Explora Journeys’ new ship, the Explora I, has started its maiden journey on August 1, sailing a seven-night itinerary through the landscapes of Lerwick, Shetland Islands and Kirkwall, Orkney and Reykjavik, Iceland.

The event was accompanied by festivities in Copenhagen including the traditional crest exchange, onboard with the ship’s master Captain Serena Melani, Johan Hoganfalt, deputy port captain, Sune Christensen, chief commercial officer Copenhagen Malmö Port, Klaus Bondam, director of Cruise Baltic and Cruise Copenhagen and Michael Ungerer, CEO of Explora Journeys.

Guests on the Explora I’s first voyage will also have a chance to engage in shore activities such as exploring Copenhagen’s waterways by kayak, discovering Shetland through its pony breed and visiting Iceland during an overnight stay.

“It is our absolute honor to welcome the very first guests onboard our extraordinary ship and share this special moment with them as we embark on the maiden journey of EXPLORA I from Copenhagen. Our guests will be able to experience the very best European hospitality at sea and our vibrant, cosmopolitan sense of luxury, while discovering some of the world’s most remarkable destinations. A new era of transformative luxury ocean travel begins now with the first sailing of Explora I,” said Ungerer.

The Explora I will also again visit the port of Copenhagen on August 15, 2023, while sailing to Hamburg, Germany.

 The new ship will offer a series of itineraries exploring Northern Europe before spending the winter in North America and the Caribbean Sea. The Explora I is set to return to Europe in the summer of 2024 for Mediterranean sailings. 

Explora Journeys’ second ship, the Explora II, is currently being built in Italy and will enter service in August 2024.