The lobby of Explora 1 evokes comparisons to the luxury of a grand European hotel. The itineraries speak of extraordinary adventures with whimsical names like Glacier Carved Islands or the Valley of Mischievous Trolls.
Explora Journeys is unlike any cruise line you’ve sailed on before, says Chris Austin, chief sales officer of the new line launching this summer. “The name is inspired by exploration and it will offer memorable journeys, not just cruises.”
Its adventurous 15-day maiden journey in July is an example. Sailing from Southampton to the Norwegian fjords and the Arctic Circle, it can be combined with further cruises into a grand journey including the Orkney Islands, Iceland and the Low Countries that lasts more than a month.
The new line has an ambitious goal of building six luxury ships over the next six years, each carrying 922 guests at double occupancy. It’s a new venture for the MSC Group, that also includes the fast-expanding MSC Cruises, but the concept started from scratch with luxury and exploration in mind, Austin says.
The planners surveyed 20,000 affluent travelers, including ardent cruisers as well as many who have never cruised. “We want to also appeal to luxury travelers who are used to going to resorts on land,” Austin explains. The survey results aligned with the vision of MSC’s owners, the Aponte family: a ship with the luxury furnishings of a superyacht that offers in-depth experiences and is at the forefront of environmental sustainability.
To emphasize that commitment, Explora Journeys announced that Dr. Sylvia Earle, the renowned oceanographer, explorer and conservationist, will be the godmother of Explora I. Dr. Earle is a celebrated pioneer of deep-sea exploration and has dedicated her life to ocean conservation. She has been a vocal advocate for protecting the world’s oceans and marine life. Her involvement with Explora Journeys underscores the brand’s commitment to sustainable luxury travel at sea and ocean conservation.
The difference includes what goes on when guests go ashore, says Sacha Rougier, Explora’s head of itinerary planning and destination experiences. “Our team have sought out exclusive partnerships across the globe to ensure our guests are offered a wide array of curated experiences to suit their every desire. Under the umbrella of the Global Sustainable Tourism Council, we partner with Travelife, an internationally leading training, management, and certification program for sustainability in tourism.” Fuel cells will be able to power the vessels in port without running the engines.
Explora Journeys’ tours will aim to make you an insider, he adds. Itineraries in northern Europe include rarely visited ports, such as Leknes in Norway’s Lofoten Islands and Ísafjörður in Iceland. A September cruise from New York will focus on historic Canada and include visits to the charming cities along the St. Lawrence River of Saguenay, Baie-Comeau and Havre Saint Pierre in addition to Quebec City. In Charlottetown, guests will have choices including learning the art of falconry or taking farm to table food tours. On a stop in Florida, there will be a tour of the Kennedy Space Center guided by an astronaut,
Onboard there will be continual unique experiences as well. “We have 14 resident artists on board and a partnership with Steinway. There is no big theater, but seven lounges with artists creating entertainment throughout the evening, so you don’t have to say ‘darling we have to finish our dinner so we can catch the show that starts at 9,’” Austin says. Everything can be spontaneous. There’s no main dining room but a choice of six themed fine-dining restaurants and five lounges with culinary choices that are all open seating.
“There will also be guest artists coming on board for each cruise from the destinations Explora will be visiting and rather than lecturers, we will have luminaries, experts with unique stories to tell about the destinations,” Austin adds.
Explora’s target market is cosmopolitan people who appreciate quality, notes Michael Ungerer, Explorer’s CEO. About half of the guests are expected to be from the United States and Canada, with the remainder from Europe and the rest of the world. While the average age of guests will be around 50, there’s a focus on families and there will be a youth staff for families and curated educational experiences.
Explora would like you to be among the first to enter their Ocean State of Mind.
Story by Wallace Immen, The Cruisington Times
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