Where Is Explora Journeys Sailing in 2026, 2027, 2028, and Beyond?

Written By Kate Weiss

Explora Journeys is growing from two ships to six by 2028, and each new ship is heading somewhere different. Explora III debuts in 2026 across Northern Europe, Iceland, and the Americas before opening the brand's first-ever Asia season. Explora IV and Explora V follow in 2027, splitting between the Caribbean and Amazon on one side and a quieter Mediterranean winter on the other. Explora I and Explora V then join forces for the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula in winter 2027-2028. Explora VI completes the fleet in 2028. Here's what's confirmed so far, and what it means if you're deciding when and where to sail.The Fleet at a Glance

‍Explora I (2023): the line's original ship, sailing Europe, the Caribbean, and the Americas, and the first to sail the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula, a route it's operated since winter 2025-2026

Explora II (2024): my ship for the Greek Isles sailing this July, spending the 2026-2027 winter season in the Western Mediterranean

Explora III (2026): the newest addition, debuting Summer 2026, the first ship in the fleet built to run on LNG

Explora IV (2027): joining the fleet to expand Caribbean and South America capacity

Explora V (2027): launching in December, opening in the Mediterranean before repositioning to the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula

Explora VI (2028): completing the planned six-ship fleet

Each ship carries around 922 guests across 461 all-veranda suites, and while each new vessel brings small refinements, the overall feel and quality of the experience stays consistent across the fleet. It's the itineraries that shift from ship to ship, and that's where the real planning decisions come in.

Explora III: A Big Debut Season

Explora III's inaugural season in Summer 2026 is genuinely ambitious, and true to her scale, no two sailings in the season repeat the same ports. Delivered at Fincantieri's shipyard in Genoa on July 23, 2026, she opens with a run through Northern Europe, Iceland, and Greenland, then continues to North America's East Coast and New England before crossing the Panama Canal to reach the Pacific Coast of Central and North America. It's one continuous itinerary that touches four distinct regions in a single season without retracing a single port, which makes her debut sailings worth watching if you want a new ship without a narrow itinerary.

New Dining Onboard Explora III

Explora III adds three new dining concepts to the fleet's existing lineup rather than replacing anything guests already know. The Cellar centres the ship's wine program around a collection of nearly 350 labels. The Chef's Table is a fully bespoke experience where guests shape the menu, wine pairings, and evening's theme directly with the culinary team, suited to private celebrations or milestone occasions. Shore Club on 11 sits poolside at The Conservatory, serving made-to-order Mediterranean-inspired dishes like salads, grilled favourites, crêpes, and gelato, and it's set to appear on Explora IV, V, and VI as well. Existing favourites like Anthology and Crema Café stay in place, with refreshed menus that Explora says will roll out fleetwide over time.

Explora Sails Into Asia for the First Time

For the 2027-2028 winter season, Explora III moves into entirely new territory for the brand: Asia. The itinerary includes 28 voyages across 47 ports in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore, with several ports being maiden calls for the line. Overnight stays are built into cities including Tokyo, Osaka, Hong Kong, Shanghai, and Bali, timed around cultural moments like Golden Week in Shanghai and Chinese New Year. For anyone who's been waiting for a premium small-ship option in Asia with this kind of overnight access, this is the season to watch.

‍Explora IV and Explora V: Two Very Different 2027 Launches

‍Explora IV and Explora V both join the fleet in 2027, but they're headed in opposite directions.

Explora IV pairs with Explora II for the 2027-2028 winter season across the Caribbean, Central America, and South America, including a maiden call to Port Antonio, Jamaica, and stops at Jost Van Dyke and Terre-de-Haut. The season also includes Amazon journeys, with overnight stays in Manaus and visits to river communities like Boca da Valeria and Santarém.

Explora V, launching in December 2027, opens with a quieter Mediterranean winter season, styled as an intimate, reflective take on shores usually seen at their busiest. The itinerary covers 27 destinations across nine countries, including a maiden call in Salerno on the Amalfi Coast and an overnight stay in Istanbul. From there, she repositions east to join Explora I in the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula for the remainder of the season.

Explora I and Explora V: The Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula

Explora I has sailed the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula since winter 2025-2026, and it remains one of the more distinctive regions in the fleet's rotation. For winter 2027-2028, she's joined by Explora V: after her Mediterranean debut, Explora V repositions east to team up with Explora I, and together they'll cover Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. Highlights include calls at UNESCO World Heritage sites like Petra, Luxor, the Pyramids of Giza, and Saudi Arabia's AlUla, along with an overnight New Year's Eve stay in Dubai. It's a region that suits travellers who want ancient history paired with modern coastal cities, all in one itinerary.

Explora VI and the Road to a Six-Ship Fleet

Explora VI is set to complete the fleet by 2028, closing out what started as a two-ship line in 2023. It's a fast build-out for a premium small-ship brand, and it signals that Explora isn't treating its early success as a one-off. More ships mean more regions, but also more choice in exactly which ship and season fits the way you like to travel.

The Explora World Cruise: "Endless Worlds"

‍Explora Journeys has also introduced its first extended world voyage, "Endless Worlds," a 128-day itinerary aboard Explora I beginning in Dubai on January 6, 2029, and ending in Barcelona on May 14, 2029. The route traces the Arabian Peninsula and Indian subcontinent out of Dubai before continuing across Southeast Asia and the Pacific, then crossing the Americas via the Panama Canal to the Atlantic. It spans four continents and three oceans (Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic), calling at 63 destinations across 29 countries and territories, with 12 overnight port stays and 44 maiden calls for the brand built in. Shorter versions are also available: a 112-day sailing ending in New York City, and a 108-day sailing ending in Miami, both departing the same date. For travellers who want the small-ship, all-suite experience over an extended season rather than a single one- or two-week sailing, this is the first time Explora has offered something at this scale.

A voyage this size comes with its own planning considerations, from pre-cruise stays to how the sector-based booking options work. I've booked world cruises and other extended voyages for clients before, and I'm happy to answer your questions about the onboard experience over a cruise of this duration and help you think through whether the full 128 days or one of the shorter segments makes more sense for your schedule. Let's talk.

What This Means If You're Planning a Sailing

‍With six ships spread across such different regions, the ship you choose matters as much as the itinerary. A Mediterranean-focused traveller has a very different best fit than someone chasing the new Asia season or the Amazon itinerary, and reservation windows on new-ship debut sailings tend to move faster than on established routes. If you're not sure which ship, season, or itinerary lines up with how you actually like to travel, that's exactly the kind of decision worth talking through before you book.

Frequently Asked Questions

‍Does Explora Journeys sail to the Middle East? Yes. Explora I has sailed the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula since winter 2025-2026. Explora V joins her in the region for winter 2027-2028, covering Egypt, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Oman, the UAE, Qatar, and Bahrain. ‍

How many ships will Explora Journeys have by 2028? Six. Explora I and Explora II are already sailing, Explora III debuts in 2026, Explora IV and Explora V launch in 2027, and Explora VI completes the fleet in 2028.

‍When does Explora Journeys start sailing in Asia? Explora III's 2027-2028 winter season marks the brand's first Asia deployment, with 28 voyages across ports in Japan, South Korea, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore.

‍Does Explora Journeys offer a world cruise? Yes. "Endless Worlds" is a 128-day itinerary aboard Explora I, sailing January 6 to May 14, 2029, from Dubai to Barcelona and covering 63 destinations across 29 countries.

‍Which Explora ship sails the Amazon? Explora IV, alongside Explora II, includes Amazon journeys as part of the 2027-2028 winter season, with overnight stays in Manaus.

‍Is every Explora Journeys ship the same? Largely, yes, though Explora III marks a step up. Explora I and Explora II each carry around 922 guests in 456 suites, while Explora III carries 461 suites, runs on LNG, and adds three new dining venues (The Cellar, The Chef's Table, and Shore Club) on top of the fleet's existing restaurants. The overall feel and quality of the experience stays consistent across the fleet, and what differs most, ship size aside, is the itinerary and region each vessel is deployed to each season.

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‍Ready to Start Planning?

With six ships heading to six very different regions over the next two years, the right Explora sailing depends entirely on how you like to travel. Because reservation windows on new-ship debut seasons tend to move quickly, it's worth getting the timing right from the start.

As your Virtuoso travel advisor, I can:

  • Match you to the right ship, season, and itinerary for your travel style

  • Track reservation openings on new-ship debut sailings, including the Asia and Amazon seasons

  • Coordinate pre- and post-cruise stays, flights, and transfers

  • Offer exclusive shipboard credits on most Explora sailings when you book through me

Contact me today to start planning your Explora Journeys sailing.

Kate Weiss
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