Explora Journeys Marks Triple Milestone for New Ships at Fincantieri

2026-03-09

Explora Journeys has celebrated three milestones at Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard for a trio of vessels being built there.

Held on March 3, the celebration included the launch of the Explora IV, the coin ceremony of the Explora V and the start of construction of the Explora VI.

The Explora IV and Explora V are set to enter service in 2027 and the Explora VI in 2028.

The ceremony was attended by civil and military authorities, who were welcomed by representatives from MSC, Explora Journeys and Fincantieri.

“With two vessels already in operation, a third arriving in early August and the remaining three under construction simultaneously, the entire Explora fleet is, for the first time, already ‘present’ with the industrial plan well on track to be fully realized in a short timeframe,” said Pierfrancesco Vago, executive chairman of MSC Group’s cruise division.

“We are proud, that, in just a few years and starting from scratch, we have succeeded in building a successful new brand that is profoundly innovating the concept of luxury thanks to an exclusive platform of state-of-the-art ships, refined onboard services and global itineraries offering a sea and hospitality experience unlike any other holiday model.”

The godmothers of the Explora V coin ceremony were Serena Melani, Captain of Explora ships, and Alice Gallo, a Fincantieri employee at the Sestri Ponente shipyard.

Cristina Bacigalupo, also a Fincantieri employee at the Sestri Ponente shipyard, served as godmother for the ribbon-cutting ceremony of the technical launch of the Explora IV.

The number of ships that Fincantieri is building simultaneously for Explora Journeys has now risen to four, all of them being LNG-powered.

In addition to the abovementioned trio, there is also the Explora III, which is currently undergoing sea trials and scheduled for delivery in July.

Two other ships, the Explora I and Explora II, are already in service.

According to a press release, MSC Group invested approximately €3.5 billion in the construction of the six Explora Journeys ships.

Together with four ships previously ordered and delivered by Fincantieri – the MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore and MSC Seascape – the MSC Group’s total investment is said to amount to around €7 billion.

Pierroberto Folgiero, CEO and managing director of Fincantieri, commented: “We are pleased to contribute to the success of Italian luxury at sea alongside MSC and Explora.

“This triple ceremony also demonstrates Fincantieri’s ability to carry forward complex industrial programs with continuity, quality and strong technological vision — a capability that will lead, for example, to the adoption of a highly innovative fuel‑cell propulsion system on Explora VI.”

Courtesy of Travel Weekly