Marking the debut of the MSC Group’s luxury cruise brand Explora Journeys, the 248m Explora I is being readied in Italy for a July service start.

Orders plus options have been placed with Fincantieri for what will amount to a six-ship flotilla by 2028, crafted to serve a premium segment of the market. The lead newbuild is scheduled to be presented on July 8 at Civitavecchia, the port for Rome, before sailing to Southampton and commencing her maiden cruise on July 17.

Constructed at Fincantieri’s Monfalcone yard, Explora I is a 14-deck vessel offering 461 sea-facing suites, a 1.25-to-1 guest-to-crew ratio, and a standard and extent of passenger facilities targeted at growing demand from what is described as a new generation of travellers. The second vessel in the series, Explora II, is based on the same specification and is due to be delivered from the Sestri-Ponente yard in Genoa by August 2024.