Explora Journeys Just Locked In Its Sixth and Final Ship

MSC’s luxury brand Explora Journeys marked two shipbuilding milestones in Genoa this week. Fincantieri floated out the fifth ship, Explora V, at its Sestri Ponente yard, with delivery scheduled for the end of 2027. A coin ceremony for the sixth ship, Explora VI, was held on October 26, and that vessel is expected to be operational by summer 2028.

Together the milestones fill out a six-ship program built entirely in Italy, with MSC’s investment in the vessels reported to exceed 3.5 billion euros. Explora IV is due for delivery in spring 2027. Explora V is designed to accommodate fuel-cell technology, and the first three ships are reported to be sailing at full capacity.

The later ships lean toward cleaner fuels. Explora III and IV, along with the final two vessels, will run on liquefied natural gas and can also use bio-LNG, synthetic LNG or biofuels, according to the reports. The fuel strategy is one way the company is positioning its fleet as regulators and travelers pay closer attention to emissions.

For travelers, the practical meaning is capacity. Each new ship adds itineraries and cabin inventory to a brand that has been selling out its early vessels, and the schedule points to new ships entering service in 2027 and 2028. Anyone eyeing a premium sailing on the line should expect more departure choices as the fleet grows.

Sources: Baird Maritime, Seatrade Cruise