Explora Journeys is on a mission to redefine ocean travel
Chris Austin, president of North America at Explora Journeys, says the Canadian market is performing incredibly well, coming in as the third or second position as a top source market.
“It ranks very, very high,” he shared in Toronto recently. “So that is how we think of Canada being very, very important. We’re very committed to the Canadian market and the Canadian travel advisors.”
“In any company, in any brand, in any industry, Canada is 10% of the population of the U.S., so to be that close in number I think speaks to how the Canadian business is going,” added Patricia Di Benedetto, business relationship lead for national and key accounts in Canada at Explora Journeys.
Notably, he shared that the Aponte family, owners of parent company MSC Group, had a vision to create a new brand that redefined what ocean travel could be.
“They wanted a sexy ship that was inspired by a superyacht – that’s very key – a ship inspired by a superyacht,” Austin said.
Although Explora Journeys is on track to have a fleet of six ships by 2028 sailing on itineraries around the world, the company doesn’t actually define itself as an ocean cruise line.
“We’re more than a cruise line. We really define ourselves as a European luxury boutique hotel whose home is the ocean,” Austin said. “Our philosophy, what we call our ocean state of mind, was crafted from listening to 1,000s of travellers and travel advisors. In fact we surveyed 20,000 travellers, many of them ardent lovers of the ocean and some not. We love to call those luxury land lovers. And they actually told us what they would want from a new brand.”
The goal was not only to attract existing cruisers but also a segment of luxury travellers who had never set foot on a cruise ship before.
“If you look at how many people cruise, the biggest opportunity is designing a brand where your cruisers feel exceedingly welcome, but the non cruisers say: Why haven’t I done this before? And they fall in love with the experience immediately,” he shared. “These 20,000 travellers we surveyed said they wanted space, they wanted choice, they wanted design and they wanted a slower travel pace – the luxury of time – the luxury of slowing down. And we’ve grown warm hospitality into the mix, of course. We looked at all these pillars and they’re not that different from a hotel.”
With two ships currently in operation, Explora Journeys is set to take delivery of Explora III ahead of schedule, allowing for a new revenue based preview journey from Genoa to Rome next July ahead of its inaugural cruise in August. While Explora I and Explora II are virtually identical, or twin sisters as he referred to them, he noted that III will have some notable differences. Although the ship is bigger by 60 feet because it’s shifting to LNG power, Austin said they are not cramming in more suites.
“We’re optimizing that space, not maximizing the space, because we could have basically put in 50 more ocean suite terraces and we’re not doing that at all. In fact our suite count remains relatively the same. We’re adding more ocean residences and penthouses, more larger suite options, and the second owner’s residence on deck 7 aft, and that is the result of travel advisor feedback,” he noted, adding that the fleet will expand to six ships by 2028. “This is the fastest ever launch of a new luxury ocean brand.”
Explora III will also have a redesigned ocean wellness deck that combines the spa and the fitness area in partnership with Technogym.
Fresh off the Mediterranean season with occupancy rates in the high 80s to low 90s, Austin said the Caribbean season for both ships is set to have similar occupancy rates.
“We’re very proud to be able to stand here tonight and speak of occupancy levels after only two years of operating. Being in the high 80s, the low 90s is perfectly where we want to be. We are not striving to be 110% – that’s not luxury,” he shared. “We’re striving to be exactly where we are.”
With a philosophy to unlock cruising to new cruisers, Austin said their strategy was also to introduce some shorter journeys, with many itineraries on offer for six or seven nights. Since the ports don’t repeat, guests who seek longer voyages can combine two back-to-back sailings. As for what’s trending, Austin shared the Caribbean is very popular for Canadians in the winter months.
Meanwhile, Di Benedetto added that the Greek islands’ sailings have also been popular.
“This summer in particular we visit Sardinia in three different locations,” she said, adding that the Canadian demand for the Asian itineraries are also coming in strong.
Although there are adults-only areas, Austin shared that Explora Journeys welcomes families.
“We want to deliver an incredible experience for every guest – doesn’t matter what their age,” Austin shared.
As the fleet expands, so will the number of destinations offered. In 2027, Explora Journeys will debut in Alaska.
“We’ll offer seven to 12-night journeys that balance the scenic sailing days with access to smaller, more intimate ports, places that many larger ships cannot reach – all actually sailing from Vancouver,” he noted. “That same year with Explora III, we will also launch our first season in Asia, sailing to nine countries, 47 destinations from Tokyo to Singapore with immersive cultural experiences and overnights in those key Asian cities.”
As for guests, Austin shared that they’ve attracted many experienced luxury cruisers but also new cruisers.
“They of course are luxury land lovers and they have been paying an incredible amount to stay in luxury resorts, and they are delighted to find our unique guest experience where you unpack once, have a true hotel experience and really, really, relax. Couples, solo travellers, multi-generational travellers who might have never considered a journey at sea are now discovering Explora Journeys. As I’ve said and I will repeat constantly, because we are more a European boutique luxury resort that happens to move.”
To put the level of luxury onboard into perspective, Austin said that the cabins come complete with a Dyson hair dryer.
“We have actually been accused of increasing Dyson’s revenues and we’ve also been accused by many men that it has cost them an extra $500 bucks when they get home… You know why? Because they had to go buy a Dyson hair dryer,” he laughed. “When you are going to bed you don’t need cables for your iPhone, you just lay them on the nightstands and they charge beautifully. In-suite coffee, separate tea making facilities, if you’re British, that’s important. Chilled French champagne when you arrive. The champagne is of course complimentary in our all inclusive experience… A few little tips there that make Explora Journeys feel like a home at sea.”
