by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 11:15 AM ET, Tue October 27, 2026
Explora Journeys has marked two construction milestones for its expanding luxury cruise fleet, celebrating the float out of EXPLORA V and the coin ceremony for EXPLORA VI at Fincantieri’s shipyard in Genoa, Italy.
EXPLORA V is scheduled to enter service toward the end of 2027, while EXPLORA VI is expected to debut in summer 2028. The two ships will complete the brand’s planned six-ship fleet.
EXPLORA V and EXPLORA VI will both be powered by liquefied natural gas (LNG) and designed to use alternative fuels, including bio-LNG, synthetic LNG and biofuels. EXPLORA VI will also feature fuel cell technology to support more efficient energy generation, while EXPLORA V will be designed to accommodate the technology in the future.
Both ships will have shore power connectivity, allowing them to connect to local electricity grids while in port and switch off their engines, eliminating direct emissions from onboard power generation during the connection.
The milestones follow the July 2026 delivery of EXPLORA III. EXPLORA IV is scheduled to enter service in spring 2027, ahead of EXPLORA V’s debut later that year.
“EXPLORA VI marks an important milestone in our journey and represents how far we have come in bringing a new category of ultra-elegant ocean travel to life,” says Anne Nash, president of Explora Journeys, who will serve as the ship’s godmother. “EXPLORA VI may mark the completion of our first six ships, but it is by no means the final chapter.”
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