Work continues on the new cruise ships for Explora Journeys and Explora II is due for delivery in spring 2024 and will spend her first months in the Mediterranean.
A double milestone occurred at the Fincantieri Sestri Ponente shipyard at Genoa back in September 2023, when Explora Journeys’ Explora II was floated out and steel-cutting commenced for Explora III.
This series of six (recently increased from four) ships have deliveries scheduled through to 2028, with ships III and IV being LNG-fuelled and ships V and VI designed to run on hydrogen.
Construction of Explora II took place in two shipyards, with the forward section assembled in the Castellammare yard in Naples before being towed to Genoa. The forward section was launched on 20 January 2023.x
She will carry 922 lower berth passengers, and have a gross tonnage of 63,621. Explora Journeys is a new luxury brand within MSC Cruises. Its first ship entered service on 1 August with a cruise beginning in Copenhagen.
