MSC Group

MSC Cruises will amplify awareness and messaging for its high-end MSC Yacht Club experience in the Australia/New Zealand market, as part of a new strategy LATTE can exclusively reveal.

Explora Journeys’ team in Australia and New Zealand will continue to expand as the luxury cruise line continues to forge its own path down under. In Sydney this week from his home in the UK, Antonio Paradiso, VP International Sales at MSC Cruises & Explora Journeys + Managing Director UK, Ireland & Australia, tells LATTE that the three-year strategy for the brand will be to increase its footprint here, steadily.

Formula 1 and The Cruise Division of MSC Group, made up of MSC Cruises and Explora Journeys, have extended their existing relationship that will see the company continue as a Global Partner of the sport through 2030.

The world’s largest cruise terminal was inaugurated in PortMiami yesterday, with the official ribbon-cutting ceremony of MSC Miami Cruise Terminal attended by dignitaries from around the world.

Images of the bulbous bow being fitted into EXPLORA IV at Fincantieri shipyard in Palermo have been revealed – a fascinating glimpse of the progress being made on Explora Journey’s latest vessel.

Explora Journeys has revealed new details for its third of six ultra-luxury ships, including additional high-end Penthouse suites, and – as foreshadowed previously – a second top-of-the-line Owner’s Residence. Scheduled to debut in the (northern) Summer of 2026, the LNG-powered 463-suite EXPLORA III will have two additional suites compared to fleet-mates, EXPLORA I and II, despite its larger overall footprint.

Explora Journeys’ President, Anna Nash, is enthusiastic about the opportunities that lie ahead with the ultra-luxury cruise brand, especially having joined a relatively young brand to “help shape and grow the business” during its infancy, she tells LATTE from her new office in Geneva, Switzerland.

Explora Journeys has confirmed its inaugural CEO, Michael Ungerer, will be leaving the company for personal reasons. Ungerer has held the position ofChief Executive Officer for nearly five years. During this time, he played a key role establishing the new luxury lifestyle brand and successfully launching the first ship, EXPLORA I.

Explora Journeys has released its festive offerings on board EXPLORA I, the first of up to six ships from the MSC Group’s luxury lifestyle brand. This season, guests are invited to experience the magic of the Holidays and New Year’s Eve against the backdrop of the Caribbean.

The successful launch of a new ultra-luxury brand in the cruise industry presents a “huge opportunity” for travellers and travel advisors, says Chris Austin, Chief Sales Officer of Explora Journeys.

Explora Journeys, the new ultra-luxury cruise brand of MSC Group, is yet to set in stone when it plans to commence sailing to Australia and New Zealand, with executives intent on laying the foundations for the brand in traditional markets.

Explora Journeys this evening celebrated the naming ceremony of its first of six ultra-luxury ships, EXPLORA I, in New York City. Among the festivities, Godmother Dr Sylvia Earle christened the ships and was welcomed into the wide MSC Group family by the company.