Explora Journeys targets 25% share of ultra-luxury market

Explora Journeys hopes to represent a quarter of capacity in the luxury cruise market by 2028, according to the line’s president.

Speaking on board the MSC Group brand’s preview sailing of its newest vessel Explora III, Anna Nash said: “By 2028, we will have six ships in operation and Explora Journeys is expected to represent approximately 25% of the global ultra-luxury cruise capacity.”

She emphasised the role the trade has played in this success, highlighting how agents were selling the line before it “even had ships in the water”.

Nash urged trade partners to “dig deep and help us get there”.

Looking to the future, Nash reminded attendees on board the preview sailing from Rome to Barcelona, which departed on July 29, that “the best years are yet to come” for luxury cruising.

Following the launch of Explora III, the line will debut Explora IV, Explora V and Explora VI in summer 2027, winter 2027 and summer 2028 respectively.

Nash hinted there will potentially be further vessels to come, saying that Explora VI will “maybe” be the line’s final ship.

To further highlight the strength of the luxury cruise industry, Explora Journeys invited spokespeople from management consulting firm McKinsey & Company to share their forecast for the sector.

Filippo Gozzi, partner in the company’s Milan office, said: “There are an estimated 200 million luxury travellers globally, and luxury cruising serves approximately 1.2 million passengers.

“The alternatives [cruising has] are not only other cruise lines – they are exceptional resorts, private villas, safaris, wellness retreats and bespoke land itineraries.”

He urged agents to consider selling a sailing “not only to someone seeking a cruise, but to someone seeking the right luxury experience”.

To attract more new-to-cruise clients, Gozzi advised agents to stop asking how to win “more cruisers”, and instead consider “how do we win more luxury travellers”.

Ultimately, this means the ideal client for Explora Journeys may “never search for a cruise brand”, but instead they’ll be seeking “the best that luxury cruising offers”, including space, service, wellness, culture, connection and discovery.

“The industry does not need to invent a desire. It needs to translate it. The fit is already there – the opportunity is to help them see it,” he said.