The ship EXPLORA V. Photo: Explora Journeys Two milestones in the construction of Explora Journeys’ luxury fleet were marked this week at the Fincantieri shipyard in Genoa, Italy. The brand’s fifth ship, EXPLORA V, was launched for the first time, and the sixth ship, EXPLORA VI, saw a traditional coin-laying ceremony.
The ceremony was attended by Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys, Pierfrancesco Vago, Chairman of MSC Group's Cruise Division, and Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO of Fincantieri.
The launch of EXPLORA V marks a significant milestone in its construction, following the completion of the ship’s hull. EXPLORA VI, meanwhile, marked the occasion with an ancient maritime tradition: a coin embedded in the ship’s hull as a symbol of good luck.
The ceremony was attended by Nash and Camilla Ronco, director of the shipyard’s PRS workshop. The ceremonial ribbon for the fifth ship was cut by godmother Consuelo Brunelli, a production planner at Fincantieri.
The ship EXPLORA V. Photo: Explora JourneysThe brand currently operates three ships in the fleet. The fourth ship is expected to enter service in spring 2027, EXPLORA V will join later that year, and EXPLORA VI is expected to complete the initial six-ship fleet in summer 2028.
The ship EXPLORA V. Photo: Explora JourneysBoth new ships will be powered by liquefied natural gas and will be adapted for use with renewable and next-generation fuels. EXPLORA VI will also be equipped with fuel cells, while EXPLORA V will be designed to be retrofitted with the technology in the future. All of the brand’s ships will be able to connect to shore power while docked, thereby reducing local emissions in ports