Explora Journeys: The Complete Guide to MSC's Luxury Cruise Brand
Written by
Ati Jain
Published
13 June 2026
Written by
Ati Jain
Published
13 June 2026
Explora Journeys is the all-suite luxury cruise brand created by MSC Group, the privately held shipping company owned by the Aponte family. It runs young, design-led ships of around 900 guests, with a near-all-inclusive fare that covers suites, premium drinks, gratuities, and most dining. It competes directly with Silversea, Seabourn, and the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection.
Explora Journeys is the luxury cruise brand of MSC Group, the privately owned shipping and cruise company founded in 1970 by Captain Gianluigi Aponte. The Aponte family built the brand from scratch as a separate luxury division, not as a rebadged MSC product. The corporate brand was formed around 2021, and the first ship entered service in August 2023, so the line is genuinely new rather than a legacy operator wearing a fresh badge.
That parentage matters for two reasons. MSC has deep shipbuilding relationships and capital, which is why Explora could order a six-ship fleet in one move. It also means the brand had to prove its luxury credibility, because the MSC name on the mainstream side is known for big, value-focused ships rather than intimate suites.
Explora runs two ships today and has four more on order, for a planned fleet of six built by Fincantieri in Italy. EXPLORA I began her maiden voyage on 1 August 2023, and EXPLORA II entered service in September 2024. EXPLORA III is due in 2026, with the remaining ships following through the late 2020s. The two newest ships are designed to use liquid-hydrogen fuel cells for power at berth.
The ships are near-identical sisters, each around 64,000 gross tons and roughly 900 guests at double occupancy. That is small for an ocean ship but larger than the most intimate luxury yachts. You get more space, more dining choice, and a fuller spa and pool deck than a 200-guest vessel offers, while still avoiding the crowds of a mainstream ship.
Explora markets itself as all-inclusive, and the onboard product comes close. The fare covers your suite, gratuities, unlimited wifi, and a wide range of drinks, including premium spirits, wines, and cocktails, with no house-versus-premium tier to navigate. Eight of the nine culinary venues are included in the fare, and the in-suite minibar is restocked daily at no charge.
The real caveat is scope. Shore excursions are an extra cost, and the Anthology specialty restaurant carries a surcharge for its guest-chef tasting menus. So the accurate description is near-all-inclusive onboard, with excursions budgeted separately. That still compares well against luxury lines where premium drinks or wifi can land on your final bill.
Every cabin on an Explora ship is a suite with a private ocean-front terrace, so there is no standard inside or window cabin anywhere aboard. The entry-level Ocean Terrace suites run from around 377 square feet, which is generous for the category. Categories rise from there through larger Ocean Grand suites and penthouses up to the multi-room Owner's Residences at the top.
The Owner's Residences are the headline. The largest measures roughly 3,015 square feet across indoor and outdoor space, with a full-beam terrace, an outdoor infinity pool, a hot tub, and dining for six. Most travelers will book somewhere in the middle, where the suites are contemporary, light, and well finished rather than ornate.
Explora markets nine culinary venues per ship, which includes six restaurants plus cafes, a marketplace, and lounge dining. The named restaurants cover several cuisines, with Marble & Co. Grill for steak, Sakura for Pan-Asian, Med Yacht Club for Mediterranean, and Fil Rouge for European cooking. The Emporium Marketplace handles relaxed buffet-style meals, and Crema Cafe covers coffee and pastries through the day.
Anthology is the specialty option, a rotating guest-chef tasting concept that carries a surcharge. Dining is open-seating with no fixed times and no formal nights, which suits travelers who want to eat when and where they like. For a line this young, the breadth of venues is a real strength rather than a marketing line.
Explora's core regions are the Mediterranean, Northern Europe, the Caribbean, and the North American coast, with newer deployments reaching Iceland, Greenland, the Amazon, and the Red Sea as the fleet grows. Summer leans European, and winter shifts toward the Caribbean and warmer waters, with longer repositioning voyages linking the two.
Itinerary length varies widely. You can book a seven-night Mediterranean sailing or a grand voyage of twenty nights or more that strings several regions together. The longer journeys suit travelers with time who want one continuous trip rather than several short ones, and they show off the line's range.
Explora fares typically start in the mid five figures per person for a week, with starting prices around $5,500 to $6,500 for many seven-night sailings. Grand voyages and top suites climb well beyond that, and a top Owner's Residence on a long roundtrip can reach the high five figures. As a rough rule, plan on roughly $1,000 per person per night as a starting point.
Because the fare bundles drinks, gratuities, wifi, and most dining, the headline number sits closer to your real spend than on lines where extras stack up. Excursions remain the main variable to budget on top. Prices change constantly, so treat any figure here as a starting point and check the live price on the itinerary page.
“Explora is the contemporary, near-all-inclusive option in luxury cruising, with bigger suites and a more relaxed feel than the traditional lines, at a price that sits right alongside them.”
Explora plays in the same arena as the established luxury lines, but with a more contemporary feel. It tends to offer larger suites and a more relaxed, design-forward atmosphere than the traditional names, while the others bring longer track records and, in some cases, dedicated expedition fleets. Entry fares sit broadly in line across the group, so the choice is more about style than price.
The table below sets out the practical differences. Every line here is one we book, and each suits a slightly different traveler, so read it as a way to find your fit rather than a ranking.
Explora suits travelers who want luxury without the formality. If you like the idea of a big private terrace, open dining with no dress-up nights, and a contemporary look rather than a traditional one, this line fits. It also works well for couples and groups who want a generous suite as their base for the week.
You may prefer another cruise line if your first priority is a long track record or dedicated expedition sailing. Silversea reaches more remote destinations with its expedition fleet, and Seabourn has a longer history of repeat-guest loyalty. For mainstream luxury in the Mediterranean and Caribbean, though, Explora is a strong and very current choice.
Each fare is a starting per-person price, and live dates sit on the itinerary page.
A wider sample of bookable Explora Journeys sailings. Each fare is a starting per-person price, and live dates sit on the itinerary page.
We book Explora Journeys and the luxury lines it competes with, so we can match you to the right one, secure preferred-partner perks at the same fare, and tell you honestly which fits your trip and budget. We earn our commission from the operator, so the advice costs you nothing beyond the fare.
Booking through us, you can also join the Small Ship Travel Loyalty Program, a four-tier program that pays members 2 to 5 percent back per booking, plus perks like cabin upgrades and concierge access. The credit builds across every cruise line we book, so it rewards you for staying with us rather than for picking one operator.
Explora Journeys is the luxury cruise brand of MSC Group, the privately held shipping and cruise company owned by the Aponte family. MSC founded the brand as a separate luxury division, not as a rebadged MSC product. The first ship entered service in August 2023, so it is a genuinely new operator rather than a renamed legacy line.
The onboard product is near-all-inclusive. The fare covers your suite, gratuities, wifi, premium drinks, and eight of the nine culinary venues. Two things sit outside the fare: shore excursions, which are an extra cost, and the Anthology specialty restaurant, which carries a surcharge. So budget excursions separately, but most daily onboard spending is already covered.
Two ships sail today, EXPLORA I and EXPLORA II, both built by Fincantieri in Italy. Four more are on order for a planned fleet of six through the late 2020s. EXPLORA III is due in 2026, and the two newest ships are designed to run on liquid-hydrogen fuel cells while in port, which is an industry first for the brand.
Many seven-night sailings start in the range of roughly $5,500 to $6,500 per person, which works out to about $1,000 per person per night as a starting point. Grand voyages and top suites cost considerably more. Because the fare bundles drinks, gratuities, wifi, and most dining, the headline figure is close to your real spend, with excursions the main extra.
Explora plays in the same luxury arena, with entry fares broadly in line. The difference is style. Explora offers larger suites and a more contemporary, relaxed feel, with no formal nights and open dining. Silversea and Seabourn bring longer track records, and Silversea adds a dedicated expedition fleet for more remote destinations.
Yes. Every cabin on an Explora ship is a suite with a private ocean-front terrace, so there is no standard inside or window cabin aboard. Entry-level Ocean Terrace suites start around 377 square feet, and categories rise to multi-room Owner's Residences. The largest residence measures roughly 3,015 square feet with its own outdoor infinity pool.
Planning your next small-ship trip?
The articles cover the basics. Tell us about your trip and a specialist will say which ship and departure fit your dates and budget. It's free, with no obligation.
CEO
Ati Jain is the founder of Small Ship Travel. He has worked in travel for over thirty years, with a focus on river cruises and small-ship expeditions. He writes for the site about the parts of the industry he knows from direct experience.
consultation
Reach out to our travel concierges today to create your perfect journey.