Explora Journeys, the luxurious brand of the MSC Group, chooses Spain as a key destination for this summer season, thanks to its two ships, Explora I and Explora II, which will make a total of 42 stops in 15 national ports, as reported by the company.
Initially, Explora I will make 17 stops, visiting 10 different national ports, including Barcelona, Santa Cruz de La Palma, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Arrecife (Lanzarote), Valencia, Malaga, Cartagena (Murcia), Cadiz, Alicante, and Motril (Granada).
Thus, this first cruise will be visiting Spanish ports during June, and from July onwards, it will head to the Eastern Mediterranean to reach the Greek, Croatian, and Turkish coasts. Additionally, it will not return to Spanish shores until November.
Some of the most interesting itineraries include a 9-night trip between 12 and 19 June with stops in Arrecife, Casablanca, Tangier, Malaga, Cartagena, Valencia, and Barcelona. Another journey will take place between 20 and 29 November with 9 nights and stops in Alicante, Motril, Tangier, Lisbon (one night), Malaga, and Barcelona.
On the other hand, the Explora II, which has successfully completed its sea trials and will start sailing on 11 August from Barcelona, will make 25 stops in Spanish territory this year, visiting 10 Spanish ports: Barcelona, Tarragona, Ibiza, Mahon (Menorca), Malaga, Cadiz, Puerto Banús (Marbella), Motril (Granada), Valencia, and Palma de Mallorca.
In this sense, the city of Barcelona has been chosen as one of its embarkation and disembarkation ports. Explora II will visit Spanish ports throughout August and September before heading to the Western Mediterranean and then returning in October and November to travel along the Spanish peninsula’s coast and its Atlantic part.
An example of these itineraries with the second cruise of Explora Journeys is the journey of 11 nights between 25 October and 19 November with stops in Barcelona, Malaga, Lisbon (one night), Tangier, Gibraltar, Valencia, Palma de Mallorca, and Barcelona.
These two ships will be followed by four more vessels to complete a fleet of six luxury cruises that will be built for Explora Journeys by Fincantieri in Italy. Following the launch of Explora II in August, Explota III will arrive in 2026 and Explora IV in 2027, both powered by liquefied natural gas. Lastly, Explora V and Explora VI will enter service in 2027 and 2028, respectively.
‘Explora I’ Approaching Its First Year in Service
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With nearly a year of service since last summer, Explora I has a length of 248 meters and a maximum capacity of 900 guests with 461 suites, each with an average area of 42 square meters.
With the aim of providing an experience based on privacy and comfort, this ship has a ratio of 1.25 hosts per guest and a mix of private and communal spaces, covering 10,240 square meters and 16,000 square meters, respectively.
In terms of communal areas, Explora I features three outdoor pools and one indoor pool with a retractable glass roof, 64 private Balinese beds, and poolside restaurants and lounges.
On the culinary side, the cruise offers 11 unique culinary experiences, six restaurants, 12 indoor and outdoor bars and lounges, as well as room service, with the standout being the Michelin-starred Anthology restaurant.
The menus and gastronomic offerings on Explora I change according to the region being navigated, to provide travellers with a local product and concept and to promote sustainability.
The brand’s first cruise stands out for its lack of schedules to enhance guest flexibility. Among the entertainment options, guests can participate in activities, events, experiences, and ceremonies.
