Explora Journeys, the luxury ocean travel brand from MSC Group, continues its bold expansion with a major milestone: the successful launch of the troncone—the forward bow section—of EXPLORA IV. The event took place at the Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo, Sicily, on 23 April 2025, with over 350 guests gathered to celebrate this next step towards the ship’s full construction.
Scheduled for delivery in 2027, EXPLORA IV promises to push the boundaries of luxury ocean travel even further. Following the completion of the outfitting phase in Palermo, the bow section will be moved to Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard to complete the build.
“This ship represents our unwavering commitment to delivering a new standard of excellence in luxury ocean travel,” said Anna Nash, Global President of Explora Journeys, emphasising the brand’s close partnership with Fincantieri—one of Italy’s most revered shipbuilders.
Each ship in the Explora Journeys fleet exemplifies “Made in Italy” craftsmanship, blending elegant design, advanced technologies, and a strong focus on sustainability. EXPLORA III through VI are being built to run on liquefied natural gas (LNG), reflecting a forward-thinking commitment to more sustainable cruising.
EXPLORA I, the fleet’s debut ship, began sailing in August 2023, followed by EXPLORA II in September 2024. EXPLORA III and IV will both enter service by 2026 and 2027 respectively, with EXPLORA V and VI to follow by 2028. In total, over €3.5 billion is being invested into the Explora Journeys fleet, generating significant impact across Italy’s economy and supporting thousands of skilled jobs.
Bringing together cutting-edge innovation with timeless sophistication, EXPLORA IV will soon join her sister ships in offering guests transformative journeys that connect them deeply to the ocean—and to the world.
