Explora Journeys Reveals Northern Europe Sailings for First Ship

Explora Journeys will explore Northern Europe with eight inaugural voyages on its first ship, Explora I, scheduled to join its fleet in July 2023.

Explora I will be officially named on July 8 in Civitavecchia near Rome, Italy, before heading to Southampton, U.K., to depart on its maiden journey on July 17, 2023.

The Northern European Destination Experiences are now open for bookings. Explora I is the first in a series of six 922-passenger, 63,900-gross-ton new builds. The $2-billion-plus luxury cruise brand was started by Switzerland-based MSC Group, which also is the parent company of MSC Cruises.

Explora Journeys offers excursions in small groups, from two to 25 guests, with an emphasis on exclusive, off-the-beaten-path encounters and a slower pace of travel.

“When creating our experiences, we first need to understand the very essence of each destination and then focus on unique ways to offer our guests the chance to immerse themselves into the local culture, taste authentic food and discover truly hidden gems,” said Sacha Rougier, the head of itinerary planning and destination experiences. “Under the umbrella of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, we partner with Travelife for Tour Operators, the internationally leading training, management, and certification program for sustainability in tourism.”

Among the offerings are a crossing of the Arctic Circle for nature-focused adventures awaits in Leknes on the Lofoten Islands, Norway; a kayak tour of Copenhagen; a helicopter flight over dozens of volcanic craters in Iceland; a forest hike and meditation session in Goteborg, Sweden; and a round of golf on the world’s only arctic grass course in Greenland.