---

February 24, 2022

The “coin ceremony” of Explora I, the first of four luxury cruise ships ordered from the Italian shipbuilding group by MSC Group’s Cruise Division for the new luxury brand Explora Journeys, took place today at Fincantieri‘s Monfalcone shipyard.

Construction of Explora I began in June 2021 and the unit will enter service in May 2023. In parallel, construction continues on Explora II, the second ship of the new brand, which began taking shape in October 2021 at the Castellammare di Stabia shipyard and will be delivered in the fall of 2024 by the Sestri Ponente shipyard, while the last two units are expected to enter service in 2025 and 2026.

Pierfrancesco Vago, Executive Chairman of the MSC Group Cruise Division, said: “Italy is a strategic country for the entire maritime sector and for this reason the MSC Group has invested and continues to invest significantly in Italy, creating economic and employment benefits of absolute importance and positioning itself not only as the leading group in the shipping sector at national level, but also as one of the main international investors in the Italian economic system. Just for the construction of the 8 ships Seaside and Explora of the cruise division of the group, the total investment amounts to almost 6 billion euros, generating an overall economic impact for Italy of 27 billion euros. The activities of the group in Italy do not only concern the construction of ships, but they affect many other sectors of the industry and generate benefits for the whole ‘country system’.  In terms of employment, the MSC group currently employs around 15,000 people in Italy”.

Giuseppe Bono, CEO of Fincantieri, said: “Explora I will be a new concept vessel completely projected towards the future, the highest expression of the partnership between us and MSC. The relationship with this company, in fact, is characterized by a continuous technological and design evolution, which has led in a few years to three distinct cutting-edge prototypes and has reaffirmed our Group’s extraordinary ability to create innovation”.

The ships have a gross tonnage of approximately 64,000 tons and will be equipped with the latest technology available, including environmental and sustainability features. The units, which each have 461 suites, are characterized by highly innovative design, paying particular attention to the comfort and relaxation of passengers.

Thanks to these new units, the long-term partnership between MSC and Fincantieri has reached as many as eight ships to date. The first order, signed in 2015, included the construction of two “Seaside” class ships, MSC Seaside and MSC Seaview, which represent the largest and most technologically advanced units ever built in Italy. They were followed by the construction of two “Seaside Evo” class ships, even larger and further improved in terms of technology and environment: MSC Seashore, delivered in July 2021, and its twin MSC Seascape which will be launched in November 2022.

Don’t miss more Explora Journeys reviews, updates and news on Cruising Journal with photos, videos and cruises on offer!

Giorgia Lombardo

Comments