Explora Journeys Ship Completes Sea Trials in the Mediterranean

Explora Journeys‘ third vessel, Explora III, is one step closer to completion. The luxury cruise ship has successfully completed sea trials in the Mediterranean, representing an important milestone in the construction process.

Sea trials are a series of rigorous tests that a ship is put through on the open water to ensure that it’s technically and operationally fit for service. Speed, maneuverability, safety, and navigation systems — among others — are pushed to their limits for the ultimate performance evaluation.

Following her successful sea trials, Explora III returned to Fincantieri’s Sestri Ponente shipyard near Genoa, Italy for interior outfitting and final finishing touches. On track for an early delivery, the vessel will begin her inaugural season with the Mediterranean Prelude itinerary departing July 24, 2026.

The ship will be named during a ceremony in Barcelona on August 1, 2026. Two days later, her official seven-night Maiden Journey will take her to Lisbon, from which she will set off to her inaugural season in northern Europe.

Explora III in the Mediterranean — *Explora III* (Credit: Explora Journeys)

“The completion of Explora III’s sea trials marks another proud milestone for Explora Journeys as we continue to bring our long-term fleet vision to life,” said Anna Nash, President of Explora Journeys. “Explora III represents the next phase in our growth and reflects our continued commitment to thoughtful innovation, exceptional guest experiences and a conscious approach to luxury ocean travel.”

In September, Explora III will head across the Atlantic to New York City, beginning a fall season of sailings in Canada and New England — just in time for the colorful northeast fall foliage. In October the ship will travel south, spending the winter operating Caribbean voyages between Miami, Florida and San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Explora III is slightly larger than her two predecessors, Explora I and II, coming in at about 70,000 gross tons vs. approximately 63,000 gross tons. It will be able to hold 926 guests based on double occupancy, just four more than Explora I and II‘s 922 guests. It’s also the first LNG-powered ship in the Explora fleet, and provides the flexibility to utilize renewable fuels such as bio-LNG and synthetic LNG.

Explora Journeys is scheduled to grow its fleet further in 2027, welcoming both Explora IV and Explora V in April and December, respectively. A sixth ship, Explora VI, is set for delivery in 2028.