departure and the market, not on the line. If French matters to you, say so before booking: it is checked departure by departure.

Should I book far ahead?

On these fleets, yes: few ships, few cabins, and the best go early. Booking far ahead fixes a choice but commits money in advance. Talk cancellation terms through with your advisor before you decide.

Who protects me if the trip falls through?

Your agency, and it alone. Voyages AquaTerra operates under a licence from Quebec's Office de la protection du consommateur, your payments pass through a trust account, and the compensation fund for travel agency clients covers your departure. That holds whichever line you choose.