Explora Journeys celebrated three times at a shipyard in Italy, as one ship of the luxury line was delivered and two more reached milestones in their construction.
EXPLORA II was delivered by Fincantieri shipyard to become the second ship to join the luxury travel brand of the MSC Group that is slated to grow to six ships by 2028.
A keel-laying ceremony for EXPLORA III also took place at the shipyard when commemorative coins were placed inside the ship as a sign of blessing during construction and good fortune in the future. The ship will be fuelled by powered liquefied natural gas (LNG) and enter service in 2026.
Explora Journeys’ third celebration was a steel cutting ceremony at the Fincantieri shipyard to start the construction of EXPLORA IV, which will also be fuelled by LNG, and will be completed in early 2027. EXPLORA V will join the luxury fleet in 2027 and EXPLORA VI in 2028, with a project underway for both to have large fuel cell capacity capable of transforming renewable LNG into hydrogen and significantly reducing emissions.
The traditional delivery ceremony was attended by Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of MSC Group’s Cruise Division, the godmother of the ship Stefania Vago, as well as Fincantieri’s Chairman Biagio Mazzotta and the constructor’s CEO and General Manager Pierroberto Folgiero, along with representatives of MSC’s construction team and workers from the shipyard.
The tchristening of Explora II in Civitavecchia featured the symbolic breaking of a bottle on the ship’s bow by Rosalba Giugni, founder and president of the Marevivo Foundation, a non-partisan environmental conservation organisation committed to the preservation of marine environments.
“These vessels represent a combination of innovation and sustainability and are part of an important expansion plan for our new European luxury brand,” Mr. Vago said. “They also strengthen our long-term partnership with Fincantieri, which began 10 years ago and currently includes the delivery of four more ships by 2028.”
Explora II has 461 oceanfront suites, penthouses and residences, six different restaurants, 12 bars and lounges, four swimming pools, and a range of wellness venues. She set sail for her maiden Mediterranean voyage and will operate in the Caribbean in the winter, then return to the Mediterranean for the summer of 2025.
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